So, here’s the sober followup to last night’s post.  I cannot do the latin dances, atleast, not well enough that I can convincingly say “I can dance the Salsa/Merengue/Lambada/etc…” I know how to dance.  That’s pretty well established. I was a BIG TIME into the “swing resurgence” back in the later 90’s/early 00’s and still have a few of those tricks in my bag.  I also spent a few years in a dance company.  The dance floor is not foreign territory for me.

Except, for Latin dances.

I’ve apparently “learned” how to Salsa on two separate occasions and have been told I did well (each time by a Latina woman -is that redundant phrasing?- each of whom has a bit of authority on the topic).  Except, in both cases I was BLITZED.  So, unless I find a way to tap into some level of state-dependent learning, I’m clueless.  I do not remember those lessons at ALL.

Incidentally, I’ve had an interesting pattern of meeting beautiful Latina Women (again, redundant? I don’t know the right wording there when it’s a gender specific noun) throughout my life.  I’ve always found Latina women to be some of the most beautiful on the planet.  Watching them dance only amplifies that beauty.  There’s something so exotic, erotic and artistic about Latin dancing.  To say that I’ve got a bit of an infatuation with them would be an understatement.

Last night was Latin Night at Leopard Lounge.  Leopard Lounge is a regular hangout, so I never bother to pay attention to what the “themes” are for any given night.  We always just stumble into whatever is going on at the moment and proceed to have a blast (and, in my case, some Guiness).  At some point, I had enough Guiness that I thought maybe I could recall how to do Latin dances.  I met a very attractive woman named Claudia and asked her if she would help my Irish/German self stumble through the steps.

So Guiness + Me (and my love affair with Latina women) + Salsa music = an Irish/German in large boots trying to swing a beautiful woman around the dance floors.  I can only imagine how that looked from my brother’s perspective.

Good times, good times indeed.  But now I need some Gatorade.  Because, well, I’m a little hungover and I’ve got some work to do!

1. Heather Says:
   July 20th, 2008 at 8:16 pm

   Latina women = latinas

   You might want to try learning some time when you’re sober. Then you could go back and sweep them off their feet.

2. Sean "Diesel" Says:
   July 20th, 2008 at 9:21 pm

   Awesome! Now I know the proper syntax! Thanks! I speak English, German and “Geek.” None of which helped in this instance.

   I actually called my sister this morning (who still dances and is an instructor) and asked if she knew of anywhere I could take lessons. I also conned her into agreeing to be my partner in class. That way if I make a mistake I can pull my “big brother” card!

   I really do love the style, it’s some of the most beautiful dancing I’ve ever seen. So I agree, sober lessons are long overdue!

   Have you ever done any kind of dance, latin or otherwise?

3. Ann Says:
   July 21st, 2008 at 11:32 am

   Sean,

   have you looked at meetup for salsa dance lessons. here’s a link to one: http://salsa.meetup.com/374/ or this one: http://salsa.meetup.com/382/ I know someone who goes to these types of meetups and she says its a lot of fun and she learns new steps.

   -Ann

4. Sean "Diesel" Says:
   July 21st, 2008 at 11:45 am

   Ann,

   Very cool. I’ll check those out. It hadn’t even occurred to me to take a look at meetup. Thanks for the links!

   -Sean

5. Heather Says:
   July 24th, 2008 at 1:43 am

   I wish your blog would notify me of new comments! Anyways, the only time I tried to dance Salsa was (ironically) in Germany. Having never been able to even go into a club due to smoke, dancing has never been my thing. But latin dancing really is awesome.

   Let me get this straight- your sister, who is a dance instructor, is accompanying you to a dance class. Do you just want to go to a dance class, or can your sister not teach you in private and save you a crapload of cash? Just curious.

6. Sean "Diesel" Says:
   July 24th, 2008 at 8:40 am

   I wish your blog would notify me of new comments!

   I think there is an RSS feed for just the comments, it’ll be ALL comments, but it should atleast break them down by post, IIRC.

   Salsa dancing in Germany? Now I’ve got a strange mash-up of Merengue and Einsturzende Neubauten in my head…and that’s just, uhm, odd? LOL!

   My sister is actually instructor for jazz, ballet and tap. I realize I didn’t make that very clear before, d’oh! She is a very capable dancer, but hasn’t taken any partner classes in quite a while. So it would be learning for both of us, although less for her. Since we were both in the same dance company way-back-when she also knows how to phrase things in a way that I’ll pick up. So, mostly, if I make her come along it’s like bring a “cheat sheet” of sorts…