Essential Element Social in Orlando – Hosted by Sean Wilson,director of the Essential Element Dance Company (e2dc). This was my first major event of the year, a great social held on the second Saturday of the month in Orlando, Florida. This was also the debut of my first solo performance! I performed to Louie Ramirez’ version of “Something”, which is originally by the Beatles. I have been fascinated with this song since 2005 when I first came across it.  It’s gone through various routines in my head, and I was surprised to have not seen anyone use it before. Finally I decided that I was going to do a solo to it, and If you want to see me nervous, then you should have been there for the debut. Usually I am pretty calm, though still excited before a performance, this time I was a wreck. My stomach hurt, I was in the backroom hoping that a tsunami would cancel the performance, or that Sean would say “Actually, we decided not to have any performance, people are enjoying themselves too much with the hot Salsa Dura.” Instead what Sean said was: “You’re up in two songs.”

Once they announced the show, I walked out and everything inside me calmed down and I was ready. It was a moment of clarity. I didn’t know how I was going to start, I wasn’t absolutely sure how I was going to end. But then “Something” clicked and I was in the zone. It was great to have the support of people from Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and more. Routines are likebabies, you are excited when they first start developing, then you watch the growth. After a while you are really just wanting to get it out. Once it’s out there is the joy, and then you look at it and realize that it’s going to needsome serious cleanup if you want it to survive. This one would have to grow quickly because the next weekend we found ourselves at….

2010 Tampa Thunder - Juan "Tato" Paredes and iMambo.tv