¡Viva La Devizes Salsa; Eso!

Looking back over the years of Devizine, I’ve engaged myself with more ‘loco’ undertakings than I care to count, things I wouldn’t have otherwise considered attempting; all part of the fun. More often than not I come away thinking it was alright, but seldom follow it up with a burning desire to continue, it’s sadly onto the next story. Today though was incendio; I’m enthralled by a trip to the Muck & Dundar to meet the Devizes Salsa Group, only kidding myself to assume I’ll be sitting there taking notes…..

Fantasy Radio DJ Michael Linford twisted my arm to give it a try, still naturally I was apprehensive, sauntering in. Though I love to dance, it’s best defined freestyle dad-dancing, and I’ve never taken so much as a single instructed step. Not forgoing, whenever I see those salsa dancing champs at any Latino styled Devizes Arts Festival events my two left feet plod feels upstaged; I just nod in awe; wowzers, they look so cool, as I shamefully retreat from the dancefloor! Though when I left today I can hardly profess to being Jim Carrey’s The Mask, I certainly had a lot of fun!

Upon expressing my initial anxiety to Karen, who runs the group, she reassured me, “we want everyone to come and have fun, we don’t want it to be strictly for people who can do all the moves, it’s not about that, we do a bit of freestyle, but it’s mostly about new people to come and give it a go.”

Now, if you know me you’ll hazard a fair guess I tried to hinge myself to the rum bar, but was hoisted front and centre from the off, next to instructor Phil, who makes it look childsplay, and me like Mr Blobby on a bender, yet took us all through the basic steps timed perfectly, and more importantly, gradually! Up here for thinking, down there for dancing, pal; lo and behold I was side-to-side, backstepping, occasionally doing it to the rhythm too!

Am I here to promote the group, are they desperate for new members? While there was no indication of flailing appeal, the group could do with a few more masculine dancers; can I say men, without getting in trouble with the PC brigade?! Sometimes the ‘masculine dancers’ need to take two partners to compensate, (if that’s not an incentive enough, guys.) I should stress having a partner is something, but you’ll be equally welcome not having one.

As a whole, an ensemble gathered to chat, but they’re bustling, and eager to break out some moves on the floor. Unlike a more formal dance workshop, salsa is not ballet, only subtly ballroom related, the structure is paced to suit all ages and experience, and the ethos is to enjoy yourself… which I did, thank you, thoroughly!

Karen tells me it’s been running for seven years, “but it was a different group, I wasn’t running it then. We started up again, after lockdown, in Market Lavington.” The group meets on Wednesdays at the Old School on Church Street in Market Lavington, today at the Muck & Dundar was a drop-in session for newcomers to get a taster. On a previous taster session such as this they broke out of the Muck and swamped the Brittox with an improv Fame moment of dancing in the street, a video of which captured the attention of Devizes Facebook users.

While there’s no membership fees, it usually costs a fiver to cover hall hire costs. Karen was keen for me to note her involvement was purely for the love of it, “I just want the world to throw off their cares and dance,” she expressed; yeah, me too but you do with it style, Karen, I usually just bob up and down like a buoy in a stormy sea!

Men versus multitasking argument away, getting to grips with the basics wasn’t so simple, and when I thought I clinched it, it was but a warm-up! Encouragement was plentiful, though, with no pretence, the members made me feel so very welcome; I didn’t step on any of their feet! Karen underlined the importance of it being a social group, and it certainly was this.

Salsa is this though, cool fun. An American coined blanket term for all Latino style dances, so we danced mambo, pachanga, and rumba, at least I think we did! “We cover all basic salsa,” Karen explained, “LA salsa, and there will be Bachata, which we all love because it slows it right down, so, you know, we can’t keep it going all night, and then, towards the end we go into full flight and all hell lets loose, going into merengue, and even reggaetón.”

Bachata is typified by a slow, sensual beat, similar to Cuban bolero, which meant my two left feet could keep up while concentrating on the choreography, just; it was the changes which threw my sieve-for-a-brain, but something about old dogs and new tricks, I enjoyed learning something new today, and it’s Sunday! Yet as described, the pace picked up a bit as the session progressed; while freestyling, to a degree, least it wasn’t so regimental to keep to the steps, and never did I fear I’d be told off Lydia Grant style (Google her, whippersnappers!) the exuberance gave flavour to the overall enjoyment of it all. Reggaetón I can improvise!

And dammit, it was fun, and addictively engaging, on watching Phil, Karen and other senior members go for it, all of whom were so helpful and non-judgemental, I felt if I could perfect this enough, you know, to get over those initial first steps, the enjoyment would be multiplied, friendships here will be made, even if I never make it to Patrick Swayze level, least I’ve had the time of my life-ish!

If you fancy being the next salsero or salsera of Devizes, here’s a link to the Facebook Group with all the info on it. Might even see you there, though, not wishing to put you off the idea, you don’t have to dance with me! Oh, those poor Devizes Salsa Group dancers, they’ll be wearing steel toe-caps if they know I’m coming back!!