Ella Mustonen reporting:
It’s 9.30 a.m.
”Uno, dos, tres, stop, cinco, seis, siete”, counts our dance teacher, Barbaro, while he takes some salsa steps. The group on Spanish course number four keeps their eyes on him and tries to take steps like he does.
Normally we would be taking our Spanish exam, but now the whole group is learning how to dance salsa. After the dance lesson, we’ll take our course exam.
Barbaro is from Havana, Cuba. Last winter he came to Finland. After he has told us something about himself, he starts teaching us the basics of salsa.
First, we try to take some basic steps. It doesn’t feel difficult, but soon I notice that it isn’t as easy as I thought. I have to think of so many things at the same time: steps, hands, hip and the music! And because Barbaro speaks only Spanish, there are also some palabras (words) I don’t remember.
But when we have practised more, it becomes easier. It’s actually really entertaining and enjoyable! Roosa Granander, one of the students in the group, also feels this way.
– I would go to a salsa lesson again some other time. It was fun.
Granander thinks that she would like to have similar exam days more often.
– I would rather dance than take some exams! She laughs.
Because the students liked the dance lesson, we may go to learn more salsa or other Latino dances in our next Spanish course.
Thank you, Barbaro, for teaching us, and thanks also to Sonja Lampinen, our Spanish teacher, who organized this pleasant event!
Klassikka News reporter Ella Mustonen.
