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Swing Latino sauces up Jakarta, one step at a time
Limber legs: Swing Latino dancers perform the salsa at Graha Bakti Budaya in Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta, on Tuesday
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imber legs: Swing Latino dancers perform the salsa at Graha Bakti Budaya in Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta, on Tuesday. (JP/ Wienda Parwitasari)
When you think of the word “salsa”, what comes to mind first — the dip for your nachos or the spirited and sensual dance of Latin America?
The salsa dance, which means “sauce” in Spanish, has its origins somewhere in the Caribbean, with influences from the cha-cha and mambo dances. Over time, it developed its own strains unique to each region, such as Puerto Rican, Cuban, New York and Cali Colombian salsa.
In a bid to introduce Indonesia to the unique brand of Colombian salsa, the Colombian Embassy in Jakarta invited six dancers from the renowned Swing Latino dance academy to perform for one night in the country’s capital.
After Indonesia, Swing Latino will tour five other countries across Asia: Malaysia, China, the Philippines, Singapore and Japan.
Swing Latino, founded in the city of Cali, Colombia, in the 1990s by Luis Eduardo Hernández, aka El Mulato, is best known for making it to the finals of NBC’s dance competition show World of Dance in 2017.
The dance academy had a humble beginning, as a vehicle to get vulnerable youth off the streets and turn their passions toward salsa. With a total of 21 members and a slew of accolades already under their belt, it is safe to say they have achieved what they set out to do.
The Swing Latino dancers also performed on Tuesday night at the Graha Bhakti Budaya in Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center in Central Jakarta to a full audience.
Bedecked in floral ensembles with high heels for the women, the dancers truly embodied the spirit of Latin America.
Right from the start, the energy in the room was palpable as the dancers’ energetic movements had the audience gasping at each dramatic move.
With more legwork than a Dance Dance Revolution session on hard mode and more cartwheels than a cheerleading tournament, it is no wonder that Swing Latino has taken home nine trophies from salsa championships worldwide.
Swing Latino’s performance featured hard-hitting moves that one could liken to acrobatics, with one particular crowd favorite being a full barrel roll in between the legs of another dancer.
However, it was not all Cirque du Soleil-esque acrobatics, as Swing Latino’s routine also included slower, more sensual moves, with music fit for a one-on-one session.
The 60-minute performance was split into three sections. After their first set, the Swing Latino dancers retreated backstage for a breather and a costume change, and a new batch of performers — Sabor Colombiano — took to the stage.
Sabor Colombiano, which means Flavor of Colombia in Spanish, is a Jakarta-based salsa dance group for beginners looking to perfect their dance skills in their spare time.
While their abilities could not be compared to Swing Latino’s, for new students who have been practicing for only about a year, they certainly showed that everyone could have a bit of salsa in their veins, no matter their age.
For their last performance, the Swing Latino dancers closed the show on a high note, not once losing the spirit and energy they had brought to the room earlier.
Donning sequined and glittery getups, the dancers twirled their way into a raucous round of applause from the surprised audience.
Not content with that, all six dancers then went on to invite members of the audience for a spot of impromptu salsa on the floor, certainly an experience worthy of a subscription to salsa classes, or at least a post on social media.
Claudia Lopez Garzon, the Colombian charge d’affaires in Indonesia, said the performance was a good way to sample Colombian culture. “Tonight’s event is an invitation, [...] to help us to multiply and to tell the world that Colombia is much more than the stereotypes. Colombia is a country that is changing, not only because of the peace process,” she said.
After Swing Latino’s performance, one would certainly agree that there is more to Colombia than the headlines. After all, what would you expect from the country that gave the world Shakira?
