Testimonials
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Now this testimony is as important as the previous one, one of our last new arrivals to the our dance studio says that he took a month of dance classes from a guy who is a personal trainer at pump who some how rents a warehouse near the museum to teach dance classes, this new student claims that he took a whole month of very expensive dance classes and according to him, he learned NOTHING and after finishing the first class at our studio he said in from of a few dozen people that he had just learned more in one hour with us than he learned from this personal trainer self proclaimed dance instructor in a whole month, that is why I tell people that any body can spend 39.95 and get a box of business cards, but can they dance or teach, that is doubtful., would you allow a massage therapist to do surgery on your back?
O. Perez June 28 20 10.
It has been a while since I posted something here, we have been very busy with our dance program, it ha snot come to my attention that the owner of one of the local salsa clubs here told an individual that he has seen many instructors come through his club and most of the times he sits some where near the class and watches what is going on who is in the class and according to him, he has yet to find some that teaches the way that Orlando Perez does and has the knowledge that Orlando has, he also pointed out to this lady that as the time passes, he is seeing the dance being degenerated by a group of dancers that hang out at another local club in the area and even at his place, he claims that there is a huge difference from Orlando’s dance skills and style to this new generation that has taken the dance to a much darker area and dies not look good when they teach it or when they dance it.
O. Perez June 28th 20 10
It is a wonderful Sunday morning, August 2nd 2009, I like to say that a group of my students and my self went to Havana Bar and grill this last Friday to see the great Salsa band Grupo Niche, we had no idea that their lead singer would not be performing with them, all in all it was OK, what was a lot of fun and so inspiring to me and my students was the fact that the monkey show style of dancing there has not gotten any better, I did not know that it could get any more disgusting that what we saw. Towards the end of the night, one of those “dancers” ask my dance partner Edith to dance and Edith is one of the best social dancers in the valley and when she was done dancing with this guy, she came back to me and said, never again and also stated that she was going to be very sore through the week. towards the end of the night, we were approached by one of the regulars from the club and he said to us that he now understands the difference between a happy and graceful dancer and a Havana angry dancer. Bottom line is that I am now more inspired then aver to teach more people in the valley how to properly dance such a beautiful and exotic dance.
Sincerely, Orlando Perez
Good Morning, Orlando
I feel I can call you on a first name bases due to your kind personality. I recently saw your awesome show at the Heart of the Valley Health Fair. It was a spectacular performance, you, staff and students had such radiance and self confidence that it even lifted my own spirits.
Orlando, God prescribed every single detail of your life. He also determined the natural talents you would possess and the uniqueness of your personality. The ability to help persons feel good of themselves is definitely a gift. May God continue giving you these beautiful blessing.
I have a 13 year old daughter who has a low self esteem of herself. I have tried just about everything from extra curricular activities at school and even in the private sector. After seeing your group perform, I immediately called my daughter and told her about your performance, she quickly responded and said, can you take me to their studio I think I can dance.
We'll be at your Studio Monday.
Congratulations to you, staff and students
An admirer of your "God" given talent
A. S.
Good afternoon Orlando,
I wanted to drop a note and let you know that the people from my surprise birthday party for my wife still talk about it.
I went to an Easter egg hunt and a friend’s house and the hosts mother came over and wanted to know all about what I did and how I did it
I have passed out your studios name countless number of times. I even had to do a quick impromptu recital. LOL Oh my God. But at least I knew the steps!!!
My wife was happy at the effort, but wished she knew the steps better so that I would not be dancing with others. Go figure.
Everyone commented on you and your wife's technique and style. They all wish they could do those steps. I even got an email from one lady saying she would dance with me anytime. And went out of her way to say I did good for a "white boy".
In short, thanks. It was fun. I had confidence and what made it better, I actually knew what I was doing for a change and all those times I watched people dance I am no longer amazed and now somewhat critical.
Yea - For me. One sad note though, I no longer count 123,,,, 567 in my head all day and listen to music to find the different dance beats that I could use.
Maybe time to come back and refresh.
Thanks
Mark Bewley
04/05/2009
On March 31st, I got a phone call in the morning from a man named Mark, he started by
telling me that he was desperate for salsa lessons and he called on my competition for
emergency salsa lessons, so I asked him who he called and he said that he called Deborah Case
and that they offered to help him, because he had planed a surprise party for his wife on
Saturday the forth and she likes to dance, bur after several lessons with D.C, he said
that he had not learned anything, that is when I told him that I had no competition, so he
started with me Tuesday afternoon and he was correct, he had n knowledge of any dance
style at all. I will now tell you that by Friday afternoon, he was handling all of the basic
needs for Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Cumbia, Cha-cha, Ballroom waltz and Ballroom rumba, I will
tell you that my wife and I went to his party Saturday evening and he was a total surprise
to his wife, relatives and friends that have known him for ever and have never seen him
on a dance floor, he dance with his wife, his friends and even with my wife and he was
very good in all of the dance styles, so I say again, the Ballet school should stick to Ballet.
08/06/2008
A lady by the name or Aracely started taking our dance classes at Havana’s tonight, and by the end of the hour she shared this with us, that she had just spent a week in Puerto Ballarta Mexico, and she went to a pristine dance club called B J’s and she said that she took 7 days worth of salsa lessons at the club 3 hours a day, and she told us tonight that the only thing that she got from the place was that she lost 7 pounds in 7 days. And in one hour tonight, she has all of the basics steps turns and basic C.B.L’S, so my compliments to my partner Mayra for accomplishing all of this in one hour with a total beginner.
by: Orlando
Orlando,
I have been working out on and off all of my life. When I find something that intrest me I go full throttle. This class has really caught my attention. When I leave your class I can feel the soreness. Even though I have been jogging for about 6 months I never feel the sorness. And this class has motivated me to continue. The hour goes by so fast, but my whole body gets a workout. It is really fun!!!
Thank you Orlando.
Lyza M. Farias
08/01/2008
Hi, My name is Letty, i was finally able to sit and write my testimony on how my life has changed since I started with The Salsa McAllen Dance Company!!!
It's been Two years that I drove by Orlando's studio and checked out the schedule posted on his window... (I had no idea of what this was all about!) Of course, I was not happy with the way I looked...I was beginning to be comfortable in stretch pants ... you know the ones with the elastic waist band......I had let go of myself and gained lots of weight after having my children. Didn't feel good about myself AT ALL!
I had belonged to several other gyms...you know...the ones that get advertised a lot.....Anyway, they gave me no results...just took my money!!!!! I also felt completely alone and isolated at these gyms....no one there to encourage me...no one there to guide me as to what I needed to do...
I now have been a Salsa/Dance Fitness member for two AWESOME years.....and you want to know the best part about this????? You are not tricked into signing some stupid contract that keeps you there.....you are not left alone to figure things out....and most of all....you don't get BORED!
I can honestly tell all of you...that I don't know what I would have done had it not been for ORLANDO......I am now an advocate for Orlando....you see,...I have lost a lot of inches and weight...to the point where I get asked constantly if I am taking any med’s or drugs to help me with the weight loss.....I AM NOT.....I eat well, and exercise daily with the morning group! AND another thing a gym can't give you.......are FRIENDS>>>The friends I have made these past two years have been incredible, inspirational, genuine......We are one BIG HAPPY FAMILY.....and we are there for one another....and the one who's always there to brighten up our morning/and day........is Orlando!......
So I want to THANK YOU my dear friend!!!!!....Thank you for all you have done for me....and all that you continue to do for others!!!!
I can tell you that I am not that same frumpy, timid, shy person I used to be two long years ago!!!!!
Your One and Only....WIGGLES>>>>> 02/04/2008
again, my personal thoughts on my newest group of students.
I am now teaching about 70 to 90 La Joya teachers three times a week, I want to say that this is a
lively group of dance students, as all of my other groups at the beginning they had a good amount of
trouble. Some of them even told me on the first days, that they were not going to make it and
I had a good talking with these individuals, and they took my advice and stayed on and all of them now
are having a blast, and just a few days ago they found out that at the end of the school year they are going
to be involved in the dancing with the stars of La Joya, and they are very exited to be involved in this
program, that the La Joya School district has arranged for them to have access to, and I want to tell
you that I love teaching these classes every week, it is worth the drive to La Joya, for the level of energy that
they have and they transmit to me during the class, so I am very great full to be their dance instructor.
Orlando Perez 02/01/2008
I am wondering if u recognized me at Rana’s Friday night. I have heard so much about Orlando
the dance instructor but I had never put a face to the name. I am a massage therapist and
a lot of my clients have taken classes with you. Believe it or not I've even referred people
your way because the ladies that have taken classes with you speak very highly of you.
Chris. 01/13/2008
Here is a personal note, a week ago a young man from Colorado came to my Wednesday evening class, and said that he had taken classes in Aurora Colorado for about two months from a a guy who is a world champion, so I was very pleased to know that, so we got the class going and immediately noticed that he could not stay on beat with the music, so I asked him about his difficultly with keeping the beat and he said that he has problems and no one had ever been able to teach him how to correct it, so I got one of my instructors to continue the class and I worked with him for about 20 minutes or so and sure enough he got it and was from that point on on beat for the rest of the class. so at the end of the class he was very grateful and we both realized that a salsa world champion may not necessarily be a dance instructor, but just a dancer, and there is a big difference between the two, you are either a dance instructor / dancer or just a dancer. or maybe a fly by night.
and that is my personal note
Orlando Perez 01/10/2008
My testimony
My name is Terry Thérèse Ernest, better known as Grandma Terry at the Salsa dance and fitness center. It's been 2 yrs since I started to dance at the Latin dance studio of Orlando Perez its director.
Although I've been dancing since age 16, my dad being a musician and dancer at heart ,was my first dance partner in France where I was born.
Orlando gives its all to his students, his patience, his love to teach, his endless demanding for perfection, his individual attention and help and most of all, his compassion and love for his students is real once you get to know him.
The ambiance in the Studio is like a big family, it is my family here and I love it..
Orlando, thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me regain my love for dancing and teaching me to be a better dancer at a still young age..Remember,.I am 37yrs old.........backwards....Really.I am in my heart..!!!!!
Last year, Orlando offered to dance with me ( oh my, was I nervous) at the Hospital's Christmas party. I work as a volunteer with premies, hence "Grandma" is my name at the studio also .!!! Thank you for dancing again with me this year and I will be just as nervous...!!!!.
God bless you Orlando for all the good you are doing helping adults and children enjoy a better life, by dancing, exercising, better nutrition therefore better health and last but not least, by caring.
Grandma Terry. NO FLY BY NIGHTS HERE. 11/27/2007
Good Morning, Orlando the title is: A precious gift
I feel I can call you on a first name bases due to your kind personality. I recently saw your awesome show at the Heart of the Valley Health Fair. It was a spectacular performance, you, staff and students had such radiance and self confidence that it even lifted my own spirits.
Orlando, God prescribed every single detail of your life. He also determined the natural talents you would possess and the uniqueness of your personality. The ability to help persons feel good of themselves is definitely a gift. May God continue giving you these beautiful blessing.
I have a 13 year old daughter who has a low self esteem of herself. I have tried just about everything from extra curricular activities at school and even in the private sector. After seeing your group perform, I immediately called my daughter and told her about your performance, she quickly responded and said, can you take me to their studio I think I can dance.
We'll be at your Studio Monday.
Congratulations to you, staff and students
An admirer of your "God" given talent
Andrea Sanchez 11/21/2007
We are going to call her Mrs. K. we will be posting a picture of her taken in December and a picture taken this week, May 25th and you will see the 45 pounds difference in her, she is not a paid celebrity on the bow flex machine, this is real, and it is all natural, click here to view her photo’s
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Our own and very talented Belly dance instructor has lost about 4 dress sizes her self
Another one of our Belly dance team dancers, was a size 11 in December, when she joined the dance team, and now she is a very happy size 5
we have a lady from Peru, that started about 4 months ago and she has lost about 23 pounds, and boy can she dance now.
this is the lady that came with Laura to Salsa dance and fitness a few months ago, she told me that in these few months she has lost all most 25 pounds and I will tell you that she has become a very good dancer at the same time, to the point that most of the other students call her La Maestra in the class, she never liked Salsa before she came to us and now she loves it, but also loves the Cha-cha disco class, and now she is one of our instructors.
thank you Orlando
Magda 7/27/05
I came to the states to visit my mom who lives in Mission. I live in Sweden where there's not allot of activities like Salsa, Merengue etc. going on. I decided to start taking dance classes. When I started I couldn't move my hips to the music, I didn't even know the basic salsa steps. After every class I learned more & more about how to move to the music and how to believe in myself. I got extra help when I needed it which helped me allot and made me dance and move at the same level as the other ones in class, like the ones who had been dancing Salsa allot longer than me. My 10 days in the states have been an experience and I will take my knowledge with me back to Europe and probably keep on dancing. This is not just a great exercise, this is fun & there's just a great atmosphere in there that's hard to explain. You'd have to try it out for you selves.
Thanks for everything , it meant allot!
take care / Emilia
7/13/05, I am really glad that I found Orlando and Salsa dance and fitness, he is a true teacher, I have been to the other places and those kids do not have the patience or the skills to teach some one with two left feet like my self, after 2 weeks I feel really comfortable.
thank you
Maria.
I just want to share with you a little bit off what has happen to me in the last few months. on March 18th of 2005 my best friend and I went to check out the dance classes that Orlando Perez was giving at Salsa dance and fitness and believe me I was not ready to start anything that day, I went in my jeans and high heels. well We enjoyed the class so much, that we decided to give it a try so we signed up for the month, just to see what would happen, and something did happen my pants started to fall off and I am very happy to see that I am going back to my old weight. I have to say that God has bless me with a very good husband, and that he tries to help me in any way that he can, but he is very happy now, because I am no longer putting myself down. he is also happy that I have more energy,
What I am trying to say is that we can do anything we put are minds to do and that even if I did not think that these classes would work, it has I am losing weight and inches and I am also learning how to dance and I love it and best of all, is that my husband loves it too, also my best friend is now one of his best dancers.
God bless you.
Laura Mosqueda
June 29, 2005 My name is Hortensia and I have been dancing at Salsa Dance and Fitness for almost three years. I dance twice a week and would dance more if I could work it into my schedule. I have found dancing Salsa is a fantastic way of having fun while exercising. After a long day of working in an office environment, I look forward to dancing to relieve the stress from everyday pressures. I thoroughly enjoy dancing and feel great after taking my class. I find that I have more energy. I recommend Salsa dancing to all who enjoy music and want to feel better physically. Since I have been dancing my cholesterol level has lowered and it’s not necessary to take medication..
I would like to add to my testimony that the Instructor is terrific. He is professional and takes the time to help his students learn. He doesn’t give up on them until they do learn.
Thank you, Orlando, for your help and patience.
3/22/05 I am an 83 years old woman, I am 5 ft. tall, when I started with Salsa Dance and Fitness, I used to weight 143 lb., I have had 2 open heart surgeries, 7 Angioplasties and 2 crater arteries replaced, I was dead for 15 minutes once in the mid nineties. I use to take 10 pills a day and I would visit my doctor once a week for check ups when I first came here. Now one year and 4 months later, I am happy to announce that I now take one pill a day, I visit my doctor every six months and my weight is now 119 lb., the last time I saw those numbers, was when I married my now deceased husband, coach Lerma in 1940. I come to class 5 days a week in the morning, I dance and I also do a serious amount of floor exercises, including sit ups push ups, body sculpting and all kind of Pilate exercises. My name is Lydia Lerma, come and see for your self. and my doctors name is, Dr. Urutia ask him.
update from Lydia: 5/15/05, I just had a bone density test done, and the results are that for a woman my age, my bones are stronger than normal, so that means that osteoporoses is a decease that will get to me, according to my doctor, the more I dance the stronger my bones get.
Update from Lydia 6/29/05, A year and a halve ago, I was going to go on vacation to Europe, I all ready had my airline tickets and all, and doctor Urutia said no way that my heart was too frail, so I canceled everything, well I have just made arrangements to go to Italy for 2 months and I have a green light from my doctor, he says that there is no trace of damage in my heart from any thing that ever happened to me.
so thank you Orlando for giving me my health back.
2/18/05, I have had a weight problem for most of my life. I have tried various diets and exercise programs and have never found any that worked for me until now. By combining weight loss supplements from 4-Life and salsa dance classes from Salsa Dance and Fitness I have been able to lose over 70 pounds and go from a size 18 to a size 12 in 7 months. I am on my way to losing another 20 pounds and hopefully being a size 10.
update: it is now 3/18 and I have reached size 10, it has been 15 years
The salsa classes have helped me lose pounds, inches, and increase my endurance. My flexibility has increased and my muscles are toned. My cellulite has almost been diminished.
Aside from the physical changes the salsa classes have helped me with my emotional well being. I have confidence that I never had. I have always enjoyed watching others dance salsa. At first I was intimidated because I thought there was absolutely no way I would ever be able to learn to dance salsa. With the encouragement and instruction from Orlando Perez I have learned the basic salsa steps and I am starting to learn to dance with a partner. With Orlando’s expertise and patience I know I will.
I have a high stress job. Coming to salsa classes has helped me lower my stress levels. The classes are a time for me to leave my stresses and worries behind and listen to great music and have some fun.
People that know me have told me that I am a completely different person from even just a few months ago. There are the physical changes on the outside, but what they have noticed is the changes on the inside. Salsa has helped me learn new skills, strengthen my social life, and increase my confidence. I don’t think I could have ever accomplished this by joining a gym. By the way did I mention that I am not Hispanic, I am Anglo.
Signed: Kim Edward
3/18/05 Kim's Update
I have now reached a size 10 and I have not seen those numbers in 15 years.
5/10/05 Kim’s update
In January I had a 36 inch waist, and now I have a 31 inch waist, that is results, forget the Gym, this is natural.
Bring us your two left feet
The following flags are a salute to all of my students. Click on the flag for more info.
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