Monday, February 06, 2006

Tee and Jessica's Wedding

Let’s take a step back Indy and revisit last summer’s Wedding of the Year! Now what does a wedding have to do with Salsa? It has everything to do with Salsa if it’s the wedding of Tee and Jessica, two New York Latin dance instructors who were formerly based in Indianapolis.

I came across their wedding pictures on Larry Gindhart’s photography website. The caption mentions that Tee's pinstripe suit was custom designed by his son. His suit looks very sharp and when I find that special someone to marry, I would be honored to have a custom made suit from him. While I was not able to attend the wedding, looking at the pictures brought back memories from my experiences with them.

I first met Tee and Jessica at the Jazz Kitchen while they were teaching the free salsa lessons. After a couple weeks of attending their free lessons I decided to take lessons from them. I remember entering a small red brick studio with an interior that was in need of a new coat of paint and furniture. Like most newbie dancers, I was nervous, trying not to look 'that bad' learning the basic steps and turns of salsa. A few times I had to practice leading Jessica (also know as Frankie), which made me extremely nervous. She is a very beautiful woman and last thing a guy wants is to look like a fool. While my stay at their studio only lasted 2 months, due to the fact that my dance partner’s schedule changed, I still attended their free lessons at the Jazz Kitchen from time to time.

I was never close to Tee and Jessica, and I would not have been surprised if they didn't remember me if I had gone to their wedding. Even with that said, I would like to give my best wishes to them. Tee learned how to dance in Chicago and used his knowledge of Latin dance to help set the foundation of Salsa dancing in Indianapolis. Most of Indianapolis’ Latin dance instructors (including myself) have either learned from Tee or have been influenced by his style. I doubt that Indianapolis’ Salsa Scene would be what it is today if it weren’t for his efforts.

Category: [IndySalsero-news]