36
/ KESTA HAPPENING MAGAZINE
/ FEBRUARY 2014
KE PASÓ
LOVE
By: Sarah Barrie
The night began with music and dancing as the DJ played popular salsa, merengue, cumbia, reggaeton, and bachata hits to keep people moving as they anxiously awaited the arrival of Leslie Grace. The crowd was full of faces of all ages and dressed to dance the night away. There was an air of “buena onda”, as everyone was smiling and having a good time. I even witnessed a timid gringa getting a bachata dance lesson in the women’s bathroom. Shortly after 1am, the Princess of Bachata broke through her wall of bodyguards and took the stage before her kingdom of loyal fans. She opened with her heartfelt hit, “Odio No Odiarte”, as the crowd moved and sang along. Clad in all black leather, her big hair seemed even more voluminous against her tiny frame. She celebrated her 19th birthday with fans and was even presented with a personalized birthday cake on stage. Leslie Grace sang on into the early hours of the morning as she continued to serenade the crowd with other chart topping hits such as “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, “Day One”, and “Be My Baby”. From the enthusiastic cheers from fans, it was obvious that the concert was a success, and one thing can be said for sure, Leslie Grace definitely knows how to keep a crowd out past their bedtimes! █
J BALVIN MEANS BUSINESS AT THE PALACE
By: Malayna Butler
Witnessing J Balvin “El Negocio” at The Palace in Woodbridge, VA on Friday, January 10th was well worth the wait! Opening act Jason Cerda, whose choreographed set featuring two female dancers, was most appreciated by the ladies since he was no eyesore. During the introduction, he was compared to R&B artist Usher and I could see why – the man can dance! His back-flips left quite an impression on fans. J Balvin’s first appearance in the area was highly anticipated and even “Pretty Boi Mo” commented that people had been inquiring when J Balvin would finally make his way to the DMV. J Balvin’s set consisted of extended live versions of “Yo Te Lo Dije,” “Tranquila,” ”Sin Compromiso,” “En Lo Oscuro,” “Sola,” “6 am,” and the Latin version of Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines”. This Colombian hitmaker, who learned English while living in New York, was accompanied by two male breakdancers introduced as “ABC” who gave concertgoers a good show by also incorporating flips. His fans from Colombia couldn’t contain their excitement and welcomed him by standing as close to the front as possible to wave their red, yellow and blue flags. This high-energy crowd was able to take a picture with the reggaetón artist to be posted on his social media sites, which excited me and many others who follow him on social media platforms. The show was very refreshing – I hope he comes back soon! █
This month love seems to be on everybody’s mind. But how much do we really know about love? Why do we pursue it so badly? And what about monogamy, I mean, can you really have hot sex with the same person for 30 years? Well, you’ll be happy to know we now have answers to ALL these questions (backed by years of solid research). You’ll get the cliff notes here, but for more in-depth information I highly recommend the new book “Love Sense: The Revolutionary New Science of Romantic Relationships,” by Dr. Sue Johnson. Sex is great for reproduction, but from an evolutionary perspective love is what’s essential for our species to survive. Love is what bonds our caretakers to us when we are born- so that they don’t just leave the loud, crying, needy, newborn to fend for himself. As humans, our number one instinct is to seek a comforting connection (not sex or aggression, as society seems to suggest sometimes). We are all born with this drive to seek comfort from others, and that need doesn’t go away when we reach adulthood. Technically, romantic love is an ordered evolutionary recipe for the survival of our species. I know, that doesn’t sound very sexy, but doesn’t it make perfect sense? Back in the caveman days who had a higher chance of surviving? The lone caveman? Or those who always had each others’ back and warned each other if danger was coming, or shared food, and cared for each other when sick? In our society there is so much emphasis on being independent and self-sufficient that the need for connection, or the need to depend on a loved one is often viewed as a sign of weakness. In reality, the opposite is true, emotional support actually lowers blood pressure, and bolsters the immune system. In fact, a close emotional connection is the strongest predictor of happiness (even stronger than winning the lottery!) Here’s another revelation….monogamy is actually our natural state! Hot sex doesn’t lead to secure love, secure love leads to hot sex. Our bodies actually produce chemicals that bond us firmly to our loved ones, one of them is oxytocin (aka “the cuddle hormone”), which is released during both breastfeeding and orgasm. Several studies have shown that the thrill in a couple’s sex life can last indefinitely. Sexual satisfaction for both men and women increases with emotional commitment and sexual exclusivity. The key is finding the right person. So there you have it, this mysterious, elusive thing called love- is actually not that mysterious at all. It’s essential to our survival, we are wired for it, and monogamy can be hot. So why are relationships so hard then? Ah, that’s for another column. █
Jazmin Moral www.jazminmoral.com is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in Rockville. This column is meant for entertainment only and should not be considered a substitute for professional counseling. If you have a love, dating, or relationship question, send it to us via our confidential online form at www.kestadc.com/love.