The joy of salsa

If your image of salsa is a room full of J Lo and Ricky Martin look-alikes in flouncy skirts and sparkly shirts, then think again. On any night of the week in Essex there are people of all ages, shapes, sizes and levels of fitness indulging in their passion for this, spicy, lively Latin dance.

They learn in Church Halls, nightclubs, rooms above pubs and proper dance studios; there are venues with 20 learners, to venues with 200. All are full of friendly, smiling faces dancing to happy music.

There are classes, club nights, parties and workshops, plus salsa conferences and holidays abroad. Whether you are a bone fide salsaholic who goes dancing five nights are week or an occasional dabbler, there is somewhere to suit your needs.

But what's the appeal? According to Tracey Regan, of Chelmsford, who has been learning salsa for two years, its very democratic.

“It crosses all boundaries,” she said, “”people from all walks of life go, and you get very young men dancing with older women, and vice versa. It's all about the dance and how it makes you feel”

The term salsa takes in all kinds of Latin dance and music from mambo, merengue, cha cha cha and tango, mixes them up and throws out something which is unique always exciting.

The classes teach structured moves, sequences, steps and turns which are repeated and included in short routines. Men are taught how to lead, and women how to read men's signals - a challenge for generations who weren't taught how to partner dance. At the end of the classes, there's an opportunity to practice free dancing.

Tracey added: “You have to work at salsa, give yourself time to learn, get comfortable with it and relax. Its worth the effort and patience because the rewards are fantastic. When you dance well with someone it's so satisfying: it's just you and that person dancing and losing yourself in the music. Only the dance matters.”

Part of the buzz, she continues, is the fact that during the dance, you don't know what's coming next. “Its challenging, enjoyable, and when it works is absolutely exhilarating,” she said.

It's not just about the dancing, however. Salsa is very sociable and the people are welcoming and friendly. It's a comfortable environment for those on their own because everyone is united in a common focus and passion.

Salsa is not about one kind of dance. Teachers bring their personalities or culture to their classes, so no one club is the same. There are clubs that teach a blend of styles, and some more specific, for example, Cuban salsa where the steps are more intricate and La Rueda - The Cuban Wheel - a formation dance for four people upwards where particpants dance in unison to moves called out by one member of the group.

To wet your appetite, just turn up at a club and soak up the atmosphere, watch the dancing, and sample the energy in the air when the music is put on a the end of a lesson and everyone dances together to the routine they've just learned.

The joy of salsa is about how it makes you feel, and when you spin, dip, shine and turn, it doesn't matter what you look like - if you feel like Ginger Roger and Fred Astaire, then for those five minutes that's who you are.

See the original article previously on the BBC Essex website (pictures lost unfortunately)