Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Zhing the lau-pok-pok Salsaro...

took a huge leap of faith and started taking salsa classes with yingjie

.. and nope, didn't start where i should have, i started at intermediate 1.5! (i know.. super kay kiang..) and half this time, i've been shadowing her steps and once again, applying my all time gold tactic of smling as widely as possible to distract peeps from my messy footwork...i has been really fun and im glad i started! =)

BUT here comes the dilemma.. i get clammy when im out of my classroom. i get a little lost when its free-styling, confused when the lead is not something i am familiar with and uncomfortable when the partner is not someone i know.. guess this is where the basic salsa would have come in handy. when you lay down the rules of social dancing 101 : it doesn't have to be perfect. its supposed to be fun.

grew up etched in my brain that if your choreographer/instuctor tells you its 2 and 3/4 pirouette, ending with arabesque and hands in bras bas, then rélevé and your partner (whom you literally grew up with) will pick you up.. there is only ONE set of moves to execute in precision, no variation, no extra shimmy, just do what you are told. and so will the other 20 couples standing right next to you.. oh! did i mention that you don't necessarily have to speak to your partner? but yes you can yell at him or smack his wrongly-positioned arm, all that while maintaing the oh-so-perfect stage smile.  i can deal with that. but throw me a bunch of 'box-step shines' and im as lost as a sheep in the lion's den..

and last evening, i was a sheep without its fleece. (lindora, im milking this to its max.. haha..)

on top of my regular pre-class stress, i was clammy from mild separation anxiety... i was balancing on a ball, between daniel n linlin looking like the sorriest goose in the pack. and my oh-so-sweet classmates had to keep telling me "oh.. you'll be fine.", "but she's only 5 hours away" and "but i'll be your friend.." haha.. how pathetic...

but as everyone else promised, class was fine. but when i got shoved in the shoulder by one of my partners, there was no one to share the "OMG did you see that!" moment.. and when one of my other partners (this is starting to sound very scandalous, no?) hair-combed me, sans my own hand, in simple terms, touching me around my neck... there was no one to laugh at it or to beat him up with. and let me not get started about the boy who back twisted my arm like a chicken wing (like one of the police-catch-thief moments) ah well...

but i survived. and even went to Union after class. did not mingle, nor exchange small talk (just too awkward) but i did dance a whole lot but only with a grand total of TWO partners.. haha..

babysteps i guess, thats what you can call it.

my list for next week. i need to improve on:
1) not getting TOO thrilled when i succeed on ONE move and forget the next
2) being too bouncy & bobby
3) stiff upper body...

4 comments:

  1. from xuling
    girl, reading this entry suddenly brought back so many good memories in DES.. haha the bitching of our dance partners and shouting at them.. and the synchronising without even needing to talk to the partners.. that was how pro we were!!! haha.. missed the good old days.. glad that u started dancing again...

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  2. Re: from xuling
    hahahahhaa!!! only one that has been there know what im refering to!
    its fun to start but nervous too. i guess i sympathise with my 2-year old crying on their first day of class now. i totally would if i were anything less than 25-yr old! =)

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  3. This just sound so fun!!! it'll be great if we can see you in costume! or best yet, when you've perfected your steps, show us some videos!! i'm sure you'll be FABULOUS with your big smile! :D

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  4. come join me!! you will have fun too!!
    hahah no costumes! im not performing im just learning.. baby steps girlie.. no pressuring allowed!

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