Salsa Solo!!!!!

Yes, it's 2:30am...pretty late even for this little salsera, but I am too anxious to give you the latest salsa update.

As you know, tonight was supposed to be the grand opening of the Salsa Loft with various performances including the red jumpsuit routine as well as the little yellow dress. Well, because the universe is inevitably against anything running as I have planned...that's not exactly what happened.

First, the red jumpsuits never came in on time...thus we opted for a more casual look of jeans and white shirts. Small road bump, not a big deal.

Second, as most of my friends do not lead a secret night life, 11pm on a school night was pushing it! When I showed up at 10:10pm and it took my instructor's wife a good 25 minutes just to apply my eye make-up I started to get the impression we weren't going to be starting on time! Starting to feel anxious.

Third, while anxiously twiddling my fingers and trying to hide my impatience as I got my hair curled, my instructor informed us that all the other performances lined up for the evening fell through! Panic rising.

Forth, because my instructor was slightly upset with the flakey performers, he decided to take his retribution in the form of making them perform at the club next week! Thus he decided we would save the little yellow dress routine for next week and only perform Timbalito (redjump suit routine). Now this would have been fine, except for the fact it was now well past 11pm on a school night and my dear friends had been huddled in the back of the club all night doing their best to blend in with the brick wall as they awaited my promised performance.

Well, as many of you know I suck at poker! Meaning the disappointment on my face was a dead give away! Ari asked me what was wrong and as I explained the situation to him he decided there was only one good solution to the problem...

He would perform Mambo Gazon with me at as a solo routine dedicated to my dear friends! Um...panic PEAKING!!

So to wrap this story up, we first performed Timbalito as a group. I'm pretty sure it was the absolute worst run through of the rountine I've ever had! Literally my mind went completely blank more than once as I desperately tried to remember what in the world I was doing amidst the bright lights and smiling faces of all my darling friends. I wish I could have returned a smile or two and wiped the look of utter bewilderment off my face...but I finished the routine none the less.

Next I performed a two second costume change and returned to the dance floor to perform my first ever solo routine! I was terrified, especially after having just slaughtered the first routine! Although I stumbled over my own two feet a few times, this performance went slightly better.

Then of course my heart rate resumed, palms stopped sweating, and I danced like a gem the rest of the evening! So, although I did not sport any sexy salsa outfits and I totally blew both my performances...I totally had a great evening! So thank you so much to all my friends Steph, Travis, Annie, Debbie, Ruth Ann, Cassie, Chelsey, Liz, and Jackie for coming out to support me!!! I love you guys!

Here are some pics from the evening. This is me with my salsa buddies slamming down burgers after the performance at 2am.

Top Row Left to Right: Gary, Ari (my instructor), Marcy (Ari's finacee and my wonderful make-up artist), and me.

Bottom Row Left to Right: Geneve, Alex, Jessie, and DJ Corwin

And, here's me all nappy looking after the dance plus a bunch of close up's of my cool eye make-up!