Fanny Olaya

Fanny Olaya is a salsa instructor in Buffalo, NY who uses dance as a medium to share Peruvian culture.

Fanny Olaya currently lives and works in Buffalo as a salsa instructor. Nevertheless, she refuses to forget her birthplace of Lima, Peru. Life in Peru was exciting. With her father’s career as a journalist, Fanny had the chance to travel more than most, oftentimes to unusual places. As a bustling, cosmopolitan capital, Lima itself was full of endless adventure for a young girl like Fanny. In those early years, Lima was home,

Dance remains Fanny’s main connection to Peru, but it has also taken on a greater role in Fanny’s life. Back in Peru, Fanny had always loved to dance, but she was never the most confident child. Thus, dance remained an unspoken interest, a fleeting wish that was never fully formed. In Buffalo, Fanny decided to learn to dance during her days off of work. Over time, she danced more and more until she was offered a position as a dance instructor and achieved a dream she never knew that she had.

For Fanny, dance is a way to persevere through family tragedy, and the early days of back-breaking work and social isolation that mark the life of an immigrant. Dance is a relief from the stresses of life, a moment that Fanny can take for herself. At the same time, dance is a way for Fanny to connect with those around her. Teaching salsa has enabled her to meet other Peruvians and find a place within the larger Latinx community. That is what makes dance so meaningful to Fanny.

Speaking about the connections she builds through dance, “It brings everybody together. That’s one of the things that I love the most about my job. We get to share each other’s cultures.”