Ah, Performing! (sigh) I absolutely love performing.

Since I started it I cannot say exactly why. I’ve been trying to figure it out for a long time.

I love being on stage, feeling special, having all the eyes on me, who cares if I’m at the back and there are another 29 bodies performing?

It is as if it is all about me, that everyone is thinking: oh look how pointed is her left foot! 

Anyway, I feel powerful, elated!

The lights, the sounds, the music, the costumes, it all ads up to my heart beating like a rabbit’s; my hairs going up at the back of my neck.

I can’t get enough of the sensation!

I was thinking about the Sydney Salsa Congress, and I realized that performing is like doing the horizontal mambo. Specially Latin dancing. To reach a performance you start with the foreplays, you get to know your partner, how he moves, you show him (or her) your moves.

It doesn’t matter if there is no sexual tension between the two of you, even if it is all about the dancing and only about it; it is still like a date:

1. You choose the right clothes for the occasion, for dancing they are the ones that don’t slip, that won’t fall at the wrong times, with good sleeves for that choreo, preference for fabrics nice to touch and that don’t make you feel too sweaty. As in a date, you will also choose the right underwear. Girls will pay attention it doesn’t show and doesn’t disturb them to dance.
2. You will be well groomed, and pay attention about your bodily smells for sure. I love what this guy said to me the other day: dancers have no idea about personal space. So if you have someone invading yours, you will take care of your armpits and breath at their very best. I guarantee girls will shave, wax, use make up, perfume more than if they were going out with Brad Pitt. 
3. You will get all excited about the date, I mean, the training. Dancing is good. Always. Again it’s like bed acrobatics. Even when it’s bad, it’s still better than not having it, therefore, it’s good. 

Here I have to add a small alert: if you are training and not having fun, no mater if you are an amateur or professional, something is wrong. It’s time to re‐evaluate it all. Dancing is about loving it, every step of the way.

When you are starting your trainings, you will have to learn the sequence, like a good intercourse you will savour each step, each touch, each detail.

You will feel powerful for being able to do each movement, you will learn to move as one with your partner. If you love dancing, you will rejoice with every turn, you will fly in every trick, you will smile and yes, you will also complain. 

Any type of congress of bodies is subjected to a lot of pain, good muscle pain. It happens often on the following day, getting worse on the following of the following day.

A few mishaps, even a fall here and there is expected. The accidental arm that connects where it shouldn’t; accidents happen, both in the bedroom and in the training room.

The number of times you do it doesn’t affect the soreness. Having done it your whole life, doesn’t prepare you enough.

Depending on which part of the choreo you are concentrating on, you will use different muscles and feel them burning later.

It’s like using “That Book” ‐ you know which one, don’t you? The ancient one, full of interesting pictures? Well the use of the book will guarantee sore muscles on the following day.

Choreographies are bound to do the same. 

As you get closer to the performance you are doing it. It’s not foreplay anymore. You know what to do and you go for it. You use your full power, you strain every fibre of your body. You become athletic and go all the way. 

You let the feelings, emotions, love and devotions take you over.
You leave your body do what it knows to do and let your soul fly, enjoying the moment. 

If you get worried about doing something wrong, making mistakes, anxious about your partner’s performance or anything like that, you are concentrating in the wrong part of the business. Like making love, it is not about how it looks, it’s about how it feels. 

Then and only then you are in the performance. That, my friends, is the climax. Plain and full Ecstasy, with a capitol letter.

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