Salsa Jungle Fever
OR
How to Survive a Crowded Hot Summer Dance Floor...

What is salsa jungle fever... well, in this case, it's nothing to do with the type of hunting that might normally go on in the clubs... but let me tell you what can happen in a hot, sweaty club..

A month ago, as I headed down to Babaluu's on a Tuesday, I'm in anticipation of another great night of dancing and some great non-stop salsa music...

And as you walk in, the place is packed and you case the floor to see how many of your friends have shown up and to say "hi".

As I walk to the back of the club, I brush past some dancers at the edge of the dance floor and unluckily get a long, large scrape of a sharp heel down the back of my calf almost to my ankle... And as always, they are not experienced or considerate dancers who usually would notice if they bumped or scratched someone, but obviously beginners, intermediate or selfish dancers who are so busy still concentrating on their steps that they don't even bat an eyelash or say sorry.

Some of you may say, how can a dancer know the difference? Well, you take a crowded room full of experienced dancers and compare it to a room full of inexperienced dancers; and let me tell you how many times you were bumped into or stepped on. I can guarantee you it will be less than 10% or not at all because they usually are considerate about their floor space or stop their partner before they bump or step on another dancer.

But that was not the end of a summer night's evening of dance...

Imagine the inexplicable feeling of dancing with a partner who's clothes are soaked to their skin; and actually do moves that make your hands brush against their sweaty clothes!

Or how about a sweaty two-kiss hello we all love to do but to have their sweaty cheeks bathe your own in sweat!

Dancers, please remember some basic summer etiquette rules as alot of the salsa venues seem to lack proper air conditioning:

1. Bring a change of clothes if you know you regularly sweat on the dance floor.

2. Don't actually kiss when you're sweaty... and let the dancer know that's why you're not really giving the proper hello or goodbye.

3. If a dancer insists on dancing with you, you can warn them that your clothes are soaked right through; therefore they have the chance to refuse.

And always, always watch out for your partner to ensure they don't bump or step on someone else on the dance floor. And if you do, please remember to apologize.

If you didn't even notice, guaranteed, you need to pay more attention to your dance space and not just on your partner and your moves.

PS Remember that scratch? Well, it lasted a week and turned into a long, sore black and blue bruise!