Cleveland, OH (February 2008)
Everything from mambo to the waltz, this magnificent dance studio has it all. I had the wonderful opportunity to teach again at Viva Dance Studio in Cleveland (Strongsville), Ohio owned by former Eddie Torres Dancer Rebecca Sweet. My stay in Cleveland has been a very enjoyable one.
Although the salsa scene is fairly small and predominately “On 1” in Cleveland, their heart and love for salsa is large. One of the more popular salsa clubs in Cleveland which I have had the chance to experience is The View (Fridays). Although everyone has been extremely friendly, I was pretty disappointed to witness the lack of “On 2” dancing, low level of dancing, and very limited and commercial selection of salsa/mambo music. Another event which I have had the opportunity to be part of is the “Salsa Jam” social held monthly by Viva Dance Studio where I enjoyed great music, performances, and live bands. Although the level is not very advanced at this social, attendance was high, music selection was unique, and I was exposed to much more “On 2” dancing. There was surely a great ambiance at this social.
As for schools of salsa, one of the best places to study salsa/mambo is at Viva Dance Studio. This studio is one of the best learning environments I have ever seen. Its gorgeous dance floor and ambiance makes every class and social a delight. Although there is some resistance towards NY Style mambo in Cleveland and level of dance is not very high overall, I was able to thankfully conduct successful workshops and privates the last weekend in April consisting of Ladies’ Styling, Intermediate Level Turn Patterns, and Intermediate level Shines at Viva Dance Studio. I also had the opportunity to teach “On 1” salsa at the nightclub “The View,” which I found not to be the most conducive environment for learning. There are 3 levels of salsa being taught at the same time in addition to very low lighting, no mirror, and low fast background music shared by all. However, the students were very pleasant and appreciative and learned the material quickly.
Cleveland has so much to offer in regards to salsa. Taking advantage of studios like Viva Dance in addition to welcoming all styles of salsa/mambo are the first steps salseros/as should take in order to improve their level and see growth in their dance. I want to thank everyone in Cleveland for taking advantage of what I had to offer and supporting me and Viva Dance Studio. Thank you Rebecca and the staff at Viva Dance for bringing me out to Cleveland, Ohio and showing me a GREAT time!
Although the salsa scene is fairly small and predominately “On 1” in Cleveland, their heart and love for salsa is large. One of the more popular salsa clubs in Cleveland which I have had the chance to experience is The View (Fridays). Although everyone has been extremely friendly, I was pretty disappointed to witness the lack of “On 2” dancing, low level of dancing, and very limited and commercial selection of salsa/mambo music. Another event which I have had the opportunity to be part of is the “Salsa Jam” social held monthly by Viva Dance Studio where I enjoyed great music, performances, and live bands. Although the level is not very advanced at this social, attendance was high, music selection was unique, and I was exposed to much more “On 2” dancing. There was surely a great ambiance at this social.
As for schools of salsa, one of the best places to study salsa/mambo is at Viva Dance Studio. This studio is one of the best learning environments I have ever seen. Its gorgeous dance floor and ambiance makes every class and social a delight. Although there is some resistance towards NY Style mambo in Cleveland and level of dance is not very high overall, I was able to thankfully conduct successful workshops and privates the last weekend in April consisting of Ladies’ Styling, Intermediate Level Turn Patterns, and Intermediate level Shines at Viva Dance Studio. I also had the opportunity to teach “On 1” salsa at the nightclub “The View,” which I found not to be the most conducive environment for learning. There are 3 levels of salsa being taught at the same time in addition to very low lighting, no mirror, and low fast background music shared by all. However, the students were very pleasant and appreciative and learned the material quickly.
Cleveland has so much to offer in regards to salsa. Taking advantage of studios like Viva Dance in addition to welcoming all styles of salsa/mambo are the first steps salseros/as should take in order to improve their level and see growth in their dance. I want to thank everyone in Cleveland for taking advantage of what I had to offer and supporting me and Viva Dance Studio. Thank you Rebecca and the staff at Viva Dance for bringing me out to Cleveland, Ohio and showing me a GREAT time!
Miami Blitz 2008 (June 2008)
“Wet Willies anyone?” is what rolled off everyone’s tongue as the Miami Blitz crew relaxed on the sandy white beach and crystal blue waters of South Beach, Miami. Yes, this is how I spent my weekend at the 2008 Miami Blitz event.
A small but personal event, the 2008 Miami Blitz was a great success. We started the weekend off by hanging in the pool, barbequing and playing chicken fights and ended it by spending all day on South Beach drinking the world famous Wet Willies drinks “Call a Cab.” I did not get to experience much of Miami’s nightclub scene, however, we did check out one of Miami’s premiere Latin Club called Yuca (Fridays). Despite the very commercial salsa music played, I had a blast with the Blitz crew. The crowd was mainly “On 1,” but I did find quite a few “On 2” dancers at a good level. I did have the fortunate pleasure of bumping into Descarga Latina’s Sekou McMiller, one of my good friends, who was debuting the Celia Cruz play in Miami.
The main salsa event “Miami Blitz” hosted by BTS, imambo.tv, and Clavekazi yielded a great turnout. The music was great and I found myself surrounded by more “On 2” dancers. Overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere. In addition, my parents and some family members came down to support me which truly made the event and weekend extra special! Although a small line-up, the shows added a nice touch to the event. I had the great opportunity to debut for the first time with Darlin Garcia (Art In Motion) from Philadelphia as well as share the stage with 2 of the ClaveKazi members. Great friends and performers Al and Karla Espinoza came to show support for Darlin and I which was greatly appreciated.
One of the downfalls of the weekend was the limited attendance at the workshops. The workshops were held in one of Miami’s main salsa studios, Aventura dance, a small but elegant dance studio. The workshops consisted of intermediate turn patterns taught by Darlin Garcia, Bachata taught by Tato Paredes, Ladies styling taught by myself, shines and body movement taught by Shaka Brown, and Teacher Combo Pattern Class taught by all instructors. Since the class size was small, the atmosphere was more personal and intimate.
I want to express a great big thank you to shaka brown (clavekazi.com) and jareau almeyda (imambo.tv) for bringing me to Miami Blitz and showing me a great time in Miami! Can’t wait for the next trip.
A small but personal event, the 2008 Miami Blitz was a great success. We started the weekend off by hanging in the pool, barbequing and playing chicken fights and ended it by spending all day on South Beach drinking the world famous Wet Willies drinks “Call a Cab.” I did not get to experience much of Miami’s nightclub scene, however, we did check out one of Miami’s premiere Latin Club called Yuca (Fridays). Despite the very commercial salsa music played, I had a blast with the Blitz crew. The crowd was mainly “On 1,” but I did find quite a few “On 2” dancers at a good level. I did have the fortunate pleasure of bumping into Descarga Latina’s Sekou McMiller, one of my good friends, who was debuting the Celia Cruz play in Miami.
The main salsa event “Miami Blitz” hosted by BTS, imambo.tv, and Clavekazi yielded a great turnout. The music was great and I found myself surrounded by more “On 2” dancers. Overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere. In addition, my parents and some family members came down to support me which truly made the event and weekend extra special! Although a small line-up, the shows added a nice touch to the event. I had the great opportunity to debut for the first time with Darlin Garcia (Art In Motion) from Philadelphia as well as share the stage with 2 of the ClaveKazi members. Great friends and performers Al and Karla Espinoza came to show support for Darlin and I which was greatly appreciated.
One of the downfalls of the weekend was the limited attendance at the workshops. The workshops were held in one of Miami’s main salsa studios, Aventura dance, a small but elegant dance studio. The workshops consisted of intermediate turn patterns taught by Darlin Garcia, Bachata taught by Tato Paredes, Ladies styling taught by myself, shines and body movement taught by Shaka Brown, and Teacher Combo Pattern Class taught by all instructors. Since the class size was small, the atmosphere was more personal and intimate.
I want to express a great big thank you to shaka brown (clavekazi.com) and jareau almeyda (imambo.tv) for bringing me to Miami Blitz and showing me a great time in Miami! Can’t wait for the next trip.
Vienna, Austria (March-April 2008)
Schnitzels and Sachertorte! Mmm, Mmm good. These are 2 of the most popular dishes and desserts from Vienna, Austria which I absolutely fell in love with in addition to its amazing sights. The 2 1/2 weeks I stayed there was one of the most amazing trips I have ever been on and one of the most memorable.
Everything from great food, luxurious sight-seeing, sassy shopping and of course salsa dancing , I had the opportunity to experience. Although Vienna’s salsa scene is small and predominately Cuban style and “On 1,” New York Style “On 2” is significantly growing and peoples’ interest are peaking. As a result, the level for dancing was not as high as some places I have been, however, the crave to learn and the talent are growing incrementally. Vienna has three main clubs which promote salsa-El Dorado Club (Mondays), Volksgarten (Thursdays) and the legendary Floridita (Wednesdays), which is a replica of the famous Latin Club and dance school in Cuba. Furthermore, Vienna’s salseros also share their love for mambo at different socials such as “The Strictly Salsa Social with A Little Bit of Cha Cha” held monthly by Yvonne Habek , Zoran Djurkin, and Thomas and others held by various promoters. Although attendance was not high at the weekly salsa nights because of the small scene, I had such a blast each and every time I went out socially. I felt so at home everywhere I went. All the salseros/as made me feel comfortable and definitely put me to work (lol), which was GREAT!
As for schools that teach salsa, the most well known is The Floridita school, however, there are many solo instructors which teach as well. I based my instruction in what I felt Vienna was lacking and the people’s suggestions. One area with needed improvement was the limited use of ladies’ styling. In addition, I found that men’s leading was lacking as well as the contrabody movement for both men and women. As a result of these observations and people’s suggestions, I taught a variety of workshops and privates consisting of Ladies Styling, Spinning for men and ladies, Body Movement, Lead and Follow, Cha Cha Cha, Intermediate Turn Patterns, Pachanga and lastly Styling in Partnering both On 1 and On 2. All the workshops and privates were thankfully a great success and I really enjoyed them very much.
Vienna has so much to offer from remarkable sights, delicious food, and most importantly great people and dancing. As long as they continue to expose themselves to all that salsa has to offer by attending many congresses and bringing in experienced and known artists to teach, Vienna will continue to grow. I want to thank everyone in Vienna for making me feel at home right from the start and taking advantage of what I had to offer. I hope that I was able to offer something new and different to the scene. Because of your support, this tour was successful. Thank you so much Yvonne and Zoran from dancingsalsa.at for bringing me to Vienna and showing me a GREAT time! Love ya much!
Everything from great food, luxurious sight-seeing, sassy shopping and of course salsa dancing , I had the opportunity to experience. Although Vienna’s salsa scene is small and predominately Cuban style and “On 1,” New York Style “On 2” is significantly growing and peoples’ interest are peaking. As a result, the level for dancing was not as high as some places I have been, however, the crave to learn and the talent are growing incrementally. Vienna has three main clubs which promote salsa-El Dorado Club (Mondays), Volksgarten (Thursdays) and the legendary Floridita (Wednesdays), which is a replica of the famous Latin Club and dance school in Cuba. Furthermore, Vienna’s salseros also share their love for mambo at different socials such as “The Strictly Salsa Social with A Little Bit of Cha Cha” held monthly by Yvonne Habek , Zoran Djurkin, and Thomas and others held by various promoters. Although attendance was not high at the weekly salsa nights because of the small scene, I had such a blast each and every time I went out socially. I felt so at home everywhere I went. All the salseros/as made me feel comfortable and definitely put me to work (lol), which was GREAT!
As for schools that teach salsa, the most well known is The Floridita school, however, there are many solo instructors which teach as well. I based my instruction in what I felt Vienna was lacking and the people’s suggestions. One area with needed improvement was the limited use of ladies’ styling. In addition, I found that men’s leading was lacking as well as the contrabody movement for both men and women. As a result of these observations and people’s suggestions, I taught a variety of workshops and privates consisting of Ladies Styling, Spinning for men and ladies, Body Movement, Lead and Follow, Cha Cha Cha, Intermediate Turn Patterns, Pachanga and lastly Styling in Partnering both On 1 and On 2. All the workshops and privates were thankfully a great success and I really enjoyed them very much.
Vienna has so much to offer from remarkable sights, delicious food, and most importantly great people and dancing. As long as they continue to expose themselves to all that salsa has to offer by attending many congresses and bringing in experienced and known artists to teach, Vienna will continue to grow. I want to thank everyone in Vienna for making me feel at home right from the start and taking advantage of what I had to offer. I hope that I was able to offer something new and different to the scene. Because of your support, this tour was successful. Thank you so much Yvonne and Zoran from dancingsalsa.at for bringing me to Vienna and showing me a GREAT time! Love ya much!
Washington D.C. (August 2008)
The White House, The Capitol, The Washington Monument-None of these great landmarks can compare to the Washington DC Salsa Congress at the Crystal City Hilton in Arlington, VA (lol). Although this congress was a smaller event, the atmosphere was pleasant and intimate which made it easier for everyone to mingle and enjoy the event. This congress was particularly special to me because my kids company "Fuerza Positiva" debuted for the first time.
The DC Congress was filled with 3 days and nights of mambo/salsa performances and social dancing and 2 days of fun-filled workshops. Shaka Brown did a great job putting together a great line-up for this congress which included Junior and Emily from CA, Caribbean Soul Dancers from NJ, Al and Karla Espinoza from CA/FL, Art in Motion from PA, ClaveKazi from DC, Mouaze from France, Leon Rose from UK, Team Carnaval from Japan, and many other great teams and couples. I had the pleasure to perform a new mambo routine yet again with Darlin Garcia from "Art in Motion" dance team which received a great response from the audience. Surprisingly so, the shows started on time each night. I found that most of the performances were performed "On 2" at a pretty good level. I found the stage and sound to be perfect for performing, however, I was disappointed by the lighting from both the point of view of a dancer and spectator. Also, the original MC of ceremonies was not too my liking either. He used inappropriate humor and he did not provide a proper intro for all the dancers prior to their performance because he was unfamiliar with their history and background. Once Shaka Brown took over as MC, I found the crowd to be more at ease and genuinely humored as well as myself. I was very proud to watch my kids group Fuerza Postiva perform. Although they were very nervous and slightly overwhelmed, they handled everything like pros and enjoyed themselves totally.
This congress had a variety of workshops consisting of ladies and men's styling, shines, turn patterns, lifts and tricks, body movement, hip hop, bachata and finally belly salsa. I found the turnout for most workshops to be pretty successful. I had a great time teaching my 2 workshops-Shines "On 2" and Ladies' Styling. On top of having the support of my kids group at each workshop, the turnout for my workshops was great. On Saturday in the Shines workshop, I taught a more rhythmical combination using mainly chordbeats and then picking up the pace to more syncopated movements. For Sunday's ladies' styling workshop, I started off with a quick body movement warm-up and then took suggestions of the class as to what they wanted to learn. I was able to incorporate everyone's suggestions and hopefully was able to address everyone's needs. I had a blast in my workshops, thanks to the students.
Socially, everything was great. The music was great and I was surrounded by more "On 2" dancers than any other style. The social dance floor was perfect for dancing and the atmosphere was very friendly. I was happy to spend time with some of my favorite salsa performers and friends whom I have not seen in a long time-Junior and Emily, Al and Karla, Ismael and Shani, Mouaze, Johnathan and Hana, Leon Rose and Danielle and Pamela. My kids group found themselves amazed by all the dancers they were surrounded by social dancing. They appreciated watching myself and many other good dancers and they became really inspired after this congress which makes me proud. There was also a second room where they played bachata, some salsa and reggaeton which was a nice place to getaway from the madness and chill out for a second.
Overall, I found the congress to be successful. Everything worked out great for my kids group and their parents as well as myself. First, I want to thank everyone who supported me this weekend and who attended my workshops. Also, I want to thank Darlin Garcia for giving me the opportunity to work with him again and Shaka Brown and Jareau Almeyda for bringing me and my kids group down to share our talent at your congress. Hope to see you next year!
The DC Congress was filled with 3 days and nights of mambo/salsa performances and social dancing and 2 days of fun-filled workshops. Shaka Brown did a great job putting together a great line-up for this congress which included Junior and Emily from CA, Caribbean Soul Dancers from NJ, Al and Karla Espinoza from CA/FL, Art in Motion from PA, ClaveKazi from DC, Mouaze from France, Leon Rose from UK, Team Carnaval from Japan, and many other great teams and couples. I had the pleasure to perform a new mambo routine yet again with Darlin Garcia from "Art in Motion" dance team which received a great response from the audience. Surprisingly so, the shows started on time each night. I found that most of the performances were performed "On 2" at a pretty good level. I found the stage and sound to be perfect for performing, however, I was disappointed by the lighting from both the point of view of a dancer and spectator. Also, the original MC of ceremonies was not too my liking either. He used inappropriate humor and he did not provide a proper intro for all the dancers prior to their performance because he was unfamiliar with their history and background. Once Shaka Brown took over as MC, I found the crowd to be more at ease and genuinely humored as well as myself. I was very proud to watch my kids group Fuerza Postiva perform. Although they were very nervous and slightly overwhelmed, they handled everything like pros and enjoyed themselves totally.
This congress had a variety of workshops consisting of ladies and men's styling, shines, turn patterns, lifts and tricks, body movement, hip hop, bachata and finally belly salsa. I found the turnout for most workshops to be pretty successful. I had a great time teaching my 2 workshops-Shines "On 2" and Ladies' Styling. On top of having the support of my kids group at each workshop, the turnout for my workshops was great. On Saturday in the Shines workshop, I taught a more rhythmical combination using mainly chordbeats and then picking up the pace to more syncopated movements. For Sunday's ladies' styling workshop, I started off with a quick body movement warm-up and then took suggestions of the class as to what they wanted to learn. I was able to incorporate everyone's suggestions and hopefully was able to address everyone's needs. I had a blast in my workshops, thanks to the students.
Socially, everything was great. The music was great and I was surrounded by more "On 2" dancers than any other style. The social dance floor was perfect for dancing and the atmosphere was very friendly. I was happy to spend time with some of my favorite salsa performers and friends whom I have not seen in a long time-Junior and Emily, Al and Karla, Ismael and Shani, Mouaze, Johnathan and Hana, Leon Rose and Danielle and Pamela. My kids group found themselves amazed by all the dancers they were surrounded by social dancing. They appreciated watching myself and many other good dancers and they became really inspired after this congress which makes me proud. There was also a second room where they played bachata, some salsa and reggaeton which was a nice place to getaway from the madness and chill out for a second.
Overall, I found the congress to be successful. Everything worked out great for my kids group and their parents as well as myself. First, I want to thank everyone who supported me this weekend and who attended my workshops. Also, I want to thank Darlin Garcia for giving me the opportunity to work with him again and Shaka Brown and Jareau Almeyda for bringing me and my kids group down to share our talent at your congress. Hope to see you next year!
New York, NY (August 2008)
The Hilton on 53rd and 6th Avenue was rockin' this Labor Day Weekend in every way! What a congress the NY Salsa Congress was this year, probably one of the best I have been to in a long time. NY was put back on the map as the mecca of Mambo after this highly praised event!
The congress consisted of 4 days and nights of performances, workshops, and social dancing with a week of Pre NY Congress events in some of NY's premiere salsa night clubs and socials. Unfortunately, I was only able to start partying with the NY salsa congress crowd on the Monday before the actual start of the congress, but the reviews from the weekend prior were nothing far from short. Mambofateegz started the week off with their "All White" social and the partying continued until the following Monday at the Yamulee social and then the weekly Taj nightclub. I attended Session 73 on Monday, Sidebar (formerly known as Link) on Tuesday, and then Club Cache's opening party for the NY congress on Wednesday. Each and every night was filled with people, with not much room to dance anywhere. But that didn't stop anyone, not even me, from having a great time and dancing our butts off,lol.
Unfortunately, I didn't attend Thursday night at the congress with the purpose of preparing for the hectic and fast-paced weekend that lied ahead of me (hee, hee). Bust the rest of the nights were great, with Sunday being the strongest night of them all I believe. The shocker to us all is that all the afternoon and night shows started promptly which kind of threw us regularly late New Yorkers off a bit at the beginning (lol). Because the shows started on time, the length of the shows were just perfect, not too long and not too short, which allowed for more social dancing afterwards. The NY Congress had one of the most premiere line-ups such as Maykel Fonts, Juan Matos, Candy Mena, Hache y Machete, Al and Karla Espinoza, Karisma Dancers, Santo Rico, Yamulee, Caribbean Soul Dancers, Adolfo and Sheila, Davis Paris and Zoe, Victor and Gaby, Young Bloodz, Carmen Lorente, and many more spectacular acts. There were so many wonderful acts that it is hard to mention them all. Of course, the majority of the acts were performed "On 2" given the fact that NY is the hometown for "On 2" dancing. All the acts were amazing and such a pleasure to watch, particularly Maykel Fonts. This Cuban born performer was one of the main headliners of the weekend because of his exceptional talent and the fact that this was his first trip ever to NY and to the US. I had the pleasure of lighting up the stage Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night with the one and only "Mambo King" Eddie Torres. On Friday, we performed a charanga routine; Saturday, a typical mambo which was a debut for us; and Sunday a Cha Cha Cha. We were received very well by the audience after each performance which was such a pleasure to hear. The experience of sharing a stage with Eddie Torres is an indescribable feeling, one that I appreciate very much.
One of the highlights of the weekend was Saturday's "New York's Got Salsa Youth" afternoon performances. My kids dance team "Fuerza Positiva" performed once again at this venue and performed very well. They found themselves feeling more comfortable with the stage and felt at home with all the other youth dance teams. All the kids that performed were absolutely amazing, especially the kids' groups from Puerto Rico. The audience, which was just as packed as one of the evening shows, fell in love with the kids and responded so well to them all. All the kids' teams brought such a unique energy to the congress, one that people were talking about all weekend long. Another component of the congress was the 2nd Annual NYSC Championships which unfortunately I did not have the pleasure to watch due to the my hectic schedule for the weekend. I believe a total of 8 couple competed, with Kelvin and Licelott from Puerto Rico taking home 1st place and the chance to compete in the ESPN World Salsa Championships in December.
From beginner to intermediate levels, Shines to Partner work, Styling to Afrocuban, the NY Salsa Congress had a great array of workshops for all levels and styles. Some of the instructors included Hache Y Machete, Dicky Colon, Amanda Estilo, Duplessey Walker, Thomas Guerrero, Jayson Molina, Sekou McMiller, Maykel Fonts, Adolfo and Sheila, Yesenia Peralta, and many more top notch instructors. Maria Torres and myself assisted Eddie in his 3 workshops on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday-all shines and partnering classes. We had a blast in all the classes and I believed so did the students. After Eddie taught the shine combo for each class, he would then go into a shines demo and Maria and I would try to follow him as he went off to another "world" per say, lol. We received great feedback about the workshops which is always appreciated. Eddie then taught his regular world renowned Sunday 3 hour advanced class at Dance Manhattan Studios which was also packed. In addition to his regular regime of shines and partnering, he gave the class a "treat" by demonstrating some of his more popular shines to slow tempo music as everyone sat and watched or recorded.
The social dancing was probably the highlight of the entire weekend. The music, which consisted of live music and DJ Music (national and international DJ's), was real good. Many of the top performers were out social dancing in and outside of the main ballroom. Right outside the main ballroom was the "V" lounge, a place for people to social dance to music and practice what they have learned throughout the weekend. The music at times was so good that it prompted some of us performers to social dance right on the rug. On Saturday, the "V" lounge had a band titled "Orquesta Dicupe" that was swinging. In addition, some of the other "swinging" bands that performed throughout the weekend were Ocho Y Mas and La Excelencia on Friday, Ray Rodriguez Y Sabroso Swing on Saturday, and the great sounds of Adalberto Santiago and Tito Allen on Sunday. A nice touch to the weekend was the Salsa Red Friday "Dance for Your Heart" Night, where some of the guests wore a red outfit or accessory to support the American Heart Association. The great music was such a great treat to hear as I either danced or socialized with performers, students, my kids from the group, or my good friends from Vienna and all around the world each night. As I looked around, everyone seemed to be in Salsa bliss as they danced each night away.
Overall, the congress was a huge success. The amount of feedback that I received from New Yorkers as well as the many international people who attended the congress was all positive. The event was well-organized, the staff was very pleasurable, and it was so easy to find out what was going on and where. I want to thank Choco and Edwin from Mambofateegz for allowing me to perform this weekend. If you missed this year's congress, make sure to make it to next year's. Hope to see you next year!
The congress consisted of 4 days and nights of performances, workshops, and social dancing with a week of Pre NY Congress events in some of NY's premiere salsa night clubs and socials. Unfortunately, I was only able to start partying with the NY salsa congress crowd on the Monday before the actual start of the congress, but the reviews from the weekend prior were nothing far from short. Mambofateegz started the week off with their "All White" social and the partying continued until the following Monday at the Yamulee social and then the weekly Taj nightclub. I attended Session 73 on Monday, Sidebar (formerly known as Link) on Tuesday, and then Club Cache's opening party for the NY congress on Wednesday. Each and every night was filled with people, with not much room to dance anywhere. But that didn't stop anyone, not even me, from having a great time and dancing our butts off,lol.
Unfortunately, I didn't attend Thursday night at the congress with the purpose of preparing for the hectic and fast-paced weekend that lied ahead of me (hee, hee). Bust the rest of the nights were great, with Sunday being the strongest night of them all I believe. The shocker to us all is that all the afternoon and night shows started promptly which kind of threw us regularly late New Yorkers off a bit at the beginning (lol). Because the shows started on time, the length of the shows were just perfect, not too long and not too short, which allowed for more social dancing afterwards. The NY Congress had one of the most premiere line-ups such as Maykel Fonts, Juan Matos, Candy Mena, Hache y Machete, Al and Karla Espinoza, Karisma Dancers, Santo Rico, Yamulee, Caribbean Soul Dancers, Adolfo and Sheila, Davis Paris and Zoe, Victor and Gaby, Young Bloodz, Carmen Lorente, and many more spectacular acts. There were so many wonderful acts that it is hard to mention them all. Of course, the majority of the acts were performed "On 2" given the fact that NY is the hometown for "On 2" dancing. All the acts were amazing and such a pleasure to watch, particularly Maykel Fonts. This Cuban born performer was one of the main headliners of the weekend because of his exceptional talent and the fact that this was his first trip ever to NY and to the US. I had the pleasure of lighting up the stage Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night with the one and only "Mambo King" Eddie Torres. On Friday, we performed a charanga routine; Saturday, a typical mambo which was a debut for us; and Sunday a Cha Cha Cha. We were received very well by the audience after each performance which was such a pleasure to hear. The experience of sharing a stage with Eddie Torres is an indescribable feeling, one that I appreciate very much.
One of the highlights of the weekend was Saturday's "New York's Got Salsa Youth" afternoon performances. My kids dance team "Fuerza Positiva" performed once again at this venue and performed very well. They found themselves feeling more comfortable with the stage and felt at home with all the other youth dance teams. All the kids that performed were absolutely amazing, especially the kids' groups from Puerto Rico. The audience, which was just as packed as one of the evening shows, fell in love with the kids and responded so well to them all. All the kids' teams brought such a unique energy to the congress, one that people were talking about all weekend long. Another component of the congress was the 2nd Annual NYSC Championships which unfortunately I did not have the pleasure to watch due to the my hectic schedule for the weekend. I believe a total of 8 couple competed, with Kelvin and Licelott from Puerto Rico taking home 1st place and the chance to compete in the ESPN World Salsa Championships in December.
From beginner to intermediate levels, Shines to Partner work, Styling to Afrocuban, the NY Salsa Congress had a great array of workshops for all levels and styles. Some of the instructors included Hache Y Machete, Dicky Colon, Amanda Estilo, Duplessey Walker, Thomas Guerrero, Jayson Molina, Sekou McMiller, Maykel Fonts, Adolfo and Sheila, Yesenia Peralta, and many more top notch instructors. Maria Torres and myself assisted Eddie in his 3 workshops on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday-all shines and partnering classes. We had a blast in all the classes and I believed so did the students. After Eddie taught the shine combo for each class, he would then go into a shines demo and Maria and I would try to follow him as he went off to another "world" per say, lol. We received great feedback about the workshops which is always appreciated. Eddie then taught his regular world renowned Sunday 3 hour advanced class at Dance Manhattan Studios which was also packed. In addition to his regular regime of shines and partnering, he gave the class a "treat" by demonstrating some of his more popular shines to slow tempo music as everyone sat and watched or recorded.
The social dancing was probably the highlight of the entire weekend. The music, which consisted of live music and DJ Music (national and international DJ's), was real good. Many of the top performers were out social dancing in and outside of the main ballroom. Right outside the main ballroom was the "V" lounge, a place for people to social dance to music and practice what they have learned throughout the weekend. The music at times was so good that it prompted some of us performers to social dance right on the rug. On Saturday, the "V" lounge had a band titled "Orquesta Dicupe" that was swinging. In addition, some of the other "swinging" bands that performed throughout the weekend were Ocho Y Mas and La Excelencia on Friday, Ray Rodriguez Y Sabroso Swing on Saturday, and the great sounds of Adalberto Santiago and Tito Allen on Sunday. A nice touch to the weekend was the Salsa Red Friday "Dance for Your Heart" Night, where some of the guests wore a red outfit or accessory to support the American Heart Association. The great music was such a great treat to hear as I either danced or socialized with performers, students, my kids from the group, or my good friends from Vienna and all around the world each night. As I looked around, everyone seemed to be in Salsa bliss as they danced each night away.
Overall, the congress was a huge success. The amount of feedback that I received from New Yorkers as well as the many international people who attended the congress was all positive. The event was well-organized, the staff was very pleasurable, and it was so easy to find out what was going on and where. I want to thank Choco and Edwin from Mambofateegz for allowing me to perform this weekend. If you missed this year's congress, make sure to make it to next year's. Hope to see you next year!
Hamburg, Germany (July 2008)
My trip To Hamburg, Germany was sincerely a memorable one. Eddie Torres and I debut again for the first time since 2006 and I couldn't have asked for a better debut with the "Mambo King."
The event took place at the Congress Center at the Radisson Hotel in Hamburg, Germany, a venue that was of a good size and location. The weekend consisted of 3 days of shows, workshops and social dancing as well as a performance by the world renowned Salsa artist and band Andy Montanez and Mercado Negro on Saturday night. In addition to Eddie Torres and myself, some of the top international artists included Yamulee, Luis Vazquez and Melissa Fernandez, Fernando Vazquez and Charlene Rose, Ramon Morales and Vanessa, Adolfo and Sheila, Anne and Anichi, Anke and Gil, and many more. I also got to see some exciting brand new talents on stage, such as Manuel Dos Santos, which added a nice spice to the performance line-up. The congress also held a variety of workshops taught by the international artists spanned across 4 different rooms at the same time.
My first night (Thursday) in Hamburg began with a visit to one of its premiere salsa clubs "El Makumbe." I found myself surrounded by pretty good music and great company. However, I found it difficult to social dance because it was pretty packed, which I guess is a good thing. I really liked the ambiance of the club and the location was very close to the Radisson where I stayed. Although I found there to be more an "On 1" crowd , I enjoyed myself very much.
Thankfully, Eddie and I recieved a huge turnout for all our workshops. On Friday, Eddie and I were the only artists sheduled to instruct 3 special workshops increasing in difficulty from beginner to advanced levels. Eddie decided to focus the first two workshops on more rhythmical steps and movements and later titled the sessions "Sabor." The people were enjoying themselves greatly and were trying to get into the soul of the music. He later changed the mood of the workshops and progressed to more intricate syncopated steps and movements. In addition to mambo shines and turns, Eddie's repetoire of workshops included Cha Cha Cha and pachanga (as requested by one of the students). Eddie and I left each workshop drenched in sweat (probably more than the students, lol) and lovin' it. The level of the students was pretty high as many were picking up much of the material being taught failry easy. The amount of feedback we received about the workshops was great!
Each night had 2 sets of shows and the line-up consisted of both "On 1" and "On 2" performers which I thought catered to crowd. Although the calibur of the performances was pretty high, I did find last year's congress to have more international artists in the line-up. I found most of the event to be fairly organized. However, one of the setbacks of the weekends was the slippery stage that many dancers struggled with the entire weekend. In addition to "fast" floor, the lighting was not the best and many people complained about the lack of seating to watch the shows. Furthermore, the latter half of the stage had the band equipment the 1st two nights of the shows which did not present as a good back drop for the performances. Eddie and I started off the weekend with a classic charanga routine on Friday night which was received very well by the crowd. We followed the second night with another charanga routine, but with a more primitive and soulful attitude and look. The last night we finished with a brand new Cha Cha Cha routine which we performed just about flawlessly. Overall, Eddie and I received an unbelievable amount of compliments and positive feedback by the students, performers, and organizers which made us feel very proud and accomplished.
As for the nightly socials, I believed that the turnout was pretty large. Although on my previous trips to Germany I have encountered a lot more "On 1" dancers, I found myself surrounded by more "On 2" dancers at this congress and at a good level. I found the music to be overall pretty good thanks to DJ Dave and some of the other DJ's that played. Although I found the dance floor to be a little slippery, I still enjoyed dancing with both the artists and students from all over the world. The treat of the weekend was being able to watch and listen to Andy Montanez and Mercado Negro on Saturday night. It was such a pleasure being able to dance to such great live music, and what a swing this band had! The audience also reacted well to the band I thought as evidenced by the crowd yelling "Otra, Otra" as the band tried to finish their last set. The band played the "extra" song by request which was phenomenal.
I found the weekend to be a great success thanks to many. I received so much love from the people of Germany and from many who came from abroad and I want to extend a great big "Thank You" to those who did. I am also very greatful for those who have showed so me so much support and have expressed such good fortune for me and Eddie Torres. I also want to say thanks to my mentor and partner Eddie Torres for giving me the opportunity to work with you once again. It's is truly an opportunity of a lifetime and I am thankful for this opportunity. Lastly, I want to thank Imad and the staff at Imad Productions for bringing myself and Eddie Torres out to the congress. I hope to return to the congress next year!!
The event took place at the Congress Center at the Radisson Hotel in Hamburg, Germany, a venue that was of a good size and location. The weekend consisted of 3 days of shows, workshops and social dancing as well as a performance by the world renowned Salsa artist and band Andy Montanez and Mercado Negro on Saturday night. In addition to Eddie Torres and myself, some of the top international artists included Yamulee, Luis Vazquez and Melissa Fernandez, Fernando Vazquez and Charlene Rose, Ramon Morales and Vanessa, Adolfo and Sheila, Anne and Anichi, Anke and Gil, and many more. I also got to see some exciting brand new talents on stage, such as Manuel Dos Santos, which added a nice spice to the performance line-up. The congress also held a variety of workshops taught by the international artists spanned across 4 different rooms at the same time.
My first night (Thursday) in Hamburg began with a visit to one of its premiere salsa clubs "El Makumbe." I found myself surrounded by pretty good music and great company. However, I found it difficult to social dance because it was pretty packed, which I guess is a good thing. I really liked the ambiance of the club and the location was very close to the Radisson where I stayed. Although I found there to be more an "On 1" crowd , I enjoyed myself very much.
Thankfully, Eddie and I recieved a huge turnout for all our workshops. On Friday, Eddie and I were the only artists sheduled to instruct 3 special workshops increasing in difficulty from beginner to advanced levels. Eddie decided to focus the first two workshops on more rhythmical steps and movements and later titled the sessions "Sabor." The people were enjoying themselves greatly and were trying to get into the soul of the music. He later changed the mood of the workshops and progressed to more intricate syncopated steps and movements. In addition to mambo shines and turns, Eddie's repetoire of workshops included Cha Cha Cha and pachanga (as requested by one of the students). Eddie and I left each workshop drenched in sweat (probably more than the students, lol) and lovin' it. The level of the students was pretty high as many were picking up much of the material being taught failry easy. The amount of feedback we received about the workshops was great!
Each night had 2 sets of shows and the line-up consisted of both "On 1" and "On 2" performers which I thought catered to crowd. Although the calibur of the performances was pretty high, I did find last year's congress to have more international artists in the line-up. I found most of the event to be fairly organized. However, one of the setbacks of the weekends was the slippery stage that many dancers struggled with the entire weekend. In addition to "fast" floor, the lighting was not the best and many people complained about the lack of seating to watch the shows. Furthermore, the latter half of the stage had the band equipment the 1st two nights of the shows which did not present as a good back drop for the performances. Eddie and I started off the weekend with a classic charanga routine on Friday night which was received very well by the crowd. We followed the second night with another charanga routine, but with a more primitive and soulful attitude and look. The last night we finished with a brand new Cha Cha Cha routine which we performed just about flawlessly. Overall, Eddie and I received an unbelievable amount of compliments and positive feedback by the students, performers, and organizers which made us feel very proud and accomplished.
As for the nightly socials, I believed that the turnout was pretty large. Although on my previous trips to Germany I have encountered a lot more "On 1" dancers, I found myself surrounded by more "On 2" dancers at this congress and at a good level. I found the music to be overall pretty good thanks to DJ Dave and some of the other DJ's that played. Although I found the dance floor to be a little slippery, I still enjoyed dancing with both the artists and students from all over the world. The treat of the weekend was being able to watch and listen to Andy Montanez and Mercado Negro on Saturday night. It was such a pleasure being able to dance to such great live music, and what a swing this band had! The audience also reacted well to the band I thought as evidenced by the crowd yelling "Otra, Otra" as the band tried to finish their last set. The band played the "extra" song by request which was phenomenal.
I found the weekend to be a great success thanks to many. I received so much love from the people of Germany and from many who came from abroad and I want to extend a great big "Thank You" to those who did. I am also very greatful for those who have showed so me so much support and have expressed such good fortune for me and Eddie Torres. I also want to say thanks to my mentor and partner Eddie Torres for giving me the opportunity to work with you once again. It's is truly an opportunity of a lifetime and I am thankful for this opportunity. Lastly, I want to thank Imad and the staff at Imad Productions for bringing myself and Eddie Torres out to the congress. I hope to return to the congress next year!!
San Francisco, CA (September 2008)
The Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, and of course, the all popular antiquated trolleys that run downtown are some of the most popular sights of the
happening and hip city of San Francisco. My first impression of downtown San Fran was that of a miniature Manhattan but with a more relaxed attitude
and feel. This was my first time in San Francisco and I must say, I was in awe by the city, the sights, and most importantly the people. Eddie Torres and I had a
blast and we could not have asked for a better stay in San Francisco.
The weekend started off with a day off, believe it or not-time to get acquainted and adjusted to the city and of course the time difference (lol).
On Thursday, I had the pleasure of going to San Fran's premiere salsa nightclub "Cafe Cocomo" where all the weekend socials were taking place. It was a great time to get
to know who will be around for the workshops and shows this weekend and get a good feel of the salsa scene. I was immediately impressed with the level
and quality of dancers in the club as well as the amount of people that were dancing "On 2." My first impression was "Yes!" In addition, the size and look
of the club was perfect-great wood floor (not too fast, no too slow); 2 levels; and a Caribbean feel and decor. The music consisted of a DJ (DJ Freddy)
who was the main DJ for the weekend events, and a band titled "Orquesta Borinquen." For the first night, I would say that music was slightly below average
only because most of the music played was very commercial and played at a low volume (I love my music pumpin' lol). Besides that, the night was great and I
really enjoyed myself. It was a great start to the weekend.
Eddie and I taught a total of 6 workshops throughout the weekend consisting of shines, partnering, pachanga, and cha cha cha in 2 different very slick and unique studios in downtown San Fran. Each workshop had a huge turnout which brought up our energy levels even more. I was so impressed at how the students were absorbing the material so quickly and so proudly. Eddie and I felt like we were in one of his regular Sunday class (lol). The students really showed their appreciation and gratitude all weekend and appeared
to have really enjoyed the workshops.
Saturday night was the main event night at Cafe Cocomo and believe me when I say, It was packed beyond belief! I had such a blast that night.
Eddie and I performed 2 routines-Ritmo Changui (Charanga) and Nuevo Barretto (cha cha)- and they were a hit! The crowd set off such an energy that Eddie
and I got even more fired up while performing. In between our acts, the promoter who brought Eddie and I to San Fran, Gabriel Romero, performed with his dance
partner Victoria which added a nice touch to the evening. The feedback that I received about the shows was amazing. Afterwards, I partyed the night away with everyone and left with not one inch of my clothing dry (hee, hee). The guys kept me busy dancing all night and I really enjoyed myself. Everyone was so nice and accommodating. In addition to DJ Freddy, a local band (whose name I cannot recall-so sorry) played pretty good music and everyone was dancing the night away including me.
The weekend ended with Eddie and I as well as some local San Fran groups performing at Cafe Cocomo. Although the club was not as packed as the previous night, the energy level and support from the crowd was just as strong. Eddie and I closed the show with our new routine "Ahora Si," a typical mambo with a lot of flava'. The show was a hit and I was so happy yet again to be on stage with Eddie Torres. Shortly after the show, Eddie did what Eddie does best- a "jam session" with the members of the club for a good half hour to 45 min and it was great!. The people did not want to stop dancing as Eddie kept throwing out more and more steps. The music that DJ Freddy was playing this night was the best out all the nights which added to the hype. The people were jammin' and having a blast and it was great to see the smiles and content on their faces as each song finished and they asked for more. It was definitely the best way to end a fabulous weekend.
I want to thank Gabriel Romero (www.mamboromero.com) for bringing Eddie and I out for a wonderful fun-filled weekend in San Francisco. I also want to thank all the students who came to the workshops and shows and showed us support. I really hope you guys had as much fun as Eddie and I did. Hope to see you guys soon!
The Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, and of course, the all popular antiquated trolleys that run downtown are some of the most popular sights of the
happening and hip city of San Francisco. My first impression of downtown San Fran was that of a miniature Manhattan but with a more relaxed attitude
and feel. This was my first time in San Francisco and I must say, I was in awe by the city, the sights, and most importantly the people. Eddie Torres and I had a
blast and we could not have asked for a better stay in San Francisco.
The weekend started off with a day off, believe it or not-time to get acquainted and adjusted to the city and of course the time difference (lol).
On Thursday, I had the pleasure of going to San Fran's premiere salsa nightclub "Cafe Cocomo" where all the weekend socials were taking place. It was a great time to get
to know who will be around for the workshops and shows this weekend and get a good feel of the salsa scene. I was immediately impressed with the level
and quality of dancers in the club as well as the amount of people that were dancing "On 2." My first impression was "Yes!" In addition, the size and look
of the club was perfect-great wood floor (not too fast, no too slow); 2 levels; and a Caribbean feel and decor. The music consisted of a DJ (DJ Freddy)
who was the main DJ for the weekend events, and a band titled "Orquesta Borinquen." For the first night, I would say that music was slightly below average
only because most of the music played was very commercial and played at a low volume (I love my music pumpin' lol). Besides that, the night was great and I
really enjoyed myself. It was a great start to the weekend.
Eddie and I taught a total of 6 workshops throughout the weekend consisting of shines, partnering, pachanga, and cha cha cha in 2 different very slick and unique studios in downtown San Fran. Each workshop had a huge turnout which brought up our energy levels even more. I was so impressed at how the students were absorbing the material so quickly and so proudly. Eddie and I felt like we were in one of his regular Sunday class (lol). The students really showed their appreciation and gratitude all weekend and appeared
to have really enjoyed the workshops.
Saturday night was the main event night at Cafe Cocomo and believe me when I say, It was packed beyond belief! I had such a blast that night.
Eddie and I performed 2 routines-Ritmo Changui (Charanga) and Nuevo Barretto (cha cha)- and they were a hit! The crowd set off such an energy that Eddie
and I got even more fired up while performing. In between our acts, the promoter who brought Eddie and I to San Fran, Gabriel Romero, performed with his dance
partner Victoria which added a nice touch to the evening. The feedback that I received about the shows was amazing. Afterwards, I partyed the night away with everyone and left with not one inch of my clothing dry (hee, hee). The guys kept me busy dancing all night and I really enjoyed myself. Everyone was so nice and accommodating. In addition to DJ Freddy, a local band (whose name I cannot recall-so sorry) played pretty good music and everyone was dancing the night away including me.
The weekend ended with Eddie and I as well as some local San Fran groups performing at Cafe Cocomo. Although the club was not as packed as the previous night, the energy level and support from the crowd was just as strong. Eddie and I closed the show with our new routine "Ahora Si," a typical mambo with a lot of flava'. The show was a hit and I was so happy yet again to be on stage with Eddie Torres. Shortly after the show, Eddie did what Eddie does best- a "jam session" with the members of the club for a good half hour to 45 min and it was great!. The people did not want to stop dancing as Eddie kept throwing out more and more steps. The music that DJ Freddy was playing this night was the best out all the nights which added to the hype. The people were jammin' and having a blast and it was great to see the smiles and content on their faces as each song finished and they asked for more. It was definitely the best way to end a fabulous weekend.
I want to thank Gabriel Romero (www.mamboromero.com) for bringing Eddie and I out for a wonderful fun-filled weekend in San Francisco. I also want to thank all the students who came to the workshops and shows and showed us support. I really hope you guys had as much fun as Eddie and I did. Hope to see you guys soon!
Vienna, Austria (September-October 2008)
Vienna, Austria
"I was living in a muffin and cake world!" was all that I can say during my stay in Vienna (lol). I was constantly surrounded by delicious cakes all week long which was heaven for me. Although I only stayed 10 days this time unlike the 2 1/2 weeks I stayed on my first visit to Vienna, I had a great time and was able to make the most out of my stay in Vienna, Austria.
The week started off with an unexpected but truly awesome experience. Since my friend Yvonne is a flight attendant for Austrian Airlines, she was able to get me permission to watch the plane land FROM THE COCKPIT. AMAZING! I couldn't believe what I was looking at and I never would have thought that I would ever have an opportunity to experience something like this. It was nature at its best, that's for sure. So after this unique and special opening to the week, I was hyped and ready for everything. The evening that I arrived was the "Strictly Salsa and a Little Bit of Cha Cha" social held by Yvonne Habek, Zoran Djurkin and Thomas Kloifer (www.salsaon1on2.com). This was the first social of the season for Yvonne, Zoran, Thomas and I must say, it was pretty successful. Prior to the social, I taught a Cha Cha Cha shines and Patterns class which was great. Afterwards, we just partied the night away and I was able to get reacquainted with Vienna's salsa scene and do some catching up with the people :)
The social was the official kick off to the weekend and the quick visit from my good friend from London, Alessia Sciarra, was the ideal wrap-up to the weekend. I was so excited that she came to see me and Yvonne to hang and boy we had a blast! We started the weekend by taking a walk around the city center-passing by the Stephansdom, The Opera House, and 2 of the famous cake places Demel and Hotel Sacher. On Sunday night, we went dancing at Vienna's premiere salsa nightclub "El Floridita", however we were disappointed to find that it was Rueda night. We made the best of it and enjoyed ourselves anyway. Thank you Alessia for taking the time out to visit. I really appreciate it mama!
In addition to teaching Cha Cha Cha, some of the classes I taught over the week were Ladies Styling, Body Movement, Leading and Following, Pachanga, Mambo Turns and Styling and Spin Technique. Although the numbers were low in the first couple of class, this quickly changed as the week progressed. Fortunately for me, my schedule filled up with individual and group privates as well. Since the salsa scene is small in Vienna and also predominately Cuban style, I met some resistance being an "On 2" instructor from NY. Furthermore, the level of the dancers is lower than most places I have been but is quickly growing. However, some people did take advantage of the opportunity and enrolled in workshops and/or privates and really expressed some new interest for "On 2" dancing, probably more that when I came the first time. I really enjoyed all my workshops and I hope the students did as well.
What was unfortunate to see was how the Vienna salsa club scene has lessened. Three of the clubs that I attended and taught at when I first came to Vienna were closed down now. Also the amount of teachers have lessened as well. El Floridita remains the salsa superpower in Vienna, with a strong emphasis on Cuban/Rueda Style. So this is where I did all my social dancing at. The music overall that was played was just "ok" to poor, some nights better than others. But I still was able to enjoy myself with the people which is what counts in the end.
My last weekend was spent having a great, quiet dinner with Yvonne and Zoran at a very typical Austrian restaurant. The food was great as well as the company. It was a great closing to a busy and fun-filled week. And the last and final touch to the week was being able to watch the plane take-off and land yet again from the cockpit thanks to Yvonne. So cool! There is no other way to best describe the experience.
I want to thank the people of Vienna who attended the classes and supported me throughout my stay there. I especially want to thank Yvonne and Zoran from www.dancingsalsa.at for bringing me out once again to Vienna and showing me a great time. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! You guys are truly great friends. Looking forward to the next time!
"I was living in a muffin and cake world!" was all that I can say during my stay in Vienna (lol). I was constantly surrounded by delicious cakes all week long which was heaven for me. Although I only stayed 10 days this time unlike the 2 1/2 weeks I stayed on my first visit to Vienna, I had a great time and was able to make the most out of my stay in Vienna, Austria.
The week started off with an unexpected but truly awesome experience. Since my friend Yvonne is a flight attendant for Austrian Airlines, she was able to get me permission to watch the plane land FROM THE COCKPIT. AMAZING! I couldn't believe what I was looking at and I never would have thought that I would ever have an opportunity to experience something like this. It was nature at its best, that's for sure. So after this unique and special opening to the week, I was hyped and ready for everything. The evening that I arrived was the "Strictly Salsa and a Little Bit of Cha Cha" social held by Yvonne Habek, Zoran Djurkin and Thomas Kloifer (www.salsaon1on2.com). This was the first social of the season for Yvonne, Zoran, Thomas and I must say, it was pretty successful. Prior to the social, I taught a Cha Cha Cha shines and Patterns class which was great. Afterwards, we just partied the night away and I was able to get reacquainted with Vienna's salsa scene and do some catching up with the people :)
The social was the official kick off to the weekend and the quick visit from my good friend from London, Alessia Sciarra, was the ideal wrap-up to the weekend. I was so excited that she came to see me and Yvonne to hang and boy we had a blast! We started the weekend by taking a walk around the city center-passing by the Stephansdom, The Opera House, and 2 of the famous cake places Demel and Hotel Sacher. On Sunday night, we went dancing at Vienna's premiere salsa nightclub "El Floridita", however we were disappointed to find that it was Rueda night. We made the best of it and enjoyed ourselves anyway. Thank you Alessia for taking the time out to visit. I really appreciate it mama!
In addition to teaching Cha Cha Cha, some of the classes I taught over the week were Ladies Styling, Body Movement, Leading and Following, Pachanga, Mambo Turns and Styling and Spin Technique. Although the numbers were low in the first couple of class, this quickly changed as the week progressed. Fortunately for me, my schedule filled up with individual and group privates as well. Since the salsa scene is small in Vienna and also predominately Cuban style, I met some resistance being an "On 2" instructor from NY. Furthermore, the level of the dancers is lower than most places I have been but is quickly growing. However, some people did take advantage of the opportunity and enrolled in workshops and/or privates and really expressed some new interest for "On 2" dancing, probably more that when I came the first time. I really enjoyed all my workshops and I hope the students did as well.
What was unfortunate to see was how the Vienna salsa club scene has lessened. Three of the clubs that I attended and taught at when I first came to Vienna were closed down now. Also the amount of teachers have lessened as well. El Floridita remains the salsa superpower in Vienna, with a strong emphasis on Cuban/Rueda Style. So this is where I did all my social dancing at. The music overall that was played was just "ok" to poor, some nights better than others. But I still was able to enjoy myself with the people which is what counts in the end.
My last weekend was spent having a great, quiet dinner with Yvonne and Zoran at a very typical Austrian restaurant. The food was great as well as the company. It was a great closing to a busy and fun-filled week. And the last and final touch to the week was being able to watch the plane take-off and land yet again from the cockpit thanks to Yvonne. So cool! There is no other way to best describe the experience.
I want to thank the people of Vienna who attended the classes and supported me throughout my stay there. I especially want to thank Yvonne and Zoran from www.dancingsalsa.at for bringing me out once again to Vienna and showing me a great time. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! You guys are truly great friends. Looking forward to the next time!
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (October 2008)
Punta Cana Salsa Congress
What a BLAST I had at the Punta Cana Salsa Congress! Being surrounded by beaches, pools, and beautiful weather was a dream for me. The event was held at one of the most beautiful resorts I have ever been to, The Edenh Real Arena Resort. It was so hard for me to leave this gorgeous land.
First of all, the resort was ALL INCLUSIVE-free food, free drinks, 24 hour room service all weekend long. How great is that! And believe me when I tell you that everyone took advantage of this service. This huge resort was lined with beautiful palms from front to back, several different pools with tanning beds and bars inside, clear blue water and soft sand on the beach with some many different options for water sports and activities. All the workshops and shows took place in this quaint theater that was right on the premises of the resort. In addition to the theater, the resort had a large casino, series of restaurants, and a nice bar where the socials took place.
The weekend started off with, believe it or not, Jose Alberto "El Canario" greeting Eddie and I at the airport coincidentally. I was taken aback for a second and also played the shy fan role as he spoke with Eddie. I was so happy that he remembered me as one of Eddie's dancers :) Shortly after, we took the long dreaded 3.5 drive from Santo Domingo to Punta Cana. Although it was a long drive and I was eager to get to the resort, I was able to see the real people and land of the Dominican Republic and see how Dominicans really live. Sometimes on these trips, I only get to see the tourist areas of the country and this time I was able to see the "real" country which I thought was really cool.
As we arrived at the resort in Punta Cana, I couldn't believe my eyes. I was in awe at how huge and beautiful this resort was (keep in mind that it was night time when we arrived). I was thinking "I couldn't way to see how it looked during the day :)" All I kept doing was looking left, right, and all around as I was being driven to my room by the bell hop. Just when I thought it was over, I then entered my room and "Oh my gosh" I couldn't believe it. The room was so "HOT," I was beyond happy. The room had a jacuzzi, a stand up shower, king size bed and balcony-a dream. At this moment, all I was thinking was "What a weekend this is going to be" and it sure was. That night, I attended briefly the first social of the weekend at the funky bar that was located in the resort. It was a calm night for me, beginning to get acquainted with the members of the congress. I didn't dance much on purpose because I wanted to prepare for the weekend, both dancing and hanging out at the pool.
The weekend started off with a day off, which meant no workshops to teach the first day. Once I found that out, I woke up early and took advantage by tanning in one of the tanning beds located inside the pool. It felt so nice to lay in the sun and relax, something that I hardly get to do at any of the salsa events. The sun was strong that weekend, but there was always a breeze that would pass through and bring a sense of relief. Shortly after, I got ready for tech rehearsal and relaxed for the evening.
There were 3 days of shows with headliners including Eddie Torres and myself, Karisma Dancers and Koncepcion Karisma, Santo Rico and Xhibicion, Jayson Molina, Griselle Ponce and Andy Cruz, Victor and Gaby, Art in Motion, and many others. There were also very talented groups from Venezuela that performed each evening which really added a nice spice to the evening line-ups. Prior to the performances of Friday, I had the pleasure to judge the competition that took place. Although there were not many competitors, the competition was nice and not easy to determine a winner. The winners of all 3 categories won the opportunity to advance to ESPN World Championships in Orlando. Shortly after, the shows began and Eddie and I performed our charanga routine "Ritmo Changui." Although the routine went really well, it was little difficult to perform because the monitors were not working and it was difficult to really hear and feel the music. All the shows went well with a little struggle the performers had with a "fast" floor on stage. The shows for the other 2 nights all went well and started on time. However, one of the shortcomings of the congress was low attendance due to limited promotion. Because of this, the energy was on the lower end than usual.
Eddie and I taught 2 workshops this weekend and they were great. Although the numbers were low overall, the people as well as Eddie and I had a great time and really enjoyed ourselves. The first workshop Eddie and I taught consisted of a series of rhythmical mambo shines. The second workshop was 2.5 hours long and Eddie went crazy teaching just about everything-mambo shines, cha cha cha, pachanga, and a turn pattern. We left the class drenched with sweat but with a feeling of satisfaction and happiness. Overall, there were not a whole lot or workshops, only one per hour for a total of 4-5 hours per day with the intention to have everyone enjoy the other features of the resort.
Every night, I had such a great time social dancing and hanging out. The music each and every night was fabulous- so good and so authentic. Not only was the mambo was good, the merengue and bachata was "off the hook." There was no place better to dance merengue and bachata than the Dominican Republic. DJ Danny, DJ David Montreal, and DJ Eric were on it this weekend and I am so happy they were. At a certain time, they even played some hip-hip, R & B, and freestyle for a short bit which was pretty cool. Jose Alberto's performance on Saturday night was amazing. I was enjoying his music and performance so much. He played with so much soul, I was lovin' it. I was so happy that he gave me the honor to take a photo with him when I caught him by the pool on Sunday. Everyone else was also dancing the night away to his music and it was so good to see people doing what they love to do. The only unfortunate thing about the weekend were the dance floors. The staff members encountered some problems getting a dance floor. So all of us were dancing on either carpet or concrete all weekend long (yikes). Yeah so my knees and feet were pretty much feeling it by the end of the weekend.
In addition to performances and the socials, another highlight of the weekend was the afternoon pool parties by the bar. I missed the first day's but definitely not Saturday and Sunday's. Everyone was having such a blast, including me, that I almost forgot I had to get ready for the evening performances, lol. People were getting thrown around, playing chicken fights, even salsa dancing in and out of the pool. The music was also great! This is definitely a way to spend a weekend. Just to see everyone having a great time, getting along, and just being happy was so good to see. Unfortunately I didn't get to hang out at the after parties at the beach, but I heard they were great too!
Although the organization of the congress was not the greatest and the attendance overall was low, the ambiance and intimacy of the resort and the people was unbelievable. It really made the weekend what it was. I want to thank Karisma for bringing Eddie and myself down to Punta Cana and sharing this event with you guys. I REALLY had a great time and look forward to next year's event. Thank you to everyone who supported us this weekend. And to the Punta Cana crew of 2008, we gotta do this again! Thanks everyone.
What a BLAST I had at the Punta Cana Salsa Congress! Being surrounded by beaches, pools, and beautiful weather was a dream for me. The event was held at one of the most beautiful resorts I have ever been to, The Edenh Real Arena Resort. It was so hard for me to leave this gorgeous land.
First of all, the resort was ALL INCLUSIVE-free food, free drinks, 24 hour room service all weekend long. How great is that! And believe me when I tell you that everyone took advantage of this service. This huge resort was lined with beautiful palms from front to back, several different pools with tanning beds and bars inside, clear blue water and soft sand on the beach with some many different options for water sports and activities. All the workshops and shows took place in this quaint theater that was right on the premises of the resort. In addition to the theater, the resort had a large casino, series of restaurants, and a nice bar where the socials took place.
The weekend started off with, believe it or not, Jose Alberto "El Canario" greeting Eddie and I at the airport coincidentally. I was taken aback for a second and also played the shy fan role as he spoke with Eddie. I was so happy that he remembered me as one of Eddie's dancers :) Shortly after, we took the long dreaded 3.5 drive from Santo Domingo to Punta Cana. Although it was a long drive and I was eager to get to the resort, I was able to see the real people and land of the Dominican Republic and see how Dominicans really live. Sometimes on these trips, I only get to see the tourist areas of the country and this time I was able to see the "real" country which I thought was really cool.
As we arrived at the resort in Punta Cana, I couldn't believe my eyes. I was in awe at how huge and beautiful this resort was (keep in mind that it was night time when we arrived). I was thinking "I couldn't way to see how it looked during the day :)" All I kept doing was looking left, right, and all around as I was being driven to my room by the bell hop. Just when I thought it was over, I then entered my room and "Oh my gosh" I couldn't believe it. The room was so "HOT," I was beyond happy. The room had a jacuzzi, a stand up shower, king size bed and balcony-a dream. At this moment, all I was thinking was "What a weekend this is going to be" and it sure was. That night, I attended briefly the first social of the weekend at the funky bar that was located in the resort. It was a calm night for me, beginning to get acquainted with the members of the congress. I didn't dance much on purpose because I wanted to prepare for the weekend, both dancing and hanging out at the pool.
The weekend started off with a day off, which meant no workshops to teach the first day. Once I found that out, I woke up early and took advantage by tanning in one of the tanning beds located inside the pool. It felt so nice to lay in the sun and relax, something that I hardly get to do at any of the salsa events. The sun was strong that weekend, but there was always a breeze that would pass through and bring a sense of relief. Shortly after, I got ready for tech rehearsal and relaxed for the evening.
There were 3 days of shows with headliners including Eddie Torres and myself, Karisma Dancers and Koncepcion Karisma, Santo Rico and Xhibicion, Jayson Molina, Griselle Ponce and Andy Cruz, Victor and Gaby, Art in Motion, and many others. There were also very talented groups from Venezuela that performed each evening which really added a nice spice to the evening line-ups. Prior to the performances of Friday, I had the pleasure to judge the competition that took place. Although there were not many competitors, the competition was nice and not easy to determine a winner. The winners of all 3 categories won the opportunity to advance to ESPN World Championships in Orlando. Shortly after, the shows began and Eddie and I performed our charanga routine "Ritmo Changui." Although the routine went really well, it was little difficult to perform because the monitors were not working and it was difficult to really hear and feel the music. All the shows went well with a little struggle the performers had with a "fast" floor on stage. The shows for the other 2 nights all went well and started on time. However, one of the shortcomings of the congress was low attendance due to limited promotion. Because of this, the energy was on the lower end than usual.
Eddie and I taught 2 workshops this weekend and they were great. Although the numbers were low overall, the people as well as Eddie and I had a great time and really enjoyed ourselves. The first workshop Eddie and I taught consisted of a series of rhythmical mambo shines. The second workshop was 2.5 hours long and Eddie went crazy teaching just about everything-mambo shines, cha cha cha, pachanga, and a turn pattern. We left the class drenched with sweat but with a feeling of satisfaction and happiness. Overall, there were not a whole lot or workshops, only one per hour for a total of 4-5 hours per day with the intention to have everyone enjoy the other features of the resort.
Every night, I had such a great time social dancing and hanging out. The music each and every night was fabulous- so good and so authentic. Not only was the mambo was good, the merengue and bachata was "off the hook." There was no place better to dance merengue and bachata than the Dominican Republic. DJ Danny, DJ David Montreal, and DJ Eric were on it this weekend and I am so happy they were. At a certain time, they even played some hip-hip, R & B, and freestyle for a short bit which was pretty cool. Jose Alberto's performance on Saturday night was amazing. I was enjoying his music and performance so much. He played with so much soul, I was lovin' it. I was so happy that he gave me the honor to take a photo with him when I caught him by the pool on Sunday. Everyone else was also dancing the night away to his music and it was so good to see people doing what they love to do. The only unfortunate thing about the weekend were the dance floors. The staff members encountered some problems getting a dance floor. So all of us were dancing on either carpet or concrete all weekend long (yikes). Yeah so my knees and feet were pretty much feeling it by the end of the weekend.
In addition to performances and the socials, another highlight of the weekend was the afternoon pool parties by the bar. I missed the first day's but definitely not Saturday and Sunday's. Everyone was having such a blast, including me, that I almost forgot I had to get ready for the evening performances, lol. People were getting thrown around, playing chicken fights, even salsa dancing in and out of the pool. The music was also great! This is definitely a way to spend a weekend. Just to see everyone having a great time, getting along, and just being happy was so good to see. Unfortunately I didn't get to hang out at the after parties at the beach, but I heard they were great too!
Although the organization of the congress was not the greatest and the attendance overall was low, the ambiance and intimacy of the resort and the people was unbelievable. It really made the weekend what it was. I want to thank Karisma for bringing Eddie and myself down to Punta Cana and sharing this event with you guys. I REALLY had a great time and look forward to next year's event. Thank you to everyone who supported us this weekend. And to the Punta Cana crew of 2008, we gotta do this again! Thanks everyone.
Tokyo, Japan (Nov 1-2)
One of the most unique countries in the world, Japan stole my heart for the second time when I attended the Japan Salsa Congress. One of the most organized events I have ever been to, The Japan Salsa Congress was a total success and so much fun!. From the moment Eddie and I got there, the Japanese people took care of us every step of the way, literally. They were so on top of things that the moment I even thought about needing something, I turned around and it was already there :). Although the Japanese tend to be more reserved and timid, they showed such an appreciation for us artists and really were very catering that it was unbelievable. In addition to the unique and rich culture, the sights of Tokyo were amazing as well.
On the first night we arrived, Mr. George Watabe, the organizer of the Japan Salsa Congress, treated all the dancers to a very typical Japanese tradition-Japanese hot springs. It was best thing we could have done, especially after the really long trip from the States. I got to wear one the typical Japanese Yucata which was so cool! I was feeling so Japanese wearing it (lol). Sitting in the hot springs definitely help me sleep really well that night. Believe it or not, the next day, Mr. Watabe treated all the dancers to a visit to one of the Tokyo's famous landmarks, a famous religious temple (so sorry I forgot the name of it :( ) It was really beautiful! There was a long path of booths leading to the temple which sold souvenirs and other trinkets. At the temple, I saw many Japanese people praying and paying their respects to their loved ones. It was really a beautiful sight.
Friday night was the opening social for the congress and boy did I dance my butt off :) The Japanese love to dance and they definitely cued up for the international artists to dance. Albert Torres did an introduction of the international performers and had all the artists do a short demo with one of the natives which was really exciting. In addition to Eddie Torres and myself, the artist line-up consisted of Magna Gopal, Palladium Mambo Legends, Charlene Rose, Rogelio Moreno, Jose Santoyo, James and Alex, plus many more. I have been to Japan before and just like before, I was totally impressed with the level and ability of the Japanese. Also, I see more and more Japanese dancing On2 as well which is also great to see. As for the other nights of socials, they were are pretty good. The DJ's that worked the socials were DJ Samurai and Dj Murakami from Japan and DJ Michelle from Hong Kong. Overall, the selection of music was really nice the whole weekend which made it easier for all of us to dance the weekend away.
The venue for the congress was really slick and neat. Although it was more on the darker side, the venue was still very comfortable and inviting. The stage was pretty big and had a great selection of lighting which made the event much more professional. Just about all the shows and workshops started on time which is very important for the Japanese. Eddie and I performed a few routines both nights of the congress-2 charangas and then a very classic mambo titled "Fiesta a La King." Because of a glitch on our CD, we wound up performing "Fiesta" 2x because Eddie and I did not want to put on a bad show for the Japanese :(. Both nights were filled to capacity which helped raised the energy level of the performers. A real treat to the weekend was being able to watch 25-28 Japanese groups perform prior to the international acts. Wow! The amount of talent that came across that stage was amazing, especially the little kids. It was really amazing to see the growth of salsa in Japan and how much the level has risen as well.
As for the workshops, the arrangement was a little odd since all the instructors taught at the same time at the same place where the performances took place. However, it all worked out pretty well and there was very little interference of music. I had the fortunate pleasure of teaching 2 workshops-Body Movement and Shines. Both classes were fabulous and the students did awesome. They picked up so fast that it was so easy to teach. However, they were pretty quiet and it was hard to judge whether they were enjoying themselves or not lol! But they were like that for everyone's workshops. For my body movement class, I focused on movement while partnering for both men and women. For the shine class, I put together a small shine routine combined with body movement and arm styling. In addition to my 2 classes, I also taught 2 classes with Eddie Torres where he taught some pachanga by request and a series of shines and partnering as well.
Overall, the weekend was a great success! Eddie and myself really enjoyed ourselves, especially how catering the Japanese were all weekend long. I would like to thank Albert Torres, Mr. George Watabe, and the Japan Salsa Congress staff for all their wonderful work and all the help they gave us over the weekend. I would also like to thank them for bringing me and Eddie to Japan. Furthermore, I would like to thank the people of Japan for welcoming us with open arms and supporting us. Thank you again and hope to see you all soon!!
On the first night we arrived, Mr. George Watabe, the organizer of the Japan Salsa Congress, treated all the dancers to a very typical Japanese tradition-Japanese hot springs. It was best thing we could have done, especially after the really long trip from the States. I got to wear one the typical Japanese Yucata which was so cool! I was feeling so Japanese wearing it (lol). Sitting in the hot springs definitely help me sleep really well that night. Believe it or not, the next day, Mr. Watabe treated all the dancers to a visit to one of the Tokyo's famous landmarks, a famous religious temple (so sorry I forgot the name of it :( ) It was really beautiful! There was a long path of booths leading to the temple which sold souvenirs and other trinkets. At the temple, I saw many Japanese people praying and paying their respects to their loved ones. It was really a beautiful sight.
Friday night was the opening social for the congress and boy did I dance my butt off :) The Japanese love to dance and they definitely cued up for the international artists to dance. Albert Torres did an introduction of the international performers and had all the artists do a short demo with one of the natives which was really exciting. In addition to Eddie Torres and myself, the artist line-up consisted of Magna Gopal, Palladium Mambo Legends, Charlene Rose, Rogelio Moreno, Jose Santoyo, James and Alex, plus many more. I have been to Japan before and just like before, I was totally impressed with the level and ability of the Japanese. Also, I see more and more Japanese dancing On2 as well which is also great to see. As for the other nights of socials, they were are pretty good. The DJ's that worked the socials were DJ Samurai and Dj Murakami from Japan and DJ Michelle from Hong Kong. Overall, the selection of music was really nice the whole weekend which made it easier for all of us to dance the weekend away.
The venue for the congress was really slick and neat. Although it was more on the darker side, the venue was still very comfortable and inviting. The stage was pretty big and had a great selection of lighting which made the event much more professional. Just about all the shows and workshops started on time which is very important for the Japanese. Eddie and I performed a few routines both nights of the congress-2 charangas and then a very classic mambo titled "Fiesta a La King." Because of a glitch on our CD, we wound up performing "Fiesta" 2x because Eddie and I did not want to put on a bad show for the Japanese :(. Both nights were filled to capacity which helped raised the energy level of the performers. A real treat to the weekend was being able to watch 25-28 Japanese groups perform prior to the international acts. Wow! The amount of talent that came across that stage was amazing, especially the little kids. It was really amazing to see the growth of salsa in Japan and how much the level has risen as well.
As for the workshops, the arrangement was a little odd since all the instructors taught at the same time at the same place where the performances took place. However, it all worked out pretty well and there was very little interference of music. I had the fortunate pleasure of teaching 2 workshops-Body Movement and Shines. Both classes were fabulous and the students did awesome. They picked up so fast that it was so easy to teach. However, they were pretty quiet and it was hard to judge whether they were enjoying themselves or not lol! But they were like that for everyone's workshops. For my body movement class, I focused on movement while partnering for both men and women. For the shine class, I put together a small shine routine combined with body movement and arm styling. In addition to my 2 classes, I also taught 2 classes with Eddie Torres where he taught some pachanga by request and a series of shines and partnering as well.
Overall, the weekend was a great success! Eddie and myself really enjoyed ourselves, especially how catering the Japanese were all weekend long. I would like to thank Albert Torres, Mr. George Watabe, and the Japan Salsa Congress staff for all their wonderful work and all the help they gave us over the weekend. I would also like to thank them for bringing me and Eddie to Japan. Furthermore, I would like to thank the people of Japan for welcoming us with open arms and supporting us. Thank you again and hope to see you all soon!!
NYC Mambo Cruise (Miami-Bahamas) (November 2008)
Carnival Cruise Lines held the first annual NYC Mambo Cruise which departed from Miami, Florida and stopped at Nassau, Bahamas. This 3 day cruise titled "Imagination" was definitely a very different salsa experience than what we were all used to. This was Eddie and my first time on a cruise and man we had such a blast! Although the salsa event itself was really not what it was supposed to be, the experience on the cruise was amazing.
Unfortunately the salsa cruise was not as successful as it could have been due to some misunderstandings and miscommunication. As a result, there were many cancellations of attendees and artists which resulted in low numbers for the salsa cruise. But those who attended had a great time, including Eddie and I. We made the most of the weekend the best way we knew how. The ship was huge and my goodness, AMAZING! When I first saw it, I couldn't believe it. There was so much to do on the ship-from karaoke to the casino. There were so many floors, cabins, events, dining halls, events, and amenities. And of course, so much FOOD which was heaven for me, lol! When I first got on the ship, I didn't know what to do first or where to go. There were all types of things to do on the cruise besides salsa-Karaoke, casino, club hopping, lounges, shows, and so much more. The cabins were pretty small but very quaint and comfortable. I had a great roommate from NJ named Sharon who made my stay so much easier and more comfortable (thanks Sharon!:)
There was no salsa event the first night so many of us chilled out at the Karaoke lounge. I was tempted to sing but I chickened out. I did enjoy some of the singers as the did the rest of us. Afterwards, many of us went to hang out at the hip hop club and danced the night away! Saturday, we arrived at Nassau, Bahamas where I spent most of the day. Although the day was cloudy :(, my good friends Donna, Rachelle, Sherry and I hung out at the beach at the Hilton Hotel and just RELAXED. That evening was the first salsa night at one of the clubs on the ship. Eddie and I performed our "Ritmo Changui" routine and a team from Philly performed beautifully as well. We were the only 2 acts on the cruise for the weekend due to the many cancellations. That night we spent the night hopping back and forth from the salsa club to the hip hop club that was next door and we had a blast. The DJ's for the weekend were David Montreal from NY and DJ Ray from Miami and they really played some great music over the weekend :).
Sunday morning were the workshops and man were they EARLY (especially since I am not a morning person, lol). There were only 3 in total-Marlon International taught beginners, I taught a ladies' styling class, and Eddie Torres taught a combo class. The turnout was low as was the whole weekend, however, everyone still enjoyed themselves. To see the smiles on people's face and enjoying themselves was enough for me. The level of dancers was pretty average which made teaching easier. Sunday afternoon was the main social for the day. There were not as many people there as the previous night, but those who came enjoyed themselves. Eddie and I performed our classic mambo routine "Fiesta" which was favored very much by the people. That night, there was an impromptu salsa social in one of the ship's conference rooms. The group from Philly decided to put on a show last minute for us which we enjoyed very much. Eddie did a 3-4 song jam session and got everyone up and dancing. It was so much fun. The people really enjoyed it. The night ended early since we all had to get up very early to disembark.
Overall, the salsa event might not have been as successful as it should have been but for me, the weekend was a success. I really had a great time with the salseros and salseras that attended. I want to thank Choco, Edwin, and Carlito from mambofateegz for bringing me and Eddie out and showing us a great time. I also want to extend thanks to everyone who came out to support the workshops and shows. I really hope to see you next year!
Unfortunately the salsa cruise was not as successful as it could have been due to some misunderstandings and miscommunication. As a result, there were many cancellations of attendees and artists which resulted in low numbers for the salsa cruise. But those who attended had a great time, including Eddie and I. We made the most of the weekend the best way we knew how. The ship was huge and my goodness, AMAZING! When I first saw it, I couldn't believe it. There was so much to do on the ship-from karaoke to the casino. There were so many floors, cabins, events, dining halls, events, and amenities. And of course, so much FOOD which was heaven for me, lol! When I first got on the ship, I didn't know what to do first or where to go. There were all types of things to do on the cruise besides salsa-Karaoke, casino, club hopping, lounges, shows, and so much more. The cabins were pretty small but very quaint and comfortable. I had a great roommate from NJ named Sharon who made my stay so much easier and more comfortable (thanks Sharon!:)
There was no salsa event the first night so many of us chilled out at the Karaoke lounge. I was tempted to sing but I chickened out. I did enjoy some of the singers as the did the rest of us. Afterwards, many of us went to hang out at the hip hop club and danced the night away! Saturday, we arrived at Nassau, Bahamas where I spent most of the day. Although the day was cloudy :(, my good friends Donna, Rachelle, Sherry and I hung out at the beach at the Hilton Hotel and just RELAXED. That evening was the first salsa night at one of the clubs on the ship. Eddie and I performed our "Ritmo Changui" routine and a team from Philly performed beautifully as well. We were the only 2 acts on the cruise for the weekend due to the many cancellations. That night we spent the night hopping back and forth from the salsa club to the hip hop club that was next door and we had a blast. The DJ's for the weekend were David Montreal from NY and DJ Ray from Miami and they really played some great music over the weekend :).
Sunday morning were the workshops and man were they EARLY (especially since I am not a morning person, lol). There were only 3 in total-Marlon International taught beginners, I taught a ladies' styling class, and Eddie Torres taught a combo class. The turnout was low as was the whole weekend, however, everyone still enjoyed themselves. To see the smiles on people's face and enjoying themselves was enough for me. The level of dancers was pretty average which made teaching easier. Sunday afternoon was the main social for the day. There were not as many people there as the previous night, but those who came enjoyed themselves. Eddie and I performed our classic mambo routine "Fiesta" which was favored very much by the people. That night, there was an impromptu salsa social in one of the ship's conference rooms. The group from Philly decided to put on a show last minute for us which we enjoyed very much. Eddie did a 3-4 song jam session and got everyone up and dancing. It was so much fun. The people really enjoyed it. The night ended early since we all had to get up very early to disembark.
Overall, the salsa event might not have been as successful as it should have been but for me, the weekend was a success. I really had a great time with the salseros and salseras that attended. I want to thank Choco, Edwin, and Carlito from mambofateegz for bringing me and Eddie out and showing us a great time. I also want to extend thanks to everyone who came out to support the workshops and shows. I really hope to see you next year!
Athens, Greece (November 2008)
Todo Latino Salsa Festival
The 1st annual Todo Latino Festival in Athens, Greece was one of the most amazing congresses I have been too. The venue, the country, the performer and band line-up, and workshops was one of the biggest and most prestigious I have seen, especially for a first time congress. In addition, the hotel, the beautiful Metropolitan Chandris 5 star hotel, was great and just a few minutes from the hotel.
As much as I would have loved to, I was unable to see some of the great sites and landmarks of Athens such as the Parthenon and the famous Acropolis. Sometimes there is just not enough time :( However, the congress was so jam-packed with artists and was located in one of the largest venues I have ever been to that it kind of made up for the lack of sight seeing. The venue was a huge Olympic Stadium that hosted the Tae Kwon Do games in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, so you can only imagine how huge the place was. Filled with expert and sophisticated lighting, an enormous stage, stadium seating that surrounded the stage, a huge dance floor, and places to eat most of the night, this venue had it all. Eddie and I had a field day setting up the lighting for our routines (it's pretty rare that we get professional lighting). The stadium inside and out was surrounded by colorful traveling spotlights as well-it almost looked like Hollywood (lol).
In addition to Eddie and myself, the performer line-up for the weekend included artist such as Tropical Gem, Yamulee, Hache y Machete, Tito N Tamara, Adrian and Anita, U Tribe, Leon Rose and Susanna Montero, Ye Mambo, Ramon Morales Y su Nuevo Imperio, Magna Gopal, Neeraj and Gosia, Swing Guys, and many more outstanding acts -both international and local. Each night the performers lit up the stage and put on a great show. The only negative aspect of the congress was that the seating was so far from the stage which made it hard for the performers to really interact with the audience and hear the reaction from the crowd. Initiated by Eddie of course, the audience little by little worked their way down to the dance floor and closer to the stage, which raised the energy of the dancers by the end of the weekend. On Sunday, there was a major competition which for the first time, I saw many professionals participating-for example, Adrian and Anita, Tropical Gem (2 separate couples), Gil and Anke, Anne and Anichi, Ramon Morales and Vanessa. It was a real treat to sit and watch the competition. A close competition, I was happy with the standings-Adrian and Anita took 1st place; Anne and Anichi took 2nd; and Gil and Anke took 3rd. In addition, the panel of judges were well selected among the professional international artists.
The variety of workshops was among the top I have ever seen-a good variety of On1, On 2, and styling classes. On Friday, I taught a ladies' styling which was fabulous. I had a huge turnout and I had so much fun with the ladies. I put together a short shine combination with lots of arm styling and then gave them a little extra on video to take home to practice. Shortly after, I ran over to Eddie's workshop (it ran at the same time as my workshop) where he had started teaching a series of rhythmical shines. He then gave the students a turn pattern to take home with them to practice. On the second day, Eddie taught a 1 hour pachanga lesson per request and then a short turn pattern for the second hour. It was really great to see that even some of the professionals joined Eddie's class. The last day, Eddie started off with simple shines and worked his way to syncopated shines. He also did a jam session with the students and gave them a pattern to take home plus a little extra :)!
The nightly socials were so amazing! The New Swing Sextet played on Friday night and what a show they put on. Even some of us dancers went up on stage for the last number and jammed with the band which was really cool. The real treat of the weekend was listening the world famous El Gran Combo from Puerto Rico on Saturday night. Their show began with a lights and fireworks display and ended with the the dancers jumping on stage and jamming with the band yet again-AWESOME! The band was phenomenal-not only was the music amazing, the singers put on a show with their flashy and smooth choreography. Everyone was loving the show. The DJ's that played the rest of the weekend were pretty good. I danced a whole lot this weekend and I must say, I found the level to be pretty average-good. Also, I danced a lot more On 2 than I expected because I know that the salsa scene is still very new and growing and mainly On 1 in Greece. I had a blasts hanging out with all the performers as well as seeing my great friends from Vienna- particularly Yvonne, Zoran, and Nina. They made my 30th birthday celebration weekend a memorable one with their presence and the beautiful gift they gave me (Thank you guys!). I also got to see my other good friends Diego, Carla, and baby Adrian from Spain-what a real treat!
I was really impressed by the way the congress was run and the amount of organization there was at this event. For a 1st time event, it was very successful and really amazing. Thanks again to Supermario, Todos and Maria, and the staff at the Athens Todo Latino Festival for making Eddie and I feel comfortable and bringing us to such a great event. Thanks to everyone who supported me and Eddie for the workshops and the shows. It is very much appreciated! Hope to see you all next year!
The 1st annual Todo Latino Festival in Athens, Greece was one of the most amazing congresses I have been too. The venue, the country, the performer and band line-up, and workshops was one of the biggest and most prestigious I have seen, especially for a first time congress. In addition, the hotel, the beautiful Metropolitan Chandris 5 star hotel, was great and just a few minutes from the hotel.
As much as I would have loved to, I was unable to see some of the great sites and landmarks of Athens such as the Parthenon and the famous Acropolis. Sometimes there is just not enough time :( However, the congress was so jam-packed with artists and was located in one of the largest venues I have ever been to that it kind of made up for the lack of sight seeing. The venue was a huge Olympic Stadium that hosted the Tae Kwon Do games in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, so you can only imagine how huge the place was. Filled with expert and sophisticated lighting, an enormous stage, stadium seating that surrounded the stage, a huge dance floor, and places to eat most of the night, this venue had it all. Eddie and I had a field day setting up the lighting for our routines (it's pretty rare that we get professional lighting). The stadium inside and out was surrounded by colorful traveling spotlights as well-it almost looked like Hollywood (lol).
In addition to Eddie and myself, the performer line-up for the weekend included artist such as Tropical Gem, Yamulee, Hache y Machete, Tito N Tamara, Adrian and Anita, U Tribe, Leon Rose and Susanna Montero, Ye Mambo, Ramon Morales Y su Nuevo Imperio, Magna Gopal, Neeraj and Gosia, Swing Guys, and many more outstanding acts -both international and local. Each night the performers lit up the stage and put on a great show. The only negative aspect of the congress was that the seating was so far from the stage which made it hard for the performers to really interact with the audience and hear the reaction from the crowd. Initiated by Eddie of course, the audience little by little worked their way down to the dance floor and closer to the stage, which raised the energy of the dancers by the end of the weekend. On Sunday, there was a major competition which for the first time, I saw many professionals participating-for example, Adrian and Anita, Tropical Gem (2 separate couples), Gil and Anke, Anne and Anichi, Ramon Morales and Vanessa. It was a real treat to sit and watch the competition. A close competition, I was happy with the standings-Adrian and Anita took 1st place; Anne and Anichi took 2nd; and Gil and Anke took 3rd. In addition, the panel of judges were well selected among the professional international artists.
The variety of workshops was among the top I have ever seen-a good variety of On1, On 2, and styling classes. On Friday, I taught a ladies' styling which was fabulous. I had a huge turnout and I had so much fun with the ladies. I put together a short shine combination with lots of arm styling and then gave them a little extra on video to take home to practice. Shortly after, I ran over to Eddie's workshop (it ran at the same time as my workshop) where he had started teaching a series of rhythmical shines. He then gave the students a turn pattern to take home with them to practice. On the second day, Eddie taught a 1 hour pachanga lesson per request and then a short turn pattern for the second hour. It was really great to see that even some of the professionals joined Eddie's class. The last day, Eddie started off with simple shines and worked his way to syncopated shines. He also did a jam session with the students and gave them a pattern to take home plus a little extra :)!
The nightly socials were so amazing! The New Swing Sextet played on Friday night and what a show they put on. Even some of us dancers went up on stage for the last number and jammed with the band which was really cool. The real treat of the weekend was listening the world famous El Gran Combo from Puerto Rico on Saturday night. Their show began with a lights and fireworks display and ended with the the dancers jumping on stage and jamming with the band yet again-AWESOME! The band was phenomenal-not only was the music amazing, the singers put on a show with their flashy and smooth choreography. Everyone was loving the show. The DJ's that played the rest of the weekend were pretty good. I danced a whole lot this weekend and I must say, I found the level to be pretty average-good. Also, I danced a lot more On 2 than I expected because I know that the salsa scene is still very new and growing and mainly On 1 in Greece. I had a blasts hanging out with all the performers as well as seeing my great friends from Vienna- particularly Yvonne, Zoran, and Nina. They made my 30th birthday celebration weekend a memorable one with their presence and the beautiful gift they gave me (Thank you guys!). I also got to see my other good friends Diego, Carla, and baby Adrian from Spain-what a real treat!
I was really impressed by the way the congress was run and the amount of organization there was at this event. For a 1st time event, it was very successful and really amazing. Thanks again to Supermario, Todos and Maria, and the staff at the Athens Todo Latino Festival for making Eddie and I feel comfortable and bringing us to such a great event. Thanks to everyone who supported me and Eddie for the workshops and the shows. It is very much appreciated! Hope to see you all next year!
Vienna, Austria (January 2009)
My trip to Vienna was yet again another awesome one. Although I only stayed for a week this time around, it was definitely a fun filled packed week!
Some of the highlights of the week consisted of my ladies styling bootcamp, Yvonne's birthday celebration at the Strictly Salsa and a little bit of Cha Cha social, my first trip to Bratislava, Slovakia, dinner at Nina's, and Floridita's. I started off the weekend with teaching a Cha Cha Cha combo class which was really great. The turnout was more than expected which was cool. After the class, I had a great time at the Strictly Salsa Social, which had one of its biggest turnouts ever. This social was particularly special because it was my good friend Yvonne's birthday as well. We all had a blast!
Saturday and Sunday I taught my first ever ladies' styling bootcamp for 6 hours. It was such a success-not only because the turnout was more than we expected but because we all had an awesome time. The ladies really expressed how much they learned and how much they enjoyed the bootcamp. Although it was a lot of information and a lot of styling, much more than what Vienna is used to, they ladies did really amazing and really held their own. I look forward to doing this again.
On Saturday night, we were invited to a social in Bratislava held by Beata and Gabriel which was an hour away from Vienna. This was a first for all of us. Although I felt that the crowd there was a little "clicky," we all still had a good time. We were entertained by one of Beata and Gabriel's performances which was really nice. The music that night was not best that I have heard but like I said, we all made the best of it and really enjoyed ourselves regardless. On Sunday night, my dear friend Nina invited Yvonne, Zoran and myself to dinner that evening which was absolutely delicious. Thank you Nina!!!
Wednesday evening, we went to the main salsa club in Vienna-Floridita. It was pretty packed and the music was not bad neither. It was nice to see that many people came out to dance and hang out with me. I really appreciate that. It was a night of non-stop dancing which is always great for me :). I did not go out social dancing this time as much as my previous visits to Vienna but the times I did go out, I had a blast!!
I wrapped up the week with a purchase of new dance shoes and Cha Cha and Mambo Workshops. I am happy to see that although minimally, the salsa scene is beginning to grow as well as an interest of On 2 dancing. Vienna still has a long way to go but there are getting there surely. I want to thank all the people who came out to support me on this trip. I also want to extend a huge thank you to Yvonne and Zoran who once again brought me out and showed me a great time. Thanks for your hospitality and for being such amazing friends. I appreciate all that you do from the bottom of my heart!! See you all next time.
Some of the highlights of the week consisted of my ladies styling bootcamp, Yvonne's birthday celebration at the Strictly Salsa and a little bit of Cha Cha social, my first trip to Bratislava, Slovakia, dinner at Nina's, and Floridita's. I started off the weekend with teaching a Cha Cha Cha combo class which was really great. The turnout was more than expected which was cool. After the class, I had a great time at the Strictly Salsa Social, which had one of its biggest turnouts ever. This social was particularly special because it was my good friend Yvonne's birthday as well. We all had a blast!
Saturday and Sunday I taught my first ever ladies' styling bootcamp for 6 hours. It was such a success-not only because the turnout was more than we expected but because we all had an awesome time. The ladies really expressed how much they learned and how much they enjoyed the bootcamp. Although it was a lot of information and a lot of styling, much more than what Vienna is used to, they ladies did really amazing and really held their own. I look forward to doing this again.
On Saturday night, we were invited to a social in Bratislava held by Beata and Gabriel which was an hour away from Vienna. This was a first for all of us. Although I felt that the crowd there was a little "clicky," we all still had a good time. We were entertained by one of Beata and Gabriel's performances which was really nice. The music that night was not best that I have heard but like I said, we all made the best of it and really enjoyed ourselves regardless. On Sunday night, my dear friend Nina invited Yvonne, Zoran and myself to dinner that evening which was absolutely delicious. Thank you Nina!!!
Wednesday evening, we went to the main salsa club in Vienna-Floridita. It was pretty packed and the music was not bad neither. It was nice to see that many people came out to dance and hang out with me. I really appreciate that. It was a night of non-stop dancing which is always great for me :). I did not go out social dancing this time as much as my previous visits to Vienna but the times I did go out, I had a blast!!
I wrapped up the week with a purchase of new dance shoes and Cha Cha and Mambo Workshops. I am happy to see that although minimally, the salsa scene is beginning to grow as well as an interest of On 2 dancing. Vienna still has a long way to go but there are getting there surely. I want to thank all the people who came out to support me on this trip. I also want to extend a huge thank you to Yvonne and Zoran who once again brought me out and showed me a great time. Thanks for your hospitality and for being such amazing friends. I appreciate all that you do from the bottom of my heart!! See you all next time.
San Diego, California (February 2009)
Great weather, great scenery, great people and dancing-This is how it was all weekend long in San Diego. I had the most amazing time this weekend, one to remember.
The weekend started off a little rough because of flight troubles I encountered, but it did not put a damper on the rest of the weekend, because everything just fell into place. I started off the weekend with a private and then afterwards I was able to briefly see some of the wonderful sights and attractions of San Diego like Balboa Park, The Padres Stadium, and Coronado Island. Saturday night was the monthly Majesty in Motion social at Starlight Studio-the turnout was better than expected! The night was filled with so much dancing and some great performances. The teams that performed that evening were Stilo Dance Company and Tropical Vibes Dance Company from Phoeniz Arizona, Majesty in Motion, and a local rueda team ( so sorry I forgot the name). What made the night even more special for me was the debut of my solo routine, for the first time ever. I was so excited to be sharing this experience with San Diegans. The reaction of the crowd was amazing and I am so glad that they enjoyed what they saw :) The rest of the night I spent social dancing with the men of San Diego. I found the scene to be mainly "On 2" and at a very good level. At the end of the evening, as everyone was dispersing, the DJ put on some cumbia music (typical Mexican folkloric dancing) and I was able to watch many of them dance cumbia which is something very new for me. It was really cool to watch!
Sunday was also a very busy day. It started with my workshops where I taught Body Movement, Shines with styling, and Styling while Partnering. The turnout was great. I had such a blast with the students and they were picking up so well. I was really impressed with the fact that the number of men pretty much equaled the number of women for the workshops which is rare. Majesty in Motion did a good job promoting the event as a unisex event and not just for the ladies. It shows that a female instructor can cater to both men and women population and not just do ladies' styling.
The extra treat to the weekend was being able to go to the Gilberto Santa Rosa and Victor Manuelle concert Sunday evening. One word-PHENOMENAL. The concert was so good, plus we had second row seats which helped as well:) They were unbelievable. In addition to having such a great chemistry together, Gilberto and Victor catered to the crowd and signed autographs and posed for pictures which was so cool to see. The crowd was in amazement and so hyped up. What a night!
We wrapped up the weekend by going to one of San Diego's popular salsa clubs "Sevilla." We got there at the right time because a local band was playing and man were they swinging! They played some Tito Puente tunes as well as other recognizable tunes. I danced each tune and had a blast doing so. The only negative thing about the club was that there was a mixture of dancers and non dancers which made it difficult to dance.
I want to extend many thanks to Armando Infanzon from Majesty in Motion for organizing the weekend. I would like to send another huge thanks to Jennifer and David Stein -directors of Majesty in Motion-for inviting me and bringing me down to lovely San Diego. To the people of San Diego, you guys are fabulous! Thanks so much for coming out this weekend and showing your support. It is greatly appreciated. Hope to see you in the future.
The weekend started off a little rough because of flight troubles I encountered, but it did not put a damper on the rest of the weekend, because everything just fell into place. I started off the weekend with a private and then afterwards I was able to briefly see some of the wonderful sights and attractions of San Diego like Balboa Park, The Padres Stadium, and Coronado Island. Saturday night was the monthly Majesty in Motion social at Starlight Studio-the turnout was better than expected! The night was filled with so much dancing and some great performances. The teams that performed that evening were Stilo Dance Company and Tropical Vibes Dance Company from Phoeniz Arizona, Majesty in Motion, and a local rueda team ( so sorry I forgot the name). What made the night even more special for me was the debut of my solo routine, for the first time ever. I was so excited to be sharing this experience with San Diegans. The reaction of the crowd was amazing and I am so glad that they enjoyed what they saw :) The rest of the night I spent social dancing with the men of San Diego. I found the scene to be mainly "On 2" and at a very good level. At the end of the evening, as everyone was dispersing, the DJ put on some cumbia music (typical Mexican folkloric dancing) and I was able to watch many of them dance cumbia which is something very new for me. It was really cool to watch!
Sunday was also a very busy day. It started with my workshops where I taught Body Movement, Shines with styling, and Styling while Partnering. The turnout was great. I had such a blast with the students and they were picking up so well. I was really impressed with the fact that the number of men pretty much equaled the number of women for the workshops which is rare. Majesty in Motion did a good job promoting the event as a unisex event and not just for the ladies. It shows that a female instructor can cater to both men and women population and not just do ladies' styling.
The extra treat to the weekend was being able to go to the Gilberto Santa Rosa and Victor Manuelle concert Sunday evening. One word-PHENOMENAL. The concert was so good, plus we had second row seats which helped as well:) They were unbelievable. In addition to having such a great chemistry together, Gilberto and Victor catered to the crowd and signed autographs and posed for pictures which was so cool to see. The crowd was in amazement and so hyped up. What a night!
We wrapped up the weekend by going to one of San Diego's popular salsa clubs "Sevilla." We got there at the right time because a local band was playing and man were they swinging! They played some Tito Puente tunes as well as other recognizable tunes. I danced each tune and had a blast doing so. The only negative thing about the club was that there was a mixture of dancers and non dancers which made it difficult to dance.
I want to extend many thanks to Armando Infanzon from Majesty in Motion for organizing the weekend. I would like to send another huge thanks to Jennifer and David Stein -directors of Majesty in Motion-for inviting me and bringing me down to lovely San Diego. To the people of San Diego, you guys are fabulous! Thanks so much for coming out this weekend and showing your support. It is greatly appreciated. Hope to see you in the future.
Cleveland, Ohio (February 2009)
Although I have been to Cleveland many times, I must say this is probably one of the best visits I have had. Other than the fact that is was way colder there than in NY (i could not believe it!) , the weekend was a success.
The weekend started with a slue of privates and teacher trainings which was great. Friday evening, I taught in Cleveland's most popular nightclub "The View." I taught a short shine combination and then a turn pattern for the advanced level "On 1." Although the atmosphere is not the most conducive for learning, the students did pretty well> The lesson was challenging for them because the material is different than what they are used to but they handled it well.
Saturday started with a rehearsal with Viva Dance Studio's own Mambo Team, where I taught them a new choreography-"A boogaloo." Right after were the workshops and man they were great. The level of the students were better than usual, the turnout was big, and the vibe was great. I taught 3 workshops consisting of Ladies Styling, Shines, and Intermediate Turn Patterns and Styling. What was extra special is that we had students who came all the way from Columbus and Pittsburgh to take my class. We all had a blast in the classes. Saturday evening was spent on DVD production-any day now it will be done- I can't wait!!
Sunday was extra special because some of the staff at Viva Dance as well as myself went to Pittsburgh for a social, which is 2 hours away. This was the first time the members of the Steel City Salseros put on a social and I must say it was a success. I have had the fortunate pleasure of teaching a basic ladies styling class before the social. Afterwards, the staff and I danced the night away. We all had a good time. The Pittsburgh scene is really similar to the level of Cleveland, mainly On 1. However, they are looking to change the face of the scene and introduce more On 2 dancing to bring up the level of dancing. They were so excited that we came and we were excited to be there.
I want to thank Rebecca Sweet, Heriberto, Joe and the staff at Viva Dance Studio for bringing me out to Cleveland and taking very good care of me. I also want to thank all the students who supported me and came out to the workshops-especially those who came from afar. I really appreciate the support. See you in May!!
The weekend started with a slue of privates and teacher trainings which was great. Friday evening, I taught in Cleveland's most popular nightclub "The View." I taught a short shine combination and then a turn pattern for the advanced level "On 1." Although the atmosphere is not the most conducive for learning, the students did pretty well> The lesson was challenging for them because the material is different than what they are used to but they handled it well.
Saturday started with a rehearsal with Viva Dance Studio's own Mambo Team, where I taught them a new choreography-"A boogaloo." Right after were the workshops and man they were great. The level of the students were better than usual, the turnout was big, and the vibe was great. I taught 3 workshops consisting of Ladies Styling, Shines, and Intermediate Turn Patterns and Styling. What was extra special is that we had students who came all the way from Columbus and Pittsburgh to take my class. We all had a blast in the classes. Saturday evening was spent on DVD production-any day now it will be done- I can't wait!!
Sunday was extra special because some of the staff at Viva Dance as well as myself went to Pittsburgh for a social, which is 2 hours away. This was the first time the members of the Steel City Salseros put on a social and I must say it was a success. I have had the fortunate pleasure of teaching a basic ladies styling class before the social. Afterwards, the staff and I danced the night away. We all had a good time. The Pittsburgh scene is really similar to the level of Cleveland, mainly On 1. However, they are looking to change the face of the scene and introduce more On 2 dancing to bring up the level of dancing. They were so excited that we came and we were excited to be there.
I want to thank Rebecca Sweet, Heriberto, Joe and the staff at Viva Dance Studio for bringing me out to Cleveland and taking very good care of me. I also want to thank all the students who supported me and came out to the workshops-especially those who came from afar. I really appreciate the support. See you in May!!
Paris, France (February 2009)
The Moulin Rouge, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower-some of the main beautiful sights of Paris. But none of those compare to the salsa nightlife. The salsa scene is one of the most developed and most advanced that I have ever seen. Paris' salsa scene is mainly "On 2" with a very high level of dancing. I really enjoyed dancing the weekend away in Paris, France.
I started the weekend off by first receiving one of the most nicest gifts ever. Phil and Madj surprised me by preparing the backstage area with a welcome sign, some gorgeous flowers, cd of music, French delicacies, and beauty products. Yup all that for me. I could not believe that they did this! I gave them the biggest hug and thanked from the bottom of my heart because they really went above and beyond. With my cheezzing self, the night started off with me assisting my good friend and instructor Mouaze with a class which prior to the Phil and Madj social, one of the most popular socials in Paris. The turnout of the class was great and the people were really having a good time. Shortly after, the social began and from what I understand it was one of the biggest turnouts they have had. The music that Phil and Madj played was awesome- I was feeling every song-very old school, very rich mambo. This coupled with the high level of dancing, I was in heaven!!
I performed my solo routine for the crowd and the reaction I received was amazing- I could not believe how much they enjoyed the show. Immediately after my show, they yelled "encore" which at that moment I asked a man to join me for a freestyle to entertain the crowd. And who better to entertain than Mouaze. Mouaze and I did such a HOT freestyle and we had the crowd roaring. It was so amazing, I felt such a rush. After I changed and got myself together, I think I danced with every man in the place (lol) because I did not stop dancing the whole night. Mouaze and I put on a few more mini shows when we danced together. It was a perfect night!
After teaching some privates Saturday, Madj and Mouaze took me out to one of the nicest typical French restaurants. Not only was the food so delicious, there was also entertainment by this lovely lady singer Benedicte (also a salsa dancer) and her pianist. It added a nice touch to the evening as we dined. At one point, she played a salsa, and somehow in someway we danced in the aisles in between the tables and provided a different type of entertainment than what the customers were used too (lol). Everyone one just watched us including the staff. This is definitely a first for me-it was pretty cool! After dinner, we went to one of Paris' popular nightclubs named "Club Moving." Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this place as much because they played more Cuban music and there was more "On 1" dancing. There was a second room which played ballroom music but also cha cha and I found this room to be more fun than the main room.
The turnout of the workshops on Sunday was so great. The first hour was Shines and Styling and the second hour was Styling while Partnering. Although slightly challenged, the students really excelled which was great to see. I tried to pick up the material a notch because the level of the students is higher than usual. I had the opportunity to practice the little French I was learning in the class which I think the students appreciated (lol). We finished up the evening by attending Sunday nights' regular salsa hot spots, Barrio Latino and Sullivans. Barrio Latino was such a classy club. I really enjoyed it and Dj Willie was tearing it up with the music. The only downside was that it was SSOOOoo packed, people were dancing in the halls and at the entrance. There was no room to walk, but that didn't bother anyone, myself included. Later that night, Sullivan's had a total different feel-less people and more relaxed. But the music was just as good as Barrio Latino. I just non-stopped danced even though my feet were killing me (lol). I ended the night by eating one of France's most popular dishes "Crepes"- they are soooo goood. I had one with Nutella and banana-can't beat that!
I want to thank Mouaze and Phil and Madj for bringing me out to France and showing me such an amazing time. I appreciate all you have done from the bottom of my heart. As for the people of Paris, thanks so much for coming out to support me in the workshops and at the socials. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and love for mambo with you all. I really love your city! I hope to see you all soon!!
The Moulin Rouge, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower-some of the main beautiful sights of Paris. But none of those compare to the salsa nightlife. The salsa scene is one of the most developed and most advanced that I have ever seen. Paris' salsa scene is mainly "On 2" with a very high level of dancing. I really enjoyed dancing the weekend away in Paris, France.
I started the weekend off by first receiving one of the most nicest gifts ever. Phil and Madj surprised me by preparing the backstage area with a welcome sign, some gorgeous flowers, cd of music, French delicacies, and beauty products. Yup all that for me. I could not believe that they did this! I gave them the biggest hug and thanked from the bottom of my heart because they really went above and beyond. With my cheezzing self, the night started off with me assisting my good friend and instructor Mouaze with a class which prior to the Phil and Madj social, one of the most popular socials in Paris. The turnout of the class was great and the people were really having a good time. Shortly after, the social began and from what I understand it was one of the biggest turnouts they have had. The music that Phil and Madj played was awesome- I was feeling every song-very old school, very rich mambo. This coupled with the high level of dancing, I was in heaven!!
I performed my solo routine for the crowd and the reaction I received was amazing- I could not believe how much they enjoyed the show. Immediately after my show, they yelled "encore" which at that moment I asked a man to join me for a freestyle to entertain the crowd. And who better to entertain than Mouaze. Mouaze and I did such a HOT freestyle and we had the crowd roaring. It was so amazing, I felt such a rush. After I changed and got myself together, I think I danced with every man in the place (lol) because I did not stop dancing the whole night. Mouaze and I put on a few more mini shows when we danced together. It was a perfect night!
After teaching some privates Saturday, Madj and Mouaze took me out to one of the nicest typical French restaurants. Not only was the food so delicious, there was also entertainment by this lovely lady singer Benedicte (also a salsa dancer) and her pianist. It added a nice touch to the evening as we dined. At one point, she played a salsa, and somehow in someway we danced in the aisles in between the tables and provided a different type of entertainment than what the customers were used too (lol). Everyone one just watched us including the staff. This is definitely a first for me-it was pretty cool! After dinner, we went to one of Paris' popular nightclubs named "Club Moving." Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this place as much because they played more Cuban music and there was more "On 1" dancing. There was a second room which played ballroom music but also cha cha and I found this room to be more fun than the main room.
The turnout of the workshops on Sunday was so great. The first hour was Shines and Styling and the second hour was Styling while Partnering. Although slightly challenged, the students really excelled which was great to see. I tried to pick up the material a notch because the level of the students is higher than usual. I had the opportunity to practice the little French I was learning in the class which I think the students appreciated (lol). We finished up the evening by attending Sunday nights' regular salsa hot spots, Barrio Latino and Sullivans. Barrio Latino was such a classy club. I really enjoyed it and Dj Willie was tearing it up with the music. The only downside was that it was SSOOOoo packed, people were dancing in the halls and at the entrance. There was no room to walk, but that didn't bother anyone, myself included. Later that night, Sullivan's had a total different feel-less people and more relaxed. But the music was just as good as Barrio Latino. I just non-stopped danced even though my feet were killing me (lol). I ended the night by eating one of France's most popular dishes "Crepes"- they are soooo goood. I had one with Nutella and banana-can't beat that!
I want to thank Mouaze and Phil and Madj for bringing me out to France and showing me such an amazing time. I appreciate all you have done from the bottom of my heart. As for the people of Paris, thanks so much for coming out to support me in the workshops and at the socials. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and love for mambo with you all. I really love your city! I hope to see you all soon!!
London, United Kingdom (March 2009)
What an amazing week I had in London! Thanks to Irene Miguel of Danzalifestyle, my stay in London was a great one - a week filled with privates, social dancing, workshops, a solo performance and of course the performance course.
The week started off with some private lessons, which was a good beginning. I then had the opportunity to teach 2 workshops at Joseph David's regular Wednesday night at "Bar Salsa." I taught a shine and styling class as well as Styling while Partnering class. I have not been to London in about three years and it was impressive to see how much the level has grown since my last visit. We had such a great time during the workshops and everyone did so well. Irene was also able to set up 4 workshops more at her studio-those consisting of Pachanga, Cha Cha Cha, Shines, and Body Movement. The turnout was great and for the most part, the students hung in there and challenged themselves.
Saturday and Sunday was the performance course and man was it challenging for us all. The girls really enjoyed the choreography and the course, but it was definitely a lot of material and lot of hours cramped in two day. I give the girls so much credit because they worked so hard and wanted to learn so much, and to pick up the choreography under those conditions which was amazing. We really enjoyed ourselves. We all started getting use to each other after the first day that it was hard to say bye on Sunday :( I really look forward to seeing the girls perform it live with costumes. I know that they will rock!
Saturday night I performed my solo at one of Mambo City 's monthly social's at the Urdang Academy. Although the turnout was average, I still managed to dance the whole night with the men of London-yay for me! The music was pretty good and the place was very beautiful, not your typical social place. The show went great and I had a blast performing for London. What an amazing audience they were!
In addition to the wonderful workshops and the course, I also had a blast with Irene and her family who treated me like one of their own this week. Thanks so much for bringing me out to London and thanks so much to the Londoners who came out to support me. Also a huge thanks to Joseph Davids and Robert and Jean White, amazing people, who allowed me to be a part of the events. Thanks so much from the bottom of my heart.
The week started off with some private lessons, which was a good beginning. I then had the opportunity to teach 2 workshops at Joseph David's regular Wednesday night at "Bar Salsa." I taught a shine and styling class as well as Styling while Partnering class. I have not been to London in about three years and it was impressive to see how much the level has grown since my last visit. We had such a great time during the workshops and everyone did so well. Irene was also able to set up 4 workshops more at her studio-those consisting of Pachanga, Cha Cha Cha, Shines, and Body Movement. The turnout was great and for the most part, the students hung in there and challenged themselves.
Saturday and Sunday was the performance course and man was it challenging for us all. The girls really enjoyed the choreography and the course, but it was definitely a lot of material and lot of hours cramped in two day. I give the girls so much credit because they worked so hard and wanted to learn so much, and to pick up the choreography under those conditions which was amazing. We really enjoyed ourselves. We all started getting use to each other after the first day that it was hard to say bye on Sunday :( I really look forward to seeing the girls perform it live with costumes. I know that they will rock!
Saturday night I performed my solo at one of Mambo City 's monthly social's at the Urdang Academy. Although the turnout was average, I still managed to dance the whole night with the men of London-yay for me! The music was pretty good and the place was very beautiful, not your typical social place. The show went great and I had a blast performing for London. What an amazing audience they were!
In addition to the wonderful workshops and the course, I also had a blast with Irene and her family who treated me like one of their own this week. Thanks so much for bringing me out to London and thanks so much to the Londoners who came out to support me. Also a huge thanks to Joseph Davids and Robert and Jean White, amazing people, who allowed me to be a part of the events. Thanks so much from the bottom of my heart.
Murica, Spain (March 2009)
Murcia Salsa Congress 2009
Murcia Baila-still one of the most amazing congresses in the world from my point of view. Beautiful weather, scenery, venue and congress, what more can you ask for!
Murica Baila is one of the most organized and sophisticated congresses in the world. It has one of the most premiere artists and DJ line-ups, one of the most decorative and gorgeous stages, professional lighting, and a great staff there to help you with anything I needed. In addition, the level of dancing in Murcia is fairly high. I found myself dancing much more "On 2" than any other styles which is a rarity in Europe. The turnout for the congress was huge, one of the biggest attendances I have encountered. Saturday night was hard to social dance because the dance floor was super packed:) In addition to the shows and socials, the workshops were filled to capacity.
In addition to Eddie Torres and myself, the artist line-up consisted of performers such as Tito and Tamara, Tropical Gem, Juan Matos and Amneris Martinez, Adrian and Anita, Hache y Machete, Pablo and Diana, Johnny Vazquez and Jennifer Silva, SuperMario, and many more. The performances each night were amazing!! The crowd was amazing to top it off. Believe it or not, Eddie and I performed 4 TIMES- a charanga, a fast- paced mambo, a classic romantic mambo and unique, unusual cha cha cha.
There were 2 days of workshops, Eddie started his first workshop with some shines and a turn pattern. But his second workshop, was even more amazing because he put together a routine to teach the students. What added to the hype of the class was the fact that some of the star dancers came to join Eddie in his class which brought an amazing energy to the class.
I want to thank Carina and Luis, the organizers of Murcia Baila, for bringing Eddie and I out to Spain to such a wonderful event. A great big thanks to an amazing staff and to the people of Spain for coming out to support. It is also greatly appreciated. See you soon!
Murcia Baila-still one of the most amazing congresses in the world from my point of view. Beautiful weather, scenery, venue and congress, what more can you ask for!
Murica Baila is one of the most organized and sophisticated congresses in the world. It has one of the most premiere artists and DJ line-ups, one of the most decorative and gorgeous stages, professional lighting, and a great staff there to help you with anything I needed. In addition, the level of dancing in Murcia is fairly high. I found myself dancing much more "On 2" than any other styles which is a rarity in Europe. The turnout for the congress was huge, one of the biggest attendances I have encountered. Saturday night was hard to social dance because the dance floor was super packed:) In addition to the shows and socials, the workshops were filled to capacity.
In addition to Eddie Torres and myself, the artist line-up consisted of performers such as Tito and Tamara, Tropical Gem, Juan Matos and Amneris Martinez, Adrian and Anita, Hache y Machete, Pablo and Diana, Johnny Vazquez and Jennifer Silva, SuperMario, and many more. The performances each night were amazing!! The crowd was amazing to top it off. Believe it or not, Eddie and I performed 4 TIMES- a charanga, a fast- paced mambo, a classic romantic mambo and unique, unusual cha cha cha.
There were 2 days of workshops, Eddie started his first workshop with some shines and a turn pattern. But his second workshop, was even more amazing because he put together a routine to teach the students. What added to the hype of the class was the fact that some of the star dancers came to join Eddie in his class which brought an amazing energy to the class.
I want to thank Carina and Luis, the organizers of Murcia Baila, for bringing Eddie and I out to Spain to such a wonderful event. A great big thanks to an amazing staff and to the people of Spain for coming out to support. It is also greatly appreciated. See you soon!
Gothenburg, Sweden (March 2009)
Gothenburg Salsa Congress
This was my first time at the Gothenburg Salsa Congress in Sweden. It was a smaller sized congress, but very familial and intimate. Actually the turnout was so good that I think they are going to need a bigger venue next year:) This is the congress' 4Th year in the making and it was a total success!
Everything was all in one location at the Elite hotel located on one of the major avenues in Gothenburg. This avenue was surrounded by everything-clubs,restaurants and shopping malls. The weather was a little bit on the colder side this weekend, but it did not put a damper on the weekend for anyone. For my first time in Sweden, I could say it was a joyful experience. The organizers of the congress were Albert Torres and Adriana Mendes and they were on point in regards to the organization of the weekend. The staff were very pleasant and accommodating and made everyone feel real special during our time there.
In addition to Eddie and myself, the line-up consisted of Maykel Fonts and Kirenia, Tito and Tamara, Yamulee, Adrian and
Anita, Jazzy, Alexistyle, plus other international and national artists which were phenomenal. Some of the setbacks
to the venue was that the stage was not so big, there were no wings to enter and exit, and the backstage for the artists was very tiny which made it difficult to warm up and rehearse like we usually like to do. But one of the positives to the weekend was the amazing audience, the reaction they gave the artists. I think it was one of
the most liveliest audiences I have ever performed for. For an artist, this only adds to our performance and show,
because we feel the love from the crowd. Friday and Saturday nights were the professionals and Sunday night was for
the amateurs and semi-pros. Eddie and I performed all 3 nights, twice on Saturday and the crowd loved and appreciated it. It was so much fun!
There was a variety of workshops in all levels and styles which allowed for much choice for the students and believe me they were ALL packed. Eddie taught everything from shines, turn patterns, and even one class of pachanga per request- so much fun like always. The socials were not too bad neither- I would say the music was average
to below average at some times, depending on the DJ's. I would say that there was a very big mixture of levels and styles in
Sweden. I danced with some higher level and lower level dancers. Also, I found myself dancing On 1, On2 and also Cuban style. I had a really good time dancing with the men of Sweden. They sure kept me dancing and busy all 3 nights :).
Overall, the weekend was a huge success for both Eddie and I. I hope that the congress staff and people of Gothenburg feel the same. Eddie and I really enjoyed ourselves, especially the amazing audience reaction and the accommodating staff at the congress. We really hope to visit this beautiful country again in the future. Thank you all for coming out to support us. Hope to see u soon.
This was my first time at the Gothenburg Salsa Congress in Sweden. It was a smaller sized congress, but very familial and intimate. Actually the turnout was so good that I think they are going to need a bigger venue next year:) This is the congress' 4Th year in the making and it was a total success!
Everything was all in one location at the Elite hotel located on one of the major avenues in Gothenburg. This avenue was surrounded by everything-clubs,restaurants and shopping malls. The weather was a little bit on the colder side this weekend, but it did not put a damper on the weekend for anyone. For my first time in Sweden, I could say it was a joyful experience. The organizers of the congress were Albert Torres and Adriana Mendes and they were on point in regards to the organization of the weekend. The staff were very pleasant and accommodating and made everyone feel real special during our time there.
In addition to Eddie and myself, the line-up consisted of Maykel Fonts and Kirenia, Tito and Tamara, Yamulee, Adrian and
Anita, Jazzy, Alexistyle, plus other international and national artists which were phenomenal. Some of the setbacks
to the venue was that the stage was not so big, there were no wings to enter and exit, and the backstage for the artists was very tiny which made it difficult to warm up and rehearse like we usually like to do. But one of the positives to the weekend was the amazing audience, the reaction they gave the artists. I think it was one of
the most liveliest audiences I have ever performed for. For an artist, this only adds to our performance and show,
because we feel the love from the crowd. Friday and Saturday nights were the professionals and Sunday night was for
the amateurs and semi-pros. Eddie and I performed all 3 nights, twice on Saturday and the crowd loved and appreciated it. It was so much fun!
There was a variety of workshops in all levels and styles which allowed for much choice for the students and believe me they were ALL packed. Eddie taught everything from shines, turn patterns, and even one class of pachanga per request- so much fun like always. The socials were not too bad neither- I would say the music was average
to below average at some times, depending on the DJ's. I would say that there was a very big mixture of levels and styles in
Sweden. I danced with some higher level and lower level dancers. Also, I found myself dancing On 1, On2 and also Cuban style. I had a really good time dancing with the men of Sweden. They sure kept me dancing and busy all 3 nights :).
Overall, the weekend was a huge success for both Eddie and I. I hope that the congress staff and people of Gothenburg feel the same. Eddie and I really enjoyed ourselves, especially the amazing audience reaction and the accommodating staff at the congress. We really hope to visit this beautiful country again in the future. Thank you all for coming out to support us. Hope to see u soon.
Madrid, Spain (April 2009)
Madrid Salsa Congress (Simposium)
I have been to Madrid before but never to the Madrid Salsa Congress. Unlike many other congresses, for me this congress was more relaxed and laid back, with more time to enjoy the weekend and enjoy the shows. Madrid is a beautiful city and the congress was just as beautiful. It had a wonderful venue, great stage, and great dancing!
Eddie Torres and I started the weekend by surprising the audience with an extra show on Thursday night. Usually Thursday night is more for the locals and amateurs, but we decided to provide Madrid with a surprise show. The people really loved this special treat. They were only expecting to see us perform on Friday and Saturday nights, never on a Thursday. The crowd went wild and it was good to feel them. In addition to the Thursday surprise show, Eddie and I performed 2x both Saturday and Sunday-which blew the audience away. Although the line-up this year was not strongest line-up I have seen in other congresses, the shows were still phenomenal. Besides Eddie and I, other performers this weekend included Maykel Fonts and Kirenia Cantin, Tropical Gem, Flamboyan Dancers, Lieb y su Salsache, Marco Ferrigno and many more. There were also many national artists throughout the weekend as well which added a nice touch to the line-up.
Overall, the socials were good in regards to the music and level of dancing. I danced with many Spanish men :) and I found the level to be very high and mainly "On 2." One of the setbacks of the congress however was the dance floor which was made of concrete. This made it very difficult to dance and this was the main complaint all weekend long, especially by the ladies. Although there were many complaints, it did not seem to stop anyone from dancing, just made it little difficult. We all continued to dance the night away.
The real highlight of the weekend was being able to sit and comfortably watch Sunday evening's musical "Fantasia" created by Marco B , director of Flamboyan Dancers, and Fernando Sosa, director of Tropical Gem. What a truly amazing musical! It had it all-On 1 and On 2 dancing, comedy, drama, lyrical dancing, hip-hop, Afro-Cuban- a real mixture of everything so well put together. My eyes were glued to the stage the entire time. Eddie and I both commented on how impressed we were with the musical because we felt that it has risen the bar for salsa/mambo and it will really put this dance on the map hopefully. I would definitely recommend everyone to watch if they have the opportunity to see it. It will be worth it!
It was a true delight to be part of the Madrid Salsa Congress. I hope to be part of it again next year. Thanks to everyone who came out to support us this weekend. It is really appreciated from the bottom of our hearts. Thanks!!
I have been to Madrid before but never to the Madrid Salsa Congress. Unlike many other congresses, for me this congress was more relaxed and laid back, with more time to enjoy the weekend and enjoy the shows. Madrid is a beautiful city and the congress was just as beautiful. It had a wonderful venue, great stage, and great dancing!
Eddie Torres and I started the weekend by surprising the audience with an extra show on Thursday night. Usually Thursday night is more for the locals and amateurs, but we decided to provide Madrid with a surprise show. The people really loved this special treat. They were only expecting to see us perform on Friday and Saturday nights, never on a Thursday. The crowd went wild and it was good to feel them. In addition to the Thursday surprise show, Eddie and I performed 2x both Saturday and Sunday-which blew the audience away. Although the line-up this year was not strongest line-up I have seen in other congresses, the shows were still phenomenal. Besides Eddie and I, other performers this weekend included Maykel Fonts and Kirenia Cantin, Tropical Gem, Flamboyan Dancers, Lieb y su Salsache, Marco Ferrigno and many more. There were also many national artists throughout the weekend as well which added a nice touch to the line-up.
Overall, the socials were good in regards to the music and level of dancing. I danced with many Spanish men :) and I found the level to be very high and mainly "On 2." One of the setbacks of the congress however was the dance floor which was made of concrete. This made it very difficult to dance and this was the main complaint all weekend long, especially by the ladies. Although there were many complaints, it did not seem to stop anyone from dancing, just made it little difficult. We all continued to dance the night away.
The real highlight of the weekend was being able to sit and comfortably watch Sunday evening's musical "Fantasia" created by Marco B , director of Flamboyan Dancers, and Fernando Sosa, director of Tropical Gem. What a truly amazing musical! It had it all-On 1 and On 2 dancing, comedy, drama, lyrical dancing, hip-hop, Afro-Cuban- a real mixture of everything so well put together. My eyes were glued to the stage the entire time. Eddie and I both commented on how impressed we were with the musical because we felt that it has risen the bar for salsa/mambo and it will really put this dance on the map hopefully. I would definitely recommend everyone to watch if they have the opportunity to see it. It will be worth it!
It was a true delight to be part of the Madrid Salsa Congress. I hope to be part of it again next year. Thanks to everyone who came out to support us this weekend. It is really appreciated from the bottom of our hearts. Thanks!!
Montreal, Canada (April 2009)
Montreal Salsa Convention
The Montreal Salsa Convention was one of the nicest congresses I have ever attended. My first time around, I was really impressed. This event is organized by good friends Sonia and Moris from San Tropez Dance School and Company, one of the largest in Montreal. Half the event was held in one of the most amazing theaters I have ever performed in and the other 2 days of the event was held at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Montreal. In addition to great weather, a mall right around the corner :), and everything within walking distance, this event was well organized which made the whole weekend such a breeze.
In addition to Eddie and myself, some of the invited artists were Santo Rico, Karisma, Tito N Tamara, Masacote, Jayson Molina, and many national artists. On Thursday night, there were 2 sets of shows. The first set of shows was dedicated to environment and was themed with earthy environmental pieces of choreography. I was able to sit and watch the shows and really enjoyed the uniqueness of the choreographies. To compliment the routines, there was a slide show that focused on saving the environment. It was a really nice show to watch. Eddie and I performed in the second set "Ritmo Changui," our usual opener routine, lol. It was great, especially since the stage was so amazing to perform on-the lighting, the floor-just perfect. It definitely added to the performance!
DJ Henry Knowles was the main DJ for the weekend and what a great job he did! Overall, the music for the weekend was really good for the most part. The convention was packed. It was hard to find a space to dance on the dance floor.
The workshops were all held at the Hyatt. However, Eddie held a special workshop on Friday at the theater which yielded a smaller turnout than usual-mainly beginner level. But his workshops on Saturday at the hotel was jam packed. During this workshop, he did a little bit of everything including pachanga-so much fun! Here the level was up there and Eddie did not hold back with the students.
Friday, Eddie took advantage of the stage and lighting by deciding to perform the more character pieces we have- "Fiesta La king," and "Last Tango in Paris." These pieces need specific mood lighting and fog and this was the place to do-BEAUTIFUL- that is all I can say! To perform on Saturday at the hotel was a little difficult especially after performing in the theater with those amazing lights and effects, but we made it work and the shows on Saturday turned out to be great.
Since this was their 5th salsa convention, Sonia and Moris held a small gathering for the artists to help celebrate their anniversary. It was a nice touch to the end of the weekend. I want to thank Sonia and Moris for bringing us out to Montreal and for allowing us to be part of their event. I also want to thank everyone that came out to support us this weekend. From the bottom of our hearts, it is greatly appreciated. Hope to see you soon again Montreal, Thanks!
The Montreal Salsa Convention was one of the nicest congresses I have ever attended. My first time around, I was really impressed. This event is organized by good friends Sonia and Moris from San Tropez Dance School and Company, one of the largest in Montreal. Half the event was held in one of the most amazing theaters I have ever performed in and the other 2 days of the event was held at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Montreal. In addition to great weather, a mall right around the corner :), and everything within walking distance, this event was well organized which made the whole weekend such a breeze.
In addition to Eddie and myself, some of the invited artists were Santo Rico, Karisma, Tito N Tamara, Masacote, Jayson Molina, and many national artists. On Thursday night, there were 2 sets of shows. The first set of shows was dedicated to environment and was themed with earthy environmental pieces of choreography. I was able to sit and watch the shows and really enjoyed the uniqueness of the choreographies. To compliment the routines, there was a slide show that focused on saving the environment. It was a really nice show to watch. Eddie and I performed in the second set "Ritmo Changui," our usual opener routine, lol. It was great, especially since the stage was so amazing to perform on-the lighting, the floor-just perfect. It definitely added to the performance!
DJ Henry Knowles was the main DJ for the weekend and what a great job he did! Overall, the music for the weekend was really good for the most part. The convention was packed. It was hard to find a space to dance on the dance floor.
The workshops were all held at the Hyatt. However, Eddie held a special workshop on Friday at the theater which yielded a smaller turnout than usual-mainly beginner level. But his workshops on Saturday at the hotel was jam packed. During this workshop, he did a little bit of everything including pachanga-so much fun! Here the level was up there and Eddie did not hold back with the students.
Friday, Eddie took advantage of the stage and lighting by deciding to perform the more character pieces we have- "Fiesta La king," and "Last Tango in Paris." These pieces need specific mood lighting and fog and this was the place to do-BEAUTIFUL- that is all I can say! To perform on Saturday at the hotel was a little difficult especially after performing in the theater with those amazing lights and effects, but we made it work and the shows on Saturday turned out to be great.
Since this was their 5th salsa convention, Sonia and Moris held a small gathering for the artists to help celebrate their anniversary. It was a nice touch to the end of the weekend. I want to thank Sonia and Moris for bringing us out to Montreal and for allowing us to be part of their event. I also want to thank everyone that came out to support us this weekend. From the bottom of our hearts, it is greatly appreciated. Hope to see you soon again Montreal, Thanks!
London, United Kingdom (May 2009)
5 Star Congress (London)
To start, one of the best congresses I have ever been too!! What an amazing congress! This has always been one of my favorite congresses to attend and this year just proved it again. I have not been to the 5 star congress in about 3 years and I was so happy to be back.
The congress took place at the Radisson Edwardian hotel at Heathrow Airport-amazing rustic, and regal hotel-absolutely loved it. This weekend was really busy for me, probably one of the busiest-from performing 2 shows per night w Eddie, 2 workshops with Eddie, privates, and my ladies styling workshop. But this is what I like, so for me it was great. Eddie and I started off the weekend by attending the the congress pre-party. Although there was a small turnout, we all still had a great time. It was a really intimate setting and here I got to know some of the congress people. Believe it or not, Eddie social danced just about the whole night! One brave lady asked him and it was a wrap- a line of ladies waited their turn to dance with the Mambo King. It was really amazing to watch, especially since it is so rare that Eddie social dances.
Friday night we were not scheduled to perform, but of course we surprised the audience with not 1 but 2 shows that night-Eddie's solo and the regular opener routine "Ritmo Changui." We also performed 2x both Saturday and Sunday night- a variety of numbers which many people appreciated. The audience was amazing-their was such a great energy coming from them, it just added to our performance. They reminded me of the audience in Gothenburg- so lively, energetic, and very welcoming. The other shows were really amazing as well. The line-up included Juan Matos and Amneris Martinez, U-Tribe, Hache y Machete, Santo Rico, Adolfo and Carla, and many other great international and national artists. Everyone performed great-there was such a great chemistry overall, so cool!
Eddie had 2 workshops over the weekend and they were packed to the max. This weekend, he mainly taught shines and gave the turn patterns at the end for the students to take home. He also did some pachanga which the students went crazy for. I found the Londoners picking up great and were dancing at a great level. Eddie threw down with them since they were doing so well. As for my workshop, I had so much fun with the ladies. I did more of a body movement combo with some fancy arm styling for the ladies and I must say I was impressed at how the ladies were picking up. I found that there was not enough time because I wanted to give the ladies so much more. Maybe next time!
The nightly socials were great! The only downfall to the weekend was that the dance floors were really packed which made it difficult to dance plus there were 3 different social rooms which split everyone. DJ Michelle from Hong Kong was one of the invited DJ's and man she was awesome! I really love her music. The level was great at this congress so it made social dancing so much easier to enjoy. I had the opportunity to not only dance with the students but also the "stars" as well.
This year, the congress was extra special because the organizers Robert and Jean White celebrated their 10th anniversary of mambocity events. The staff and artists surprised them with a special award, a huge card, and beautiful cake after Sunday night's shows. Man they were so surprised and so deeply touched. It was so nice to see them react to the award. The evening on Sunday closed with Robert and Jean holding a private gathering for the artists and themselves celebrating the event-very intimate and personal.
Overall, I had such a wonderful time this weekend and I want to thank Robert and Jean for allowing me to be a part of their wonderful event. I also want to thank all those who came out to support Eddie and me this weekend. We really do appreciate it. I hope to see you guys next year! Thanks so much.
To start, one of the best congresses I have ever been too!! What an amazing congress! This has always been one of my favorite congresses to attend and this year just proved it again. I have not been to the 5 star congress in about 3 years and I was so happy to be back.
The congress took place at the Radisson Edwardian hotel at Heathrow Airport-amazing rustic, and regal hotel-absolutely loved it. This weekend was really busy for me, probably one of the busiest-from performing 2 shows per night w Eddie, 2 workshops with Eddie, privates, and my ladies styling workshop. But this is what I like, so for me it was great. Eddie and I started off the weekend by attending the the congress pre-party. Although there was a small turnout, we all still had a great time. It was a really intimate setting and here I got to know some of the congress people. Believe it or not, Eddie social danced just about the whole night! One brave lady asked him and it was a wrap- a line of ladies waited their turn to dance with the Mambo King. It was really amazing to watch, especially since it is so rare that Eddie social dances.
Friday night we were not scheduled to perform, but of course we surprised the audience with not 1 but 2 shows that night-Eddie's solo and the regular opener routine "Ritmo Changui." We also performed 2x both Saturday and Sunday night- a variety of numbers which many people appreciated. The audience was amazing-their was such a great energy coming from them, it just added to our performance. They reminded me of the audience in Gothenburg- so lively, energetic, and very welcoming. The other shows were really amazing as well. The line-up included Juan Matos and Amneris Martinez, U-Tribe, Hache y Machete, Santo Rico, Adolfo and Carla, and many other great international and national artists. Everyone performed great-there was such a great chemistry overall, so cool!
Eddie had 2 workshops over the weekend and they were packed to the max. This weekend, he mainly taught shines and gave the turn patterns at the end for the students to take home. He also did some pachanga which the students went crazy for. I found the Londoners picking up great and were dancing at a great level. Eddie threw down with them since they were doing so well. As for my workshop, I had so much fun with the ladies. I did more of a body movement combo with some fancy arm styling for the ladies and I must say I was impressed at how the ladies were picking up. I found that there was not enough time because I wanted to give the ladies so much more. Maybe next time!
The nightly socials were great! The only downfall to the weekend was that the dance floors were really packed which made it difficult to dance plus there were 3 different social rooms which split everyone. DJ Michelle from Hong Kong was one of the invited DJ's and man she was awesome! I really love her music. The level was great at this congress so it made social dancing so much easier to enjoy. I had the opportunity to not only dance with the students but also the "stars" as well.
This year, the congress was extra special because the organizers Robert and Jean White celebrated their 10th anniversary of mambocity events. The staff and artists surprised them with a special award, a huge card, and beautiful cake after Sunday night's shows. Man they were so surprised and so deeply touched. It was so nice to see them react to the award. The evening on Sunday closed with Robert and Jean holding a private gathering for the artists and themselves celebrating the event-very intimate and personal.
Overall, I had such a wonderful time this weekend and I want to thank Robert and Jean for allowing me to be a part of their wonderful event. I also want to thank all those who came out to support Eddie and me this weekend. We really do appreciate it. I hope to see you guys next year! Thanks so much.
Nassau, Bahamas (May 2009)
Salsa Cruise w Mambo 101 Studios
If I thought my first time on a cruise was great, my 2nd time was even better! I had such a great time on this salsa cruise. It had everything anyone can ask for-all you can eat buffet, great weather, 2 of the greatest artists in one weekend, great lounges, and a nice stop at the wonderful Nassau island in the Bahamas.
I had the fortunate pleasure of bringing my mom and sister on the cruise. They enjoyed themselves just as much as I did. We boarded the ship on Thursday and my mom and sister were overwhelmed with the size and the amount of facilities on the cruise. This was their first time, so just like I was on my first cruise, they were amazed by everything. We first hit the lunch buffet and pigged out, lol. Then we took a trip to to spa to participate in a raffle which none of us won:( After doing the routine emergency drill, we watched the ship take off as it sailed into the sea-It was amazing!! The breeze,the view- nature at its best, so cool! That night, Tony Vega played at one of the main lounges on the cruise- unbelievable he was! Everyone was out of their chairs dancing. Although this was a salsa cruise, this was not a dancers crowd-this cruise was for the average non professional salsera/o, so there was no structured dancing, just good old street dancing-cool!
Friday, I assisted Omar from Mambo 101 studios in the beginner class they held early that morning which was nice. Shortly after we docked in Nassau, Bahamas and my mom, my sister, and myself were off like it was nobody's business, lol. We hit up the famous Cabbage beach first and I got sunburned, which is what usually happens. Then we headed over to the Atlantis resort and checked out the amazing casino and aquarium. It was a long fun filled day. After that, we had the formal "Captain's dinner" that night where everyone gets dressed up really fancy. It was a great dinner. That night, the amazing El Gran Combo performed and man they were throwing down. I had the fortunate pleasure to social dance with Omar with the band a couple of songs. They put on such a great show. The dance team of Mambo 101 also put on a great show, opening for El Gran Combo.
The next day was a day at sea so we did all the activities on the ship. After teaching the second class of the weekend early that morning, the salsa cruise members had an autograph session with El Gran Combo and Tony Vega which was so cool. We were able to have them autograph one of the professional pics as well as take photos with them, such a rare opportunity that I am so happy to have experienced. Later that evening, my mom, sis and I sat on the deck and roasted in the sun yet again, or at least I tried, lol. We then participated in a battle of the sexes activity in one of the main lounges which was really funny. In addition, we played quite a few bingo games that weekend. What was a real nice treat to the weekend was the towel animals that our cabin stewart Romeo made for us throughout the weekend- very creative and inventive. It had me laughing the whole weekend. Thanks Romeo.
The weekend wrapped up with a nice dinner yet again where the waiters danced and partied. Everyone was trying to enjoy every last minute they had left on the cruise, and so were we. We really didn't want to go home, it was like paradise. I want to thank Mambo 101 studios for bringing me out to this wonderful cruise and event. My family and I really enjoyed ourselves. We look forward to the next one, thanks Omar!
If I thought my first time on a cruise was great, my 2nd time was even better! I had such a great time on this salsa cruise. It had everything anyone can ask for-all you can eat buffet, great weather, 2 of the greatest artists in one weekend, great lounges, and a nice stop at the wonderful Nassau island in the Bahamas.
I had the fortunate pleasure of bringing my mom and sister on the cruise. They enjoyed themselves just as much as I did. We boarded the ship on Thursday and my mom and sister were overwhelmed with the size and the amount of facilities on the cruise. This was their first time, so just like I was on my first cruise, they were amazed by everything. We first hit the lunch buffet and pigged out, lol. Then we took a trip to to spa to participate in a raffle which none of us won:( After doing the routine emergency drill, we watched the ship take off as it sailed into the sea-It was amazing!! The breeze,the view- nature at its best, so cool! That night, Tony Vega played at one of the main lounges on the cruise- unbelievable he was! Everyone was out of their chairs dancing. Although this was a salsa cruise, this was not a dancers crowd-this cruise was for the average non professional salsera/o, so there was no structured dancing, just good old street dancing-cool!
Friday, I assisted Omar from Mambo 101 studios in the beginner class they held early that morning which was nice. Shortly after we docked in Nassau, Bahamas and my mom, my sister, and myself were off like it was nobody's business, lol. We hit up the famous Cabbage beach first and I got sunburned, which is what usually happens. Then we headed over to the Atlantis resort and checked out the amazing casino and aquarium. It was a long fun filled day. After that, we had the formal "Captain's dinner" that night where everyone gets dressed up really fancy. It was a great dinner. That night, the amazing El Gran Combo performed and man they were throwing down. I had the fortunate pleasure to social dance with Omar with the band a couple of songs. They put on such a great show. The dance team of Mambo 101 also put on a great show, opening for El Gran Combo.
The next day was a day at sea so we did all the activities on the ship. After teaching the second class of the weekend early that morning, the salsa cruise members had an autograph session with El Gran Combo and Tony Vega which was so cool. We were able to have them autograph one of the professional pics as well as take photos with them, such a rare opportunity that I am so happy to have experienced. Later that evening, my mom, sis and I sat on the deck and roasted in the sun yet again, or at least I tried, lol. We then participated in a battle of the sexes activity in one of the main lounges which was really funny. In addition, we played quite a few bingo games that weekend. What was a real nice treat to the weekend was the towel animals that our cabin stewart Romeo made for us throughout the weekend- very creative and inventive. It had me laughing the whole weekend. Thanks Romeo.
The weekend wrapped up with a nice dinner yet again where the waiters danced and partied. Everyone was trying to enjoy every last minute they had left on the cruise, and so were we. We really didn't want to go home, it was like paradise. I want to thank Mambo 101 studios for bringing me out to this wonderful cruise and event. My family and I really enjoyed ourselves. We look forward to the next one, thanks Omar!
Los Angeles, California (May 2009)
The LA Salsa congress-there is a reason why it is still 11 years in the running!! One of the top congresses in the world and I was proud to be a part of it once again after 2 years.
There were four nights of shows. The shows were really exquisite. It is funny because the LA congress is known for having unbelievably long and dragging shows with a mixture of amateur and professional talent, but this congress was different. All the shows were at such a good level and caliber. They were really a treat to watch-local, national, and international. Some of the invited performers included myself and Eddie Torres, Maykel Fonts and Davide (Italy), Marco and Haridian, Yamulee, Hache y Machete, Tito N Tamara, Salsamania, Junior and Emily, Edwin Rivera, and Ye Mambo (Spain). I had the fortunate pleasure of watching many of the performers because Eddie and I performed early in the program each night.
The true highlight of the weekend was the social dance Eddie and I were able to dance to with the live band. It was UNBELIEVABLE!! One of the best concerts I have ever experienced. The purpose of the concert was to make a tribute to the Palladium Era where invited artists like Gilberto Santa Rosa, Jose Alberto "El Canario", and Choco Orta sang the great songs of this era. Along with these phenomenal singers was a strong and very well-know musician line-up which made the orchestra one of the strongest i have ever heard. From what Eddie told me, the sounds they had really resembled the sound of what he used to hear when he was young dancing in the clubs during the Palladium Era. What a treat it really was-there are no words to truly describe this event! Eddie Torres, myself and Burju were jammin' backstage to the music while waiting to go on to perform. As I performed on stage, I felt like the music was inside of me-an indescribable feeling. It is definitely a memory and experience I will never forget.
Eddie had 4 workshops that weekend. The 1st day was a special On 2 introductory class. The people loved the workshop, even as simple as it was. Only Eddie can do that. Throughout the weekend, he also taught a pachanga and a shines workshop. I had the fortunate pleasure of teaching an advanced level ladies styling class. The ladies did so awesome, especially since the combo I taught was a pretty advanced combo with both arm styling and body movement combined. Overall, there was a great turnout for all the workshops.
In addition to the concert, Jimmy Sabater and Johnny Polanco performed Saturday and Sunday nights respectively. I only got to hear them play for a short time, but the short time I was there was great. For me, the socials were not the best I have been too. I felt there was an unusual vibe at the nightly socials. I couldn't pinpoint what is it was, but there was something. So I didn't social dance as much as I usually do :( Unfortunately, because of time, I was not able to enjoy the daily pool parties that were held. Maybe if I did, I think I would have been able to connect to some of the students and dancers a little more.
Overall, the weekend was a great success-the shows, the workshops, the bands. I am so happy to have been a part of this event and I hope to be part of it next year. Thanks to all who showed up and supported Eddie and myself and thanks to Albert Torres and his staff for a wonderful weekend. See you next year!!
The LA Salsa congress-there is a reason why it is still 11 years in the running!! One of the top congresses in the world and I was proud to be a part of it once again after 2 years.
There were four nights of shows. The shows were really exquisite. It is funny because the LA congress is known for having unbelievably long and dragging shows with a mixture of amateur and professional talent, but this congress was different. All the shows were at such a good level and caliber. They were really a treat to watch-local, national, and international. Some of the invited performers included myself and Eddie Torres, Maykel Fonts and Davide (Italy), Marco and Haridian, Yamulee, Hache y Machete, Tito N Tamara, Salsamania, Junior and Emily, Edwin Rivera, and Ye Mambo (Spain). I had the fortunate pleasure of watching many of the performers because Eddie and I performed early in the program each night.
The true highlight of the weekend was the social dance Eddie and I were able to dance to with the live band. It was UNBELIEVABLE!! One of the best concerts I have ever experienced. The purpose of the concert was to make a tribute to the Palladium Era where invited artists like Gilberto Santa Rosa, Jose Alberto "El Canario", and Choco Orta sang the great songs of this era. Along with these phenomenal singers was a strong and very well-know musician line-up which made the orchestra one of the strongest i have ever heard. From what Eddie told me, the sounds they had really resembled the sound of what he used to hear when he was young dancing in the clubs during the Palladium Era. What a treat it really was-there are no words to truly describe this event! Eddie Torres, myself and Burju were jammin' backstage to the music while waiting to go on to perform. As I performed on stage, I felt like the music was inside of me-an indescribable feeling. It is definitely a memory and experience I will never forget.
Eddie had 4 workshops that weekend. The 1st day was a special On 2 introductory class. The people loved the workshop, even as simple as it was. Only Eddie can do that. Throughout the weekend, he also taught a pachanga and a shines workshop. I had the fortunate pleasure of teaching an advanced level ladies styling class. The ladies did so awesome, especially since the combo I taught was a pretty advanced combo with both arm styling and body movement combined. Overall, there was a great turnout for all the workshops.
In addition to the concert, Jimmy Sabater and Johnny Polanco performed Saturday and Sunday nights respectively. I only got to hear them play for a short time, but the short time I was there was great. For me, the socials were not the best I have been too. I felt there was an unusual vibe at the nightly socials. I couldn't pinpoint what is it was, but there was something. So I didn't social dance as much as I usually do :( Unfortunately, because of time, I was not able to enjoy the daily pool parties that were held. Maybe if I did, I think I would have been able to connect to some of the students and dancers a little more.
Overall, the weekend was a great success-the shows, the workshops, the bands. I am so happy to have been a part of this event and I hope to be part of it next year. Thanks to all who showed up and supported Eddie and myself and thanks to Albert Torres and his staff for a wonderful weekend. See you next year!!
Cleveland, Ohio (May 2009)
Another great weekend in Cleveland. Each time I visit I get more and more of a turnout and I see more and more growth in the Cleveland salsa community. I started off the weekend with a couple of privates and I did my regular teaching gig at Cleveland's most popular salsa night club "The View" in downtown Cleveland. I taught the advanced level class On 1. Although the material was for the most part pretty difficult for the students since the level of the students is not as high, by the end of the class the students had it and did pretty well. I taught a combo of shines and turn patterns.
Saturday was definitely the busiest day of the weekend but definitely the best. After meeting with the student team "Saoco" that morning, the rest of the day consisted of workshops such as ladies styling, for the first time in Cleveland -pachanga, cha cha cha combo class, and a mambo combo class. Thankfully, the classes yielded a great turnout-it has been getting better each time. There are some students that came specifically for this class from Columbus, Ohio 2 hours away which was really great. I had a real good time with the students!
Saturday night was the big "Salsa Jam" at Viva Dance Studio. A local band called "Rice and Beans"played that evening and what a great job they did. VIvia yielded a great turnout that evening. There were a couple of performances that evening which included my solo performance. Saoco debut their new boogaloo cha cha routine which I choreographed and they did great. Some of the staff got together and put together a routine which they performed that evening as well. It was definitely a nice night.
Sunday was an easier day. I worked with the Mambo Team and then worked on my upcoming ladies styling DVD. I want to thank everyone who came out to support this weekend. I look forward to coming to Cleveland again this July but this time I will be with the world famous salsa DJ Henry Knowles. Don't forget to come out Cleveland and support!!See you next time!
Saturday was definitely the busiest day of the weekend but definitely the best. After meeting with the student team "Saoco" that morning, the rest of the day consisted of workshops such as ladies styling, for the first time in Cleveland -pachanga, cha cha cha combo class, and a mambo combo class. Thankfully, the classes yielded a great turnout-it has been getting better each time. There are some students that came specifically for this class from Columbus, Ohio 2 hours away which was really great. I had a real good time with the students!
Saturday night was the big "Salsa Jam" at Viva Dance Studio. A local band called "Rice and Beans"played that evening and what a great job they did. VIvia yielded a great turnout that evening. There were a couple of performances that evening which included my solo performance. Saoco debut their new boogaloo cha cha routine which I choreographed and they did great. Some of the staff got together and put together a routine which they performed that evening as well. It was definitely a nice night.
Sunday was an easier day. I worked with the Mambo Team and then worked on my upcoming ladies styling DVD. I want to thank everyone who came out to support this weekend. I look forward to coming to Cleveland again this July but this time I will be with the world famous salsa DJ Henry Knowles. Don't forget to come out Cleveland and support!!See you next time!
Paris, France (June 2009)
I spent a week in Paris this time around and it was both a great and not so great experience combined. I guess they all can't be that wonderful :( I came into Paris a few days early to work with Mouaze Konate since we were expected to perform that weekend at the Paris mambo festival. Our performance was scheduled Friday night at the festival and we had some glitches and problems with the routine. But we kept our chin up high and continued the rest of the weekend as so. Some of the invited artists consisted of Juan Matos and Amneris Martinez, Adolfo and Carla, U Tribe, Masacote, and many more international and national artists. Overall, the performances were of average caliber and presentation. I found that the MC's spoke a little too long which dragged the shows which many people complained about. Located outside of Paris, the venue was a quaint place with a main room on the second level and a series of rooms on the lower level where the workshops were held.
The socials were probably the best part of the congress. The high level of dancers coupled with the great music played by the DJ's is what made this congress what is was. I found myself dancing a lot this weekend and being very satisfied with my dances. One of the downfalls of this weekend was the extreme heat that was in the social room. It really was an uncomfortable heat which many people complained about. However, it didn't stop many from dancing. I saw the students and dancers dancing the nights away this weekend.
The workshop variety was pretty good. There were 3 workshops going on at the same time. I had the pleasure of teaching a ladies styling/body movement class on Sunday. I did something a little different this time. I taught a piece of choreography to a slow mambo tempo song which consisted of many body movement components with the intention of opening the students' mind on how to use the music and how each piece can be used individually. The ladies had a really great time and so did I. During the day as the workshops were going on, there was a mini festival in the main room which consisted of afternoon amateur shows, a live small band, music, food, and dancing. It was really intimate and enjoyable. I thought this was a nice touch that added to the congress.
In between the workshops and the socials, I was able to sight-see-a rarity I must say. My great friend Yvonne from Austria =came in this weekend to enjoy the event and we were able to see some of the great sights of Paris. On Saturday, we hopped the tour bus and got to see some of the sights such as the Notre Dame, Musee de Orsay, Champs de Elysses, and many more. The highlight of the weekend was the visit to the Eiffel Tower on Sunday. For the first time, I was able to go to the top of the tower and see all of Paris! It was truly an amazing sight. I have been to the Eiffel Tower a couple of times before and just visited the front, but never had time to actually go up. Yvonne and I had a great time. We then ended the weekend by having a couple of famous crepes with Nutella. They are so good-they are fastly becoming one of my favorite foods!!
I had a real great time in Paris and I want to thank Kalix of Yambu and Friends and the people of Paris for making that so. Thanks for all those who took privates and who came out to support me in my workshop and performance. I really hope to visit Paris again soon!!
The socials were probably the best part of the congress. The high level of dancers coupled with the great music played by the DJ's is what made this congress what is was. I found myself dancing a lot this weekend and being very satisfied with my dances. One of the downfalls of this weekend was the extreme heat that was in the social room. It really was an uncomfortable heat which many people complained about. However, it didn't stop many from dancing. I saw the students and dancers dancing the nights away this weekend.
The workshop variety was pretty good. There were 3 workshops going on at the same time. I had the pleasure of teaching a ladies styling/body movement class on Sunday. I did something a little different this time. I taught a piece of choreography to a slow mambo tempo song which consisted of many body movement components with the intention of opening the students' mind on how to use the music and how each piece can be used individually. The ladies had a really great time and so did I. During the day as the workshops were going on, there was a mini festival in the main room which consisted of afternoon amateur shows, a live small band, music, food, and dancing. It was really intimate and enjoyable. I thought this was a nice touch that added to the congress.
In between the workshops and the socials, I was able to sight-see-a rarity I must say. My great friend Yvonne from Austria =came in this weekend to enjoy the event and we were able to see some of the great sights of Paris. On Saturday, we hopped the tour bus and got to see some of the sights such as the Notre Dame, Musee de Orsay, Champs de Elysses, and many more. The highlight of the weekend was the visit to the Eiffel Tower on Sunday. For the first time, I was able to go to the top of the tower and see all of Paris! It was truly an amazing sight. I have been to the Eiffel Tower a couple of times before and just visited the front, but never had time to actually go up. Yvonne and I had a great time. We then ended the weekend by having a couple of famous crepes with Nutella. They are so good-they are fastly becoming one of my favorite foods!!
I had a real great time in Paris and I want to thank Kalix of Yambu and Friends and the people of Paris for making that so. Thanks for all those who took privates and who came out to support me in my workshop and performance. I really hope to visit Paris again soon!!
Coimbra, Portugal (June 2009)
Coimbra, Portugal-one of the smallest cities in Portugal but home of one of the biggest congresses in Europe. For its first time, this congress made a huge impact to the congress community by choosing a premiere line-up, an exquisite and huge venue and great workshop variety. However, although this event was a gorgeous one, the turnout was really low. Maybe due to lack of promotion or the unfamiliarity with the small city, no one knows. But the event itself was really, really nice and chic.
This event was a little different for Eddie and myself because we participated in the event only from Tuesday through Thursday because Eddie had a personal event to attend to that weekend. This congress actually started Wednesday and ended on Sunday. Eddie and I put on a last minute show for the opening party on Tuesday. We performed Ritmo Changui and the people loved it, especially since it was unexpected. Believe it or not, Eddie social danced- a rarity- as well as I. From my previous trips, I already knew that the level in Portugal is lower compared to other countries, but I did see some growth in level, however not much for On 2. The next 2 days, Eddie and I taught 2 combo workshops which were really packed. We all had a bunch of fun and the students hung really well considering that On 2 dancing is still a very small community.
This congress had a pretty strong line-up consisting of Johnny Vazquez and Jennifer Silvas, Juan Matos and Amneris Martinez, Marco and Haridian, Adrian and Anita, Nerea Alconde, and many more artists. But the real shocker was the presence of Abakua. Many people including myself have not seen this group or Frankie Martinez so I know that it was a real treat. The venue was beautiful. It was a huge soccer stadium and they used a portion of the field to put up a stage and tent for the performances. The stage was really exquisite and a pleasure to perform on and I would believe that all the other performers would agree. Eddie performed "Fiesta a La King" the first night of the event and believe it or not, we performed 3 shows our last night there (Wed). I could not believe it myself, but we did it and each performance came out just about perfect. Although there was not much attendance at this event, the audience that was there was a great, great crowd. They sounded as if there was triple the amount of people, that is how much love they showed us all. It was overall a huge venue and nice place for a congress.
The nighly socials were unfortunately pretty empty and it was unfortunate because some of the best DJ's were there such as Henry Knowles, Hugo Leite, and Pable Bat. The music was actually was pretty good but I did not social dance that much because there were not many people to dance with. However, the few that were that I danced with as well as some of the performers and I really enjoyed the time I had.
Unfortunately, we could not stay the weekend and see Abakua as they performed their 30 min theatre based show or any of the other international and national artists, but I am sure that all went well. I really look forward to visiting Coimbra again and hopefully see more On 2 dancing as well. Thanks to everyone who came out to support Eddie and myself. See you soon!
This event was a little different for Eddie and myself because we participated in the event only from Tuesday through Thursday because Eddie had a personal event to attend to that weekend. This congress actually started Wednesday and ended on Sunday. Eddie and I put on a last minute show for the opening party on Tuesday. We performed Ritmo Changui and the people loved it, especially since it was unexpected. Believe it or not, Eddie social danced- a rarity- as well as I. From my previous trips, I already knew that the level in Portugal is lower compared to other countries, but I did see some growth in level, however not much for On 2. The next 2 days, Eddie and I taught 2 combo workshops which were really packed. We all had a bunch of fun and the students hung really well considering that On 2 dancing is still a very small community.
This congress had a pretty strong line-up consisting of Johnny Vazquez and Jennifer Silvas, Juan Matos and Amneris Martinez, Marco and Haridian, Adrian and Anita, Nerea Alconde, and many more artists. But the real shocker was the presence of Abakua. Many people including myself have not seen this group or Frankie Martinez so I know that it was a real treat. The venue was beautiful. It was a huge soccer stadium and they used a portion of the field to put up a stage and tent for the performances. The stage was really exquisite and a pleasure to perform on and I would believe that all the other performers would agree. Eddie performed "Fiesta a La King" the first night of the event and believe it or not, we performed 3 shows our last night there (Wed). I could not believe it myself, but we did it and each performance came out just about perfect. Although there was not much attendance at this event, the audience that was there was a great, great crowd. They sounded as if there was triple the amount of people, that is how much love they showed us all. It was overall a huge venue and nice place for a congress.
The nighly socials were unfortunately pretty empty and it was unfortunate because some of the best DJ's were there such as Henry Knowles, Hugo Leite, and Pable Bat. The music was actually was pretty good but I did not social dance that much because there were not many people to dance with. However, the few that were that I danced with as well as some of the performers and I really enjoyed the time I had.
Unfortunately, we could not stay the weekend and see Abakua as they performed their 30 min theatre based show or any of the other international and national artists, but I am sure that all went well. I really look forward to visiting Coimbra again and hopefully see more On 2 dancing as well. Thanks to everyone who came out to support Eddie and myself. See you soon!
Washington D.C. (June 2009)
DC Congress
The third time around and the DC congress gets better and better each time. I had another wonderful weekend in DC. It is not as glitzy or big as many of the European congresses I attend, but it has a great, intimate feel and atmosphere that many congresses don't have. It was a tremendous weekend!
This weekend was a real cozy one, which is very atypical for me, lol. I especially had a great time hanging out with my youth team "Fuerza Positiva" this weekend. They are just as crazy as I am and I love it. I arrived Friday with 2 of my students, believe it or not, on the BUS-ugh-never again! We got to see the shows that night and I must say I was quite disappointed. The performances were not very strong and were pretty amateur. The shows on Saturday and Sunday were lot more spectacular. My youth team performed Saturday night and man they kicked butt! I am so proud of them. Some of the other performers included: Ismael Otero and Shani Talmor, BTS, Darlin Garcia and Art in Motion, LSP productions, and some other teams that don't have such a big name but were very impressive. The shows were a real pleasure to watch Saturday and Sunday. Shaka Brown, the organizer of the congress was also a great MC. He did a wonderful job keeping the shows moving and the crowd entertained. On Sunday, although not scheduled, I performed my solo show and it went great! The audience reacted really well and I was so happy for that.
Some setbacks to the weekend were the sound, the heat, and the really low stage. The first 2 days, the sound was really low for the socials and performances-for me this was a problem because I love my music blasting. The third night was definitely better. The nightly socials were really hot and steaming-always a setback. Lastly, the stage was pretty low which made it difficult to see the fancy footwork of the performers.
The socials were really good (except for the heat)-the music was great, the dancing was great. In DC, they dance both On1 and On 2 although I found myself mainly dancing on 2 which was great. I found the level of dancing to be above average for the most part. What was really cool was that there was a second room the "International Room" where the dancers can go and take a break from the heat and salsa music. Here they played some salsa but mainly bachata, some reggaeton, hip hop and merengue.
I taught 2 workshops this congress-Saturday was the pachanga workshop and Sunday was ladies styling. The pachanga started off small but by the end of the class, there was not enough room for everyone. It is really exciting to see that more and more people are getting more interested in pachanga. We had A BLAST!! The students really enjoyed it. The ladies styling class was not as packed but that was expected because attendance was overall low on Sunday as is usually. But those who did show had a great time. I taught an intermediate level combo which the ladies handled great.
The turnout for the congress was definitely more than the previous year and I hppe to see this congress grow. There was a very nice feel and vibe at this congress. Thanks to Shaka, Jareau, imambo.tv, and all the people who came out to support the workshops, the performances, and privates. Hope to see your next year!!
The third time around and the DC congress gets better and better each time. I had another wonderful weekend in DC. It is not as glitzy or big as many of the European congresses I attend, but it has a great, intimate feel and atmosphere that many congresses don't have. It was a tremendous weekend!
This weekend was a real cozy one, which is very atypical for me, lol. I especially had a great time hanging out with my youth team "Fuerza Positiva" this weekend. They are just as crazy as I am and I love it. I arrived Friday with 2 of my students, believe it or not, on the BUS-ugh-never again! We got to see the shows that night and I must say I was quite disappointed. The performances were not very strong and were pretty amateur. The shows on Saturday and Sunday were lot more spectacular. My youth team performed Saturday night and man they kicked butt! I am so proud of them. Some of the other performers included: Ismael Otero and Shani Talmor, BTS, Darlin Garcia and Art in Motion, LSP productions, and some other teams that don't have such a big name but were very impressive. The shows were a real pleasure to watch Saturday and Sunday. Shaka Brown, the organizer of the congress was also a great MC. He did a wonderful job keeping the shows moving and the crowd entertained. On Sunday, although not scheduled, I performed my solo show and it went great! The audience reacted really well and I was so happy for that.
Some setbacks to the weekend were the sound, the heat, and the really low stage. The first 2 days, the sound was really low for the socials and performances-for me this was a problem because I love my music blasting. The third night was definitely better. The nightly socials were really hot and steaming-always a setback. Lastly, the stage was pretty low which made it difficult to see the fancy footwork of the performers.
The socials were really good (except for the heat)-the music was great, the dancing was great. In DC, they dance both On1 and On 2 although I found myself mainly dancing on 2 which was great. I found the level of dancing to be above average for the most part. What was really cool was that there was a second room the "International Room" where the dancers can go and take a break from the heat and salsa music. Here they played some salsa but mainly bachata, some reggaeton, hip hop and merengue.
I taught 2 workshops this congress-Saturday was the pachanga workshop and Sunday was ladies styling. The pachanga started off small but by the end of the class, there was not enough room for everyone. It is really exciting to see that more and more people are getting more interested in pachanga. We had A BLAST!! The students really enjoyed it. The ladies styling class was not as packed but that was expected because attendance was overall low on Sunday as is usually. But those who did show had a great time. I taught an intermediate level combo which the ladies handled great.
The turnout for the congress was definitely more than the previous year and I hppe to see this congress grow. There was a very nice feel and vibe at this congress. Thanks to Shaka, Jareau, imambo.tv, and all the people who came out to support the workshops, the performances, and privates. Hope to see your next year!!
(July @\2-)
My 3rd year in a row at the Hamburg salsa congress and I am proud to say that it has been 3 years of success. Eddie and I really enjoyed ourselves at
this congress and the people of Germany definitely made it easier by showing us so much love and support.
The weekend started out with a nice dinner at the restaurant "Imara," which is owned by the promoter of the congress, Imad. It was a Tapas type meal with
influences of Spain and Morrocco. A very different meal than what I am used to, but I must say I quite enjoyed it. We had the pleasure of having dinner
with some of the artists like Al Espinoza and Diana, and Charlene Rose and Francisco Vazquez. We then headed out to the pre-party at the night club
"Macumba." For me, the best music was played this night. We all had a jam! Luis Vazquez joined us later and we partied the night away. A quaint place
with a decent sized dance floor and good dancers. Jet lagged and all, we all still had a great time. It was a good start to the weekend.
I had the great pleasure to stay at the Radisson hotel which made life easier because the venue of the congress was attached and within walking
distance to the hotel. Many of the rooms at the hotel have been renovated as well as the reception area and man, was it really beautiful! A gorgeous hotel!
The venue was a huge place and accommodated many people and vendors. It was a great layout. Friday night, Eddie and I opened the
weekend with "Fiesta a La king." We received great feedback from the crowd which was wonderful. Some of the performers of the weekend included:
Maykel Fonts and Davide Buffone, Yamulee, Luiz Vazquez and Melissa Fernandez, Francisco Vazquez and Charlene Rose, Alex DeSilva and Alien Ramirez, Al
Espinoza and Diana, Taiti and Cristel, Mouaze, plus many more artists. The shows definitely had a range of different levels and also different styles which
can be good or bad depending on how the viewer likes it. I thought the shows were good, not the strongest I have seen, but definitely entertaining. One
of the setbacks to the weekend was the slippery stage. Many performers, including myself, struggled with the stage during rehearsals and during the
performances. But everyone performed their best despite the floor. This year Imad also offered seating for the first time for the performances which was a great plus.
There was a huge array of workshops, probably one of the biggest varieties I have seen. Eddie had 3 total this weekend and I had 1 ladies styling class
which was wonderful. Eddie's classes were great as well. He taught pachanga, lots of shines, and a couple of turn patterns throughout the weekend. Probably for me the weakest part of the congress was the social scene. I found the music to be not the best this weekend which was disappointing. Also,there was a great mixture of levels and styles overall which made social dancing a little more difficult than usual. The turnout for the socials, however,was huge. There was a lot of people all nights, even on Sunday which is usually the weaker night.
I want to thank everyone who came out to support Eddie and myself this weekend. We really appreciate the love and the kindness that everyone has shown. Thanks to Albert Torres and to Imad for bringing us out. Thanks Germany!
this congress and the people of Germany definitely made it easier by showing us so much love and support.
The weekend started out with a nice dinner at the restaurant "Imara," which is owned by the promoter of the congress, Imad. It was a Tapas type meal with
influences of Spain and Morrocco. A very different meal than what I am used to, but I must say I quite enjoyed it. We had the pleasure of having dinner
with some of the artists like Al Espinoza and Diana, and Charlene Rose and Francisco Vazquez. We then headed out to the pre-party at the night club
"Macumba." For me, the best music was played this night. We all had a jam! Luis Vazquez joined us later and we partied the night away. A quaint place
with a decent sized dance floor and good dancers. Jet lagged and all, we all still had a great time. It was a good start to the weekend.
I had the great pleasure to stay at the Radisson hotel which made life easier because the venue of the congress was attached and within walking
distance to the hotel. Many of the rooms at the hotel have been renovated as well as the reception area and man, was it really beautiful! A gorgeous hotel!
The venue was a huge place and accommodated many people and vendors. It was a great layout. Friday night, Eddie and I opened the
weekend with "Fiesta a La king." We received great feedback from the crowd which was wonderful. Some of the performers of the weekend included:
Maykel Fonts and Davide Buffone, Yamulee, Luiz Vazquez and Melissa Fernandez, Francisco Vazquez and Charlene Rose, Alex DeSilva and Alien Ramirez, Al
Espinoza and Diana, Taiti and Cristel, Mouaze, plus many more artists. The shows definitely had a range of different levels and also different styles which
can be good or bad depending on how the viewer likes it. I thought the shows were good, not the strongest I have seen, but definitely entertaining. One
of the setbacks to the weekend was the slippery stage. Many performers, including myself, struggled with the stage during rehearsals and during the
performances. But everyone performed their best despite the floor. This year Imad also offered seating for the first time for the performances which was a great plus.
There was a huge array of workshops, probably one of the biggest varieties I have seen. Eddie had 3 total this weekend and I had 1 ladies styling class
which was wonderful. Eddie's classes were great as well. He taught pachanga, lots of shines, and a couple of turn patterns throughout the weekend. Probably for me the weakest part of the congress was the social scene. I found the music to be not the best this weekend which was disappointing. Also,there was a great mixture of levels and styles overall which made social dancing a little more difficult than usual. The turnout for the socials, however,was huge. There was a lot of people all nights, even on Sunday which is usually the weaker night.
I want to thank everyone who came out to support Eddie and myself this weekend. We really appreciate the love and the kindness that everyone has shown. Thanks to Albert Torres and to Imad for bringing us out. Thanks Germany!
Hamburg, Germany (July 2009)
Hamburg Salsa Congress
My 3rd year in a row at the Hamburg salsa congress and I am proud to say that it has been 3 years of success. Eddie and I really enjoyed ourselves at this congress and the people of Germany definitely made it easier by showing us so much love and support.
The weekend started out with a nice dinner at the restaurant "Imara," which is owned by the promoter of the congress, Imad. It was a Tapas type meal with influences of Spain and Morrocco. A very different meal than what I am used to, but I must say I quite enjoyed it. We had the pleasure of having dinner with some of the artists like Al Espinoza and Diana, and Charlene Rose and Francisco Vazquez. We then headed out to the pre-party at the night club "Macumba." For me, the best music was played this night. We all had a jam! Luis Vazquez joined us later and we partied the night away. A quaint place with a decent sized dance floor and good dancers. Jet lagged and all, we all still had a great time. It was a good start to the weekend.
I had the great pleasure to stay at the Radisson hotel which made life easier because the venue of the congress was attached and within walking distance to the hotel. Many of the rooms at the hotel have been renovated as well as the reception area and man, was it really beautiful! A gorgeous hotel! The venue was a huge place and accommodated many people and vendors. It was a great layout. Friday night, Eddie and I opened the weekend with "Fiesta a La king." We received great feedback from the crowd which was wonderful. Some of the performers of the weekend included:
Maykel Fonts and Davide Buffone, Yamulee, Luiz Vazquez and Melissa Fernandez, Francisco Vazquez and Charlene Rose, Alex DeSilva and Alien Ramirez, Al
Espinoza and Diana, Taiti and Cristel, Mouaze, plus many more artists. The shows definitely had a range of different levels and also different styles which can be good or bad depending on how the viewer likes it. I thought the shows were good, not the strongest I have seen, but definitely entertaining. One of the setbacks to the weekend was the slippery stage. Many performers, including myself, struggled with the stage during rehearsals and during the performances. But everyone performed their best despite the floor. This year Imad also offered seating for the first time for the performances which was a great plus.
There was a huge array of workshops, probably one of the biggest varieties I have seen. Eddie had 3 total this weekend and I had 1 ladies styling class which was wonderful. Eddie's classes were great as well. He taught pachanga, lots of shines, and a couple of turn patterns throughout the weekend. Probably for me the weakest part of the congress was the social scene. I found the music to be not the best this weekend which was disappointing. Also,there was a great mixture of levels and styles overall which made social dancing a little more difficult than usual. The turnout for the socials, however,was huge. There was a lot of people all nights, even on Sunday which is usually the weaker night.
I want to thank everyone who came out to support Eddie and myself this weekend. We really appreciate the love and the kindness that everyone has shown. Thanks to Albert Torres and to Imad for bringing us out. Thanks Germany!
My 3rd year in a row at the Hamburg salsa congress and I am proud to say that it has been 3 years of success. Eddie and I really enjoyed ourselves at this congress and the people of Germany definitely made it easier by showing us so much love and support.
The weekend started out with a nice dinner at the restaurant "Imara," which is owned by the promoter of the congress, Imad. It was a Tapas type meal with influences of Spain and Morrocco. A very different meal than what I am used to, but I must say I quite enjoyed it. We had the pleasure of having dinner with some of the artists like Al Espinoza and Diana, and Charlene Rose and Francisco Vazquez. We then headed out to the pre-party at the night club "Macumba." For me, the best music was played this night. We all had a jam! Luis Vazquez joined us later and we partied the night away. A quaint place with a decent sized dance floor and good dancers. Jet lagged and all, we all still had a great time. It was a good start to the weekend.
I had the great pleasure to stay at the Radisson hotel which made life easier because the venue of the congress was attached and within walking distance to the hotel. Many of the rooms at the hotel have been renovated as well as the reception area and man, was it really beautiful! A gorgeous hotel! The venue was a huge place and accommodated many people and vendors. It was a great layout. Friday night, Eddie and I opened the weekend with "Fiesta a La king." We received great feedback from the crowd which was wonderful. Some of the performers of the weekend included:
Maykel Fonts and Davide Buffone, Yamulee, Luiz Vazquez and Melissa Fernandez, Francisco Vazquez and Charlene Rose, Alex DeSilva and Alien Ramirez, Al
Espinoza and Diana, Taiti and Cristel, Mouaze, plus many more artists. The shows definitely had a range of different levels and also different styles which can be good or bad depending on how the viewer likes it. I thought the shows were good, not the strongest I have seen, but definitely entertaining. One of the setbacks to the weekend was the slippery stage. Many performers, including myself, struggled with the stage during rehearsals and during the performances. But everyone performed their best despite the floor. This year Imad also offered seating for the first time for the performances which was a great plus.
There was a huge array of workshops, probably one of the biggest varieties I have seen. Eddie had 3 total this weekend and I had 1 ladies styling class which was wonderful. Eddie's classes were great as well. He taught pachanga, lots of shines, and a couple of turn patterns throughout the weekend. Probably for me the weakest part of the congress was the social scene. I found the music to be not the best this weekend which was disappointing. Also,there was a great mixture of levels and styles overall which made social dancing a little more difficult than usual. The turnout for the socials, however,was huge. There was a lot of people all nights, even on Sunday which is usually the weaker night.
I want to thank everyone who came out to support Eddie and myself this weekend. We really appreciate the love and the kindness that everyone has shown. Thanks to Albert Torres and to Imad for bringing us out. Thanks Germany!