Why is Salsa Dancing the Best?
Why is Salsa Dancing the best? Simple, it is the quickest way to connect with a positive community. It’s the best way to stay physically and mentally fit and it’s one of the best activities that you can do in any part of the world.
Community
When I started as a Salsa dancer, I didn’t realize what I was starving for most, which was a family. A group of people that would cheer me on as I struggled, and learned to dance, even when I had two left feet. In 2009 I started Salsa Lessons at Toronto Dance Salsa, the school I now run. I am not a natural dancer and it was hard for me. But everyone – my classmates, the Instructors, the Helpers – everyone, cheered me on. And as I started to go out social dancing to all the Latin parties to all the different kinds of events – everyone was just smiling. Whenever I would ask someone to dance, they would say yes. Of the over probably 12,000 times that I have asked someone to dance. I have been rejected maybe 20 times. Those are amazing odds!
I found my family. I found a sense of belonging in the Salsa community. And now I foster that in all the new students, all the new volunteers, all the new instructors. The thing that we starve for most in this world is a sense of connection and community and Salsa can give you that if you give it a chance.
Physical and Mental Fitness
In an average class, you do at least 1500 to 2000 steps. That’s a huge number of daily steps you complete in just one hour. When I first started to dance, I was extremely overweight. I was, 50 pounds overweight, But I started to dance more and be more physically active. So an added benefit was that I became more comfortable with my body because being healthier is partially learning to love yourself more.
And as I’ve been on this journey of physical health, the mental health benefits have been just as big. All dance – including Salsa – is one of the best ways as you’re getting older to maintain a healthy mind. You create new neuron connections as you learn more and more steps. This has similar benefits to activities such as doing crossword puzzles and swimming or going to the gym. Dance is one of the best ways to increase your cognitive flexibility and improve your mental health.
But let’s go back to the first point – community. You know, everyone including myself has struggled with loneliness and there is a massive mental health benefit to being able to go out and hold people’s hands, laugh with them, and feel good with them. Salsa dancing is challenging. And when you’re with the right kind of people, that negative internal voice that told me “You can’t dance. You have two left feet” started to quiet down a little bit. I started to hear that negative voice less and less because all the people around me said, “Hey Aleks, you’re doing pretty well.”
Salsa is fun!
Put on a Marc Anthony song, put on any Salsa song and I will bet that you can’t sit still. Your feet will tap, your hands will tap, and your booty will shake. There’s a reason why Salsa dance is the most popular dance around the world. There are Latin clubs in every part of the world because at its core Salsa is energy and fun. I can travel to any part of the world and even if I don’t speak the language, my moves and my body speak the language of Salasa. And that is beautiful and incredible.
I’m blessed and grateful to have had this opportunity for the past thirteen years and I am planning on continuing my dance journey into my 90s and beyond. Who wouldn’t want to experience the community, physical and mental fitness and fun of Salsa? That’s why it is the best!
I can’t wait to welcome you to our big family, have you come in week to week, have fun, connect with new friends and let loose to amazing Latin songs. Click here to check our current schedule.
If you have any questions you would like me to answer here are some ways you can contact me: message me on Instagram (torontodanceSalsa), on Twitter (#torontodanceSalsa), on Facebook (Toronto Dance Salsa) or email me at [email protected]
