Bilingual Stories: An Interview with Alex Morel (Alex & Desiree)
Alex shares his all-time favorite salsa song, and reveals how he learned to speak 3 languages.
Alex is from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and currently lives in New Jersey.
Q: When did you start dancing and what inspired you to get started?
A:
My niece taught me how to dance around the age of 14 and we would dance
at house parties. Going out with friends I would see great dancers on
the dance floor and I wanted to dance like them because the music moved
me.
Q: How many languages do you speak?
A: 2.5, Spanish, English, and a little French
Q: What role, if any, did music play in your learning process?
A: Huge! I would memorize French songs I liked and it helped me build vocabulary.
Q: How did you learn English, Spanish, and French?
A: My parents only spoke to us in Spanish and I picked up English being raised in the states. I learned French my last semester in college and then studied abroad in France for 6 months.
Q: What was the most important factor in your language learning?
A: Learning to just keep talking no matter how crazy I thought I sounded.
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Q: Do you think speaking Spanish can make you a better dancer?
A: I think speaking Spanish makes me a better dancer because it helps me connect to the music when I understand what the songs are about.
Q: If you could give any advice to a fellow salsero/salsera that wants to learn Spanish but feels like it’s not possible, what would you tell them?
A: Listen
to a lot of Spanish songs and play your favorites over and over to help
you build vocabulary and understanding the use of the words.
Q: Now for the tough question…what is your all-time favorite salsa song?
A: There are so many of them! It's hard to pick just one, but I'd say Llorando by Orlando Contreras, Avísale a Mi Contrario by Tito Rodriguez, Merecumbe by Johnny Colon, and Rumbon Melón by Joey Pestrana are at the top of the list.
Q: Are there any upcoming projects you'd like to tell the dance community about?
A: Yes we currently have a beginner bachata instructor certification course for instructors, aspiring instructors, and dancers. World Mastery Bachata Instructor Certification Course Website
We
also have a program where we offer a comprehensive syllabus of our
moves and how to teach them at beginner, intermediate, and advanced
levels.
Finally we have our world wide teams which we are very excited about! Visit facebook.com/alexanddesiree for details.
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¡Hola! My name is Tamara Marie. I'm a language coach specializing in brain-friendly methods to learn foreign languages faster. I speak English (US native), Spanish (advanced), and Brazilian Portuguese (beginner). I'm a Latin music & dance addict and passionate about helping people learn languages.
