Salsa your way through Business!

Written by Vedika Gupta; Global MBA (GMBA – CMM) student. SP Jain School of Global Management – Class of 2018.

What can Business students learn from Salsa Dancing?

Dance all night till you can’t feel your legs, they say. Salsa has been a popular dance form worldwide since the longest time. A Social dance that originated in the Caribbean, Salsa’s roots are based on different genres such as Puerto Rican rhythms and Cuban Son, specifically tuned to the beat of Son Montuno in the 1920s. However, as it is a popular music, it is open to improvisation and thus is continuously evolving.

At SP Jain’s Dubai campus, we’ve been hosting a series of Salsa dancing workshops as part of our Peer to Peer learning and Student Life initiatives.

GMBA student, Vedika Gupta, is a trained Latin and Ballroom dancer who conducts these sessions on campus.

She says, “Salsa is a dance form based on ‘lead and follow’ concept. Learning this technique brings in many advantages to the dancers. Not only salsa, but all the Latin and ballroom dance forms carry these beneficial attributes.”

Here are Vedika’s tips on the top 5 benefits of Salsa and social dancing for business students or any student for that matter:

1.Improves focus and presence of mind:
Since salsa is a form of partner dancing, it requires continuous focus by the lady on one hand, to catch the lead given by the man. On the other hand, the man is attentive to what dance the lady is doing in order to analyse the next move. Learning salsa requires you to focus attention and be fully present in the moment, much like the practice of yoga. Salsa is unique in that you must maintain constant awareness and connection with your partner.

2.Teamwork and coordination:
The dancing is based on lead and follow concept as mentioned above. Thus, it is performed when two people coordinate all the elements of dancing with each other. It is done through instant judgement by both, the man and his lady. It’s a wonderful learning where reflexes take place every split second in order to perform every next move.

3.Boosts confidence:
“Improves confidence level” is an understatement when it comes to salsa dancing. When you dance on the floor with a partner and get acknowledged for being a good dancer, your confidence level shoots up. It’s a language through which we express ourselves. It’s a beautiful way of overcoming shyness.

4.Networking:
In a typical Latin social setup, people dance with anyone and everyone. It’s a wonderful way of knowing new people and developing a diverse network. You never know who the other person is. So, one who knows dancing can easily get along with people in new places through this unique language.

5.Catalyst to Happiness:
Is it endorphins, mindfulness, or simple fun? It is more often a combination of all of these. Dance lowers the levels of stress hormones and significantly lowers levels of depression. It’s a wonderful therapy to keep oneself happy and lively. Other benefits of salsa dancing include improved cardiovascular function, increased lower body strength, and balance development.

About the Author:

Vedika Gupta, a Company Secretary by profession, is currently pursuing Global MBA from SP Jain School of Global Management, specialising in Contemporary Marketing Management. She found her calling for Salsa in 2014, and has never looked back since. Pursuing the zeal to master the Latin dance form, Vedika now performs Salsa, Bachata and Kizomba on the pre-advance level. With dancing as her passion, Vedika believes that she has a lot of potential for Latin dancing in her. Although she has showcased her talent in on-stage performances, her focus is more on social dancing.