Dear Edie,

Hello.  My name is Brian.  I was born in Hong Kong, but I have been living in Los Angeles for about 20 years. 

I began to read some of your articles online recently.  I wanted to write to you many weeks ago but never did.  I have never believed in making friends online. Until I read your articles My Story and Our Show.  Somehow it prompted me to write.

First of all, I guess I would ask you to have a cup of coffee.  This will be long since I don't usually write and not good at it.

Please!!  Please keep both of the above stories online for a long time! I think that many readers, including me can relay to your stories as well as many can use them as references whenever we need some kind of mental support.  Believe me, no matter how positive I am towards life today; I will feel low sometimes and these stories can definitely lift me up again.

I have no dancing experience nor do I have a single music gene in me.  Though I have always like to dance, but being 40lbs overweight and had been laugh at continuously by friends, I was discouraged.  I love music. Especially blues, some fast beat Classical tunes, Spanish guitar, and of course Latin tunes.  It was not until I watched small production movie named  ¡Curled before I knew about Latin dancing.  I did watch Mambo King, but it did not hit me at the time.  And I didn't watched ¡Dance with me till last Monday.  I thought that the way the leading actress move to the music in Curled was very sexy, attractive and provocative.  I was hooked then.  I wanted to learn, but never really did anything about it then.  I was avoiding contact with everyone because of a relationship that fell apart.  Basically I was hibernating & not able to deal with it for a couple of years. 

At the beginning of year 2000, somehow I pull my self together and attended a couple lessons from the local community service center in Diamond Bar.  But I do not have a clue of what I was doing.  Until one day last summer, I met a very attractive Asian girl in St. Mark's nightclub.  The reason I noticed her not only because she is attractive, or that she can dance, she was the only Asian there that night.  I found out that she is from my country.  Her name is Emmy Lam.  Somehow I gather enough courage to ask her to dance once.  Needless to say, it was a total disaster.  But she was patience enough to bear with me and taught me a little.  Well, I thought that if this girl from my country could do it, so could I.  At this time, please allow me to tell you it was the first night I saw Randy Newman danced.  He always wears a J on his face.  I could never forget that.  He is great to watch!! 

So I decided to go to some nightclubs to take group lessons, primarily Steven's Steak House on Thurs & Sunday and I also hire an instructor for private lessons later.  Please allow me to thank Bob Elias and his assistances Angie, Joaquin, Francine, Maria, Monica, and Rose for putting up with me and having the patience to teach a guy with 2 left feet.  I would take lessons and go home, as I was afraid of anyone laughing at me.

I did not meet up with Emmy again until December 2000.  There again, she took the time to dance with me.  She also took me to Rudolpho's and Boat House.  Please note: I still wasn't any good at all (Of course, nor do I now). I was too afraid to ask anyone else to dance.  I was afraid to make a fool out of myself.  Somehow, I kept on learning and practicing at class.  I know why, the music simply drives me!!  As well as the determination to dance well.

I was slowly improving as times go by and my skin got thicker.  I think it was February when I dare to ask someone else other than Emmy to dance.  I made many many generous ladies who did not mind to bear with me as well as show me a few moves of their own.  Of course, I met just as many or more rejection as well. 

Please let me take the time to thank the following: Ester, Richard & Sharine, who keep on encouraging me; Teresa, a fashion designer who I always have a great time dancing with; Jasmine, a beautiful blond lady whom I met at Sportsmans Lodge; Amy, who I run into from time to time at The Hop, you are always so friendly; Vera & Shirley, they came from HK as well, continue to give me pointers; Rose from Northern San Diego, who is the most beautiful and friendly Latina I have ever met; Angie y su amigo Jorge, who are always supportive; Maya, wife of Albert Torres, who is so patience; Laura, a wonderful lady I met at Boat House, special thank from the bottom of my heart; Linda & Osvaldo from Chicago, I met them at the Salsa Congress, which I think they dance wonderful and surprisingly friendly.  There are many more that I like to thank you but I do not know their names.  Please let me thank you for not only dancing & putting it up with me, but for not forgetting where everyone came from.  I have a lot of fun while learning.  You can count on me to do the same for others. 

I read your article Our Show for the first time yesterday.  I take it this article is a few years old.  But it did not matter.  As I read, my heart began to beat faster and faster.  I know how you feel about competing.  I used to play competitive Badminton, Bowling, and Team Tennis.  I know how it feels when there are so many pairs of eyes staring at you.  I can also relay to how you feel about your partner AS WELL.  I was there more than once.  Thank you for providing such honest article.

I am glad you have such intelligence to sort through all that and be able to continue. I have seen many who just cannot deal with it.  Please, attention competitors!  This music, this dance!  It is so much fun. It is a celebration of life!  Please do not forget to have fun while performing.  I recalled your interview with Enio Cordoba.  

Here is the Q & A:

Are you still competing today?  If so, when is your next competition? And if not, why not?

No! I have learned that competition bastardizes the dance.  Dancers don't dance for the love they dance to win.  I hate that they feel it necessary to do lifts and tricks to get the audience to oooh and aaahhh.  In my last competition I danced solely for the audience and ignored the judges.  Guess what- I won all five dances.

I do not have a lot of experience dancing Salsa.  But my impressions of Salsa are an expression of sexuality as well as celebration of life.  The competitions I have seen this year at Sportsman's and Mayan are like many teams compete to out trick and out speed the other.  There are only a couple of teams that are able to keep the spirit of Salsa dancing with their routine.  Well, may be it was me who got it all wrong.  So, forgive me if I did.  And if I did, please tell me.  So I know better.  The only way to better myself is to accept criticism. 

I dance many nights weekly now.  Many female said I dance well and I look good.  Many said I have improved.  Once there was this Latino gentleman ask me if I can help him improve his style.  I was flattered.  But I know I am far from being good at all.  My timing is off from time to time.  Sometimes my move was on 1 when the music was on 3.  So I have decided to take my friends advice to visit Let's Dance LA in Alhambra.  To my surprise, I have to begin at level I, not level 3 or 2.  But it is fine with me.  I am determine to be good, to be good enough to compete and perform.  Building a solid foundation is most important.  The way that Enio teaches is like no others.  It is so technical, and yet, it all makes sense. Tuesday night was my second group class.  I brought a couple friends there. I think they are going to complete the whole Level one secession as well.  They are very impressed and so am I.  I have a lot of fun while learning.   

I am attending Laura Canellias' classes at the weekend as well.  Her class is so fun and so adventurous.  There is never a dull moment. 

When Let's Dance LA allows me to complete the Level 3 courses, I will attend your class from Level I.   I read the breakdown of your classes and it is very detail oriented.  Probably this came from your business experience. 

Your The Arcade performance is great.  It was a wonderful mix of two different music and yet, you did not loose the soul of both side.  And I thought no one could come close to you pretending to be a kid.  That cap, that way you walk, that scare look, it was very entertaining.

While learning and improving, I also realized that I get such satisfaction from helping someone learn a move or two.   May be someday, I will teach as well.  But most likely, I will only be assisting an instructor, as I do not want to loose the joy.

Well, thank you for reading this very long email.  It is not necessary to reply unless you want to tell me this is way too much, too long and do not want me ever to write again.

I enjoy your articles a whole lot and look forward to read more of them. 

Sincerely,