Susie Nguyen, aka “Salsa Susie,” opened the doors to her Ooh La La Dance Academy at a grand opening ceremony on Oct. 9. The dance academy, which previously held classes in the La Jolla YMCA, finally got its permanent home, a process Nguyen said was years in the making. “I put everything I have — heart, mind, body, soul, savings, credit and years — into building this 1,500-square-foot, two-studio academy to have a place for preschoolers and adults to experience the joy and passion of dance,” she said. “It changed my life, so I’ve dedicated my life to dance. Needless to say, the studio is the most gorgeous, vintage academy filled with character, oil paintings galore, local craftsmanship by contractors, from the store frontage signs to the counters and, of course, more chandeliers, fringe, feathers and fabulousness that one can only secretly ask for.” Nguyen is offering two weeks of free kids classes to children ages 5-14 until the end of October. Ooh La La Dance Academy offers classes for children and adults in a variety of dance disciplines, including salsa, hip hop, ballet, jazz, hula, cha cha, flamenco, show and character. For more information, call (858)?456-4500 or visit www.oohlaladanceacademy.com. — Staff and contribution