On the afternoon of Monday 15th April 2013, Small Works Victoria space was transformed into a temporary dance studio. Setting up a dance class can be a daunting task but in this case we hoped it would be a fun and enjoyable experience to celebrate the Salsa movement.
Luz from Cimarron Festival was the dance practitioner for the day and naturally made the Salsa novices feel at ease. Once the basic steps were taught, there was a new element added to the mix, the music. The dancers, therefore, had to make sure that their movements were in time with the music.
Residents that imagined this to be light exercise were met with a huge surprise as the steps increased in number. Initially, the community members found this to be challenging. “Perhaps I’d be better at this after a few sangrias?” suggested local resident Sheila. As time went on, the residents grew in confidence as their hips began to loosen up. Edith, a local resident who takes classes in Tai Chi and Line dancing, was eager to bring in a variety of techniques to the class and directed herself around the room energetically.
Luz’s teaching style was relaxed, yet her professionalism and flair shone through. Her organisation, Cimarron Festival, hold dance workshops across London as means to celebrate the culture of Latin America and this certainly was achieved through the class. Because of this, Small Works, in collaboration with Cimarron Festival, will be hosting classes on a weekly basis. Be sure to keep a look out for Salsa extraordinaires on the streets of Westminster!
Facilitators
Lucy Browne and Cimarron Festival.