Do you have a son (hijo), daughter (hija), father (Padre), mother (Madre), aunt (Tia), uncle (Tio), BFF or all the above?  If you do please pay very close attention to what you are about to read.  I usually write about salsa and I’m sure somewhere in this article there will be salsa references, but make no mistake about it ‘depression’ is not to be taken lightly.

Depression is a silent deadly destroyer of families if it doesn’t affect you directly it can definitely affect you indirectly through your loved ones. The symptoms of depression are tricky to notice because they vary from person to person and the symptoms may be confused with just feeling down, ‘off’ or some other health related problem.

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You talking to me? I resemble your accusation…

I’ve been called a “Salsa Fanatic”and accused of having Salsa OCD by a friend (you know who you are MP) and I’ve kept the text message to prove it.  She said it like it was a bad thing, which puzzled me. I took it as a very nice compliment.  I do understand what she meant though.

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Sleep why can’t I have some?  My new year’s resolution this year, like every other year for the last 10 years, was to get at least 6 hours of sleep and still enjoy my salsa night life addiction.  Not every night mind you, but enough nights to raise a concern flag I found I was sleeping 4 or 5 hours a night and trying to function effectively at the job.  You know that feeling when you’re driving back from DC at 5 in the morning and you just pass the Richmond marker... you dose off for a couple of seconds and come to your senses scared  and confused... that 'oh shit' moment!.  Well I’ve been experiencing that on the job in the middle of the day, looking around to see if anyone else witnessed my momentary ‘absence’. 

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Country & Western sounding hick song…

Back in the good old days for most of you, I use to go to the Tropicana on North Hampton Blvd just about every weekend.  It was during this time period that I first heard Bachata music.  I remember thinking, “How could this Country & Western sounding hick song be played and not Cha Cha?” (Tell them how you really feel JulioP)  Bachata has grown on me over the years but I still don’t understand why Cha Cha isn’t played in Latin clubs around Virginia Beach.  Whenever a Cha Cha is played in a club the floor is full of dancers strutting there Cha Cha steps, this is the confusing thing to me. 

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Years ago, around 2004, I use to be a salsa instructor at the old Tropicana (North Hampton Blvd); t,his was before the "On2" movement started in this area.  Even back then I was always looking to dance like the dancers I’ve seen in New York City or in videos before there was you tube.  I knew how to count music but I couldn’t quite copy these good dancers turn pattern.  If you know me, I’m always looking to improve on the things I love to do.  I had heard of a Mini Salsa Congress happening in North Carolina and I talked the Mambo Room's Sandra, her sister and a half dozen other dancers from this area to come check it out with me.  It was during this time that I found out about "On2" and why I couldn’t quite get the New York City dance moves.  While I was dancing "On1 "and breaking forward they were "On2" breaking backward.   No wonder they were calling NYC “Two York City”.

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Have you ever heard the song "Let's Talk About Sex, Baby" by Salt & Pepper?

...... Well now that I have your attention let's talk about dancing in a crowded dance floor.

No matter what city, state or country you go salsa dancing in you will eventually experience the displeasure of dancing on a sweaty crowded dance floor. That sounded yucky pooh but when 'salsa courtesy' is exercised it's probably when I have the most fun. Salsa dancing and sweating go together, to me you can't have one without the other and if you have one without the other you're NOT having fun. Actually I gauge my fun level with the amount of sweat I produce, the wetter I am the more fun I had. We actually gauge our salsa events with sweating in mind, that' how we got the 'Three shirt rule'. If a salsa event is rated '3 shirts' it's a monster event. Three shirts implies the number of times you will have to change your shirt so you won't be rejected for being to wet. In these type of events you must be courteous to your fellow salsa dancers.

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I have gotten such a positive reply to my article “Salsa Courtesy on a crowded dance floor” that I’m going to expand on it and talk about it more here.  This is my blog and I’m glad Adina and Seven Cities Salsa gave me an opportunity to share my views of salsa things, there is no right or wrong, but these tips will keep you in dancing demand.

A lot of the things I have notice are so simple and basic that you’ll probably think, ‘why is he even mentioning that?’ Well you will be surprised by how often these things happen. 

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