IN THE SPOTLIGHT
with FREDDY DIAZ
by David Abril
In the spotlight this month is Freddy Diaz, a Go Dance regular who has been taking classes here for almost two years now. Freddy is a graphic designer for the Texas State Bar and when he is not working or pursuing one of his other hobbies, such as drumming and mountain biking (just to name a few) he is here taking a variety classes at Go Dance, almost 10 per week by his estimate. Freddy is outgoing and friendly, and as an instructor, I enjoy having him in my classes because of the way he encourages our newer students when they're feeling a little self-conscious. So we decided to catch up with him this month to learn a little more about what makes him tick.
Where are you from? How long have you lived in Austin?
I'm originally from from Harlingen, Texas but I've been in Austin since 1987, so Austin is home for me. I came to Austin because I love the city, the lakes, the hills, and the fact that Austin was very involved with the arts.
When did you start dancing?
It will be two years in June. It's actually an interesting story because around that time I went to a country western club for happy hour and struck up a conversation with an older gentleman and the group he was with. A song came on and he started dancing 2-step with his partner and he began doing turns & patterns, which sparked my interest.
Now, I've never been afraid dancing or getting out on the floor-- I'd been doing it since junior high and high school, but I had never actually partner danced. I didn't know how to lead turns or spins, so when he came off the floor, I asked him if he could show me how to lead just one turn. So he showed me and talked me through it and when the next song came one, he had his partner dance with me. I tried the turn and to my amazement, it worked! I thought that was really fun and got to thinking that this was something I could pick up.
So that was the spark. When I asked him where I could learn more, he told me about a couple different places, but that if I really wanted to learn, that I should to go to Go Dance [Editor's note: not a shameless plug by us, these are Freddy’s actual words!]. The very next day, I went online and looked up the schedule and signed up.
What dances do you do the most? What do you like about them?
I've been concentrating on Latin and Swing. They're versatile – I can go to different places, and there's always a chance I can incorporate those. I can do West Coast Swing to hip hop or blues, for example. I've done Cha Cha to country and 50's music and Rumba to R&B and pop songs. You can adapt them to different styles of music. I don't want to limit myself to one particular style. I'd like to be able to go somewhere, and if there's music and a place to dance, be able to dance whether it's Tango, Swing, Salsa, etc.
What do you enjoy most about dancing? Why do you come back?
I like the opportunity to be creative. Being a designer, being creative is a part of who I am and dancing is another form of creative expression. I also love music, and am a musician myself. I play the drums, which has actually allowed me to pick things up fairly quickly because I'm used to counting and keeping a rhythm.
You recently competed in a freestyle Salsa competition. What was that like? Do you plan on doing more competitions or performances?
I didn't even plan on doing it. I went to the event just to watch and dance a little but then was talked into it by the organizers. So I asked Patty [Perez], and she said no. I said “Great! Just sign here” and basically forced her to sign the entry form. In the end, I think she enjoyed it more than I did. So we didn't plan to do it all, we just went out there to have fun, and didn't worry too much about it. I suppose I wouldn't be afraid to enter another contest. After the contest though, I did take a couple of lessons – so I guess there was a spark in my motivation afterwards!
What advice would you give to beginners or people just starting out?
I tell people to not be shy – no one is looking at you or critiquing you. We're all here to learn, so go ahead and try something outside of your comfort zone.
What do you do when you're not dancing?
Well drumming and music for one, but I'm also very active and love the outdoors so I do a lot of mountain biking and hiking, and I try to take a snorkeling trip at least once a year. As for dancing, people will be seeing me around for a while, because I enjoy doing it and am still learning.