Odori's Story...

I actually started learning salsa in Tokyo (yes, Japan), not
exactly thought of as a hotbed of Latin dancing, but actually it's
quite popular there.
My first lesson was the night after I broke up with a long-term
boyfriend, and my friends invited me along to cheer me up.
I have danced a lot in the past (mostly ballet) and so I found
the basic steps pretty easy to pick up, and I was surprised at
how fun it was. I got hooked then and there, and started
attending weekly lessons (not cheap in Tokyo, as you might
imagine). When I moved back to the states last year, I wanted
to continue to dance, but unfortunately Salt Lake City is not the
easiest place to find good salsa clubs. However, they do sport
one good (really good) salsa/merengue band, and after asking
around, I found a place that gives lessons, so now
I'm planning to drag my boyfriend there with me (one thing I
miss is having a steady partner, since you can experiment so
much more). The thing I love about Latin dancing is the
lack of posturing and affectation. Unlike a disco or nightclub, the
dancing is not about trying to get people to sleep with you.
People ask you to dance, you dance, they say "Thank you", and you split. But, if you do find someone you like to dance with, there remains the possibility of dancing again...

See you on the dance floor!

Odori