Arts
Moving to your own style with Salsa
In the heart of Colombo, a small group files into a dance studio – some armed with small heels, some in comfy trainers and others going barefoot. Positioned in front of mirrors, Anisha Gooneratne plays her selection of Latin music whilst combing through the basics of salsa, stopping every few minutes to check whether we’re all comfortable and ready to learn the next step. A resounding ‘yes’.
Sharing the joy: Anisha believes in inspiring her students to love salsa and support each other whilst learning
A 25-year-old graduate of Politics and International Studies from the University of Warwick, Anisha currently works full-time and is a keen photographer. I ask her what her dance journey has been like. “I’ve been dancing for as long as I can remember. I started off learning ballet when I was six, and went on to learn different types of dance from jazz, hip-hop, Kandyan and contemporary. Whilst I experimented a lot with different dance styles, I never really felt like I found my “niche”. Before I went to university, I knew I wanted to give salsa a go, and with over 150 members, the Warwick Salsa Society was the perfect place to try it out. I instantly fell in love with the dance, and I soon started performing and teaching, totalling to more than 25 hours of dance a week (whilst juggling studying full time!)”
“When it comes to Salsa, the potential to learn new things is infinite, and I make a conscious effort to always push myself to learn more so I can become a better dancer and a better teacher,” she says. This work ethic has also meant she continues to go to International Salsa Congresses to learn from the world’s best salsa teachers and also occasionally finds herself entering and placing top in salsa competitions (1st Place in the Birmingham Salsa Ball Dance Competition, 1st Place in the ADC Dancesport Championship Salsa Open Category and 2nd Place for Salsa Beginners).
And thus here we are. Three years after moving back to Sri Lanka she started her own studio recently, aptly named ‘The Salsa Studio’ and held her first batch of classes in November. “From dancing for more than 25 hours a week, to hardly dancing, it wasn’t long before I knew I had to get back into it. Growing up I wanted to be a dancer, and I’m really proud that I’ve managed to live the dream I had since I was seven years old.”
Anisha: Happy to have realised her childhood dream of becoming a dancer
“I was toying with the idea of starting this for some time, but it was my really supportive family and friends that gave me the final push to start this, and for that I am so grateful. I’ve been dancing salsa for over six years now and I’ve spent a lot of time perfecting my technique. I’m so fortunate to have learnt from some of the world’s best dancers and I really wanted to share what I had learnt, from technique to cultivating a love of dance, and this is what drove me to start my own studio,” she says.
Over the course of November, we learn about cross body leads, Suzie Q’s, the salsa basics. It sounds confusing. But the more I listen to the music, the more I understand how it tells me to move my body, exemplifying why salsa is so infectious. As Anisha explains, salsa originated in the 1900s as an amalgamation of musical elements and rhythms from various styles which was later popularised by Cuban migrants in America. Currently there are many styles which include New York Salsa, Cuban Salsa, and what Anisha teaches – LA Salsa. Soon enough, we’re all employing various combinations and making up our own routines.
In our breaks, over some delicious mint/cucumber infused water, we discuss how energized we’re feeling which seems in line with what Anisha is aiming for. “If I had to break it down to my top priorities, it would be to share my passion of dancing with others with a strong focus on technique, in the hopes that I will inspire my students to love salsa and support each other whilst learning. Looking at it more long term, I think there’s so much potential to put Sri Lankan dancers on the map for salsa dancing and it would be my dream to see that happen!”
The dance industry can be quite racist and size-ist – something I always worried about when dancing ballet and contemporary as a teenager. It’s a sentiment that’s shared particularly amongst young women who are keen but apprehensive about dancing. Anisha counters this – “A lot of people ask me if you need to have dance experience to join salsa, or a certain body type and my answer is always no. I always tell my students that salsa is one of the most universal dance types, that gives you the ability to put your own ‘flavour’ into your dancing, thereby letting each dancer be unique.”
As we leave the studio, a bit sweaty and tired, I think to myself that salsa is one of the few dances where I’ve been able to fully let go and have an absolute ball, regardless of what I may look like in front of the mirror. Come January, I look forward to getting back into my dancing shoes.
To join the Salsa Studio, contact 077 263 6016 or message @thesalsastudio on Instagram.