Latin Explosion

For most college students, salsa is nothing more than a snack food. To dance enthusiasts, however, salsa is an intricate style of Latin dance. \nEvery other Thursday, members of the Latin Dance Club meet to learn new dance steps and practice what they already know. Dancers agree that the benefits of such a club include campus diversity, stress release and fun for its members.\nJunior Emily Jablon, founder and president of the club, says that she founded it because IU already had a myriad of dance clubs, but Latin dance was not represented.\n"There was a ballroom dance club and folk dancing and swing but no Latin dance," Jablon said. "It was a little idea, but it really took off."\nSince its inception in Sept. 2004, the group has grown to 200 interested students and community members. Jablon says their Thursday practice sessions welcome an average of 25 to 30 students, with different people showing up every week from all demographics: men and women of all ages, ethnicities and levels of dance experience. \n"That's the cool thing about this," Jablon says. "It brings everyone together for the music. It doesn't matter who you are."\nMembers pay a $10 fee to join the club. This fee includes free dance lessons every other week for the semester. Jablon says this is a small price to pay for such a service.\nArthur Murray Dance Studio located at 2534 E. Third St., offers similar services for an introductory fee of nearly $15 each for just the first two lessons. \nMembers of LDC receive instruction from experienced dancers. Junior Patricia Mota teaches members basic steps of salsa, merengue, reggaeton and bachata dances. She also instructs a Latin Moves workout routine for the SRSC as well as a hip-hop class.\nMota's experience with traditional Latin dance began with her family. She and sister, freshman Susana Mota, who is also a member of LDC, have been dancing together since they were children. \nThe Mota sisters are not the only members of LDC that come to get closer to their Latin roots. Freshman Joanna Campodonico was first exposed to Latin dance as a young child.\n"My dad is from Panama and he taught me the basic steps when I was younger," Campodonico said. "It had been years since I'd done it."\nNow she says her goal is to improve by summer so she can show off her skills to other Latin family members.\n"I'm not good but I want to get better. My grandma is coming this summer from Panama and I want to show her I can dance salsa," Campodonico said.\nWith the diversity of the club's members, however, comes a diverse list of reasons for learning Latin dance. Though Jablon is not of Latin American descent, she developed an interest in traditional Latin dance after learning other forms of dance, including ballroom style with IU's Ballroom Dance Club. Jablon says Latin descent is not necessary to appreciate the dance style.\n"I was really attracted to the energy and passion in Latin dance," Jablon said.\nMembers agree that Latin dance can also be a great workout, though most find that to be a pleasant bonus rather than a reason to join. Senior Matt Rubin, another dance instructor for the club, says exercise is not the focus of the club.\n"You can make it a workout routine if you want, but we don't really focus on that," Rubin said. "It's more just fun."\nJablon says she can feel the aerobic benefits of Latin dance, though, even if working out isn't her principle reason for founding the club.\n"It's great exercise," Jablon said. "I just did that one dance out there and I already feel it."\nLDC is evidence that the Latin explosion that came with artists like Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez that saw popularity in the late '90s has not disappeared completely. For members of LDC, Latin music is an essential part of music and dance appreciation.\nMembers insist that experience is not a prerequisite for joining the club. Susana Mota says the instruction style is beginner-friendly. "We stick to the basics every practice. We try not to make it difficult because there's new people every week," Mota said.\nJablon says even the least experienced beginners can usually keep up after one practice. "You learn really fast, especially merengue. It's easier to pick up than salsa," she said.\nPatricia Mota says it isn't long after members learn the basics that they're adding their own flair to the steps.\n"You show people basic steps then they'll come in and say, 'Look what I made up.' That's the best part; watching people get better," Mota said.\nAt her first practice, Bethany Hacker said she was already getting comfortable with the steps. For her, the most difficult part will be retaining all of the steps she learned in one night.\n"I don't know if I'll remember it all, but when I hear the music I hope I'll be able to do something with it," she said.\nBut these practice sessions simply aren't enough to give members a full appreciation for the art of Latin dance. For this reason, members organize dance parties and group trips to Second Story Nightclub, which holds a Latin dance night the first Saturday of every month. Members agree that this is where they learn the most and have the most fun.\n"At the events we get to see what everyone has learned, how they've improved and we get to see them having a good time," Patricia Mota said.\nLDC's last Latin dance party, which was held at Crazy Horse, included DJs, Latin music and as many as 200 attendees all for a $5 cover charge. Their next event, "Dirty Dancing, Hoosier Nights," a Latin dance masquerade party, will be held from 8 to 10 p.m. Thursday, April 7 at the Solarium at the IMU. Like all of LDC's events, refreshments will be provided and admission is free for members. Non-members are welcome for a $3 fee, but members suggest that anyone interested in Latin dance join the club to practice their moves and learn new ones before attending a Latin dance event.\n"If you go to a club and everybody's really good you're really nervous. Here everybody's learning so it's relaxing. You don't have to worry about looking good," said senior Brandon Ward, who has been a member since the club's inception.\nWhile members don't believe the social stigma of male dancing exists in relation to Latin dance, they all agree that practices display a lack of balance when it comes to gender as more girls typically show up than guys. However, LDC's male members say dancing can be a great way to meet women and an even better way to impress them.\nSophomore Joel Hernandez says too many men leave the dancing up to women. He believes this is the wrong attitude. "Girls like a guy who can dance. I've been to clubs. The guys just stand there and let the girls do all the work. What is that? That's not dancing," Hernandez said.\nSophomore Sam Winter says men would have more fun at clubs if they would get past their insecurities about dancing and get on the floor. "You don't want to feel like you have to stand around and not dance," Winter said.\nHernandez also believes there is a stereotype of femininity placed on Latin dance which is inaccurate. "Guys think it's too feminine to shake their hips. They think it's up to the girls to impress, but it's up to everyone," he said.\nWith finals just around the corner, LDC members believe now is the best time to start dancing as it can provide much needed relief for stressed students. \n"It's a time to release. It's something to do besides going out and partying or studying," Rubin said.\nWhile those members experienced in Latin dance agree that practices can prepare members for Latin dance clubs, Jablon says the environment is still completely different in a club setting.\n"This is fun, but if you go out to a Latin dance club it's a whole different experience. The energy is amazing," Jablon said.