With time I came to realize that no matter how much I said I didn’t want to be in El Salvador I was not leaving any time soon, so I embraced the culture… and came to love it more than I could ever explain. Mi Gente! Mi Patria! To this day I still get homesick.  Yes, in just a couple of short years I came to see El Salvador as home.  My family is there, my roots are there and I met some of the closest friends I could ever ask for there (Prom ’95 CCC you know who you are!).  I went all out at school dances and tried my best to learn the latin moves, the rhythm was already in my blood and I found it easy.  To my delight I found that it felt like I’ve been doing it all my life.  I have memories of get-togethers and fiestas with my parents friends in Canada just blasting the cumbias in the living room of their apartments or townhouses and everyone dancing,  didn’t matter that it was winter and -35 degrees celsius outside, inside it was Central America, it was a piece of home in a foreign country. It’s just ironic that it took my leaving El Salvador to actually appreciate my culture… that’s the way life is.  Now everytime I go visit there, every 2-4 years unfortunately, I try to soak it all in. Beaches, people, food and music!

Now, I am in no way a professional salsera, but I am trying to get better and better.  I am taking classes, joined a performance group and go dancing whenever I can.  I am trying to learn all kinds of dance, from ballroom, zouk, tango, latin dances… but salsa is the one that has me on a permanent high. And I love that feeling.!

So, why am I writing all this down for everyone to see? To share my favourite (to this date anyway) latin dance songs, some I like because it’s just impossible to sit still when you hear them, others just have the best lyrics… so, without further ado, here is the list that has me moving my hips to the sound of the clave!

La la la – Direct Latin Influence (salsa)
Fiesta Pa’ Los Rumberos – Albita (salsa)
Ahora Quien – Marc Anthony (I really like anything he does) (salsa)
Mi Dulce Niña – Kumbia Kings (cumbia)
Corazón Espinado – Maná (cha cha)
El Baile del Boogaloo – La Sonora Carrusel (salsa)
Instant Volé – Naïla (zouk)
Cuando – Ricardo Arjona (rumba)
A lo Cubano – Orishas (cha cha)
Valió la Pena – Marc Anthony (salsa)
Marcando la Distancia – Manolito y su Trabuco (salsa)
Tres Gotas de Agua Bendita – Gloria Estefan & Celia Cruz (salsa)
Juana la Cubana – La Sonora Dinamita (cumbia)
Se Le Ve – Andy Montañez y Daddy Yankee (salsa & reggaeton)
La Bilirrubina – Juan Luis Guerra (merengue)
Burbujas de Amor – Juan Luis Guerra (rumba)
Un Beso – Aventura (bachata)
La Gota Fria – Carlos Vives (vallenato)
Amor Inmenso – K-Paz de la Sierra (quebradita)
Si Pero No – Puerto Rican Power (salsa)
Los Campeones de la Salsa – Willy Chirino (salsa)
Chiquilla – Kumbia All Stars (cumbia)
Che Che Colé – Marc Anthony (salsa)

Of course this is just a short list. I’m always on the lookout for more music that “moves” me.   So my favourites are always changing. 

We really couldn’t do much dancing in my place but I did learn a couple of hip hop moves and some of these songs were excellent for that. It’s a very ecclectic mix, I just like what I like, what can I say.

A.Mi.Go – SHINee (Korean hip hop)
Best Place – SHINee (Korean hip hop)
A Love Story – Seamo ft. Bennie K (Japan hip hop)
Ain’t No Stressin’ – Montana Tucker, Sikora, Denial
Get Down Hit the Floor – Twista ft. Pitbull
Abracadabra – Brown Eyed Girls (Japan pop)
Affirmation – Savage Garden
Zhi Dui Ni You Gan Jue – Fahrenheit (Taiwan pop)
Zhong Guo Hua – S.H.E (Taiwan pop)
Bigger than My Body – John Mayer
Bendita tu Luz – Mana ft. Juan Luis Guerra (México)
Daughters – John Mayer
Cosa Mas Bella – Eros Ramazzotti (Italy)
Goodby My Friend – Spice Girls (UK)
You’re My Better Half – Keith Urban (Australia)
Home – Michael Bublé (Canada)
Everything – Michael Bublé (Canada)

And finished the evening with some mellow Bublé and Keith Urban. It was a very good birthday and know that this next year will be full of amazing experiences. I will be performing salsa finally and get cracking on my Mandarin and guitar lessons while I keep trying new dishes… here`s to another great year!