Robert Richmond, my mentor, came back to Manteo, NC to watch the summer stock show I'm in and give his directing notes. While he was here, he and I had a meeting to discuss what work I've accomplished this far and where to go from here. He said the biggest thing I needed to do was to set a date, gather a staff together, finish my choreography (because when the school year picks up I won't have time to be creative anymore ha ha), and finally, come up with a theme. We brainstormed for quite awhile. We talked about how The Barrio Planta Project works to expose kids to art, how it's a rooftop event, what's being showcased, and why it's being performed. At first we considered having me being a "story teller" of sorts - kind of an Alice in Wonderland. I would perform a small section of each piece with the dancers to get it moving, then step back and let it show how this style or particular piece is a part of my journey as a dancer and person as a whole. I liked this idea a lot, but I also felt like it might go over a bunch of people's heads. I want my showcase to be accessible. Also, I plan on a large part of my target market being rich business people. I feel this market wants to be entertained and have an excuse to socialize and dress up. So, we finally came up with the idea of "A Night of Fine Arts and Fresh Air." I already have dance, singing and photography incorporated in the showcase, and now we are going to look into local jewelry makers, potters, or other fine arts to incorporate. This theme is creative but also general enough to allow for a lot of leeway.

We also came up with a staff list - Adrienne Lee, Jane Hearn, Mark Whitesides, Daniel Bumgardner, Mary Tilden, and Lauren Koch. All these people are very dedicated USC theatre students. They work work hard and love being involved in any thing to do with the arts. I will need them for the Saturday of the show to set up, take tickets, usher, and break down the party afterwards. I have facebooked them to see if they are interested and I am awaiting their response.

We also set a date for the showcase - March 5th! I'm so excited. This really cements my idea. Now I can truly know if UNBOUND Dance Company and Vibrations Dance Company will be able to participate. Both Susan and Caroline from UNBOUND seem very excited. They said if they can't send a group number, they will definitely send at least one soloist. I can't wait!

Not this past weekend, but the weekend before, I traveled to Richmond to see the band "The Builders and the Butchers." For my dance showcase/charity event, the first dance I've choreographed thus far has been to this band's song "Golden and Green." While researching inspiration for my piece, I discovered that they would playing only 4 hours away on my day off! I knew it was destined to be. They played at this bar/music venue called The Canal Club at 8 PM Sunday night. They were incredible live. I saw them before at Lollapalooza 2009 in Chicago, but that was before I was into their music. They are an up and coming band from Portland. Their music includes mandolin, banjo and electric violin. I would describe it as folk meets new age hipster rock. There weren't a lot of people there for their show, although more showed up for the second band "Heartless Bastards." Afterwwards I got to talk to the singer, Brian, for quite some time. I told him about my experiences in Nicaragua and my idea for my charity event. He was totally supportive and enthusiastic. I think fame is still new to him, so the idea of someone setting their own art to his art was awesome. He also was impressed that I drove 4 hours to see his band. I told him there were a few sections of the piece that I wasn't quite sure about. I asked him if he had any suggestions. He told me about what the song meant to him. They based the song the documentary "In the Realms of the Unreal." It's about this artist named Henry Darger who was born in the 20's. He lived his life as a hermit-like janitor. He kept to himself all day and at night he interacted with no one. He felt that his "life calling" was to create this graphic novel and he did so. He worked every day until his death where he finally wrote his 15,000 page graphic novel. There are only 3 pictures of him in existence, yet his life style and story amaze people to this day. He was so sheltered from the real world that he didn't know common things such as a woman's anatomy or historical events. Brian told me to watch the documentary and perhaps I could incorporate this story into my own vision of the song's description of good versus evil.

Just finished choreographing to the song "Golden and Green" by The Builders and the Butchers. Choreographing is such a tedios and time consuming thing for me. I love it and I love how I get lost in my artistic half of my brain when I do it, but it's a long process for me. I am a perfectionist, to put it mildly, and it's hard for me to be happy with an 8 count unless its completely perfect. This is my process:

1) Listen to music and decide what moves me and what would be most inspiring
2) Watch hours and hours of choreographing on Youtube to get inspired and find new moves, styles, and ideas
3) Listen to the song chosen at least 100 times and brainstorm any thoughts that come to mind to get ideas for a plot or theme
4) Choreograph 8 count by 8 count making sure to tell a story while keeping the movements interesting and unique
5) Set choreography with dancers and totally change it

The last step is the one that really gets me. I create this complex and what I think to be beautiful choreography, but I actually physically see dancers doing it, it can completely change. It may be that the people I've chosen can't do a certain step, they are really good at other steps I have not included, or I just get inspired all over again and see a new vision and new journey for the piece. I guess we'll see what happens now that I'm onto step 5! I might teach it to a couple dancers here and then see if it needs immmediate changes.

The piece is a story of a girl wrestling between good and evil. It tells the story of the internal struggle each of us faces with our conscious and our animalistic instincts. The main phrase of the song is "and everything that's golden and green goes to hell." The girl tries to cling to her inherent goodness, but evil keeps winning her over. In the end, everything that is good goes to hell, and she gives into her dark side.

To Do List:

Call Robert (my mentor) to discuss what I need to do next
Finish choreographing "Golden and Green" (only 8 counts left!)
Rehearse with Carlos
Submit salsa piece to Jimmie Lee Brooks for Song and Dance Showcase
Choose song for salsa piece with Tracy for USC Dance Showcase
Write proposal for salsa piece for USC Dance Showcase
Contact Dyani and see if she has a slide show of The Barrio Planta Project
If no slide show - create own
Call Jim Hunter about a venue for charity gala
Try Terrance Henderson again about Vibrations Dance Co. doing a piece
Buy binder/scrap book for scholarship documentation
Print emails, facebook messages, blog
Splice Radiohead music

A couple days ago Carlos and I started choreographing! I'm going to write out what we've done so far just so I don't forget...tonight we're having another rehearsal before dancer warm-up. Can't wait!

Side step left ball change (holding Carlos' left hand facing front)
In closed position move quickly around in circle
Rond de jambe right leg as open to be open front
Four quick cross-over walks starting with right foot to cross Carlos
Partner turn, cross over behind Carlos, jut hip out on 1
Repeat
Ball change
Four cross over walks forward
Dig right heel into ground crossing over left, arms circling African dance style
Body roll with heel dig, do three times
Turn to right ball change
Three walks right in profile starting with right foot
Jump onto left foot, right leg in couple
Jump out onto right slight lunge leaning towards left
Turn to left (pencil turn)
Step out to left, right leg touches behind, out, in front
Arms wrap around body (left front) and slowly go up during step
Repeat right
Turn to face back, repeat left and right
Turn to face forward, repeat left and right
Jump onto right leg, left leg quickly points out in plied tondue
Left leg touches front, side, back
Step forward left then right to face right in profile
Two hip releases in plie

Each week we have at least two dance classes. I've gotten to take class in tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, and even break dancing! It's also great because members of the dance company teach each class, so everyone has the opportunity to share some of their expertise. Carlos and I are going to teach a beginner salsa class, and another dancer, Elizabeth, is going to teach cha-cha and rumba. I can't wait!

I called the Outer Banks Center for Dance to ask about salsa lesson and they advised me to look into studios in Virginia Beach. Nag's Head and Manteo (where I live) are primarily for tourists and therefore do not have a lot of dance opportunities. They teach salsa here, but basic salsa for weddings, parties, etc.

I called around Virginia Beach and a one hour private lesson ranges from about $60 - $100. This is pricey, at least compared to $5 in Nicaragua! It is also a far commute. I could possibly go on a Sunday when I have no rehearsals or shows. I'm going to get in contact with them tomorrow and finalize things.

Tomorrow Carlos and I are going to meet at the theatre to salsa some more! He wants to teach me a complete routine and hopefully perform it for the company at some point. I only hope that it stays cool. A week ago the heat index was around 115 degrees, and in the dance studio (that has no AC!) it can be up to 5 degrees hotter! Thankfully after a large thunderstorm the temperature dropped and it's been beautiful.

Some ideas for the showcase -

Use top level of Horizons Parking Garage across the street from the Strom or a rooftop of a USC building such as Gambrell. The area will be fully decorating with lantern lights, strung white Christmas lights, candles, small tents, and other various items to set the mood. I want large folding dividers artistically decorated with information and pictures about the Barrio Planta Project. I would also like to incorporate dance items into the decorating as well. Maybe pointe shoes strung from ribbons, a fake vanity with make up items as the napkin and straw table, or sheet music as placemats. I definitely want the area to be like a dinner theatre - 6/8 person round tables dispersed throughout the area with beautiful center pieces. Finally, there will have to be a bar with wine and beer as well as a relatively large dance space.

Jane Hearn's photography is beautiful and it deserves to be appreciated. She is a Columbia native and many of her pictures are of places and events in Columbia. Her art could be hung throughout the space or propped up on easels for people to view and potentially purchase.

One dance piece would be a fierce tango duet on the bar. Without any warning, the music would strike up and two dancers would begin performing. They would mingle prior to the dance and appear to be audience members. This would surprise the audience and include them in the performance.

One quick-paced salsa piece will definitely be included. Hopefully Tracy will be a part of this piece.

The other pieces I choreograph will be contemporary. I want to make a medley of my favorite Radiohead songs as well as use Closer by Kings of Leon, Golden and Green by the Builders and the Butchers, and Unstoppable by Drake. These dances will be similar to the style used in So You Think You Can Dance contemporary pieces. I especially like the choreography done by Mia Michaels. It has a lot of acting moments in it as well as touch response dancing, passion, and unique steps.

For more information about the Barrio Planta Project, go to -

http://barrio-planta-project.blogspot.com

Here is a terrible picture - the Barrio Planta Project school flooding! Shortly after I left Nicaragua, the rainy season began. In Central America there are only two seasons - dry and rainy. When it's rainy season, it RAINS! Our little apartment flooded a couple of inches in one night! The school recently flooded, which means even more needed funds.

These are the permanent teachers of the Barrio Planta Project. On the far left is my salsa teacher while in Nicaragua. He is a great guy, although he spoke no English so classes were rough at times, but he was a fantastic teacher none the less. Dyani is the founder and CEO, and she is in the center with the yellow tank top.

Below is a picture of David, one of the cutest but craziest kids in the project. David is a native Nicaraguan with gorgeous green blue eyes. During class he was utterly sweet, although at times needed a strong word of guidance. I miss the kids so much!

I've had an epiphany about relating my experiences in Nicaragua/Costa Rica, salsa dance, and my goal of starting my own dance studio in the future!

The Barrio Planta Project is a community development, education and arts initiative that provides the children and adults from the low-income neighborhood, 'La Planta' in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua with free English classes and extra-curricular activities. Through English classes, artistic expression and community development projects, they are able to discover their skills, passions, confidence and pride for an overall more fulfilling, successful and rewarding life.

Project includes free English classes for children and adults, arts and crafts classes, dance classes, theater classes, a basketball clinic, murals completed and in progress, a book club, music projects, community development activities and neighborhood rehabilitation work.

This is the service group I worked for while in Nicaragua. My boyfriend Billy taught English classes while I assisted with dance and art classes. Dyani Mak is an Emerson grad who traveled in Nicaragua and was inspired to start this program. However, despite many fundraisers the project is in desperate need of funds.

My idea is to hold a dance showcase/charity event that would benefit the Barrio Planta Project. The event would be an up-scale party with beverages and light snacks in which people would mingle, be entertained, and be informed about this wonderful project. Ticket sales would directly go to the project and donations would also be encouraged. I envision a roof-top gala with artistically displayed information about the project, Nicaragua, and how people can help.

This event would also be a way to showcase talent in Columbia. Local dance groups such as Vibrations Dance Company, UNBOUND, the USC dance department, and Columbia City Jazz would be invited to perform some of their own pieces. I would also choreograph some original pieces and audition dancers all over Columbia. I would include several Latino dances, but also include contemporary and lyrical pieces in order to ensure variety for the guests. However, I wouldn't stop there. I also wish to showcase all aspects of art, just like the Barrio Planta Project teaches underprivileged children all forms of art. I have many friends who are aspiring painters and photographers. I would love it if they would display their art all around the venue. Perhaps they could put them up for sale and have some or all of the proceeds go the the project as well.

In addition to being a fundraiser and artistic outlet in Columbia, the event would be excellent practice for starting my own dance studio. Almost every studio puts on showcases or recitals, so this one time event would teach me everything that goes into such a project. It would provide experience in administration, creativity, discipline, and organization.

Finally, this event would allow me to share with my fellow Columbians the joy of salsa dancing. Over the past couple of years my passion for salsa as well as my skills have grown exponentially. The more turns, styles, and lifts I learn the more I love it. It is amazing to me how much I have improved as well. I remember going to salsa night in Cincinnati, OH at the Mad Frog and stumbling over my own feet. Now I am confident in my skills and even have several people waiting in line to be my partner! I want other people to appreciate and enjoy salsa as much as I do, and what better way than a performance?

In conclusion, this project encompasses about everything that I have been working on and need to work on. It helps others, relates back to my travels in Central America, exposes people to art, trains me to open my own studio, and demonstrates what I have learned in relation to salsa dance. Now, it's time to get to work!

Here's a video from a salsa congress.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm57o4iPsTI

Tracy said yes! Right now he's doing his own showcase for the studio, and at the beginning of the school year he's choreographing for Town Theatre. But, as soon as all that is over we start working! This summer I'm going to go through music and choose which song I want, start choreographing/getting ideas, and then be ready to show them to Tracy when I get back. The showcase isn't until November 30th so we'll have plenty of time.

Carlos, one of the cast members of The Lost Colony, has been great by showing me new moves. Yesterday he taught me several turns, lifts, and sequences for an hour before show. It was so fun! I just hope he has enough patience to deal with me. He is very, very talented and it's in his blood. The other day we watched several videos from the Salsa Congress in Puerto Rica. I was speechless. The speed, the clarity, the lifts, the passion...it was spell binding. I can only hope to be 1/5 as good as they are!

I just sent Tracy Steele a facebook message about choreographing a piece for the USC Fall Dance Showcase. Tracy is my salsa teacher at Columbia's Ballroom Company. I would love to collaborate with him to create a salsa duet with him as my partner. I think it would be some unique for the showcase, as well as a great opportunity to showcase what I've learned. It would also expose a large group of people to salsa and perhaps inspire them!

I forgot to mention one of the most beneficial aspects of being in The Lost Colony this summer - our choreographer!

Sean Kelly
Sean Kelly is currently the Resident Director for the touring Broadway musical Movin’ Out by Twyla Tharp with music by Billy Joel. He staged the current production with Twyla Tharp. He was in the Broadway production, was previously the Supervising Dance Captain/swing for the First National tour of the show, and also assisted in staging the production in London’s West End. Previous to Movin’ Out he was the Dance Supervisor and swing for the touring production of the musical Swing which performed extensively throughout the U.S. and Japan.

Mr. Kelly trained at the Marin Ballet. He danced for 2 years with American Ballet Theater II. Mr. Kelly performed for many years with Houston Ballet where he became a principal dancer and eventually Ballet Master. He also choreographed two ballets for the company. He had the opportunity to perform works by many world renowned choreographers such as Ben Stevenson, George Balanchine, Paul Taylor, Christopher Bruce, and Stanton Welch.

Mr. Kelly has been a guest artist, teacher and choreographer with numerous regional dance companies in the U.S., the Dominican Republic, and Guam.


Sean has been a great role model and inspiration. His strong presence makes us focused and determined. He is sweet, funny, and understanding. Due to the lack of a sprung floor in our rehearsal space and our long hours, many of our dancers were injured throughout the rehearsal time, including myself. My rib bone separated from my muscle after doing one our lifts, and rather than be demanding and angry, Sean allowed me to take the time I needed to heal. His talent is inspiring and I'm so glad I've gotten to work with him.

After four months in Central America I'm finally back in the states! After flying into Cincinnati May 2nd I continued to do some research online - studying different professional dance videos, researching salsa opportunities in North Carolina, listening to possible music choices for choreography, etc.

After a week in my hometown, I packed up my car and moved to Manteo, North Carolina. I am a dancer ensemble member in The Lost Colony, the longest running outdoor drama in the United States. Rehearsal week, starting May 9th, was intense. We rehearsed and worked from 9 AM until 11 PM everyday of the week, with only an hour or two for lunch and dinner. We did whatever it took to get the show up and running. We worked on dance technique, learned choreography, constructed props, and even mulched to make the theatre beautiful for our audiences! It was exhausting, but wonderful at the same time. I now have a family that extends back 73 years and will continue on into the future. We put together an amazing show in 3 short weeks and I'm very proud of the work we've done.

Now that the show is up, we have dance class twice a week from 9 AM - 12 PM and dance warm-up for 45 minutes before each show. One great thing about these classes is that the are open for other dances to teach if they wish to. This is perfect for our cast because our dancers' background are so varied. Jen is a certified pilates instructor, Ford is great at tap, Carlos is Puerto Rican and a salsa instructor, Elizabeth is a ballroom dancer, and the list goes on. Carlos and Elizabeth are my most important resources. We are going to start private salsa lessons/social dancing in the rehearsal space and I can't wait! I'm especially excited because Elizabeth and Carlos' styles are so different. It's going to be great experience!

Below is the outside of the Teatro Nacional.

I totally forgot about some of the coolest experiences I had in San Jose...performances at the National Theatre!

The National Theatre was built in the late 1800's and is modeled after the theatre of Europe. It is considered the finest historical buildings in the capital and is filled with intricate embellishments, statues, art, and chandeliers.

Every tuesday the theatre has a short performance at 12:00 PM for only $1. This is to encourage everyone to get some cultural exposure. It takes place during the lunch hour and is extremely cheap, so there is no excuse not to attend. It is a great arts program in Costa Rica, and I think the rest of the world should follow CR's lead and install this program all over.

My first performance was a Spanish Flamenco performance. On stage were 5 chairs on a platform. The musicians walked out and played a passionate Spanish song with guitar, drums, and singing. It was breath-taking. After that, a beautiful woman came out and did a traditional flamenco dance. Her arm movements were so graceful yet precise. Following the female solo was a male solo. This man had the most energy and passion I have ever seen on stage. Most of his moves were fairly simple, yet he was mesmerizing. The entire crowd gave them a standing ovation. It was wonderful.

My second performance was a contemporary improv dance performed by a traveling troup. Earlier in the month I had gone to Promenade, the local big dance studio. I watched a rehearsal one day and was fascinated with the dance style. It incorporated a lot of touch-response, similiar to that used in Suzuki movement training for theatre, as well as vocals. This class had a lot of interesting ground work and each combination was done with partners. The partners took turns completing the combination, which was usual a series of leaps, turns and complex ground moves, but the partner "waiting" was always connected and a part of the other dancer's moves. All the dancers were extremely talented.

Going back to my trip to the national theatre, how surprised and delighted was I to see these same dancers on stage! They did a large group piece (probably about 50 people on stage) that was primarily touch-response movement. I thought it was incredibly interesting, but a lot of the audience got up and left halfway through. A couple friends of mine were in the audience and said it was just too over their heads. I think they would have done a little better if they had had a few synchronized snippets throughout in order to appease the masses.

The group was especially cool because they were from all over the world! Spain, Norway, USA, Peru, Africa...everywhere! The director mentioned it was more an exploration of movement, which seemed entirely appropriate.

Here is me and the other Luis (Tico Luis) dancing at Castro's

Luis and I in action!

I can't believe I almost forgot this! It seems like so long ago...

Below is a great picture from the Crash Party at Veritas. Every semester the university sponsors a big party in which all the international students and the Tico students are invited. It's held about a week after classes start so that everyone can have a good time and get to know eachother. It's held in the big courtyard and has drinks, food, music, and even a great show by the traditional Tico dancers! The dancers wear boots, shiny two pieces outfits, and HUGE head dresses. A group of drummers plays loudly and energetically as all the dancers step touch and shake. The even brought some of the students into the dance line and had us play the limbo! Such a blast.

During the party there was a dance contest. I grabbed Luis, a student from our program, to be my partner. Luis is full-blooded Mexican, fluent in Spanish, and a natural at Latino dancing. Every song change, which was about every 1-2 minutes, they would make cuts. Luis and I danced like I've never danced before. He twirled me all around the floor, dipped me, put my leg up on his shoulder and dragged me across the floor, and even flipped me upside down! It was a close call, but we ended up coming in second. The other couple were two people from the states that both teach Latino dance back home. We won two free zip-lining trips and respect from the locals! I danced so hard I thought I might be sick, but it was worth it!

I am now in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. My boyfriend, Billy, lives her and volunteers teaching English and doing arts and sports with the local students after school. We surf during the day, hang out at the local coffee shop, lay out on the beach, volunteer in the afternoons, take yoga, and of course, salsa dance! Billy gave me 10 salsa lessons here in San Juan for Christmas. The teacher's name is Dennis and he's great. My first lesson was several weeks ago and Billy came with me. Dennis doesn't speak any English, so there's a slight language barrier, especially for someone like Billy who's never take a dance class before. I've taught Billy a little bit here and there and he picks up fast. However, he does usually need a drink or two as liquid courage, which he did not have this time. Dennis went a little too quickly, and I think he forgot how to teach a male gringo who isn't a natural born dancer. Billy would get a little frustrated and then Dennis would move on to something different, which further frustrated Billy. However, overall it was a good lesson and I had a lot of fun dancing with Billy and getting to know Dennis.

Two days ago I had my second lesson. This time i went alone. Dennis and I just danced for almost the whole hour. If I messed up a step, he would go through it slowly until I got it. We did a lot of salsa, cha cha and merengue. Towards the end we got really comfortable and just started free styling! It was so fun just goofing off. I'd make up a move, he'd mirror me, and then we'd switch. One piece of advice he gave me is to stay on the balls of my feet. He said I was "muy bueno" and that I needed to teach Billy ha ha. My next lesson is tomorrow, Monday April 12th, at 4 PM. Hopefully I will help out with one of Dennis's lessons to the little kids. He has class with them at 9, 2 and 4. I can't wait!

One of our travels involved going to Puerto Viejo in Costa Rica. This quaint Rasta town is located in the South of Costa Rica on the Carribean side. It is right on the beach, has wonderful snorkeling, and is home to the famous hammock hotel "Rocking J's." While in Puerto Viejo (for my second time!) a bunch of the girls and I went to salsa night at a local bar. The bar is run by Liam, a singer and entrepreneur from the UK, and has salsa night every Sunday. The band was a great mix of classic salsa music and Carribean. Jocelyn and I danced with this tall Tico named Elvis several times. Elvis was a great dancer, and VERY energetic. I have no idea how he moved his hips so much and so fast! We danced so much that by the end of the song we were too sweaty to keep holding hands. It had been awhile since I'd danced at a bar or club, so I had a blast. Jocelyn looked great as well. She's had a lot of dance experience in her past and is a natural. I think we would have made people from the States proud!

I also took one group class at the dance studio called Promenade. It's about a 15 minute walk from my apartment in San Jose and its a wonderful studio. It's made up of 2 buildings, each is fairly new with high ceilings, air conditioning, and immaculate floors (all of which are hard to find in San Jose). I stopped by the studio one day after a run, and went up to the front desk to ask about ballet classes. As I watched the advanced ballet class in the hall, a Tico who introduced himself as Billy started talking to me. He told me about his salsa lessons offered throughout the week and invited me to attend one later that night. He would be traveling, but his assistant would be there to teach the class. I showed up at 7:30 fairly nervous but excited. About 14 people were in the class, half women and half men. The teacher was Billy's partner, a gorgeous girl with excellent technique and control of the classroom. She was an amazing teacher. The first 20 minutes were improv. I didn't do so well at first because I was nervous, but I got warmed up and danced with several of the guys. After that, we all learned a complex sequence involving passes, complicated turns, and improv arms. It was so fun! It was so nice to be in a group class that was A) challenging and B) had enough guys for everyone!

I left the class feeling exhilarated and excited. The teacher, Mariela, drove me home and explained how her and Billy met. She was a student in one of his classes. His class was different than most in Costa Rica - he does salsa on beat 1 of the music. He was trying to start a movement called "Salsa on 1" and succeeded. Mariela picked up very quickly and had a lot of talent, so he asked her to be his partner. She accepted and now they teach class at the popular studio Promenade. She even offered to give a free lesson to everyone in our program! She just wants to spread the word and get people into dancing.

Here's a good video of some Cumbia moves similar to those I learned in Costa Rica. It varies place to place, but this is closest to the steps I learned.

In Costa Rica I learned another type of Latino dance: the cumbia. I was told that cumbia is a peasant dance of Costa Rica. It has a very distinct musical style and consists of a lot of jumping to the beat.

Wikipedia defines cumbia as:

Cumbia is a Colombian musical style and folk dance that is considered to be representative of Colombia, along with Vallenato. Cumbia originated from the Caribbean coast of eastern Colombia, with folkloric variants in Panama. Cumbia began as a courtship dance practiced among the African slave population that was later mixed with European instruments and musical characteristics. It was also used during the Colombian struggle for independence as an expression of resistance against Spain, therefore, most of its songs' messages were related to freedom or slavery.

My first couple of weeks in Costa Rica were FULL of social dancing. The very first night in Costa Rica a bunch of us from my program (Cultural Experiences Abroad) went to the festival in San Jose. The festival has tons of fried chicken booths, beer stands, bull running, and a huge discotecas complete with scantily clad dancers at the front. It's located in a huge tent and is two stories tall. I taught some of our slightly drunken boys how to turn the girls and although no one else danced, we took over the floor.

Later that week once classes got going, a large group of us took the free salsa lessons offered by our university, Veritas Universidad. The teacher was a spunky and spritely woman who spoke excellent English and was enthusiastic about teaching. We moved the tables to the sides of a very large and open air classroom and she turned on the music. She taught the basic steps of salsa and merengue, which was a little slow for me but so much fun because I was with all my new friends. The class was held every Tuesday and Thursday and went about 5 times and continued to learn new turns and patterns. I learned a couple of new patterns that are quite complicated.

Thursdays, usually after dance class, we headed off to Castro's, a bar/club in San Jose. Castro's in known for its dancing on Thursday nights. We grabbed a table and as soon as I sat down a Tico (Costa Rican boy) asked me to dance. His name is Luis and he does tourism in San Jose. He was an amazing partner! He was very patient if I didn't know a step and for some reason very easy to follow. Halfway through the night we had a group surrounding us and cheering. He spun me all over the dance floor! It was one of my favorite nights in San Jose. Although he repeated several moves fairly often, he would always vary them slightly so they were still interesting. My favorite move was one where he would place my hand on his shoulder, do a head roll under the arm, and then I would push him backwards into a back ball change.

I danced with Luis one more time at Castro's a few weeks later and it was just as fun. However, he never seemed to get tired! He would only let me leave the dance floor for a few minutes at a time to get water, which was exhausting but so fun and such good practice. I did dance with his cousin Randall a few times, who was equally good, and a couple of other partners who had obviously never danced before.

Wow it's been a long time! After working on my project for awhile I decided to take a break so that I can be a part of Cyrano directed by Robert Richmond at USC. Then I traveled to Costa Rica for a study abroad semester. It was so amazing! I've done a lot of social salsa dancing and lessons, as well as working on my bachata, merengue, and learning the Costa Rican cumbia. It'll take some time, but I'm planning on telling all about it!