Earlier this week we traveled with our film crew to Tijuana to interview Alma Latina Dance School and company. We arrived just as the children were coming out of class. These little ones will become the new generation of Salseros!
Next was the juniors practice and rehearsal, most of these juniors I first saw 4 years ago when they were still small children. They grow up so fast, it is amazing! These kids are so talented naturally and with the right teacher to guide them they remind me of flowers that bloom and Alma Latina is their sunshine!
And just like blossoms they are also like butterflies this is the time in their lives when they get distracted by other appealing new interests. Here again it takes lots of work, effort , structure and strong inspiration for teachers to keep the teenagers focused on their discipline in order to not lose their talent for subtleties. Talent is one thing, the maintenance it takes to evolve it is another skill in its self. Sergio and Gaby and their team of Instructors are literally raising these Salsa students as if they are their own children. It’s quite spectacular to see how much devotion they put into their school. This is real dedication
The insights of Sergio and Gaby were inspiring. Their passion and dedication is so compelling. Their mission is to transform Mexico into a nation of Salsa dancers! Mexico is not originally affiliated with Salsa, it’s more a country of Cumbia and other Latin dances . Sergio told us that they dance Salsa more like Cumbia. I was quite surprised to learn that there were limited places or clubs that offer social dancing in Tijuana.
Not so far from the border in America cities like Los Angeles and San Diego don’t realize how lucky they are to have so many places to dance!
The Salsa scene in Mexico is growing fast. Mexico was highly represented the past few years at the World Latin Dance Cup such as; last year’s winners David and Paulina from Puebla, Ernesto and Maritza, Ritmo y Sabor from Oaxaca, Alma Latina USA and more…
We enjoyed very much the time we spent at Alma Latina, and we also relished those too good to be true tacos! Eduardo from Alma Latina, whom I ‘m sure is better known as Lalo, kindly brought us to a famous neighborhood Taco place. However our crew were the only ones indulging in the sumptuous ethnic cuisine being that Lalo wants to keep in shape and therefore stays away from those delicious but caloric treasures!
We left Tijuana the next day still ecstatic from our adventure however our excitement quickly turned to dread as we approached a veritable river of bumper to bumper traffic at the US border. And yet we were still able to witness a strange beauty that existed there at the crossroad between two countries. The border has a unique culture of its own. There are a variety of vendors selling tacos, sodas, churros and fresh fruits but the most amazing spectacle of all is to see the vendors walking between parked cars carrying in one hand a large replica of Jesus Christ on the cross and in the other hand Batman!
After one long hour of waiting in traffic, we decided we may as well make the best out of it. All it took was the right music! I queued up Oscar d’Leon “Lloraras” Emma and Josh (our camera /sound team) got out of the car and started dancing in the middle the road between the parked cars! It was amazing to see the positive effect that Salsa can have! Their dance brought smiles to faces that only minutes before were frustrated to be stuck there. It wasn’t long before one of the vendors wanted to practice some moves with Emma, what a site to see her dancing with the street vendor leading her with one hand and carrying a plate of nachos in the other !!
Best of all was to see Emma inviting a Border patrol guard to dance! He wanted to remain professional and stoic but was unable to resist her charm. It made our day to see him relent and take a moment out of his hectic day to enjoy the pleasure and joy of Salsa.
Imagine if everyday we could all invite a random stranger to dance. I can’t help but think it would make the world a better place.
HEART OF SALSA 
Seeing your video made me so happy! Dancing at the border, and at that with a border patrol! I loved the connecting power of salsa, as the driver, the fruit vendor, and the officer all enjoyed dancing salsa. ^^ I am so happy this was caught on camera!
YES INDDED SORT OF MAGIC INTO SALSA