![]() “The idea of crossroads is very big in Latin culture and dance,” says Duggan. She also gives her students background to the dances they learn. She encourages everyone to move their hips freely, to roll their shoulders, to walk with a sensuous rhythm and to stand with good posture. Instructor Michele Louis Duggan enhances the Latin dance technique with video and choreographing expertise. This fall, the classes were booked solid. At the Recreation and Athletics Centre (RAC), lessons take a more studious approach.įull-time students pay $40 for eight salsa classes that run weekly in the roomy RAC Studio. Oakham is just one of two places students can take Latin dancing on campus. “I did learn some new things,” says the second-year mechanical engineering student. She says she has more fun at the LASAR dance lessons because she’s taking them on her own.Įven experienced dancer Carlos Baruco finds the lessons worthwhile. Kaushal says she was forced to take jive lessons as a child. “Looking at them, you want to learn, too.” “They can all dance very well,” she says. Kaushal took them to Latin club Babaluu located on Yorkville Avenue. Now the Mexican exchange students are here and her interest hasn’t gone away. In our culture we’re very subdued, we don’t do things like that.”īhavna Kaushal was first introduced to Latin culture when she went to Mexico last summer as an exchange student. “This is a whole different culture than I’m used to. “It’s exciting, it’s a new experience for me, and fun,” said Fernandes who’s background is Indian. He got hooked on Latin dancing at LASAR’s Halloween Fiesta and came to his first lesson last Wednesday. Gutierrez makes people switch partners about every four dances in order to prepare them for the clubs.īut Terence Fernandes, a third-year mechanical engineering student, isn’t ready to hit the clubs. The fourth-year civil engineering student is in a groove with dance partner, and roommate, Wendy Kenrick. “Ow!” yelps Denis McCann, while trying out his steps.īut it’s not a yelp of pain. His humour melts away any traces of nervousness. Gutierrez goes around from student to student at the lessons, perfecting their steps. He now hits the Latin club circuit almost every night, and encourages his students to as well. Gutierrez has been Latin dancing for six years and began teaching at Oakham House last year. He can thank 32-year-old instructor Miguel Gutierrez for that. I stepped on everyone ‘cause I didn’t have a clue what was going on.” “It’s music to get hooked to.”Ī friend, who learned of his Mambo Kings interest, brought him to the LASAR dance lessons.īraimo says his first steps were chaotic. “It was really strong and it got to me,” he says. ![]() The lessons started out last year as a pilot project and the good response kept the classes going.īraimo says it was the Mambo Kings CD he bought got him interested. Hamzat Braimo, also of LASAR, estimates participation has tripled this year. At $2 a lesson or $15 for the semester the classes are a popular draw. LASAR’s lessons are at Oakham every Monday and Wednesday from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. ![]() ![]() “You can chill out, relax for a while, and learn how to dance,” says Joaquin Martinez of LASAR. Latin American of Students Association of Ryerson (LASAR) put on the lessons at Oakham House. The moves take shape in the form of salsa, merengue, cha-cha, rumba, mambo and various Latin ballroom dances. It’s the hot Latin dance moves students are learning at Ryerson. There’s something spicy near the crossroads of Church and Gould Streets.
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