What's your name?
Peter Graham Ellis
Where are you from?
I grew up in Evanston, Illinois. My family moved to Chicago a few years ago.
What do you do in Urbana-Champaign?
I am a graduate student in mechanical engineering.
I hear you are graduating soon. What are your plans next?
At the end of the summer, I'll be moving to Golden, Colorado to work
at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
How did you get involved in salsa?
In college I lived in La Casa Espanola, a Spanish language interest
house where the majority of the occupants had lived in various parts
of Latin America. Every semester we had a huge party. When salsa
music came on, everyone would clear the floor and several of my
housemates would really go crazy. I decided I wanted to learn to do
THAT!
What other kinds of dancing do you do, and how did you get involved in them?
I also do some international style latin dancing, as well as some
night club dancing. Hustle is my favorite night club dance, and my
second most favorite dance, after salsa. I got into them in the
Philippines where all of these dances are very popular.
What dance training do you have?
I've taken salsa classes, a jazz dance class once or twice, and I've
been a member of a few dance groups.
How long have you been dancing in general, and dancing salsa specifically?
Salsa was the first dance I learned and I've been dancing it for
about eight years.
Tell us about other exciting places you have danced.
Awhile back I lived in Manila, Philippines for two years where I was
a member of a dance group and worked as a dance instructor at several
ballroom clubs.
Any embarrassing dance moments?
Me? No way...
Any favorite moments?
One of my favorite moments is when I'm taking a short break from the
dancing and a really old couple catches my eye. You can tell by
watching them that they've been dancing together for 50 years or so.
I want to be like that someday with my wife when I'm that old.
What do you like about teaching dance?
I like teaching because it improves my own dancing. They say, "To
teach is to learn." It's also a great way to meet a lot of people.
Do you have a favorite salsa song/singer/group?
Ever since I spent a semester in Colombia, I've been a HUGE fan of Grupo Niche.
Some of my favorite songs from other groups are:
Any thoughts on salsa styles?
I prefer Chicago style dancing with lots of crossbody leads and
marking. Right now I'm only dancing on 1. Maybe I'll get into
dancing on 2 in the future.
What are your salsa plans for the future?
I plan to explore the salsa scene in Colorado when I get there.
What else would you like to tell us about yourself or your dancing?
Dancing is neat because it's a unique way of communicating with
another person. The "feel" of a person's lead or follow can be
totally different from the way a person looks or talks. It's another
dimension of a person that you can only experience through dancing.