JOIN USSalsa dance is all about unlimited energy and the salsa dancers have an enviable energy. Their bodies swirl and twirl and their flexibility makes you think you are watching boneless wonders in action. But salsa dancing never comes easy.
These dancers work extra hours and eat right to not only tone their bodies but maintain that much-needed energy level.
The recently concluded ‘7th India International Salsa Congress’ had a lot of couples who danced admirably. Two couples who participated in the event, spoke to Metrolife about their love for the dance and their experience of dancing as a duo. Alberto and Mika are well over their 30s and have been dancing together for a long time.
Alberto confesses that he went to learn salsa in a studio and that’s where he first met Mika. “I was floored by Mika’s moves and her commitment to the dance form. We love ballroom dancing and classic moves but are open to learning new techniques. Salsa is more of a lifestyle thing for us. It keeps us fit,” Alberto points out.
About her experience working with Alberto, Mika says that there’s a lot of communication that goes on between the couple, even during their performance. “I began learning salsa when I was eight-years-old. I was drawn to the dance by its attractive and flashy costumes. As a child, I didn’t care about the techniques. I just wanted to get on stage and dance,” shares Mika.
The two dancers keep a close watch on their diet. It’s fruits, salads and meat for Alberto and Mika says, “Japanese food is low calorie, boiled and steamed. There’s no oil and that has helped me maintain my diet.” The duo confesses that they have tried all the dance forms and think there’s room to learn more.
Dawn and Douglas are from Singapore and they stumbled upon salsa by accident. They feel that unlike the other dance forms, salsa has a lot of feeling and fire about it. Dawn says, “In salsa, you don’t have to restrict yourself, it’s flexible and you have the freedom to improvise at any level.”
Douglas doesn’t think very differently but he says, “It’s good to keep abreast of the latest style. The young mustn’t get disheartened when they don’t win during a salsa competition. There’s so much to be explored.”
Dawn and Douglas are foodies, who love to try out different cuisines. “We eat a variety of things but we burn it all out through a disciplined workout,” says Dawan.