dance classAward-winning salsa dancer John Davila teaches Monday night classes for ages 55 and older at Joslyn Adult Center. There's a whole lot a shakin' going on over at Joslyn Adult Center on Monday nights.
That's when salsa champion John Davila takes his class of 55- to 70-year-olds through the paces of Latin moves and grooves.
"It's the rave right now, the Latin rave," he said. "It's got a hot rhythm and it's a sultry, sensuous and sexy dance."
He's been teaching salsa for more than a year at the center on Monday nights. The beginners class is at 7 p.m. and intermediate class begins at 8.
"It's excellent exercise from a cardiovascular point of view," Davila said. "They get to move their arms, legs and torso in a rhythmic way. It's a lot of fun, so people don't realize they are exercising.
Davila performs and competes throughout the Southland and won first place in the Palm Springs Summer Salsa Splash Open in 2004 and third place in 2005.
He has been salsa dancing since he was 5, he said.
"I have a passion for salsa," he said. "I was born in Puerto Rico and raised in the Bronx, N.Y., which is a hotbed for salsa."
He got his early training from friends in his New York neighborhood, where they literally dance in the streets, he said.
Before coming to Los Angeles, Davila was the Latin dance instructor at the Academy of Performing Arts Dance Studio in Jamaica Queens, N.Y. He teaches all the latest Los Angeles salsa styles, which are very flashy, he said.
"We're living near Hollywood so it's going to be more flashy with aerials, dips and turns," he said.
There are three other styles: Cuban, Puerto Rican and New York.
The former Burbank resident started teaching at Joslyn after enrolling in a psychology class. Part of the curriculum was to conduct a charity project. He chose to donate his earnings from classes at Joslyn to the Burbank Temporary Aid Center, a food pantry and assistance program for needy and homeless individuals and families.
"It was great to help people," he said. "It allowed me to make a difference in the community while using my dancing skills. It was very rewarding."
Joslyn officials were already thinking about starting a salsa class so when Davila approached the center about the charity aspect, it was a perfect fit, said Gayle Migden, recreation supervisor for senior services with Burbank Park Recreation and Community Services.
"All of these people love the class and after the charity project ended, they wouldn't let us let him go," Migden said.
The cost is $2 per class with the senior activity card, which can be purchased for $5 by residents and $10 for nonresidents, 55 years and older.
"We are really looking for people 55 and older," Migden said, who added that it's a great opportunity to exercise after work.
"You can finish a full day of work, grab a quick bite and come over and exercise," she said. "You work at your own pace and the people in the class are eager to learn and are nice. It's a chance to make new friendships and everybody can get in on the latest dance craze."
Carol Halter, who is a tap dance teacher at Burbank Dance Biz, attends the salsa classes on Mondays at Joslyn.
"His passion for salsa is contagious," she said. "He shows you wonderful moves and let's us know about the workshops and exhibitions."
