Virtual reality (VR) may someday offer a strong alternative to attending dance events/classes in person. It would definitely be an option to consider if it were available in our current pandemic environment. Technology advances pretty fast – and learning social dancing may become a reality in the near future. Check out the video below.
We want your opinion on this futuristic dance activity!
Results will be shown once your vote is cast.
Kelly Lannan & Eric Caty are featured in this edition of the Dance Spotlight. Kelly and Eric are the owners of Alberta Dancesport, the directors of Salsa Rica Productions, and the organizers of the Calgary International Salsa Congress, and the Edmonton Ballroom and Salsa Gala.
They were nominated by Anya Katsevman. Anya said, “They run the most successful social dance school and congress in the area and organize many competitions around North America. I think they’re great organizers and dancers and would be wonderful to spotlight.”
Check out some fun facts on the talented duo, including their thoughts on organizing the Calgary International Salsa Congress and their social dance pet peeves.
Kelly: One of my first instructors (David Joseph) introduced me to latin dancing and I’ve been in love ever since.
Eric: I’ve been training in Ballroom all my life, and Kelly took me to a Salsa club after a bad breakup.
Kelly: A great song and a fun partner.
Eric: Musicality and interaction with my partner.
Kelly: My worst social dancing pet peeve is when a partner overpowers me with an overly strong or aggressive lead, and I feel worried about getting injured. For the most part I have great dances.
Eric: I hate when my partner is more focused on styling and showing off instead of following and interacting.
Kelly: I was incredibly proud when we celebrated our 10th Annual Calgary International Salsa Congress. Our friends, dancers, and artists put together an amazingly special set of surprises that touched me and made me feel very proud of the wonderful people we have met on our journey.
Eric: I agree with Kelly’s answer, and would like to also add the very first year we were able to do and International Congress in a small community like Calgary. Also proud of our finals in World Salsa Championships.
Kelly: It is an honor to present a community wide celebration of the arts in my hometown. We work very hard to make the event the best it can be, we want dancers, instructors, directors, judges and spectators to have a fantastic experience and to feel that we have put in a lot of care and thoughtfulness to ensure their enjoyment of the weekend. Our international artists are amazing, and we have the support of all of our local schools, which is wonderful. We are so proud when people make the journey to Calgary that we try our hardest to make it special. The Hyatt Regency was always my dream hotel in the heart of Calgary. Our event is friendly and clearly organized. We have an audience of spectators who are from the general public, who love the dancer and give them a lot of support on stage, and of course, it is a huge thrill to take everyone to Banff National Park and Lake Louise on Monday. I feel so lucky to have such a beautiful place in my backyard, and it is the perfect ‘day after’ celebration.
Eric: One of the goals for the event is to constantly bring talent to Calgary, and love to see how the community responds to the international guests we bring. Feedback from our guests is that the local dancers are very grateful and appreciative of their presence in Calgary.
It would have to be one of the photos with Eric and David. I have been very lucky to share my career with them, where they (quite literally) picked me up and put me on their shoulders. If I had to choose one, I guess it would be the one where we performed at our first congress here is Calgary, it had a disco theme, and was always a lot of fun.
Kelly: Salsa. I love the music, the dance, and the community. It is difficult to say if it is the music, dance, or community that is my ‘why’. Whether I am at our local Latin festivals, or at an international Salsa event, social dancing, performing, judging, or teaching my introductory classes, I always get that magical feeling.
Eric: I did Ballroom and Salsa competitively for most of my life, so it’s always a hard question for me to answer, but I would have to say Waltz in the Ballroom portion, and definitely Salsa, for the music and the social aspect of it.
Kelly: I feel so lucky to have social media now and be able to keep up with all of the amazing artists around the world. I wouldn’t say it’s one video for me, I feel so lucky to see what all of my favorite artists (and friends) are up to!
Eric: If I want to show my non Salsa dancer friends where the level of Salsa now is, I would always use a video of Tropical Gem as a reference.
It seems like we could all use a hug right about now – although a hug seems like a dangerous act, given the current state of affairs.
With all that said, it seems hugging (full on hugs, half hugs, reluctant sweaty hugs, etc) is a fairly common social dance practice.
We want your opinion on this post-dance activity.
Results will be shown once your vote is cast.
Baila Productions Salsa School created an amusing YouTube video that details annoying behaviors that follows encounter while salsa dancing. If you’re a follow, then you’ve probably experienced these behaviors on multiple occasions! The bad habits are summarized in the video.
For the sake of our poll we’re going to change the focus from “Man Version” to “Lead Version” as we understand that the genders associated with the traditional lead/follow paradigm are slowly shifting across the latin dance community. We’ve also added a few behaviors that follows would also definitely find annoying.
Check out the video and then vote for the lead behaviors that drive you crazy and are your least favorite!
Check out the Baila Productions Salsa School YouTube channel for more videos!
Kerry Thompson is featured in this edition of the Dance Spotlight. Kerry is a latin dance instructor and the founder and organizer of Silent Rhythms, a nonprofit organization (501c3 ) located in Boston that encourages people to donate to help support inclusion of people with disabilities in the arts and dance. She is a also a member of the DeafBlind community and enjoys the lead role when dancing Salsa! She was nominated by Jason Haynes.
Check out some fun facts and information on Kerry including her goals for Silent Rhythms and her advice on dancing with someone who is Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, low-vision, or Blind.
Want to nominate someone for the Dance Spotlight? Contact us!
Silent Rhythms contact information:
Kerry Thompson, Executive Director
Silent Rhythms website
Silent Rhythms Inclusion 101 – Inclusive “Distancing” Guide
Silent Rhythms donation page
Silent Rhythms Facebook page
My friend Jen invited me to go with her to a salsa club. What was remarkable about that is that often friends of people with disabilities can make assumptions about what a person with a disability would like to do or what they cannot do. Jen did not think about how I could not hear or see well, she just wanted her friend to go dancing with her.
I immediately fell in love with salsa – the style, the strong pulsations of the music, and the amazing energy. Salsa was a gateway to try many other types of Latin dance – bachata, cha-cha, merengue, samba, and rueda.
Despite the challenges of learning how to salsa where I was the only one who was Deaf, I loved the dance and persisted. After a few years, I even joined several performance teams. My friends who were Deaf bemoaned how they wished they could learn and I said if I can learn, they can too. Of course, I reflected on my own challenges trying to keep up in a hearing environment and decided I would start teaching dance for those who are Deaf.
Over the years, the demand has grown and because of my other work as a human rights advocate for people with disabilities in developing countries, I had a lot of experience working with a variety of disability types. While the demand grew, I established Silent Rhythms, Inc. – a nonprofit that would teach people with disabilities how to dance.
That may have been our original mission but I realized that few people will attend a disability awareness workshop but many will attend a dance workshop so I repurposed Silent Rhythms to be a nonprofit that used the arts (all genres) to promote inclusion of people with disabilities in the arts while using the arts to promote our inclusion in society.
Silent Rhythms offers several different programs:
Often I find that dancers (without disabilities) are afraid to ask someone with a disability to dance. Learning to dance for the first time is a nerve-wracking experience for anyone but especially so for people with disabilities who worry about being accepted wherever they go. A dancer can do their part by approaching anyone with a disability and simply just introduce themselves and welcome them to the space and introduce them to others. Simply ask, “Would you like to dance?” never “Can you dance?” or “How can you dance?” For someone who is Deaf, a dancer who is hearing can tap our the rhythm of the music and also mouth 1-2-3-5-6-7. A dance teacher can also use more visual methods of teaching dance rather than relying on explaining everything verbally. For example, use a rubber band to explain tension and resistance. Use paint tape as a reference.
Mine are probably different from most, mine is the pet peeve that people are afraid to dance with me (those who do not know me). Being Blind as well as Deaf, I wish that after one dance, rather than my partner leading me off the dance floor to a chair that they would find me another dance partner before they leave that way I can keep dancing. Other pet peeves are dancers who do not respect/share dance space especially when it’s crowded.
Sometimes it is easy to feel the rhythm of the music when the floor is hardwood and/or I am near the sound system and can feel the vibrations. When dancing on concrete or carpet, the sensation is no longer felt through the floor. I might ask my partner to tap out the pace in the beginning to help me get started. Also, it can be tricky trying to determine a fast cha-cha from a salsa so if I know I am not following the lead, I usually ask, is this cha-cha? After 15 years of dancing, I have pretty good instincts for staying on beat. These methods help me whether I am following or leading.
When people relax, have fun, and are inclusive. By inclusive, I am not talking about being inclusive of people with disabilities but also when dance companies’ students dance with everyone rather than only their fellow dance company members.
Actually, it was terrifying at first. When I first started learning salsa, I still had good eyesight and just had to focus on adapting as a Deaf dancer. After many years of dancing and performing, I was spending more time focusing on teaching those with disabilities. I often relied on a male leader to come to class with me to teach the leader’s part while I would teach the follower’s part but there were no male dancers who knew sign language and the students in my class struggled to learn how to lead even with an interpreter. I could teach some basic steps as a leader but I knew I had to go back to the classroom and learn how to lead. I had to relive that feeling of – will people accept me and include me? Will they support what I am doing? How will I keep up because one again I am trying to learn in a hearing environment where the teachers do not know sign language or how to communicate. It certainly was challenging trying to learn the more complex steps as a leader but actually most of the followers appreciated that I already knew how to dance and helped give them tips as a follower while I was trying to figure out how to lead. Sometimes it is still a challenge to catch everything in person so I have to review the videos over and over frame by frame and pausing and zooming to try to catch everything.
The experience was a good one though because:
But I must say, once I became a pretty good lead, I really do enjoy leading. I actually find it easier to lead than to follow sometimes because I control the dance, I decide what will happen. As a follower, I am always guessing and trying to anticipate and it’s harder because I cannot see the hands of my lead. I also love that wherever I go dancing, I do not have to worry about there being way more females than males and not getting many chances to dance. I have more fun dancing as a follower but I also love leading too.
The video is from a feature done by the Boston Herald and profiles Kerry and her work in the salsa community. Check it out!
Elisa Cano is featured in this edition of the Dance Spotlight. Elisa was born in Peru and she is currently a dance instructor and performer in Dallas/Fort-Worth. She is the founder and organizer of the dance organization Dallas Can Dance. She was nominated by Amanda Brown, Tony Bui and Blanca Ramirez.
Tony said, “Elisa has been my bachata and salsa instructor for over three years now and I feel she deserves to be in the spotlight. She is not just a great instructor and dancer, but she is an amazing person with a heart of gold. She is beautiful person inside and out – both professionally and personally. She is so humble and so easy to approach and is always inspiring students to bring out their best when dancing. She is a role model, an inspiration, and loyal and respectful to everyone she meets.”
Check out some fun facts about Elisa including her goals for Dallas Can Dance and her advice for women who wish to be leaders in the latin dance community.
Want to nominate someone for the Dance Spotlight? Contact us!
Friday night, 2009! A little restaurant in Boulder, Colorado, and a Salsa band playing Oscar de Leon songs. I fell in love!
A fun fact: When I used to lived in Peru, I only listened American and pop songs! Salsa and bachata were not in my blood until I moved to USA.
The most fun aspect of being an instructor is being around amazing people! It is so rewarding to see my students learning and improving in their dancing every time, their excitement brings me joy! That is the fun part. Honestly, I have one of the best jobs!
I have a lot of goals to accomplish, but one I can share at this moment is to change people’s lives through dancing. I want to bring happiness and brightness to the lives of my students and the new people I meet.
If there is something in life you want to achieve, do it! Work hard, you can get it! Always think positive and never look back. I feel all women have an extra power; we are limitless!
There are several, but generally seeing my students achieving their goals, makes me proud!
I have so many! Here are some:
Connection and musicality. 
Jessica “DJ Tay” Taylor is featured in this edition of DJ Spotlight! Jessica lives in Pittsburgh, PA and is multi-skilled and talented member of the latin dance community. She is not only a dancer, but she is also a DJ, event organizer and educator. She organizes the annual For the Love of Bachata event and DJs at various events and festivals. She was nominated by Edwin Ferreras and Dakhota Romero.
Edwin said, “She has been doing incredible work in the U.S. Bachata community and she is an amazing DJ, among so many other talents. She is an advocate of authenticity in dance and also women’s empowerment both in the scene and beyond.”
Check out some fun facts and information on Jessica including her thoughts on the responsibility organizer’s have for dancer safety (particularly during the coronavirus pandemic) and her travels to the birthplace of Bachata, the Dominican Republic.
Want to nominate someone to be in the DJ Spotlight? Contact us!
Truthfully, movies I would watch when I was a teenager inspired me to want to dance the most. Movies like “Dirty Dancing”, “Take the Lead”, “Dance with Me” and others. Salsa really stood out to me as having so much passion and flavor and I wanted in. I didn’t have the money for lessons (nor did I know where to find them at the time) when I was in high school, so it wouldn’t be for a few more years before opportunities to learn Latin dance styles would come my way. I am so glad they did!
For one, there are a lot of people that help me do so much. I have a great support network including my family, my friends, and my team. Though my family often teases me about being so busy, they still have my back and do things like watch my dog when I’m out of town or just understand when I’m having a busy week because school and dance/DJ stuff has all fallen upon the same week. I’m also at a point in my self-growth where I’m finally able to ask for help when I need it and let others take some of the work off my plate, so that alone has been monumental in allowing me to keep up all the things I’ve been doing. I have an AMAZING team of people that help me with For the Love of Bachata. I couldn’t keep this up without them.
Another thing I have started doing is blocking off weekends to relax. I’ve learned that saying no to some opportunities and yes to myself always pays off in the end. I have never regretted leaving this time for myself. In fact, when I allow myself to rest, I can give all of myself to the next project, event, or gig that comes my way.
There’s really only one big challenge I’ve faced and that’s acquiring visas for the artists. It’s just a whole process and often you live with uncertainty while trying to plan and be excited for the most optimistic outcome, yet sometimes you just don’t know how it’s going to go. Aside from that, working with international artists has been a blessing. The artists I’ve worked with so far have all been really wonderful, humble, eager, loving, and compassionate. I’m actually very thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to get to know and work with them.
I have been to the Dominican Republic three times so far. The first time in 2011 for three weeks to improve my Spanish, then in 2015 for Bachatu, in which I never left Boca Chica, and last year, 2019, for Bachata Paradise in Las Terrenas which was an INCREDIBLE, immersive dance and cultural experience. These trips have allowed me to see Bachata for what it really is – an organic extension of a passionate, fun, and expressive culture. My experience getting to know (“Traditional”) Bachata is sort of like the quote “To know someone is to love them.” I feel that to know Bachata, to know the full context of the dance and music inside its own culture, is to love it. That’s what I attempt to share through my events, though one can never really share the full experience off the island. We do our best though.
For the global Bachata community, I would love to see more communities, events, and festivals where (Traditional) Bachata is featured. There’s been a lot of growth in the past several years and it’s very exciting to know that I can travel the world and find great dancing opportunities that fill me up. That doesn’t mean I want any of the newer varieties or fusions to go away. I believe there’s plenty of space for everything and everyone.
I grew into DJ’ing because I passionately wanted people at my events to have the absolute best music experience they could have. I wanted them to stay on the floor all night long and feel inspired by the music. In the beginning I just made playlists in iTunes in which I strategically planned the energy for the night. I could tweak it, however, as the night progressed so I could still be responsive to the actual energy I observed song to song. For the last 5 years I’ve been doing the same, but live with my DJ equipment, which means I’m even more responsive to the needs of the crowd than I was before.
I guess I always just saw and felt the music experience as a story of energy that ebbed and flowed throughout the night. I use my experience as a social dancer to understand what picks me up energetically and inspires me on the dance floor and then also to know when I would need the energy to come down and allow myself to rest a little without standing out a song or two (because who wants to stand when they can dance?). Understanding myself in this way allows me to scan the floor for the signs of these emotions and energy needs in the crowd. As I’ve progressed in my DJ abilities, I’ve learned many ways to achieve these energy goals without disrupting the flow or vibe – it’s a seamless experience. I always select my music based on the energy and vibe, and those energy switches I mentioned can come from a genre or sub-genre switch, a tempo switch, throwing in a classic favorite that you know will tug at their heartstrings, etc. If I can get them to sing, clutch their heart, and/or make an emotional Bachata face, I know I’m doing my job really well. ?
Well, even though I’m terribly bummed about my events (I also had to cancel my FTLOB Spring Experience in April now, too) and all that I had hoped to bring to dancers, it was simply the right thing to do. If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. I know that’s a bold statement, but it’s true – at least in this case.
We organizers have such a great responsibility. We are not just creating a service product with value for our customers to enjoy, but we are also in charge of making sure they feel safe and respected while enjoying our product. This means creating space for diverse customers to feel welcomed in their most authentic expression of themselves. It also means making sure they are physically, psychologically, and emotionally safe in your space (which is why we just revamped our Code of Conduct & Consent). That physical safety piece extends to health, too. And while it really sucks to lose money, time, and opportunity, it’s just not ethical to keep going forward with events when we can abstain and contribute to the greater good, which is obviously preventing the spread of the virus. Putting the responsibility on the attendees is not good enough because there’s no way for you to know if they’re actually washing their hands or being responsible as individuals about their health. You just can’t be sure of that. The draw of fun will override the draw of safety for some and that’s exactly why we have a global pandemic right now. It’s on us leaders to make the hard choices now, not the individuals.
The first time I felt really proud as a DJ was when I got an ovation from the crowd after my set in Toronto at a social called Dame Tu Bachata several years back. It was run as a collaboration between Araguacu, Mambobeat Photography, and DJ Sisco. I always believe in my work and that I’m doing a great job, but sometimes this fear creeps in that other people don’t see it. Well, after my set concluded, Sisco announced the end of my set to the crowd and thanked me. The crowd, about 200 people, all turned around where they were standing and applauded. That was SO validating! The private messages about my set kept rolling in, too, which kept that good feeling rolling and really let me know that my work was being seen – that I was being seen.
I don’t know if I have a favorite one, but this one was taken recently at the Amargue Fusion Weekender in DC. In this video I’m dancing with Edwin Ferreras, who is always one of my favorites for his creativity, enthusiasm, and the infectious sense of play he brings to every dance. I can’t help but smile – both during the dance and later when I watch again.
Tina Cavicchio is featured in this edition of Dance Spotlight! Tina is a dance instructor and choreographer based in Boston. She teaches at events across the US and is a major advocate for individual empowerment and expression. She was nominated by Serena Spears, Angelica Medina and Jahaira Fajardo.
Serena said, “She’s not just an incredible dancer, but also a beautiful person who has been raising awareness for some really important causes, and she deserves community recognition.”
Check out some fun facts and information on Tina including her thoughts on empowerment and the relationship between gender and lead/follow rolls.
Want to nominate someone to be in the Dance Spotlight? Contact us!
My first memories of Latin dancing are actually from the ballroom scene. I started doing ballroom when I was about 11 and I always loved when they would play salsa, cha cha cha, rumba, bolero, and the very rare bachata. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the other dances, except hustle! I miss dancing hustle, but, I loved salsa so much that I started heavily training in it (in ballroom). I loved the music and the feeling I got from listening to it. One day someone suggested I check out Havana Club in Boston, a latin social, and I never looked back.
Wow. What a great question. Empowerment, I believe, is the goal of who I am as a teacher, human, and dancer. Empowerment to me means loving yourself. Truly loving yourself. Not letting fears, doubts, and insecurities get in the way of being present, loving others, and loving ourselves. Sometimes we need others to love us before we can love ourselves. And when we find that love within ourselves, we can give it to others. I believe empowerment is about helping others showcase their strengths, celebrate differences, and creating unity among all.
The term ‘Switchcraft’ was coined by Juan Calderon, and means to switch between leading and following and sometimes having a dance where we can’t even tell who is leading and who is following. Some people have misconceptions that leading and following are determined by gender and sexuality. We wanted to showcase that both of us equally love to lead and follow and that we can create intimacy and connection in a non-sexual way. I want people to know that I don’t like to lead because I’m gay and I don’t like to follow because I’m a female. I like to lead and follow equally because I love dance.
I truly and honestly do not have a favorite. I LOVE to learn new things. I love fusing dances together and I believe any movement in our bodies will help us grow as dancers and help us to find new ways of healing.
Zeke Ruvalcaba is featured in this edition of Dance Spotlight! Zeke is a multi-talented dance instructor living in Chicago. Not only is he owner and director of PhyZeke Dance, but he also owns PhyZeke Dance Brand, the apparel branch of his dance business. He has designed costumes for many popular dancers including Ataca and Alemana, Alien Ramirez, Jorjet Alcocer and Griselle Ponce (to name a few). He was nominated by Jason Haynes.
Check out some fun facts and information on Zeke including his thoughts on being a capable lead AND follow, and a few of his favorite dance costumes that he’s designed.
Want to nominate someone to be in the Dance Spotlight? Contact us!
My first memories of Latin dancing were watching my parents and family dance at family parties and participating in over twenty-five quinceaneras (Sweet 15’s). I loved it!
The movie that inspired me to dance was “Flash Dance”. The movie “Center Stage” also inspired me and kept me motivated.
I pride myself in being a capable lead and follow for many reasons. As an instructor, it’s a valuable asset to have because you are able to help correct both roles equally. As a social dancer, it challenges me when I follow, which helps me learn and improve.
I don’t really have any social dance pet peeves, however one thing has become a common issue for me. It is when instructors or advanced dancers are tired or need a break and someone asks them to dance and we say ‘no’ and the dancer gets mad and takes it personally. Dancers have to understand that we are human and should respect that we get fatigued. A helpful action dancers could do is say ‘thank you’ and move on to the next dance.
Another issue is when dancers say no to someone and then immediately dance with someone else! Please don’t be that type of dancer.
I am fortunate enough to have a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Dance. I’m not teaching as much of what I trained in (Ballet and Modern), but it has helped me tremendously as an instructor and with directing my teams and being a coach. It is not necessary to have a degree in dance, but it does help you to be better prepared in order to be more successful in your craft. I love teaching movement classes and workshops and I owe that to my extensive study in Kinesiology (the study of the mechanics of body movements).
Wow, I have had many moments that made me proud, but there are four important moments in my career that I’d like to highlight.
I have designed and created hundreds of costumes for all my dancers and dance colleagues. I would have to say that the following are probably my favorite costumes I have ever created. They were for Kathy Reyes, Daniel and Desire, Junior and Emily, Tamara Livolsi and, of course, my All-Star Teams Gold costumes. There are many more that I could pick, but these received lots of attention. If someone would like a costume designed they can reach me through www.phyzekedance.com!
My Favorite Songs to dance to are:
The dance videos that I can watch all day, everyday are:
Kat Arias is featured in this edition of Dance Spotlight! Kat lives in the DMV metro area and she is the owner and director of Ferocity Dance Company. She was nominated by Fata Karva.
Fata said, “There is truly no one that inspires me, challenges me to push myself as a dancer and in my personal life, and makes me laugh more than Kat. She sits in a unique place where she watches students grow while remaining the biggest constant and emotional support for all of us, all while being the lifeblood for the DC scene. Her fire, energy, and vibrance are so infectious and she always puts everyone first.”
Check out some fun facts and information on Kat including one of her fondest dance memories and the most important lesson she’s learned through dance.
Want to nominate someone to be in the Dance Spotlight? Contact us!
I have wanted to dance my entire life, but I never had any formal dance instruction until I was fourteen years old and taking dance lessons for my Quinceñera. That instructor pulled my mom aside one day and told her that I needed to teach and that I could dance. Up until that moment, I never felt like I was taken seriously in my dance dreams.
When I was in college I found a part time job as a receptionist in a Ballroom dance studio and I fell in love. Ballroom dancing is my first love and even so it took me a year to muster up the courage to take a class – after that class, my life changed overnight and I dedicated all my free time to dancing. From there I was reintroduced to Bachata and Salsa through one of the instructors that worked at the studio and the rest is history.
Our statement is “Fierce is for Everyone.” Inclusivity has been the most important thing that I have aimed for in having a dance company. I personally never felt like I could dance or audition for teams when I started because of my weight. But I know others feel this way because of different factors – be it race, disabilities, weight, age, money, sexual preference, or any of a million different reasons that people can feel excluded. I want my place to be different: I want people to know and feel when they meet me or when they walk through our doors, that they can be whomever they are and be accepted as long as they too are accepting of others. Whomever you are, you are free to be who you are and as Fierce as you want to be – in your own way, in our own place without fear of being judged. That is what Ferocity is to me.
“Whomever wants to be family, can be,” is something I’ve said ever since I started Ferocity. For me, Ferocity isn’t just a place that one goes or that one belongs to – Ferocity is an experience. It is the family I’ve always wanted, and all you need to be there is that desire to create a community of people from all different backgrounds and a home to share your story in. We go through all sorts of different things together as a family – just one that uses dance as therapy for all the good and bad in our lives. Both of these statements together are incredibly important to me, and I learn ways that I can do and be better at this inclusion every day.
The very first World Latin Dance Cup (WLDC) that we attended was in 2015, and it was probably one of the hardest years of my life as my father had passed away from cancer in December of 2014 and I didn’t even know if I had it in me to dance anymore. He had always been my cheerleader and taking on this new challenge of competing in a world competition without him was something that left me feeling very vulnerable and unsure of myself. The team and I went through a lot that year just trying to emotionally execute the routine with the vision that I had while growing closer as we learned of each other’s insecurities.
While at the WLDC I became very sick and my students wanted to go out to dinner and I told them that it was fine and I could stay in the room so they could enjoy. A few minutes after they left, one of them came back in with tears in his eyes. They had seen the semifinal results on their way out of the hotel, and he wanted to run back up and tell me. We had placed first with both categories that we competed in (Amateur team and Amateur couple.) He left the room, and I called my mom, and as I told her the news I just started crying, and she was so proud of me and told me that I should be proud too and for that one second, it felt like her and my dad were both with me. About a minute after I hung up the phone, my entire team ran into the room and we all cried together and took one of my all time favorite pictures.
We went into the WLDC unsure of ourselves but dedicated to being who we are, and in this one moment, all the tears and sacrifices were so worth it, and the cathartic energy was something I’ll never forget.
My favorite moment was when I won third place for Professional Soloist at the 2018 WLDC. I had a horrible semifinal run with a wardrobe malfunction that left me feeling so low, I almost didn’t compete. I cried all night and I didn’t even know I had qualified for finals until I showed up to check in for a different division. At the last moment I decided to compete and just do the best that I could with a piece I loved dearly, not just for me but for my students that saw me and saw everything happen. When I placed third, I couldn’t do anything other than smile and I couldn’t believe that I had pushed through my own pile of insecurities to make that happen.
I do find it frustrating when people ask me to dance and then stand there and say “Teach me something.” When I social dance, it’s for fun, not only is that not a request, but a command, but it also isn’t the right place for it. Social dancing is for fun, and the classroom is for teaching and learning.
I also am not a fan of lifts during social dancing and I was hit in the head by a follow’s heel once as she was being lifted and I was being dipped at the same time.
And I would also have to say, people that don’t listen to requests. I asked a lead to please not dip me in our dance, and he proceeded to force lead me into a back bend that I came up from crying, the pain was so excruciating and lasted for days. There can be a million reasons someone doesn’t want to do something, if they communicate it to you with their frame, or with their words, you should listen.
Dance is a never ending process, you will never know everything there is to know and things change all the time. You must always remain a student, take classes, keep your coaches, keep learning, and find mentors to guide you on your journey. Also, stay humble – dance is a way to communicate love, not ego.
My top three songs right now are:
