The Gods of Salsa Dancing are Highly Sensitive Persons!

It sometimes occurs that a twin brother or sister having the same upbringing can differ greatly in their Salsa dance development. One of them learns and masters Salsa in less than a year, while his or her sibling take years to catch up. A viable explanation can be found in the fact that one of them is a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP).

Most (budding) Salsa dancers following Salsa dance classes all around the world are facing the same 'problems': they have great difficulty in mastering their own body movements which makes them look 'stiff' or move like 'Salsa Robots'. They are also unable to dance whilst listening to Salsa music, or are unable to keep a constant rhythm and flow whilst dancing the Salsa Basic. Men and women who are not Latinas or Latinos - and who were not brought up in a musical or dance oriented culture - experience these 'flaws' as being great deterrents in their Salsa dance evolution. Over the years, a large number of Salsa teachers and Latinos commented that these 'gringos' simply lack the ability to 'feel' the dance or the music. Other Salseros and Salseras' who develop their dancing abilities in a relatively short period are unable to accept constructive criticism, maintain their focus, or becoming addicted to constant flow of positive affirmation. All of the 'symptoms' mentioned above can be attributed to the fact that these Salsa dancers are Highly Sensitive Persons, or HSP's for short.

The following is a video clip of the author of  the book “The Highly Sensitive Person”, Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D., summarizing the trait of high sensitivity. A free, easy test to determine if you are an HSP (highly sensitive person) is on her web site: hsperson.com.

HSP's in Western Culture & Salsa Dancing
The general view of HSP's in Western society is that they are 'weak'.  Male Salsa dancers (or very expressive & sensitive males) who are themselves HSP's will be categorized as being 'homosexuals' by their 'non-sensitive' counterparts. But, most of the world's top Salsa dancers, performers and musicians meet most of the criteria for being HSP's.

Just take the test and maybe you will find the answers to why you are the way you are. And, you can also comprehend the behavior some of your fellow Salsa dance students and/or teachers. Knowing that you are a Highly Sensitive Person and     

A successful life is considered to be much better than a meaningful one, and someone's value is determined largely by his or her accomplishments. HSP's are the pariah in western society, but together they form the engine that drives the international Salsa dance industry.