Partners

I tend to refrain from saying that I’m lucky, because I believe that fate is ever-changing and you never know when or how it might turn its back on you. Even so, I dare say my luck has been pretty good throughout the six performances I’ve done so far at Mupung. It’s thanks to the partners who were with me along the way. What could I have done on my own, without my partners’ help? A short piece of writing could never fully convey what’s in my heart, but however inadequate, I want to at least make a small attempt.

Rani

Rani, my very first partner and also my partner for the fourth performance. Rani and I were among the few in our cohort who, unusually, were just starting salsa for the first time. Because of that, the partnership between the two of us could have been a difficult one. But she trusted my lead and followed along. And that was true even when the moves and forms were ones I’d forced myself to memorize just by watching videos. Thanks to her, the two of us were able to finish the performance without a single mistake. Even if the moves were clumsy. The fact that I’m still dancing today is, eighty percent of it, thanks to how moved I felt back then.

Ako

Ako, who went from being my teacher to my partner after many twists and turns. Ako, who guided me back when I’d made a mess of things and was about to quit salsa. With our hastily put-together teamwork and my lack of practice, I imagine it wasn’t easy for her. But thanks to Ako, we somehow pulled it off. If Ako hadn’t carried us through it, I wonder whether I could have kept doing salsa at all.

Olivia

Olivia, who repeatedly insists that she molded me, who used to move like a lump of iron, into a human being of flesh and blood. She has every right to say that. After all, I nearly tore her arm clean off more than a few times. Even at the risk of such injuries, she practiced with me without rest. Truth be told, most of that time was less practice than private lessons from her. I believe she’ll make a great beginner-class instructor.

Sawol

Sawol, the ace salsera of the 61st cohort. When I was assigned the center spot in the performance, I thought it was because I was good. But as it turned out, the one who was good wasn’t me, it was her. So I tried all the harder not to be a burden. And we practiced together right up until the very last moment before the performance. The time we spent on a stairway landing in the corner of the venue, dripping with sweat as we polished our moves together, is something I’ll probably never forget.

Peony

Peony, my last partner. As with every performance before, but for this winter party especially, I had a strong feeling that this might be the last one. I wanted to do everything I could, and you weren’t one bit behind me in that. It was good to work so hard together like that. That’s why I can’t tell you how heartbroken I was over that split-second accident on the day of the performance, when the bracelet caught on your clothes. And it made me happy to see you standing center in the encore performance, pulling off the entire choreography without a single mistake. I hope you have no regrets. Because you did it beautifully.

And to everyone else

To everyone who performed alongside me, and to everyone who cared for and cheered me on despite my shortcomings, thank you. I haven’t conveyed my gratitude to each of you one by one, but that doesn’t make the size of that gratitude any smaller. Everything I’ve felt all this time was possible only because I was together with all of you. Thank you once again. And

Thank you so much for dancing with me!