LA BAMBA!!
I just got back from salsa classes I am taking here in Southern Maryland. Never before have I seen strangers be so open with each other! Refreshing to see some free spirits are still alive and thriving!! Anything goes in that class...even high heels matched with gray sweats. =)
I never knew I would relate knowledge learned in my graduate courses to salsa classes..but let me tell you...salsa is all about culture. Culture is embedded into their wiggly hips! Also, salsa classes are very insync with the "gender roles" I have been studying in Dr. Peterson's course this fall. We are not allowed to learn the "lead" dancing steps if we are female. It sort of blows my mind that we are forbidden....not that I really want to "lead" in a dance with my significant other..but hey...why not play around and learn the other way? What if I wanted to go out dancing to a latin club in D.C. with my girlfriends? Neither of us would know how to lead and we would just dance in circles looking stupid....Hmmmm. And how do lesbians and gays dance salsa? Who leads??? I see gender discrimination!!!
I never knew I would relate knowledge learned in my graduate courses to salsa classes..but let me tell you...salsa is all about culture. Culture is embedded into their wiggly hips! Also, salsa classes are very insync with the "gender roles" I have been studying in Dr. Peterson's course this fall. We are not allowed to learn the "lead" dancing steps if we are female. It sort of blows my mind that we are forbidden....not that I really want to "lead" in a dance with my significant other..but hey...why not play around and learn the other way? What if I wanted to go out dancing to a latin club in D.C. with my girlfriends? Neither of us would know how to lead and we would just dance in circles looking stupid....Hmmmm. And how do lesbians and gays dance salsa? Who leads??? I see gender discrimination!!!
On another gender-influenced note-----I am going to a "Fancy Nancy" birthday party tomorrow for a little girl named Bella who is turning 6. (another reflection of our culture!!) If any of you are not familiar...Fancy Nancy is a theme party for children in which they wear pearls and nice hats with scarves and heels. Everything is glamorous. G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S. They drink tea. The idea of acting sophisticated and drinking tea alone is enough to make me show up. I'm 24 and I still think---THIS IS TOTALLY AWESOME....and at the same time......follows very strict gender roles. What if the little girls don't want to dress that way? What if they are tomboys? Not exactly fair...what are we teaching them? that if they don't wear all of these articles they are not PRETTY??......hmmm......still going though and still very excited to wear my Fancy Nancy dress from Target. =) Will post pictures later!!Have a great weekend!
-------Float like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee.
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