One of the best parts about the Greater Seattle ballroom dance scene is that when dancers stick around, you really get to know them. One dancer in particular has been part of the dance community here through three studios. Today, we wanted to highlight one of our most devoted students, Bob Yankis.
Bob has such an interesting life. From working in a battery factory to professionally racing motorcycles, ballroom dancing seems like an activity far outside the realm for Bob, and at the beginning he felt the same.
“I used to think that I would never be able to dance or learn how to dance,” he said. But 25 years ago, that changed. The joy and passion of ballroom dancing snuck up on him, and now this motorcycle racing enthusiast proclaims, “Of all the sports and other things, I have done, I enjoy dancing the most.”
Like many students, he started by attending group classes, but soon found that private lessons were more useful for him. Having that one-on-one focus allowed him to learn at his own pace. At the beginning, he had a very specific goal: to have the skills necessary to socially dance with any girl in the room.
Bob and partner Sirina trying out a competition.
While Bob’s main focus was social dancing, he did dabble a bit in competing. He caught the competitive bug while watching professionals and other advanced dancers in the studio perform in showcases. Their speed, togetherness and grace inspired him to learn more. Just a little push from his dance partners was all he needed to give it a try.
But to be fair, social dancing is his true love. He loves meeting people and feeling like he is part of a group. “Social dancing develops so many friendships,” he says, and that’s his true motivation for dancing.
In fact, that is one of the things he loves most about dancing at Aria Ballroom specifically. “I’ve had the chance to develop such great friendships with students and teachers,” he explains. “Besides which, the facility has a great floor and very flexible hours. There are a lot of available times for lessons and practice.”
He also enjoys attending Aria Ballroom’s student showcases and local competitions. “It’s a lot of fun to watch the dancers in the showcases and observe their technique. The skills they have! It’s so inspiring to watch them all.”
We asked Bob if he had a favorite dance, and his answer certainly surprised us. “Foxtrot!” he replied. It’s not a common answer, especially since Foxtrot is one of the most difficult dances to master. But he was adamant. “I love the skills the dance requires, the flowing movement and gliding down the floor.”
But in all honesty, we couldn’t agree with him more. When done well, Foxtrot truly is a beautiful dance. If you want to learn more about the International Standard dances, check out one of our Standard classes or taking a look at our class offerings on our calendar.
We also wanted to know if Bob has any goals for his dancing. Of course he does!
“Short term,” he explained, “I want to improve my technique. But long term, I’d like to add more dance skills and also types of dances in addition to what I do now.”
It’s a great goal! At the moment he shares private lessons with his dance partner Sirina with Gabrielle, and we can really see the improvement in his dancing. He’s doing great. Next time you’re at one of our Saturday night social dances, make sure you stop by and say hello. Maybe even save him a dance. It’s safe to say that Bob is the friendliest student in the studio!
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