© Features

the other press

Barbara K. idamski opfeatures@netscape.net

May 2003

 

Shake Your Bon-bon

Tamara Billau
OP Contributor

Gyrating grandmas surround me. No, I’m not delu-
sional, or visiting some weird, geriatric strip club.
I'm in a Salsa aerobics class—the latest exercise
trend that has been undulating its way into wom-
enis fitness clubs across Canada.

To my right, a tiny sprite in her sixties ignores
the simple choreography, and opts instead to shake
her hips to her_own private salsa beat.

To my left, an enthusiastic woman in her late for-
ties is wearing high-heeled pumps better suited to a
hot date than a trip to the gym. They do match her
faded black sweat pants, though. She claps her
hands in time to the Marc Anthony music like a
flamenco dancer and stares intently at herself in the
mirrors that surround the large, purple aerobics
floor.

What do these two women and the twenty other
female class members have in common besides
what appears to be epilepsy of the hips? They're
smiling—even the instructor. She’s shouting things
like, “Shake it, ladies,” “I need to see some more
wiggle,” and “Check out my hips,” while looking
down at her own swiveling pelvis. These phrases
would smack of a harassment lawsuit anywhere
else, but seem perfectly appropriate in Salsa class.

Then there’s me—a scarred and jaded 15-year
veteran of the aerobics scene. I’ve done time with
Jane Fonda videos, been turned into a human pret-
zel in yoga, nearly passed out during Pilates, pulled
a hamstring in Tae Bo, tripped over my Step many,
many times, and performed a rather spectacular
face-plant during a ball-balancing fiasco. Yes, I’ve
seen it all and survived the many evolutions of exer-
cise trends, but Salsa aerobics is different. Not only
are the possibilities of injury fairly minor, itfs actu-
ally fun.

Unlike many other aerobic classes, Salsa does not
require a lot of weird equipment. No balls, mats,
barbells, plastic bands, or benches are necessary. All
you need is a towel to sop up your sweaty brow and
a bottle of water. The instructor wears flat, black
slippers—called T-straps—that look like close-toed
sandals, and some of the regular class members
wear strappy, high-heeled shoes. But special
footwear isn’t a prerequisite. Most of the class mem-
bers strut around in bare feet. If you're between
pedicures, like me, then running shoes work just
fine. Being double-jointed is also an asset.

Salsa class begins with some stretching. Not the
ten minutes of contortions required in many class-
es, but a few isolated movements to stretch out the
hips, like a slow, embarrassingly exaggerated hip
thrust, and a flamingo-like balancing stretch where

the members of the class are expected to stand on
one foot while grabbing their ankles behind them.

The class then proceeds into simple movements
geared toward getting the women used to swinging
their hips. Unless you're a catwalk model or a strip-
per, hip swinging on purpose is a rather novel con-
cept. The new members react by tentatively shifting
from side to side and breaking into nervous twit-
ters. Their movements are awkward and jerky, like
those of the zombies in Michel Jackson’s Thriller
video, and yet they seem to be enjoying themselves.

Next to them, the class veterans look like Solid
Gold dancers. They implement sweeping arm
movements that mirror their lower halves while the
novices reluctantly begin experimenting with
throwing their hips around with some real aban-
don. It takes a few minutes for them to get used to
it, but eventually they embrace the empowerment
of letting go of inhibitions and enjoy the sensual
movements of their bodies. Before long, theyire
shaking their bon-bons like Ricky Martin.

The step patterns used in salsa classes are simple
and_ easy-to-follow.
The choreographed
steps consist mostly
of stepping to the
side, back, and
front while jutting
the hips as much as
humanly possible.
Crossover steps,
kicks and hips
twists called “digs”
are added as the
class progresses, but
nothing more com-
plicated than that.
It’s really more like
a dance class than
aerobics.

Salsa is actually a modified version of the part-
nered dances used in ballroom competitions. Latin-
inspired movements like mambo, cha-cha, and
rumba heavily influence the patterns. The chal-
lenge of the class comes from balancing on your
toes the entire time and swinging your hips. This is
where the workout part comes in.

Halfway through a class, most of the members
have mastered the basic choreography of steps,
kicks, pauses, turns, crossovers, and digs. No one is
looking at her watch. The same basic choreo-
graphed pattern will be repeated, with a few varia-
tions, until the entire class is moving in almost per-

http://otherpress.douglas.bc.ca_ =e

‘Tve done time with Jane
Fonda videos, been turned
into a human pretzel in
yoga, nearly passed out
during Pilates, pulled a
hamstring in Tae Bo. But
Salsa aerobics is different.”

 

 

fect unison. Between sets we dance around to the
music, practise the steps, chug great gulps of water
from our bottles, and give each other tips on per-
fecting our Salsa.

Gradually the instructor adjusts the tempo of the
music until the class moves in a dervish of arms and
legs like the Tasmanian Devil. By the last set we are
sweating profusely, faces red, but no one looks
strained or annoyed or even impatient to move on
to a less challenging routine.

The class is an hour long and ends with another
bout of stretching. It’s tempting to ignore this step,
but don’t. Salsa is all about the hips and unless
youre used to a lot of action in that area, or have
previously taken numerous dance classes, you are
going to have a very sore pelvis when you attempt
to get out of bed the following morning. Stretching
can minimize your impending torture.

The dressing room afterwards is always a good
place to get a feel for how participants rate a class.
Complaints and criticism of the instructor reign
after most exercise classes. Not tonight. One Salsa

class member
remarks, “Tm
hooked.” Another

adds, “that was cer-
tainly better than
going home and sit-
ting around watching
TV.” They’re © still
smiling. I learn that
the lady beside
medéthe one in the
fancy shoes—is actu-
ally taking Salsa to
practice for ballroom
dance competitions.
Whatever their rea-
sons for taking the
class, my fellow salsa
enthusiasts seem satisfied, almost smug with their
performance.

Before leaving the gym, I approach the instruc-
tor, Sarah. She’s still surrounded by excited class
members. When thereis a break in conversation I
ask her why women are so attracted to her classes.
“People like Salsa because itis different,” she says.
“They like listening to music they wouldn't other-
wise hear, and doing things with their bodies that
they would never try anywhere else. Most of all, I
think they like to forget they’re exercising and real-
ly have some fun for a change. Salsa gives them
that.” Salsa anyone?

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