http://cptv.vo.llnwd.net/o2/ypmwebcontent/Tucker/Iraq%20War%20Veteran%20Teaching%20Dance.mp3
More than six years after being deployed to Iraq, one Connecticut veteran is returning to that country. This time he is leaving his gun behind and taking his dance shoes.
In 2000, Roman Baca was a freelance dancer when he decided to follow in his grandfather's footsteps and join the Marines. Five years later, he was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq right after Operation Phantom Fury - one of the bloodiest battles of the war. When he came home, he struggled to adjust back to civilian life. He told his then-girlfriend (now wife) that he wanted to start a dance company.
"And I expected her to be either surprised or to tell me I was the most idiotic person on the earth and instead she said, 'Let's do it.'"
Now, his dance career is bringing him back to Iraq. On Friday Baca is flying to Erbil, where he'll teach dance to kids at a local theater. Many of the kids are from Kirkuk but for security reasons, they're driving north for the weeklong workshop.
Earlier this month, Baca - who splits his time between West Hartford and New York City - spoke to WNPR's Where We Live about preparing for the trip. He's been brushing up on his Arabic and learning about dance in Iraq, something he became familiar with while stationed there.
"Two of our interpreters were brilliant breakdancers."
But Baca and his teaching partner will be steering away from those western styles next week.
"We're not teaching them ballet. We're not teaching them modern. We're going in and teaching them how to use their experiences, their thoughts and their creativity to create movement that is inherent to them."
This workshop is part of a program called "Dancing to Connect." It's supported largely by the State Department and has gone to 24 countries around the world.
Baca has no reservations about heading back to this country where he previously carried an M-16.
"I am excited. I am blessed with the opportunity to go back in a totally different capacity."
