Eduardo Parada

I was born in Colombia, South America where music and dancing are an integral part of our culture. It is unusual to find a Latin person who doesn't like to dance. Having five sisters made it easy to dance for there was always a partner available. However, I never took any classes in Latin dancing; ignorance is sometimes a blessing. I was unaware that I had a lot to learn and was somewhat happy with my two steps and one simple pattern. Didn't know or didn't want to make the effort to learn new and fun moves. All you need is the discipline of learning to count or follow the beat and rhythm to make the different steps and patterns, I think. Until you are so familiar with them that you don't have to count or think about them any more and all looks natural, easy and wonderfully smooth. Ha! Well, it is not as difficult as it looks if you practice. Besides, it is fun learning to dance Salsa when you find great teachers, good friends and the right environment that encourage you, as you do find in our studio.

The youngest of my four children, Anne, loves to dance and she has been in the dance team since her freshmen year at Cathedral High School. But of course her school doesn't have Salsa or other good Latin dances in its repertoire. Therefore, I received a direct order from my German-Irish-American wife to find a studio where our daughter could learn to dance well Salsa and other Latin dances from my Hispanic culture. Wow, that was an order that obediently, without question and promptly I followed and thru a friend I found IntoSalsa Latin Dance Studio. Lucky me!

Seldom things work as planned. So, my daughter after a few classes got so involved in theater and other extra curriculum activities that it was impossible for her to continue taking the classes. But I was already too hooked on Salsa to give it up that easy. So, thru quick thinking and negotiating with my wife, the nicest boss ever, it was integrated into my exercise routine. I would run less and dance a little more, that would help my aching knees and I would learn to be a better dancer. I promised to teach my daughter when she finds the time and if Social Security continues paying for my retirement. Ha!

It has been a heavenly experience because of the extraordinary, compassionate, friendly, talented, and fun loving people that the IntoSalsa Latin Dance Studio attracts. I have met: physicians, dentists, lawyers, psychologists, yogis, artist, painters, photographers, people from many other countries around the world, not just Kentucky. Ha! (I am almost sure there are some salseros from another planets and galaxies learning Salsa at the studio. I've seen a lot of super cool moves that are out of this world. They just don't tell us for tax reasons). Ha! You name any thing good and special and you'll find it in the salseros. What a special and fascinating crowd!

I am a lay minister at my church, love my family, specially the grand children, do Yoga, run, and love to meet people because each human being is beautiful and unique. I retired from the Department of Defense a few years back, as a financial analyst and manager of the Appropriations Branch. And if I had the power and magic to go back in time I would budget Salsa classes for all goverment employees to make them relax, be happy, and do a better job. Ha!

I want to thank all the Salseras that have been so patient in my slow and awkward process of learning to move on the dance floor and to learn the simple and some times sophisticated and more complex steps and patterns. Special thanks to Yang and Erin and all the other instructors that make it happen. They are extraordinary good teachers. Yang has great creativity and is a smooth professional instructor and dancer, Erin is great too and has the funniest sense of humor, which some times is obvious but frequently quite subtle. They make the ideal instructors team.

Salsa is a good spiritual experience. Therfore, Salseros go to heaven because they have a lot of good moves and we find there the best streets to dance on. Besides, hell is not a good place to dance, it's hot, humid, doesn't have air condition, and no one there has a single good move. Ha!

Salsa is good for all ages the very young and the senior citizens that want to have a healthy, energetic, sexy and spiritual experience. I think it has helped me a lot. I feel younger, stronger and I think it has even improved my sense of humor (I have to check that one with my wife) I have made many wonderful friends and have found a healthy and painless way to exercise, to socialize and to have lots of fun on the dance floor. Thanks Yang and Erin!

Salserors keep on dancing and making all those great moves. It's good for the heart and great for the soul. Besides it feels good, is fun, and keeps the blues away.

Vuestro amigo Eduardo.