Salsa and Me
by Alexander Rueda-Garcia

SALSA AND ME

Have I changed since I decided to take that SALSA dance lesson? Certainly YES, Was the change for better or worse? Economically is hard to say. All I know is that I enjoy myself a lot more and worry less than before. Years back the meaning of going out "CLUBING" meant going to CLUBS where people jump around and are most concerned with drinking and how you look rather that how much you can enjoy your time with others. So, if I was not in good shape, tall and handsome enough I was bound to be rejected.
Sometimes my friends and I would end up at a CLUB that advertised a leg contest. WOW! We were excited! After a few times I lost the excitement. I notice that most of the time I was sitting around, with hundreds of guys, watching the LEG CONTEST. I gave up on that life style.
Later I discovered a salsa club that offered dance lessons. That was Rudolpho's, a great first experience. From there, I was so excited, I went to take a salsa class at East Los Angeles College. Both a comedy and a work out , the class at East LA College with Instructor Louie was a blast into my new lifestyle.
Since then I don't' look at girls just because they have nice bodies and big butts. In fact I am looking for something else. Now I try to find someone with skill, dance skill, rather than a girl with superficial good looks. Yes! I want to be around dancers rather than just "females" I enjoy happy dancers not serious ones.
Now I have a different outlook of night-life. Many of the young females are very immature, I am not generalizing, there are many that are really nice and mature. These immature females are worried about getting attention. They get so caught up in this superficiality syndrome that I find it a bore to waste my time around them.
My friends now even help me out with real life needs. They give me advice. They offer me help and they are very enthusiastic about life. One very important characteristic of the people in the salsa scene is that they are very HYPER and enthusiastic.
Well, since I have been around salsa, I feel like I am a part of the real action. I feel alive, as compared to a person who is a couch potato. All your favorite people are far from you, deep inside the television. You will probably never have the chance to meet them, shake hands with them or enjoy their friendship. How many times have you met a big star? How about Mel Gibson? How friendly are the stars from Bay Watch?
Now, the people that I consider celebrities are in the salsa clubs I go to. I mean, they are my friends and my Idols. They share this passion with me. Also many are really down to earth,except a few who are up high in the sky. I hope they do not brake their necks when thy fall down.