In Lancashire, sixty year old farmers don their best shirts on a Tuesday night and head out to salsa, while teenage girls cake their faces with make-up and wait for instructions on how to body pop. Lara investigates. First up: Salsa.
The Time: Autumn. 7.15p.m. Just about time to get home from work, turn around, pick up your dancing shoes and go to:
The Scene: A sports club hall, somewhere in the north of England. Wooden floors have been mopped clean of last night’s spilt beers. Across the long bar at one side of the hall, metal shutters are opening up. Disco lights and tall speakers sit heavily on a stage. In the main space we find:
The Hero: The dance teacher. His sixtieth birthday party was a night to remember but he’s turned out to party every night. The beard is well-trimmed, the black and white brogues well-polished and his smile welcomes each new and returning dancer that enters the room. His wife sits at the door taking £5.50 from:
The Cast: The youngest is about 18. She wears tight jeans and scuffed trainers. The oldest is pushing seventy and wears a smart blue shirt, tucked in, belted slacks and metal-framed glasses. Inbetween are the newly weds (he’s dancing so she’ll let him watch the football on t.v.), the about to wed (practising for their wedding dance), the looking for a date (the old farmer who’s wife’s died), the recently divorced (he couldn’t dance anyway), the coming with her mates (it’s more fun than the gym) and those like me, who just love to dance. Later on we’ll meet:
The Chorus: They turn up when the boring bits are over and the floor is full, the Latin vibes are pumping and they can swing into the centre spinning on their suede-soled shoes and push their hips like a gearstick around a girl’s soft-swishing skirt. They don’t dance with beginners but they make the beginners want to learn to dance like that. Not quite one of them yet, but almost is:
Patrick Swayze (R.I.P.): His pert little buttocks sit neatly in tight jeans. His brightly-coloured shirts are like a peacock’s backside. This male approaches the mating dance like the tournament it ought to be. Each turn is done with precision, each new movement carefully memorised, practised in his sleep. He doesn’t like it if his dance partner gets it wrong. It makes him look bad. When he smiles he doesn’t move his eyes.
‘Next up we’re gunna do the cock archer,’ says the younger male dance teacher, the one with the gold chain and the thick Lancashire accent. I snigger. He looks at me and then at the female dance teacer.
‘It is called the cockarcher, innit?’ he asks her. She nods. ‘Aye, the cuc-acca.’
‘Right then, we’ll do four basics, two cross body turns, two cuddles, two basics and two cockarchers.’
I suspect that the ‘cuddle’ is a salsa move not found much in Cuba, indeed, not found much outside of Lancashire. It involves the woman turning so that she has her back to the man and he can ‘cuddle’ her from behind. If he likes. There is nothing raunchy or sleazy about a cuddle though and any cuddle you might get here is the sort you could give to your grandmother.
Later as I leave the beginners group behind and ascend to the dizzy heights of the intermediates, more physical contact is recommended by means of ‘the wiggle’. If performed in a non-Lancashire fashion, the wiggle might be compared to grinding. The woman faces the man and has the opportunity to rub herself across his front. Only in Lancashire when I practised the routine that included ‘the wiggle’ with Paul (forty, large, bald and perspiring but very patient and very friendly) the sultry movement morphed into one reminiscent of windscreen wipers, ticking rigidly from side to side. Paul is just one of several kind, older and experienced dancers that I have met at my salsa class, who bravely try to tame my own wild dancing style into something less likely to do injury to others. I have two new friends, both in their sixties, who have taught me other non-Latin sounding moves such as the ‘Half-Titanic’ and ‘Magic Hands.’ Last week one of them complimented me on my choice of floral dress and thereafter invited me to dance with a cheeky nod, saying, ‘Cum on then, Daisy.’
I love dancing in Lancashire. Each week when it finishes, I walk into the carpark in my flimsy salsa dress, oblivious to the cold as I am hot and euphoric from the dancing and filled with a joy for life. At about 9.30p.m each Tuesday night, a hundred or so people gather for what is nick-named ‘The Bachata Barn Dance’, so-called because it is danced in a circle, with the men staying in one place in an inner circle while the women on the outer circle move from man to man. The first time I danced it I started off with a Greek man who told me that the dance was called ‘The Ciabatta’. Who knows, maybe it is in Greece.
hahah like the ciabatta touch at the end . Very funny.. Love to read about your escapades. Hope we meet up again one day . Till then "I hope you dance" :)
Not to mention they could take risks like attempting to put dibs on players not destine for the nfl and hope on a turn of career. Like Dallas drafting Roger Staubach late in the draft even though he was going to the war. A possible prospect they could try for if up next year could be Jeff Samardzija, esp since that baseball team has a history of burning out its pitchers
outstanding post! great advice, will take on board!
I've been surfing on-line greater than three hours lately, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It is lovely worth sufficient for me. Personally, if all web owners and bloggers made excellent content material as you did, the internet can be a lot more useful than ever before.
Thanks for sharing superb information. Your website is so cool. I am impressed by the details that you have on this blog. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for more articles.
Outstanding read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little study on that. And he really bought me lunch because I located it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
Spot on with this write-up, I truly think this website needs far more consideration. I’ll in all probability be again to read way more, thanks for that info.
Do you mind if I repost this info on one of my Web sites?
Drilling down into the never finished investing in gold thread, two contenders: gold franc vs. the quarter American Eagle. Any opinions?
Fantastic report. I will bookmark your internet site and be certain to check out again usually.
Nice to become browsing your blog again, it has been months for me. Properly this post that i've been waited for so lengthy. I want this post to complete my assignment in the university, and it has same subject with your article. Thanks, fantastic share.
I've been surfing online more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. In my view, if all web owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the internet will be much more useful than ever before.
I admire the useful information and facts you provide in your articles. I'll bookmark your weblog and also have my youngsters check up here typically. I'm fairly certain they will discover a lot of new stuff here than anyone else!
Howdy! You some sort of educated? Great message. Could you tell me the best way to subscribe your blog?
Thank you for sharing superb information. Your website is so cool. I'm impressed by the info that you have on this blog. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for more articles.
Breakdance has seemed to vanish from the well-known newspaper and tv.
Who might be a good source suitable for wholesale gold bars ? Ought I actually make an effort?
I used to be questioning if you happen to considered adjusting the layout of your weblog? It's quite well created; I enjoy what you have got to say. But perhaps you could more when it comes to content so folks might connect with it better. Youve got a lot of textual content for just having a couple of photographs. Perhaps you could space it out far better?
Great read, I simply passed this on to a buddy who was carrying out a tiny research on that. And he really bought me meal because I came across it for him! So let me rephrase that: Thank you for meal!
Bookmarking now cheers, a great quick read. Will re-tweet later!
Thank you for sharing superb informations. Your web site is very cool. I'm impressed by the details that you've on this blog. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this website page, will come back for extra articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found simply the information I already searched all over the place and simply couldn't come across. What a perfect web site.
I'm very happy to read this. This is the kind of details that needs to be given and not the accidental misinformation that's at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this greatest doc.
Very well written post. It will be supportive to anybody who usess it, including yours truly :). Keep up the good work - for sure i will check out more posts.
Do you mind if I repost this info on one of my Web sites?
Definitely believe that that you said. Your favourite reason appeared to be on the net the simplest thing to consider of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed even as other folks consider concerns that they just do not recognize about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the highest neatly as outlined out the entire thing without having side-effects , other folks can take a signal. Will probably be back to get more. Thank you!
Do you mind if I repost this info on one of my Web sites?
I thought it was going to be some dull previous submit, but it really compensated for my time. I will submit a hyperlink to this page on my weblog. I'm certain my website visitors will uncover that pretty useful.
Significantly, this post is really the sweetest on this notable topic. I harmonise with your conclusions and will thirstily appear forward in your incoming updates. Saying thanks is not going to just be ample, for that phenomenal clarity within your writing. I will immediately grab your rss feed to stay knowledgeable of any updates. Admirable work and significantly good results within your business dealings! Please excuse my poor English as it’s not my 1st tongue.
Good info. Thanks.
Youre so right. Im there with you. Your weblog is absolutely worth a read if anybody comes across it. Im lucky I did because now Ive got a whole new view of this. I didnt realise that this issue was so important and so universal. You undoubtedly put it in perspective for me.
My coder is trying to persuade me to move to .net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the expenses. But he's tryiong none the less. I've been using Movable-type on a number of websites for about a year and am worried about switching to another platform. I have heard great things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can transfer all my wordpress content into it? Any help would be really appreciated!
What you said made a lot of sense. But, think about this, what if you added a little content? I mean, I dont want to tell you how to run your blog, but what if you added something to maybe get peoples attention? Just like a video or a picture or two to get people excited about what youve got to say. In my opinion, it would make your blog come to life a little bit.
I'm so happy to read this. This is the kind of info that needs to be given and not the accidental misinformation that is at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this best doc.
Thank you for this article. That’s all I can say. You most definitely have made this blog into something special. You clearly know what you are doing, you’ve covered so many bases.Thanks!
Does anyone know how expensive natural swimming ponds cost to build?
I dugg some of you post as I cerebrated they were extremely helpful very helpful
Hey! I simply noticed another message in another blog that seemed like this. How are you aware all these items? That’s one cool post.
Fantastic post and nice site.
Good info. Thanks.
I'm not sure exactly why but this site is loading incredibly slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a problem on my end? I'll check back later on and see if the problem still exists.
Awsome site! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am bookmarking your feeds also.
gaining weight
I'll be sharing this post with my wife. Thanks!
You have done an impressive job! thank you for your great article and blog it makes my day...
Awsome site! I am loving it!! Will come back again. I am bookmarking your feeds also.
Thanks for writing this. I really feel as though I know so much more about this than I did before. Your blog really brought some things to light that I never would have thought about before reading it. You should continue this, Im sure most people would agree youve got a gift.
Simply wish to say your article is as surprising. The clarity in your post is just nice and i can assume you are an expert on this subject. Fine with your permission let me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please carry on the rewarding work.
Thank you for this article. That’s all I can say. You most definitely have made this blog into something special. You clearly know what you are doing, you’ve covered so many bases.Thanks!
Crap i dont remember my new verses
Apple now has Rhapsody as an app, which is a great start, but it is currently hampered by the inability to store locally on your iPod, and has a dismal 64kbps bit rate. If this changes, then it will somewhat negate this advantage for the Zune, but the 10 songs per month will still be a big plus in Zune Pass' favor.