How my Passion relates to my Life
My passion is dancing, particularly Salsa. I love to dance. Frankly, everything about Salsa, Bachata & Kizomba culture intrigues me, but salsa dancing has always been my number one hobby. I have been dancing for about 3 years unprofessionally and then 3 years now professionally. I am currently running a latin dance school: La Baila Vista, in Chandigarh, India. Ever since I first started dancing, it has become a big part of who I am. It has affected me on so many levels, and it still has a big impact on my life. Without my deep passion for salsa dancing, I can truly say that I would not be the same person that I am today.
Over the years, I have always valued my talent for salsa, however it was not until recently that I truly realised how much it has positively affected me. My passion for dance has helped me to fulfill several of the basic needs in my life, first and foremost being my self-esteem. Before I was ever introduced to salsa I felt out of place. I did not have a special talent for anything in particular. I couldn’t play an instrument, I couldn’t sing, and I was never outstanding in any sport in particular. I felt like I was good for nothing. However, after I took my first salsa lesson by Alex Diaz at Furor Bangalor, my instructor was confident that I can do it pretty well. This truly boosted my self-esteem. I felt like I was finally good at something, and best of all, I enjoyed it. I continued to work on my techniques, and after my first performance at a salsa festival (which I even choreographed by myself), people began to recognise me for my gift. Up to this day, dance is still a major source of self-esteem in my life.
My passion for salsa has also contributed to my needs for belonging. Over the years, my wife and I have met plenty of new people through the various salsa school and festivals that we have been involved in. Many of these people have grown to become close friends and are now a big part of our lives. We not only just confine our meets up to dance only, but, travelling, birthdays, visiting each other at their home etc. It is safe to say that our salsa community has grown to become a second family and we are spread across the entire country and few abroad as well. We all share the same interests and get along phenomenally. When I dance with my salsa friends, I truly feel like I belong.
One significant lesson that I have learned from my experiences in dancing is that persistence and dedication is essential. This idea shows how dance can be related to life in general. For example, my teammate or I would always struggle to grasp the routine that we are supposed to perform with. And even after weeks of practice it seemed like we have not improved at all and it feels like giving up. Nevertheless, the fact that we are part of a team and have to do what we have to, pushes us to keep practicing until we could grasp the routine. And by competition/performance time we all are able to perform the routine without any difficulty. This concept applies to life, because to become prosperous in your endeavours, determination and perseverance is required.