No One Says No to Leoneta

You can’t miss her even if you are one of the least observant persons on the planet. She stands about 178 cm (with help of five-inch heels), she has a mane of jet black hair that reaches out and expands as she moves her head to the hypnotic rhythm of her band. Her black eyes will grab your attention; or rather, they will just grab you, period. Her svelte form is accentuated by tight black pants (or yellow depending on the night) that gyrates to the music, enthralling all the male members of the audience.

She is a throwback to the Cuba of the 1940s. Her alluring, inviting and happy smile are irresistible and when she rolls her ‘r’s’ as she pronounces the word “rico,” (rrrrrrrrrrrico!) many people find that they cannot say no to this woman who one Cuban described to me as “salzosa.” She certainly is. Spicy, hot, exotic and with a personality that matches her beauty…these are the components that make up her “salzosa” identity. When she encourages the audience members (unwitting victims) she pulled on stage to dance with her, she jubilantly exclaims “Eso!”(that’s it!) or she will exhort them to swivel their hips with one word:  “cintura.”

She is the perfect performer, but more than that, she is, for many, the idealized Cuban fantasy woman that harkens back to the pre-Revolution days when the sultriness of Cuban females lured US men to the island like the Sirens did to Odysseus. Her voice is incredible and she whole-heartedly embraces the role she has chosen to entertain people.

No one can say no to her. She has called me up to stage where I danced (horribly, in fact). She flashed her smile and opened her mouth in joyful rapture; she extended her arms and jiggled her chest before me before turning around and shaking her rear end in a sexy, erotic gesture that was not lost on the male audiences. I forgot about my horrible dancing and just enjoyed what I was seeing. I don’t think I will ever meet another woman like her again. I have not seen anyone with such spirit, such joy, who was so “salzosa.”

I enjoyed a show with a friend and she said, when she saw Leoneta, that “she is a heartbreaker.” I agreed. For little did I know, she broke my heart. Am I sad? No. I am just grateful I had the opportunity to orbit around this bright star, even if for just a brief moment. These are the things in life that you remember. Years down the road, I will fondly recall my time in Cuba and you can rest assured that I will think of Leoneta quite often. Que rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrico.

You can't ignore her style!

Post script (July 20, 2014). Apparently someone can say 'no' to Leoneta; her band fired her for inappropriate comments. I wonder where this sultry crooner will land next?