Plunge into First Salsa Dance Classes

There’s something about the energy permeating through a dance studio, especially this one.  To the outside eye, it’s a magical thing to behold.

As the Office Manager (sitting in my beautiful purple velour chair), I have a front-row seat that bears witness to all the day-to-day happenings within the studio.  On my first day, I remember being immediately enthralled with the couples gliding across the floors, creating a physical incarnation of their love and teamwork.  While I had never before given much thought to partner dancing, I became fascinated by the couples because they most often exuded an air of confidence, not singularly through their dances, but within their relationships as well.  Therefore, it’s impossible for me to watch a dance the entire way through without breaking out into a pearly-white revealing, wholly genuine, smile.

It’s only natural then, that I began fostering a not-so-secret urge to break out into dance.  Let’s be real, it looked ridiculously fun and, just like one of those little girls who dream of their wedding day, I began to fantasize about what my first dance would be like if I were to ever have one.

This brings me to what I’m actually here to talk about: my first Salsa class and my awakening to the dance world.  When Jennelle first introduced the idea of me taking dance classes, there was a little part of me that was slightly hesitant, as I had a brief background in ballet, which unfortunately, did not end with me walking away as a seasoned professional, but rather a down-trodden and distraught individual who had been over-criticized by an intensely strict instructor.  Lucky for me, the majority of my feelings won over and I ended up being unbelievably excited to learn something new.  Plus, I knew I was in the hands of my lovely co-worker, Tayler, and that she would indefinitely guide me through my dance education with patience and kindness.

So, this week, I took the plunge straight into some Salsa classes.  I came in ecstatic, clad in workout clothes, and ready to get my dance on.  Turns out, that deciding to take these dance classes was the best choice I could have ever made.

Tayler, first of all, had so much patience for me.  She was able to have me dancing with some of the basics within minutes, and here I was thinking that I was going to be a total disaster.  Half-way through, I felt I had learned so much already that I couldn’t even believe what was happening.  I realized that the students can only do well with the guidance of a nurturing and talented teacher, which all of our instructors here at Bella Ballroom are.

I’m positive that if I had a dollar for every time I exclaimed about the lesson being fun, I would be a good fifty dollars richer, which lands us at more than one comment a minute, all coming from my inexperienced self.  During the lesson, I felt like I was learning something so few people in this fast-paced, modern-day world know, and I was positive that I had made a great decision to embark on my journey of dance education.  My first impressions of the energy within the studio being magical had not been proven wrong, I felt a clear shift happening as I danced.  My mood was immediately uplifted, even though I had already been in good spirits.

The verdict after dance lesson number one?  Dancing is a gift…and people should absolutely take advantage of it; I know I am starting to.

–“From the Purple Chair” series from Bella Ballroom’s new Office Manager.