29 August - Salsa & Sins

I could take it back about carnival. It was on the doorstep. We did old people's routine by weeding front garden on the Sunday as people streamed past on their way... then we went to meet some friends but only did the smallest of loops, ate something and were back in 2 hours. On the Monday some other friends came by and we went out with them. J. is a fabulous black girl who can dance most loosely and her white boyfriend had never been to Carnival so it seemed churlish to say 'no you go ahead, I hate it'. Again, we did the smallest of loops and spent most time at a salsa dj corner as J. has had lessons and so can do it. The other 3, are useless, though for some reason I get grabbed a lot by men who think they can make me twirl around. Well, they do, but it's never that smooth as I just can't do it. Toph can't do it either but he's been to Cuba a few times including a memorable NYE 1999 and fancies learning it. I guess he imagines it can turn into a scene from cigar rolling factory with scantily clad husky ladies rolling the tobacco on their naked thighs.

Horror! I so don't! I'm partial to tight fitting trousers and carlos acostas myself but it always feels like comedy to me. Something about the accents. Also, for a start even if we had 3 years of solid lessons/practice, we'd still be reasonably lame. Basically if you can’t get good at something you may as well not try. It would be like starting to play tennis. Or maybe I should just view it as exercise/fitness. In whcih case Bachata (a slower version) seems more manageable to me, though there’s plenty venom on youtube from people commenting that it’s all 'mierda' what is shown/lessons etc, and not the real thing according to them. But seems fine for me. But I also have that snob thing that it's always when people turn 40 that they turn to salsa. Why? What's wrong with the Chemical Brothers?

However, the main problem is ... the music... I find all things latin pretty boring after the first half hour. Same with reggae. Even in situ and with margarita or mohito in hand. I understand that it may be different for men. They get to see plenty of hips and booty shaking and they get to hold the ladies by the waist or close to them. This is especially good for later. It's an acceptable dance that old people can handle and let's face it, 'bout then, they'll need to hold flesh as their own partners will be increasingly infirm or dead. The same could be said about older women ie. me, but I'd rather take up knitting.

I was surprised to find myself 'dancing' next to a gal I know who is the last person I thought would be salsaing as she's a Vivienne Westwood dark girl and sings demented stuff. She was not remotely a pro but was happily shaking it about with some Argentinian boy. She was very merry. I had been drinking my own mix of Wray & McKay and coke which was said by those who tasted it to be extra strong, but it had no effect on my getting down with the latin moves. I'm immune.


Anyway, we were happily back at the ranch as darkness fell and so avoided the streams of bad boys clashing with police by Ladbroke Grove station from 8pm onwards. Those guys just come looking for trouble when carnival is over and it's just a shame. Though nobody got stabbed for a change.