By Fredy Calderón

I was in Colombia. I had to do it. I had never danced in my life, and I always felt like I had two right feet. Bogotá surprised me—it was colder than I had imagined. After tossing and turning in my private room at The Cranky Croc Hostel, I made a decision. I went down to reception, checked if the list of activities was still posted, and signed up.

—The experience starts at 7 p.m., —said Robert, the guy at reception.

There were still 20 minutes left, so I ordered a craft beer from Original Sin Bar and waited. After a while, the teacher arrived. She greeted everyone and introduced herself:

—Hi guys, I’m Gabriela, and tonight I’ll be your salsa teacher.

She added:

—Salsa is how we Colombians dance through our difficulties. Life here isn’t easy, but we dance as if there were no tomorrow.

—You don’t have to be the best—you just have to dance. So join in without fear. You’re sure to have a good time.

About five of us joined. I was nervous but determined. The class began with basic steps—something to loosen up the body and get us in the mood. We followed the count: 1, 2, 3… and 5, 6, 7. One leg moved in the opposite direction of the other, and so we continued, step by step, guided by Gabriela. It felt like learning to walk again.

This was more than a salsa class in Bogotá—it was a Colombian experience. We were connecting with the culture, the rhythm, and the spirit of the people. Gabriela wrapped us in her instructions and stories, showing how salsa is woven into Colombian life.

After about 40 minutes, one of my two right feet had magically transformed—thanks to Gabriela’s spell—into a left foot. And incredibly, I, a 30-year-old man from northern Germany, was dancing.

After the class, I approached Gabriela and asked:

—Gabi, do you think if I go tonight to Goce Pagano, the salsa club you recommended, but I don’t speak Spanish… will that be a problem?

—You already speak the most important language—the language of dance. That matters more than Spanish here in Colombia! —she replied.

👉 If this story inspired you, why not live it yourself?
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