Family affair

Reading recent comments about the Metro Times article and the perhaps implied expectation that yasalsa.com is to be a kid-friendly site, or that somehow the salsa atmosphere here in Detroit is supposed to be too, got me thinking about whether or not the salsa scene actually is family- or child-friendly.

I thought about it and I believe overwhelmingly that it is. Case in point - I brought my 13-year-old daughter to last month's social and not only did she enjoy her first salsa lesson, she got to dance all night. She neither felt uncomfortable nor did she believe that she was treated inappropriately by any of the gentlemen there (and believe me, I kept my eyes peeled). She insists that I must bring her back as often as possible so I'm rearranging my salsa schedule to accommodate her under 21 status. There are plenty of places she can go – studios, socials and the like, where she’ll be able to learn and dance, just like I do – just maybe not every night of the week. And, I see kids there every month of all ages and I never see them crying, not even the babies.

I also brought her, a group of her friends and my son to the Fourth Friday event Heather mentioned in her soap box post. That too was a family event in my opinion. Here's why:

Though the booty shaking during the performance left the girls a little grossed out by the costume choices and full booty shots of other women (while my 14-year-old son was totally enamored), they were able to experience the diversity of the crowd that salsa draws. They were exposed to a different culture, which in my mind is vastly different than the rather conservative, puritanistic culture Americans were raised on. And, that’s what growing up is all about – learning and experiencing that world for what it really is, not hiding and acting like booty’s, sex appeal and fantastic dancing doesn’t exist.

Our job as parents (in my humble opinion) is to teach kids how to be responsible with the realities of life, not hide from them. So, maybe I live a little on the edge with the kids, letting them read what’s posted on this site, and watching others dance beautifully – even if it’s a bit sexy – because I’d rather my children at age 25 didn’t blush embarrassed when they’re asked to dance, or look at others like they’re freaks because they’ve never been exposed to certain things.

I see straight men dancing with straight men, gay men dancing with women, women dancing with women, people of every culture and race mingling and having fun. It’s an atmosphere I’d like my kids to experience more often, one that welcomes people whoever, however or whatever they are.

The dude with the clothespins - seriously, there are way worse things out there than that and things I’d spend a lot more time on teaching my children to avoid.

Jess