Far From Ordinary Feature
Ana Lopez

Asking anyone the question “What makes you far from ordinary?” puts them in an awkward position. Ana however, is not someone who I had to ask that question. 

Everyone who has met Ana, knows she is an incredible dancer.

Ana grew up around dancing. Her dad was teaching salsa when she was young, so she was able to learn as she grew up. However, she actually never trained into it until she was 18. 

It was 2015, the same year she started training in salsa that she won 1st in World Salsa Championship in Miami, and the Canadian Championships in Toronto. 

Furthermore, she went on to get 2nd at the Canadian Championships in Bachata and 2nd in the World Latin Dance Cup in Bachata. 

Needless to say, 2015 was a big year for Ana.

Ana can be found nearly everyday at Salsa Explosion, her dance studio, where she teaches latin dancing to all ages. In fact, she was the first one in Winnipeg to run a salsa program for kids.

Although many people know Ana for her salsa dancing, ballet is actually her favorite style. Funny enough, when she first started at the age of 7, she hated it. It took her a full year before she fell in love with ballet, and started competing. 

For Ana, dancing is an escape. There’s no better feeling than turning up the music, and dancing her heart out. It’s when her true personality comes out. You would have no idea that she’s actually shy, if you’ve only seen her while she’s dancing.

What truly makes Ana far from ordinary though, is her passion for dancing. 

I could feel her passion for dance as I asked her about how she got into it in the first place. The answer to my question, “What makes you far from ordinary?” was obvious.

From young, her teachers would find her dancing around her school in Mexico with a smile on her face. Dancing was her first love, and that love still shines through to this day.

The only time you won’t find Ana dancing is when she’s doing puzzles or traveling to a beautiful beach to soak in the sun.

Ana has gone on to be a three-time Manitoba Dance Festival Ballet Scholarship recipient and was featured as the ballet soloist at the gala following the competition. 

If winning several salsa championships wasn’t enough, she has also won 2 titles in Dance World Cup Canada in ballet & contemporary.

Whether it’s salsa, bachata, ballet, jazz or contemporary, Ana is not only dancing with passion, but winning competitions while doing it.

That’s why Ana is Far From Ordinary.

Thanks for reading.

Follow Ana on Instagram: @analopez101