Claudia Mendez
Dancer

When the stresses of life would get to Claudia she would go to Chevy Chase on Sundays and take a class with SAOCO and magically they would all disappear. The great feeling she got from the classes and feeling so welcomed each week helped her make the easy decision when asked to join our performance group.

Having begun her dancing career at the age of 8, Claudia put on a fancy dress, added some performance make up, and performed the Mexican tapatio at a festival. Apparently, the skill of makeup stuck as she was integral in helping create a new look for SAOCO's latest routine.

Claudia loves dancing rueda mostly due to the tight commaradery found within the group. Learning new moves and then dancing those moves in the group allows her to not only learn salsa casino but to enjoy dancing with her friends at the same time. The tradition and history of rueda also has a large appeal to Claudia and now she is able to share that with others through performances.

Community activism is a big part of Claudia's life outside of the group. You might find her running a race for a cause or volunteering on Thanksgiving - something to share a bit of herself with others. She also works at the Washington Post and is a huge sports enthusiast. If you listen closely, you may hear her cheering on Mexico in any given soccer match happening during the week.