Antonio Daza dances to his own rhythm.

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"Where I come from, if you don't dance, you're a geek," says Antonio Daza, co-owner of Daza Dance Ballroom Academy in Alpharetta. Born in Venezuela, this accomplished ballroom dancer started dancing in classes at age 6 but says he and his friends "came out of the womb dancing. It was just part of our culture."

Being from a third world country, Antonio admits that "it's funny that with all of our problems, poverty and corruption, we're a very happy people. We dance, we're around our families and friends and we like to get together." His exuberance and joy is evident as soon as you meet him.

As a young man, Antonia was studying graphic design as a career, but it was the movie Dance With Me about a Cuban man who moves to America and becomes a ballroom dancer, that changed his life. "When I saw that, I knew I wanted to do it too," he says. "I wanted to come here for something better."

He followed his mother and siblings to America and didn't speak any English when he arrived. "It's just survival. You learn how to speak because you have to." The Buckhead resident managed another studio and danced all day long and barely made ends meet. "It was my dream (and now the philosophy of Daza Dance) that the teachers would have a place that was state-of-the-art where they felt comfortable and appreciated and could make a living doing what they loved." He started the dance academy with Elizabeth Chester, who was his partner in ProAm dance competitions across the country. The two became terrific friends and eventually partners in business as well. Daza is now the premiere dance studio in the Southeast due to their hard work and vision.

What do you like about wearing a skirt?: "Oh yeah, I've worn one before. I'm starring as Angel from Rent at Kudzu Playhouse and so I've been wearing a skirt and heels a lot lately."

What do you like about reading skirt!: "You can tell skirt! women love life as much as I do!"