Extra! Extra!
Teaching salsa classes in St. Louis is one of my favorite things to do, and it is so cool when it lands me press coverage 
Here is a nice article from The Journal, Webster University’s newspaper, about a class I taught there.
LASO introduces salsa dance lessons to students
By: VERONICA SZOSTALO
Issue date: 11/2/10 Section: Lifestyle
Senior animation major Eric Striler and senior international relations major Sabrina Reveron salsa the night away in the WVA Thursday, Oct. 28. The event was sponsored by the Latin American Student Organization (LASO).
Media Credit: BRITTENY HENRY
Students swayed their hips to the beat of loud, lively, Latin-style music at the Webster Village Apartments Clubhouse on Thursday, Oct. 28 laughing as they learned salsa dancing together at Latin-American Student Organization’s first lesson.
“We were thinking that it’s something everyone would like to see,” said Sabrina Reveron, a senior international relations major and president of LASO.
Reveron, who is from Venezuela, said that dancing plays a huge role in Latin culture. “For us, dancing is a form of expression more than anything else,” Reveron said. “In Venezuela, the very first thing they teach you is how to dance. Little girls don’t know how to say ‘mom’ but they know how to move their butts!”
Professional dancer Lauren Wilmore, 26, led the lesson. First, she talked students through the basic moves, demonstrating each step while students followed along.
Next, students divided themselves into two groups – leaders and followers – and then paired up as Wilmore taught them how to dance with a partner. As she showed the students what to do and what not to do, Wilmore used humorous examples to help them understand the importance of style in salsa dancing.
Finally, it was time for the students to show off their moves to music. Everyone arranged themselves in a large circle, facing their partners. Wilmore occasionally counted out steps to the beat of the music to aid the dancers. Every few minutes, she shouted for students to switch partners. Kevin Chau, a freshman biology major, said he came to learn how to salsa dance after having been exposed to it in his high school Spanish class. He said that he enjoyed the lesson.
“I thought it was good,” Chau said. “It was what I was looking for.”
Chau said he thought Wilmore was a good instructor.
“She was comical and helpful,” Chau said. “She balanced out learning with comedy.”
Andrea Jones, a junior international relations major, said she enjoyed dancing with a partner.
“I’ve always been into partner dancing, but with ballet I never got to,” Lopez said. “It’s a lot more fun to dance with somebody.” Lopez said, for her, the hardest part of the lesson was learning where to put her feet. She also said that she liked Wilmore’s instructing.
“She was enthusiastic about dancing, which was really good,” Lopez said. “You could tell she really loves it.”
Wilmore said she had a lot of fun teaching the lesson and thought it went well.
“I saw a lot of smiles and heard a lot of laughter,” Wilmore said. “That’s really the best part, to see everyone having fun.”
Wilmore, who has been a professional dancer for eight years, works part time as the director of St. Louis Dancing classrooms, a dance company that teaches ballroom dancing to fifth-graders. She also has her own company, which teaches salsa dancing to adults.
Wilmore said she loves exposing people to Latin dance.
“It’s a great way for people to try dancing and connect with a different culture, and with music, also with people,” Wilmore said. “So more Webster students need to do salsa!” Reveron said she was pleased with student turnout at the event, and she is looking forward to the next lesson. LASO will hold more salsa lessons this semester.
Reveron also said that no prior dance experience is necessary to attend one of their lessons.
“I really hope that people know that you don’t have to know how to dance,” Reveron said. “That’s why we’re doing this, to get people started.”
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