SALSA!

Why an exclamation point? If you are a salsa lover, you'll know. And it's not about the sauce. It's about the music and the dance that's invading the world.

So much has already been said and written about it: its fiery rhythms, its happy up-beat mood, its sensual dance moves etc. And yes, all of it is very appealing to a lot of people. But after spending some time among salseros, a thoughtful observer would notice certain facts deserving a closer look by a sociological and psychological researcher. What slice of the population does it attract and why?

First of all, there is no ethnic division in the salsa crowd: it attracts people of all races and colors. (Benetton, that's where colors are truly united!) Here is one theory: the bottom line in their love of salsa for most people is their emotional state of mind. What does that mean? Relatively few salseros and salseras enjoy the dance purely for its technical challenge. (Even though some of them become so obsessed with technicalities and become so self-important they forget IT IS JUST A DANCE. But more about that later).

Both men and women love the sensuality of the dance and their ultimate (and in many cases deeply rooted) reason is... the emotional need for closeness (I did not say sex). This dance must have been created by men. Many outsiders would perceive some salsa moves to be quite daring. In our age of AIDS this is a form of safe sex. No condoms required. Some guys would try a lot more than what you call salsa, and occasionally young women, beginners on the scene, fall prey to their lusty advances under the cover of the dance. Maybe some of the ladies don't mind, but as a rule you don't have to do or tolerate anything you are uncomfortable with. Those who try to get too intimate would either stop dancing with you or will respect your limits.

The control is in the man's hands, however. Literally. He is the leader, and even if his partner is an accomplished dancer, she would not be able to shine if the leader has limited moves. Ladies have to adapt to different styles and that first dance may not always be perfect. Some guys forget this and assume that a new partner cannot dance. Not only that, if they don't know you or see you dancing up a storm with somebody else, they wouldn't even give you a chance. To make matters worse, in the traditional salsa world very few ladies are bold enough to ask men to dance, so you have to rely on every possible strategy in the female arsenal to attract good dancers. On the other hand, there are some advantages to being a follower. You get to experience different moves and different styles while the leader can only use his own. Some good male dancers tend to think that a good leader should be able to lead even an inexperienced partner. Ladies, don't hold your breath on that one. Even these guys prefer to dance with their equals. Which leads us to salsa cliques.

If you become a regular in salsa circles you will soon start noticing some very good dancers dancing mostly with each other. Some of them are professionals who perform and teach salsa classes.  They observe each other's steps, try to copy or invent new moves and often get quite disdainful of competitors or "lay public".

On the other hand, after working hard and taking lessons for a long time who can blame them if they don't want to waste their time on unskilled dancers? They pay money to go to clubs, they are there to have fun and not teach less experienced partners. The ladies, however, are more generous and usually dance with "outsiders", but you have to be quick - they are always in high demand. Good male dancers also get a lot of attention from women. So for some guys it's a vanity trip. They are showing off like peacocks. Nevertheless, if you find one of those "professionals" with a good attitude and have a chance to dance with him, it's quite a thrill.

So what brings people to salsa clubs? Besides true salseros who come just to dance and don't care what their partner looks like, as long as he or she is a good dancer, a lot of people in clubs are there to find somebody: for a night, for a more or less committed relationship or for a lifetime. (Good luck to the last ones!) A lot of people are there just for contact. They dance (no matter how close), they touch and get touched and they go home, alone. No commitments, no expectations and no disappointments. And if you happen to dance with a skillful partner it is also a natural high comparable (they say) to the best drugs or sex. It's legal and it's safe. Also, if you want to lose weight, this type of aerobic exercise is beneficial not only for your body, but your soul as well. It beats staying home, watching TV and stuffing you face, doesn't it? You also get to meet a lot of people and make new friends if you become a regular. There are also salsa parties organized by some "addicts" in their homes.

If you are looking for a soulmate, your luck will depend on who you are and what you are looking for. You may be surprised to see a large number of intelligent, sophisticated and usually well educated women in their thirties and older. Are they tired of their male counterparts who can maintain an intelligent conversation, but have no passion left after their brains took over their bodies and whatever was left was emasculated by the advances of pseudo-feminism? Are they secretly longing for something that's missing in their liberated, independent but also lonely lives? Are they, subconsciously perhaps, enjoying the dance that gives complete control to the male where they can just relax and follow without the necessity to take charge as they are so often obligated to do in their lives? Are they looking for that non- committal contact with a stranger hoping that this surrogate closeness will satisfy their hunger for true intimacy and romance? Or maybe at this stage of their lives they are ready (or so they think) for a purely sexual relationship based only on physical pleasure and satisfaction? Just as well - they would be hard-pressed to find their intellectual AND emotional equal in salsa circles.

A few words about women's fashions in salsa clubs. You step in for the first time and you think,"Oh my, it's full of hookers!" Is it true, though? No. Salsa comes from hot Latin-American countries where the division of the sexes is more traditional and the importance of sex appeal was not subdued by the advances of corporate ethics and threats of the militant feminism. Salseras dress more provocatively and salseros do pay a lot of attention to sexy dancers. You wouldn't dream of going anywhere else dressed like that, but in salsa clubs it's the norm. Of course, if you are young and gorgeous, you can wear overalls and have two left feet and you can still dance all night long. On the other hand, you may not be a spring chicken and may be dressed conservatively, but if you are a great dancer you will not be sitting down for long (if there are no young pretty followers around :-).

Salsa may also attract people who were raised in families where emotional expression was not looked upon favorably. (Remember that 60 Minutes piece on tango in Finland? It's more popular there than in Argentina.) Here, in the passion of salsa, you can let yourself go and you will not be judged. In this country, as well as in many other over-industrialized nations, the populace is starving for raw emotions. In the Dominican Republic, however, a tour guide told us not to expect our shower to be fixed the same day. But she also said these folks will never die from a heart attack. They are easy going and happy in the midst of all this poverty. Salsa music and dance bring with them the lessons from cultures infused with joie de vivre. Don't you think we have a lot to learn from this? But I digress.

Intrigued yet? Want to see for yourself? Want to learn salsa? Yes, lessons are required, especially for leaders, unless you are a natural dancer and can pick up moves just by watching. Yes, it is harder than monotonous shaking to rock music. Buyer beware, however: once you learn salsa, you may get bored with non-partner dancing and become a salsa junkie.

Finally and most importantly, the music. Without it there is no dance, just an exercise. By the way, it is a common complaint of older generation of salsa and tango lovers who say that young dancers today get sometimes so absorbed by the technicalities of the dance they forget to have fun and enjoy the music. No matter how inventive and complicated your steps are, if you are not following the rhythm, your partner is lost and the two of you look like you are engaged in a funny wrestling match. The polyrhythmic sounds of salsa are not as simple as the heavy pounding of rock, but with enough exposure and a lot of patience everybody can develop an ear for this exhilarating music.

One sour note. The clubs usually open at 9pm. The bands play from 10pm to 1:30am and most people don't show up until after 10. For avid salsa addicts who have to go out almost every night it can be a stressful situation. If the clubs change to an earlier schedule, let's say from 8pm to 12am, contrary to what some club managers think, most salseros will be thrilled and the rest will eventually adapt.

In conclusion, one final remark. Many people simply fall in love with this dance and its music. It's their "chicken soup for the soul". Get off your prozac, go salsa!

DIP (dance in peace)