Gary Walter

Like so many I am addicted to dance. Unfortunately I have found it later in my life than most but remain stimulated by the complete essence of this social behavior. It's infectious for meeting people, satisfying in the completion of dance steps and provides a continuous beat of music that always challenges your interpretation for movement rather than the usual sing-a-long.

After accepting a free lesson from Arthur Murray 3 years ago, my dance partner Chris (wife) and I continue to practice Ballroom and Rhythm (Latin) dances where it remains the center of our social life. We have performed showcases in Waltz, Foxtrot,Tango, Swing, Hustle, Cha Cha, Samba and Rumba but now find that dancing for our own pleasure is just as challenging and rewarding. We came across IntoSalsa by chance. We were taking Argentine Tango lessons at the Mavris Cultural Center and asked Yang for directions. I believe he thought we were asking for instructions because we never left his Salsa Class.

I like to think that dance can be performed at many different levels, from club to stage to competition. Each level requires its individual approach, emphasis on style and movement with a whole lot of lovin for just the pleasure to dance. Of course there are fringe benefits: there're always the pretty girls and adorable women; there's always the reason to wear the clothes that speak the language; whenever you are in a new town there's always somewhere to dance and meet new people, and the venues can range from nightclubs to dancehalls to studios.

The Salsa scene in Indianapolis is fast growing and has created an excellent social environment. Dance on!