I just had the greatest opportunity last week. We learned how to SALSA!
I went to visit a friend and found out that her friends were going to a salsa class at a Jewish community center that night.
I went with fear and trepidation thinking it would be a cave-bar experience and I would have to shower for weeks to get all the slime off from the evening. I was not prepared for how up-standing and gracious everyone was. They were really there to learn how to dance (even conservative practicing Jews) and then practice what they learned in a 'safe' environment.
A quick summary:
1) Dance lessons with teachers Joanna and Haim.
2) Two hours of fast-paced, following-the-lead-of-whoever-asks-you-to-dance dancing, to a backdrop of earthy Latino music.
3) Finding out you know how to dance salsa from all the swing dancing you did at home in Portland, OR.
4) Realize that every single person who asks you where you are from and why you are here--and maybe what your name is, is getting to know you but is profiling you at the same time. (Almost everyone has served in the Israeli army so I bet it's habit as well as common courtesy when asking.)
5) Excited to find that what you thought would be a slimy evening is one the cleanest and above-board dancing experiences you have ever had.
Such a great night because:
You are in Jerusalem, you're learning to dance, while staying out really late at night (for once), while getting to mingle with some real Israelis AND are learning some Hebrew. I now know some Ophir's, Dawid's, Itai's, Barak's and Schlomo's.
I went to visit a friend and found out that her friends were going to a salsa class at a Jewish community center that night.
I went with fear and trepidation thinking it would be a cave-bar experience and I would have to shower for weeks to get all the slime off from the evening. I was not prepared for how up-standing and gracious everyone was. They were really there to learn how to dance (even conservative practicing Jews) and then practice what they learned in a 'safe' environment.
A quick summary:
1) Dance lessons with teachers Joanna and Haim.
2) Two hours of fast-paced, following-the-lead-of-whoever-asks-you-to-dance dancing, to a backdrop of earthy Latino music.
3) Finding out you know how to dance salsa from all the swing dancing you did at home in Portland, OR.
4) Realize that every single person who asks you where you are from and why you are here--and maybe what your name is, is getting to know you but is profiling you at the same time. (Almost everyone has served in the Israeli army so I bet it's habit as well as common courtesy when asking.)
5) Excited to find that what you thought would be a slimy evening is one the cleanest and above-board dancing experiences you have ever had.
Such a great night because:
You are in Jerusalem, you're learning to dance, while staying out really late at night (for once), while getting to mingle with some real Israelis AND are learning some Hebrew. I now know some Ophir's, Dawid's, Itai's, Barak's and Schlomo's.
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