Season 1: Episode 1: Against the heavy odds...

Holla there. We meet again. 

Oops, maybe not.

But if you have been following the series of articles, or rather article posted on our Facebook page, Kizombachata Empire, then we meet again. Else, still no offense: we will meet again soon.

Anyhow, it’s a series of episodes about the story of my Salsa life, right from the very humble beginning. And the lessons I learned from experience.

Let’s get this started, right off the bat.

One thing you have to know is that I joined Salsa at a time when people and “slow learners” like me were at the dark side. In that few, or rather none wanted to be associated with the “newbies”.

It was a bad culture, I know, but I don’t blame it though. The environment and situations natured the awful trend. Knowing salsa was more like knowing how to swim in the middle of the ocean aboard crashed ship, it made you a legend.

At the time, dancing Salsa was the most colorful thing I knew. As a matter of fact, it was.
Problem was, I was a “newbie”. And from the look of things, I wasn’t getting out of the “newbie” position anytime soon.

That was the worst position anyone would ever want to be in. I would tire my back leaning on the side wall looking at the beautiful scenario, right before me, of couples on the dance floor dancing skillfully to the sweet melodies singing by.

Things took a turn to the worst when I realized I couldn’t synchronize my moves. Like I said before, I was a seasoned street dancer. And Salsa and street dancing are more like water and oil.

It didn’t surprise me when at one time a beautiful lady I was dancing with left me on the dance floor with nothing but pure shame to hold on to. Things got too much further out of control when most ladies noticed my poor dancing skills that couldn’t improve with passing time.

They started ignoring me and denied me even a single opportunity like saying hi to them. I was a mess. And I knew it.

I was tired of listening to frequent boring remarks of how pathetic I was in dancing and how I had made a bad choice. Both for me and “others”. I was the definition of embarrassment, pathetic and above all worst from a negative perspective.

But I didn’t give up. Not yet.

Truth is, my “not-giving-up” attitude cost me countless rejections and worst critics.

You might be thinking, why didn’t you quit and join another group or club of some sort where people accepted you? And who the hell bears rejection and shame for something you don’t even have the guts to do? Surprisingly, I do and I did. And I don't blame you for taking that line of thinking.

Personally, I had a couple of reasons to push on:
•    First off, I wanted to prove my critics wrong: that I could do it. Even when they thought I couldn’t.

•    Secondly, I loved dancing Salsa dearly. So dear I that I would smile hysterically when I noticed a minor improvement in my dancing.

•    Third, in the midst of the hatred, rejections, and neglect, there was a bunch of kind-hearted individuals that I so much respect to date, who motivated me to keep on pushing. They saw my potential even when most didn’t.

•    Lastly, I had a few icons and role models who I realized upon reading their stories, hadn’t given up, so who was I to.


So I devoted my time and attention to learning how to perfect the basic Salsa footwork. With time and consistent self-motivation and a strong urge to push on, I was able to make some notable improvement like coupling.

But still, the street dancing effect was evident in my dancing, and my critics were at their climax. I dreamt or rather wished…
To be continued.

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See you in the next episode.