What happened to 4 & 8?

My coordination sucks! I have two left feet and two left arms. I cannot remember the moves I learnt only moments ago and I can’t string a sequence together for all the tea in China! So why did I come back to Salsa? I’m either gluten for punishment or have a dancing death wish.



Here’s my story ...

Three years ago I met a Promotions Executive from BMG Records. She was bubbly, had an infectious smile and had more energy than James Brown on steroids…. que Ms Jeamie Lee. At that time I was working for a free press magazine in the city. Usual publishing story ... long term goals, short term plans. Jeamie was the client and I was the sales and marketing geezer convincing her that this month’s edition of the magazine was hot of the press and in the shops. This however could not be further from the truth. The stark reality was that the company had barely enough money to print their own name cards let alone a 100 page, full colour, glossy magazine. During my time at the magazine I was often asked how we could afford to print such a glossy magazine when it was distributed for free. It was simple – we couldn’t! For those of you who know Jeamie will know she has a face that you just can’t lie too. And to cut a long story short, we told her about the dilemma, she stop advertising, I left and the magazine closed.

Now to the salsa ... during this upheaval Jeamie asked whether I liked dancing. Sure I do, I remarked. Naturally, I was thinking of my John Travolta, hip shaking, ass-moving dare devil moves on the hot dance floors of KL. When I was informed this type of dancing was Latin American Salsa grooving I gave one of those unconvincing “sounds interesting” remarks.

We’ve all given that fake, semi muted grunt sound when someone suggests something that sounds as appealing as having your teeth removed with a spoon! Yet I was convinced to give it a shot. I went home that evening and told the old ball and chain (my girlfriend) and my two friends (Jacques & Zai) that I knew someone who teaches salsa and what do they reckon. It was a big yes, and the following week we headed over for our first lesson at SalsaJay. At that time I don’t think it had a name and went by ‘Jeamie’s-mums-place-the-studio-in-old-town’!

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:- No-one told me that coordination and sequencing was involved! On the hot dance floors of KL I was in my element flipping my arms and legs like a deranged baboon to disco tunes from a bygone era.

Why ... ?

Because we were all doing it and we all looked cool! Here…in the studio…I had to remember the names of moves and then put these moves into a coherent sequence. And to make matters worse I had to count at the same time and miss out the numbers 4 & 8!

Madness!

One year later, sadly I could no longer make the classes. A 2 ½ slash 3 year hiatus set–in and it wasn’t until I logged onto to MSN that Jeamie convinced me to come back. So I did, just before last Christmas. And it hit me straight away what I missed about the lessons. It wasn’t only the challenge, and trust me, it’s a challenge, but it was the camaraderie, the fellowship and the friendship. SalsaJay creates this aura, it’s hard to explain but it makes you want to come back. Something tells me with Jeamie at the helm supported by Tamie on admin, Tim pumping the marketing machine, Michael the BlogMaster and the rest actively recruiting Jayers, SalsaJay has a long and prosperous future ahead. But a special shout out must go to Mr Fai who moves like James Brown on that dance floor, makes me green with envy and supports Jeamie relentlessly week in, week out!


So to future Jayers, I have come to realise that I will never be the Michael Flattery of the Salsa world with my two left feet and two left arms but I will keep trying until either I have no friends left or I turn up to class and they have moved elsewhere!!

Thank you for having me.