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Dancers from around the nation will make their way to Salt Lake City for the inaugural Salt Lake SalsaFest hosted by DF Dance Studio, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

DF Dance Studio owner Maria Ivanova wants people to know that SalsaFest is a celebration of salsa history and culture, not a dance competition. The public is invited to join the audience, sign up for classes and workshops, or come dance both nights away.

Ivanova calls herself a "citizen of the world," originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, who eventually put down roots in Utah and opened her Salt Lake studio in 2008 to fill a passion and a niche.

"When I moved here, there was a lot of every other type of dance in Utah — ballroom, modern, jazz and ballet," Ivanova said, "but we wanted to create the vibrant Latin dance community found in L.A. and NYC."

She started with a few dance students, whom she honed into a successful competitive dance team while teaching Latin dance at the University of Utah, Salt Lake Community College and Utah Valley University to financially support her academic pursuits. The team's success led to renting a humble industrial space in downtown Salt Lake as a practice studio that soon moved and expanded.

Ivanova is half Russian, half Jewish, and came to the U.S. to study law. She ended up with a degree in nursing, but while working toward a residency in anesthesiology, she recognized a keen interest in Latin dance, history, music and culture.

It requires a glossary to understand the Latin social dance vocabulary and etiquette. But one of the finer points is the difference between salsa dance "parties," generally found in nightclubs, restaurants and bars, and salsa "socials," which are held in dance studios like DF where the focus is on dancing more than drinking. A milonga is a dance event where Argentine tango is danced, not salsa, and the etiquette is followed as closely as the partners are to each other.

A newer dance form that is part of the Salsa Fest is bachata. Ivanova said bachata is related to salsa, but where salsa is energetic, bachata is romantic.

The professionals who perform on Friday will teach classes at the workshop on Saturday. People can come watch the shows and decide if they'd like to take a class the next day.

"Everybody starts somewhere," Ivanova said. "We have students starting classes as children and adults starting in their retirement years. It is a very welcoming and accepting community." But, she warned, "once you start, you may never want to stop!" —

SalsaFest

When • Friday-Saturday, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1; Friday, 9 p.m. - 2 a.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Where • DF Dance Studio, 2978 S. State St., Salt Lake City

Tickets • $25-$90 weekend passes, $12-$15 social dancing; http://saltlakesalsafest.com

More • Pre-party, Thursday, Sept. 29, 9 p.m. at Salsa Chocolate, 116 W. Center St. Provo; $10

Friday highlights • Performances by famous salseros and bachateros, followed by social dancing to music by three nationally known bachata DJs; 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Saturday highlights • Workshops, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; gala night with more performances and social dancing, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Details • For schedules and more visit saltlakesalsafest.com