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Raised in Queens, New York, by immigrant parents, I never experienced any activities outside of the academic world while growing up. In my early 30’s I finally discovered dancing when I began taking salsa lessons at a studio in Manhattan. I originally learned to dance On 1, and eventually braved the social dance scene. Through social dancing, I soon discovered the literal pain of breaking on 1 while the guys broke on 2! In addition, the social dancing scene introduced me to the world of salsa shines. Every time the men began dancing solo, I found myself perplexed, panicked, and embarrassed on the dance floor because I had not learned to dance shines. After two years of dancing On 1, I decided to switch to dancing On 2. I attended nearly every salsa studio in Manhattan, but could not find anyone who could help me convert from dancing On 1 to dancing On 2. In addition, I still felt awkward doing shines because they all felt too fast and complicated. Utterly frustrated and discouraged, I left the salsa scene for nearly three years, and immersed myself in the sport of competitive running. In 2007, my husband (also a former On 1 salsa dancer) and I decided to re-attempt the transition to On 2 dancing. A friend introduced us to Piel Canela, where we met Joe Burgos. Joe’s understanding and mastery of salsa allow him to break down the transitional process to its most basic components. In addition, as a direct consequence of Joe’s repetition and review, both partner-work dancing and shines have become more natural and less awkward. Joe teaches you to dance from the heart. I enjoy salsa now as a mental and physical oasis from my daily stress as an infertility physician. I look forward to the opportunity to work hard so that I can bring my dancing to a different level. Equally important, being part of the Piel Canela team has inspired me as I observe the devotion of the other team members, their diligence, and their patience and enthusiasm in teaching me. |
Shows & Events
Performances 2008 Piel Canela Dance Social |