Getting back to normal after a loss in the family is never easy, but I do have a simple formula that has worked well enough for me in the past few years:
- Immerse myself in my work – easy, since my work is already almost all-consuming.
- Fill my nights with what I love most – dancing.
- Take time out for a good catch up over wine or a meal with those closest to me.
Thankfully, this is more than enough to fill my days and nights. I just worry about those that aren’t able to do the same or cope in their own way. Dan’s brother and sister haven’t eaten a thing since he passed – and it’s been two whole days! If anyone has suggestions, please do share. I might head out to buy a couple of steaks for a bit of an upgrade to their normal diet if this continues…
Today though, I do have a good reason to smile. The good folks at Mosaic Dance have put cha cha back on the schedule, and I cannot wait to throw myself back into it!
I absolutely LOVE teaching cha cha. It’s almost like the signal in my brain that tells me that the week is over, and its finally okay to let go, without having to worry about holding back or leaving early to hit the office in a lucid state the next morning. But beyond that, as the only female cha cha instructor at the studio, I almost feel like it’s my baby. We don’t have a permanent slot on the schedule, and after teaching salsa in that 9pm Friday slot for a long time, I’m just so glad that cha cha is back!
The cha cha we do is street cha cha – very different from the latin ballroom equivalent that most people are familiar with. Less rules, more groove, and I just love it. Truthfully, I feel like the dancers in Singapore don’t do street cha cha enough. It’s such an underrated dance, but can be oh-so-beautiful when done right, with both partners taking the time to fully indulge in the music, and in each other. When a cha cha song comes on, its really time to take a break from the frantic and sweaty crowd, enjoy some breathing space on the dancefloor, and get lost in the slower, more relaxed beat.
For those who already do New York salsa, street cha cha should come quite intuitively. Think of it as what you already do, with more time for styling and playing around with the music. We’re starting the course from the beginner level, and it happens every Friday at 9pm at Mosaic Dance for the next 4 weeks, maybe more if the response is good. I really want to keep it on the schedule. So come – and I’ll show you why I love it so much.