On another note....In defense of Salsa Dancing: Last night I danced the night away with friends to a live Orchestre Baobab performance. ("Ramadan's a-comin - got to get your fun in while you can" seems to be a popular sentiment right now). I'm not sure how familiar people are with Orchestre Baobab, but many of their classics have very latin-sounding rhythms (which, of course, are just cyclng back to their African roots). So the main way to dance the night away to Orchestre Baobab is to salsa with a partner. Now although dancing face to face with a partner does make one vulnerable to sweaty, hairy-chested, old French men approaching you out of nowhere, it also has many social and artistic advantages. To name a few: 1) Conversation: Conversation actually precedes physical contact in this alternate universe of dancing! Men actually approach women, offer a hand, and ask. From there the possibilities for further verbal exchange are limitless: "I'm Christian from Berkley. I work for a women's microfinance NGO.... I'm Courtney .... I have 53 students who arrived last week....etc." 2) Dance Steps: You can either know what you're doing ahead of time or learn as you go, following the lead of your partner (who you can see!). 3) Twirls and other fun surprises: If you are lucky to have a good partner who knows how to dance you will be twirled, dipped, and whipped around like it's nothing. Your partner can make you look good. Plus there is always room for little garnishes of hand movements, dramatic facial expressions and head tosses.

This, silly as it may seem to readers over 40, is my defense of a breed of social dancing that seems to be dying. Young people: Keep hope alive! Take a salsa class and download some Orchestre Baobab.

C'est tout.

Oh, and I totally have my parents to thank for teaching me what dancing with someone should be. Mom and Dad, thanks for that (and everything else too, of course).