New Salsa Club Teaches Culture to Students
Music. Dancing. Salsa.
Looking for something to spice up your Friday night?
Check out Fresno State’s Salsa Club.
This is where you’ll find nutrition major Sara Essary teaching salsa dancing.
“I really like the moments that people connect the dots and like there’s only so much I can tell a person and show a person until I see them do it themselves. Then I really really enjoy seeing people get it,” Essary says.
Essary is the president of the recently revived salsa club known as Ritmo y Pasion, or rhythm and passion. It’s set up by members of the salsa club. Beginning and intermediate dance classes are taught from 8 to 9:30 and freestyle dancing goes from 9:30 to 12 every Friday night.
“I just ended up falling in love with the club and the dance and the fun of it all,” says Jacob Shimozaki, the club’s vice president, who has been a member for a year. “It’s just really something that’s become a true part of my life and I just feel comfortable doing like consistently.”
Not only does the salsa club want you to dance on Friday nights, they also encourage you to dance throughout the week.
“To take a lesson from a different person is to learn their style,” Essary says.
Student Rich Mua Kong Thao enjoys learning a new style with the Salsa Club because of the fun and inspirational atmosphere Essary provides.
“(Her) energy is very high,” Mua Kong Thao says. “She’s friendly, very accepting, she’s open to things, always willing to help. So that in itself, just like seeing someone do that, it’s just very inspiring.”
Since the club has been revived, attendance has grown.
People who show up on Friday nights say it’s because of the positive atmosphere and the opportunity to learn a new culture.
“The environment is very awesome and very accepting and loving, and it’s just an amazing atmosphere to be in,” Mua Kong Thao says.
You can find the salsa club downstairs in the Peters Educational Building in rooms 011 and 013.
The cost for students with a student ID is $3 and for non-students it’s $5.