When I was 12 years old I started taking dance classes. I started to dance the most common dances in Holland, the latin and ballroom dances. Coming from a real dutch family, I didn’t grow up with dance. The only dance my family had master was the ‘polonaise’ (well known dance in Holland). But from a dancers prospective I can’t really call that a dance. But here in Spain it is a whole different story. People already learn how to dance when they are still a baby. That made me wonder about which dances are the most popular in Spain? There are several dances to choose from, for example flamenco, paso doble and salsa. One is more popular than the other. But the most important thing they all have in common is the passion and emotion the dancers put in to the dance.

Flamenco is really well known in Spain, especially in the south. It is a dance of passion and emotion. At the beginning the flamenco dancers listen to the guitar and other instruments and then slowly start to dance. The dance consist of beautiful arm movements and tapping on the floor.

Paso doble, the dance of the matador and the red cape. The dance is derived from bullfighting. It is really graceful how the women move around the man, but at the same time they are such powerful moves. It is a very beautiful dance with a lot of passion.

And last but not least: salsa. In the south of Spain it is not the most popular dance, but still a lot of people will know how to dance salsa. During the dance the dancers will tell a story with their movements. You really have to feel the music and be one with your dance partner, for you to really experience the feeling of salsa.