Latin-style music and dance isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Japan, but there’s a surprisingly active Latin-dance community here across multiple cities. My first exposure to salsa dancing in Japan was unexpected. A friend invited me to a party without giving me the details, and it turned out to be a dance party. Despite my lack of preparation, I was hooked after the first lesson. I have enjoyed dancing and moving to music my whole life, and learning how to do it properly has only increased my enjoyment. The people I met when I learned how to dance were all very friendly and patient with me even as I made mistakes. I found learning to dance to be difficult at first, mostly because I was shy about not being as good as the veterans around me. Thankfully, people invited me to dance. At first, I struggled to even do the basic steps in time with the music, but my dance partners counted out the rhythm for me, and I eventually got the hang of things. From there, the experience only got better. I found myself going on a weekly basis to the salsa club’s regular event, and I grew closer to the people I danced and talked with.

I eventually started dancing in places other than Nagoya. People in the community would invite me to events in other cities, and it piqued my interest. Often, I wouldn’t be able to go due to work, but I made time in my schedule to visit Osaka, Kyoto, and even Tokyo. In every city I visited, there were several salsa clubs, and the community was filled with welcoming and pleasant dancers who were full of energy both on and off the floor. Through our shared love of Latin dance, it wasn’t hard to make friends. Even though it has been several months to over a year since I’ve seen some of these people, I’m sure that I could visit now and still receive a warm welcome. The bond of dance is strong, and I appreciate the people who helped pull me out of my shell when I first began. Thanks to them, I was able to dive deeper into a hobby that has improved my confidence in myself and my ability to connect with people. In addition to that, dancing helped me improve my posture and how I move through the world. I’m lighter on my feet, which means less joint pain, and I stand/sit up straighter, which means less back pain. I have dancing to thank for many things, some of which I never would have expected to come from it. Do you have anything that provided unexpected happiness and positivity in your life?