For me, it has always been about self-expression and fun. Of course, people use Salsa for all kinds of reasons—to perform, to seduce, or to boost a fragile ego. Some goals are a bit more honorable than others. Personally, I’ve spent years actively dodging those traps just to protect what I truly want out of dance: more laughter, more lightheartedness, and more pure passion.

If I look back at my competitive days, that was probably when Salsa felt the least fun. Back then, my goal was simply to be “awesome.” Winning third place in a competition wouldn’t feel like a victory; it would depress the hell out of me. It didn’t take long to realize that competing just made me feel worse, so I walked away from that path. I kept doing shows, but I shifted my focus to what I actually loved: hanging out with my peers and creating cool choreographies with my students.

Then came the performance that changed my outlook forever.

My partner and I had performed the exact same routine ten times. 8 times, I walked off the stage feeling completely unsatisfied. But right before our ninth performance, knowing our collaboration was coming to an end, something shifted in me. Standing in the wings seconds before the music started, I made a conscious choice. I told myself: I am going to show this audience how much I love to dance, and how fortunate I am to share the stage with such a talented partner.

That performance still lives rent-free in my head. Everything felt effortless. Every single second was packed with fun and a deeper magic that I can still feel today.

When our final performance arrived, I wondered if I could recreate that feeling. Seconds before stepping under the lights, I set a new intention: I am going to dance this last one entirely for her.

Shazam. The magic happened again.

Intention, intention, intention.

Giving myself a meaningful creative intention was the key. If you try this yourself, it has to ring true and come straight from the heart—but trust me, it works like magic.

Salsa is a vehicle for feeling amazing. If you approach it with the right intention, it supercharges your passion and speeds up your journey to joy. Salsa is whatever you choose to make it.