I decided to dance to the song "Pa' Bravo Yo"(For I Brave), which is sung
by Pupy Santiago. She liked it too. The reason why I loved that song was
it had a "mamboish" flair--with 3 big mambo-like breaks with blaring
brass accents...but it is not too fast like most of the older mambos. So I
interpret this song as salsa with "a spice of pure mambo" put in.
She had virtually no salsa dance experience so I had to do a quick
"lowdown" on her on some of the basic and intermediate steps of salsa,
including which foot to start first. I also had to tell her how I led into
different figures..and how to count, and which direction to turn.
She wanted the thing choreographed and I accepted that offer.
Jessica is also a yoga student. She has a fairly flexible back and she has
the ability to dip when in sweetheart position without any signals from
me! That is really surprising.
But I won't tell you the details of the choreography we're going to do.
You'll just have to go to the Courtyard Cafe at the Union to see the best
fruits of what I taught her in salsa dancing...
I will reveal the choreography for those who missed the dance
demonstration we are doing...probably in at least 5 hours time.
This will be my real debut dancing on stage with a partner. I was inspired
by the Dancing Illini demonstrations in the Quad and also the 3 Spot swing
troupe swing dance demonstration at the Courtyard Cafe. All of this keeps
me dancing...and dancing....
I even may tell her to dance with me in the salsa/mambo category of the
Dancing Illini Open Invitational competition...That would be a blessing!