Here are a few salseros getting into the music industry with an Indian pop single that has some fantastic salsa dancing.
You'll see some recognizable international salsa professionals in this video including Salsamania's John Narvaez and Liz Rojas, and a few of their students including the featured artist in the video Giju. Also Junior & Emily Alabi from Amacitia. Also some well known cabaret dancers Alex & Chi make a cameo appearance with some death defying moves. Enjoy!
ETOWN SALSA Dance Team was welcomed to a FULL HOUSE of 700 at a Bollywood extravaganza that was Edmonton's elite Bollywood performers all in one night! DIL SE is an event dedicated to various great causes and this year they raised over $7000 that will go to the Edmonton Human Society. GREAT JOB!!
Watched a great LATIN MUSIC collection series online at the PBS website. It gives you a great history of Latin Music and its evolution and greatest influences.
There is alot of video here. Approximately 4 hrs in total. Click one of the links below to view each show.
There is a link to each chapter on the left side and each show on the top of the video screen.
ETOWN SALSA was really happy to be part of ALBERTA ARTS DAYS, in where there were 571 different events in 116 Alberta communities. The night was in the main courtyard of the Enterprise Square Campus. Hundreds of foreign exchange students and other faculty members were present to enjoy a night of Latin dancing in where ETOWN SALSA presented a dance lesson and got everyone out of their shell on the dance floor.
At 38 years old, businessman Arvind Agrawal is the oldest participant in a salsa workshop in Kolkata city.
But after a tough day at work, Arvind doesn't mind jiving along with much younger people.
In fact, he said it is the perfect way to relax.
"I joined salsa on an impulse and I really like it. It's a great workout, and you meet new people," Arvind said.
"After a full day's work at 7 o'clock (at night), when you think you've done so many great things, you go back to (salsa) school, (you find that) you are learning something new. So there is a whole inspiration thing of becoming a better person."
Salsa is the latest passion among executives in big cities.
Working round the clock and chasing tight deadlines, they have little time to exercise, let alone socialize.
Salsa instructor Aditya Upadhyay said: "Salsa has a lot of benefits. It's a very good form of exercise. It's a good way to lose weight and strengthen the muscles.
"The best part of salsa is that it is a lot of fun, so you always look forward to the class and you always look forward to dancing."
Over the last three years, at least five salsa centres have sprung up in New Delhi alone.
Instructors are invited from all over the world.
Instructor Alex Diaz, a Cuban-American, has been in India for over four months, giving tips to salsa enthusiasts in New Delhi.
He said: "The steps come pretty natural to them because they are used to dancing already, so in that sense I think India can be a really big success when it comes to salsa."
Salsa enthusiasts recently launched the Indian edition of the international salsa congress.
The event is an annual affair, with as many as 30 international participants.
During the week-long contest, salsa parties are organised across the country to choose an all-India salsa champion.
Who knows, Arvind the clumsy dancer might soon be a part of it!
For youngsters in India, showing salsa moves on the dance floor is about making a style statement.
And, call it the media influence or simply youth aping the West, Western dance forms like salsa and jazz are edging out Indian dances like Bhangra and Bollywood style in popularity, especially in night clubs.
(Zumba in Edmonton, Edmonton Zumba ) ETOWN SALSA's Alejandro Rojas in 2007 was approached by a business owner to put on some Latin cardio classes for her retail clientele. At first Alejandro agreed to jumpstart these classes but little did he know that he would also develop into a crazy loving Cardio fitness junkie.
Two years later, Alex stumbled across a fitness class being offered at a Salsa Congress that he regularly attended in San Francisco. He soon came to find out that this fitness class was hugely popular around the world already and it is called ZUMBA!
Zumba is a fun, energy filled cardiovascular class filled with latin music, dance moves, and alot of afro-Latin influenced body shaking. It does not compare to anything out there for aerobic workouts. You almost can't even consider it a workout cause its a party the whole time your there! It gets you smiling, laughing, giggling your sadness away. It takes people into a whole other world that they love to feel once they start.
Recently in September 2009, Alejandro certified himself in Zumba and is one of only 2 male instructors in the Edmonton area with Zumba training.
Here are some news features that can testify to the ZUMBA CRAZE!!!
HOLLYWOOD, FL--(Marketwire - September 22, 2009) - Zumba®, the acclaimed fitness-party workout that features contagious Latin rhythms and boasts a global following of millions, recently celebrated its second annual convention with a record-breaking 2,200 instructors from around the world in attendance.
Reflecting the ever-expanding popularity of Zumba, the 2009 convention, held in Orlando, Florida over Labor Day weekend, boasted the largest instructor attendance to date. The event, which featured a jam-packed schedule of workshops, master classes and training sessions, culminated in an epic fitness-concert, the revolutionary and exhilarating Zumbathon.
Zumba, an innovator in the fitness world, continues to evolve its offerings and reach new audiences with the launch of two brand-new highly anticipated programs -- Zumbatomic® and Aqua Zumba™.
Reaching out to a new generation, Zumba Fitness® introduced a ground-breaking fitness program for children ages 4-12 years old. Over the weekend, 1,000 instructors trained in Zumbatomic, learning how to use the Zumba Fitness® philosophy of incredibly fun exercise to motivate and inspire kids to embrace fitness. Instructors who attended the convention workshop were among the world's first to learn Zumbatomic's choreography breakdowns, personal development "games," and youth-tailored cardio techniques, all of which help kids develop critical skills such as coordination, discipline, confidence and teamwork.
Soon to create waves of excitement in pools across the country, Aqua Zumba also debuted at the 2009 convention, bringing a fresh, energetic workout to the water. The Aqua Zumba workshops trained instructors to create a challenging and fun aqua workout, incorporating the signature Zumba Fitness® formula.
The recent weekend celebration also featured Zumba's growing family of partners, including 24 Hour Fitness, AFAA, American Laser Centers, Club Med, IDEA, LOA Fitness for Women, AEA, Gold's Gym, NETA - National Exercise Trainers Association, Silver&Fit, Rio Soul, Vistaprint, H2O Water Wear Inc., Polar Electro Inc., Shoes4Fitness, River Wellness Clinic, SCW Fitness, and AV Now Fitness Sound.
About Zumba Fitness®
The Zumba® program is a fitness-party™ with a contagious blend of Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow dance moves that provides an exciting and effective workout to a global community, either at home or in the gym. The Zumba program is available in a four-disc DVD collection featuring creator Beto, and offered in 40,000 class locations worldwide. For more information, to find a class, or to purchase the DVD Collection, visit www.zumba.com.
What if you went on a few dates with someone from a small town and after the third date, they asked to borrow several thousand dollars from you?
What if…
…they threaten to file rape charges against you if you refused to loan them the money?
What if…
…they followed through with rape charges against you without your knowledge?
What if…
…a couple years later, the exact same thing happened again with another person from the same small town as the first?
What if…
… news of unproven “rape charges” against you started spreading all over the internet like wildfire?
What would you do? What could you do? How can you stop the speed of Internet news?
Have you ever heard the saying, “No matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides to every story.” ?
This is the story that no one heard - that somehow never reached the world internet online waves. This is the story of what could happen to YOU. It could happen to ANYONE – especially if you are famous and in the limelight - in ANY business, not just entertainment.
This is the story of world famous choreographer / performer Alex da Silva. So far, what the entire world has been told is just one side of the story – especially online. What about the other side of the story? Why didn't the news agencies ever mention his side of the story? The internet and news agencies only told one side of the story – Alex the rapist. Two days later, all the charges were dropped and he went back to good ‘ole Alex – but did anyone neither care nor even dare talk about THAT?
Everyone loves dirty laundry. If the accused comes clean, the news drops the story faster than a bad habit. NOTHING is said, mentioned, nor reported… silence. Conversations stop and news agencies pretend it never happened. And what about the lingering stories all over the internet? They stay on the servers for weeks, months, and even years. Dropped charges, false accusations, and false imprisonment never accompany the initial stories told. Embellished ongoing accusations and rumors continue to spread online for years to come.
This is the story of Alex da Silva; World Famous Choreographer, performer, and instructor. Alex was chosen to choreograph and work with dancers and producers on the popular television show “So You Think You Can Dance”. He is one of the most successful Salsa dancer / performer in the industry. His residence is surrounded by some of the most famous Hollywood movie stars in Los Angeles. Films, movies, and television is commonplace for him as he has not only appeared on various television commercials and movies but has also trained some of the most famous movie stars in the world. He has several international competition titles under his belt, and since the early 80's (over twenty years) has taught Salsa to some of the best competitive dancers in the world. Love him or hate him, like it or not, Alex da Silva has earned his rank as one of the most prominent and famous Salsa dancers in the world.
Why, why, WHY???
I found it interesting, that his bail was posted at 3.8 million dollars – higher than OJ Simpson's case. Why?
I found it interesting that ALL the charges were immediately dropped on his first and only court date – but that fact was never announced in the news, nor online… Why?
I found it interesting that Alex never paid a single cent of bail money – but that fact was never published online … Why?
That is why I was not surprised when all the charges were dropped and he was released with no fines nor charges.
“Edie, it was all about the money” he said.
Here is his story…
Edie,TSF
So Alex. What happened?
Alex:
In 2003 I met this woman at the Mayan nightclub on a Saturday night. We danced a bit and she wanted to hang out for the rest of the weekend. She came over to my house at 10am, had breakfast, lunch, then we went dancing again, and then went to movies. She left my house at 3am. After that I left town, came back, and was too busy to call her. She started calling me but our conversations became strange. Then she asked for $20,000.
Naturally I refused to give her any money –Blackmail is in not an option! Two weeks later she accused me of rape. Of course I denied everything, and next an undercover detective began to inquire about my personal life. He came to all my classes, and monitored my house. After the accusations were dropped, we had a talk and he warned me about who I get involved with. If you are in the limelight, there are a lot of women out there that will definitely try to get money from you in any way possible.
I can't account for 2004 and 2005. Those accusations turned out to be false as well.
Six years later in 2009, I met another person from the same small town on the island, (possibly a friend of the first). We met at the Edge dance studio and later met at the Mayan, and we had consensual sex on three separate occasions. Then on my birthday, she asked to borrow $5000 . I told her that “...we do not have that kind of relationship.” On Saturday, which is the day after my birthday, she came to my class. I made an announcement that it was my birthday all weekend and that I will be performing a Salsa show that night at the Hollywood Park Casino. She told me she wanted to come over and “be my birthday present.”
She came over and started acting really strange. So on this day all these things began to accumulate; like "Can I borrow $5000?".... She asked who I was seeing and finally after saying she was my birthday present, she changed her mind and we did not do what we usually do, if you know what I mean. So that was the end of our liaison. Then she accused me of raping her. I am so lucky we did not have sex that day. She thought I would settle out of court like basket ball player Cobey Bryant did.
When I was in jail over the weekend, my bail was set at 3.8 million dollars - higher than all 30 guys put together with me in that cell. It was a bail set higher than Michael Jackson’s bail. The police never took my passport, my driver’s license - nothing. I was in jail for only three days.
I was arrested on Saturday and I was out on Tuesday. The same day as my court date. I did not even see the judge due to insufficient evidence.
Edie,TSF:
So what is the status of your case now?
Alex:
There is no case..
Edie,TSF:
People are concerned about the charges if you raping a "minor"... can you explain that?
Alex:
There was never charge of a rape of a minor – at all. Someone that didn't like me must have started that rumor. This story was not in any of the news nor newspapers. There are a lot of haters in this world. There are people who like me, and hate me. Once the hater’s fire starts, it’s copycat all over the internet – the rumors just seem to spread and get worse.
One of the girls that accused me of rape sent me a text message just a few days ago, "Alex, how are you? I hope everything is going well with you." I saved it and informed my attorney.. Would you send your “rapist” a pleasant text message?
Edie,TSF
Did you know these women for many years prior to their accusations?
Alex:
Not at all. I just met them, one asked me to show them around LA since it was her first time to the city. The other came and took my class.
Edie,TSF
Were they U.S. citizens?
Alex:
Yes.
Edie,TSF
Why do you think women pry on you like this?
Alex:
I meet a lot of women, but I never thought this would happen to me.
I only see this kind of stuff in movies. Once I was arrested, I kept thinking, “Wow this is not happening... how am I in here with all these real criminals?”
A lot of women will say good things about me. There are a lot of haters in the Salsa scene. Most of the haters are men. After I did the show "Mr. Smooth", every guy wanted to be me, or hated me even more.
Edie,TSF
How has this affected your relationship with your dance partner Alien?
Alex:
It brought us even closer together because she knows what kind of person I am.
For two months prior to my nightmare, we had a rocky time in our relationship so we took a break. During all the madness I told her everything. She loves me even more for opening up and telling her the truth. What happened to me could have happened to anyone. I was the one with the nightmare.
Edie,TSF
Are you going to change the way you approach students/women/ etc?
Alex:
Yes. I think I will exercise more caution and qualify the people I teach. I still would like to offer privacy to my students. This is the best way to teach one on one. I will scrutinize my new students in the future. I can't change my whole life because of two bad apples.
I know the truth, and I don't even know who the others are, it's all a bunch of lies, and people just want to bring me down. If something like that really happened, then they should have gone to the police that night, or the same day, but it was never that way. I have too much to lose. I don't need that type of thing in my life. Edie, you see me all over the world, you see how people react to men like us. I'm not bad looking, I'm definitely not desperate, and when you're a high-profile person, the news and EVERYONE will know about it.
Edie,TSF
To what extent has this damaged your career? Have you been asked to leave the So you Think You Can Dance show?
Alex:
I spoke to the producers of the show. They like me and will be hiring me back if not this year, then the next.
It's about the Fox network. To work for them is very difficult. Yes, my name is tarnished, but I will clear my name again. The truth will come out.
Edie,TSF
What do you plan on doing to reverse the damages, if they can be?
Alex:
We are taking steps, but all that is under wraps at the moment. My head is up, and I will never look down nor look behind. I will always keep moving and looking forward because I know the truth in my heart. Some of the women who tried to accuse me of this know the truth as well.
Edie,TSF
What have you learned about your friends in this business?
Alex:
In times like these, you really know who your friends are. I had a lot of support from people whom I thought were my enemies. They came up to me and told me they were glad to see me. I didn't know what to expect. When you go to online web forums, you don't know who wrote what. When I shake someone's hand I always look into their eyes, and see if they are genuine. When they aren’t, those are the ones you have to worry about. The internet is explosive, within a matter of seconds information flies all over the world. Good or bad. When it’s bad, it’s magnified one hundred times worse than it really is.
Edie,TSF:
If you had a chance to un-do the past, what would you have done differently?
Alex:
I will never get involved with people like that again.
Edie,TSF
What did you learn from this? What has this taught you?
I have to think twice about trusting people in life. I found out who my friends are from all of this. I wouldn't have wished this on my worst enemy. This was the real deal. I was in there with real criminals, and I was innocent.
Edie,TSF:
What are some of your goals for the future?
Alex:
I'm a dancer, and I love to dance, and I am never going to stop dancing. My new Salsa show with my dance partner and others will be a satire of the situation that happened to me. Once you see the story on stage, it will it make you think, and blow your mind.
Alex and his dance partner Alien will premier their new Salsa show at the Key Club on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood June 24, 2009. The event is called Carnaval. Then he is off to Hamurg Germany for the Hamburg Salsa Congress in Europe, July 15th - 20th, 2009.
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer and businessman, whose unique contributions to popular music and dance, along with his highly publicized personal life, made him a central part of popular culture for four decades. One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his achievements included multiple Guinness World Records—including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career, and the sale of over 750 million records worldwide.
The seventh child of the Jackson family, he made his debut in 1968 as a member of The Jackson 5, beginning a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group, a career that saw him dubbed the "King of Pop." His 1982 album Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time, with four of his other solo albums among the best-selling: Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and HIStory (1995).
In the early 1980s, he became a dominant figure in American popular culture. He was the first African American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV, with videos such as "Beat It," "Billie Jean," and Thriller—widely credited with transforming the music video from a promotional tool into an art form—bringing fame to the relatively new channel. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him an enduring staple on MTV well into the 1990s. Beyond his success on television, he popularized a number of physically complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, with his elaborate stage performances. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced many hip hop, pop, and contemporary R&B artists across several generations.
Jackson supported 39 charities: he donated and raised millions of dollars through his Heal the World Foundation, as well as by performing charity singles.
Aspects of his personal life, including his changing appearance and behavior, generated significant controversy. He had experienced health concerns since the early 1990s, along with conflicting reports regarding the state of his finances. Accused of child sexual abuse in 1993, his health and reputation were badly affected by the controversy, though no charges were brought because of a lack of evidence. He married twice and fathered three children, one of them using a surrogate mother, actions that triggered further speculation about his life. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted in connection with different child molestation allegations. He died on June 25, 2009, aged 50, after suffering cardiac arrest.
At left: Da Silva's booking photo. Credit: Los Angeles Police Department
Alex Da Silva, of 'So You Think You Can Dance,' accused of rape
11:17 PM | April 4, 2009
Alex Da Silva, the salsa dance instruction and a choreographer for Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance," was arrested on Saturday on charges of sexually assaulting four of his students, L.A. police said.
Da Silva, 41, is accused of assaulting the students in his two homes in the San Fernando Valley over the last six years, police said. He is being held on $3.8-million bail.
Authorities said that the four vicitims were all students of Da Silva at the time of the assaults. "The victims allege that he lured them to his homes in North Hollywood and Van Nuys," the police said in a statement. "He then used a ruse to get them into his bedroom, where he raped them."
Da Silva won the World Salsa Championships in 2002 and 2007 and currently teaches at the Edge Performing Arts Center in Hollywood and the Mayan club in downtown Los Angeles, police said.
Alex DaSilva booking photo Anyone with information about other alleged assaults involving Da Silva is urged to call Van Nuys detectives at (818) 374-1926.
Manny Oquendo (January 1, 1931 - March 25, 2009) was an American percussionist. His main instrument was the timbales, and was strongly influenced by Cuban drumming.
Oquendo grew up in New York, and began studying percussion in 1945. He worked in the bands of tropical and Latin music ensembles such as Carlos Valero, Luis del Campo, Juan "El Boy" Torres, Chano Pozo, Jose Budet, Juanito Sanabria, Marcelino Guerra, Jose Curbelo, and Pupi Campo. In 1950, he became the bongo player for Tito Puente. Following this he played with Tito Rodriquez in 1954 and Vincentico Valdes in 1955. He worked freelance in New York before joining Eddie Palmieri's La Perfecta orchestra in 1962. He worked with his own group, Conjunto Libre (later simply Libre), from 1974, and had a worldwide hit with "Little Sunflower" in 1983.
Joe Cuba will be viewed at the R&G Ortiz Funeral Home located at 204 E. 116th Street, NYC 10029 between 3rd & 2nd Avenues. 212.722.3512 on Wednesday & Thursday, February 18th & 19th from 2 to 10 p.m.
A funeral mass service will be held Friday morning at 11 a.m. at St. Paul's Church located @ 213 E. 117th Street, between Park & Lexington.
The "Father of Boogaloo," Joe Cuba, passed away on Sunday, February 15, 2009 at 4 p.m. at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York. He was the most popular exponent of the boogaloo, a fused Latino and R&B rhythm that exploded onto the American top 40s charts during the turbulent 1960s & ‘70s. Hits such as “Bang Bang,” “Push Push,” “El Pito,” “Ariñañara,” and “Sock It To Me Baby,” rocked the hit parades establishing Joe Cuba and his Sextet as the definitive sound of Latin New York during the ‘60s & ‘70s. The Joe Cuba Sextet’s unusual instrumentation featured vibraphones replacing the traditional brass sound. His music was at the forefront of the Nuyroican movement of New York where the children of Puerto Rican emigrants, America’s last citizens, took music, culture, arts and politics into their own hands.
Joe Cuba’s Sextet became popular in the New York Latino community precisely because it fused a bilingual mix of Afro-Caribbean genres blended with the popular urban rhythm & blues of its time creating a musical marriage between the Fania and Motown sound. His was the first musical introduction to Latin rhythms for many American aficionados. The lyrics to Cuba's repertoire mixed Spanish and English, becoming an important part of the emerging Nuyorican identity.
...Singer/songwriter Ruben Blades noted: “His music lives on. That is the most any of us can hope for, after we’re dead. God bless him and we thank him for all the joy he gave us.” Ruben's campanion of that time, Paula C remembers Joe Cuba picking up Ruben to go to gigs in Jersey. "He was the niceste guy," remembers Paula. "I used to call him Gentleman Joe."
Take your pick! This year end is going to bring you probably the best central location for latin New Years party's in Edmonton: The 1st Annual Salsa New Years! and The 9th Annual Latin New Years! both at the Delta Inn South Edmonton located at 4440 Gateway Boulevard.
Two different rooms, both under the same direction. Two parties under one roof. Is this even possible??
Moreno Productions Inc., promoters and producers of the highly successful Latin New Year's 8 years in a row, now bring you their 9th Annual Latin New Years with a twist! Why not add a 2nd party and cater to a highly energetic salsa community in Edmonton. How do you produce this with the right taste for a HOT Salsa flavored crowd? You bring in 'Edmonton's #1 Latin Dance Resource' ETOWN SALSA and you are ensured to have a great party with great music that everyone will love.
In the Crystal Gallery room, the Salsa New Years will bring you a buffet dinner, a salsa show, and a dance to follow with your favorite salsa music to dance to. This along with party favors and multi-party access to the next room to also enjoy featured bands Tumbao Vibe Salsa Band and Latin Combo. You cannot go wrong with this choice as you will get the best of both worlds.
In the Grande Ballroom, the Latin New Years will bring you a 4 course dinner, a salsa show, and a dance to follow as well with Latin music varied from Cumbia, Bachata, Merengue, Reggaeton, to Latin Pop and Retro-beats. Stick around as you will enjoy 2 featured bands Tumbao Vibe Salsa Band and Latin Combo.
So take your pick, either one will be a great choice. If your a Salsa dancer, or just love listening to Salsa music, then the Salsa New Years will be your select choice. If you are looking for a variation of latin music to keep you moving all night, then the Latin New Years will be your choice.
But don't wait too long cause last year the Latin New Years sold out and you don't want to be left out. I personally had a blast last year and I anticipate a better time this year as I am partial to the Salsa music.
You may have received a message yesterday regarding OnTwo Magazine. We'll I wanted to follow-up to give you a little more info rmation about our project.
OnTwo Magazine is a new publication profiling the mambo music and dance culture. It's produced by the same people that brought you LaVoz Magazine and La Voz Del Mambo (The Newsletter).
OnTwo Magazine is a new publication set on making a commercial impact in the magazine industry, while showcasing the awesome culture of mambo music and dance. OnTwo Magazine will not be republishing feature material from LaVoz Magazine. This will be a new publication with new features and topics revisited from our globally popular newsletter, "La Voz Del Mambo."
In case you didn't read the first message, OnTwo Magazine has acquired a national distribution contract and will be available at 50+ newsstands and bookstores in 2009, namely on the east coast.... however (due to overwhelming feedback)... subscriptions to OnTwo Magazine are available.
In addition to being a hi-quality, professionally designed, full color publication....
Each issue of OnTwo Mag will also include a MAMBO MUSIC CD!
If you are interested in supporting this publication, you can subscribe today.
Our premiere issue will be released on Jan 15, 2009!
The latin vibe has been lost in Edmonton for too long. But finally, the long awaited time has come and Azucar's spirit has been resurrected once again. The energy, the love, the beats, the rhythm- that's what sets us apart from the rest. With the brand new addition of a unique latin-style restaurant, you'll be feeling the latin flavour of Azucar Picante from head to toe, both on and off the dance floor. We're the one you've been waiting for Edmonton!!
Join us soon and add some spice to your nights with Azucar Picante!!!
We’ve been working day and night to bring you the best Latin taste and style Edmonton has to offer, and now the time has come for us to open our doors and let you see and taste what you’ve been waiting for. That’s right, get ready for the best Latin experience that you know only Azucar can bring! Savor the food, relax with your drinks, and enjoy your evenings on the dance floor with the beats of live-entertainment and pumping DJs. That’s what we’re all about. You have no idea what we have waiting behind our doors….and there’s only one way to find out!!!
December 5, 2008 Azucar is officially back in business!
Be there! We guarantee it’ll be a night you remember
Office:
780-479-7400
Location:
13062 - 50 St
Edmonton, AB
Not going to say much here but I just wanted to post up some videos of some talented Canadian dancers dancing salsa & mambo on tv. You can definitely see their influences of dance when they dance salsa. True salseros stay purely latin and try not cross over into other dance genres. Here are 3 videos to show you what I mean. The first 2 are a salsa and mambo routine on the popular dance show "So You Think You Can Dance Canada" and the 3rd one is a mambo routine performed by premiere students(Melissa and Adolfo), of Eddie Torres, creator of New York Style mambo.
Oh,in the first video, a talented Canadian dancer that recently came from Havana Cuba is part of a popular Canadian Salsa group out of Vancouver called Grupo America. Her name is Arassay Reyes.
Here are just a few of the salsa superstars live on video before they became who they are today. The following videos feature;
Alex Da Silva, in salsa circles is known as former Mayan World Champion and long time instructor in the Bay Area in the U.S. and also on television known as the premier salsa choreographer for "So You Think You Can Dance" United States;
Eddie Torres, the developer of the Eddie Torres style more known as New York Style Mambo, Eddie is probably the most wisest and most experienced of all salsa dancers in the world, also known as the KING of Salsa;
Frankie Martinez, in salsa circles is known as the one of the smoothest On2 dancers in the world. He grew in popularity globally due to some great video footage shot by www.tosalsa.com many years ago.;
Johnny Vasquez, one of the top L.A. Style On1 dancers in the world known for his over the top performances and crazy acrobatic moves. Former winner of famous L.A. Mayan competition, and also one of the 3 famous brothers known for skyrocketing the popular L.A. style;
Victor & Gaby, known for their mix of salsa with traditional Mexican dances such as the Quebradita and Mexican style Cumbia. They were one of the most popular couples travelling around the world;
Super Mario, the worldest most recognized salsa instructor and the many with a million moves. Known for always developing new and innovative moves that he teaches globally. His classes are always sold out.;
Albert Torres, last but definitely not least, Albert has put Salsa on the map globally as he envisioned Salsa being a globally popular dance.He has reached superstar status solely based on his accomplishments of promoting festivals and congresses around the world, and for the last few years has been working with ESPN to globally put on the most extravagent salsa competition that has particpants in every populated continent. Albert's name alone has convinced much of the salsa community to attend his events and he continues to inspire everything revolving around salsa.
Find their videos below respectively. Most of the videos have time stamps and others are unknown.
Was updating my page on youtube and I stumbled across a link to this video. Well known in the salsa world, current #3 in the world salsa champions from San Francisco, Junior & Emily put on a great show at this years(2008)America's Got Talent competition. Check out their opening performance:
So you missed the FIESTAVAL 2008 as well as the SONORA CARRUSSELES concert? No worries. For those that are familiar with PROYECTO UNO, here is a little video from this past weekends FIESTAVAL 2008 in Calgary's Olympic Plaza.
Just in case you missed some of the salsa routines at this years 2008 So You Think YOu Can Dance show, here they are. Alex Da Silva, the choreographer, is known in the salsa world as the macho "MR. Smooth" and here is a video of him as well. ENJOY!
If you ever head out to Los Angeles for some holidays, you have to catch this Salsa hotspot called Steven's Steakhouse. Looking for the restaurant / club, it appears to be out in the middle of no where. Really! Its rich in tradition and at first view inside you will see the old school upholstery that resembles something out of an Italian Mob movie. Great dance floor and they always have a great line up of bands hitting their local. I personally have been there a couple times and they were off band nights and both times they were very busy. Mind you the location is expandable for when they have bands so you can see how they have achieved a good level of success that way. Don't hesitate to check this place out as it is a diamond in the rough.
Here are some videos for you to enjoy! Here is their info to get updates.
They are located @: 5332 E Stevens Place, Commerce, CA 90040
E-mail: Stevenssteakhous@aol.com
Phone # (323) 723-9856 or (323) 723-9856
It's a real great pleasure to introduce to you Oliver Pineda, director of the "Latin Motion Dance Academy" from Australia, many time salsa champion, very good Timbales player, and a "very high level" Dance Instructor.
(You'll see why as you read this interview!)
Oliver... Thank you so much for your wonderful insight and great knowledge in this salsa business of teaching, performing and sharing your thoughts on your successful career.
You and Luda are a great inspiration to us all!
JJ: First of all, let me ask you: How did you get started teaching? And Did you ever have a mentor that sort of really got you involved with it?
I started teaching Salsa 12 years ago, first with private lessons and then moved onto classes. At first I was teaching part time for some of the other schools around but then after formally establishing my own business ‘Latin Motion Dance Academy’ 5 years ago, teaching classes became a full time job for me. As far as a mentor is concerned, when I started dancing 14 years ago there was a man by the name of ‘Jose Prates’ who they used to call ‘The God Father of Salsa’. You could say he was the equivalent of Eddie Torres to New York but in Australia. He was like a mentor to me... May he rest in peace.
JJ: Do you believe that a really good dancer doesn’t necessarily make for a really good teacher?
OL: Absolutely! A good dancer does NOT by any means mean a good teacher by any stretch of the imagination. This is a common myth which has proven to be untrue time after time and is a frustration that many people encounter. Dancing requires the skill of execution whilst teaching requires other skills such as communication, patience and the understanding of what one is doing! Not many dancers have both qualities. A good teacher is somebody who has depth of knowledge and understands technique and how to deal with people. Some teachers teach by feeling whilst others teach by structure. Just as some students learn by feeling and others learn more by mechanics. This comes down to preference and whatever works for them. However it all boils down to the fact that Salsa has no ‘book of rules’ you could say, so everyone has their own version on what and how to do things. A good Ballroom teacher for example may not necessarily need to be a National Champion to teach but all they need to know is the ‘book of rules’. However in Salsa it’s different. People only want to learn from someone who they admire and want to dance like because they believe that that dancer can teach them what they do. Only then to realize that that dancer has actually no idea what it is they do, let alone how to teach it (as it’s so sub conscious to them that they just feel it). That is why I believe that the best way of teaching and learning is to have all the steps broken down and understood first, then only after repetition can it become natural and relaxed to the point where it becomes sub conscious. When you learn things mechanically you will always be able to repeat it and therefore teach it. When you learn things by feeling you often will find it difficult to exactly pin point what it is you are doing. Students beware, make sure that what teachers say they are doing, they are actually doing! You can often fall into the trap of ‘do what I say, not what I do’.
JJ: What’s the hardest thing to teach a beginner student?
OL: I find it quite challenging to teach beginners timing. I find that students often have it or they don’t, they can either hear it or they can’t. Students often approach me in between my classes and ask me ‘how do I hear the beat?’ as if there is a magic word that will all of a sudden make it click for them. Unfortunately there isn’t. Timing requires the understanding of rhythm which requires the understanding of music. This is a whole different ball game. A lot of teachers say, ‘listen to the clave’ or ‘feel the music’ but if a student does not know what the clave is or cannot feel the music for the life of them that advice does not really help them. Body Movement is another one. To get someone to move their body in a different way to what they have been moving for the last 20-30 years is quite difficult. It is not impossible but requires special attention. Private lessons or one on one session’s are really good for things like this. I often hold Body Movement and music workshops as I know that’s what people want. With time and the right guidance, anything can be achieved.
JJ: What advice can you give a beginner teacher?
OL: Fun! Fun is one of the most important aspects for teachers teaching beginners. Fun can sometimes make the difference between a student coming back or not. Confidence and professionalism are also vital qualities of a teacher. Students like to feel confident in their teacher and in what they are learning. After a hard day at work, a student wants to be able to simply relax, let go and trust that they are in the teachers control for that hour. They trust that they are in good hands so things like presentation, how you speak, what you wear and how you look can all add to your students feeling confident in you and relaxed enough to have fun.
JJ: How do you create a good student? And what I mean by that is, I’ve been told that when someone gets a student and you want to be able to maintain them, you want them to stay interested; so what is it that teachers can do or should do to create someone who’s a student that will learn well and get them to stay consistent? Are there any tricks or certain things that we should know?
OL: A ‘good’ student is not necessarily the ‘best’ student. Feedback and encouragement are important aspects for teachers to give their students as well as setting up challenges for the students that are not too insurmountable. Students like to feel that they are learning and progressing, so progressive learning is also a very good method of making them want to come back. Feeling like they are learning something new every week and then joining that to their already existent repertoire makes them feel like not missing a week. Dance with the students as well. A teacher can make a students day by sparing a few minutes to dance with them. This single act can make the difference between a student giving up or reaching their goals. And remember everybody’s name! Students feel good when you remember who they are and refer to them by their name. It shows a certain amount of respect.
JJ: Can you give any advice on the best way to teach a group class?
OL: I always start my classes with a Shine warm up. As well as the students learning new shines every week, it gives the class a different element. Once partnered up I get the students to form a circle with the instructors in the centre of the circle. I find this works for me. It ensures every one has equal view of the instructors. Rotations are also very important. It gives everyone the chance to dance with one another and ensures that any partnerless people do not miss out. Also, separating the leaders from the followers and teaching their respective steps separately before partnering them up ensures that they are learning from the ground up which is the right way to learn. This also makes the class a little more interesting instead of them staying in the same position for the whole class.
JJ: How important do you think it is to count as a student? Then as a teacher?
OL: For students at a beginner level it is very important to count. Counting assists with timing. Counting also gives clear indication as to where ones foot is supposed to be stepping on which beat. It is a tool by which dancers use at any level. The difference is that counting for more experienced dancers should eventually become second nature and should be like an internal metronome which you do not necessarily need to say out loud. All your dancing steps should be done simultaneously with the counts for the counts to have full effect. As a teacher, counting has become sub conscious regardless of what level it is. When the music plays in my classes, I generally only count for beginners but when I am breaking down steps, turns or shines, counting is essential regardless of what level I am working with. Counting meaning timing is the one thing that keeps you and your partner in sync with one another.
JJ: What are some pointers on how to be a successful dance team and can you give us the positive side as well as the negative side?
OL: Behind every successful dance team is great team spirit and a strong team leader. Team spirit is a great thing because it makes people feel like they’re not on their own and gives them the opportunity to get out there when they ordinarily wouldn’t. The negatives to having a team; A team is only as strong as its weakest link so the more people you work with the harder it gets… but the bigger the reward in the end!
JJ: There are a lot of salsa congresses these days, can you give some advice how one could get involved with performing or teaching at these events?
OL: Most Congresses only accept performances by video submittance first. As far as teaching is concerned, Congresses are a business and organizers of the Congress will always book instructors that have a name and are guaranteed to pull in the people. So in order to teach at a Congress you have to have a name. You develop your name by working hard on your dancing, making a presence on the dance floor and attending as many of these events as possible to create a bit of a following. Promoters may then approach you and ask you to teach at their Congress, however some times it does not hurt to ask. Also, being humble is very important. Many promoters eventually get feed up of dancers who do not dance with anyone because they think are too good for them. This is not beneficial for a promoter to have such dancers at their events so being humble and down to earth definitely works. Always remember, cream rises to the top no matter what.
JJ: Being someone who travels a lot to other congresses you see a lot of other teachers teach. Is there any advice you can give or anything that you would like to see teachers do that you don’t see often?
OL: I see so many good dancers not pay enough attention to technique and the finer details of the dance such as leading, following and styling. Teachers tend to think they can get away with just teaching turns, turns, and turns and students will come back… Well, the funny thing is they do! Because that’s what they’re used too, however I get the most positive feedback in my classes when I work more on quality not quantity. It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it’ so teaching students how you can make such simple turns look so effective I think is the way to go. It also changes the way students dance as most students do not pay enough attention to the music and therefore just turn, turn and turn. ‘Sabor’ is the key and until teachers start to teach 'Sabor' they will never unleash the true potential of their students. Good luck teachers as ‘Sabor’ is not that easy to teach J
JJ: A lot of dance teachers are coming up with there own dance groups these days … I’ve heard some teachers feel it’s now necessary to have a dance group in order to be seen and get students… do you feel this is true or at least necessary?
OL: No not necessarily. It depends on the market you are trying to target. For example, some people rely on the already existing market for students while others go out and create a new market of people. Marketing at the end of the day is what works. Whether it’s performing, giving out promotional material, advertising or doing free classes it’s whatever works for you. Having said that though, my ‘Rising Stars’ which are my highest level advanced student team have been great for my personal exposure and for my school. So all in all, having a dance group is a great way to get yourself out there and get yourself known, however it is not the only way.
JJ: I have placed this question in many places about an official certification for salsa. Many respond that we should not have certifications and syllabus as it would ruin salsa and its street style or some even say adding structure would eliminate the freedom and spontaneity of the dance. What do you think? And do you think it’s necessary to have certified instructors in salsa?
OL: Yes! I do. The problem with Salsa today is that because there is no governing body as such, any one is free to teach. That is fine in a way because it opens the market more for all of us to benefit from however people who don’t know any different often get fooled into learning what they think is Salsa but is actually Flamenco with fruit on their head! Maybe not so much in other countries but this particularly affects the Australian public as dance is just not in their culture. I think that there should be rules and guidelines to a particular extent. For example, a Cross Body Lead should be a text book thing however what you do to embellish the Cross Body Lead is entirely up to ones self and its style. That is the difference between Fundamentals and embellishments or turn patterns. Turn patterns are made up of fundamentals repeating themselves such as Inline turns, 1 ½ Left or Right turns. Fundamentals should be universal and any one wishing to teach them should be accredited. Having said that, there are a lot of different styles of Salsa so the fundamentals would obviously have to differ slightly but there are still fundamentals. And as I said before, as long as the fundamentals are the same, the way you embellish it is up to you. Therefore this should not stop the flow of creativity and spontaneity; in fact it should enhance it.
JJ: You recently won the World Salsa Championships in Las Vegas (CONGRADS!) Could you tell us how you prepared for such and event and offer some points as to how to be a winner?
OL: Luda and I have been dancing together for 10 years now so our preparation would be different to someone who has been dancing together for say only 1 year. Our rehearsals get slightly more frequent as we get closer to the event but we always make sure we do not leave things till the last minute. The end result is that you want to feel as relaxed as possible both with each other and the choreography. The spot light is like a microscope so any hesitations, uncomfortable ness or unconfidence will show under the spot light. Therefore it is important to be at ‘one’ with yourself, the choreography and your partner so much so that it is like second nature. It is hard to say HOW to be a winner. A winner is not someone who necessarily wins but someone who accomplishes what they set out to accomplish… whatever that may be. To win competitions especially high level ones, it helps to have the X factor; Compatible in all aspects technical, mental and physical.
JJ: Last but not least…Are there any sayings that you have, that you always say to your students? Is there a motto that you’ve run through? I have a little column, and it has “Advice from the Legends,” just little blurbs that someone can read and say, “Oh yeah, that’s a typical Oliver saying.” Is there anything that you have?
OL:‘It’s not what you do; it’s how you do it’
And
‘Be yourself; there are enough other people’
Thanx Oliver!
Your information and knowledge is top notch!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Pictures by www.samssnapshots.com
Bio...
Oliver Pineda - International Artist
Artistic Director
Choreographer
Performer
Lead Instructor
Co-founder of Latin Motion
Oliver Pineda is Australia’s only 2 time World Salsa Champion having recently competed and won the
2005 1st Annual World Salsa Championships in Nevada, Las Vegas.
Born in Australia of Chilean descent, this young man is one of Sydney's most undisputed talents. His unique style of dance and clear precise teaching methods make him one of Australia's most admired and sought after dancers and instructors.
Although passionate about Salsa and Mambo, Oliver's dance experience also extends to Rueda, Merengue, Lambada, Samba, Cumbia, Cha Cha, Rumba, Afro Cuban Rumba, Jive and Paso Doble as well as Modern dances such as the Waltz , Slow Foxtrot, Quick Step and Jazz. In addition to his dancing expertise, he is also a well known percussionist playing in some of Sydney’s top Salsa bands, mastering the timbales, congas and bongo amongst other percussive instruments. His early performance experience within the Brazilian culture has enabled him to handle the snare drum, zurdo, pandero and the hepinique.
His black belt achievements as a Martial Artist has also equipped him with an understanding of the basics of Capoeira.
Oliver is also proud to have represented Australia at several Championships of Dancesport at national and international level. With 7 years training in Dancesport, Oliver chooses instead to pursue the music and dance of his Latin American roots. Oliver has worked with the well known Australian film director Baz Luhrman assisting with Latin choreography for the recent film 'Moulin Rouge'.
It was Oliver and his partner who were captured on international television screens, leading the "Americas" segment out onto the field in the Olympic Opening Ceremonies Sydney 2000.
It was also Oliver who was given the honor of being Australia’s first Male dancer ever to be featured on the cover of Australia’s VIVA Magazine ‘The Only Australian Lifestyle Magazine about the Latino World’in it’s December issue 2004.
After winning the title of IDO World Salsa Champion 2001 with his partner Luda Kroitor, and being the first Australian International Representatives, Oliver decided to take himself and his company, Latin Motion
to the international circuit.
He danced in and was the choreographer for the routines performed at the Annual West Coast Salsa Congress in Los Angeles, in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 as well as the Zurich Salsa Congress 2003. He added the role of Instructor to his international performance accomplishments at the Paris Salsa Congress 2003, UK Salsa Congress 2004, New Orleans Salsa Congress 2005 and the Annual West Coast Salsa Congress in LA 2005 . Furthermore, in 2005, Oliver has also been invited to perform and teach in Puerto Rico, New York, Dubai, Greece, UK, New Zealand, Japan and Las Vegas.
Oliver also heads the highest caliber student performance group in Australia, the ‘Latin Motion Rising Stars’ who till today are proud to be the only Australian Student performance group ever to perform at an international Salsa Congress, the LA Salsa Congress 2004 and again in 2005. The Rising Stars have performed at the Sydney Salsa Congress 2005 and have also been invited to perform at the UK Salsa Congress this year.
Oliver is Latin Motion’s artistic director and is proud to be the choreographer, lead dancer and trainer for the Latin Motion team which has now represented Australia overseas over 10 times in 2 years. He was a founding member of the original 'Rueda Dance Group' introducing Rueda to Sydney in 1999 and was one of the instigators of Linear Style Salsa in 2000. Oliver now turns his attention to Mambo ‘On 2’ and is proud to be one of the pioneers of this style in Australia.
Personal website: www.latinmotion.com.au
Latin Motion Dance Academy (02) 9557-7751 mamboli@latinmotion.com.au
(note: videos by nuevotec.com , alberttorresevents.com, espn.com and youtube.com)
Although many may argue that Colombian style salsa is missing many elements of the other more popular world salsa styles such as Cuban, Puerto Rican, New York, and Los Angeles styles, it still has a new dimension in footwork that is unsurpassed by any other style. Swing Latino from Cali Colombia have demonstrated this over the past few years in the World Salsa Championships placing always in the top 3 rankings every year. Of course they are more well known for 2 divisions, CABARET (all out lifts, tricks, crazy category really) and the TEAM DIVISION.
According to the director for SWING LATINO, Luis Eduardo Hernandez states that members practice 2hrs everyday, 7 days a week! Now thats dedication. He has shown the path for not only his students to salsa domination but has shown the world how beautiful the Colombian style can be as demonstrated in some of the following videos.
This is a compilation of videos over the past years of SWING LATINO. ENJOY!!
(ETOWNSALSA note: Sorry for the delay, enjoy the vids by www.nuevotec.com)
Orlando, Florida--(HISPANIC PR WIRE) —August 15, 2007—The Salsa Seven Inc., producer of the World Salsa Championship for ESPN TV network, announced today the selection of the city of Orlando and the magical world of Walt Disney World as the venue for the 2007 version of the event, which will take place Dec. 12-16.
After its resounding success in 2006 in Las Vegas, the World Salsa Championship —a huge international competition in which participating dancers put their artistic skills to the test under the group and individual categories (New York and Los Angeles style) and the group/cabaret category, as they seek to win a $20,000 cash award in each division— will take place at the popular Walt Disney World complex’s Coronado Springs Resort, which will give the gathering particular significance.
“We are very excited about going to Orlando this year. Orlando has earned a reputation as a city that loves salsa, and in Disney, we have found a perfect partner. Disney witnessed the quality of our event last year, and immediately extended a cordial invitation for us to hold the event in one of its most prestigious tourist resorts, the Coronado Springs Resort,” said Albert Torres, a member of Salsa Seven and a renowned producer of salsa events throughout the world.
“This partnership between Salsa Seven and Walt Disney World is expected to be successful and to produce an extraordinary multicultural experience,” added Betty Martínez Lowery, Disney’s minority business development manager. “We are proud to be the venue for this competition, in which dance experts from throughout the world gather in our theme parks to decide who the planet’s best dancers are.”
During the Third Annual World Salsa Championship in 2007, in which dancers from more than 40 countries will participate, representatives from Australia, Colombia, Mexico, United States, Puerto Rico and Venezuela will defend their titles in their respective divisions. The four-day event is expected to bring together winning couples and groups from different salsa competitions throughout the world. In addition, competitors and the general public will enjoy daily seminars/workshops and shows led by the genre’s most prominent artists like El Gran Combo that will be performing on Thursday December 13,right after the competition.
For the third consecutive year, the Third Annual World Salsa Championship will be broadcast by ESPN International and Transworld International, under the direction of noted producer Rob Beiner, winner of 12 EMMY awards. Beiner has produced or directed more than 2,000 live, cable or pay-per-view sports and entertainment broadcasts in leading television networks, such as ABC Sports, CBS, NBC Sports, USA Network and ESPN. His successful career as producer and director includes broadcasts of seven Olympic Games, important boxing championships such as the Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield match, NCAA basketball and football games, Comedy Central and the Kentucky Derby.
Holding the Third Annual World Salsa Championship in Orlando also offers the possibility of linking the popular vacation destination to an unprecedented salsa event, a well-known musical and dancing genre. And to make it possible for members of the public interested in enjoying the magical world of Disney to also attend the unsurpassed competition among salseros, event producers have created attractive, all-inclusive travel packages that include accommodations at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and admission to the competition every night, with live music on the facility’s giant dance floor.
Here are the Final Results
On 1
1st Abel Pena & Zulmara Torres (USA/Mexico)
2nd Roberto Arenas Jr & Marie Josee Strazzero (Chile & Canada)
3rd David Nieto & Charlene Rose(USA & Canada)
On 2
1st Oliver Pineda & Luda Kroiter (Chile & Australia)(view Oliver interview for videos)
2nd Jhesus Aponte & Marielys Molina (Puerto Rico & New York)
2nd Pioneros del Ritmo (Columbia)
3rd Aces del Ritmo (Columbia)
Semi Final Scores
Semi Final Results On 1
Isidro Corona & Sheila Cepeda 88.3 Roberto Arenas Jr & Marie Josee Strazzero 85.11
David Nieto & Charlene Rose 82.31
Johnatan Platero & Sophia Cepeda 82.32 Ibicocay Regueira & Marina Prada 82.07 Abel Pena & Zulmara Torres 81.6
Ricardo Tellez & Tianne Frias 81.25
Sergio Jasso & Gabriela Equiz 81.25 Kikis Kakoullis & Elina Kostova 81.02
Tetsu Kasahra & Emi Uno 80.98
Semi Final Results On 2
Oliver Pineda & Luda Kroiter 89.3 Luis Aguilar & Anna Katsevman 85.811 Mario Alabi & Emily Alabi 84.5 Raul Santiago & Sergia Anderson 82.944 John Narvaez & Liz Rojas 81.577 Juan Pablo Diaz & Cristina Verdu 79.056 Alfredo Torres & Petya Mukaova 78.933
Anichi Bauer & Anne Boehm 78.544
Jhesus Aponte & Marielys Molina 78.01
Alberto Muriel & Ingrid Rivera 78.111
Semi Final Results Cabaret
John Gerner & Judy Aguilar 92.588 Nilson Castro & Deisy Rolden 84.933 Gerson Rivas & Emilse Montero 83.633 Christian Montenegro & Adrian Torres 83.444
Pablo Baez & Diana Montoya 82.3 John Rodriguez & Johana Vazquez 81.411
Kelvin Hernandez & Lielott Maldonado 81.1
Jonier Torres & Dayian Molina 82.811 Jose Serrano & Charlotte Serrano 79.15
Semi Final Results Team
Swing Latino 96.233
Pioneros del Ritmo 89.377
Aces del Ritmo 88.922 Son De Cali 88.077 Fusion Salsera 84.6
Dancesport All Stars 84.011
Modus Vivendi 82.988
Sabor Latino 82.366
Salsa Heat 80.477 Korean All Stars 79.211
Albert Torres has established himself as a strong presence for producing and promoting International Latin Entertainment events and concerts. He has garnered an esteemed reputation within the entertainment industry as the Bill Graham of Latin Entertainment. Choosing any one of these congresses, you will find an amazing inspiration to not only continue your salsa journey but to make it a life committment that not even I myself ever imagined. Please find below a list of 2008 Salsa Congresses for this year.
Congresses around the
world . . .
2008 Salsa Congresses Calendar
Hawaii Salsa Festival- Honolulu, Hawaii
January 31 - February 3, 2008
Salt Lake Salsa Congress- Utah
February 15 - 17, 2008
Calgary International Salsa Congress - Calgary, Canada
February 15 - 17, 2008
Zurich Salsa Festival - Switzerland
February 21 - 24, 2008
Albert Torres Japan Tour
Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Takamasu - Japan
February 26 - March 5, 2008
8º Encuentro Int. de Ritmos Latinos - Murcia, Spain
March 13 - 16, 2008
NZ Pacific Salsa Congress - Wellington, New Zealand
March 20 - 23, 2008
Scandinavian Salsa Congress - Sweden
March 27 - 30, 2008
Montreal Salsa Convention - Montreal, Canada
April 17 - 20, 2008
4th Fanta BG Salsa Festival - Sophia, Bulgaria
May 1 - 4, 2008
International Hustle And Salsa Competition - Miami, Florida
May 1 - 4, 2008
Gandia Salsa Congress
May 22 - 25, 2008
10th Annual West Coast Salsa Congress - Los Angeles, CA
May 29 -June 1, 2008
Paris Mambo Festival, Paris, France
June 6 - 8, 2008
Stuttgart Congress
June 5 - 8, 2008
4th Annual GEMINI Salsa Competition - Portland, OR
June 12 - 15, 2008
8th Annual Hawaii Summer Salsafest - Honolulu, Hawaii
June 19 - 21, 2008
Spain Salsa Festival - Barcelona, Spain
June 26 - 29, 2008
Chicago Salsa Festival 2008 - Chicago
June 26 - 29, 2008
Philadelphia Salsa Congress - Philadelphia
July 3 - 6, 2008
Las Vegas Salsa Congress - Nevada
July 4 - 6, 2008
Korea Salsa Congress - Seoul, Korea
July 10 - 13, 2008
International Salsa Festival - Hamburg, Germany
July 18 - 20, 2008
Miami Salsa Congress
July 30 - August 3, 2008
Black Sea Salsa Congress
August 1 - 3, 2008
Romania Salsa Congress
August 7 - 10, 2008
India Salsa Congress
August 14 - 17, 2008
Castellon Salsa Festival - Castellon, Spain
August 15 -17, 2008
Excalibur Competition Finals - Chicago
Finals August 14th, 2008
Monaco Salsa Congress
August 21 - 24, 2008
Riga Salsa Festival - Riga, Latvia
August 28 - 31, 2008
New York Salsa Congress
August 27 - 31, 2008
Australian Salsa Classic - Sydney, Australia
August 29 - 31, 2008
Venezuela Salsa Congress
September 4 - 7, 2008
Festival de Salsa de Cali, Colombia
September 10 - 15, 2008
Contact Info: elmulatoysuswing@hotmail.com
2nd Annual San Diego Salsa Festival - California
September 18 - 21, 2008
China Salsa Congress - Bejing, China
October 2 - 5, 2008
Canada Salsa Congress - Toronto, Canada
October 9 - 12, 2008
Marakeesh, Morocco Salsa Congress
October 10 - 12, 2008
Puerto Rico Hustle and Salsa Festival
October 16 - 19, 2008
Peru Salsa Congress- Lima, Peru
October 23 - 26, 2008
Singapore International Salsa Festival - Singapore
October 23 - 26, 2008
2008 Japan Salsa Congress - Tokyo, Japan
October 30 - November 2, 2008
Rome Salsa Congress
November 6 - 9, 2008
Eliminatoria Centro Americanas de Salsa - Antigua, Guatemala
November 13-16, 2008
San Francisco International Salsa Congress - California
November 20 - 23, 2008
Acapulco / Mexico World Salsa Congress - Acapulco, Mexico
November 27 - 30, 2008
4th Annual World Salsa Championships - Orlando, FL
Tuesday, 18 September 2007
Review by Latin Lady DJ Margarita
New Swing Sextet - Back on the Street
Label: Emusica / FANIA
Release Date: November 11, 2007
"Back On The Streets", how appropriately these gentlemen named the project that would re-introduce "New Swing Sextet" to this generation of Salseros!
I feel privileged to present to our readers a bit of history about this amazing group of "seasoned" and extremely talented musicians, who previously had their fans and audiences "dancin' in the streets", approximately 28 years ago, before retiring from professional performances in 1979, for the first time!
George Rodriguez and New Swing Sextet were pretty much done with performing and were basically leading "normal" lives with families, raising children and running their own businesses, when George received the call from a good friend pleading with him to help him out by playing at an event. The reply was a polite, "thanks, but no thanks, we're not together anymore..."
Fortunately, for us, this persistent friend continued to "work" the remainder of the band members who collectively agreed and before long the band was indeed performing at this particular event, from which opportunities, offers and invitations followed for additional work. The rest as we say, is history. The group reunited, and began performing again.
If you've ever been influenced by or simply been attracted to the magic of "vibes" such as in renditions by Lionel Hampton or Cal Tjader (who truly made an impression in my own discovery of Latin Jazz), then I guarantee that you're going to love "Back On the Streets" and New Swing Sextet.
Listening to the tracks over and over I was reminded of the many times that we as parents tell our children to walk and not run, to stop, look and listen. Those lessons also contained inner lessons that taught me to slow down, to stop and "smell the roses", enjoy life, grasp the beauty as it passes you by, don't miss a minute of it, because once it's gone, that's it! Time, the one thing we can never, ever get back.
Hving learned to appreciate those lessons, I want to share that this is one album that you will most definitely NOT want to rush through. This one is one bad ass mother of a recording that hits the very core of the heart and what most Salsa aficionados will call "home." Whether it's because it takes them back to the streets of NYC, or simply back to an era where although life was tough, it was simple too.
It was a time where music was an integral part of growing up and music appreciation was taught right down the street on 110th. Where everyone knew everyone else and where you went to school with Tito, Johnny or Alfredo. "Back On The Streets" isn't just a recording, this is a journey of cherished memories of happy yesterdays filled with friends, family, laughter and dancing. It's also a statement proclaiming "We're Back!"
This is the kind of music that goe directly to your heart and soul because it's played from that very place. Can you feel it? I can. I'm there, front stage, starry eyed and open-mouthed in awe of being in the presence of such talented artists. All I can do is swing my head to and fro, close my eyes and my body sways to the rhythm of clave. Each track has it's own heartbeat. What a wonderful way to express all that is good in life.
Those vibes lift me to yet another level of bliss, taking it slow, savoring each and every melodic stroke, noting added sensuality & quality that vibes brings to salsa, latin jazz or any other genre for that matter. That it is SALSA for me, is just an added plus. Personally, the vibes touches yet another part of that inner musician that yearns in my own soul to come forth.
It is not only the beauty of music that fills me emotionally, but the beauty and the love that went into the creation of the music, that same love and passion resonate in every note played. You'll hear it and you'll feel it. "Back On The Streets" is truly an exceptional piece of work of which New Swing Sextet should feel immensely proud of.
Yes, I'm biased. But the above comments come from the heart of this musician, who turned out to be a Lady Dj! If it is true that "the Artist creates the music and the Dj delivers the message" then it is with an immense sense of pride and I so willingly accept the responsibility of getting this message to the masses!
I love this CD and I knw without a shadow of a doubt that it's going to be very successful!
Track titles include:
Buenas Noches Che Che
Bobo Eres Tu
El Ratón (one of my favorite tracks)
Sarandonga
El Balcón Aquel
The Monster
Amor Jibaro
Ay Cariño
El Bongo
Flight
El Tiroteo
Monta Mi Caballito
Be sure to listen closely to track 3 "El Ratón" which truly is one of my favorites, and which features George Rodriguez's own son "Alejandro" who contributes to this number with a bit of "rap" adding a unique quality to this already popular and renown piece of music. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
The album in it's entirety is superb and I highly recommend that everyone add it to their personal and/or professional music collection!
Bravo New Swing Sextet!! Here's hoping that your second retirement is a long way off!
Congratulations and welcome again to being.... "Back On The Streets".
Visit New Swing Sextet's page on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/newswingsextet ), where you can listen to 2 of the tracks featured on the upcoming new release; Buenas Noches Che Che & Bongo. Remember to come back and visit their page for news on where to purchase the cd.
Here is a list of songs being played at social nights here in Edmonton. All of these musicians are from either New York or Puerto Rican descent. Some singers are not descendants from here such as Ruben Blades(Panamanian) Justo Betancourt (Cuban) and Celia Cruz (Cuban) but their musicians ARE and hence have more of that mambo on2 feel to them that I LOVE SO MUCH. Some songs need to be slowed down and if you CAN, GREAT! At least for the dancers. Otherwise , great to listen to. Oh and for actually purchasing a current album, PLEASE GET the soundtrack for El Cantante (Marc Anthony singing classics originally sung and made popular by the late Hector Lavoe).
About getting these songs, without breaking any laws, you can find these songs through www.descarga.com or if you have an ITunes account. You can also go to the Faniarecords.com website to purchase singles. ENJOY!!
Ray Barretto - La Familia
Ray Barretto - Indestructible
Tommy Olivencia - Palante Otra Vez
Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez - 3 and 1 (slow it down)
Willie Rosario - Arrepentios Pecadores (slow it down)
Bobby Valentín - Cuando Te Vea
Impacto Crea - Que Es Lo Que Pasa (Cheo Feliciano)
Impacto Crea - El Errante
Orchestra Harlow - Yambu Pa' Gozar
Impacto Crea - Despierte Ya
Orchestra Harlow - Silencio
Orchestra Harlow - La Oportunidad
Bobby Valentín - Jurame
El Gran Combo - Ojos Chinos (Salsa Remix Classics Revisited Album)
El Gran Combo - Se Me Fue (Salsa Remix Classics Revisited Album)
El Gran Combo - Me Libere (Salsa Remix Classics Revisited Album)
Jimmy Sabater - Malambo (make sure to slow down sounds great)
Conjunto Borincuba - Guaguancon De Corazon (slow it down)
Azabache - Batman and Spiderman (slow it down)
Fania Allstars - Bamboleo
Ocho y Mas - Plantacion Adentro
Ocho y Mas - Toro Mata
Ocho y Mas - Vamos A Reir Un Poco
Ocho y Mas - Esa Prieta
Ray Barretto - Vale Mas Un Guaguanco
Roberto Roena - En Mis Rosales
Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony - No Me Ames (salsa)
Roberto Roena - Avisale a Mi Contrario
Sonora Poncena - Yambeque
Ruben Blades - Pedro Navaja
Justo Betancourt - No estás en nada
Bobby Valentin - Ven Rumbero
Here are some classics from "The Singer of Singers" or El Cantante de los Cantantes, HECTOR LAVOE! First is a classic from Fania in Zaire , then another one at the famous Cheetah Club in New York, and thirdly Hectors final concert that he dismisses himself from his public. Below are some translations to the lyrics for El Cantante as well. Enjoy!
Hector Lavoe - Mi Gente
NOTE: 1974 performance in front of 80,000 fans in Zaire, in conjunction with the "Rumble in the Jungle," the famous boxing match between Mohammed Ali and George Foreman. Featured legendary musicians such as Ray Barretto, Santos Colon, Cheo Feliciano, Larry Harlow, Pupi Lagarretta, Hector Lavoe, Nicky Marrero, Ismael Miranda, Ismael Quintana, Roberto Roena, Jorge Santana, Yomo Toro, and Bobby Valentinö.
Hector Lavoe - Aires de Navidad
NOTE: On August 26, 1971, the Fania artists congregated at El Cheetah nightclub in midtown Manhattan for a concert and dance which resulted in the movie “Our Latin Thing.” In the movie, salsa is never mentioned. The movie premiered July 19, 1972 at the Line 2 theatre at 48th and 7th Avenue, NYC. It received favorable reviews from the Daily News and the New York Times. But nowhere in the review was salsa mentioned.
Hector Lavoe - El Cantante
NOTE: Hector personally announces his last performance as he is not returning and that he is going to die. He wants to thank everyone his public.
Spanish Lyrics:
Yo, soy el cantante
Que hoy han venido a escuchar
Lo mejor, del repertorio
A ustedes voy a brindar
Y canto a la vida
De risas y penas
De Momentos malos
Y de cosas buenas
Vinieron a divertirse
Y pagaron en la puerta
No hay tiempo para tristezas
Vamos cantante comienza!
Eh le leee! le lee!
Me paran, siempre en la calle
Mucha gente que comenta
"Oye Hector! tu estas hecho,
Siempre con hembras y en fiestas!"
Y nadie pregunta
Si sufro si lloro
Si tengo una pena
Que hiere muy hondo
Yo soy el cantante
Por que lo mio es cantar
Y el publico paga
Para poderme escuchar
Yo, soy el cantante
Muy popular donde quiera
Pero cuando el show se acaba
Soy otro humano cualquiera
Y sigo mi vida
Con risas y penas
Con ratos amargos
Y con cosas buenas
Yo soy el cantante
Y me negocio es cantar
Y a los que me siguen
Mi cancion voy a brindar
Hoy te dedico, mis mejores pregones! (3x)
Son mejor que los de ayer, comparenme criticones!
Hoy te dedico, mis mejores pregones!
Si no me quieren en vida, cuando muera no me lloren!
Hoy te dedico, mis mejores pregones!
Yo te canto de la vida, olvida tus penas y tus dolores!
Hoy te dedico, mis mejores pregones!
Baila si quieres bailar, canta si quieres cantar mamá!
Hoy te dedico, mis mejores pregones!
Yo soy el cantante, vamo' a celebrar, no quiero tristezas lo mios es cantar, cantar!
Hoy te dedico, mis mejores pregones!
El pregon de la montaña, esa si que eres canciones!
Hoy te dedico, mis mejores pregones!
Oh le lo la laaa, a la laa laaa ! Escucha mi pregón que diceeee!
Lo le lo la le lo la le la laaa laaaa!
ENGLISH TRANSLATION - partial
I, am the singer
that you have come to listen to today
only the best of my repertoire
will i bring to you
and i sing of life
of laughter and of sorrow
of low moments
and of good ones
you came to have a good time
and you paid at the door
theres no time for sadness
lets go singer, begin
they stop me in the streets
many people comment
HEY HECTOR! you are always surrounded by women and festive
and no one asks
if i suffer or cry
if i have sorrows
that hurt real deep
i am the singer
because whats mine is to sing
and the public pays
to listen to me sing
i am the singer
very popular where it be
but when the show ends
im just any other person
i continue my life
with laughter and sorrows
with moments bitter
and other moments great
i am the singer
and my business is to sing
and those who follow
my sing I am going to salut
Ok so this post is not intended to argue against the negative feedback surrounding "El Cantante." The purpose is to inform others that they can watch the movie and actually take some positive things away from it. I would hope that people don't JUST listen to the negatives and see the movie for themselves and formulate their OWN opinions.
When was the last time someone saw a great movie and posted something about it? Not too often... but of course when something 'sucks' everyone has their opinion.
I totally respect the comments of Willie Colon and Milton Cardona (posted below) and agree with what they said. But the reality is, unless Willie Colon or Milton Cardona were producing the movie, they don't have much say about the content they provided. It is unfortunate their input wasn't used as much as they (and many others) would have hoped. In fact! There is another Hector Lavoe movie being produced (for these reasons) and that is great! People took action on what they didn't like and they are trying to do Hector a little more justice.
*
Did the movie OVER-emphasize Hector Lavoe's Drug Addiction? YES
*
Could the movie have highlighted more of Lavoe's positive contributions? YES
*
Was the movie inaccurate in some aspects? YES
*
Did the movie have a lot of J-Lo? YES
Let's get that out of the way... There were plenty of areas in the movie that needed improvement. Moving on....
First is the drug use... I would venture to say that about 80-90% of salsa fans at most have read a bio or two on hector from somewhere online. Most bios may have a sentence or two about his drug use and that's it. That's a good thing because we want to hear about the positives. At the same time, it leaves the majority not knowing that Hector was heavily addicted to drugs. When these people see the movie, it comes as a 'shock' that he was "SUCH" a drug addict. Through interviews and research, many will tell you that what was seen in the movie was in fact the truth.
So... was it true, yes.... Should they have emphasized it as much, probably not....
Let's think about this for a minute... As soon as word got out that Marc and J-LO were doing the movie, there was immediate criticism... Interestingly, I didn't hear about or see a movie from those who criticized, made about Hector. I am talking about musicians with money and influence with the potential to make a movie of this magnitude... Nope no movie from them, but plenty of criticism. Brings us back to "want something done, do it yourself"... Cliche yes but it's the reality.
Going back to Marc and J-Lo... who I am not big fans of; but think about the impact this movie has. An ALMOST ALL latino cast, latino director, and Latino producers. Wait, let me think back to another recent movie with the same credits.... hmmmmmm... kinda hard to think of one....
Is it a negative portrayal of latinos? ABSOLUTELY... I don't disagree one bit. But ultimately, Hector Lavoe's name as a "SALSA SUPERSTAR" will be known through anglo suburbs and households. Can't say that was the case before this movie. In addition, I can't tell you how many non-spanish speaking supporters of Lavoe loved the translation within the songs during the movie. A famous quote that I have heard following the movie "I always sang the lyrics but didn't know what he was saying or what he was singing about."
Again, was is the movie somewhat inaccurate, YES..... BUT.... there was plenty of accurate information for anyone wanting to learn more about Hector Lavoe and these individuals should really go see this movie... add it to everything else you learn from youtube.com and any other interview/bio you've read. Just more info to keep you better informed.
Aside from the historical and controversial aspects, I thought the movie looked good. This wasn't a low budget independent film with a chippy chop editing job. It was quality and I wouldn't expect anything less than with J-Lo producing it.
So in conclusion... see the movie for yourself. Don't let the negative feedback disuade you from seeing a decent movie, especially if you are salsa/Lavoe fan.
Will I buy the DVD? Damm right, cause who knows when the next time a latino decides to step up and make a movie about one of our great legends?
Chris Soto
LaVoz Magazine - Executive Editor
http://www.myspace.com/themamboproject
The Creators of El Cantante missed an opportunity to do something of relevance for our community. The real story was about Hector fighting the obstacles of a non-supportive industry that took advantage of entertainers with his charisma and talent. Instead they did another movie about two Puerto Rican junkies.
The impact of drugs in the entertainment industry is nothing new; look at Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Whitney Houston today. I think Hector deserves the recognition the movie pretended to give him.
However, as someone who advised the producers, it's painfully obvious that they didn't understand what made him so important. It was the music. It was his talent. They didn't understand or respect the true importance of this music to people around the world.
It's difficult to comprehend how two individuals who are in the music business like Marc and Jennifer are not aware of the damage and the consequences of promoting only the negative side of our Latin music culture.
I was disappointed that there wasn't a minimal effort to correct what I felt were serious chronological and factual errors. Similarly, the wrong story was told in The Capeman with disastrous economic consequences.
After the premier of El Cantante in Puerto Rico there was several statements of protest by people who had supported and participated in the project until they saw it. Their complaints were not about sour grapes or J-lo and Marc bashing but from a sense of betrayal and disappoinment. We are all invested in the world that this movie represents.
For many of us the hope of our story finally being told sank into the horizon with the final version of this film.
MORE TO COME....
Víctor Manuelle, Herman Oliveras, Puerto Rico Big Band, Luisito Carrión, Rigo Y Su Obra Maestra, Hector Lavoe Memories, Mark Quiñones Y Ocho Mas, Son de Madre, NG2, La Mulenze, Sammy Garcia Y El Sabor De Puerto Rico
The Spanish Harlem Orchestra
United We Swing
CD (Six Degrees 1134), Released May 15, 2007;
Editor's Pick:
The highly anticipated new Spanish Harlem Orchestra release is here, and it's a salsa blitzkrieg. Featuring the talent of Oscar Hernandez, Gil Lopez, Johnny Ortiz, Ray De La Paz and many others. This is the real deal, folks — the fire that burns in the heart of Latin dance music. Get it *now*. With special guest Paul Simon who sings on the last track.
Complete review to follow shortly.
Very Highly Recommended. (BP, 2007-05-11)
Song titles include:
SHO Intro (Oscar Hernandez) 3:53
Llego La Orquesta (Gil Lopez) 6:02
En El Tiempo Del Palladium (Gil Lopez) 5:43
Se Formó La Rumba (Willie Torres) 5:33
Sacala Bailar (Oscar Hernandez) 6:11
Ahora Si (Georgio Montessino) 5:26
Que Bonito (Marco Bermudez) 5:23
Salsa Pa'l Bailador (Ray De La Paz) 4:36
Mujer Divina (Nick Jimenez) 5:30
Soy Candela (Johnny Ortiz) 5:17
Plena Con Sabor (Oscar Hernandez) 4:36
Danzon For My Father (Oscar Hernandez) 6:06
Late In The Evening / Tarde En La Noche (Paul Simon) 4:12
Musicians include:
Oscar Hernandez Leader, piano, musical director
Ray De La Paz Vocals
Wille Torres Vocals, maracas, güiro
Marco Bermudez Vocals
John Walsh Trumpet
Pete Nater Trumpet
Jimmy Bosch Trombone
Dan Reagan Trombone
Mitch Frohman Baritone sax, flute
Luisito Quintero Timbales
George Delgado Congas
Jorge Gonzalez Bongos
Héctor "Maximo" Rodriguez Bass
Héctor Colón Trumpet
Paul Simon Vocals on "Late in The Evening / Tarde en La Noche"
Category: Salsa/Son => Salsa
Shipping Value: 1
ORDER TL-22411.10 CD $15.98
MPAA Rating: R for drug use, pervasive language and some sexuality.
El Cantante
Yo! The most dangerous and displaced Dominican in Hollywood EL MAYIMBE here!
FELIZ DIA DE LOS TRES REYES! (Happy Three Kings Day!)
Three Kings Day is celebrated on January 6th, twelve days after Christmas.
It is often viewed as the last day of the Christmas season (the end of the 12
days of Christmas). January 6 is called Epiphany and is traditionally the day
in which the Magi arrived bearing gifts for the Christ child. Even to this day
in Hispanic countries throughout the world, January 6 is the day that children
receive their Christmas gifts, in commemoration of the Magi's visit. For centuries
Puerto Rican children have celebrated Los Reyes in the same manner as their
grandparents did when they were children.
Today being a day heavily celebrated by Puerto Ricans, what better gift than
to give my fellow Boricuas, Latinos, and Salsa lovers around the world an advanced
look and a script review for the upcoming bio pic of Ponce, PR’s favorite
son, El Cantante de Los Cantantes, folk hero Héctor Lavoe!
EL CANTANTE
B y Leon Ichaso
9/28/05 draft
107 pages
Come on now folks. A Latino film currently shooting, written by, directed by
and starring Latinos?! You know we was gonna get our hands on this script! Hello!
That is what Latinoreview.com is all about, the Latin perspective on films.
So what is the verdict? Is it whack? Is it good?
Well, IT’S A FUCKING GREAT SCRIPT!
I loved it! El Cantante is easily one of my anticipated top 5 films to watch
in 2006.
Let me explain – and please hear me out.
Like
a lot of folks, I liked Jennifer Lopez back in the days when she was simply
an actress – when she rocked the roles in MI FAMILIA, SELENA, MONEY TRAIN,
and OUT OF SIGHT. I liked her before the megalomania and the tabloid fodder
life style kicked in. For the longest, and I agree with her critics, she has
been playing it fairly safe in these whack romantic comedies – roles that
could be phoned in. She hasn’t really stretched as an actress since OUT
OF SIGHT and taken a role the she really has to go all out and act her ass off
(no pun intended). Another thing I found annoying that she was trying really
damn hard to pass for a blanquita and play all these white roles and bleaching
her hair blond and such. Sorry nena, motherfuckers weren’t buying it.
But I always held out hope that maybe one day she would go back to her Nuyorican
roots and rock a role big time and play a hardcore Latina character that would
best showcase her acting ability.
Folks, let me tell you, the role of Héctor Lavoe’s Nuyorican wife,
NILDA ROMAN PEREZ, better known as PUCHI is that role. My prayers have been
answered. The role of Puchi is very hardcore that requires an actress with some
chops to pull it off. You will see Jennifer in a light never seen before. If
she pulls it off as written, we are talking acting awards again. Puchi is the
role she was born to play. The character of Puchi is a very tragic figure. Puchi
was thrust into the spotlight at a very young age and did everything in her
power to hold it down, for herself, for her son Tito, and for the love of her
life, El Cantante, Héctor Lavoe – whose life was spiraling out
of control as we get to see.
The same critics who have been yearning for Jennifer to stretch are the same
critics who probably won’t even give this movie even a chance because
she is starring opposite her husband, the very talented Marc Anthony who plays
the title character of Héctor Lavoe. The buzz that I am reading online
from the jodido gossip mongers are quite disturbing and completely unfair and
unfounded. A lot of it was quite racist too. It’s bullshit. That is why
I tracked this script down. I wanted to see this for myself.
I’m telling all my fellow Latinos out there to completely ignore the
white media and go support this film when it comes out. You see, Kellvin or
I go to critic’s screenings of films all the time and he or I are usually
the only people of ethnicity at these things. Most of your critics are crusty
old ass white folks who don’t know jack about Salsa, Latin music, Latin
culture and as Willie Colon says in the film, “Our Latin Thing.”
Para el carajo con eso coño! The Héctor Lavoe story is an important
story and it has got a talented writer/director Leon Ichaso running the show.
Latino Films at the studio level, at least those films made for U.S. Hispanic
audiences are far and few between and come around only a handful of times every
couple of years. Don’t get me wrong, I love foreign Latino films, but
myself like a majority of Latinos born here in the states yearn to see our movies
homegrown. The Héctor Lavoe story is one of those kinds of movies. The
idiots at Voy Pictures and especially Panamax Films sadly don’t get it
- the minute the entire movie has to be subtitled, you lost us. For example,
I absolutely loved Cronicas, an excellent film, but because it was subtitled,
Latinos in America avoided it like the plague hence why it only made 300k at
the box office.
My readers, especially my Latino readers from around the globe know I don’t
fuck around. Take it from us, if a Latino script is whack, like Panamax’s
upcoming REGGAETON
by Agustin, then we will tell you the shit is whack. If a Latino script is dope,
we will sing it’s praises and bring it to your attention and promote the
shit out of it.
El Cantante deserves a fair shot. I am going to be the first motherfucker excitedly
on line to pay $10 to see this so as Public Enemy once sang, don’t believe
the hype - at least the negative hype from the tabloids, about Jennifer acting
in a movie with Marc Anthony. Ignore all that shit and go see and support this
film.
So who was Héctor Lavoe? Known worldwide as “El Cantante,”
(The Singer) in the music business many refer to him as “Salsa’s
Bad Boy” but everyone acknowledges him as the Legendary Héctor
Lavoe. And without a doubt, he is one of Salsa’s most popular superstars.
Many people consider him to be the greatest Puerto Rican singer of our time.
For en excellent and detailed biography, check out Izzy Sanbria’s excellent
write up go “HERE”
The story in El Cantante is told from Puchi’s point of view. The script
takes place in 2002 and opens in her tenement apartment in the Bronx as she
listens to Héctor on the cassette deck. She leaves the apartment and
goes to where the old Fania Records headquarters was for an interview. The first
set pictures from Hollywood
Tuna shows an older Puchi in front of an electronics store, right
before she enters Fania Records as she looks across at Madison Square Garden
and reminisces. It is Puchi’s birthday and she takes the interviewer through
voiceover and flashback to her days with Héctor. Let’s take a peek.
PUCHI He didn’t know how much he had…never
believed how much people loved him.
He had it all…and he had me…for more
than twenty years. Was it love? What is?
One thing I know; it was special…and when
you looked at us, you saw something…so maybe
it was. I thought so. I did. Our life was like a dream.
The next scene takes us back and shows us how Puchi held it down. We flashback
to her getting dolled up for a night on the town in her bedroom from the time
her and Héctor lived on 55th street. She leaves the bedroom grabbing
a man’s white suit as she enters the living room and leaves with COOKIE,
one of Héctor’s assistants for an ugly mission. She tells her son
TITO on the way out that she expects him home when she returns. Puchi and Cookie
leave the high-rise apartment building and enter a waiting limo. The limo takes
them down to another world full of junkies and predators on the trash-ridden
streets of Losiada on 9th street and Avenue C. The limo stops in front of a
squatter’s tenement building. The lookout guy let’s Puchi in.
PUCHI Love is never perfect when it is real love…
we were meant for each other for better
or worse. We both knew that…and I don’t mean
it like today’s soulmate type of shit…nah.
It was old fashioned love. It was good,
it was bad, it was beautiful.
Puchi
passes a line of junkies and another lookout guy and makes it all the way up
to the shooting gallery on the 2nd floor. Three unshaven, stoned men, dressed
in dirty sweat suits, sit on a couch, one wearing sunglasses. The table in front
of them is covered in drug gear. Puchi struts in. Everyone freezes except the
guy wearing the sunglasses, who waves…and smiles, unable to to disguise
the absurdity of playing dead with so much to live for. It’s Héctor.
Just a tad surprised.
The limo flies uptown. Puchi and Cookie get to work on Héctor like a
make over Pit crew. Off comes the stinky running jacket. Out comes an electric
shaver, hairbrush, toothbrush.
Meanwhile, at a backstage office JERRY MASUCCI is once again pissed at Héctor
and points his finger at RALPH MERCADO who informs Jerry that Elvis is in the
building.
In an arena hallway, people rush down a long corridor. The intro to the title
of the film and Lavoe’s famous song penned by Ruben Blades, El Cantante,
kicks in and is heard from the stage as our man Héctor walks down the
corridor, everyone slapping him on the back, like a boxer going into the ring.
Héctor enters the stage at Madison Square Garden, as casual as stepping
into his living room. As he turns, he sees what awaits him: 20,000 fans cheering.
They stand up for him as he shuffles to center stage.
MAN
(singing) Yo soy, Hector Lavoe and…
(with a grin) I’m here!
Thunderous APPLAUSE follows. The BAND goes into second gear as he continues
to sing. Hector made it. He takes a glance off stage, to the wings, he sees
Puchi. He smiles at her. The world is his…tonight. He kicks off the first
verse of: “El Cantante.”
HECTOR SINGING “Yo, soy el cantante…”
The faces in the audience: sheer adulation. Héctor spreads his arms
to his thousands of adoring fans. The Puerto Rican flag spreads out in the balcony.
The crowd cheers as the flag dances…a subtle but defining political party,
live from New York City.
PUCHI The more he grew as an artist, the
deeper he sank as a person, as a
human being…but they loved him.
All his faults and trouble…only
made him more like one of them.
And that is just the first seven pages! Boricuas young and old are gonna lose
their mind when this movie opens. What this script does is take you back to
the bygone era when salsa was king in New York City during the 60s and 70s.
When there were Latin nightclubs on every street corner and when the Fania All
Stars were just that – the All Stars.
The
script covers all the bases of Héctor’s life both good and bad.
Those salsa fans whom already know the Héctor Lavoe story will be familiar
with it. It’s all here - his conflict with his father when Héctor
sang in his father’s band and Papi didn’t want Héctor to
go to New York because he already lost a son - Héctor’s early days
when he crashed in his sister’s PRISICILLA’s pad - when Héctor
first met a wooed Puchi - Priscilla’s grilling of Puchi is here too. That
ethnic rivalry that exists between Puerto Ricans born on the island and Puerto
Ricans born in New York City is in there – especially in those two excellent
scenes between Priscilla and Puchi early and later in the script. Héctor’s
early performances are here. Of course his legendary meeting of JOHNNY PACHECO
and introduction and teaming up with the badass WILLIE COLON who is here in
his full New York Latin street swagger (just like yours truly). John Ortiz is
a highly underrated talented performer so I know he is gonna rock the role of
Colon. The signing of Héctor by Jerry Masucci to the Fania Records label
and changing of his Héctor’s last name is in there - a very politically
incorrect but necessary scene. Hector’s glory days with Willie to their
eventual departing and of course Héctor’s drug use as it slowly
destroyed him and those who loved him the most. The horrible tragedies that
haunted Héctor later in life is also here.
The script has it all, drama, music, Latin culture, habichuelas – chocks
full of it too, and lots of sex – Puchi and Héctor go at it a lot
here. Hopefully the chemistry between these two will rival that of Mr. and Mrs.
Smith. I’ll take Jennifer over Angelina Jolie any day of the week.
In closing, El Cantante is both a Greek tragedy and a love story. Oh, and the
songs are here too and integrated into the script. All of Hector’s greatest
jams are here, just to name a few, from El Cantante, Que Lio, El Todo Poderoso
(now that’s a salsa jam!), and a heart-braking Todo Tiene Su Final as
it ends the film. The ending with Todo Tiene Su Final is reminiscent of Martin
Scorsese’s use of The Animals House of the Rising Sun with the ending
of Casino.
So go check out this film when it hits the screen. For the Latinos, it is required
viewing. Like we said, if a Latin script is dope, we will tell you it’s
dope. This script wasn’t given to me and I am not doing a producer a favor
by plugging this. I have never done that. I don’t get one red cent from
plugging this script. I simply hunted the script down and took a look at it
for myself out of genuine curiosity. Leave everything at the door that the tabloids
say about Marc and Jennifer and go into this movie with an open mind - I think
you will be genuinely surprised. The production is halfway through shooting.
Best of luck to Leon Ichaso and the filmmakers. I am excitedly waiting to see
the final product. Look for my review of the final film here at Latinoreview
later in the year.
For all who don't know this little guy,his is Alex Lebron at 3 years of age demonstrating with his father some of the different latin rhythms such as bomba, plena, guaguanco (my favorite on this video). WOW! If you ever need some inspiration, this kid is AMAZING! He doesnt even know he's as good as he is.
Enjoy the clips!!
here is him in concert with a couple other child prodigies. Little Alex is in the middle of course at the age of 4!!
Former NYC Salsa Congress Promoter David Melendez has passed away. This is a major lost for the salsa community. In addition to the NYC Congress, David was also the Publisher of Salsa Y Mas magazine. David provided me with an opportunity to write a regular column in his magazine and was very inspirational and supportive towards my own magazine endeavors. David was truly a great man and will be sorely missed.
If you are having trouble viewing this message, please go to http://lvmpro.intellicontact.com/lavozspring/david_melendez_has_passed_away.html
May he rest in peace.
Johnny Johnson
LaVoz Magazine
Publisher
About David Melendez
David Melendez has been around the mambo scene for years. He has been performing as far back as 1987. His credits include dancing at the Apollo Theater, Avery Fisher Hall, Madison Square Garden and a Tour of Mexico. He has danced on the same stage as Tito Puentes, Gilberto Santa Rosa and Jose Alberto. Throughout his career he was a member of the Mambo Society Dancers (1989), helped formed the Latin Sensation Dance Group (1990) and founded the Mambo Elite Dance Company (1991). He performed, directed, choreographed or help choreograph routines for these groups until he retired from performing in 1994. David has also been a mambo instructor since 1987, teaching private lessons, at the Mambo Society and at the Fazil Dance Studio before opening his Starlite Dance Studio in 1992.
Melendez has dedicated himself to passing on his love of dance to our future generation. He has created the Starlite Dance Studio as a means of giving back to the community, to teach children about their Latin culture, to help keep youth off the streets and help focus their energies into some more positive.
David's Funeral Arrangments:
Parchester Funeral Home
Bronx, New York
Viewing Hours
Wednesday 2-14-07
5:00pm - 10:00pm
Thursday 2-15-07
2:00pm - 10:00pm
Friday
Mass services & David will be lade to rest.
Any questions, PLEASE call Mario B @
(201)851-7585
Chris: DJ D, for those who dont know you, can you tell us where you're from and how you became one of Boston's best DJs?
DJ D: I started to really get into Latin music while in college. While at Northeastern, I decided to start my own Latin radio show since there was no form of Latin music at the college station.
La Rumba, my radio show, focused mainly on Salsa music. During this time I was still doing the occasional college party, night club and Weddings. It was at the station and through these other gigs where I gained a following. Some of these other gigs were quite an adventure. I really paid my dues. After graduating college, I started to work for a few local Audio Visual companies where I gained technical experience. I started to do the local night club circuit and things were going well.
Boston at this time had no real Latin Club or venue. There were some places that played some Salsa early on in the evening then it went into club music for the remainder of the night. I had out-grown the club scene and started to embrace Salsa.
I started listening to anything I could get my hands on. I had a fairly decent collection at this time but was always on the lookout for more. My Father’s collection satisfied some of the new addiction I had. His music really showed me the way.
It must have been around ’97 or ’98 when I was approached to do a strictly Salsa night. At first, I was not sure it would work since it had not been attempted before. But over time, the night grew and more places started opening up as a result and the rest is history.
Chris: Not to put you on the spot but Boston has some other great DJs. What did it take to earn the reputation and following that you have despite all the competition?
DJ D: Boston has some excellent DJ’s. I know many of them personally and have worked with almost all of them. To me, competition is healthy; it definitely moves me to do my best and keeps music and events fresh.
Transitioning myself to the Salsa community was challenging for me at first for two reasons. First, most of the people that followed me at that time, knew I played an all Latin music format. They were not used to me playing all Salsa sets at these new venues. Overtime, I convinced them that I could do both and in the process introduced some people to a new musical experience.
Second, I don’t have a dancing background as some of my colleagues do. I have always been into the musical and technical aspect of the scene. I love to dance (although not as much as I should, as my Wife occasionally reminds me) but I can’t dance anything near to the level that some of these Boston dancer’s can do. They are really amazing. Many of the other Boston DJ’s started out as a dancer and got into DJ’ing or vice-versa. So, I had to really hone my skills to catch-up to my counterparts.
I’d like to think I have my own distinct style to DJ’ing. I like to take my audience on a musical ride during my sets. I do that by playing some old classics interspersed with a few new tracks here and there. For me the audience has to be into the ride as well. It is a two-way, I thrive off of the dancer’s energy and they hopefully, are reacting to the tunes I have selected.
My thing is to get people moving through Salsa. I love it when I play a particular song and someone comments to me: “I remember that song when I … or “That song really made move…” My greatest joy when I am spinning is to see the crowd smiling, feeling the music and dancing up a storm. Then I know I have accomplished my goal.
I try to play music that not everyone is too familiar with. I feel it is more interesting to open the audience to new tastes, artists and rhythms. People don’t realize how much good music is out there ready to be discovered.
Chris: The first time I heard you play was at the Boston Congress a few years back. What you are your feelings on Salsa Congresses and the direction they have gone?
DJ D: I do understand how difficult and stressful it is to put one these huge events together. The idea of the congress is to promote and celebrate the dance, music and culture. I believe, sometimes, we can forget the focus and purpose and get caught-up in the politics and micro-management of these events. Unfortunately, that can hinder the event’s prosperity and overall moral to the project. I am not exactly sure what can be done to make things work better? I do know that Boston has come a long way and it would be a shame to lose the ability to have any future congress.
I remember a time where the only place to hear some real Latin music was at some one’s old-school, house party. If you wanted to dance Salsa, you had to wait for the first few songs at a local club and that was it. That’s all you would get for Salsa.
Now, we have multiple nights, venues, special events, media coverage, etc. That was unheard a few years ago. There were never any events specifically geared to Salseros. The fact that we’ve had a few different Congresses here in the past speaks volumes as to how much the community has grown.
Ultimately, everyone benefits from these Congresses. So it’s in everyone’s best interest to come together and make them work.
Chris: EMuscia recently bought all the rights to FANIA music along with its subsidiary labels. How do you feel about this and what do you think will happen to some of the older music?
DJ D: When I heard about this I was initially very excited and skeptical. I was excited because it meant that this historically important label was going to live on. Fania is so important to Latin music aficionados because it was the launching pad for most of the major Salsa legends. If it had gone under, I believe most of this music would have been lost to time for ever.
I was skepitcal because I thought Emusica would put out a quick re-hash or an inferior “Best of “compilation of their major stars. This would have been a terrible dis-service to the many legendary and influential artists that have recorded with Fania. To lump together a greatest hits package would not cover all of the great music that these artists have recorded over the years.
To my surprise, EMusica have actually kept true to the original Fania Label and its recordings. They have re-released many of the older, more obscure, titles as well as their main artists. They have also included information on artists and the recordings from people who part of the original recordings themselves. This means this music and its history will live on through a new generation.
Hopefully, there will be a greater appreciation for this wonderful music by an all new audience. EMusica has done an excellent job and I hope they continue.
Chris: I personally feel that DJs are underrated in the grand scheme of salsa events. Promoters tend to focus on a group or performance that lasts for 5 minutes as oppossed to the DJ who is keeping the crowd going all
night. What do you think about this and what can be done to give DJs the recognition they deserve?
DJ D:I have been fortunate to work with many great promoters and clubs that have treated me very well. I know there are some people and places where this is not the case.
The average person believes a DJ is someone who plays cd’s and that’s it. This is such an awful generalization because a true DJ puts more into a performance than the physical ability to press play.
A true DJ listens to, understands his music and respects his audience. A true DJ spends countless hours, money and personal sacrifices in the pursuit to perfect his / her craft. Good DJ’s spend time practicing, listening, compiling and searching for music.
A true DJ has to have the ability to read his crowd and multi-task different factors at an event. He / she has to consider their set lists, over-all sound quality, equipment, performance schedules and many other factors. Most people don’t realize all the things that go into spinning at one of these events.
DJ’s put in just as much of an effort and skill into their performance than any other dance group. Good DJ’s are just as disciplined as any good dancer. A good DJ will practice and familiarize himself with his music for that event. I understand that promoters and performers have many responsibilities on a chaotic performance night. It is still no reason to forget about your DJ. Their talents and efforts to keep the party moving should not be overshadowed. Again, this has rarely happened to me, I feel that is due to the family-like Salsa community we have here in Boston.
My only recommendation to the people, who put these events together, is to communicate with the DJ before, during and after the event. Make sure everything is spelled out before hand. Respect and communication sound like such simple things but end up being forgotten through the course of an event. So many problems can be avoided by just talking or reviewing things before the event begins.
Chris: I want to thank you again for doing this interview. Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
DJ D: To everyone reading, I welcome and invite you to come visit Boston and check out our Salsa scene.
Johnny: First and foremost thank you for granting lavozmagazine.com an opportunity to interview you. You have been a member of the Santo Rico Pro team for several years. This is arguably one of the best salsa performance groups in the world. What type of impact has performing with Santo Rico had on your life?
Carmen: Well first I want to start by thanking you for this opportunity. It’s truly an honor.
Being a part of Santo Rico for the past 3 years has been an incredible experience. Regardless of the metamorphosis it has gone through throughout the years I am proud to say that Santo Rico has been able to maintain its reputation of being one of the best salsa performance groups in the world. And to be a part of that still amazes me to this day. It has been non-stop since Tomas asked me to be a part of the company and everyday –every rehearsal, every trip, every social outing; I learn more about my ability as a Santo Rico Dancer. The blood, sweat, tears & bruises (there have been many) that I have endured in Santo Rico have made me a stronger, more confident person. Tomas pushes you past your self imposed limit, and I am honestly grateful for that.
Johnny: You have previous dance experience in Rumba, Jazz & Hip Hop. How has this contributed to your tremendous salsa dancing abilities?
Carmen: Having started with Cecilia (CC) Williams & The Revelation Dancers in 1999 I was exposed to a little bit of everything. CC was very creative and wanted to incorporate anything from rumba to belly dancing into her choreographies, so she tried to train her dancers in as many forms of dance as possible. I don’t have the training background as some of today’s great salsa dancers but the bit of exposure that I did get from CC has lend to my training as a salsa dancer esp. in Santo Rico.
Johnny: Can you talk about your dance performance experience at the Apollo Theater in 1998; Along with any other pertinent dance experiences unrelated to salsa?
Carmen: HA!! That was so long ago. I started dancing late in life with a group of friends in High School. I was a back up dancer for a talented friend who had signed to a small record company. We did little showcases for about a year including the Puerto Rican Festival and the Apollo Theatre, both of which were a very big deal for us. Doing amateur shows like that is what got me into salsa dancing and prepared me for the stage. I remember participating in a talent show for a church youth group in Brooklyn, and one of the performances was a salsa performance. The couple that performed awed me, I wanted to learn to dance like them so I looked into salsa dance classes…who knew id get to where I am now! All those shows cultivated in me a love for dance and performance.
Johnny: You have traveled all around the world performing with Santo Rico, what has been your most memorable experience?
Carmen:
You know it’s so funny we were actually discussing this amongst ourselves the other day and we couldn’t pick just one, so I’m going to give you my top 3:
My first trip to Brussels for the first International Summer Salsa Congress in 2004. It was my first international trip. But what really made it memorable was the intimacy of that first congress. Fransisco Vasquez, Jobie, Yamulee, Nelson Flores, and countless other dancers and performers were all just hanging and having a great time dismissing all tensions that may have existed. There was such a great energy that entire weekend.
Our trip to South Korea: That was just a culture shock. We were lucky enough to find a pizza hut about a block from our hotel though, which was awesome. Not only was it a jam packed trip, but one of our dancers performed twice in one night with a sprained ankle (I still get chills) with a smile on her face and to top it all off….we were detained by immigration and forced to stay an extra day (don’t ask!).
And the number one most memorable trip – the 2nd international Summer Salsa Congress…(chills again). We performed Gangster on a Saturday night. The energy on stage was incredible, we fed off our audience. I remember going into the last solo and seeing the entire crowd get up. Before I landed into the final pose the stage was bum rushed…the most incredible standing ovation we have received to date. ……
Oh and our trip to Italy when we got to visit the Vatican…and our trip to Hanover Germany where we all got stiffed……
Johnny: Who are some of your favorite salsa dancers and/or performance groups?
Carmen: I love this question. Not to be partial but Tomas and my girl Liz Chavieri she is a firecracker when she’s on the dance floor. Yahaira Casanova & Pierina Sanchez are just nasty, the sultry Ivonna Bochinska, Mario B., Magna Gopal, Eric Baez, Adolfo, Patrick Rosheuvel, Brian van der Kust and countless others. Performance groups - Ana & Joel (Masacote) have to be my favorite dancers hands down. She is so beautiful and has this mesmerizing fluidity to her dancing and Joel is just a force to be reckoned with. He is a great performer and awesome to dance with. All of the Vasquez brothers are awesome performers-unmatched energy. Los bailarines de Puerto Rico! Jhesus Apone, Jason Molina, Tito & Tamara. There are so many beautiful dancers, I could be here forever. What I appreciate the most from all of these dancers is there effortlessness when dancing and performing, something I truly aspire to portray in my own dancing.
Johnny: Can you tell us something about Carmen Taveras that the salsa community might not know?
Carmen: Hmmmm……I love to eat! I’m teased by my team mates all the time. But really, what you see is what you get. I’m very laid back and free spirited.
Johnny:What are some of your short-term salsa and non-salsa goals?
Carmen: Short term salsa goals… well one of them would have to be to have a successful trip to Sydney with Tomas at the end of January. Being a good instructor, in January I will be teaching Ladies Spinning & Styling on Sundays and pray that I do a good job (cross your fingers for me). Non-salsa goals-keep my job (lol), seriously I want to become better at what I do, I’m currently an executive assistant in a private school for autistic children in NYC. I would also like to pursue a graduate degree in Education Administration or Counseling.
Johnny: Any additional comments:
Carmen:
Well Johnny I want to thank you again for inviting me to do this interview and for your patience! I also want to congratulate you on the success of LaVoz Magazine. Your aspirations for the magazine are fantastic and wish you continued success. On behalf of Tomas and Santo Rico I would like to thank all of the SR supporters. No matter where we are in the world we are always welcomed and embraced with a smile and we are truly grateful.
For all the salseros/as- always dance with conviction! And when it gets to be a bit too much for you remember that “dance is a little insanity that does us all a lot of good!”
Wishing everyone a prosperous new year filled with love, laugh & mambo!
Johnny: First and foremost, thank you for giving www.lavozmagazine.com an opportunity to interview you. You have been a pertinent figure in the Houston Salsa scene for a while. For those who may not know you can you tell us how you got into salsa dancing?
Ike: I decided to pick up salsa dancing as a hobby in med school in New Jersey after seeing some great salsa dancing while on spring break in Puerto Rico and as an outlet from the rigors of school. The music reminded me of the same rhythms I used to hear as a kid playing the drums in church as a kid in Nigeria. It later became an addiction.
Johnny: You recently started your own dance company Mambo Poseido. What prompted this move?
Ike: After dancing salsa for 6 years I was beginning to get bored of going to
the same clubs every week and seeing the same people all the time. I decided to take up a new challenge to make salsa fun for me again. I have always been known as a social dancer and performing is very new to me, so performing and choreography is a very fun and exciting challenge to me. I get a unique kind of high from performing on stage that is very different from social dancing. I also started my group to help further promote mambo dancing in the south.
Johnny: In addition to dancing salsa you also DJ, how did this come about?
Ike: Again it also came out of the frustration of hearing the same 15 songs at every salsa club. I am an avid latin music and video collector and there are
literally thousands of great salsa songs that you never hear in clubs or performances. I felt obligated to share some of this music with fellow salsa/mambo lovers. I have been a guest DJ for the Houston Salsa Congress, South Padre Island salsa event and for various night clubs and socials inTexas. I like to play medium tempo dancers music like Tito Rodriguez,
Sonora Poncena, Willie Rosario etc
Johnny: How involved are you with salsa promotions in the Houston scene?
Ike: I am very involved in salsa promotions in Houston. I am usually involved directly or indirectly in promoting most of the major salsa events
in Texas. I have worked closely with Jerome Carter of United Salsa Productions to promote dancers and groups like Tropical Gem, Santo Rico, Griselle Ponce, Adolfo Indacochea etc in Houston.
Johnny: Many people that know you, may not know that you are practising Physician. Can you talk a little bit about your life outside of salsa as a doctor and your specialty?
Ike: Well I have been practising as a General Internist for about a year and half now. I work for a teaching hospital that trains residents and medical
students. I enjoy practising medicine and teaching medicine because it gives me a unique sense of satisfaction and reward for helping to alleviate
suffering. I also work in the emergency room 3 to 4 times a month. I was actually the official doctor for the NY and Texas Congresses in the past.
Johnny: How do you balance life as a doctor with your salsa endeavors?
Ike: Its easy, I just manage my time very efficiently and many times sacrifice sleep.
Johnny: Who are some of your favorite salsa dancers and/or performance groups?
Ike: I have so many favorite dancers/groups I know that some people will be
offended for leaving them out. But a few of my favorites include Griselle Ponce, Shani from Israel/NY, Adriana from Houston, Juan Matos & Dicky
Colon(favorite social dancers), Frankie Martinez (favorite choreographer), Adolfo Indacochea &Thomas Guerrero (favorite performers). My favorite groups are Hacha y Machete, Santo Rico, Xibuke (from texas).
Johnny: What can the salsa scene expect from Ike in the next 5 years?
Ike: Promoting bigger events, introducing you to different music as a DJ, and growing as a dancer.
Johnny: Any Additional Comments:
Ike: Thank you very much Johnny for this honor and I want you know that you have always been one of my inspirations as a dancer and an entepreneur. Keep up the good work. I leave everyone with this quote!
Dance is your pulse, your heartbeat, your breathing. It's the rhythym of your life. Its the expression in time and movement, in happiness, joy, sadness and
envy. --Jaques D'Amboise
by Edmonton Journal (article) & Edmonton Sun (photos)
11/12/2006
Elizabeth Withey, The Edmonton Journal Published: Monday, November 13, 2006
EDMONTON - The $1.5-million fire that destroyed a northside Latin nightclub Sunday morning was likely deliberately set, officials say.
Edmonton Sun Photo by Darryl Dyck
The fire at Azucar -- the Spanish word for sugar -- left little more than blackened rubble, and fire officials suspect arson after finding a jerry can outside the club, at 11733 78th St., west of Northlands and Rexall Place.
"There are indications this was a deliberately set fire," investigator Johnny Yaschuk said Sunday.
Email to a friend
Printer friendly Font: ****The two-alarm fire started shortly before 5:30 a.m. Crews arrived to find the building burning and a vehicle in flames.
It took 12 fire trucks and around 50 firefighters to get the blaze under control. At 10 a.m., the gutted structure was still barely visible through the heavy smoke and steam. Crews were still working to extinguish hot spots at 3 p.m.
Edmonton Sun Photo by Darryl Dyck
"It was an intense fire," Yaschuk said. "We had heavy, heavy smoke conditions."
No one was inside the building and there were no injuries. Damage is estimated at $1.5 million.
Azucar opened in April 2004. The club had a capacity of 700 and offered salsa dance lessons.
Owner Manuel Echevarria was visibly distressed as he surveyed the club's charred ruins Sunday morning. He said the business was doing well.
"It's a sad day, but we have to overcome," he said.
Echevarria is originally from Peru, but has lived in Edmonton with his family for many years.
"I am a survivor," he said. "I am an immigrant. I can make it up."
Bartender Darcy Duncan, who is Echevarria's son-in-law, said he had just finished his shift after a "crazy busy" Saturday when he heard about the fire.
Edmonton Sun Photo by Darryl Dyck
"I got home and got a phone call and turned around and came back," Duncan said. "It's devastating for the family."
It's not the first time there has been a fire at that address.
In 1998, a suspicious blaze caused heavy damage to the C-Weeds Country Bar on the same site. The building reopened 18 months later as the Longriders Saloon.
Duncan said there had also been a fire at Azucar in the past.
Ed Posnosky, who owns Stylemaster Slacks next door, was thankful the blaze didn't jump to his building, where 10,000 pairs of men's pants are stored. In his 50 years in business, Posnosky has seen several fires at the Azucar site.
"You worry all the time, but what can you do?" Posnosky said Sunday.
No arrests have been made. Police and fire officials continue to investigate.
Johnny: First and foremost thank you for granting LaVoz Magazine an opportunity to interview you. Your dance company, Santo Rico is definitely one of the top performance companies in the world. You are one of my personal favorites and a source of inspiration for me in regard to dancing and performing salsa. For those who may not have heard of you can you talk briefly your background? Thomas: Well first of all thank you very much for this interview opportunity. I am more than flattered to do this. I started dancing professionally in 1995 and I would say that salsa kind of choose me because I just use to dance socially. I don’t have a dance background or resume in jazz, ballet or other types of dance. Nevertheless, to make a long story short, I started visiting the clubs in my late teens to early twenties and I started dancing socially. A friend eventually brought me into the Santo Rico Dance Company when it was being born and I was primary taught dance choreography from the streets. The group really materialized itself in 1996. I never thought I would be at this level now, so I say salsa choose me because now I am the director of Santo Rico. So it’s a blessing because I have done this with no expectations. So by the grace of God I’m here and I have loved every minute of it.
Johnny: One of the most interesting aspects of salsa is that you don’t have to possess an extensive dance background to be a great dancer and instructor, which you have proven. How has your dance background or lack of, contributed to your success in this particular dance? Thomas: What I like about it is that, it took me a lot longer to develop myself as an instructor and performer and I was always taught that everything comes through hard work and longevity. Ironically, I am grateful because I think if I had an extensive dance background, I would probably be somewhere else. But I am grateful to Mambo, because it only shows how diverse the dance is because anyone that studies and respects this dance can excel. Anybody can come from the streets and do this dance well as long as they invest the necessary time and energy that is required. So investing the time is what I’m most proud of because not having that extensive dance background made me work even harder. So through determination I have been able to excel which is why I have so much love for the dance.
Johnny: Santo Rico has an interesting history. Based on my research, I learned that Wilton Beltre originally formed the group and some situations occurred that caused Wilton to relinquish control of the group. As a result, you became the director. So you have gone from this situation, to directing Santo Rico into being one of the top salsa dance companies in the world. Can you talk a little bit about this experience?
Thomas: Well it was an immense amount pressure. Initially, it was extremely overwhelming, which is why I continue to say salsa chose me. I was in this company and after being in the company for two years; Wilton was unable to continue directing the company or the school. Nevertheless, over time Wilton and I became very close and I guess he saw something in me and he kind of passed the situation onto me and asked me to do what I could with it.
So this is experience has been gratifying and I have done this with no expectations. However I am a very passionate person and I like to finish what I start. So I took it on, educated myself in regard to the music and dance and maintained respect for both. I also invested a lot into this, I did my own promotion and kept the school going and we went through a lot of rough roads, but those rough roads has helped us to grow and has made us stronger. In addition, we have worked so hard to bring out such an intricate style to the dance, such as the spinning technique and partner work style that tends to separate us from a lot of genres of dance. So to see that influence on the dance has also been very gratifying.
Johnny: What prompted the development of the Santo Rico spinning technique and style of partner work that has become a Santo Rico trademark? Thomas: When Wilton first started dancing, he used to dance with his dance partner, Brenda Byrd, a pretty famous lady in New York; and when they would dance he would double and triple spin her very effortlessly and I was very intrigued by that. So I starting training with two girls and began working with them to develop the spinning technique; so through trial and error and process of elimination I learned how to make spinning faster and more fluid. I used to watch the ballet dancers and how fast they would spin and how they would do 5-10 spins on one foot. So we kind of put all of these things in a nutshell and put it into practice. Obviously I didn’t develop spinning, but I used these experiences to create a style and technique. For example, I use pivoting for hand checks and shoulder checks, I also use a process called double pivoting. So these are the things that I developed though these experiences that allow the girls to spin faster and react faster off their 5-6-7 and that’s why a lot of people enjoy the style.
Johnny: As the director of one of the top salsa school in NY you come across a lot of talent through your classes and company. Is there ever a time that you see someone that has a special talent for the dance right from the beginning? Thomas: Well you see it… but it’s funny that you say that, because I don’t go by that. I don’t go by just pure talent; I generally go off of someone’s level of dedication. There are a lot of people that have come though doors of Santo Rico and I would have never imagined that they would’ve reached a certain level. However, my challenge is to take a dedicated person with great morals and values that may not have a lot a natural talent, and training and help them to dance salsa at a high-level. This is the challenge for me.
Johnny: It’s rare for a dance school to be known for developing both great performers and social dancers. How have you been able to accomplish this standard? Thomas: To me a complete dancer is a dancer who has both tools. I believe it’s important to be a good instructor, performer and social dancer. Those three things are very important to me. So I think since I kind of epitomize that when I conduct my classes. I teach my students to learn the fundamentals soundly, learn the technique, and once students gain comfort in the fundamentals and technique they tend to want to take it to the next level. So that’s the approach I take; As an instructor you have to keep your students interested so that they see your passion and want to follow in your footsteps. We have a large dance school now, we have four dance companies and a lot of our promotion for the school comes through performing. So people like the product that we put forward which causes them to become very interested and curious about the dance.
Johnny: You have been dancing salsa for ten years, so you have seen a lot in this dance. Can you name some people that have inspired you that may not be a popular as many of today’s top instructors and performers? Thomas: Sure, my first mentor was Wilton Beltre. Wilton was the first person to put things in perspective. Vitico Pacheco from the Bronx is also someone who inspired me. He is actually the one who introduced me to Wilton. As far as the ladies, when I first started dancing I met the lady named Evelyn Leon, she was originally an Eddie Torres dancer, then she came out with her own dance company, but (may she rest in peace) she passed away. She inspired me because she always expressed herself and danced so gracefully. Brenda Bryd was also very inspirational to me because I used to always love to watch her and Wilton dance. She was also a very powerful dancer with a very unique style. Eddie Torres is also very inspirational because of all his accomplishments and most importantly his longevity. His footsteps are the ones that I model after. Nevertheless, the list goes on and on, there are a lot of people that have inspired me along the way. I could give you a lot of more names, but we would be here forever. But overall, just watching people during the time that I was coming up provided a lot of inspiration for me. Also watching people that have gone from being afraid to step on stage to becoming great performers that have developed their own style is also something that has been very inspirational to me.
Johnny: People frequently mention Santo Rico as one of their favorite groups to watch on stage; I’m curious to know who you enjoy watching onstage?
Thomas: Well first I would like to say that I am grateful for the compliments that we have received and I want to thank my dance company because they work very hard. My dance company is my baby and I am very proud of them, so I just want to acknowledge them. In regard to your question, I enjoy watching Tropical Gem. I saw them when they first started and they took classes with me and it’s so amazing that they have become so powerful. So they are definitely a company that I like to look at because the epitomize perfection. I also like to watch Johnny Vasquez and how he fearlessly expresses himself. I like to watch Eddie Torres and the way he interprets the music. I am honored to have lived in the era that Eddie Torres lived in. I have a lot of respect for what he has done and what he has meant to the dance. Juan Matos is someone that danced under me and he was apart of my company for a while, but I like what he has developed on his own; the style that he has developed and the influence he has. He is a lot of fun to watch and I look forward to seeing him. Also, when I first started dancing I was always amazed by Vitico and Wilton, so they are very inspirational to me. There’s definitely more people out there that I love to watch because I still see myself as a student of the dance. So I enjoy watching and I learn from watching others.
Johnny: Any Additional Comments:
Thomas: Thank you very much Johnny, this has been a pleasure. The advice that I would like to give to everyone is to stay humble. With this dance the sky’s the dance, don’t have any expectations, just keep working and you will make it. I have seen people make a lot of progress in this dance through hard work. Also make sure you have very good direction and education in the dance and the music. Finally, I would like to see a lot more respect and harmony amongst dancers in New York and beyond so that we can keep this dance going.
Johnny: First and foremost, thank you for giving La Voz Del Mambo an opportunity to interview you. You are the other half for The Stuck On Salsa Productions Team. You guys are produce some of the hottest salsa events in the country. Recently you took on the task of directing The All-Star Salsa Cruise, which turned out to be a major success! I am already trying to figure out how I am going to go back next year. For those who may not know you can you tell us how you got into salsa dancing, then onto promotions?
Kelvin: It all started when I went on a business trip to Orlando with my good friend and SOS south east regional director Rick Greenfield. We had an opportunity to go to this club called The Roxy. To this day I don’t think I’ve been to a club where people seem to be having as much fun as they were that night. It was a Wednesday salsa night, the room was so crowded, and for the first few hours I couldn’t see the dance floor. There were a lot of beautiful Latin women there; unfortunately, neither Rick nor I could dance salsa at that time. After several failed attempts at trying to pick up the dance steps I vowed that I would never be at another club where people are having so much fun and not be able to participate. After leaving the club that night, me and Rick made a pact that we would take salsa lessons and go out dancing every week.
The promoting came about by accident, actually. There was a period of time in Washington DC area when, through a series of unfortunate events, all of the usual salsa venues were either closed or decided to change their format. So, me and Earl decided to find a venue and throw a party primarily out of necessity and the need to feed our own salsa addiction. The first night, it was a cold winter night, I believe the temperature was somewhere in the low 20 and we were very concerned about the turnout. But despite less than ideal conditions, about 200 people showed up for our first party. Everyone seemed to enjoy the SOS format of high energy, up tempo salsa with an occasional cha-cha and a few hip-hop and reggae songs to re-energize the crowd. Since that time we’ve just tried to continue to give the salsa community what they like and have come to expect from a SOS party– great music, a good dance floor and good people s to dance with. Johnny: People may know you more for promoting than dancing, but you are a very smooth dancer. Have you ever considered performing and teaching, in addition to promoting?
Kelvin: I’ve taught about performing. Unfortunately I don’t think I can give the proper time commitment to perform at a level I would like. I’ve performed in the past with music groups, played drums for the gospel group, performed with Howard University marching band and various bands and orchestra from high school to college so I’m aware of the time commitment required to be a top performer. Due to the fact that I have I very busy schedule and for the last several years I’ve run my own consulting business, I just don’t have the time .
As far as teaching goes I don’t think I have the patience. It takes a very patient person to take someone who has little or no ability and train him or her to be a dancer.
Johnny: Can you describe the growth that SOS has experienced since you and Earl began this venture?
Kelvin: I think our salsa growth can be attributed to meeting good people like yourself. Me and Earl have been fortunate because in the last 6 years since I started dancing at every congress, salsa event or party I’ve seemed to meet great people who love to dance salsa and over the years we’ve developed an extended family of friends all over the globe. So, when we decided to start promoting, we simple invited all of our friends to come party with us.
Also, a lot of our growth can be attributed to the popularity of our website. Earl works tireless for several hours every day on the website. I get a lot of personal satisfaction meeting people for the first time and having them tell me that they have heard of StuckOnSalsa and go to our website often.
Johnny: I remember talking to you about the Salsa Cruise during the planning stages and although I was very supportive on the outside, I had doubts on the inside. But not only did you guys pull this off, everybody I spoke to is excited about next year, including myself. What motivated you to have this vision? What is your vision for this cruise in the future?
Kelvin: Several years ago I had an opportunity to go on a cruise. It was for a family reunion event. I had such a good time eating and hanging out with relatives, I began to think that this would be the perfect vacation if there was some place on the ship that I could dance salsa. So, when SOS began to achieve some recognition for throwing great salsa parties I thought this was the right time for us to organize an event that would expose more people to the StuckonSlasa party format. At the time when I thought of the idea, I didn’t know about any of the other a salsa cruise that had taken place, so I went into the project with open mind and no preconception. My vision for the cruise is to turn it into one of the premier international salsa events. The All-Star Salsa Cruise is more about on providing a fun filled salsa vacation experience as an option to the more traditional salsa congress type event. The cruise experience will focus on fun salsa and ship activities, great food, wonderful people, good dancers and a different exotic destination every year.
Johnny: You received a lot of calls from participants in the cruise about various issues. I am definitely on that list. What is the most interested story you have, in regard to directing this event?
Kelvin: Actually there were a lot of interesting thing that happened on the cruise, but as everyone knows “what happens on the cruise stays on the cruise” So, I guess anyone who is really interested in what happens on our cruise will have to go this year and find out for themselves.
As far as stories related to the directing of the cruise, I guess want was interesting to me was all the help and support we received from various people and promoters who had no real vested interest in the event. It just seemed as though everyone we talk to genuinely wanted to help us make this even a successful. Needless to say, I was very pleasantly surprised.
Johnny: You guys work with a lot of world-renown dancers and instructors, who are some of your personal favorites?
Kelvin: SOS has been fortunate to work with some of the premium dancers and I have definitely been impressed and influenced to some degree by all of them. My favorite performers are Anna and Joel (Boston). You may recall on the cruise I talked about how much Joel influenced my dance style. When I first started dancing Joel was living in Washington, DC at that time and he is one of the dancers that I patterned myself after. Anna is probable the most “visually stunning” female dancer that I have had the pleasure of seeing and dancing with. I can just watch here for hours
As far as dancer go some of my favorites are Juan Matos, Ismael Otero, Shaka Brown, Psyon Mauricio, Victor and Burju, Leon Rose, Gesley Liz Lira, Joy Manning, Randy Pearson, Ahtoy Borja (Santa rico), Rick and Natalie Greenfield and of course, my partner “To thorough, Go Go Earl” Rush.
Johnny: Where would you like to see SOS production 5 years from now?
Kelvin: Honesty, I haven’t given is that much thought. Hopefully we’ll still be promoting events that people enjoy coming to. I hope we’ll continue to build on our reputation to the point were when you hear about a SOS party you know that you are guaranteed to have a great time meet and dancing with new and interesting people. Like any good company there is an expectation that come with the name and that company’s product. Our product formula will always be “good place to dance, great dancers and great music to dance to”
Johnny: First and foremost thank you for giving www.lavozdelmambo.com an opportunity to interview you. You have an interesting salsa background. You were fortunate to start your training with the Mambo King, Mr. Eddie Torres; where you joined his performance team and eventually became the captain, quite an accomplishment. Now you are performing with the world-renown, Yamulee Dance Company. Can you talk a little bit about how you got into salsa dancing?
Ahmed: Thank you Johnny for the interview. I was in Genève, Switzerland on a business trip in April of 2000, and while I was there I made some friends and they invited me to go out with them that night. We went to a club, and it so happened that it was salsa night. I sat there and started absorbing this wonderful energy that these dancers were sharing. The whole atmosphere was filled with a feeling that we are all familiar with once we get "hooked". I started noticing how different people, through their movements, shared such passion for this music and this dance. I sat there watching my friends dancing, and then they invited me to dance. I got up and, of course made a fool out of myself, but I didn't care anyway, I was in another domain. We continued to hang out, and I continued to make a fool out of myself, again, I didn't care, until I came back to NYC. One of the first things I did once I got back to NYC was to Google salsa dance classes and found some discussion boards and inquired about salsa classes. I got a reply from someone who until this day I would love to know who he/she is, and the reason is because this person told me about classes that he/she takes with this man they call Eddie Torres. I think now you know why I want to thank this person. I took my first class on Wed June 7, 2000. By the end of the class Maria Torres asked me if I wanted to pay per class or get the unlimited monthly pass. Before she could finish talking I was writing the check for the unlimited pass. I spent the next year and a half going to class 3-5 times a week and going out dancing at least 5 times a week. I was super dedicated and eager to learn. Then Eddie invited me to join his team where I spent the next year and a half with the Eddie Torres Dance Co., during which he made me captain of the team, something that until this day, I consider my highest honor as far as my dance career. After that, I took some time off for different personal reasons that quiet honestly were taking a toll on my passion to dance. After about a year, Osmar Perrones invited me to join his newly formed team Yamulee, and after watching a few practices and after getting rid of some of the apprehensions that I had about joining a team again, I joined the Yamulee Dance Co.
Johnny: How would you describe your experience of performing with Yamulee? Ahmed: Man I tell you, as generic as this may sound, and though it is quiet loosely used, we are truly like a family. We do so much together. We go out together, eat out and even some of us go to school together. The guys there, Osmar, Rasove and Juan Carlos and I are like brothers; the girls, Massiel, Candy, Karel, Veronica, Jessica and Cindy are like our sisters .We all try to look out for each other. We have our differences sometimes, but we try to never let it get out of hand or develop into negative feelings of resentment.
There are always exceptions but they are rare. As far as dancing, we have a good working realtionship. We always share our skills with each other and push each other to continuously get better and improve as a team. We are always open to each other's feedback. Though the final vision is usually Osmar's, he is very open to suggestions. Our practices are BRUTAL; anyone who's been to any of our practices will tell you.
Johnny: As I mentioned earlier, you were fortunate to have trained with the Mambo King himself. What is the most valuable lesson you learned while training and performing with Eddie Torres? Ahmed: The most important thing I learned is to remain humble and that learning is a life long experience. All my love to Eddie and Maria for the experience that I will always cherish, Thank you.
Johnny: What is something about you that your salsa colleagues may not know? Ahmed: I used to compete dancing hip hop and break dancing and won a few competitions back in the days. Don't ask me to do any moves now because I'd probably break in half, LOL.
Johnny: Who are some of your favorite dancers and performers on the scene?
Ahmed: There are so many, but I’ll give it a shot. Eddie and Maria Torres of course, till this day I have not seen a couple that can grace the stage like these two, The Swing Guys, Pretty Boys and Girls, Karisma, Tito and Tamara, Feilpe Polanco, Vittico la Magia, Jesus Aponte, Victor and Gaby, Son de Luz from Columbia, whom I seen only once in Chicago a few years ago and blew me away, and I'm sure many more that I can't think of right now so please forgive me if I haven't mentioned you.
Johnny: What advice would you offer to someone that aspires to perform salsa dancing?
Ahmed: Stay humble, always keep learning. Don’t ever think You’ve reached the top. There is no top. And don't get "contaminated" with the hype once you get some recognition. Don’t forget where you came from and remember your teachers and those who had an influence on your dance. I must say it is sad to see some of the good dancers out there not giving credit to their instructors once they get big, and it really doesn't make them look very good. Don't dance seeking recognition; let recognition seek your dance.
Johnny: Any additional comments
Ahmed: I just want to wish you all the best on your Endeavour with the launching of your magazine, and to all the salseros and salseras out there, support this magazine. It is our voice so let's not let it fail. Finally, support live music, it is dying if you haven't noticed. Try to buy a cd once a month, buy a water when you go out, don’t take these artists and dance venues for granted. These little things, collectively, go a long way.
La Voz Del Mambo Productions is proud to announce the first issue of our salsa magazine!
LaVoz Magazine will contain interviews, articles, and discussion that pertain to the salsa and mambo dance community. It will be distributed all over the world amongst communities with a high interest in salsa and mambo dancing. If you would like to support La Voz Del Mambo's Mission, please purchase a magazine or subscription today. You can make your puchase online or mail a check or money order to:
La Voz Del Mambo Productions, LLC Po Box 4663 Alpharetta, GA 30023
US Prices - Full Year Subscriptions are $15 | Single issues are $5 International Prices - Full Year Subscriptions are $20 | Single Issues are $7 (these prices includes taxes, shipping and handling)
Subscriptions include Fall 06, Winter 06, Spring 07 and Summer 07 Issues!
For advertising information please contact Chris Soto (Marketing/Advertising Director) at chris@lavozmagazine.com
Thank you for your support!
Sincerely, Johnny R. Johnson LaVoz Magazine - Executive Editor johnny@lavozmagazine.com
Just show up in San Juan, follow the sound of the clave, and you would expect to be in for some fantastic dancing. The rhythms of salsa can be heard blaring from passing taxis, grocery stores, open apartment windows and bars. You can see great salsa bands every night of the week. But finding the city’s vibrant salsa dance scene can prove to be quite a quest if you don’t have the insider hookup from day one.
I was recently in San Juan for a few days. Armed with the club listings from a number of websites I was confident that several nights of mind-blowing salsa lay ahead.
Having checked into a small guesthouse in Old San Juan late on a Saturday night, I headed out to nearby Rumba. It was a pleasant bar with plenty of room to dance that attracted a good mix of tourists and locals. Apart from one couple there were not really any great dancers, but this was not unexpected given the location in this delightful but very touristy part of town.
The next night I hit the Oister Bar in Isla Verde. Inconspicuously situated next to a Wendy’s across from high-rise hotels and apartment buildings, this bar had a friendly and very local vibe. There were a few good salseros on the small dance floor and a fantastic band cranked out one salsa clasica tune after another. A good time for sure, but not quite the incredible dance night I had been hoping for.
Ok, so I hadn’t hit the hottest spots yet. No problem. I had heard from both salseros back home and local sanjuaneros, online reviews and even the tourist guidebooks that the Havana Club, “la casa de la salsa,” was the place to go. The real-deal San Juan salsa experience was surely coming up later in the week. Or so I thought.
As the club was in Santurce, an unfamiliar working-class borough, I took a detour from one of my day trips to acquaint myself with the location. The club was hidden behind a fast-food joint just off the main avenue. But the door was boarded up and the building had that defunct look all too familiar to a traveler from Detroit.
The Havana club, “la casa de la salsa” had recently closed.
So where did the salseros dance in this town? I consulted, friends, the tourist office, hotels, but no one could point me in the right direction. I even enlisted a local tour operator named Peter to my cause. “Helping people like you, that’s what I do...” Taking it on as a personal mission, he voluntarily drove me from one club to the next, but to no avail. Jakalope Café - dead. Live bands at the big hotels – tourist traps.
I ended the night at Nuyorican Café, a great little bar located on a narrow street in Old San Juan. The band was fantastic, but no one could dance. I resigned myself to enjoying the music and dancing with the few ladies who weren’t drunk and could at least do a basic.
After the band finished their last set I approached the conga player, who had an afro so big that he just had to know where the dancers were. I told him my story. “So you’re a salsero? Hmmm... I understand your problem” he empathized. He wasn’t a dancer himself, but he did know that there were only a couple of real dance nights a week in San Juan; Wednesday nights at El Criollo in the suburb of Guaynabo and Thursday nights at Shots Bar and Grill. By that time it was too late to get to El Criollo but the next night, my last in San Juan, I would try my luck at Shots.
Great dancing in San Juan may be hard to find, but when you find it you really find it. The deceptively unassuming bar in the shadow of another huge hotel on Avenida Isla Verde was almost all dance floor. Soon after the band got started the salseros I had been seeking for so long started pouring in though the door. It was a fantastic night of one great Puerto Rican On2 dance after another, the true San Juan salsa experience that made it all worthwhile.
As it turns out, although salsa music is very much a part of Puerto Rican culture, the actual social dance scene in San Juan is very similar to that in many other cities around the world in that there are only two or three places a week the salseros go out to dance. The trick in San Juan is to find those places amongst the countless other bars, clubs, restaurants and hotels that feature live salsa bands.
So if you’re in San Juan and don’t have the insider hookup from day one, here’s my advice: ask the band member with the largest afro where the dancers go. Once you find them, you’ll be in for some of the best dancing anywhere.
Johnny: First and Foremost, thank you for granting La Voz Del Mambo an opportunity to interview you. You have experienced a tremendous dance career as a professional salsa dancer, instructor and performer. You have gained alot of recognition for your accomplishments in Mambo/Salsa dancing, as well as, Latin Hustle. For those who may not know, how did you get into dancing salsa professionally?
Stracey: Before I answer your questions Johnny, I'd like to say thank you for being so patient in waiting for my reply. I'm humbled at your request for an interview. Thank you so very much. Now back to your questions...lol. I'm quite fortunate in having been able to frequent a little known Hot Spot in the Bronx called Side Street back in the early 90's. This is where I met David Melendez as well as all of the other greats that danced there. David was responsible for introducing me to dancing on2 and shortly thereafter asked me to do a duet with him...lol. Wow, I would love to see that video again. I know David has it hidden in his archives. It was a very sexy little number especially for back in those days. He then asked me to join his dance company "Mambo Elite" and thats where it all began for me.
Johnny: You have traveled the world as a principal dancer with "The Descarga Latina Dance Co" and with your most recent partner Jhesus Aponte. How would you describe these experiences?
Stracey: Priceless!!! How lucky am I to have shared more than ten years with the same six team members as well as the number of dancers that joined us occassionally. They are my brothers and sisters and I look forward to growing old them. I have shared countless laughs as well as tears with them and am very proud to have them in my life. Jhesus and I are kindred spirits which is why I feel like I've known him all my life. We know eachothers deepest secrets....lol.
Johnny: You became New York's first Puerto Rican Stuntwoman in the early 90's, earning an impressive resume in Film/TV and Stage. Early on in your career, you worked as a stunt double for Lauren Velez on 11 episodes of "New York Undercover." What is your most memorable experience working as a stunt double during this assignment?
Stracey: Hhhhmmm....We did an episode once where Lauren and I had to work with 200 training Firefighters and do everything that they were doing. Well, we were the only two females there besides a few crew members and we had the time of our lives. Need I say more...lol.
Johnny: You have also done some work on TV shows which include: "Third Watch", "Johnny Zero", 3 episodes of "Law & Order", "Rescue Me" and most recently on ABC's "All My Children" Is there any correlation between performing salsa on stage and acting on TV? Do you have any other projects coming up in the near future?
Stracey: I would have to say yes Johnny. Whether I'm on stage or in front of a TV camera, I have to get into whatever character I need to be in order to get the job done. Sometimes that means telling a story on stage thru dancing and sometimes it means creating a character for the camera. I had to take a few months off to recover from a stunt accident but fortunately, I have a few projects coming up in the coming months. I'll be working on a new character for a film where I'll be playing a Hitwoman as well as working on a new number and hitting the stage again.
Johnny: You appear to be a very interested person outside of salsa. Can you describe something that people in the salsa community may not know about besides your work as a stuntdouble?
Stracey: Well, I have an amazingly beautiful younger sister who is my Hero. I'm totally in love with my dogs and someday would love to foster as many as my home will hold...lol. I'm a hardcore Old School Classic Rocker who was lucky enough to have a free spirited, music loving Mom who raised me to laugh as often as possible, respect life and all it has to offer.....Oh, and I love to cook ;)
Johnny: What are some of your upcoming plans within the next 5 years related to salsa dancing and beyond? Wow, the next five???
Stracey: lol... I plan on dancing as long as my body allows me to and beyond.... As always, follow my heart wherever it may lead.
Johnny: Who are some of your favorites dancers?
Stracey: Too long to list... I have a great deal of respect and admiration for all that dare to dream and follow thru. Some of my favs to dance with though are Nelson Flores, Jhesus, Fernando (Tropical Gem), Super Mario, Ismael, Orlando (LTM), Hecter Berrios (my hustle partner), and my newest partner Tony Hernandez (Luv U). My Favorite girls are Marielys ( I want to be her when I grow up...lol), My Descarga sisters M&M, Griselle P, Candy, April Genoveese (known her since she was 11yrs old), Joby (my LA sista), My Tropical Gem sisters, Jami Josephson (she can turn anyone into a dancer...wink), wow...told you the list was too long...lol. Thats just to name a few.
Johnny: In addition to acting, you have worked with the legendary Tito Puente and Celia Cruz as well as the cast of "The Combinacion Perfecta Tour" starring many of the biggest names in Latin Music history. Can you talk a little bit about these experiences?
Stracey: My most memorable moment was at our first CP tour together. The entire cast had gotten together for a full blown rehearsal and I was stretched out on the floor warming up for the opening number. I looked up and was surrounded by some of the very best in Music and Dance history and was completely taken aback. My heart started racing and it was one the most proudest moments in my career. I got to know them not only on a professional level but on a personal one too. I traveled on many tours thereafter with quite a few of those stars and soaked up as much as I could from their words of wisdom and life experiences. I'm a really lucky girl.
Johnny: What advice would you offer to individuals aspiring to work in television?
Stracey: Be professional always!! Know your lines, your routines, your job, whatever it may be. Do your homework in whatever field you choose and train, train, train....Be prepared.
Johnny:Any additional comments:
Stracey: I want to thank you again Johnny and wish you the very best with everything you do. I want to thank everyone who has had any part in my life for I could'nt have gotten here without you. God Bless ~ Stracy*
Johnny: First and foremost, thank you for taking time out to grant www.lavozdelmambo.com this interview. I was first exposed to your tremendous talents at the Chicago Salsa Congress in 2003. I just remember this huge circle around this brotha doing all the awesome moves that I had never seen before. I overheard two dancers talking and one of them said, "Oh that's Leon Rose." From that point, I always kept an eye out for you because I thought you were "off the hook." For those who may have never heard of you, how did you get into salsa?
Leon: Damn, I remember that congress in Chicago. I was really sick and I was finding it really hard to dance. Anyhow, I started Salsa almost 9 years ago in a hot and sweaty club called Villa Stefano's in London. It was in fact my mum that dragged me down there since she got hooked on Salsa just a few weeks before. I remember standing in a corner amazed at all these moves people were throwing down on the dance floor. Then a girl asked me to dance and that was the moment I decided to study this "Salsa thing" hard!
Johnny: I got a chance to read your articles located at www.leonrose.com I found them to be very inspirational. To know that a dancer of your magnitude has gone through some of the same things I go through is very inspiring. For those individuals that aspire to be great but are somewhat discouraged what words of advice do you offer?
Leon: For me it has been and still is very important to enjoy what I'm doing whether it is in a class situation or while on the stage. I don't think I would be where I am now if I just looked at Salsa a business. I started working nationally then internationally because I traveled around to different clubs/ congresses and just had a good time on the dance floor. People would then approach me for workshop and shows. My advice to up and coming dancers would be to start traveling around and performing your routines must most importantly, after the shows dance with everyone!
Johnny: You talked in your article "Partners - Past and Present" about all the different partners you have had and how they inspired you. As a male lead, how can a great female follow help to someone's ability to lead salsa? In ways have women help you to improve as a dancer?
Leon: Every partner I've ever had has helped me lead better by giving me feedback on the combinations I would use on them. Male leads must understand that to lead well you must be ready to adapt to different females. For example shorter women might need less force for a double turn than a tall one. Everyone has seen guys with strong leads throwing ladies around in clubs (even on the stage), and if their partners don't say anything they will just continue the same way with everyone they dance with. Another way I've been helped was by my dance partner of six years, Susana Montero, with spinning techniques. She trained in ballet for a number of years and gave me tips on how to improve my spins.
Johnny: You also mentioned how you were influenced by Robert Charlemagne and T in London. In what ways did these tremendous dancers influence your innovative style?
Leon: In London back in the old days I don't think we had many strong stylish dancers but with the help of these guys thinks started to change. Robert was and is still is a man the that can put a lot of humor and attitude in to his dance without putting too many complex moves in, and T was the guy that would do the fast and tricky stuff. I worked on over the years creating my own style and my own "strange" routines. This started with combination of all the things I learnt from all my instructors to what I do now which I work hard on making unique.
Johnny: Who are some of your favorite dancers in the UK and beyond?
Leon: Susana Montero (of course) and Miriam: who are probably the only two in the UK that can follow everything I do when I'm going crazy. Lesley and Violeta from LA: because they challenge me when it comes to pure style. There are several women around the US and Europe that are too numerous to mention but they stand out to me because they really feel the dance and there enjoyment radiates off them. When it comes to guys, I like watching Cliford from Paris freestyle. Also I really appreciate the work my brother from another mother, Sekou.
Johnny: I got an opportunity to see the "Leon Rose Project" On the UK Congress DVD, which is a preview to a much bigger show. Can to talk a little bit about the hour-long theatre dance production you have in store?
Leon: I came up with a idea for a big show a while ago and it's damn hard work!!! When it's ready, everyone will know....
Johnny: Outside of being a phenomenal dancer, what is the Most interesting thing about you?
Leon: I'm working on my standup comedy routine at the moment which I've been a little scared to actually go out and do.. Also, I was born to be a singer..I just can't sing..
Johnny: What can we expected from Leon Rose in the next five years?
Leon: If I'm still being hired, I'll still be dancing...
Tracks you may have heard and could just never find out who they were by:
I want to thank you Johnny for giving me this privilege of posting ten of my favorite floor shaking tracks. I have been dancing salsa for well over 6 years and have been saddened by a lot of the commercialism in music that people associate salsa with. Not to say that what you may hear in a nightclub is bad, but it just doesn’t give me that ‘gut’ feeling I had when I first started listening to salsa music. Here is my 50 cents of aural and soulful bliss that is sure to get you stepping! (A Hint to all Salsa music lovers, I had a chat with a friend of mine once and he said, “You know…look for the albums that have the cheesiest covers on them and you are guaranteed good music!”)
“Insight” - Poncho Sanchez & Freddie Hubbard
I had to start this list off with this track. The layering of the percussion, the breaks, the progression of the track, all the elements that make you feel like you’ve been given an injection of adrenaline. It teases you early on for what’s to come, and then…boom! The percussion solo…and you are on cloud 9. This is Latin Jazz at its best, the sax and trumpet are the glue in this track, they just weave in and out seamlessly and with no effort, allowing you, the dancer, smooth flowing transitions from on queue to the next, and I know how much you like breaks. This will definitely fill your craving for those show stopping breaks and shines during a dance.
Poncho Sanchez is renowned for his skill on the congas, such a crisp clear sound, once you’ve heard a few of his tracks, you will be able to pick up on his style. His is one of aggression, smoothness, and precision.
“Atrevida” – Ray Rodriguez & his Orchestra
It was pure happenstance that I came across this album. I was chatting with a friend of mine in Amsterdam who is a salsa DJ, and I had sent him this song in hopes that he would find the album for me because, and he did! Unfortunately do not know much about this artist, but I can say this, lush vocals, very sublime production. Classic 60’s and 70’s salsa at its best.
A Gozar: Latin Grooves on Blue Note
Alright, I couldn’t pick out just one track from this album, so I just put the whole album in here. This music is all late 50's through 70's music recorded by Blue Note and its sister labels, and is a really good overview of what was going on at the time. Willie Bobo, The Jazz Crusaders, Bobby Hutcherson, Les McCann, and Candido among others are featured on this fantastic compilation. Unfortunately not all the tracks are danceable, but pay special attention to Latin Bit, Brazilian Soft Shoe and Titoro.
“Plastico” – Ruben Blades & Willie Colon
I guarantee you this is probably in every DJ’s collection. The track will definitely throw you off at first with its disco and funk flavored intro, which goes on for about a minute or so, and then you hear the break, and it begins. Even if you have never danced in your life before, this track will definitely ease you on to the dance floor, that intro will pull you in, and then you hear the queue for the clave, you freeze, and you think to yourself “okay I thought this was not a salsa, now my dance partner is not going to let me sit, so I must try and dance!”
“Cuidate” – El Combo De Pepe
What a great 1968 jazzy descarga-guajira session from Peruvian bandleader and bassist Pepe Hernández. Rich, hard driving grooves obviously intended to keep the dancers moving. Cuidate is uninhibited and does not give you time to breathe, you just dive in head first and unleash!
“Lo Que Dijo La Gitana” – Ismael Rivera Y Su Cachimbos
Ismael Rivera was known for his contribution to Bomba/Plena. Very well known for his improvisation in his lyrics, it was that talent that earned him the title “El Sonero Mayor”. Although known for that specific genre, he did branch out into Son, Mambo, Guajira, Guaracha, Guaguanco, and Bolero, and this song definitely showcases his abilities in Son and Mambo. I found this record stashed and forgotten at this old record store in Montreal, the vinyl was not in the best shape, but this one track was relentless
“La Margarita” – Roberto Y Su Nuevo Montuno
This is a very good guaracha-salsa number from the '70s that typifies the no-frills, urban, garage salsa sound. If you liked this track, then check out the album “Aqui Esta”
“Una Descarga a Cachao” – Cachao Israel Lopez
I am sure all you salseros and salseras will agree with me when I say that songs that go on for longer than 5 minutes are hectic and feel like an invitation to leave the dance floor. That said, this track is 12 minutes long, but dancing to it is blissful. Wonderful queues, breaks, and percussion solos, obviously because it is a descarga, and boy let me tell you, Mr. Lopez and his ensemble unloaded like you would not believe on this track!
“La Amistad” – Adalberto Santiago
The track is off of an album called “Feliz Me Siento” which was produced by the late Ray Barretto (Rest In Peace). La Amistad has the formula that every classic salsa track should embody, a fantastic intro, a build and a magnificent break into a percussion solo. Highly danceable, highly recommended.
“Caravan” – Conga Kings
Following the success of the first Conga Kings CD, this release embraces the traditions of Afro-Latin jazz much more than the first, which focused more on the folkloric roots of Afro-Cuban music. Some of the arrangements here are done in the style of the big-band Cubop and mambo-jazz bands of the '40s and '50s and can be both sophisticated and vibrant, but struggle with the shortcomings in the mixing and audio separation -- especially "Caravan" which simply sounds distant.
New festival gets into Latin groove View Larger Image TEARING UP THE SQUARE: Daisy Gimenez, left, and Vicente Guerrero showcase some Latin dancing at Churchill Square on Tuesday. Photograph by : Ed Kaiser, The Journal Article Tools Printer friendly E-mail Font: * * * * Susan Ruttan, The Edmonton Journal Published: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 EDMONTON - Edmontonians will be able to dance all day to Latin rhythms at the city's first Latino summer festival, Expo Latino, says the festival organizer.
"It's not the kind of festival where you just sit and listen to music," said Carmen Galvez of Calgary in an interview Tuesday. "We're turning Sir Winston Churchill Square into a giant dance floor."
Galvez is president of the Calgary-based Hispanic Arts Society, which is hosting Expo Latino in the downtown Edmonton square the weekend of Aug. 19 and 20.
"The stage is going to be non-stop from 11 a.m. till 7," she said.
The performers will be changing throughout the day, so the audience will be able to try out their salsa or mariachi dancing. There will even be workshops for people who want to learn some dance steps.
The new festival is modelled on the successful Expo Latino that has run in Calgary for the past decade.
During that time, Galvez said, the Calgary event has grown from a one-day show to a week-long festival drawing 100,000 people.
Many of the performers at the Calgary festival over the years have come from Edmonton, which has a Latino population double that of Calgary, she said.
"They've been saying, 'you really need to have something like this in Edmonton,' " she said.
"We've been working on it for two years now."
The festival represents 19 different Spanish-speaking countries, said Galvez.
That variety will be reflected in the different arts and crafts for sale, in the food booths and in the different performers.
"There's flamenco, there's mariachi, there's Chilean folk dancing, there's the tropical dancers, there's salsa," she said. "We all come together in this festive atmosphere."
Galvez said she hopes people will bring their children, so they can hear the bands and join in the dancing.
The Churchill Square event will be free. The cost, which Galvez estimates at $200,000, will be covered by government grants.
Paying customers can also attend a gala Latino performance at the Winspear Centre on Aug. 19.
It will feature guitarist Oscar Lopez, a Spanish flamenco group and traditional music and dances from countries like Chile, Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico.
It takes cojones to start a new festival the same weekend Edmonton's long-standing Fringe opens. But organizers for Expo Latino say they've got it where it counts.
"I think our festival will be the favourite pick," says Expo Latino artistic director Carmen Galvez.
Edmonton's new Hispanic culture festival runs Aug. 19 and 20 at Sir Winston Churchill Square. The Fringe runs from Aug. 17-27.
Also on Edmonton's summer lineup in and around that time is the Labatt Blues Festival from Aug. 25-27 and the ESO's Symphony Under the Sky from Sept. 1-4. Both events take place at Hawrelak Park.
Part of Galvez's optimism for a local Hispanic festival stems from the success of Calgary's Expo Latino, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. It runs from Aug. 23-27.
Last year, the Cowtown event drew about 70,000 people, a festival only bested by Calgary's folk fest, Galvez says. Conservatively, she's expecting about 50,000 people in Edmonton, which has a Hispanic community roughly double the size of Calgary's.
Edmonton has tried undertaking small-scale Hispanic cultural events over the years with limited success, but nothing on the scale of Expo Latino has ever been realized.
The event has taken more than two years of planning.
"It's time," says Galvez. "Edmonton needs something like this and people in Edmonton are very open to attending cultural events."
The free-admission festival will feature arts and crafts, food and a large musical component, including acts like Spain's Vivancos Ballet Flamenco, Vancouver's Mariachi Del Sol and Juno award-winner Oscar Lopez.
Running in conjunction with Edmonton's festival, the Fuego Latino gala of music and dance will take to the Winspear Centre Stage on Aug. 19. Tickets will be available through Ticketmaster.
And to get those Latin toes tapping a bit earlier, the second-annual Salsapalooza showcase, competition and dance will hit Edmonton's Four Points Sheraton South on June 17.
*CELEBRATING CALGARY’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY AT PRINCES ISLAND PARK
**INAUGURATING EDMONTON’S FIRST EXPO LATINO FESTIVAL
***FUEGO LATINO GALA IN EDMONTON AND CALGARY
Hello Everybody!
We are gearing up for a better and larger Hispanic Festival at the end of August. This year we are celebrating our 10th Anniversary in Calgary from August 23 to 27 at our new location, Prince’s Island Park; Inaugurating Edmonton’s first “Expo Latino” Festival on August 19 and 20 at Sir Winston Churchill Square; and “Fuego Latino” will ignite the stage with a spectacular gala of music and dance in Edmonton and Calgary.
Edmonton Expo Latino will take place at the Sir Winston Churchill Square in Edmonton on August 19th and 20th from 11 am to 7 pm. It will be Free Admission and include Main Stage Entertainment, Food and Art Market, Travel show and Beer Garden.
Calgary Expo Latino is celebrating its 10th Anniversary and MOVING this year to its new permanent home at Princes Island Park, August 25 – 27, transforming into Calgary’s Mega Outdoor Festival. This new venue brings us better covered Stage, larger overall facilities for the audience and vendors, extended hours of programming and recognition of Expo Latino as one of Calgary’s major festivals in the City. Festival hours have been extended to the following: Friday from 6 pm to 12 midnight; Saturday from 11 am to 12 Midnight; and Sunday from 11 am to 8 pm. All events including Salsa Fever, Bombazo, Parties, Workshops will now take place within Expo Latino at Princes Island Park for the entire family to enjoy. The only two events taking place outside Prince’s Island Park are: Opening Ceremonies and Fuego Latino Gala. This brings us to a another good news where we will be able to have even better programming for everybody in the family introducing an Early Bird Weekend Pass for only $10.00 per person available until the evening of Friday, August 25th . Tickets available through: 7-11 Stores; A & B Sound; Ticket Master; and Latin Stores. Daily passes will be available at the door of Princes Island Park on Saturday, August 26 and Sunday, August 27. However, children and seniors will have free admission!
Fuego Latino will ignite the stage with a spectacular gala of music and dance. This breath taken Stage production will featuring International, national and local dancers and musicians on the evening of August 19th in Edmonton at the Winspear Concert Hall and the evening of August 23rd in Calgary at the Epcor Centre’s Jack Singer Hall. Tickets will be available through Ticket Master only!
Tentative Artist Line-up for this year’s festival: Mariachi del Sol; Vivancos7 Ballet Flamenco; Oscar Lopez with his ensemble; Al Liquid Silver with his Salsa Team; Juan David Rodriguez; Orquesta Expression Latina; Orquesta Internacional Hermanos Flores; Orquesta Tropicana; Ache Brasil; Grupo America; PLP; and Edmonton and Calgary best Latin bands, dancers, musicians and singers.
In the month of April our Calgary office is open limited hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 am to 12 noon. It will open full time office hours on May 1st and in our Edmonton office will open full time office hours on May 29th. Our office number in Calgary is (403)271-2744 and office located at Lwr Level, 237 – 8th Avenue S.E; our phone number in Edmonton is (780) 628-5822 office located at Second Flr, 9704 – 27th Avenue.
Application forms are now available for downloading from our website: www.hispanicarts.com
Feel free to contact us for any questions, concerns or suggestions. Hope to see you all this year at Alberta’s hottest outdoor festival in Edmonton and Calgary.
Johnny: First and foremost thank you for giving lavozdelmambo.com the opportunity to interview you. You are a performer and coordinator for the world renowned "Santo Rico Dancers." Although you have only been dancing with Santo Rico for a couple of years, you are already captain of the student group, "Xibicion" and the Ladies Spinning & Styling Coordinator. This is quite an accomplishment, in such a short-time! For those that have not been exposed to your tremendous dance talent, can you give us a little background on how you got into dancing and performing salsa at this level?
Ahtoy: I ventured into salsa after an injury forced me to stop the intensive ballroom training I was engaged in at the time. I initially thought that dancing salsa would be less rigorous and that I could use the time learning it to simultaneously recover. To my surprise, becoming proficient in salsa - especially at Santo Rico - was a demanding endeavor, and it soon proved to be one of the more difficult dance forms in my experience. Tomas invited me into his student group, Xibicion, after two months of attending his classes. Since then, I have really appreciated and benefited from the level of mastery he requires from his dancers. This has constantly motivated me to accelerate through what would have been a quite normal course of improvement had I not been required to dance my butt off everyday since then!!
Johnny: You have an impressive dance background. Can you talk a little bit about your dance experience outside of salsa?
Ahtoy: I was raised as a dancer from a young age, so dance has always been a discipline rather than a pastime for me. I received most of my training in classical ballet in Guam (my home) and at the Houston and San Francisco Ballet Companies. I later turned my efforts to jazz, modern, and competitive ballroom in New York. I was a very quiet child, so I spent most of my time and energy learning how to express myself physically through dance. The stage still remains a comforting retreat for me, from which I never roam.
Johnny: You have traveled all over the world performing with Santo Rico. Is there any particular travel experience that stands out?
Ahtoy: My most memorable experience abroad is of beautiful St. Petersburg, Russia. Tomas and I were hired to perform and teach there for an entire week during the summer "White Nights" when the sun never goes down in that part of the world. The city was simply magnificent under the constant dawning light, and so it never slept and neither did I. The most remarkable thing about St. Petersburg is that despite the lack of Latin dance exposure, the salsa community was burgeoning with enthusiasm and promise. We New Yorkers often take the wide accessibility of dance opportunities for granted, so I was inspired by their willingness to seek out and enjoy something that is seemingly out of reach.
Johnny: How would you describe your experience as The Captain of "Xibicion?"
Ahtoy: Xibicion was the battle-field where I fought my way through bad technique, frustration, and sheer mediocrity. I'll never forget the senior dancers back then who tolerated my tangled hair, my glasses flying in their face, and the occasional toe-smashing. I can still hear them yelling at me sometimes. So it only seems natural to contribute the fruits of my misery to the next generation of eager dancers. Xibicion has always been a group of sincere and earnest students starting from scratch and working for nothing but their own satisfaction. To me, that's the only way to dance.
Johnny: If a lady aspired to be a dancer in Santo Rico, what advice would you offer to her?
Ahtoy: Believe that you are beautiful, and learn to use dance to communicate that, undeniably, to others. Dance at this level is a performance art and its primary purpose is to display your physical skills and attributes. Santo Rico requires its ladies to perform with perfection, pride in our femininity, and the power to conquer every stage. Once you accomplish that, you can share your love of dance with everyone who watches you.
Johnny: Unfortunately, many people still assume that you must be Latino in order to dance and perform salsa at a professional level. Your last name is WonPat-Borja; if you don't mind my asking, what is your ethnicity?
Ahtoy: I'm Chamorro! Thanks for asking. Chamorro is the name of the native people of Guam, a tiny tropical island in Micronesia near Japan and the Philippines. I grew up there and moved to New York for college when I was 17. You can legitimately call me Asian, which explains the "WonPat" in my name, but I have a distant Spaniard heritage as well, which is the "Borja". Of course, anyone can dance salsa, and the diversity of the salsa scene all over the world is the most convincing evidence of that. In fact, the national dance of Guam is the Cha Cha Cha!!
Johnny: What is the most interesting thing about you outside of being an awesome salsa dancer?
Ahtoy: I'm a huge geek. I might clean it up on stage, but on a normal day I'd be embarrassed if you found me buried underneath my glasses with my nose in a textbook. When not dancing salsa, I spend all my time as a researcher in psychiatric epidemiology. What can I say – everybody needs balance, and salsa keeps me cool. Well, sort of . . .
Johnny: Can you name a few individuals that have inspired you to become the dancer you are today?
Ahtoy: Yes, my first teacher at Santo Rico was Teddy Garces. He was the one who made me do four spins instead of two and pushed me into Tomas's advanced class before I knew how to do a cross body lead. His advice to me back then became one of my mottos, "You can sink or swim, but make sure it's swim!" Unfortunately, I aspired to dance exactly like him before I realized I was dancing . . . well, like a guy. So that meant I had to start taking Ladies Styling classes, where I met the next influential dancer in my life – Nina Ortiz. Nina had a special way of imparting all of her knowledge on her students, unselfishly and with care and clarity. I know that filling her shoes as the new Styling and Spinning Coordinator will be difficult, and I still draw inspiration from everything she taught me.
Johnny: My favorite question.. who are some of your favorite dancers and performers on the salsa scene?
Ahtoy: Ana Massicot has a rare understated elegance that is so refreshing to watch. I fell in love with her dancing at first sight! Liz Lira's flawless technique and standard of discipline gives us a peek into the next level of salsa dancing. Both of them are wonderful people as well.
Johnny: Any additional comments:
Ahtoy: Thanks for the interview, Johnny! I enjoyed the questions and look forward to hearing from more 'voices of mambo' in the future.
Johnny: First and foremost thank you for giving LVM an opportunity to interview you. You have performed with Salsa Brava and you are probably one of the most popular social dancers on the West Coast Scene. But what might be more impressive is how you achieved so much success and notoriety on the scene at such a young age. For those who may not know you, how did you get into salsa and how old were you when you started performing?
Cesar: Well, I was actually brought into this scene by my mother. A lot of people I have spoken to about this subject all tell me that their parents used to dance when they were younger, and felt it is a great scene for their children to be in. My story is a little different though.
My mother actually had to force me to go to my first class. I wanted nothing to do with dancing at the time. I was an ignorant 14 year old boy, not knowing what I was trying to steer away from. She finally convinced me to go to the class, which I refused to participate in when we arrived. I was sitting on the side, pretending to be extremely irritated. I was watching how my father couldn't pick up the steps, and it was irritating me more. My mom came over to me and asked me to help him understand. Because I was so annoyed that he wasn't getting it, I got up and started teaching him.
I had been watching the teacher, and comparing to what my dad was doing, so I knew what he was doing wrong when I got up. Finally my father started understanding, and I decided to go sit back down. As I was about to sit, a girl from the class went and grabbed me and pulled me back up. She said, we need guys over here, would you like to help us out? I have a hard time saying no, especially to beautiful women, haha, so I got up and took the class. After that first one, I didn't miss ONE weekend of those classes for a VERY long time.
Johnny: I remember watching you and Jamie from Caribbean Soul, dancing on imambo back when it was black and red. Nevertheless, your creative style and complex moves really stood out. I studied that clip and learned a lot of moves that I still use today. The crazy part is that I think you were only 15 or 16. What contributes to your extreme talent for salsa? Do you have experience with other types of dance?
Cesar: I think my love for the whole scene is what makes me dance the way I do. I love the people, the music, the actual dance, and the trips, for obvious reasons. :)
I think part of it comes from me being raised as an only child. I love being around people, and I believe that comes fro me being alone at home everyday of my childhood. I like people. I like being around them. I am truly happy when I am dancing. I get to be around friends, and I get to express myself in ways that I had not experienced before this dance. Yet I am STILL finding new ways to show my emotions and feelings through dance.
Returning to your question, salsa is the first and only dance I have ever taken classes for. I knew nothing about dancing before it, and I have never taken any other classes. I do however, see in my near future, some classes of capoeira, hip-hop, jazz, and tap. I want to learn those, because I believe they will all strengthen my salsa. I have also started taking actual lessons to play the congas. I have been learning on my own for about 2 years, just listening to salsa music, and playing that I hear, or watching live bands, and watching their hand movement. It's actually a great instrument, and I recently bought myself some LP's, performance series. I'm very happy about that. :)
Johnny: Unfortunately, the group you previously performed with, Salsa Brava, disbanded. So what are some of your performance plans in the near future?
Cesar: I have recently started planning something with two of my closest friends in life. We have many, many plans in mind, but the ones meant for the nearest future are as follows:
a) We plan on starting a team together, the three of us. It will at first, consist of just us three; Iriyali Herrarte, Tony Calles, and myself. We all have very different styles of dancing, which is a great attribute to the company, as we are not fixated on one single form of seeing/hearing the routine/music, respectively.
b) Not too far after that starts, we plan on beginning an actual dance company, with a few more members. While we still will be performing as the group of three, we will also have our focuses on the team. We will all be traveling to different congresses, performing and such.
I plan to make these teams a requirement in every congress. :)
Johnny: What is the most interesting thing about you outside of salsa dancing?
Cesar: Interesting? I guess I would have to say my love for computers, and all electronics in general. I have a knack for computers. I learn very quickly, as in salsa, and I love to figure out things I don't know about them. I am working towards getting, eventually, my master's degree at least, in computer sciences. I still have not decided if I would like to be a technician, or more of a programmer or web designer. I love electronics, again because I have a knack for them. I don't need instruction manuals to know how to use them. I just figure them out. haha It's always fun to get something new, and be able to enjoy it that way. To give you an example, when I got my palm pilot, I was hooked. I loved figuring out what other features it has, and learning about how it works, without needing the instructions. Every time I get a new cell phone, I don't put it down for the first few days, because I love to find out everything about it.
Johnny: Is it true that you graduated from High School in 2 years? (Can you talk a little bit about that)
Cesar: How funny, I didn't know this was information other people knew. haha. Yes this is true. Well, 1.5 years, to be exact. I was not happy in high school, and I felt like I was regressing. I could not catch a break from the teachers, and I cannot, absolutely cannot stand someone being on my back about completing things. If I know I have to do them, I will do them, whether it's on that person's schedule, or mine. Obviously, this wasn't hitting the teachers too well, and it affected me. So I decided to leave. I found out about a test that kids in California can take. It is called the High School Proficiency Examination.
If you would like more information on it, go to www.CHSPE.com it's a great opportunity for bright kids to take, as long as they use it correctly. I graduated high school halfway through my Junior year. I decided I did not want to be there. So I took the test. I received the pass notice, and the graduation certificate in the mail a few weeks later, and I left. had my last week in school, saying bye to the people I actually liked, and I was gone. I started going to college, working towards finishing my General Ed. classes. All at 16.
Johnny: Who are some of your favorites salsa dancers under the age of 21?
Cesar: Oh wow, that's interesting. I would DEFENITELY have to say, one of my best friends, Tony Calles. One of the members of the group I will be creating.
Besides him, I would have to say Emily Alabi, and her brother, which I think is not 21 yet. Then there's my friend Natasha Tia from Orange County. Danced with The White Boy Wonders in San Diego for a while. And there's this one girl.....
She used to dance for a team in NY.I can't remember what it's called. They did a routine to the song "Timbalero" by El Gran Combo. Her name is Wally. Wally Lantigua. I don't think she dances anymore, and I only saw her dance once, but I LOVED how she danced. I thought she was amazing! I think that's it.
Johnny: Who would say has inspired you the most as a salsa dancer?
Cesar: I would have to say Luis Vazquez. His motivation, high spirits, up-beat ideas, and constant joking kept me in a happy place. I think it started from when we first met. I watched the video my dad took of the audition I did for Salsa Brava. MAN was I horrible. haha. Point is, I was watching his reactions to what I was doing. I'm not saying I was doing anything impressive, because at the time, I really wasn't, but he kept telling the members judging me to watch my timing. How I never got off, and how I would change if the music changed. All that stuff. From then, until the company dissolved, and maybe even after that, he has inspired me to be better. His fresh ideas for routines, and choreographies never ceased to amaze me.
After him, my other best friend, Iriyali Herrarte. I don't know if you know her, or of her, but this girl is an AMAZING dancer. She's never taken any lessons, but if you watch this girl, she moves in ways you thought people never could. I remember I used to tell her she had no spine. haha. It's funny because she's a very daring, strong willed person.
Johnny: Any additional comments:
Cesar: First and foremost, I wanted to thank you for giving me this opportunity. It really means a lot to me. And I appreciate your compliment about the video with Jamie. She's a great dancer as well, and a wonderful person.
Also, I've been thinking about some things while I've been answering these questions, and it's brought back some memories I hadn't thought about in a very long time. Thank you for that. It brings me back to a place I hadn't been in, in about a year and a half.
Third, I just wanted to mention something someone told me once, about this dance....
"If you've never danced, you've never enjoyed yourself, and life... I dance in mind, spirit, and body, and no one can ever take away from me, the fulfilling feeling I get after I have completed something in this scene that I've wanted to do for a long time."
I will leave the author anonymous, but let's just say he was a good friend of mine.
I hope people understand the importance of dancing for the enjoyment of ones-self. There are people out in the scene, who will also remain anonymous, that are out there on the dance floor battling to get the most attention. I think we should be out there to enjoy what we do. To fulfill our desire to express ourselves through this dance and music. Not to compete with each other as to who has the most cameras pointing at him, or who has the biggest circle of people watching them. We should be out there having fun. Making ourselves happy, while at the same time, enjoying our dance partner's happiness. Dance for ourselves. Nothing more, nothing less.
(NOTE: Come on SALSEROS! LET'S REPRESENT! SHOW them what real salsa looks like, none of this basic stuff from first season) Fox has announced Open Auditions for the second season of So You Think You Can Dance?
via
The dates:
Major Open Casting Calls!
8 :00 am - Line up
9 :00 am - Doors open for registration
10:00 am - Be ready to dance
New York Thursday, March 2, 2006 The Hilton Theatre 213 W. 42nd Street New York , NY 10036
Call Back Dates Friday, March 3, 2006 Saturday, March 4, 2006
Los Angeles Thursday, March 9, 2006 The Orpheum Theatre 842 S. Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90014
Call Back Dates Friday, March 10, 2006 Saturday, March 11, 2006
Chicago Friday, March 24, 2006 The Legendary Chicago Theatre 175 N. State Street Chicago, IL 60601
Call Back Dates Saturday, March 25, 2006 Sunday, March 26, 2006 * More cities to be added as they are confirmed.
To audition for the show, you must be between the ages of 18 and 30 at the time of the audition AND either a US citizen, legal permanent resident of the US, or possess a current legal visa allowing you to seek employment freely in the US.
Leila Cobo, Miami Legendary percussionist and bandleader Ray Barretto, one of the leading figures of the Latin jazz movement that exploded in New York in the late 1940s, died Feb. 17 in Hackensack, N.J. He was 76.
Born in Brooklyn to Puerto Rican parents, Barretto was a virtuoso conguero and a fixture in New York's fertile Latin jazz scene, equally at ease as a sideman, frontman and session player. He recorded and played with greats like Red Garland (he received guest billing on the cover of "Manteca"), Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie and Sonny Stitt.
Barretto also had a prolific solo career, which spanned more than 50 albums. His profile rose following the release of his 1962 album "Charanga Moderna," whose single "El Watusi" spent several weeks on the Billboard charts.
He also released several albums on Fania in the label's glory days, and became a key member of the Fania All Stars. He would later record extensively with his New World Spirit sextet on Concord, issuing albums that explored jazz, soul and Latin music. His albums "Taboo" (1994) and "My Summertime" (1998) received Grammy nominations for best Latin jazz performance.
Barretto's career continued unabated up until the time of his death. Just last year, Barretto released "Time Was-Time Is" on O+ Music.
Barretto's health had been fragile since the beginning of the year, when he underwent a quintuple bypass operation in New Jersey. He was hospitalized Jan. 30 with post-surgical complications and pneumonia, according to a statement.
(NOTE: A SPECIAL congrats to Eric & Kelly from Salsa Rica for being selected as instructors of this massive congress. Eric & Kelly have worked relentlessly over so many years to show they have a huge contribution in the Alberta and Western Canadian dance market and now they get to teach the world at the biggest salsa event in this UNIVERSE! Thank-You Salsa Rica! on behalf of Salsaddiction and EtownSalsa.com)
Congrats to the selected instructors for the 8th Annual West Coast Salsa Congress May 25-28, 2006
For more info on the congress, registration and the bands go to:
http://www.atpevents.com/congress/2006/
If we have spoken and you are not on this list. You are probably on our waiting list.
All instructors, couples and teams need to confirm with Jose Mendoza before February 28, 2006. If you do not confirm, you will be taken off the instructor and performance list. At that time we will be begin confirming those on the waiting list.
Congrats!
Al Espinoza On "1" Los Angeles, CA
Alex D’Silva On "1" Los Angeles, CA
Amanda Estilo On "2" New Jersey & Dominican Republic
Arelis Guevara On "1" Caracas, Venezuela
Ava Apple & Dave Paris Lifts San Francisco & New York
Billy & Katie Lifts Miami, Florida
Bobby & Mitsue On "1" Tokyo, Japan
Candy Mena On "2" New York & Dominican Republic
Carmen Lorente Flamenco / Salsa Valencia, Spain
Coabey Dancers Cuban Rhumba San Juan, Puerto Rico
Danielle & Graziano On "2" Bella, Italy
Edie (The Salsa Freak) On "1" Los Angeles, CA
Edwin Rivera On "2" New York / Los Angeles
Eric & Kelly On "1" Calgary, Canada
Giselle Ponce On "2" New Jersey
Gupson & Sharon Spin Class Singapore / Australia
Hacha Y Machete On "2" Lawrence, MA
Henry Herrera Casino Rueda Miami, Florida
Ismael Otero On "2" New Jersey
Jaime & Liz On "2" Sydney, Australia
Joby Martinez On "1" Los Angeles, CA
John & Liz On "2" San Francisco, CA
Josie Neglia On "1" Los Angeles, CA & Canada
Juan Matos On "2" Dominican Republic & New York
Laura Canellias On "1" Los Angeles, CA
Liz Lira On "1" Los Angeles, CA
Luis & Melissa On "1" Los Angeles, CA
Mario B On "2" New Jersey
Morris & Sonia On "1" Montreal, Canada
Nelson Flores On "2" New York, New York
Nestor On "1" Sydney, Australia
Oliver & Luda On "2" Sydney, Australia
Osmar Perrones On "2" New Jersey
Palladuim Legends Cha Cha Cha New York & Puerto Rico
Rene Gueits Casino Rueda Miami, Florida
Ricardo & Michelle On "1" San Jose, CA
Ricardo & Vivianna Colombian Style Cali, Colombia
Rogelio Moreno On "1" Los Angeles, CA
Ryoko & Ryu On "2" Tokyo, Japan
Salsa Y Control On "1" Boston, MA
Spin On "1" Seoul, Korea
Stayz New Zealand
Swing Guys Swing & Salsa Milan, Italy
Teresa Zamorano On "1" Orange County, CA
Thomas Guerrero On "2" New York, New York
Tito & Tamara On "2" San Juan, Puerto Rico
Tony Lara Bachata Italy
Victor & Gaby Quebradita & Salsa Mexico City, Mexico
Victor (Karisma) On "2" Dominican Republic & New York
Winsome Lee On "2" New York, New York
See you at the 8th Annual West Coast Salsa Congress
Salsaland @ Hollywood Park Casino in Inglewood, CA on May 25-28, 2006
Register Today
Hotel rooms going very fast!
http://www.atpevents.com/congress/2006/register.asp
Register for the musicians seminar from May 22-25, 2006
http://www.alberttorresevents.com/congress/2006/musicseminar.asp
2nd Annual World Salsa Championships Qualifying Location
More Info Coming soon
www.world salsa championships.com
Johnny: First and foremost, thank you for granting www.lavozdelmambo.com this opportunity to interview you. You are by far, one of my favorite social dancers on the mambo scene. There are very few dancers that take me into, what is frequently referred to as "Mambo Bliss;" however, every time I dance with you I feel like I am taken to this Place. In addition, you are one of the lead performers in the up and coming group, "Art in Motion." For those who may not know you can you give us a little background on how you got into dancing and performing salsa?
Liliana: WOW!!! I'm speechless...Thank you for your compliment Johnny! Well, I have to say, when I was young, I was shy when it came to dancing. Especially when it came to spanish music, I tried to run and hide, but was caught and dragged out to the dance floor. I was (and still am) into hip hop, reggae, and R & B, but it wasn't until 4 years ago when I got into salsa dancing. One of the members from AIM (Mike Andino) who I have known since childhood was the one that introduced me to salsa. He kept begging me to go to this club (The 8th Floor) in Philly w/ him, at the time I was in school. One night I ended up going and the next thing I knew, I got stuck. Within months after that, I met my partner and soulmate Alex Alvarado (also a member of AIM) and started in my first group "Salsero Unidos" back in 2000.
Johnny: As I mentioned before, you are one of my favorite social dancers. Your ability to follow turn patterns is quite extraordinary; in your opinion, what is the key to being a great follow?
Liliana: "Enjoy the ride" is what I say. It's like a roller coaster (even though I am frighten by those machines) you never know what's coming. Don't anticipate the move and pay attention (as I always say in class) Look up and smile and most importantly, have fun!!!
Johnny: How would you describe the experience of performing in Art in Motion?
Liliana: It's overwhelming to see us come this far! I am proud of each and everyone of us for doing a great job!!!
Johnny: You guys are all great on2 dancers; however, you frequently perform On1. What the story behind that?
Liliana: When we all started dancing, we learned On1. It was only a few years ago that we got comfortable dancing On2, but by then we had already begun our performances On1. We decided that we'd like to keep our performances On1, and still be able to mix it up when we social dance so that we can be more diverse dancers. For now, we plan to keep our performances On1 though.
Johnny: Who are some of your favorite dancers on salsa scene?
Liliana: There are so many.... Ana and Joel, Burju and Victor, Sekou, Eddie and Maria Torres, Salsa y Control
Johnny: Art in Motion is quickly becoming a very popular performance group on the salsa scene. What has allowed you'll to experience so much success, so quickly?
Liliana: First and foremost a group of talented people that are extremely hard-working and driven. Without the dancers that we have, we wouldn't be able to do it but we're lucky enough to have dedicated people who seem to want the same thing. When we started the group 2 years ago, one of our main goals was to travel to congresses to not only perform, but to teach as well. We knew that we'd have to "Pay Our Dues" though, in order to be recognized. So we spent a large part of the last 2 years traveling as much as possible, showing the promoters what we could do, so that we could be the kind of group that gets asked to perform, rather than having to ask.
Johnny: What the most interesting thing about you outside of Salsa?
Liliana: Well what most people don't know, is that I have a twin sister (fraternal) which her name is similar to mine, Lilibeth. We have our differences, one of them is.. she doesn't perform. But, she is out there with me whenever I am at a social event or congress in NJ/NY area. And sometimes even travels with me to congresses. What you also don't know is that Jessica Moya (also a member of AIM) is my roommate. We have been roommates now for the past 4 years and still manage to miss each other when we don't see each other for a couple of days (lol)
Johnny: Where do you see yourself as a salsa dancer 5 years from now?
Liliana: Well anything can happen, but in 5 years I would like to "perhaps" open a dance studio and also become more involved in other types of dances. Like jazz, ballet, tap and other type of dances.
Johnny: Any additional comments:
Liliana: "FIRST AND FOREMOST" (lol) I want to thank you Johnny for taking the time to interview me, I am honored, and flattered! I also want to say, to you Johnny, your doing such a great job with your website, keep up the great work!!! I'll see everyone on the dance floor!!!
By Norberto "Betto" Herrera A lot of dancers think that mambo dancing is all about turn patterns or spinning or shines. Some one said, "It's not about what you do, but how you do it". Let's take a cross body lead for example: You have two different couples executing this same move. One of them looks forced, with no feeling or structure, while the other one looks stylish, very smooth and lead without difficulty. The two are executing the same move, and have taken the same amount of classes, so what makes one better than the other one.
There are a couple of aspects that in my opinion dancers should consider in order to achieve a higher level of dancing. The follow would cover a couple of aspects that "a leader" and "a follow" should concentrate in order to become a good dancer.
In my belief, a leader needs to:
- Have a strong understanding of the basics. Things like, when to change your weight; arm tension, basic footwork and when to lead the turns are all part of the basics of mambo. The better you understand them as a beginner the quicker you'll improve your dancing. Notices that I say understand them not execute them, going through the step doesn't necessarily mean that you know the steps; can you execute them to the music on time? That is the question you should ask yourself every time you think you know a step or move! - Measure your partner's level. Have her go through a simple routine of basic moves (basic, cross body lead, right turn, left turn) for you to have an idea of what moves she'll be able to follow without difficulty. - Adjust your lead. After you have measured her level, keep in mind that certain followers respond better to more obvious signals and leads, and others to stronger or softer leads. You'll have to determine how to calibrate your lead accordingly. A good leader is able to adjust his lead while keeping his flavor and style with almost every single different partner. On the other hand, when a couple dances constantly together, they lose the ability to adjust to another dancer. A good lead can only be develop if you get yourself out there and dance with as many different partners as possible. - Share the dance floor with the lady. I have seen a lot of posing from some leaders but no dancing. Some times, they don't even move their feet, while their partner is moving from point A to B, side to side, turning left and right with doubles and triples while the man is holding the same pose. Dancing is movement, not posing. If you ever watch Eddie Torres dance, you'll understand what I'm talking about. Think about dancing in a circle, you want to share the circle not be in the middle and have the lady run around you. If you do this, your lead would improve and you'll notice while leading fast inter-exchange of places or dancing fast songs. - The most important one is to feel the music. Feeling will manifest through your body. That is probably the most admirable characteristic in a dancer, not how many times he spins or makes his partner spin, not how many moves he goes through in a single song, but how connected he and his partner are with the music.
Mambo or salsa dancing is all about the lady, it's often heard that the lady is the 'picture' and the man is the 'frame'. Followers delight us with their style, sexiness and playfulness. In my belief, all these aforementioned characteristics come to place after the following:
- A strong understanding of the basics. By this I mean: When to put weight in the proper foot. How to interpret the lead and to know which direction to go. Know how to execute right and left turns properly without depending on the leader. - Prepping for spinning. No matter if there is one or a thousand spins led, there is always preparation before a turn. Of course, prep for a single right turn is going to be different than prep for a triple right. It's all about adjusting to the lead. The better you prep the better you spin. - Good connection. It's a must for the follower to be able to feel the lead. Starting with the way your following hand is positioned, it should not be flat. You should use your ring and middle fingers of your hand to connect with his ring and middle fingers on his hand, that way we have good security on the hold and not too much friction (which would be uncomfortable and would slow us down). Keep tension in your fingers and slightly curve them to his to maintain connection. Then comes your arm, you need some kind of tension to be able to react on time to any kind of move. Always match the tension you receive from the leader. Tension will range from a zero level to a five level depending on what is being led. Your posture should include a straight back that is what is going to help your balance while turning. This is also going to allow you to carry your own weight and give some tension at the same time. If you keep all these pointers into consideration you'll become a follower that is not too light and at the same time not too heavy. - Experience. The leaders and followers' learning process is different. Leaders need more time to develop than followers. From an experience standpoint, a follower needs to get used to standard moves and be ready for new ones and learn how to respond to certain leads. On the other hand, if the follower gets too used to a certain lead by dancing with the same partner all the time, she'll have problems adjusting to a different lead. A follower should try to dance with anyone who is available to be able to react to different feelings. - Styling. This is something that comes in place after all of the above has been achieved. It's not easy. Good stylish dancers are able to keep their own flavor and follow any move flawlessly. A lot of experience is needed because the follower needs to understand when she has time to style during a turn pattern or what she can do while been led during a move. You can use every single part of your body to style like your hands, arms, shoulders, rib cage, hips, and head.... even your hair. - Feel the music. Styling and feeling the music go hand in hand, but when you feel the music, the moves that you execute are not pre-designed or rehearsed. They are inspired by the music and transformed into those sexy hips movements and head rolls we guys love to watch.
These are just a couple of aspects that I think an upcoming dancer should consider to develop into a great dancer. While you might think some of them are more important than others, remember that dancing is an interpretation of the music from our soul with in our bodies and we will have different approaches. I hope this helps some of you and have fun at the dance floor.
Micah: How did I start...man let me think. Well back in high school some friends introduced me to the basic step of salsa as well as some folkloric dances like cumbia, plena, jarabe de tapatio, etc. All I knew was the basic salsa step and a side step for a few years, then I ordered a "Cool Moves" video by Eric Freeman and learned some moves and that salsa had "counts" to it (wow!). I started going to a club where I lived in South Carolina (whazup to Salsa Cabana!), watching this guy named Gabriel, and making up my own moves.
That was all dancing on1, but then I looked on the internet and saw that you could dance on different beats, so I found some online charts and studied how to dance on2, practicing the basic steps in my mom's living room (hey Mom!) and transferring all of my on1 moves. When I moved to Chicago a few months later in 2002, I met my first dance partner Suzanne and was finally able to practice mambo with a real person and then with other dancers in Chicago. Since then, for about 3 and a half years, I've just been going out, watching people, making up random cool moves (and then forgetting them five minutes later), and teaching others to enjoy this crazy shiznit.
Suzanne: Tell us about your background in dance.
Micah: When my friends introduced me the basic salsa step and folkloric Latin dancing, that was my first encounter with dance, other than going to hip-hop parties and standing on the wall like a loser. It's all good.
Suzanne: You are a undergraduate student at Northwestern University majoring in music. Tell us about that and how your musical background influences your mambo steps on the dance floor.
Micah: I'd say it influences my mambo jambo quite a bit. It helps because it keeps me aware of the music in every aspect. Especially with choreography...like I'll choreograph a part of a song to some conga slaps in the background and someone will be like "What the fack? I would have never heard that!"
Also, being "musically educated" helps in interpreting musical events within the songs while social dancing. People sometimes ask me in clubs or socials, "How do you hit all the breaks like that? You must memorize all of these songs." Then I proceed into a 10 minute speech about musical signals, melody shifts, key changes, drum rolls, and changes within polyphonic textures. Haha...just kidding...I just play it off like I know the songs.
Bottom line, I'm very fortunate and blessed to have a background in music and as it very much helps with timing and musical interpretation.
Suzanne: You've been involved in a program at your school called Blast. Can you tell our readers a little more about that?
Micah: BLAST, or Ballroom, Latin, And Swing Thing, is...well just what it sounds like. It's a student group at Northwestern that performs, teaches, and competes in several different types of partner dancing--salsa, swing, tango, waltz, mambo, foxtrot, merengue, lindy-hop, 2-step, bachata, samba, paso doble...the list goes on. Basically, we try to promote all types of ballroom, Latin, and swing dancing to Northwestern and the surround community. It's a huge thing with a pretty loyal following and I'm glad to have been here for the past 3 years to watch it grow.
Suzanne: You've had some experience teaching others how to mambo and salsa. What is the most important and/or difficult thing to teach someone?
Micah: I don't know about the MOST important thing to teach people, but off the top of my head, one of the most important (and difficult) things to teach someone is lead and follow technique. A great deal of instructors and schools teach patterns and routines but don't really share how to lead or follow these sequences with random dancers that you'll meet in a club or congress. Meanwhile I'll be teaching someone or dancing socially with someone who learned in one of these schools and I'll attempt a certain move and they look at me like I'M crazy for doing something outside of their repertoire. What the fack? But it's cool...it's all about having fun right?
Suzanne: You currently dance with Descarga Caribe. How has that influenced your dancing?
Micah: Well through this group and Sekou McMiller, I learned Afro-Cuban body motion, so it's always good to be able to bust that out when a song breaks into a rumba section. More generally, I didn't know that you could use any sort of body motion in mambo dancing, so that inspired me to create some of my own movements and throw those in whenever I'm not busy torturing some poor girl with a series of twisted turn patterns...muahhahaha!. But dancing with Descarga Caribe has been a great experience and I'm glad to have met all of these awesome dancers.
Suzanne: Who are some of your favorite dancers, musicians, and dj's?
Micah: Favorite dancers? Hmm...I'm not going to play that game. But I will say that some of my favorite ladies to dance with (in alphabetical order) are Kathy Cabrera, Magna Gopal, Ana Massicot, Leah Patterson, and Cristina Zavala.
Musicians--Jimmy Bosch, Jose Alberto, Buena Vista, Oscar de Leon...and more.
DJ's--In Chicago, Carlos Latilladi is the man and also Luis Rivera. I also have mad respect for Jose Rodriguez, a DJ from Philly. I've never heard this guy play a track that I didn't want to dance to.
Suzanne: Any big plans in store for you after you graduate next year? Joining the Chicago Symphony Orchestra? Opening a dance school?
Micah: I'm not really sure what I'm going to do after I graduate or where I'm going to be. Definitely not joining the CSO and opening a dance school, I'd rule out for my immediate future as well. For now, I'm going to continue to focus on performing and teaching locally and abroad...beyond that I'm not too sure.
Suzanne: Thanks Micah for sharing with La Voz de Mambo!
Micah: Much love to Johnny and thanks to Suzanne for this interview. Again, I truly appreciate you guys having me as a part of this endeavor that promotes this music and dance that we are all so passionate about.
¡BOMBA! NOMINATED FOR CMW INDIE AWARD FOR FAVOURITE LATIN ALTERNATIVE ARTIST/GROUP VOTE SOON, VOTE OFTEN!
Edmonton Latin/World group ¡Bomba! is ecstatic to be nominated for a CMW (Canadian Music Week) award ‘The Indies’ in the Favourite Latin/Alternative category for their sublime 2005 release ‘Entre Sol y Luz’.
Nominees were chosen by committees made-up of industry professionals from all areas of the Canadian music scene, and this year the pros and the fans will decide on the winners by voting online for their favorite independent recording artists.
It’s an honour just to be nominated, but it’d be a real thrill to haul home the hardware. If you’re a fan, family or friend please go to http://www.cmw.net, click on “Vote Now- the Indies” icon on the home page (you’ll be at http://entertainment1.sympatico.msn.ca/Music/indies. Scroll down to “Favourite Latin Alternative Artist or Group”, click on the blue “vote” on the lower left side. Fill in the info on the pop-up, then put your mark on the box to the left of the ¡Bomba! name; and thank you profusely for your vote.
Voting will close at midnight on February 12th. Winners will be determined by a combination of public and industry voting.
The 6th annual 2006 Indie Awards presentation takes place on Wednesday, March 1st, 7:00 pm, at The Docks Concert Theatre in Toronto. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or the CMW website. The Trailer Park Boys are hosting.
Where: LAX MARRIOTT HOTEL Los Angeles, California 5855 West Century Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90045 Phone: 1 310-641-5700
Date: May 22rd- May 25th 2006
Who:: Participants must have basic music reading experience. Minimum age requirement is 16.
Tuition: Special Discounted price of $295 if you register by Nov. 15, 2005 $325 (before Feb. 1, 2006); $350 (after Feb. 1, 2006)
What: This 4-day music seminar is designed for students and professionals who want to improve their knowledge and skills of Latin/Salsa Music. Participants will receive the benefit of instruction focused on their individual instruments as well as ensemble workshops, master classes and special clinics. The seminar will culminate in a joint concert of select students and instructors as part of the opening concert at the 2006 West Coast Salsa Congress.
The instruments to be taught at the seminar are those most common to the Latin Genre, i.ePiano, Bass, Trumpet, Trombone, Saxophone, Flute, Timbales, Congas, Bongos, Guitar, Tres Y cuatro and Vocals.
Other instrumentalists, if interested, will be considered on an individual basis.
The seminar will be taught by internationally renowned musicians of Latin music, some of who are considered legends in their field. All of the instructors have been associated with top artists, such as; Tito Puente, Machito, Tito Rodriguez, Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco, Eddie Palmieri, Ruben Blades, Ray Barretto etc.
2004 Grammy Award winner & 2005 Latin Grammy Award nominee, Oscar Hernandez is the official Musical Director of the L.A. Latin Music Seminar.
INSTRUCTORS*: Oscar Hernandez – Musical Director, piano Jimmy Bosch – trombone Pablo “ Chino ” Nuñez – timbales “new school” Jose “Papo” Rodriguez – timbales “old school” Bobby Allende – congas Eddie Resto – bass Ray de La Paz – vocals Willy Torres – vocals Artie Webb – flute Johnny Polanco – guitar tres y cuatro Sal Caracchiolo – trumpet John Walsh – trumpet Justo Almario – sax Mitch Frohman - sax
*subject to change
The schedule** is as follows:
Day One, Monday May 22nd 5pm-9pm: Meet & Greet, and after a brief orientation, we break into individual classes.
Day Two, Tuesday May 23rd 5pm-11pm: individual classes, ensemble rehearsals
Day Three, Wednesday May 24th 5pm-11pm: individual and master classes, ensemble rehearsals
Day Four Thursday May 25th 10am-4pm Clinics, Master Classes and dress rehearsal for the evening concert
**Tentative schedule subject to change
Course Materials: All students will receive a CD with the music they are expected to learn and perform as well as the printed sheet music of these songs. Individual instructors will also be providing additional materials pertaining to their class needs. All students will receive a certificate of completion signed by the instructors.
When I heard that this particular competition was going to be televised worldwide on ESPN, I thought to myself, “Well it’s about time the rest of the world see what we’re crazy about and addicted to! It’s about time that those that have taken Salsa dancing to an entirely new level be recognized!
Albert Torres and a group of seven unnamed investors calling themselves “The Salsa Seven” put together a Salsa Competition that was unprecedented. The 2005 World Championships took place at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Couples from all over the world qualified at various Congresses and Festivals in their countries to compete at the World Championship finals in Las Vegas, so everyone who competed was already a winner. This particular competition however, was to see who was the “Best of the Best”.
You can’t deny talent. This event displayed just how far couples can take Salsa. The depth and complexity of their moves highlighted their talents as athletes in peak performance condition. These weren’t just dancers out there, these were artists – showcasing their craft to a level beyond what anyone would think possible.
Because there are few rules, this dance has exploded internationally like wildfire at a feverish rate. In less than 10 years, what was once a house party dance, Salsa dancing has grown into enormous international events called Salsa Congresses. Tens of thousands of crazy Salsa-Holics attend these events virtually every weekend in some part of the world.
The Styles of Salsa The differing dance styles of Salsa are country-based. Although danced to the same music, the footwork, timing, and pattern styles look and feel completely different. For example, there is a Cuban Style and Puerto Rican Style. A derived variation from Cuban Style is Miami style. Derived variations from Puerto Rican style are New York and Los Angeles style. Colombia has its own style called Salsa Cali Style, which displays a more rapid-paced type of footwork. Tricks and lifts can be added to each style. In fact, this year the couple from Cali Colombia took first place Cabaret division. The footwork variations are endless, timeless, and beautiful in their own right.
To dance Salsa socially, you simply need to know the basic step; the rest is up to what style your peers in your particular city or country are dancing. There are so many different ways of dancing Salsa it can make your head spin. For example you can dance in a slot or linear fashion, or dance in a circular fashion. You can dance on the first beat of the music (On-One), on the second beat of the music (On-Two), or on any beat for that matter. It was interesting that for this particular competition, maintaining that same beat throughout the entire routine was 40% of the total score!
The Judges There were four competing Divisions. On-One, On-Two, Team, and Cabaret. The select panel of judges was perfect. Through the years, we’ve all experienced bogus judges like movie celebrities that didn’t know a thing about Salsa, or ballroom pros that never frequent Salsa nightclubs, or Tango pros that have never taught, much less seen street-style Salsa. This time, the Salsa Seven chose well-known, hard core Professional Salsa dancers that have either internationally taught, performed, promoted, competed, coached, or have created instructional Salsa DVDs. Every judge chosen lives and breaths the Street Salsa scene as if it were the last thing they would ever do.
Every judge chosen was well known throughout the world, and have established themselves as Ambassadors of Salsa through their many years of competing, teaching, showcasing, and promoting the business. They’ve also earned respect and reverence from their peers, worldwide. The distinguished panel of judges was: George Watabe from Japan, Spin from Korea, Nelson Flores, Jamie Josephson, and Luis Zegarra, from New York. Stacey Lopez, Tito and Tamara from Puerto Rico, and myself (Edie, The Salsa FREAK) from Los Angeles / Miami. Billy Fajardo was the head judge, and Katy Marlow was in charge of tabulating scores.
It was difficult to judge what seemed at times to be apples and oranges. The judges were asked to rate each couple from 1 (lowest score) to 10 (highest score) based on various performance criteria the judging committee specified. Professional Salsa judges base their final decisions on the perfection and execution of each move. Was it a clean routine? Did they dance with the music? Were they on time? How was their visual presentation, costumes and grooming? How complex was their routine? Did the guy just stand there and spin the girl most of the time? Was she doing all the work out there? How creative was their routine? Did they compliment each other as a dance “couple”? The criteria given to us were simple, but every judge used their years of Salsa dancing experience far more than what was on that sheet of paper to base his or her final decisions.
The Sport of Salsa Watching this competition was like watching an Olympic Figure Skating championship, or a Gymnastic Olympiad. The beautiful thing about Salsa dancing is its flexibility as both a social dance and a sport. The sport of it highlights the agility and flexibility of the moves, the artistic talents of the contestants, and the endurance of the athletes to maintain their energy throughout the entire number. Salsa Competitions also demonstrate the speed, control, and balance required to execute each routine flawlessly for the judges.
In the Cabaret division, couples are allowed to perform death-defying lifts and tricks, wowing the audience with their flexibility and agility as athletes. The balance, strength, speed and ability is identical to Ice Skaters lifting their partners off the ice in beautiful, picturesque poses. In fact, there are many professional Salsa dancers who train world-class Olympian ice skaters in lifts and poses. The Cabaret division demonstrates the enormous strength and endurance of each couple.
The Team divisions were also able to execute “off-the-floor” moves that impressed the audience and judging panel. Every couple did an outstanding performance. There were a few that got the jitters out there, whether it was from the floor, or nerves from the television cameras. It was unusual for these couples to be showcased in such a large arena. The dance floor was enormous, and the arena could house well over 5,000 people.
To earn first place in the On-One and On-Two divisions, you had to be head and shoulders above the rest. In other words, there were the winners, and then there was a gap, and then there was the rest. You could see the depth and quantity of hours dancing together in the winning routines. I always say, that a quality routine is based on the quantity of time you spend together, rather than the quality of time. Luda and Oliver (On-Two winners - Australia) have been dancing together now for ten years and have competed many times before. Abel and Ziomara (On-One winners – Los Angeles) have been together now for two years, and rehearse virtually every day.
It helps to have a deep, mature partnership. It was interesting that both couples that won first place are not married to each other, nor are in a dating relationship together. They are strictly dance and business partners that share a love for the music and competing.
The Team division was more difficult to judge during the preliminaries because each team had timing issues. Timing in the Team division meant that one or more couple was not in sync with the rest of the group. In a Team competition, you are only as strong as your weakest link.
It wasn’t until the finals on Saturday, that the team called “Pretty Boys and Girls” from San Francisco showed their true colors – literally. They came out with the flashiest, most beautiful costumes, and executed a nearly flawless routine.
The Cabaret division was the most difficult to judge. The top three were Jhesus and Marielys from Puerto Rico, Rodrigo and Yesenia from Los Angeles, and Ricardo and Viviana from Cali Colombia. Each one of them could have taken first place. In the preliminary rounds, one couple didn’t display enough Salsa dancing, as part of the rules were that over 50% of the routine had to be recognizable Salsa. The judging criteria specified that a proper representation of Salsa dancing with lifts should clearly distinguish it from other gymnast-type of sports. The couple from Colombia clearly represented Salsa dancing with a few lifts and tricks both at the preliminary and final rounds. The other couples either made major mistakes in their routines or did not dance enough Salsa during the preliminary rounds that cost them the title at the finals.
Edie’s Personal Thoughts… Cut the Fake and Stiff Left Arm While Walking Onstage. I know this was an event for television, but the way the girls came out on the dance floor looked too much like a Ballroom competition. Their left arms pointed out looked too fake, and too stiff. Instead of Salseras trying to “copy” what the ballroom dancers do, we should come out with our own Salsa Style of walking out the dance floor. After speaking to a few social dancers each night after the competition, many were taken aback by this type of presentation. I personally would have liked to see a less stiff, more relaxed flowing movement of the hands; a more flowing, stylish, comfortable caress in the air, in and out, softly brushing the hip, up and out, with beautiful arm and finger styling. Why not let the ballroom women take a look at how “We Salseras” grace the stage prior to performing, and have THEM copy US for a change.
Audience should be allowed to social dance prior to the competition and between divisions. It would have made the contest seem much less shorter if we took a “social dance” break for a song or two between divisions, and had social dancing start early in the evening before the competition started. We judged for literally four hours. Prior to the competition, DJ Frank from Los Angeles was playing some KILLER Salsa music. There was an exquisite dance floor, stunning music, and Salseros just SITTING THERE in the bleachers waiting for the competition to begin. I was in shock. I wanted to get up and dance so bad, but I had the feeling that I would have been the only one, and stared down by everyone! I think that most people felt they “weren’t allowed to dance” or something.
Make the Final, the "Final". Eliminate point accumulation. Again, this is my personal opinion, but I feel that an accumulation of points over two days is not necessary, nor fair. The way couples dance at the finals should be the final decision, period. Judges should judge solely on how the couple does that night – not try to remember how much better they performed from the night before, or accumulate points from the night before. As in the Olympics, you only get one chance for that gold. Not an accumulation over time. This makes for a less controversial event, especially if only the finals are shown on television, or if people can only make it to the finals on Saturday, missing the preliminaries.
Where were the New York competitors in the On-Two Division? Hm? What's up with that NEW YORK??? No comment. .:(
Even if they don’t change a thing, it was a fabulous, well-run, professional event. It was an honor and privilege to be asked to judge this competition. The social dancing afterward was to die for. The Salseros from Las Vegas ROCK’D MY WORLD!!! They are really, REALLY good!
It’s about time that those that have taken Salsa dancing to its highest level be recognized throughout the world on ESPN. Who knows where this will go… Salsa, “Cirque du Soleil” style…? The possibilities are endless.
2005 WORLD CHAMPIONS
ON "ONE" - 1st Place - Abel Pena and Ziomara Torres!! - Los Angeles, California USA
2nd Place - Erica and Joel!! - Oaxaca, Mexico
3rd Place - Rafael Arenas Jr and Maria Jossee Strazero!! - Montreal, Canada
ON "TWO" - 1st Place - Oliver Pineda and Luda Kroitor!! - Sydney, Australia
2nd Place - Junior and Emily Aliva!! - San Francisco, California USA
3rd Place - John Navarez and Liz Rojas!! - San Francisco, California USA
"CABARET" DIVISION - 1st Place - Ricardo Murillo and Viviana Vargas!! - Cali, Colombia
2nd Place - Rodrigo Guzman and Yesenia Adame!! - Los Angeles, California USA
3rd Place - Jhesus Aponte and Marielys Molina - New York, Puerto Rico and Venezuela
"TEAM" DIVISION - 1st Place - Pretty Boys &Girls!! - Bay Area, California USA
2nd Place - Salsamania!! - San Francisco, California USA
3rd Place - San Tropez!! - Montreal, Canada
EXHIBITIONS BY: Billy Fajardo and Katie Marlow / Miami, Florida USA Tito and Tamara / Puerto Rico Los Rumberos / Los Angeles, California USA and Guadalajara, Mexico Swing Guys / Milan, Italy Victor and Gaby / Mexico City, Mexico Brandon and Serena / Chicago, Illinois USA Nicolas and Patty / Valencia, Spain and Manchester, United Kingdom
ESPN showing: April, 2006
Next Years' Event: see www.atpevents.com for complete details!
Johnny: First and foremost, thank you for doing this interview with LVM. You and your sister are phenomenal dancers and performers! You’ll direct The Amicitia Dance Company and you guys have traveled the world teaching and performing salsa; despite the fact that you’re both pretty young. During a discussion, I referred to you and your sister as the future of salsa and Victor, from Hacha Y Machete, corrected me and said, “No, they’re the present!”
First, I have to put you on the spot and ask your age?
Junior: I just turned 20 this month on the 11th of October.
Johnny: Second, for those who may not have heard of you, can you tell us a little bit about your dance background and how you got into dancing and performing salsa?
Junior: My sis and I are 5 time National and International Professional Salsa Dance Champions. We have traveled, taught, performed, and competed all over the world. We will be representing the Bay Area in Las Vegas for the World Salsa Championships in December. We are so grateful to the people that had faith in us along the way and continue to do so. This is how it all started for me. Like my sister said in her interview the reason I started dancing and I got into salsa was because my Dad was a dancer with The Latin Symbolics and he wanted my sister and I to get involved. He started taking us to the salsa classes twice a week with dance champion Ava Apple. At first we hated salsa because we we're all up in the hip hop scene and didn't really find interest in it. Also my sis and I used to play a lot of sports so dancing salsa, to us wasn't really appealing. After going and hating it for a while, for some reason I grew to like it. Ava asked my sis and to come audition for her team, The Latin Symbolics. She kept us on and I liked it so I kept coming. Two weeks after our audition I had to Perform a men's shine routine at the Bill Graham’s Civic Auditorium in San Francisco for a huge event that was put on in memory of Tito Puente because he had just passed. Performing at that event just opened my eyes to a whole new world. Performing on that stage with a live band and thousands of people cheering in this huge stadium was something that I never thought I would ever do and I loved it. After that I started going to Salsa Congresses and saw the amazing dancers and performer's that travel all over the world to perform and teach, and that's when I new I wanted a future in this scene.
Johnny: As I mentioned before, you are the director of Amicitia Dance Company. How does it feel to be the director of a dance company at such a young age?
Junior: It feels really good. Although it is a challenge, it is rewarding to see people grow as dancers. It's a great feeling to see your dancers progress and get better and better. To have people want to learn and adopt your style of interpreting salsa.
Johnny: What challenges have you faced as a director?
Junior: I have faced many challenges, but the biggest one of all is constantly pushing each person as an individual. Finding each individual’s weakness and pushing for them to correct it;
Johnny: You and your sister form an awesome performance couple. How would you describe the experience of working with your sister?
Junior: I love dancing with my sister. In my eyes she is one of the most talented followers out there. She constantly pushes to get better and is a constant drive in our progression to be the best we can be. I wouldn't choose any other partner/sister over her. Don't get me wrong, like any other couple we have our arguments and disagreements but in the end everything comes together and we become stronger together.
Johnny: You guys have been gaining some national and international recognition. Currently you guys are the premiere advertisement for the Salsa Congress in the Philippines. How does it feel to gain so much recognition beyond your local salsa environment?
Junior: It feels good. We thank David Melendez, Albert Torres, and other Promoters out there that have given us the opportunity to share our talent with the world.
Johnny: Who has been your most influential dance instructor or primary source of inspiration?
Junior: I would have to say my most influential dance instructor would have to be the one and only Ava Apple. She was our first teacher ever. She's a great person and instructor who gave us a great structure and lead us toward the path of competition, which has pushed us to where we are right now. We owe everything to her and we wouldn't be what we are as dancers today if it wasn't for her. She deserves all the credit.
Johnny: Who are some of your favorite dancers and performers?
Junior: Some of my favorite dancers and performers are:Fernando from Tropical Gem; Johnny Vasquez; Frankie Martinez; Victor and Burju from Hacha y Machete; and Juan Matos. I love watching all of these people tear it up on the performing stage as well as the dance floor.
Johnny: Where would you like to be in the next 5 years within the world of salsa dancing and beyond?
Junior: I would like to be one of the Top Professional Salsa Dance couples in the world. I would want to get to perform and instruct salsa out to a more mainstream level. Hopefully be able to dance and premier in movies and commercials. Just be the best dancer I can possibly be and try to make it in the Entertainment business. I want to be an inspiration to the world of dance. All my future goals I want to achieve with none other than my sister.
Johnny: Any additional comments:
Junior: I want to thank you so much for the interview. I also want to thank those people again who have supported us and continue to support and believe in us. My sister and I hope to grow as Dancers and continually push to be the best that we can possibly be. I appreciate everybody who took the time to read this interview and am so grateful to the people that we're always there for us when we needed them.
Johnny: First I would like to thank you for giving me a chance to interview you for my project. You are definitely one of my personal favorites whether it's instructing, performing, or social dancing. I definitely feel like you are an innovator within the mambo community; and I receive the same feedback from a lot of world-renown dancers. Your name always pops up as one of the most respected dancers on the scene. You have The Forgarate Project, you've performed with Santo Rico, you've traveled all around the world performing and teaching Salsa. Ironically, a lot of people are not familiar with your dance background. If you don't mind, can you give us a brief summary of how you reached this point in your dance career? Click here to check out Juan performing with Forgarate!
Click here to listen to audio clips of Juan's Interview! Juan: First of all I would like to say that I am blessed by God for giving me the opportunity to do what I am doing. If it wasn’t for him I would not be at the point that I am at right now. When it comes to who I trained with my story is kind of different. I started going to salsa classes because of a girl. In my country, Santo Domingo, there were no salsa classes. So when you talk about taking a dance class out there it was just ballet, modern and stuff like that. So when I got here, I was in this club and there was this girl and she was cute and she told me “the only way you could see me is in my salsa class” and I was like “salsa class, what the hell is that.” So I went to the class and at the time it was Vittico “La Magia” Pacheco teaching. I took a month of classes with him, but it was only one class per week. During that month we became friends and we started hanging out. So I started taking his advance classes, learning what he was teaching, and he told me to keep coming to the class and I would not have to pay because I had talent (although I didn’t know what he was talking about at the time). So then we started hanging out and I started watching other Dominican dancers (thinking to myself.. Wow)
But then I had a car accident and I could not walk or dance for almost a year but I still hung out with them and watched them dance in clubs sometimes until 7 and 8 in the morning. I learned so much during that time of watching and listening to their advice and hearing them talk about dancing. That was better to going to a class and learning a turn pattern. And that’s how it started, that was my beginning.
Johnny: It seems like more of the world-renown dancers are beginning to move over overseas. You recently moved to Italy, can you talk a little bit about what prompted that decision?
Juan: Basically I’m in Europe more than I am in the US and I have never had a full class going on in the US. Not because I didn’t want to, it’s just that most of the time I am in Europe. I moved to Italy because I believe that Italy has a bigger market. Most of the dancers moving to Italy are from the West Coast. No one from New York has really moved and established themselves in Europe. The people out there still dance mainly on1 or still dance Cuban style but now they are ready to broaden their horizons. They want to learn on2 because for them it is a different feeling, something brand new. So I am moving over there to open up my boundaries and to start something new in my career.
I don’t think I will be dancing for the next 10 years, in fact I think I will only do this for another 2 or 3 years then retire and continue taking care of my business in my country and in New York. That’s really it. I just want to go out there and help grow the scene and represent us.
Johnny: I think it will be great for the European market to have your presence out there regularly. Your response prompts another question. Since you only see yourself dancing 2 or 3 more years; what do you see yourself doing 5 or 6 years from now?
Juan: The Juan Matos that people know is just the Juan Matos who is a good dancer that knows how to dress well and wears glasses at night time. That’s the Juan Matos that people know. But I have businesses and family stuff going on that is more important because that’s my future. I am not planning to dance for 5 years; the most is 3 years.
In my family, everybody takes care of everybody and decisions are made for everybody. So my family is letting me do this because of the travel, they want me to see the world. Because with what I do, it would take a person a lifetime to collect the money to visit the places I go to, and I go for free and get paid to dance and teach. So for me this is a blessing. Like I said earlier, I thank God that I am able to do this and experience so many different cultures. That is my payment; it’s not about fame or money, it’s about the experience. I am not going to win an Oscar for doing this; however my reward is getting to know all these beautiful people that appreciate me for visiting their country and appreciate what I have to offer. The opportunity to gain these experiences and return that appreciation is my reward.
Johnny: I frequently hear people mention your project, Forgarate, as their favorite group. What’s the status with this project? (Juan corrects my pronunciation)
Juan: For us it’s a family thing. When we come together for a rehearsal or performance, we enjoy being together and hanging out more than doing a show. I have worked with so many beautiful people through that group.. or project. Actually, I don’t call it a group because I have so many different people from so many different groups from different areas coming together to perform. That was my plan… not to have a group and rehearse 10 times a week and do shows everywhere. Forgarate has not done that many performances, but when we come together, we mainly enjoy ourselves.
Let me tell you something, the talent that I have for this project is simply amazing! It is incredible! And it will keep growing because when I move to Europe I will still have the Forgarate name and work with old members, but I will also begin working with new members from Europe and make the project bigger and better. We will continue to try to do better things, better shows, combine styles because that is what it is.. Forgarate is a combination of different styles and different nationalities. That’s what Forgarate is about, having love and appreciation for what you do and for those around you.
People say Forgarate is their favorite group and I appreciate the compliment. Ironically we haven’t been working hard because it so hard to get all these talented people together to continue to developing ourselves and creating new routines. Me.. I basically live in Italy.. actually I live in a plane. Truthfully, I am in a plane more than I am in my house; so it’s really hard to schedule to time work with everyone. So whatever performances you see out there, it was really hard to come together and get it done due to schedule conflicts. But I believe the love and chemistry between all of us makes it look and feel good on stage.
Johnny: Now I would definitely say one of the best mambo couples that I’ve seen on stage, by far, was you and Ms. Kimberli Flores. Frequently a lot of people ask and want to know what happen to this partnership?
Juan: I am still in shock at what happened with me and Kimberli because outside of dancing, we were really good friends.. that was my sister. All of sudden she just told me that she was going to stop dancing. For what reason, I don’t know. And whoever is reading this interview and hears me talking about Kimberli; that is really my friend and really knows how Kimberli and I used to be…. They know how Kimberli and I used to be.
We were way more than just dance partners and to this day I still ask myself what I did wrong and what happened. It was shocking and it was a tough lost for me because Kimberli is one of the most talented dancers that I have ever seen. Because like my other dance partners (Jessica Ortiz and my sister Burju Hurturk) Kimberli brought the best out of me. And Kimberli and I had such good chemistry as friends that we developed that same chemistry on stage.
So to tell you the truth I really do not know exactly what happened. After that she disappeared, I haven’t heard from her. I heard from some people that she moved out of New York. So I would like to know, I would like to have a conversation with her. More so to know how she is doing, to see if she is ok, and too see how things are going in her life. Because we used to take care of each other, but things happen; hopefully we will see each other again soon.
Johnny: Well I know the mambo community would love to see you guys work together again. On another note, we kinda talked about this off the record, but this is something that I definitely wanted to ask you about being that you are one of the biggest salsa stars on the scene right now.
It seems like when people get a lot of success in the scene they become less social. Now you are one of the biggest salsa stars out here, yet at congresses you are still out there socializing, dancing and being apart of the community; and that’s really what people come for. They don’t come just to see a show, they would also like to interact with the stars, whether it’s socializing or dancing. What are thoughts or advice on this issue?
Juan: I’m going to give my comments and advice to everyone that goes to your website that is a dancer and a performer. Let me start with the advice…People, this is just dancing. Like I said earlier, you will not win an Oscar because of this. You could possibly become a millionaire, but you would have to teach a lot of privates and sell a lot of videos. This is just dancing. It is about having fun. If you are popular, if you are a good instructor, if you are a good performer, you are there and people respect you and because the people put you there. Because the people think you are, not because you think you are, because the people think you are. So it is all about the people. The people will go and take your classes, the people will take your privates, the people will buy your videos.. you know what I mean. It is all about having fun, it’s all about dancing.
You can be big, you can be bad, you can be the best in the whole world, you can fly in the air and do a Suzzy Q….but it’s still just dancing. Get that through your heads. You can get as much fame, money, and girls or boys as you want… but it’s still just dancing. Be humble. That’s the only way you can make it. It’s a lot big names out there, individual and groups, but right now because they are not social and humble, they are beginning to come down.
Getting to the top is not the hard thing… maintaining yourself at the top is the hard thing. You get up there by being a good dancer and instructor, but more importantly if you are a good person, you will stay up there until the day you decide to stop doing a “123, 567” or whatever numbers you count.. abc.. whatever.. Just stay humble my people. I truly believe people like me more because of my personality. You don’t have to dance all night, you don’t have to dance with 20,000 people in one night…just be there, be humble.
Right now, people want to ask more questions, they want to feel your vibe, and they want to see you dance. People will watch you social dance and they will record your dancing and put it in a performance (lol) And you know it’s true. Everybody, wake up, open your eyes and talk about it. But you cannot tell people “don’t record me” because then you are getting a big head. Keep in mind, this is just dancing. Just keep creating and innovating yourself and coming out with new things. I know it hard, but try it. That is the only way to make your self different from everyone else. Because right now, everything seems like it has been done; so just keep creating;
So Stay humble, have a beer, have a drink, do something…. Just don’t get a bad attitude problem and don’t get a big head….just be humble. I truly believe that’s why promoters keep bringing me back. Johnny: As you know, there are a lot of “good” dancers and performers out here, but there are not a lot of “great” dancers and performers. You would undoubtedly be considered a great dancer and performer. In your opinion, what makes someone great?
Juan: It depends how you develop yourself on stage when it comes to performing. There are a lot of rules and stuff when it comes to dancing. So it helps to have a background in dance. But I believe what makes me different is that I don’t think within the rules of dance when I’m performing. I’m just trying to have a good time and give myself to the audience. I could do a show today, a show tomorrow and a show next year. It would be the same show, but I would do it differently because it’s the way that I feel in that moment. So that’s one of the ways that I differentiate myself.
It’s a lot of great performers that would do a show today, tomorrow and next year and it would be the exact same show, because they follow lines…. they follow choreography. For me and whoever has worked with me or even taken a class with me… my steps, my turn patterns, the way I create stuff is by feeling, not by numbers. I add the numbers to the feeling. So when I perform, it’s the same concept and that’s probably what makes me great. It’s not that I want to be different, it’s probably that I feel different from everybody else and when I perform I try to give my best.
Johnny: Now you are definitely one of the most stylish guys on the mambo scene. Style is sometimes a matter of interpretation, but sometimes you can spot an individual that obviously has style. In your opinion, individually, as well as in your dancing, what do you define as having style?
Juan: For me, I try to be sexy (lol). I’m not a good looking guy, but I try to be sexy (lol). I try to dress good. I spend all of my congress checks on glasses, shoes and clothes. I try my best to look good. By the way that’s my second love…fashion. A lot of people know that fashion is my second love. I go to catwalks, I go to fashion shows, I buy magazines. I have over 350 GQ magazines in my collection. I love that, I love fashion. At that’s where it comes from. My style probably comes from the way I dress and the way I think because when you look good, you feel good and I try my best to be sexy (lol). I try to make the ladies like me (lol).
In regard to dancing, I try to keep it street, I believe in my streets. I believe in where I came from. I saw this type of dancing in the streets and I try to keep it street. I have a couple of routines where I’m classy and jazzy but at the same time you can still see the street behind it. I have never taken a class for another dance…..never. But I have seen Broadway shows, I have bought videos featuring some of the top jazz dancers and I just try to take things from there and develop it in my own way and I think that is the way that I have created my style. But I don’t believe I have a set style because I can take a performance and do it totally different, just how I feel at the moment. If I’m drunk I will rip it, if I am attracted to a young lady I will dance in a romantic way. So those are different styles.
On another note, I respect whoever has gets on a stage and performs, whether it’s a beginner or someone that has been dancing 27 years. I respect whoever gets in front of a group of people and teaches them. When we perform, I believe that we stop being dancers and we become entertainers. A dancer in my mind is a ballroom dancer, a jazz dancer, a ballet dancer….we are entertainers because we need to entertain our audience and encourage them to learn what we do or to develop themselves to be like us or better than us.
There are some people with some big names out there that have followers that look exactly like them. It’s hard to spot someone that looks exactly like me and I have people tell me all the time that some people are easy to copy but that I am not easy to copy because one day I do a suzy q one way they next day it’s different. The other guy does it the same way every time. So I don’t believe I have a set style in my dancing, it’s just about how I feel at the moment.
Also, I believe all that my feeling and good aura in my personality comes of my Dad. To this day, he is my best friend. He is 39 years old and I’m 27, can you believe that! He was 12, so you know he got a lot of flava! But he’s my best friend and he always gives me good advice and I believe I got a lot of my personality from him. So to my father God Bless you.
Johnny: You know I couldn’t let you get away without asking you the question everyone hates to answer. If you had to name a couple of dancers off the top of your head the have influenced you or that standout in anyway, who would they be?
Juan: Oh boy… we are going to have a problem here. If you want to know my answer you are going to have to get another website to write all down all of this. Look, it’s like I mentioned earlier, I respect whoever gets on a stage and performs and whoever teaches in front of a group of people. But I can give you some names.
I have to start with my Dominican people because I was born and raised around them and I will always respect them for teaching and showing me this dance. I have to start with Vittico “La Magia” Pacheco. For me he is still my favorite, for me he is still the best dancer there is when it comes to salsa/mambo. I call him my father when it comes to this and all the Dominicans out there because that’s my type, that’s my feeling, those are my people… Osmar Perrones, the one that put me on track to be a dancer; Thomas Guerrerro… I learned so much when I was in Santo Rico, I learned how to break down things, I learned how to do choreography, I learned how to count. Victor Mayovanex from Karisma; Franklin Diaz, even though we’re not as close, he is one of the most talented dancers that I have ever seen;
Also Jhesus Aponte, that’s like my second cousin and one of the best dancers in the world. Ismael Otero, my brother from another island; And of course Mr. Eddie Torres, what can I say that has not already been said about Eddie Torres. Getting respect from Eddie Torres for me is something I can’t even put it words.
Frankie Martinez, one of the guys who open the doors throughout the world for a lot of the On2 instructors. A lot people in general danced more on the one and Frankie was one the guys that opened their eyes to the two and open to doors for guys like me to travel to all over the world; and the relationship between me and Frankie is more outside of dance. We talk about movies; we don’t even talk about dancing. A lot of people always compare us and sometimes they see us together and are like “Oh my God, you guys are friends” because people think we are enemies…no we are not, we’re mad cool. We’re always arguing about movies and stuff, not about dancing.
Of course my Forgarate people, my family, Victor and Burju (Hacha Y Machete and all of their dancers) that's my blood running through their. They say that I inspire them, no they inspire me. They are so incredible. Carlos Jimenez, my other side, that’s my other half. That’s my family.
It's like I told you, there are so many dancers out there that I respect out there. When it comes to the females I have to give it up to all the partners that I have had that were next to me during my growth and when I became who I am. Jessica Ortiz, Burju Hurturk, Kimberli Flores, my partner now, Candy Mena, one the few Dominican females who is out here making it; Of course, Yesenia Peralta, Griselle Ponce (Griselle is the type of dancer who can just get on a stage a smile and she would get a standing ovation), Amanda Estilo, another Dominican dancer out there.
All of the up and coming talent...the Santo Rico girls, I just get dizzy by seeing those girls dance, they spin so fast...Thomas is crazy, he makes those girls fly and they are some of the best out there. Also on the West Coast…Joby Martinez, Melissa Fernandez (that girl is crazy and incredible too). Junior and Emily, Ceasar, Darlin, the Dominican On1, another big talent coming up; Man it’s so much talent out here. Also Gordon, Sekou, and Troy (that’s my boy right there);
And Boston, you know Boston was my first gig outside of New York, so definitely all the dancers out of Boston, Salsa Y Control and Ana and Joel much respect.
Oh I have to go to my other side, my other family the Vasquez Brothers; Mexicans and Dominicans are really alike because we drink and party like crazy. Johnny, Ramon, Francisco, Luis... that’s my other family. Rogelio Moreno, my cousin… you know what I mean. Al Espinosa, (Al is crazy). The Puerto Rican dancers Jason Molina, Tito and Tamara, Jorge Santana, Vickie all of them; Victor and Gaby from Mexico, they are crazy.
And Europe… it so much talent in Europe that it’s incredible and those people are very dedicated; If I go on and on this would be a lot longer because there are so many people in Europe alone. Tropical Gem, most of them are not latin but they are the best group in the world right now and they are really good friends of mine. Oh yeah, Marchant from London. He is the clean version of me! I’m telling you, this guy is coming up fast… Look out. Also, Mike and Erell from France;
I want to keep mentioning names because you always need to give props when people deserve props and I try to name a lot of dancers because a lot of dancers show me love. There are a lot of people that will see a great show and be like...”Ahh that was ok.” No…go up them, huge them and kiss them tell them “that was very nice.”
It so many people out there that I respect, if they read this they know who they are because they show me love and I show them love back and I believe I have more chemistry with a lot of individuals more so as a person than as a dancer; but unfortunately I can’t mention everyone, because we are on a cruise right now and I am seeing a lot of beautiful things, so it's hard to focus.
Johnny: Would you like to leave our readers with any final comments:
Juan: Yes, one more time…it’s just dancing people, you will not get an Oscar; You can probably get rich, but you will have to sell a lot of videos, teach a lot of privates, and do a lot of congresses. Keep it humble.. don’t let this go to your head. This is just dancing, go out to the clubs, support the clubs; if you are in a congress, go to the party...don’t go to sleep after your performance, have a drink, that will encourage you to dance, trust me... keep it humble. Thank you very much Mr. La Voz Del Mambo Guy..it took you a long time but we finally did it and I appreciate the opportunity man.
World Salsa Championships® !! December 14-17,Las Vegas, NV --- Congrats To All The Dancers That Participated In The 1st Annual World Salsa Championships. Las week Las Vegas was the scene for the most important and dramatic Salsa dancing event in the history. Also, A Special Thanks To All The Promoters Worldwide That Supported This Event By Having Qualifying Rounds At Their Events. Due to the success We Have Already Received Over 10 Additional Countries Interested In Participating Next Year.
1st Annual World Salsa Championships!!! Las Vegas, Nevada December 14-17, 2005
To Be Broadcast On ESPN Deportes & ESPN International Worldwide In April Of 2006. For Broadcasting Dates, Go To www.alberttorresevents.com or www.worldsalsachampionships.com
Thank You For Your Support In Being Part Of History.
RESULTS BY DIVISION
ON "ONE" -
1st Place - Abel Pena and Ziomara Torres!! - Los Angeles, California US
2nd Place - Erica and Joel!! - Oaxaca, Mexico
3rd Place - Rafael Arenas Jr and Maria Jossee Strazero!! - Montreal, Canada
ON "TWO" - 1st Place - Oliver Pineda and Luda Kroitor!! Sydney, Australia
2nd Place - Junior and Emily Alabi!! - San Francisco, California USA
3rd Place - John Navarez and Liz Rojas!! - San Francisco, California USA
"CABARET" DIVISION - 1st Place - Ricardo Murillo and Viviana Vargas!! - Cali, Columbia
2nd Place - Rodrigo Guzman and Yesenia Adame!! - Los Angeles, California USA
3rd Place - Jhesus Aponte and Marielys Molina - New York, Puerto Rico and Venezuela
"TEAM" DIVISION - 1st Place - Pretty Boys &Girls!! - Bay Area, California USA
2nd Place - Salsamania!! - San Francisco, California USA
3rd Place - San Tropez!! - Montreal, Canada
EXHIBITIONS BY: Billy Fajardo and Katie Marlow / Miami, Florida USA Tito and Tamara / Puerto Rico Los Rumberos / Los Angeles, California USA and Guadalajara, Mexico Swing Guys / Milan, Italy Victor and Gaby / Mexico City, Mexico Brandon and Serena / Chicago, Illinois USA Nicolas and Patty / Valencia, Spain and Manchester, United Kingdom
SEMINARS/WORKSHOPS AT THE 1st ANNUAL WORLD SALSA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Edie "The Salsa Freak" / Wednesday December, 14, 2005 Swing Guys / Thursday, December 15, 2005 Rhumba Seminar - Friday December 16, 2005 Conducted By The Cast Of Havana Night Show Presenting Itself At The Stardust Hotel In Las Vegas, Nevada. Special Thanks To ND, the creator, director and producer of this great show. Also special thanks to Ariel Machado and the cast for their support in attending this event
*************ALSO SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Jose Mendoza for coordinating the event
and all Musicians who performed:Victor Manuelle,Michael Stuart,Sully Diaz,Johnny Polanco,Rey de la Paz,Herman Oliveras,Frankie Morales,etc.
Hollywood couple JENNIFER LOPEZ and MARC ANTHONY were forced to flee the New York set of their new movie EL CANTANTE after a fire broke out close to their trailers.
The couple, who have been filming the HECTOR LAVOE biopic together since the beginning of the week (beg05DEC05), were briefly evacuated from the set yesterday (06DEC05) after an electrical fire broke out underground - beneath Lopez's trailer.
Filming wasn't affected as it was taking place elsewhere. Later in the day, Lopez returned to her trailer to expect the damage.
Firefighters had managed to contain the fire underground.
Etownsalsa.com Note: Kevin, thank-you for your kind words and support. Let's keep the fever going!.
Times have changed in the last few years in Edmonton's salsa nightlife, and it seems to have taken a turn for the better. Look at the lineups that we have and are going to see over the next few months, and one could only hope it merely the tip of the iceberg.
Marco Claveria en VivoWe look back at some of the recent changes in music alone around Edmonton. Bomba, one of the jems on the salsa scene, have re-emerged with a new line up and a more collaborative approach, while former frontman Marco Claveria has embarked on a fusion of small and big band efforts. Similar changes have been noticed with the band Combo Re, spawned from former local bands that had become a not so exciting draw to the clubs. And that's not all.
With the recent emergence of the Latin Cultural Society, Edmonton has shown it can really throw a party! As their first event participation the
presentation of Cuba's premiere band 'Charanga Habanera', they have indeed raised the bar when it comes to putting on a real 'Salsa Night' for all us salsa lovers around Edmonton.
Growing at a more modest pace, yet the rave of our cities socials is the ever popular Saturday Night Salsa, put on by none other than Usukuma Ekuere and the gang from Salsaddiction. I think I may speak for most of us in thanking him as well as Alex Rojas from E-town Salsa for contributing to that saturday night party many of us look forward to on a bi-weekly basis.
With that, we look forward to what Edmonton and the local salsa crowd will be cooking up for the next few months and a very bright future in our new year.
THE infectious rhythm of Latin music has created salsa-dancing aficionados across the globe. Here in the United States, salsa congresses and festivals are generating tropical heat as the winter months draw near.
Salsa is an umbrella term for many styles of Latin dance, all of which will be taught in workshops and performed when dancers from all over the world come together for celebrations in Miami, the San Francisco Bay Area and New York.
The basic rhythm of salsa originated in Cuba with the clave, or two sticks tapped together in Cuban son, the music made internationally popular by the documentary "Buena Vista Social Club." But salsa itself emerged in the 70's in New York, where jazz and rhythm-and-blues musicians of different ethnic backgrounds formed bands that expanded on the son style. Puerto Ricans in New York, and then back in Puerto Rico itself, soon developed a style of their own and made salsa central to their identity.
IN STEP Dancing at each session of the San Francisco Bay Area Salsa Congress will go on until 3 a.m. Daily attendance of 2,000 is expected.
In the United States, there are two styles of salsa dancing: the Los Angeles style known as "on 1" and the New York style, "on 2." This essentially means that West Coast dancers are breaking on the first beat and New Yorkers on the second. A third, Cuban-inflected style, casino, is widely danced in Miami. All these forms will be performed at the various congresses.
The second annual Salsa Rueda Congress of the Americas, held at the Radisson Hotel Miami from Nov. 11 to 13, will feature popular dance styles from Cuba, including casino, rueda and cha-cha-cha. Salseros and salseras from as far away as Israel and Japan will compete for spots in the first annual World Salsa Championship, to be held in Las Vegas in December. For those who come to the Miami congress to improve their dance skills, workshops will be held for all levels in different styles, from Dominican bachata to Cuban rumba to salsa Colombian style.
"Posthurricane energy is already coming back to Miami," said Billy Fajardo, the co-producer of the congress and a professional salsa dancer. "Flights are arriving
Manny Oquendo, 1931-2009
Greetings Salseros and Mamberos!
Was updating my page on youtube and I stumbled across a link to this video. Well known in the salsa world, current #3 in the world salsa champions from San Francisco, Junior & Emily put on a great show at this years(2008)America's Got Talent competition. Check out their opening performance:
So you missed the FIESTAVAL 2008 as well as the SONORA CARRUSSELES concert? No worries. For those that are familiar with PROYECTO UNO, here is a little video from this past weekends FIESTAVAL 2008 in Calgary's Olympic Plaza.
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It's a real great pleasure to introduce to you Oliver Pineda, director of the "Latin Motion Dance Academy" from Australia, many time salsa champion, very good Timbales player, and a "very high level" Dance Instructor.
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Here is a list of songs being played at social nights here in Edmonton. All of these musicians are from either New York or Puerto Rican descent. Some singers are not descendants from here such as Ruben Blades(Panamanian) Justo Betancourt (Cuban) and Celia Cruz (Cuban) but their musicians ARE and hence have more of that mambo on2 feel to them that I LOVE SO MUCH. Some songs need to be slowed down and if you CAN, GREAT! At least for the dancers. Otherwise , great to listen to. Oh and for actually purchasing a current album, PLEASE GET the soundtrack for El Cantante (Marc Anthony singing classics originally sung and made popular by the late Hector Lavoe).
Ok so this post is not intended to argue against the negative feedback surrounding "El Cantante." The purpose is to inform others that they can watch the movie and actually take some positive things away from it. I would hope that people don't JUST listen to the negatives and see the movie for themselves and formulate their OWN opinions.
Here is the lineup of bands and artists in Puerto Rico for the 2007 World Salsa Congress:
The Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Like
a lot of folks, I liked Jennifer Lopez back in the days when she was simply
an actress – when she rocked the roles in MI FAMILIA, SELENA, MONEY TRAIN,
and OUT OF SIGHT. I liked her before the megalomania and the tabloid fodder
life style kicked in. For the longest, and I agree with her critics, she has
been playing it fairly safe in these whack romantic comedies – roles that
could be phoned in. She hasn’t really stretched as an actress since OUT
OF SIGHT and taken a role the she really has to go all out and act her ass off
(no pun intended). Another thing I found annoying that she was trying really
damn hard to pass for a blanquita and play all these white roles and bleaching
her hair blond and such. Sorry nena, motherfuckers weren’t buying it.
But I always held out hope that maybe one day she would go back to her Nuyorican
roots and rock a role big time and play a hardcore Latina character that would
best showcase her acting ability.
Puchi
passes a line of junkies and another lookout guy and makes it all the way up
to the shooting gallery on the 2nd floor. Three unshaven, stoned men, dressed
in dirty sweat suits, sit on a couch, one wearing sunglasses. The table in front
of them is covered in drug gear. Puchi struts in. Everyone freezes except the
guy wearing the sunglasses, who waves…and smiles, unable to to disguise
the absurdity of playing dead with so much to live for. It’s Héctor.
Just a tad surprised.
The
script covers all the bases of Héctor’s life both good and bad.
Those salsa fans whom already know the Héctor Lavoe story will be familiar
with it. It’s all here - his conflict with his father when Héctor
sang in his father’s band and Papi didn’t want Héctor to
go to New York because he already lost a son - Héctor’s early days
when he crashed in his sister’s PRISICILLA’s pad - when Héctor
first met a wooed Puchi - Priscilla’s grilling of Puchi is here too. That
ethnic rivalry that exists between Puerto Ricans born on the island and Puerto
Ricans born in New York City is in there – especially in those two excellent
scenes between Priscilla and Puchi early and later in the script. Héctor’s
early performances are here. Of course his legendary meeting of JOHNNY PACHECO
and introduction and teaming up with the badass WILLIE COLON who is here in
his full New York Latin street swagger (just like yours truly). John Ortiz is
a highly underrated talented performer so I know he is gonna rock the role of
Colon. The signing of Héctor by Jerry Masucci to the Fania Records label
and changing of his Héctor’s last name is in there - a very politically
incorrect but necessary scene. Hector’s glory days with Willie to their
eventual departing and of course Héctor’s drug use as it slowly
destroyed him and those who loved him the most. The horrible tragedies that
haunted Héctor later in life is also here.
For all who don't know this little guy,his is Alex Lebron at 3 years of age demonstrating with his father some of the different latin rhythms such as bomba, plena, guaguanco (my favorite on this video). WOW! If you ever need some inspiration, this kid is AMAZING! He doesnt even know he's as good as he is.
Enjoy the clips!!
Chris: DJ D, for those who dont know you, can you tell us where you're from and how you became one of Boston's best DJs?
DJ’s put in just as much of an effort and skill into their performance than any other dance group. Good DJ’s are just as disciplined as any good dancer. A good DJ will practice and familiarize himself with his music for that event. I understand that promoters and performers have many responsibilities on a chaotic performance night. It is still no reason to forget about your DJ. Their talents and efforts to keep the party moving should not be overshadowed. Again, this has rarely happened to me, I feel that is due to the family-like Salsa community we have here in Boston. 
Johnny: First and foremost thank you for granting lavozmagazine.com an opportunity to interview you. You have been a member of the Santo Rico Pro team for several years. This is arguably one of the best salsa performance groups in the world. What type of impact has performing with Santo Rico had on your life?
Johnny: First and foremost, thank you for giving www.lavozmagazine.com an opportunity to interview you. You have been a pertinent figure in the Houston Salsa scene for a while. For those who may not know you can you tell us how you got into salsa dancing?
Ike: Again it also came out of the frustration of hearing the same 15 songs at every salsa club. I am an avid latin music and video collector and there are
literally thousands of great salsa songs that you never hear in clubs or performances. I felt obligated to share some of this music with fellow salsa/mambo lovers. I have been a guest DJ for the Houston Salsa Congress, South Padre Island salsa event and for various night clubs and socials inTexas. I like to play medium tempo dancers music like Tito Rodriguez,
Sonora Poncena, Willie Rosario etc
Ike: Well I have been practising as a General Internist for about a year and half now. I work for a teaching hospital that trains residents and medical
students. I enjoy practising medicine and teaching medicine because it gives me a unique sense of satisfaction and reward for helping to alleviate
suffering. I also work in the emergency room 3 to 4 times a month. I was actually the official doctor for the NY and Texas Congresses in the past.
But a few of my favorites include Griselle Ponce, Shani from Israel/NY, Adriana from Houston, Juan Matos & Dicky
Colon(favorite social dancers), Frankie Martinez (favorite choreographer), Adolfo Indacochea &Thomas Guerrero (favorite performers). My favorite groups are Hacha y Machete, Santo Rico, Xibuke (from texas).
Just show up in San Juan, follow the sound of the clave, and you would expect to be in for some fantastic dancing. The rhythms of salsa can be heard blaring from passing taxis, grocery stores, open apartment windows and bars. You can see great salsa bands every night of the week. But finding the city’s vibrant salsa dance scene can prove to be quite a quest if you don’t have the insider hookup from day one.
Johnny: You have also done some work on TV shows which include: "Third Watch", "Johnny Zero", 3 episodes of "Law & Order", "Rescue Me" and most recently on ABC's "All My Children" Is there any correlation between performing salsa on stage and acting on TV? Do you have any other projects coming up in the near future?
Johnny: As I mentioned before, you are the director of Amicitia Dance Company. How does it feel to be the director of a dance company at such a young age?
