Offbeat Ballerina

What dance form incorporates clapping, stomping, castanets, singing, and guitars? That’s right, flamenco. And where’s a better place to see a live flamenco performance than in Madrid!

For our six days in Spain, Tim (a good friend of my husband and I) joined us. When we were contemplating what to do, I of course said we have to go to a flamenco show. Dan wanted to see the Goya’s Black paintings, and Tim wanted to go to a soccer game. I think the boys were a little leery about going to see a dance performance, but I promised they would love it, as we secured tickets.

There’s just something about flamenco music and dance that pulls you close and makes you really listen. When you see it live, the pull is even stronger. By the end of a show, you feel like you could dance flamenco right out the door. I can assure you that is indeed what happened following the show we saw at Las Tablas Nuevo Espacio Escénico.

As the room darkened, four men very casually took the stage. They chatted with each other, adjusted their microphones, and the two with guitars tuned them while the audience quieted in anticipation. Then the guitars began to play an intricate classical Spanish tune, while the men sang with power beckoning for the performers to take the dance space. With a quick glide, three dancers, two women and a man, entered from stage left. Their fiery energy, quick turns, and elegant arms engulfed the stage. Now the performance had really begun. The one in a half hour show was packed with samplings of many styles of flamenco. In addition to duets and trios, each performer was showcased in a solo that truly showed off their talents. One of my favorite aspects of the performance was if you were still, you could feel the dance through the floor vibrations. What an amazing feeling! By the end of the night, the room was hot and the audience was charged.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnn0kTewVKU

Before we left I was able to talk to the male performer. I learned that he began his flamenco training at 5 years old. He also mentioned that he studied ballet, as it helped with posture. I was fascinated by his duel dance education. For as long as I can remember, and I’ve even said it to my students too, ballet is a must for strength and technical efficiency. I guess ballet also extends to the flamenco world in the same way. Interesting stuff…

As Tim, Dan, and I left the theatre, we took with us the energy of the performance. Instead of taking the metro, we decided to walk. We also took turns trying to tap our feet as fast as possible and discussed Michael Flattly’s world record for quickest foot beats per minute. Personally, I think a professional flamenco dancer might be able to break that record, especially from what I saw at the evening’s performance.

In the end, I was happy that I could expose my husband and Tim to flamenco dance. I think they really enjoyed it. So now, I challenge all of you dancers to out there to introduce someone to dance. Give them one of your comp tickets, take them to a show, or even rent “Black Swan!” Share dance out there, and spread your love of dance!!!

Sharing what I love,

The Offbeat Ballerina

Marrakech is a wondrous and unique city with a bit of restrain. As I walked through the souqs and the main plaza, I was surrounded by beautiful art, smells, and music. It seemed to have all the right components for dance.

My husband and I stayed in Medina, the historical area of Marrakech. This area was bustling with people and even some street performers. A young girl performed aerobic tricks to some music. It was similar to what you might find on the television show, “Dance Mom’s.” I also came across a few hmmm… how should I put it… annoying street dancers. They were men dressed quite decoratively, shaking a cymbal-like instrument, while wearing a hat with a tassel on top. The men would skitter up to you smiling, shaking their instrument, and shifting their body in such a way the tassel would fling around in a circle over their head. If you paid them any attention, they would take off their hat, and try to put in on your head for you to mimic their tassel spinning dance. Then of course they want you to pay them.

I’ve got to say, now that I’ve been traveling for close to four months straight, I’m onto these street performers. For a street performer to earn a little cash from me, they have to be talented or introduce me to something I’ve yet to see. Needless to say, none of the street performers in Marrakech earned any cash from me. Therefore, you won’t see them pictured in my blog.

As we strolled around and met people, I began to see and feel many cultural differences. With so many women covered in full burkas, I began to doubt I’d see dance because of the religion. I also began to worry that filming my dance might be seen as inappropriate. In the end, I did end up filming my dance in a few tourist areas. I figured I wouldn’t stick out too much if we filmed there. Luckily we didn’t have any problems, and I found dance!

While my husband and I enjoyed a meal, we were entertained by belly dancers. Out of all the places, it seemed like an oxymoron that we were seeing half-dressed dancers in a place where so many women are covered from head to toe. During their performance, one dancer was adorned with a plate of candles on her head as she danced. I was so impressed. She even came over to our table, taught me a few steps (surprisingly similar to a basic salsa step), and let me try to dance with the plate of candles on my head. WOW! It was way more difficult than I thought. Funny, I remember watching an episode of Tyra Bank’s “Top Model” where the contestants had to try this task. I remember laughing at the models as they cried and complained about how hard it was to balance a plate on their head. Now, I have a little more sympathy for them.

I wish I had more time to discover dance in Morocco, but my time is limited. My sampling of dance around the world just may have to be an ongoing journey. For the next month, I’m heading to Europe to see, learn, and continue dancing.

So much to see, so little time,

The Offbeat Ballerina

Dreaming of my time in Brazil, I thought I would be surrounded by Samba dancing, capoeira, and the beach. Well, after spending a little over a week in Ipanema, the only one of these I experienced was the beach. I guess if you’re not there during Carnival, your chance of experiencing dance is low. So, I began to scout for a dance class. I did find a studio. However, the website wasn’t very informative. Plus, the only class available was a pole dancing class. Although I do appreciate all forms of dance, pole dancing isn’t appropriate for my blog or for me.

I know this form of dance is gaining in popularity, but I’ve always had a rule that if I thought my dad would disapprove of anything I might do, I shouldn’t do it. I also feel that after spending so many years training to be a dancer, there are so many more dance related options to pursue. Call me traditional, prude, or whatever, but that’s where I stand, and I don’t have a problem defending my decision. If you disagree with me that’s fine. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Following Brazil, I will be on my way to Morocco. I can’t wait to explore more of this amazing world we live in, and hopefully some dance too!

- The Offbeat Ballerina

The more I saw people tango dancing, the more I wanted to learn. After doing some research, I contacted a few places, and decided on La Viruta Tango. They had a class that fit my schedule and for the right price; only about $7 USD! So I threw on some shoes, grabbed my husband, then grabbed a taxi, and we were off for some dancing.

We arrived right on time for class, but in true mañana style, the class began 15 minutes late. In the hall a variety of dancers ranging from beginners through advanced waited for the instructors. The level split was quite obvious by the way the participants dressed. The advanced dancers all had traditional tango shoes and were dressed very sharply. The beginners were the easiest to pick out. None of us had the proper shoes and most of us where dressed very casually. As for the intermediate crowd, they were somewhere in between. All together there were about 50 students eager to learn tango.

The class began when the DJ played the first song. Our instructors, six in total, danced for a few bars and then welcomed us. There must have been quite a few English speaking people in the class because the instructor who greeted us spoke in Spanish and then would immediately translate to English. Soon he spread us into a circle and lead a group warm-up to get the blood flowing. It consisted of a few steps that moved us forwards, backwards, and side to side. Then we were split up according to level.

I was so intrigued of how they taught the class. It was perfect for my learning style, and it seemed like the best way to teach beginners. First, the instructors would show the movement. Then they would repeat it again two times but quite slow. The female instructor would explain her execution first. On the second slow repetition, the male instructor would share his movement. Following their demonstration, we would split up into two parallel lines. Men on one side and the women on the other. Then we slowly tried to mimic their foot work. Just like before, the female would chat about her steps and the male about his. However, this time we were moving as they where talking. Once we sort of knew what we were doing, they paired us up. When we felt somewhat comfortable, they would tell us to switch partners.

Dan was such a good sport, and I love dancing with him, but I think I was a little too teacher like… Let’s just say I like to controlling the movement. He was getting frustrated with me because I just wanted to move to the rhythm whether his feet were ready or not. Funny enough, the instructor noticed it too. He said, “You are trained dancer.” Understanding both of our annoyances, he gave us each a correction to help. Although I just wanted to dance with Dan, it was good for me to switch partners. I think I was a little less bossy with the strangers. Eventually, I learned that if I just closed my eyes, shut my mouth, and let Dan move me, we made way more progress. Hmm… I wonder if other “trained” dancers have the same controlling issues as I have when learning social dances.

During the class, we learned about five variations of steps in the same way. Watching, listening, trying alone, trying with a partner, and then switching partners. Like I said before, it was very effective; perfect for most learning styles. Just when our brains began to feel fried, class was over. However, they did allow us to stay a bit longer to practice before the next class was due to arrive.

It turns out that my $7 tango class was my best souvenir from Argentina! Dan and I had such a good time learning tango that we’ve decided to keep learning. Until we get home, we’re going to watch some Youtube videos in hopes of keeping it fresh in our minds, and I think I found an app that looks pretty interesting too. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Looking to invest into some fabulous tango shoes,

The Offbeat Ballerina

P.S. Next stop Brazil

When I think of tango dancing, I think of love and anger; fight and passion; a women dressed in a long sexy dresses with her hair pulled back in a nice slick bun with a man dressed in all black with hair gelled so tight the guys from Jersey Shore would be jealous; and the effortless footwork that moves so quickly you can’t tell who’s leg is who’s. Ahh… so awesome, and I can’t believe I’m in the heart of it all, Buenos Aires!

Tango in Buenos Aires is as popular as soccer. When you walk down almost any major street, by every soccer shop is a tango shop right next door. I was also surprised to see soccer tours sold along with tango tours. I’ve got to tell you, it was refreshing to see music and dance celebrated as much as sports!

While in the city of tango, I came across people dancing every weekend; especially on Sunday’s. From restaurant shows to street performers, you’re bound to hear or see tango in nearly every nook of the city. Some of my favorite tango-spotting sights were in San Temlo and La Boca.

San Temlo on Sunday’s is a great place to shop and for spotting tango. The main street closes down and a market takes over. Craftsmen, jewelry makers, along with tango bands and dancers transform the street into a wonderland. Just make sure you go after siesta. That’s when the street performers start coming out. Along with listening to an amazing tango band, I caught my first glimpse of tango dancers. An older gentleman with one dance partner in hand and another in waiting, worked the audience with his grace and charm. I spoke to him and told him about my Dance Around The World project; he exited and wished me luck! Funny and kind of ironic, his picture is actually on my Lonely Planet app for Buenos Aires. I guess that makes him kind of a celebrity.

La Boca is a famous barrio (neighborhood) for tango in Buenos Aires, and Caminito Street is where it’s at. Along the brightly colored streets, you’ll find museums, shops, and restaurants bursting at the seams with tango. It’s hard to believe this barrio, which was once considered a slum, and a dance that was performed by prostitutes and pimps would become a hotspot and tourist attraction. Needless to say, I totally wore my tourist hat when visiting La Boca. I indulged by watching the “free” shows at the restaurants while drinking a glass of wine… and I took tons of pictures too! (On a side note, I’ve realized nothing is free in South America. They might give you something or say it’s free, but you are expected to pay a little something.)

Another way to see, hear, and try tango in Buenos Aires is to go to a milonga. There’s typically one happening somewhere in the city almost every night. Most of the milongas I found where a little over my price range for this trip. But, I was thrilled when I learned there was a tango festival taking place, and I dragged my husband to the free milonga. The band was scheduled to start at 9pm with dancing beginning at 11pm. However, in mañana time, that means the event will start almost two hours late. By the time midnight came around and the dancing still hadn’t started, I was pooped! I read that milongas can last until 4am, and now I know why. Although the music was fantastic, I decided I would just have to learn how to tango another day.

I thoroughly enjoyed my tango moments in Buenos Aires. How can you not love live music and dancing!? During my trip, I chose to seek out the cheaper end of the tango viewing available in the city. However, if you’ve got the money, I would recommend a dinner and dance show. A friend informed me that these dancers are phenomenal and are real professionals. But, just in case you can’t make it to Argentina, don’t worry. I took tons of pictures and videos of the dancing. Below are a few video clips I took in La Boca.

Enjoy!

The Offbeat Ballerina

p.s. Don’t forget to check back and read about my tango class experience

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u7VqmCG2kI&feature=youtu.be

When my friends and family heard I was going to Buenos Aires, Argentina, they were filled with excitement and immediately mentioned tango. True, it would be perfect for me to experience and write about for this blog, but there was something in Buenos Aires I was more interested in seeing first. “What could possibly be more interesting for this dancer” you ask? The Madres de Plaza de Mayo (Mothers of Plaza de Mayo). You see, I had a history with this plaza without ever seeing it.

It all began when I was 15. If you know me, you know I did my pre-professional training with BalletMet in Ohio. In our training we were exposed to all types of dance. Modern was my favorite, and Susan Hadley was one of my instructor. That year she taught us excerpts from her new piece called Commonplace that was premiered by the University Dance Company. The following year BalletMet commissioned the piece. I was asked to understudy the company and perform it as part of their educational lecture demonstrations. A few years later, as a student at The Ohio State University, I learned and performed the piece again. Then, in my first year dancing with Repertory Dance Theatre, the company commissioned the dance, which I relearned, taught, and performed yet again and for the next three years to follow. So in the end, I had performed Commonplace for a good eight years! So you see, it is a dance that is deeply rooted in my life.

Commonplace, is a dance that was inspired by Hadley’s reflections of changes in culture, political turmoil, suffering, loss, and the women who endured them. Argentina’s Madres de Plaza de Mayo is just one of the place that inspired her choreography. In Argentina, between 1976 and 1983, the government sought out individuals opposed to their beliefs or authority and kidnapped them. This period, where an estimated 30,000 people disappeared, is called ‘The Dirty War.’ Among the victims were thousands of children who were taken from their homes and given to military families to raise.To gain awareness of those who disappeared, a group of women came together and began a silent protest where they circled the plaza directly across from La Casa Rosada (The Pink House), Argentina’s executive mansion. In Hadley’s Commonplace this circling is manifested in several sections.

I can still remember Hadley telling us the story of the mothers in rehearsal. I remember imagining I was there, feeling the angst, and embodying the despair. Although I’m not a mother, I am the age of some of the children who were taken. Perhaps that’s why I feel so drawn to this piece. To this day, it’s still the only piece of choreography I’ve performed that led me to tears. That is why I had to visit the Madres de Plaza de Mayo… In fact, I visited it twice.

I first went to the plaza on a late Sunday afternoon. I had been window shopping at the San Tamlo market when I came to the end of the street to find the plaza right in front of me. I crossed the street and stood right in the middle of the circular path where the mothers marched. The emotion I felt was mixture of sadness and silence, yet my legs were compelled to dance; and so I did. I haven’t thought about the piece in years, but I just began to move, and it all came back like I had never stopped performing.

The following Thursday I went back to the plaza. To this day, mothers, grandmothers, and families still walk the plaza in protest from 3:30-4pm. As they walk, most are silent and hold pictures of those who disappeared; others chant “We want our children; we want you to tell us where they are.” Today the search for the missing continues. They encourage people who might suspect they were taken to come forward. From what I can find, only 256 children have been identified.

It’s been a long journey for me and Commonplace, and I’m left wondering if this is where it will end. My trip to Madres de Plaza de Mayo was emotional on so many levels. I haven’t danced professionally for almost three years now. After relocating to the suburbs of Chicago, I gave up on dancing professional and perused my career in arts administration and teaching. Now all I can think of is wanting to dance. Performing that small phrase on the plaza was like returning home…

Just can’t stop,

The Offbeat Ballerina

Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothers_of_the_Plaza_de_Mayo

http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/contemporary-07.html

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/argentina.htm

https://www.balletmet.org/backstage/ballet-notes/222

Next stop on my “Dance Around The World” adventure, Perú! For years I’ve been wanting to visit Perú to see Machu Picchu. I guess it stemmed from my Mom, a history teacher and enthusiast. Seriously, she’s a walking book of world history. Or possibly it came from my desire to see the all wonders of the world. Either way, Machu Picchu was on my list. I wasn’t counting seeing any dance, but little did I know I would experience a true Peruvian cultural dance experience, Carnival!

On the way to Machu Picchu, we stopped in the city of Cusco. After a 22 hour bus ride through the mountains and mudslides, it’s the perfect place to chill while your body tries to adjust to the altitude. Cusco is a big city for being so high up in the mountains. Its city center is booming with history, markets, tourists, and travel agencies.

Following a day of trip planning, ticket buy, and catching up on sleep, I finally had some time to explore the city. It was an overcast Sunday, but it didn’t stop the locals or the tourists. The sidewalks were filled with people selling food, toys, rain ponchos, and (from what I could only gather) silly string from wheel barrels. I though why is everyone trying to sell me this silly string!? I saw a few kids spraying each other and realized it was actually foam. That’s when it started…

The street began to clear of cars and people lined the street looking as if they were waiting for something. It was a parade! Groups of dancers in brightly colored costumes began dancing down the street with their own personal band. At certain locations, the group would pause and perform a two minute dance. Each dance seemed to have a prop such as a hat, stick, rope, or scarf. Even though the dances were different, they each stuck to the same formation. They would start in a line, transformed into a circle, and back into a line again. At the end of each performance, the crowd would cheer and clap. Then intermittently a local would run forward spraying the dancers and onlookers with foam. That’s when I was really kicking myself for only having 25% battery left in my camera!

I filmed as much as possible before my camera went dead. But, my husband and I watched for about an hour in the cold and rain. Eventually we were initiated into the whole Carnival experience too. A few children saw our excitement as we watched the dance and laughed at them for getting sprayed with foam. That’s when they went after us. Soon we were completely covered in white, blue, pink and purple foam. So we laughed and chased each other down the street and made the most of the day. As we walked away from the festivities, reminiscing, and laughing at each other, even the local adults gave us a nod. They would just give us a little laugh and would say “Carnival” with a gigantic smile across their faces. For the first time in a while, I didn’t feel like a tourist.

Even though I didn’t get to take a class while in Perú, I will always cherish that day in Cusco. During the parade, I watched 20 different dance troupes perform traditional Peruvian folk dances. As I watched, clapped, and tapped my feet to the music, I felt at home and totally involved with the dance and the people. What a truly amazing adventure I’m having… I can’t believe how lucky I am to have stumbled upon dance once again.

Finding dance everywhere,

The Offbeat Ballerina

Join me for my next post as I discover dance in Buenos Aires!

*Warning – This post is rated PG-13 

After all the Afro-Colombian dancing I saw in the streets of Cartagena, I was inspired to dance. I knew there had to be dance studio in this city, so when I got home from the last performance, I turned to Google. The internet slowly loaded and translated my search. That’s when I found Crazy Salsa. Clicking on the link, my computer screen danced as one letter at a time popped up making their logo. I happily discovered an icon to translate their website to Spanish or English. I learned they not only taught Salsa but, Afro-Colombian and Colombian too!  I figured they must have spoken English because of the icon, and it seemed meant to be; I needed to take class there. In no time, I composed an email about my project, crossed my fingers, and pressed send.

A day passed, and no response. My excitement began to fade into nervousness. Why I hadn’t heard from them? I shouldn’t have assumed they spoke English just because of a translate button on their website… My Dad always told me never to “assume” because “it only makes an ass out of u and me.” Damn… he was right again! Or maybe they hated my project. Seriously, I was making myself crazy! But, in the late afternoon, the following day, I received an email. Turns out they were excited about my project. They recommended two different classes. Since I was leaving for Peru in the morning, my only choice was limited. I had to take the Colombian dance class, and it started in two hours! Ready or not, tonight I was going to dance.

I reached the studio about fifteen minutes early to introduce myself. The entrance was well marked, but I was a surprised to see how different this studio was from the ones back home. It was small, had tile floors, a few mirrors, and a simple sound system. I sat in the lobby area and waited for my class to start. As the minutes ticked away, my stomach started to knot, I was still sitting there all alone. That’s when I realized the group class was just going to be me. My leg began to nervously shake… I was dreading taking class all alone.

Soon the receptionist introduced me to the teacher. To my surprise, they didn’t cancel or shorten the class since I was the only one. That’s pretty much unheard of in the States. Yet, I could tell from the body language of the teacher, he wasn’t thrilled about teaching just me. Plus he seemed even more put off when he learned my Spanish was very elementary. I think my only saving grace was that he seemed to gain some interest and respect when the receptionist told him about my project. His mood turned and he was excited to share the dances of his country with me.

Although I had a hard time understanding verbally what was going on, I understood the movement and the instructor’s body language. As we warmed up, I was surprised how similar it was to the isolation warm-ups in a Fosse class. The only difference was they were much faster and often required you to do several at the same time. I learned two major Colombian dances; one was called Champeta and the other the Vallenato. I learned two forms of Champeta one reminded me a lot of the Afro-Caribbean classes I took as a teen. I enjoyed this movement. Maybe this was because it was familiar or because it was exactly what I expected. The other form was with a partner and, to tell you the truth, wasn’t my favorite. This form is a very popular in the clubs of Colombia. The whole time I was learning it, I thought of the class description, “a very expressive dance.” With a BFA in dance, I was thinking “expressive” in a very different light. This dance seemed to be expressing, for lack of a better answer, sex.

Just as my comfort zone hit uncomfortable, the instructor switched and began teaching me the Vallenato. There wasn’t much time to learn this dance, but I accomplished a fair amount. This dance was also done with a partner and slightly reminded me of Salsa but, with less flair. After a few toes were stepped on, I began to picked up the basic steps. Soon the instructor had me dancing up a storm as he moved me across the floor.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I don’t have any video of my class. However, I did find a few videos on youtube. This first video merges the two forms of Champeta I learned. When the dancers are in a line, it reflects the movements from the first form I learned. The movements where the dancers are very close together (They look like they’re hugging.) reflects the movements from the partnered form.

This second video gives you an idea of the basic step of the second dance I learned, the Vallenato.

If you’re ever in Cartagena, Colombia, I totally recommend trying a class. Even though the class wasn’t completely what I expected, I learned a lot about the Colombian culture, dance, and how to approach teaching a little differently. It showed me how many of our classically taught dance forms: ballet, jazz, modern (aka contemporary), and hip hop, are connected. I feel like it gave me a deeper understanding of the movement… not just how to do it correctly but how to perform. In so many dance classes, we focus only on technique and breaking down each step to perfection. We end up making our students look like zombies. In this class, I was encouraged to let the whole package come together. When I was done, not only had I felt like I perfected the steps, but I was confident to show them off. I’m thankful for my little Colombian dance token. I will try to channel it’s energy next time I get too caught up in technique.

About the Studio:

“Crazy Salsa offers you a wide spectrum of Latin Dance Classes, giving you the right feeling and moves for the music – to enable you to develop your taste of the passion! The majority of our classes and workshops are specially designed for beginners who want to learn to distinguish the different music styles, feel the different rhythms and learn the basic steps to be able to dance at the various venues in Cartagena and around.”

Address: Center (Barrio San Diego), Calle 38 “Tumba muertos”, #8-55

I was very sad to leave Guatemala, but I was pretty excited to visit Colombia. My anticipation grew as we boarded the plane, and the travel ads greeted me at my seat. The advertisement showed beautiful images from all over Colombia with quotes that couldn’t help but make you want stay there forever. I caught one of my favorite quotes on camera. Sorry it’s a little blurry, and the translation is a little off, but you can get the idea. It reads, “How can you not stay to live in a place where your feet don’t walk? They dance.” Needless to say I was sold on Colombia before we even left Guatemalan soil. All I could imagine was people dancing from place to place.

Sadly when I got off the plane in Bogota, the happy spirit I imagined the people had wasn’t there. It was a little like my first time using the NYC subway. It was crowded, people were pushy, and you would be trampled on if you stopped. I decided to take a deep breath in hopes that Cartagena might be the city to capture the happy dancing spirit the airplane promised.

When my husband and I finally arrived to Cartagena, I was thrilled to hear music filling the streets… now this is more like it! We sat down for dinner and right as dessert was served, a group of teens began to perform a traditional Afro-Colombian dance in the street. The drums started the entertainment and dancers followed, slowly taking their places. The group of three boys and three girls wore coordinating costumes of green, yellow, and red. The group demanded attention from all of the restaurant guests with their music, singing, and dancing. Even when a parked car backed up into their makeshift dance space, the group continued to perform. Although they kept dancing, like true performers, their energy was lazy and they weren’t well rehearsed. I often caught them glancing at each other to see what came next. The group performed about three pieces, each about a minute in length. Midway through the third dance, one of the dancers began walking around the crowd with a hat. She pretty much demanded money with her stern demeanor. Since I was documenting their performance, I gave them some money. However, I was not impressed with her attitude. It left me feeling like I had watched a flash mob gone wrong.

Ironically the next day we ran into another Afro-Colombian dance performance. This time it was in a plaza with tons of dance space and room for a crowd to watch. The drummers captivating rhythm beckoning me to come closer. I couldn’t help but bounce as I moved towards the performance. That’s when I knew this group was the real deal. As I teen, I took West African and Afro-Caribbean dance classes but, never have I seen dancers move like these professionals. Their bodies were literally vibrate. At times, it seemed they were controlling the music. I couldn’t figure out when one movement stopped and another began. It was incredibly fascinating and had me in a trance.

This group, like the last, also walked the crowd with a hat. But, this time the mood was different. The performers smiled and we gracious to the crowds donations. It truly was a performance… you just paid for your “seat” after the show. I happily donated.

Although I’m super grateful the dancers were performing their love of dance and culture, I was saddened that’s where it ended. It could be so much more! I wonder why they just resort to tips. Perhaps it is good money, but the business side of me sees their potential. To start, they could teach the crowd and offer a dance class right then and there. It would be a perfect way to grow and double their income. I know following their performance I was ready to dance, and I bet others were too. However, maybe my advice is best kept quiet. The experience of running into this performance had a lot of charm, and the dancers genuinely seemed to be happy. I’m a firm believer that you should always do what you love and what makes you happy! So, I will sit back and enjoy the experience and push my crazy entrepreneurial ideas to the side.

Here’s  little video I captured from the professional Afro-Colombia dancer. Enjoy!

Join me for my next post as I share my experience learning a few traditional Colombian dances.

Moving and Shaking through South America!

The Offbeat Ballerina

Hope you’re leaping into a new adventure today! 

P.S. Yes, that’s me jumping out of a plane!