It started late one night after studying for a kick butt college engineering exam.
My best friend, another friend and I were in my dorm room dancing. I asked my best friend to teach me salsa and merengue, bachata, cumbia, etc. She started with the basic steps and kept saying, “you have to let the beats and music flow through you and express it in your shoulders, hips and feet.” I was hooked. From then on, all I listened to was DLG, Elvis Crespo, Shakira and Juan Luis Guerra. Even though I didn’t understand everything that was being said, it felt so passionate and beautiful, so I just danced like I understood. And the rest is history, the beginning of mi corazón Latino (my Latin heart).
On several occasions I’ve had close friends comment that I must have a little Latin in me. Nope, 100% Ugandan but I have strong affinity for Latin music, food and culture; I think it’s because there are similarities between the two cultures. My two closest friends are Latin and my hairdresser, who barely speaks English, is from Columbia… which is why when I wanted a Halle Berry-esque haircut, I had my best friend teach and practice with me how to say the Spanish phrases. The end result was a pretty cool haircut. I’ll have to post it sometime.
I took these photos of the St Maarten Sonesta Maho Resort Latin band that had me dancing all night. Oh yeah, right now I’m dancing to Don Omar’s Danza Kuduro.
