Workouts can come in many different forms as we have seen through the Lake Voice project, Fitness of Duluth. Some can be surprisingly aerobic while having fun. This week we take a deeper look into salsa dancing in honor of the new beginners salsa class at the Superior Ballroom Dance Studio offered every Saturday afternoon and taught by Raul Garcia.
Garcia, who grew up in Venezuela, has been dancing since the young age of eight years old. He has grown up dancing to contemporary, hip hop, tango, and salsa music and playing some jazz on his saxophone.
“Salsa is my favorite,” Garcia said. “I like the cha-cha style of salsa because it is more free. There is something inside of me that I cannot explain when I dance; something that comes out in spirit.”
Garcia has been teaching people how to dance for over 20 years in Venezuela. Upon moving to Duluth, where his wife is from, Garcia reached out to the Superior Ballroom Dance Studio owner, Andrea Kuzel, who had offered him a job.
“I prefer to teach,” Garcia said. “At the first dance class there was not a lot of people, but that is okay. I like when the people feel better for themselves after. I can see they feel free. Dance is not a business, it is a life.”
Kuzel had always been interested in dance, growing up with a skilled ballerina for a sister, but she had never thought she would be good enough. After college at the University of St. Thomas, Kuzel decided to try out a dance class to blow off some steam from the workday. What she found is that ballroom dancing is much easier than she had ever expected. With a lot of practice and training, Kuzel won many competitions and now spends her days teaching her passion for dance to others in the Duluth Community.
“The best thing about dance is that it is aerobic,” Kuzel said. “All dance is aerobic, and it is fun. Beginners for this class should expect to have fun while learning the basics of salsa.”
Salsa requires you to use your full body. Its spontaneous movements can develop and condition different muscles that are rarely used in a typical cardio workout. Using your hips, feet, legs, and arms to turn about with a partner turns your workout into an enjoyable experience.
At the Superior Ballroom Dancing Studio they have classes for all levels of ballroom dancers.
“The hardest step you will ever take in ballroom dance is the first step through the doors,” quoted from the studio’s website. Salsa is fun because it has more freedom in style than other typical ballroom dances. This gives you the opportunity to dance at your own pace and ability. Typical classes range from four to 12 members, which is good for a beginner. This time of year is a good time to start because there will be more focus on your individual dance and more one-on-one time with the instructors.
Beginner salsa dance lessons are every Saturday afternoon from 3:00 to 3:45p.m. at the Superior Ballroom Dance Studio located on Superior street across from the Holiday station. Classes are $15.00 each and there are bundled packages available for a discounted price.
This article is a part of a larger project: Fitness of Duluth. A new article about a local fitness class will be posted each week. Where should Brittney go next? Comment below or tweet her @Brittney_Bloch
