Wow, since I got so many requests for a description of our big Salsa night, I will appease you...lol. Okay, okay... I wanted to tell you anyway!
Me, Paris, Giselle, Erik, and Mundo went out to Mira Flores last Thursday night (again, Mira Flores is a popular district in Lima, Peru). First we went to this Brazilian restaurant which was very, very cool. There's a guy there who teaches people how to do different popular Brazilian synchronized dances and they basically perform at night and get to practice (doesn't that sound right up your alley Lucas? lol). So there was one main guy in his 20s leading the group, and about 5 or 6 others behind him doing the same dance. Okay, now I'm not sure if you are familiar with Brazilian dancing, but it's amazing! With really, really fast footwork. If you ever get the opportunity to watch someone from Brazil dance who is really good, you will see the body move in a way you didn't ever know was physically possible. It's very, very cool.
So, we just sat around a table and watched the group dance one song after another for probably over an hour. They were amazing.
After that, we went to this Cuban club next door that's all Salsa dancing. It was 2 levels and the upstairs, where we were, had tables where you could sit and look over the balcony to watch the real 'professional' Salsa dancers below. And directly across from where we were sitting upstairs, was a stage on the opposite side of the room with a full live Cuban band. The band was PHENOMENAL!!! So I got to sit upstairs, watch the live band in front of me, and the professional Salsa dancers below me. Too, too cool. Or, if you want an equivalent expression in Peruvian Spanish, 'chevere!'
Now, I feel I have to clarify a little bit when I say 'professional' Salsa dancers. The different couples I got to watch dance Salsa at this particular club were equivalent to competitive dance groups you'd see on TV. They were UNBELIEVABLE!!! And FAST! I've never seen anything like it. There's really no way I can edit this...lol...so I'll just say it... there is no way IN HELL I'd be able to dance like that even if I took classes for the next 10 years! It was... well, there's just no way to describe it other than FAST and AMAZING!
I just sat and watched them, amazed!, for HOURS. And when my friend Mundo asked me if I wanted to dance, I was like 'are you kidding?! there is NO WAY!' But apparently only the really, really, really good Salsa dancers dance on the bottom floor so that everyone can watch. So eventually, our little group danced upstairs and Mundo and Erik showed me and Paris some basic Salsa steps which was a lot of fun. I'm not a 'good' Salsa dancer by any means, but having rhythm helps and I worked it out and had a blast. I'll try to upload some pictures for you, although I'm not sure if they will turn out that well because it was kind of dark.
Good times, good times. I would definitely like to go back in the future, even if just to listen to that band and watch the really good couples dance.
Erik, Mundo, and a bunch of their friends took Salsa lessons for about 2 months just recently, and I may get a chance to join at some point. Altogether, we had a really good time. If you ever visit Lima, the Cuban Salsa club is a DEFINITE must-go-to :)
