Let's Dance

So it turns out that one of the things that I learned on my last vacation was that I actually like to dance. But I also kind of figured out that I had to learn something a little more advanced than what would charitably be described as drunken dry humping to extremely tasteless music.

So last week, while I was visiting my friend, I took a crash course in swing dancing. That was pretty fun, but I think that I will need a little more schooling in order to actually get out on the dance floor.

Then, last Thursday was my first Salsa class. I was struck at how similar the basics of these dances are. The key is always to make sure that your feet keep doing their thing no matter what you are doing. The funny thing is that it is sometimes easier to stay on count when you are doing a turn than when you are just doing the steps in place. What’s really weird is that keeping your feet doing their thing while you turn someone or send them out is the hardest. I think that it has to do with the fact that the turns naturally end in a certain step, where as when you are waiting, you are just hoping not to mess anything up and hoping that your partner will do the same.

I also think that it must be a lot harder to be a follower than a leader. When you are a leader, you know what to do, where as the followers have to be a half a step behind but still not miss a beat. It must suck even more to be a follower when the leader is awful. I noticed that sometimes, the followers try and lead a bit, and that is fine as long as they are good. If they aren’t, then you are up shit’s creek.

I’d be interested in knowing dance theory and the history of dance. I’d love to know how all this stuff fits together and why. Did it all originate from the same place? Is there some co evolution going on? Or are we, as humans, programmed to dance, and these similarities come from the fact that we are all, in essence, the same? I don’t know the answer, but it certainly is food for thought.