VALLEY DANCES EXPLORING DIFFERENT CULTURES THROUGH MUSIC AND DANCE.

Lead your partner across the dance floor in a passionate Argentine tango, perform a traditional Korean dance in a colorful hanbok dress, take your children to a Mexican folkloric dance class or spice things up with a belly dance.

These cultural dances are available around the Valley for people wanting to try something new or maybe get reacquainted with something they practiced in their youth.

At Las Palmas Park in San Fernando, Javier Verdin teaches children and adults the different folklore dances and cultures of all the states in Mexico.

There are 32 states in Mexico and each one has its own culture and way of life. Verdin, who is from the state of Nayarit, teaches his students dances from each state.

``When we teach those steps and dances, we teach them about the costumes and we also teach them about the actual state,'' Verdin said.

Complete story on Page 8

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Gary Chu and Esther Kroner take to the dance floor at The Tango Room in Sherman Oaks.

(2 -- color) Javier Verdin brings an opportunity for children to do something positive with their lives by teaching Mexican folkloric dance classes.

Johan Mengesha/Valley News