Hot and spicy heels | Auckland Lifestyle News | Health, Fashion, Food and Wine in Auckland

Come on everybody, get your Latin on and dance, shouts Sharu Delilkan.

Her trademark is high heels. Pare Paul even wears them to teach Zumba and aerobics classes. So, starting a Hot and Spicy High Heels salsa dance class was not much of a shift.

"Ours is the only Latin dance fitness class where people get to practise wearing high heels. I suppose that's why we're so popular," Ms Paul who wants to make it very clear that there's more to the class than dance and technique.

"I want people of all shapes and sizes to know that they can do it. My aim is to encourage those who are too embarrassed about their size or who are under the misconception that dancing is for the 'skinny' or 'beautiful'. I want to build a network of women of all shapes, sizes and nationalities, who can appreciate themselves for who they are."

And her crusade to spread her love for dance doesn't stop there. She's taught her teenage daughters, Devoney, 15, and Nike-Lee, 13, Thompson, who now teach with her.

Ms Paul first got acquainted with salsa five years ago. Watching people Latin dancing in the background of the movie Antwone Fisher piqued the Manurewa resident's interest.

"I googled Latin dance classes and couldn't find one close enough so I learnt the footwork through the internet in a day," she says without batting an eyelid.

Six months after salsa dancing socially at neighbourhood nightspot Guada, a Korean couple asked her for private lessons. It was the beginning of a major enthusiasm for her.

Today, she's completing a teaching degree at the University of Auckland because she's adamant she's going to teach children at school.

"I believe kids have to learn from young. And since my forte is street salsa that's what I want to pass on."

Hot and Spicy High Heels, with Pare Paul, Nathan Homestead Theatre, 70 Hill Rd, Manurewa, Aug 7 onwards, 11am. Ph 267 0180.