Saturday, June 02, 2007 . 10:24 PM
Many times when i laid on my bed while i was sick, falling asleep, i dreamt of me dancing. I dreamt of how how i would hold my hand out, stand upright, ready to dance my waltz or tango or salsa or bachata...
I have a love/hate relationship with dance. I felt like dancing wasn't enjoyable for a long period of time bcos of many reasons even tho deep down i do love dancing. I felt as if my instructor has been the one pulling and pushing me to dance. My attitude had always been hmm i want ..but i don't wan this... I'm just pulled n pushed along to dance. It's been 1.5 years since i started learning Salsa. It's only been less than a year that i started so called training to be professional. It took me 1.5 years to be enlightened.To fully enjoy dancing for what it is. The turning point came when Bernice, who barely knows much Salsa asked me to go to Union Square. Someone she knew invited her. Union Square is like one of the biggest and few places in Sg to dance Salsa. They play only Salsa most of the time, and some Bachata in between and Meringue if there's any.
I"ve been to Union only once in my whole dancing explorations. My instructor usually brings me to places like Raffles Town Club, where yes u need to be a member or a member's guest to enter ( u pay a few 10 thousands membership a year...) and the place plays all kinds of dance music. 5 ballrooms( Slow Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep,Ballroom Tango,Viennese Waltz) 3 latins ( Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba), Disco Rock, Rock and Roll, occasionally Jive, Salsa and Bachata. SO as you can see, Salsa is like played as a minority in Raffles Town Club. Some places even have Paso Doble. In fact, there are many dancing places out there which are like such, playing many different kinds of songs, unlike Union. I would say many young pple are into Salsa and Bachata, but not many know other dances. Usually it's the older generation....at such dance places.
It was the 1st time i went to Union with my own frens,without my instructor. Somehow it felt liberating. I don't know my Salsa standard. I've been to Union square once for competition. It's weird that i started out straight into performing n competition that i've seldom social danced. SO was a virgin experience for me. Glad to say that i didn't put my instructor's reputation to shame. Tested my standard. Not too bad. But social dancing is quite different from performing of cos. That was what got me becoming more n more interested to dance more, to know more.
I love dancing. Now i truly love dancing. I crave for it. I can just feel my body moving to the beats, remembering the feeling..the way to move..i need to dance, if not everything is weird. Every dance has its own different feel. I may prefer this dance to another, but i love all dances. The thing with dancing is not to remember the steps. I dont' consciously remember all the steps, that's y i can never teach pple the steps. What i remember, is the feeling. The way to move, the way to do this or that..i remember how it felt...that's what i remember. If u are a musician, you probably know wat i mean. I was telling this to Albert one day, and he said it's exactly how he does it for his music.Feelings. Not the steps, not what to play...
Sadly speaking, i've skipped a number of dance practices since i got ill. Thursday was a Vesak Day holiday. Instead of spending it with my bf or friends or sleeping at home, i went to Safra at Mt faber. With my instructor.
I took the place with my camera. The dance floor i tell you is HUGE. Incidentally, this place is called THE DANCEFLOOR. It cost $12 from 2-7.30pm and another $12 from 7.30pm to ..i think late. I was juz amazed at the size of that bloody big dance floor. It's perfect for ballroom dances, cos ballroom dances, u practically need to travel around the room, in circles, sometimes towards the centre of the floor, or outwards, but it's like going around the floor. Bcos it was a holiday, about 10+ other pple were present but the place is so big, there are enuff space for everyone. There's 2 big mirrors at each side of the wall, to allow pple to practice their dances. A huge screen airing international performances. WE are entitled to 2 free drinks and light refreshments and free karaoke which is in another room. What a nice place. Love it. And it's so much nearer to my home compared to some other dance places.
I'm being trained the Standard Waltz and Tango for now. As in the international standards aka those u see on tv. I like Viennese Waltz alot, it reminds me of many romantic movies set in the victorian ages. Im not doing the Standard for Viennese Waltz, just doing it social dancing for now.
And i really like Jive and Samba. Hoping to learn soon. Cha Cha too, cos it's the most common social latin dance outside....
Compared to Union, which is usually packed like Sardines and u have no place to dance...i mean i seriously prefer this. Tho probably not many of the pple who goes to Union can follow me here.
I feel really blessed really. My instructor treats me like treasure and pampers me. He's understanding and willing to train me up for free. I should have counted my blessings long ago. I have no idea what i was thinking. I gez i just wasn't the greedy sort of person.
I was supposed to go there to dance today btu in the end i couldn't make it cos of my period. Remember i said it may come today. It came. The cramps and all. Argh. I spent most of the time today in bed sleeping. Just realised i can really sleep alot. Wondering if it's cos im still sick. I have packs of medicine waiting for mi to finish. Argh. I woke up at 11.30pm in time for my driving lesson. Then took a cab home bcos IT came. Had my lunch and pop back into bed by 2pm. ALbert came to keep me company. Im really thankful that he's around. Its not that i need someone to b around. I basically just sleep thru my pain, but he was so kind, he went to tabao dinner for me and my dad cos my mom didn't cook. I didn't have a chance to buy dinner home cos the pain already started. He asked my dad what he wants to eat..He not only brought the food, he even took my dad's dinner out of the plastic bag and all and prepared it on the plate, covered it with the plastic cover to prevent dust and flies from the food and washed the dirty plates that were accumulated since morning..all these while i was asleep. I'm really touched. Its nice that someone can cover you when u can't do ur job. Anyway then he left, bcos he had another appointment.
His aunt who is staying with his family happened to know that my P is here...she said that she will make mi some chinese tonic when it clears, to make sure next month's will be better. I'm so touched. His mom encourages Albert to be a good bf and son-in-law ( if we get married) to my family, bcos she knows my situation at home.She was very happy for me, when she got to know that my mom is willing to seek medical help for her depression as she believes that it's the 1st step to recovery. His sister who works at SASA, asked him to give mi some samples that she got from work, toner and moisturizer. IN short, i feel v loved. I'm so blessed.
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