Latin ballroom dancer searches for new partner
An engineer by day and Latin ballroom dancer by night, 37-year-old Henry Lo keeps himself in shape by taking ballroom lessons and practicing three times a week.
Salsa, tango, rumba and west coast swing are just a few dances he has mastered.
“To me ballroom dancing is not just a form of physical release, it is deeply spiritual,” Lo said.
“Your mind instructs your body to move a certain way, but your soul feels the music and directs your body to move naturally to the beat.” Henry Lo keeps his dance moves fresh by practicing at a studio in Gold’s Gym three times a week.
Photo by: April Ip
Lo was a competitive ballroom dancer until 2005. He was forced to give up couples competitions because his female dance partner needed a break. “It is incredibly difficult to find someone who wants to make a commitment to dance competitively. Putting enormous amounts of energy and time into practicing is a big thing to ask.”
He said that training for ballroom competitions is just like any other sport — it takes rock-solid commitment and there is a lot of mental and physical stress.
Despite not having a partner for the time being, Lo’s future goal is to win the title of Canadian Senior Latin Champion in annual competitions that are held by the Canadian Amateur Dance Sport Association.
Ladies, any takers?
aip@cjournal.ca