Unlikely Salsero Finds His 'Riddim'

Author: Philippe Danielides Staff Writer

When I was a bright-eyed sixth grader I had the delectable privilege of attending my first school dance. The gymnasium was decorated, the music was blaring and every one was dancing. That's right, every single female in the room was grooving to the beat while every boy stood awkwardly on the outskirts of the dance floor trying desperately to look occupied.

As the years progressed, and the almighty "grind" took center stage, boys began to filter in (by that I mean dragged, kicking and screaming onto the dance floor). Although I have no qualms with a good old-fashioned grind, there is something to be said for diversity. After over a year of McCullough dances, it's about time Middlebury beefed up its dance-move arsenal.

The members of Riddim, one of Middlebury College's premier dancing troupes, has taken it upon themselves to teach the masses by offering guidance to the rhythmically handicapped, such as myself, a rugby player. Riddim is divided into two sections: the club, where membership is open to all those looking to learn to dance, and the performance troupe that packs McCullough with their bi-annual performances.

I attended the Riddim Club's salsa workshop last week in the hopes of getting in touch with my deeply buried Latin dance side. Students began to filter into Hepurn Lounge at around 6 p.m., the club's scheduled time on Fridays. Although Riddim advertises their weekly workshops, Meisan Lim '02, co-director of the group, said, "It's usually the same group of people, all with different levels of experience, and it's usually girls."

Men, did you hear that? While you sit in your dorms on Friday afternoons, undoubtedly logging hours of wall-staring time, you could be dancing the afternoon away with a beautiful lady. Imagine a world where girls can't say no when you ask them to dance, where no one judges you if you step on some toes, and where you get physical education credit regardless.

People say that college is a time to try new things. For myself, dancing gracefully definitely qualifies as a "new thing," and I know that I am not alone. That's right! You know who you are, Mr. Trying-to-look-cool-while-dancing-alone-on-the-McCullough-stage-guy.

Another point to stress about the club is that each week participants are exposed to a new dance. If grooving to the salsa doesn't get your mojo working, Riddim offers lessons in merengue, hip-hop, break dancing and samba. This Friday, Riddim is holding a workshop on hip-hop, which they expect will bring a larger male following. Ulises Zanello '03, a member of the Riddim Performance Troupe, considers dancing to be, "a fun way to express yourself and have fun. People are afraid to get on the dance floor. These lessons help you go in with confidence, and have a great time with it." Confidence on the dance floor, physical education credit and a place to meet new people; sure sounds like fun to me.