Patricia Feliciano

I grew up in Gary which is so close to Chicago where there is always someplace to go for Salsa. Being half Mexican and half Puerto Rican, Salsa and Merengue music and dancing is no stranger in my house!

I moved to Indianapolis in August of 2000 due to work and shortly after moving here, a friend of mine invited me to the Jazz Kitchen one Wednesday for dinner and Jazz. It was then I learned there was a Latin dance set held there every Thursday. Since dancing has always been a passion of mine, I went back the next day. I felt like I was back home again. I watch Tee and Jessica dance all night and it was then I decided to re-ignite my my first love.....my affair with Salsa dancing. Although it's been such a big part of my life, I've never taken any lessons and thought it was time. I put it off for awhile because I didn't have a dance partner. When I finally pushed that fear aside, I found out that the Red Brick Dance Studio had closed. I was so disappointed because I waited so long that I vowed to myself never again to let another opportunity pass me by.

Last January, one of my co-workers forwarded me an email sent to her about taking Salsa lessons with a group called Into Salsa. Needless to say, I jumped at my second chance and called to find out what I needed to do. I've been taking lessons with Erin & Yang since February of last year and I'm so glad I did! Erin, Yang and everyone I've met since then have been so wonderful to me. We have so much fun in class and at all the sets around town. I still mess up here and there, still don't have a dance partner, and still have so much to learn, but I'm not the type of person to give up easily. I try to face every challenge in my life with hope, determination and passion. With a little luck, I can do just that and have some fun while doing it! The music and dancing are in my blood; the friendships I've made are in my heart! Thanks to Erin, Yang and all my Salsa friends, I'll have plenty of good times ahead! I just can't imagine life in Indy without you all!