Genesis Part 1: Birth of Rhythm Identity

Since this is the first time I am blogging, I feel compelled to write about the history of Rhythm Identity. Now, Rhythm Identity is new and young and there really isn’t much history to it but I am hoping whatever story that lies in here will inspire future salseros and bachateros to pursue their dreams and work together towards a better salsa and bachata scene in Malaysia and improve themselves by maintaining an open mindset.

Rhythm Identity started sometime 4th quarter 2006. I was semi-retired, or you could say I was not active in the salsa scene anymore. After a glorious 2005 which was a year of victory, I had slowed down all salsa activities. Until I went for the 1st Malaysian International Salsa Festival in Cherating did the fire in my swell up to a supernova level.

It was by luck then that my salsa sister, Sanddie (we tell people we’re really brother and sister even though we don’t look alike and people really believe us) came to me as there was a studio looking for salsa instructors in TTDI and that person approached us. So I arranged with that person to meet the studio principal. Joanne of Joyclub Dance Academy.

From there on, Rhythm Identity started. Sanddie and I started our first class there and our first batch of students was a nice group of 10 students. They basically came from a friend of mine, Vanessa who worked for Nestle. She brought her friends and they brought their own friends and the class started then.

Sanddie would teach the ladies aspect of salsa and I would run the men’s department. Things were working well, or as well as can be. We had some discussions… arguments is more like it, about the syllabus and how things are to be done but all was well.

It was hard to grow at that time; the student level never exceeded 15 students in total. We were struggling for quite a while. At one point, a group class consisted only of 2 students!!! It was more of a private class then!

But we never gave up. Even when total student headcount dropped to less than 10, we persevered. We kept each other motivated and we worked on routines for performances and kept coming up with ideas on how to market our salsa classes. In times like these, we needed to keep each other motivated and keep each other going strong.

I was very thankful to a few students who kept on staying with us even though their class shrunk to about 3 students. It was their faith in us that kept us going.

I knew what I learned from my previous few instructors was not enough and I needed more to grow Rhythm Identity. I was following too much of the style and the way I did salsa which was influenced from my few previous instructors.

I then had the opportunity to take up lesson from Jaime Jesus from Latin Dance Australia who was one of Australia’s top salsa instructors. I asked him about how he conducted his classes and what are the things he did that made LDA so successful. LDA is famous for their strong and smooth lead/follow techniques as well as in the execution of moves and how they teach the breakdown of salsa moves.

I brought whatever I could learn and incorporated it into Rhythm Identity’s syllabus. The classes grew from there. Things got better when I went to learn from one of the pioneers of LA Style salsa; Francisco Vasques of Los Rumberos and all these went into Rhythm Identity and to the students.

About 1 year after I started teaching, Rhythm Identity finally stabilized and the student base grew. I felt that everything I had done and how my sister and I persevered through the hard times was all worth it. The journey was indeed a priceless one.

Sanddie is no longer active in Rhythm Identity classes and activities and I am left with just me and my precious “children” who are the reasons why I keep on going and going even though things are down. Probably that’s why they call me “Salsa Daddy” as I treat my students like my children. They are my salsa children.

And from the salsa children came the bachata children. I must say that the growth of my bachata and to the creation of my own style of bachata which I coined as BachaZouk is contributed mainly to Nestor Manuelian of Modus Vivendi Salsa Productions, Australia. He had taught and guided my bachata development (and also on salsa) until I reached a stage whereby I was confident to accept Nestor’s invitation to perform at the Sydney Bachata Festival. The other contributing factor, though to a lesser degree was from Inaki Fernandez; dubbed UK’s Bachata King, who had showed me a whole new world of bachata style.

Bachata is no longer about walking like a crab from left to right which is what most people do in Malaysia. It is a lot more than that. Many ladies feel they don’t have to take bachata classes as they only “follow” but now things are different. There’s a lot for ladies to learn. Believe me. A lot.
Bachata has reached a new level and a whole different world of fun. Rhythm Identity is now moving foward with its bachata classes… the BachaZouk!

Now, 2 years after the formation of Rhythm Identity, things are looking much better. I am proud to have my salsa children with me and because of them, I will never give up salsa… nor bachata!

Viva La Salsa!
Viva La Bachata!!
Viva La Rhythm Identity!!!


Jaxen
“Salsa Daddy”