Cali. The world salsa capital, and depending on the source around the 24th most dangerous city in the world. The crime and murder rates are through the roof, I was quite a bit afraid of what this will be like…
Initially I didn‘t want to go to Cali, because I‘ve heard from other travelers and Colombians that it isn‘t safe. It was time to plan to go to my next country, but I am so in love with Colombia I wasn‘t ready to leave yet - and I can‘t spend almost 2 months here without trying to learn to dance, like, properly. I had a mission, so off to the best place to do that.
After the first group class I was reminded why my trainer back home calls me „dislexic but for movement“… and at night I went to a salsa bar with a few people from the hostel, and was reminded of that even more. I was so afraid of taking private classes that I procrastinated the shit out of booking some.
Let me tell you about those salsa bars. They‘re amazing! I think it‘s kind of like going out 20-30 years ago. People come, often alone, nobody drinks or does drugs, nobody looks at their phone. You basically just exist, watching people dance, and all the time someone comes and asks you to dance with him. Mostly I panicked and shaked my head - half of the guys accepted it and went on, the other half laughed, took my hand and pulled me onto the dance floor.
Nobody cares if you can dance or not. Actually, that‘s a lie - they do care, not because they laugh and roll their eyes at you, but because they want to teach you. Every single guy I‘ve danced with was kind, patient and happy when I finally did something right. They tried to teach me new steps and work on ones I already knew.
I‘m done procrastinating. 3, 2, 1, go! I went to the girl at reception and said „I think I need lessons“. Her answer: „Oh, yes, please!“ Excuse me?? I thought she‘s really nice, but did I really dance this bad last night? „Oh, no, no, no, this isn‘t what I meant!“ - she was just trying to tell me that she could use some too. Good.
She brought me to my teacher, Camilo, and off we went. Never have I felt this uncomfortable. Firstly, I come from Muay Thai, where you NEVER move your hips and your shoulders are glued to your chin. Secondly, you‘re alone in a room with a strange dude that watches every step you take. If seems wrong to look at yourself in the mirror, to constantly stare at him, and the floor isn‘t interesting. What the freak did I get myself into…
Camilo said it could be good to learn Bachata as well - so we did one lesson of Salsa, one of Bachata. It‘s different, but he said it could be beneficial to learn both. Well, why not.
Bachata is a close dance. Very. Close. That was almost more uncomfortable as the first salsa lesson, but at least I no longer care too much about where to look and my prof and me had a pretty good relationship, we talked about whatever when we practised what I should already be able to do and then laughed when something didn‘t work at all.
I have to admit that it went better as I thought it would. I really thought I could just never learn how to dance. But after some lessons and practice in the bars I felt quite secure in what I learned and I really started enjoying it. As long as I didn‘t have to coordinate arms, legs and hips at the same time.
Whenever I showed up to my first lesson of the day, Camilo asked me if I went out last night to practice. If I said no, he wasn‘t keen of it and said, that I would have to go party tonight.
Suddenly it was friday - the day, when whole streets are blocked in Cali. The day when nobody is at home. The whole city is out on the streets, with instruments and speakers, to dance. I have never seen this many people in one spot, at times it was hard to get through. The music was ringing in our ears. People were singing, banging their drums and bells, dancing.
I was watching an old woman sleeping in a plastic chair. As the most important song in the street played, she stood up, sang the chorus, and went back to sleep.
We were a pretty big group of tourists, maybe 25 of us, but we were in the middle of locals and tourists from other parts of Colombia. Some came over to say hi or dance with some of us. Others wanted to practice their english.
When a whole city is compressed to one street and dancing, when you can hear the drums in your ears 3 days later, then your body starts moving by itself. It is impossible to be there and not dance. The fact that so many people are around you makes it easier too, nobody can really see what you‘re doing.
Pro tip: Don‘t. Wear. Sandals. Mistake of the day.
I was out alone during the day. I was walking at night, but always with locals. I was in taxis, ubers, bars and markets. With the classic precautions, no dar papaya (just don‘t show what you have, the motto of latin america), i never felt unsafe.
Especially at night there‘s alot of homeless people and beggars that can be a little pushy, you don‘t want to come across them alone. Actually, a week before I arrived a girl was robbed at gun point right in front of the hostel. That‘s the sad reality, these things can always happen.
On the way back from a market we walked through a pretty dodgy part of the city. You instantly know that things are different. Nobody is outside safe for the homeless, no woman is around. It‘s dirty, run down, no music, no stores. The beggars ask for „money for food“ with syringes in their hands. Without a Colombian I would have never gone there. But with him, during the day, it was okay. You really have to keep track of your surroundings though It was good to see the reality first hand. Once we walked around a corner, it changed back to normal - one shop next to another, music playing everywhere, women with kids walking the streets, old men selling cigarettes, lottery tickets and lollies, guys reparing motorbikes on the side of the street.
The contrast is crazy, sad, interesting. It‘s good to see how a big part of the country actually lives. Every 4th person in Colombia doesn‘t have enough to eat. And these people also have to be somewhere - and they have to survive. It‘s not easy. Of course, drugs play a big part in the homelessness. But don‘t judge too fast. When drugs, that make you forget you are hungry and the problems you have, are cheaper than food, the way down is very easy…
