Aside from dancing together with her partner and husband Billy Fajardo since 1999, Katie Marlow of FaMa Studios has traveled worldwide to compete for about five or six years. Now, however, Marlow had a change of rhythm. "It's time to come home, you know?" she says. "It's time to come home and enrich the world of Broward. We are world champions; we have teams that come and dance with us around the world." She moved home to open FaMa Studios, a dance spot in Plantation.
Both hold a number of impressive accolades as a team, including US Open Cabaret Champions, sixth time United States Latin Hustle Champions, NADC Cabaret Champions and more. In addition, they are the sole couple in the U.S. to hold World Championship titles for two separate genres in the same year. As if that weren't enough, they represented the US four times at the Blackpool Dance Festival as well as developers and the Head Judges for the World Salsa Championships. Makes you feel slightly unaccomplished, huh?
When we asked Marlow why she decided to bring a dance studio to Broward, her response was based on convenience and fate."Well, I used to have a dance studio when I met my husband," she explained. "I held my rehearsals there and everything, but it became too much to handle on the road and the studio. You reach a time in your life when signs point to something, and you do it." She got word from a student about a studio for sale in Plantation, Marlow stopped by, and it was like "divine intervention. I looked at the landlord and said 'Don't give it to anyone else. I'm taking it," Marlow remembers. And the rest, as they say, is history.
The dance students play a large role in inspiring FaMa Studios. Another student came up with the title by combining both Fajardo and Marlow's name. It also doesn't hurt that fama means "fame" in Spanish. Coincidentally, Marlow says that both her and her husband are very involved in the Latin community.
Aside from dance classes during the day, there are also parties at night on weekends. Every first Saturday of the month, there will be a salsa and bachata night and a Latin and ballroom dance night every second Saturday. The third Saturday will literally give you Saturday night fever with its classic disco night.
Whether you yearn to take a dance class or just want to party it up, it seems like FaMa Studios is the place to go. Marlow and Fajardo will certainly make their dancing mark in Fort Lauderdale. "Fame" indeed.
FaMa Studios is located at 6600 NW 14th St in Plantation. Visit famastudio.com.
New Party Rules for Millennials
Top 20 Sexiest R&B Songs from the '90s to Today
Ten Best Florida Metal Bands of All Time
Ten Most Annoying Drunk Dudes You Meet at a Bar
Follow @CountyGrind
