Winston Sill photosIT'S THURSDAY night. Pants hug the body, short swivel skirts expose extremely long legs balanced on dangerously high heels. Whats the occasion? Latin night at Jonkanoo Lounge, Hilton Hotel, New Kingston.
Every Thursday night, Jonkanoo Lounge is filled with those eager to learn, or just the curious, popping in to view the spectacles of this imported dance which has really caught on in Jamaica. And, a spectacle it is indeed! It requires the body to be distorted to tremendous degrees doing things you never thought possible. You are dipped, flipped and even exchanged by your partner. Women are spun so many times it makes you dizzy just watching.
It is not spectator sport! You can do that too! First, you have to learn the basic moves and like so many others, you will be lured into the firm grips of Latin dancing.
Six o'clock every Thursday, eager students (who have no idea what they are about to get themselves into), or those who are looking to improve their skills are shown the ropes of Cha-Cha, meringue, rumba and salsa. These classes are taught by Keith Cousins who initiated Latin night at the Hilton four years ago. "Latin wasn't embraced immediately," he explains. On the first Thursday he said only four persons showed up. Now every week yields new faces, and the old ones return.
It's Andrea's first time at the club, she says Latin dance is "Something I wanted to do for a long time." Like many others who have become regulars at the Jonkanoo Lounge she says, "I wanted a change something new and I heard about it. I definitely will come back, it's relaxing."
This is how the regulars started. They are usually looking for something different, or are fascinated by the moves and want to learn. Latin dance is popular mostly in Latin American countries such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia. However, Keith learnt to dance in Canada.
Keith tells Outlook that he got into Latin dancing the first time he saw it. "I went to a club in Toronto and saw it... I was so impressed by it." Like Keith, Jennifer, another first-timer was amazed by what she saw. "I came before but I just watched. This is my first actual class. I'm trying it because I like how it looks." Latin dance has much appeal. As some of the men will admit, it's a great way of meeting girls or just to watch the swivel of their hips. But it's not as easy as it looks. "The man has a lot of responsibility. He has to lead and protect her," Keith tells Outlook. That would explain why the young men hold the young women so tight. "We (men) lead it but the woman carries it the elegance of it. Men are the frame, women are the picture," Keith asserts.
According to the instructor, what he teaches is street dancing as it does not abide by the rules of traditional forms, such as those practised in Cuba. He has taken the basic form of the dance and modified it by adding his own spice. As 21- year-old Simo who has been dancing Latin for two-and-a-half years says, "Salsa is my favourite because it allows me to do whatever I want." Once you have mastered the basic moves of the dance it allows some room for creativity.
Sexy
Ever seen the movie 'Lambada'? Do you know that this dance was banned for its sensuality? Remember 'Dirty Dancing'? Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. How could you forget? The erotic dancing in these movies were made for the sizzling, base passion for which Latinos are known (so they say). More recently we saw Chayanne and Vanessa Williams spicing things up in the dance flick, 'Dance With Me'. (Ever notice that these couples all hooked up? Just an observation!) The dance speaks to the body. Your bodies are in constant contact, it's a couples dance. The songs are in Spanish and the fact that you have no idea what the songs are saying may actually add to the romance and sensuality you feel while dancing. Bodies moving in unison, there's intense eye contact, sweat the makings of a hot Latin night.
Stress reliever
Have no fear, it relaxes you. The regular know that. That's why they return religiously. "It relieves stress. You come from work tired and frustrated people bugging you all day, you just come and let it out and relax yourself," say Simo. Junior who has been Latin dancing for a year-and-a-half agrees, "It relieves stress, it's fun and a great social activity."
For Keith the greatest reward for him is, "to know that I'm contributing to seeing people having a good time that is filling." For some it might go beyond that as Simo says, "I can't leave, it just gets addictive.
