All the Right Steps

Dance wasn’t always written in the stars for Eric Luna. He didn’t grow up dancing and hadn’t long dreamed of life on stages.

Instead, his childhood extracurriculars included soccer and football. It was Luna’s brother who was the dancer and encouraged Luna, at the age of 18, to give dance a try at the class he was teaching at Fred Astaire Dance Studio.

What began as an activity to do during the lull of summer after high school graduation turned into a lifelong passion and eventual successful career.

“I was always drawn to sports because of the teamwork, the muscle memory, the stamina, the hard work and dedication sports took,” said Luna. “When I started dancing, I realized dance contained all of my favorite aspects of sports and more.”

He also realized dance was a way he could make a living supporting his high school sweetheart, Trish and their son, so he too began teaching dance classes at Fred Astaire. After some time, Luna decided to take his skills outside of the classroom and onto the competition floor.

From 2002 to 2012, he competed professionally with dance partner Georgia Ambarian. The pair is recognized globally for the six world championships and five U.S. championships they won together.

In an all black Salvatore Ferragamo suit and Gucci dress shirt, Luna is ready to hit the dance floor at events or competitions. Photo by Nathan Saczynski

Their success on the stage got them noticed by television producers who invited them to seasons of Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance. While the partners competed internationally in the categories of ballroom and cabaret, they were exposed to many different dance styles on set.

“It was inspirational to watch and learn all of these other styles of dance,” said Luna. “I began to realize what a universal language dance can be and how all of the various styles provided new interpretations of this shared language.”

Luna spent over 10 years traveling the world dancing but soon sought to plant roots back in his hometown of Fort Walton Beach to spend more time with his wife, son and two daughters. In 2015, he professionally retired and opened his own dance studio, Luna Ballroom in Destin.

“My wife and I opened the studio together, and while I may be the instructor who’s the shiny car, she’s the person who makes the engine run and keeps the studio in order,” Luna said.

The ballroom offers classes for everyone from first-timers to national competitors. Both private and group lessons are offered. Often, Luna helps couples choreograph their first dances for weddings.

These days, most of Luna’s time is spent instructing, where he opts for the comfort and style of elevated athleisure wear including matching sets from Vuori and Lululemon.

For a business meeting or an evening out, Luna likes a pair of fitted jeans, a high-quality T-shirt under a fitted blazer or sportcoat, and accessorizes with meticulously clean sneakers or Louis Vuitton dress shoes. When on the go, he sports a Louis Vuitton backpack or duffel.

Eric Luna once spent more time on the field than the dance floor. In his early years of competitive dance, rhinestones proved a sore point. Today, his confidence and style reflect his personality and dance persona. Photo by Nathan Saczynski

Being in the arts, Luna often attends community and dance events that call for dressing up, something he’s come to enjoy over the years. He gravitates toward fitted suits or tuxedos depending on the occasion and often finds himself shopping at Express for suits in different cuts, styles and colors at a great value.

Through costuming at dance competitions, Luna gained an appreciation for clothing, especially the construction and design elements. Rhinestones were initially a sore point of his transition from sports to dance. But he came around after understanding the importance of the dance persona. Today, he enjoys making an outfit pop but says he’ll never get used to how heavy a completely bedazzled suit can be.

“If you look good, you feel good and you perform good,” said Luna. “I like to dress nice and enjoy styling an outfit. Dancing has definitely helped me to develop confidence in my personal style.”

After years of career success, Luna returned home to open his Destin studio. Today, class instruction keeps him moving in style. Here, Luna sports a Luna Ballroom jacket paired with Lululemon joggers, New Balance 327s and an Apple Watch. Photo by Nathan Saczynski

That sense of confidence is what Luna hopes to instill in each of the dancers who enter his studio. Luna often encourages dancers to leave the world outside and only focus on each step they take, bringing an awareness to the body and the moment.

“The benefits of dancing are off the charts — stress relief, coordination, muscle memory, cardio and so much more,” said Luna. “I want all my dancers to enter a place of fun, positivity and quality time spent with their own mind, body and soul.”