The start of “Dancing with the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance” always sets off an internal alert telling me to get back into shape and start dancing again. When I was younger I tried the traditional approach to dance, taking jazz, ballet, hip hop and a few dreaded tap classes. I even joined the dance team in high school. Partner dancing never occurred to me as something I could do. Not until a few years ago. I was walking around downtown Seattle and came across a studio not far from where I lived that held Salsa classes. I stumbled on in to an advanced class wearing jeans and flip flops hoping to get a little glimpse and some information. To my embarrassment, the instructor told me to step in because they were short one girl and I would be fine just following along. Needless to say, I struggled and continually apologized for not knowing what I was doing at all.
A year later I found myself assisting classes and teaching some ladies styling, going social dancing at Century Ballroom, and flying to San Francisco for a Salsa Congress. Now the Seattle Salsa Congress is coming up November 27-29. It’s an amazing opportunity if you’ve never taken a class before or are a seasoned veteran. The congress is an explosion of everything in the Latin dance scene. You get tons of classes, performances and the chance to dance with some very talented partners and listen to great bands. It’s basically a huge party for everyone interested in Latin music and dance. It’s incredibly fun so hope to see you there!
