What Does SSS Stand for?

If you're reading this blog, it is likely that you have recently received invitations from some entity called the SSS for mixers, game nights, and dinners. And you've probably wondered what the heck IS the SSS? Seattle's Secret Service? Super Smart Solutions?

The SSS is Seattle's Salsera's Sisterhood (often referred to as simply "The Sisterhood"). It exists to bring unity to the follows of Seattle's Salsa scene, and is therefore open to any follow dancing in Seattle. Since there is normally no reason for any of us follows to talk to each other off the dance floor, it's often difficult to connect. But we all know that friendship between women is as important as men's attention. After all, a guy will never readily hand you over some double sided tape when your top is unexpectedly falling off the places on your body where it hypothetically was supposed to stay through the night.

Although I haven't been able to make any of the events yet, the wall of the group is covered with positive responses, and the people I've talked to about this say nothing but good things about the Sisterhood. Being able to mingle in an open environment off the dance floor makes dancing so much more enjoyable on it. The Sisterhood will also periodically sponsor Mixers -- events where both follows AND leads are welcome. That, of course, leaves much room for confusion, so leads, beware! Make sure you read the descriptions for the open-for-everyone events carefully and don't show up to find yourself in a house full of girls! (Not that you wouldn't love that... :)

Dance For A Cause

I'm sitting in my living room, soaking up everything that is being said around me. The conversation taking place is inspiring, if nothing less. The person in the center of it is a role model of a young professional woman doing good smack in the middle of a harsh business world. Myra is sharing the hopes and fears for the fundraiser that she's organizing for the non-profit, Adelante, on Saturday, November 21, 2009. The numbers that she's throwing out shock me to the core. "We're hoping to raise $10,000, does that seem like a lot?" No, it doesn't. "But there's SO much you can do with that money in Nicaragua!" She continues to share just how much can be done with so little money. $50 will provide a notebook, pencil, and pen for up to 100 students. $1000 sponsors a teacher for six months to a year. $5,000 raised last year fixed a roof, built a security fence around a school building that was robbed of its food and school supplies, fixed 3 outhouses with doors and new paint, and provided 480 students with all the school supplies they needed, including text books.

I tell her that her determination and business knowledge is impressive. Her response shows passionate humility. "You would do it too, if you went there. You can't come back and do nothing once you've seen the conditions that people live in." Still, the Herculean efforts the woman is putting into the fundraiser are noteworthy. Adelante is a non-profit that concentrates on building sustainable community programs in Nicaragua. Myra volunteers her time for it OUTSIDE a regular marketing job AND running Adelante's sister non-profit, Vecinos, with another friend. When she sleeps is a mystery to me.

Yes, there IS a reason why this story is on my Salsa blog. The aforementioned fundraiser is a Latin dance night, featuring performances of local talent, a silent auction, and an update from Nicaragua. It will take place on November 21, 2009 at the Sole Repair Shop at 1001 East Pike St., Seattle. Door open at 7:30 and the event is 21+. There is a suggested donation of $20.00.

We all love to dance. Many of us are known for spending a lot more money than $20.00 for tickets/hotels to various Salsa events around the country and even the world. But this time the money you spend will actually be used for something meaningful, so doesn't that make it so much more appealing? (Besides the fact that you don't even have to fly anywhere...) Come out and dance for a good cause. I rarely come out these days (hence the silence on the blog...) and even rarer do I COMMIT to attending an event. But I'm committed to attending this one. No mind-changing. I'm there :)

Fixing the Roof

Outhouses Vecinos repaired

Classroom before it was repaired

Passing out Supplies to Students

Kids playing soccer. With an orange. Because They cannot find a soccer ball.

Do her eyes really need a description?

Myra with some of the students

A Life Out Of A Movie -- For All My Friends!

Being part of a Salsa world often feels like being in a movie. You've seen it a million times -- some main character walks into a lounge, kisses the host, says hi to the DJ, then hugs everyone they see on the way to a favorite couch, which is, of course, magically sitting empty in a full room because people know it's the characters' couch to occupy. I've always admired scenes like that, and now I feel like I'm living them pretty much on a daily basis. And it's awesome! It's being connected to people that's awesome. It's knowing enough of them to have someone comfortable to dance with no matter where you go. And it's those friends that I'd like to address in my "warmhearted" post today. Especially the leads.

Guys, once you are friends with a follow, the rest of the rules just don't apply. So whatever I said in any of my sarcastic posts, (although you should take SOME of it seriously,) most likely doesn't apply to you. Friends are the best thing about social dancing. And for anyone who forgets that in the name of extra-difficult moves and extra-many turns, life on the floor must be pretty darn sucky. Most likely they only have a couple follows/leads who they like dancing with, and most likely those people aren't out at all the same places they're at. Which would naturally make any person frustrated.

When you value friendships over moves though, the dance scene becomes an entirely different ball game! Walking into any venue has the most exhilarating vibe, because of all the warm fuzzy feelings that seeing friends evokes. Instead of being disappointed that there's "nobody to dance with" (in a room with at least a hundred people in it...), you are now just happy to see the people you love and value! And when the friendship bond is there, it really and truly doesn't matter how good or bad of a dancer a person is! Every dance is just a chance to bond more, and if something doesn't work out, it's amusing more than annoying. I'm definitely grateful for people like that in my life, because without them I'd not be out on the floor! We all make mistakes. Friends just cover them with good styling :)

So all my friends: thanks for being there to chat with, sit with, and dance with! You guys are the best, and I'm lucky enough to have too many of you to fit into a paragraph if I started listing! Much love!!!