Toronto Salsa Passion

Celebrities in Love with SalsA

Toronto Salsa Passion — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:01:00 +0000

Jennifer Aniston

Born in 1969 Jennifer Aniston is 41 years old. Rachel Green of the popular sitcom of the 90s; Friends pursued a successful career in Hollywood. Forbes listed Jennifer as the 10th richest woman in the entertainment industry in 2007. A five-year marriage with Brad Pitt and the way she handled the end of her marriage made her even more famous. Being 41 year old but not showing her age, Jennifer has her own way to stay fit.

““I love the sweat each time I’m doing an exercise routine. It just wouldn’t do if I didn’t. I see it as a sign that my metabolism is building up. And by the way, I love Salsa”

Jennifer actually did her routine to stay fit in the romantic comedy Along Came Polly in 2004 where she shared the leading roles with Ben Stiller.

The Salsa Scene of Jennifer Aniston from the movie Along Came Polly

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson is a 31 years old Hollywood actress. She got famous with role in the 2001 comedy-drama Almost Famous. She then starred in the hit film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) which gained her wider fame.

Kate had to go through a strict diet and exercise program several times in her life, for example after gaining 60 pounds while she was pregnant.

She recently discovered a new way of losing weight and staying in shape – Salsa. Kate said that Salsa helped her maintained her figure and Salsa also improved her appetite. Kate explained: “I’ve kind of gotten into salsa. It’s hard, though. If you do a full salsa session for an hour, you’ve got to lose an inch. You’re pouring sweat. Salsa is really fun.”

Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams has the title of the first African- American Miss. America. After becoming Miss. America she was in movies, TV shows and also released albums. The 47- year-old celebrity still looks hot and fresh.

“I try to weight train at least once or twice a week. I hit the treadmill if I’m not training. I’ll do yoga when I have the time,” she tells Shape. “Also, I do a lot of salsa dancing. That’s a great way to stay in shape and be social. I would definitely recommend salsa for anyone who wants to hang out with friends, have a ball, and lose weight.“

Roselyn Sánchez

Roselyn Sánchez is a 37-year-old Puerto Rican singer, model, and actress. Elana Delgado of the TV series Without A Trace also has a career in cinema; Rush Hour 3, The Game Plan. Nightstalker…

Roselyn also loves to dance and sing. She is a big salsa fan.

“My favorite type of dancing is Jazz and I love to Salsa“

Sofia Vergara

The wife of Al Bundy Gloria at the popular comedy TV series “Modern Family” Sofia Vergara, the famous Colombian actress does the dance of her Latin culture in an episode of My Wife & Kids.

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez,a.k. a. J. Lo, says “I love salsa” and shows her moves during a talk show:

Barack Obama showing his salsa moves with the Mexican pop singer Thalia at the Fiesta Latin even at the White House in October 2009:

Let’s finish a cheesy yet popular video from YouTube.

Bill and Hillary Clinton doing the salsa:

Do not forget; you do not need to be a celebrity to do the salsa!

Leave your body to the rhythm,

feel good and stay in shape!

Salsa Perfomance-It’s Show Time

Toronto Salsa Passion — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:52:00 +0000

by Jana Jankovic

You & Your Partner Are Ready

You’ve been practicing for months. Time, energy, and strength put into a routine you didn’t even know would blossom. At times you were frustrated, exhausted, impatient, perhaps even got hurt, but then when that song seeped through the speakers and your feet hit the floor to its luring rhythm, and the blood rushed through your veins, you knew there was nothing else that could replace that feeling.

Now, a few months later, you and your partner are ready. You’re ready to show others what you’ve been working so hard toward and impress your audience.

The Key to Being a Performer

Some people love performing and the energy it brings to the stage, while others become extremely nervous and lose focus. I believe that the median of both is the best balance before stepping on that stage. It’s always good to be a little nervous before doing something important because it means you care. You want to do well and show others what you’re capable of. However, it’s never good to be too nervous. This is the key to being a performer.

You and Your Partner At the Stage

People usually get nervous because they are afraid to fail, and if you think about failing you are likely to make the mistake you’ve been dreading. It is important to remember that the audience wants you to do well; they’re on your side. So even if you make a mistake, don’t focus on it and redeem yourself by blowing them away with the rest of your performance.

For those who love the audience, performing is a little easier. They will often do better on stage than in practice because they feel like they finally have someone to show their talent to. At the same time, an excess of this emotion can be dangerous as well since it’s possible for you to be too confident and therefore pay more attention to your surroundings than your steps. Suddenly you’ve forgotten the routine and the whole performance starts to lose its balance. That’s why it’s vital that you concentrate and think about what you’re doing while enjoying the viewers’ company.

If you and your partner are different when it comes to these approaches it’s a good idea that you transfer your energy to each other. This way, the over-confident dancer will be brought back to earth and focus on the steps while the nervous performer will gain some confidence and relax.

In the end, whatever the outcome may be, remember that with each performance your steps, attitude, and confidence will get better and better!

Where to dance Salsa in Miami

Toronto Salsa Passion — Mon, 31 May 2010 19:01:00 +0000

Salsa & Miami: A relation by nature

When you look at the map above you get it right away that there will be no worries to do the salsa when you are in Miami, USA. Miami is the closest North American city to the lands of salsa.

Salsa Clubs in Miami

Wednesday Happy Hour
Complimentary Sushi and Paella 5-8pm
Ladies receive complimentary Champagne & Wine 5-9pm

Colombian Tavern with nostalgic tropical music. Open Wednesdays through Sundays from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Dress: Dressy
Hours: Fri – Sat, 10pm to 4am
Sun 3pm to 11pm
Cover charge: $20 – Parking: Valet, $10

Every Saturdy starting at 10:30 p.m
Bongos Cuban Café
This is the club owned by Gloria Estafan and Emilio Estéfan

Every Sunday – 3 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. – Salsa!

Hours: Thu nights – free basic salsa classes
Sun nights – casino style and Timba

Café Nostalgia @ Miami Beach, FL ( 6 km from Miami)
Open Wednesday thru Sunday From 8pm to 5am

Club Hoy Como Ayer
Hours: Thu nights
Cristal Nightclub @ Miami Beach, FL

Hours: Sat nights

Havana Dreams Café
Hours: Fri – Sat, 10pm$10 cover.

Kaffee Krystal Nightclub
Hours: Wed – Sat nights

Mix of new and old salsa, Cuban classics, merengue, and vallenato.

La Covacha
Hours: Fri – Sat nights

Mango’s Tropical Café (Miami Beach, FL)

Latin Connection Band

Thursdays from 11 pm to 4:00 am

Fridays from 10:30 pm to 4:10 am

Saturdays & Sundays from 11:00 pm to 4:10 am

(El) Palenque Nightclub
Hours: Fri – Sun nights
Rendezvous

@ Miami Lakes, FL

Típico Dominicano (Miami Beach,FL)

Hours: Fri – Sun, 9pm to 5am

Tropigala (Miami Beach,FL)

Hours: Wed-Sun 7:30 pm-2 am
Cover $20, $39 without dinner

Salsa Dance Classes in Miami

Private Lesson 5 Hour Pack

199 $

They have different packages for private lessons and group lessons.

For singles the price range is between 50-70 $/hour, and for couples 70-90$/hour.

Different Class Packages from 1 Night to 40 nights

1 Night Package 40 $

10 Nights Package 200 $

Wednesday Aug 4th – Sunday Aug 8th, 2010

International Salsa Festival in Miami

29 April - 3 May,2010

More of Salsa Clubs in Miami

Lulaworld 2010

Toronto Salsa Passion — Wed, 05 May 2010 19:11:00 +0000

LULAWORLD 2010

From May 5th to 30th, artists from throughout Canada are joined by international musicians to showcase the extraordinary diversity and calibre of Canadian global music - encouraging a cross-pollination between musical cultures and revealing that when it comes to global music, Toronto is one of the very best places in the world to be!

In addition to presentations by artists with roots in the musical traditions of Portugal, Sweden, Jamaica, Peru and Italy, this year's LULAWORLD festival features a special concert series highlighting the contributions made to Canadian musical culture by Latin America. The series, with support from Celebrate Ontario and the Ontario Arts Council includes music from Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, Chile and Colombia.

LULAWORLD takes place primarily at Lula Lounge at 1585 Dundas West and is made possible by funding from the Ontario Arts Council and The Province of Ontario.

Wednesday, 05 May 2010 (8pm)
OPENING NIGHT featuring Bomba + Fito Garcia + Marlin Ramazzini
This pan-Canadian latin jazz ensemble features bassist Fito Garcia and vocalist Marlin Ramazzini (Vancouver), percussionists Luisito Orbegoso (Toronto), Israel Toto Berriel and Mario Allende (both of Calgary-based group Bomba) joined by special guests bassists Paco Luviano and Yoser Rodriguez (Toronto).
Press and artist reception 6:30pm (please rsvp to tracy@lula.ca)
Doors to public 7pm, Show 8pm, $10

Thursday, 06 May 2010
Sugar Minott
Intimate and Interactive and Uncle Jonny Int'l present one of the great figures of reggae music. Kingston, Jamaica-born, Lincoln "Sugar" Barrington Minott is one of the great figures of reggae music. In the early 1970s, while at the famous Studio One Recording Studios, Sugar Minott revolutionized reggae and ushered in the new era of dancehall by laying vocal tracks over original tapes from the 60s.
Doors 8pm, Shows 9pm, $15 ADV, $20 at the door

Friday, 07 May 2010
Dominic Mancuso Quintet
In celebration of the first weekend of the 2010 LULAWORLD music festival, Dominic goes beyond his usual trio format to bring us a full quintet plus a plethora of special musical guests.
Doors 7pm, Show 8pm, $10 ticket includes Vagabunda at 10pm.

Friday, 07 May 2010
Vagabunda
With her rich and powerful voice, Joanna Moon passionately gives life to the gypsy soul in the most universal sense. Originally from Quebec, Joanna is inspired by a range of flamenco artists from Spain, marrying wild, warm and sensual Andalusian and Cuban rhythms to her French and Spanish lyrics.
Doors 7pm, Show 10pm, $10 ticket includes Dominic Mancuso at 10pm.

Saturday, 08 May 2010
I am Cuba
Afrolatino Dance Company and Roberto Linares Brown bring us this sizzling Cuban cabaret, reminiscent of a night at Havana's Tropicana - complete with beautiful show girls and live Cuban orchestra featuring special guests Changuito, Telmary, Angel Luis, Alberto Alberto and Yani Borrel.
Doors 7pm, Dance show 8pm, Dance lesson 9pm, Band $20

Sunday, 09 May 2010
Mother's Day Brunch with Luis Mario Ochoa & The Cuba Tradicional Sextet
Inspired by Cuban music icons of the early 20th century such as Miguel Matamoros, Ignacio Pieiro and Los Compadres, Luis Mario Ochoa presents The Cuba Tradicional Sextet, recreating, in its authentic form, the Son of the pre-Buena Vista Social Club era of 1920s and 30s Cuba.
Doors 11am, Band sets at noon and 2pm, dance lesson 1pm, $15

Sunday, 09 May 2010
Mother's Day Concert with Eliana Cuevas and special guest Luanda Jones
Venezuelan-born Eliana Cuevas continues to grow as vocalist, songwriter and bandleader the release of her second CD Vidas. Singing in Spanish and Portuguese, Eliana's music and poetic lyrics explore a wide range of powerful themes and emotions. For this special Mothers Day presentation, Eliana is joined by Brazilian vocalist Luanda Jones for their very first performance together.
Doors 7pm, Show 8pm, $15

Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Gems of Mexican poetry + Quique Escamilla Trio
(Sponsored by the Consulate of Mexico and Olmeca Tequila)
Marking the Centennial anniversary of the Mexican Revolution & the Bicentennial of Mexican Independence, The Consulate of Mexico in Canada and Lula Music and Arts Centre present this special evening of 20th Century Mexican poetry, read by Gerardo Ochoa Sandy. Followed by Quique Escamilla's Trio.
Doors 7pm, Reading 8pm, Music 9pm, free admission

Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Yvette Tollar and Jasna Jovicevic
Juno-nominated, modern jazz / world vocalist Yvette Tollar and Serbian jazz saxophonist and composer Jasna Jovicevic join forces to perform material from their highly acclaimed recent albums. With Robi Botos, Ernie Tollar, Rich Brown and Larnell Lewis.
Doors 7pm, Show 8:30pm, $15

Thursday, 13 May 2010
Kinobe and Soul Beat Africa
Kinobe layers transcendent melodies over driving poly-rhythms, leading listeners into the very soul of African music. Performing both Ugandan roots music and original compositions, Soul Beat Africa represents the new vanguard of Ugandan performers gifted instrumentalists steeped in the music of their homeland, but with ears opened to the sounds of the world at large.
Doors 7pm, Show 8:30pm, $15 Adv, $20 at door

Friday, 14 May 2010
Global Grooves from Round the World:
Samba Squad and Very Special Guests
Rick Lazar, director of Toronto's innovative bateria Samba Squad, has programmed a special performance for LULAWORLD 2010. Celebrating the divine diversity of Toronto's music scene, the concert features vocalists Alberto Alberto (Cuba), Nefertiti Hassan (Egypt), Laura Mae Lindo plus Gord Sheard (Keys), Rich Brown (Bass), Jordan Armstrong (Sax) and funk and blues guitarist Geoff Torrn. (With opening set by Dominic Mancuso.)
Doors 7pm, Show 10pm

Saturday, 15 May 2010
Sound of the River (Los Soneros del Tesechoacan) Film Screening + Son Jarocho Dance Workshop
In anticipation of our evening of live Son Jarocho on Sunday May 16th, LULAWORLD and Café Con Pan present a screening of the film Los Soneros del Tesechoacan follwed by a Son Jarocho dance and music workshop.
Doors 1pm, Film 1:30pm, free admission

Saturday, 15 May 2010
Colombia Mon Amor with Orquesta Fantasia
LULAWORLD pays tribute to the music of Colombia with a night of classic Colombian cumbia, vallenato and salsa delivered by one of Toronto's most seasoned salsa ensembles - Orquesta Fantasia. With 9pm dance lesson by Bailaboogaloo.
Doors 7, Dance Lesson 9pm, Show $10, $15

Sunday, 16 May 2010
Son Jarocho with Cafe con Pan and Yohualichan (direct from Montreal)
In honour of centennial anniversary of the Mexican Revolution & the bicentennial of Mexican Independence, LULAWORLD celebrates the music of Mexico with a night of Son Jarocho and Musica Ranchera. Featuring Cafe con Pan, vocalist Cecilia Guerrero, and very special guest Yohualichan direct from Montreal.
Doors 7pm, Show 8pm, $15

Monday 17 May 2010
Mondo Uke
An evening of world music through the lens of the ukulele with an 8pm bossa nova workshop for uke players $3 followed by a wonderful concert line-up of uke-centric performers present music from across the planet. This 9pm concert is open to the the general public.
Doors 7pm, workshop 8pm, 9pm concert $3 workshop, $7 adv for concert
Advance tickets at torontoUKES.com/mondo

Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Anima Fado with Tony Gouveia
Anima Fado featuring vocalist Cristina Taborda is joined by joined by special guest Tony Gouveia for this one night only LULAWORLD presentation. With Nuno Cristo on Portuguese guitar, Larry Lewis on classical guitar and Pedro Joel on double bass.
Doors 7pm, show 8pm, $15

Thursday, 20 May 2010
Roberto Lopez Project (direct from Montreal)+ Soneros Del Caribe + DJ Sergio Elmir of Dos Mundos Radio
Powerful, melodic and contemporary, Montreal's Roberto Lopez Project is defined by an adventurous mix of traditions, from Afro-Colombian and Afro-Cuban music all the way to urban hip-hop, boogaloo, and jazz. With Toronto-based Colombian quintet, Soneros Del Caribe.
Doors 7pm, show 8pm $10adv $15 at the door

Friday, 21 May 2010
Patricia Cano
Sudbury-based vocalist Patricia Cano presents a quartet comprised of players from her debut CD 'This is The New World' including Carlos Bernardo (direct from Brazil). One of the most exciting voices in Canadian latin jazz/world music, Cano's unique sound reveals a complex mix of samba, Afro-Peruvian and blues influences. Followed by Tell it to My Heart with DJs.
Doors 7, Show 8, $15

Saturday, 22 May 2010
Viva Celia - A tribute to the great Celia Cruz
Musical director Sean Bellaviti gathers an all-star line up of Toronto salsa talent to pay a musical homage to the one and only Queen of Salsa. Featuring vocalists Patricia Cano, Alberto Alberto and Luis Mario Ochoa.
Doors 7pm, Dance lesson 9pm, 10pm show, $20

Sunday, 23 May 2010
The Art of Charango: Proyecto Altiplano with Freddy Torrealba
Proyecto Altiplano bridges the worlds of traditional Andean music and the more contemporary sounds and influences of modern life, weaving for the listener a sonorous, colourful travel mosaic of Latin America. With special guest charango virtuoso, Freddy Torrealba, directly from Chile.
Doors 7, Show 8, $20 ADV, $25 at the door

Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Florquestra Brasil direct from Ottawa (8pm)
Ottawa-based Florquestra Brasil bring us feverish sambas, sultry bossa novas and Brazilian harmony. Featuring Regina Gomes Teixeira (vocals, percussion), Leonard Constant (guitar, vocals) and a Silvio Modolo (piano, cavaquinho, bass, vocals).
Doors 7, Show 8. $10 Admission includes Baque de Bamba at 10pm

Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Baque de Bamba (10pm)
One of Toronto's best-loved Brazilian bandleaders and vocalists - Aline Morales - returns to LULAWORLD with her new project Baque de Bamba. Among the most recent additions to the city's flourishing Brazilian live music scene, Baque de Bamba is an ultra-urban Afro- Brazilian drumming troupe performing Maractu, Afoxe and Ciranda other traditional Brazilian rhythms.
Doors 7pm, Show 10pm. $10 Admission includes Florquestra Brasil at 8pm

Friday, 28 May 2010
Beatchild + Tingsek + Ebrahim
Toronto presenters Soul on Icebring us a soulful night of music by artists Beatchild (Toronto) Tingsek (Sweden) and Ebrahim (Vancouver). With DJ Sean Sax.
Doors 9, Show 10, $15

Sunday, 30 May 2010
Lula Music Family!
Help us mark the last day of LULAWORLD 2010 with an afternoon of outdoor live music and dancing. Check lula.ca for entertainment details and confirmation of location.
2 to 5pm

Sunday, 30 May 2010
Broken Hearts and Madmen:
Gryphon Trio with special guest Patricia O'Callaghan
Canadas premiere chamber ensemble presents Broken Hearts and Madmen - Songs and Tangos of the Americas - with special guest Patricia O'Callaghan. Comprised of Jamie Parker (piano) Roman Boris (cello) and Annalee Patipatanakoon (violin), this internationally-renowned classical music trio is recognized for its innovative commissioning of new works by diverse Canadian and international contemporary composers.
Door 7pm, Show 8:30, $27 ADV, $30 at the door

Tracy Jenkins
tracy@lula.ca
416 588 0307
Lula Music and Arts Centre / Lula Lounge
1585 Dundas West Toronto, ON

Salsa Travel Guide - New York

Toronto Salsa Passion — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:02:00 +0000

Salsa Travel Guide - New York

* Pleasese call any salsa facility in this guide prior to your visit for any confirmation of the info given in the guide! Gracias!

New York City.The capital of finance and entertainment. A big metropolitan city. Therefore, this salsa guide will bring the “salsa” in Manhattan only.

Manhattan

Center of New York City and the New York metropolitan region

Manhattan hosts the seat of city government and a large portion of the area’s employment, business, and entertainment activities. As a result, residents of New York City’s other boroughs such as Brooklyn and Queens often refer to a trip to Manhattan as “going to the city”.

Land size: 2.96 sq mi (59.5 km2)

Population
- Total	1,629,054
- Density	70,951/sq mi (27,394.3/km²)

If you happen to be in Manhattan…

    A famous resident of Manhattan Elaine Benes (Seinfeld) dancing

Tavern On The Green

But this famous restaurant overlooking the world famous Central Park is closing soon So check the website before you go and check the place!

OR

Four Points Sheraton Hotel (See Sunday)

Columbus72

It is Copa Tuesday @ Columbus72. Admission is 10$.

Free Buffet. Free Salsa Lessons.

6:00 PM to midnight or later. Salsa dance lesson given somewhere between 7:30 – 9:00 PM.

OR

Club Etoile

5-10PM, $5 admission

OR

Four Points Sheraton Hotel (See Sunday)

Julia De Burgos Cultural Center

OR

Plan B

Cuban-Style Salsa

Live Salsa Music & Dancing. 10 PM – 4 AM.

Admission Free

OR

LQ

Salsa Legends with the DJ

OR

Tavern On The Green (See Monday)

Club Cache

10:30 pm- 2:30 am

11 $ cover

Gonzalez Y Gonzalez

Live salsa bands every week on Thursday through Saturday nights. From Mambo and Salsa to Merengue and Bachata.

No cover charge

Thursdays – sets begin at 9:30pm & 11:15pm
Fridays & Saturdays – sets begin at 11:30pm & 1:15am

OR

Cuba (see Friday)

Cuba

Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays: Live Salsa Music

No cover, free admission.

Cuban food and Cuban cigars.

OR

China Club

OR

El Nuevo Conquistador

Friday nights from 7:00 PM until very late. Very casual place with mainly a mature Dominican crowd who mostly dance On 1. If you want to dance On 2, bring a partner or group.

OR

Gonzalez Y Gonzalez (see Thursday)

OR

Four Points Sheraton Hotel (See Sunday)

Mambo D Salsa Practica

Every Saturday, 6:30pm – 9:30 pm, at the new MAMBO D DANCE CENTER for 3 hours of dancing to salsa and cha cha hits from his 25-year collection

Admission is $10.

OR

Cuba (see Friday)

OR

Gonzalez Y Gonzalez (see Thursday)

OR

Four Points Sheraton Hotel (See Sunday)

Free admission before midnight except special events

On Sunday

El Flamingo

Four Points Sheraton Hotel

Finally, while you are in Manhattan, you may also check one of the best dance clubs in the city: SOBS to have a Latin dance night. Additionally don’t forget to check the calendar of Cielo for events.

Salsa lessons in Manhattan

Baila Society

Sophistication in Salsa

Mondays
Salsa Partnerwork technique – Levels 3 – 5 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Tuesdays
Salsa Spinning technique 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Fridays
Salsa Shines and Styling, All levels 7:00 pm-8:30 pm

Saturdays

New York Salsa for Beginners 4:00 pm-5:30pm

Dance Manhattan

Club Salsa

Mondays

Club Salsa Basic 6:00 pm-7:00 pm

Club Salsa Pre Intermediate 7:00 pm-8:00 pm

Club Salsa Pre Advanced & Intermediate 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Club Salsa Styling Intermediate 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Thurdays

Club Salsa Basic 6:00 pm-7:00 pm

Club Salsa Pre Intermediate 7:00 pm-8:00 pm

Club Salsa Intermediate 8:00 pm- 9:00 pm

Fridays

Salsa Basic & Intermediate 7:00 pm- 8:00 pm

Salsa Pre Advanced & Pre Intermedite 8:00 pm -9:00 pm

Couples Only Basic Salsa & Swing 8:00 pm -9:00 pm

Karisma Dance Studio

To pick a date and see what is going on that day the school has an on-line calendar.

Paul Pellicoro’s Dance Sport

To pick a date and see what is going on that day the school has an on-line calendar.

Sandra Cameron Dance Centre

Basic & Pre Intermediate 7 days a week

Intermediate classes start on Mondays @ 7:30 pm & on Wednesdays 8:30 pm.

Advance salsa class starts on Mondays @ 8:30 pm.

For more salsa clubs in Manhattan & NYC

Directories

Just Salsa

SalsaNewYork.com

MamboNYC

LatinClubs.com

Salsacrazy.com

Latinjazzlive

NYC Dance Connection

Yelp.com with reviews

Salsa Home Work

Toronto Salsa Passion — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 03:41:00 +0000

By Jana Jankovic

Tony always reminds his students that they should practice dancing at home. How many of you actually do so is a completely different matter. If you’re having difficulty finding the time to practice dancing salsa at home, here are some tips that may encourage you and your partner to do so.

1) The word ‘practice’ can often sound like a chore, an obligation one must do in order to get better at something. I try to avoid this word when thinking about performing my routine at home, or trying out some of the steps we learned in class earlier that week. Instead, I think to myself ‘I’m going to dance!’ or ask my partner ‘Wanna salsa?’ This feels and sounds much more pleasant than ‘Do you want to practice our salsa steps tonight?’

2) Another tip is to play latin music often, so that you enjoy listening to it outside of the salsa class and develop feelings towards it. This way if you’re relaxing at home and a familiar or spicy latin tune comes on, you may suddenly get the urge to get up and sway to it. Playing a light latin CD during a Mexican dinner perhaps, can give you and your partner the feeling of being in a foreign Spanish-speaking country, and give you the desire to create your own dance floor after the meal.

3) The mood is one of the most important aspects of dancing. If you’re not in the right state of mind or the atmosphere is wrong, you may not enjoy the dance or want to dance at all. Sometimes salsa can help to change your mood after a stressful day, but if you force yourself or your partner to ‘practice’, the dance may become associated with this negative feeling. To create an authentic atmosphere I suggest either lighting some candles and dimming the lights if you plan on dancing to softer sensual salsa, or lighting some incense and turning up the heat with a sexy dress. This will help you both feel that salsa vibe.

I hope you will try either one or all of these tips and if you simply don’t have the space, time, or creativity, go to a salsa club where they’ve already set the mood and music for you!

Toronto Salsa Clubs / Toronto Salsa Socials

Toronto Salsa Passion — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 00:42:00 +0000

Acrobat Lounge
2464 Yonge Street (just 3 blocks North of Eglinton Ave W on West side)
(416) 489-1105
Salsa Evenings: Fridays only
Lesson: Available from 8:45pm – 9:45pm with rotating instructors
Cover Range: $10, ladies are free before 10pm
Notes: Big open space, very hot, good beginner and intermediate lessons

Alleycatz
2409 Yonge Street (just 2 blocks North of Eglinton Ave W on East side)
(416) 481-6865
Salsa Evenings – Mondays only
Lessons: Available from 8:00pm – 9:00pm
Cover Range: $5-$7 depending on coat check
Notes: Small space designed in a C Shape

Babalúu
136 Yorkville Avenue (East of Avenue Rd and North of Bloor)
(416) 515-0587
Salsa Evenings: Tuesdays to Sundays
Lessons: Tues, Wed, Thur, Sun with a variety of instructors – times depend on evening
Cover Range: Free to $10 depending on evening
Notes: Very small space, line ups on Saturday nights, great atmosphere

Cervejaría
842 College Street (West of Ossington on the North side)
(416) 588-0162
Salsa Evenings: Fridays
Lessons: None
Cover Ranges: $5 before 10pm, $8 after 10pm
Notes: Live bands, old décor and floor

El Rancho
430 College Street (at Bathurst Street)
(416) 921-2752
Salsa Evenings: Thursdays to Sundays
Lessons: Thursday to Sundays, time depends on evening
Cover Range: $6 to $10, ladies are free before 10:30pm
Notes: 2 floors with different DJs, older crowd

El Convento Rico
750 College Street (close to Ossington)
(416) 588-7800
Salsa Evenings: Fridays to Sundays
Lessons: Fridays to Sundays, time depends on evening
Cover Range: $5 - $10
Notes: Gay Latin club, anything goes, drag show at midnight, not just salsa music

Fregata
1900 Dundas Street East (between Dixie and Highway 427) in Mississauga
(905) 270-6265
Salsa Evenings: Thursdays only
Lessons: Thursdays at 8pm
Cover: Free before 9:30pm
Notes: In Mississauga, free buffet, free lessons, free parking

Lula Lounge
1585 Dundas Street West (just West of Dufferin on the South side)
(416) 588-0307
Salsa Evenings: Fridays and Saturdays, sometimes other evenings, check schedule
Lessons: Fridays and Saturdays at approximately 9:30pm
Cover Range: $5-$10
Notes: Live bands, sloping dance floor, potential line ups on Saturday nights

Marlowe’s
155 York Boulevard (Hwy 7 and Leslie) in Richmond Hill
(905) 771-8645
Salsa Evenings: Wednesdays only
Lessons: Wednesdays at 9pm
Cover Range: Free at 9pm
Notes: Richmond Hill, live band

On the Curve
55 City Centre Drive (North East of Square One) in Mississauga
(905) 804-9582
Salsa Evenings: Wednesdays only
Lessons: Wednesdays from 9:00pm – 10:00pm
Cover Range: Free at 9pm
Notes: Mississauga

Plaza Flamino
423 College Street (at Bathurst Street)
(416) 603-8884
Salsa Evenings: Fridays and Saturdays
Lessons: Fridays and Saturdays, Multi-level classes at 8:30-9:30pm & 9:30pm-10:30pm
Cover Range: $6 - $10
Notes: Big open space, concrete floors, younger crowd, not just salsa music

Red Violin
95 Danforth Avenue (at Broadview on the South side)
(416) 465-0969
Salsa Evenings: Fridays only
Lessons: Not available
Cover Range: $10
Notes: Live music, very close to subway, small club

Six Degrees (Formerly Berlin)
2335 Yonge Street (just 2 blocks north of Eglinton on East side)
(416) 486-9666
Salsa Evenings: Tuesdays only
Lessons: Tuesdays from 9:00pm – 10:00pm
Cover Range: Free to $12 dependin on the coat chek
Notes: 2 floors with one sound system, live bands

Toronto Salsa Practice
427 Bloor Street West at Trinity St. Paul's Church (West of Spadina)
(416) 536-7663
Salsa Times: Saturdays only from 3:30-5:30pm, 5:30-8:00pm
Lessons: None
Cover Range: $5
Notes: Casual salsa practice sessions

Salsa in Words

Toronto Salsa Passion — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 01:58:00 +0000

Victor Hernández Cruz: the dance in words

March 23, 2010 — soulician

rhythm..salsa…some jazz flavour..latin culture…some african flavour…

The Puerto Rico born American poet Victor Hernández Cruz (b. 1949) writes the dance of his blood in his poems. He is a follower of the Nuyorican Movement.

Poets, writers, musicians and artists who are Puerto Rican or of Puerto Rican descent, who live in or near New York City, and either call themselves or are known as “Nuyoricans”.

The energy in salsa dance finds its tune and rhythm in his words.

Free Spirit

dancing to Ray Barretto’s music

you marching in space

you talking you

flying

you already there

nothing stopping you

you are magic

magic

espiritu libre

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uwb83f3ksE&feature

It is not common to acknowledge the African impact on the Latin culture as he did in the “African Things”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvyw9yHCLrQ&feature

For him dancing is a mystical event and he says:

“when you dancing God can’t be far”

they should dance/dance

thru universes

leaving-moving

we are traveling

where are we going

if we only knew

Here is a poem (Problems with Hurricanes) with humour from the Maraca New and Selected Poems 1965-2000, shortlisted for the 2002 Griffin Poetry Prize.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFigizTSFsQ&feature

He is still writing..because as he says in his poem (Geography of the Trinity Corona)

“Song is memory/ Memory is song“

and the next generations will read in his poems how their ancestors did the salsa…

Different types of Leaders or Flavors of Ice Cream

Toronto Salsa Passion — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:40:00 +0000

By Jana Jankovic

Whether in salsa class or at a salsa club I always find myself dancing with various types of dancers. At first, it wasn’t easy to adjust and adapt my own style of dancing to theirs. But as time went by I was able to recognize some patterns amongst the dancers and categorize them into different types. This made it easier for myself to identify them next time, and adjust to their approach.

Type A I like to call the Liberal Dancer. These dancers are very relaxed while dancing. Their movements are smooth and their hold very delicate. I find it very easy to dance with them. However, at times when guidance is required, I find they can lack the necessary grasp to lead their female partners into the intended turn or dip. Because of their soft movement and grip, it’s not always clear in which direction they want you to go, or which spin, dip, or step, they envision you doing next.

This slight firmness that Type A may lack, is something Type B has a great abundance of. What I like to refer to as the Power Gripper, is a dancer who’s very firm and sometimes a little too strong when it comes to their hold. Although they make if easy for the girl to know her next move, her hands can get a little sore after dancing with this type. Their control and guidance can be overpowering, and sometimes, it’s up to you to help them relax and enjoy the dance rather than have complete control over it.

The last type of dancer is my favorite! Their nice balance between Type A and B gives them and their partner a confident yet relaxed feel and movement. They really know how to enjoy the dance and guide their partner at the same time. Their light feet, natural hip and shoulder motion, and gentle yet certain hold of the lady’s hands, allows this partnership to flourish on the dance floor. This I refer to as the Natural Man.

Of course we can’t expect every dancer to be as natural as Type C. Each individual has their own style and therefore their own dance techniques. The most important thing for the females is to be able to recognize each type of dancer and try your best to follow and enjoy.

The most important advice for the gentlemen is to try to be natural,

have fun, and lead your lady!

Famous Salsa Dancers

Toronto Salsa Passion — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:57:00 +0000

New York Style

Eddie Torres (July 3, 1950-)

is one of the most famous salsa dance instructors in the world. He has trained thousands of dancers, including some of the most well known contemporary dancers such as Frankie Martinez and Seaon Brystol. Through his dance school, he has taught thousands of people how to dance salsa in his own distinctive style. He also has a children’s dance program that teaches approximately three hundred students a year.

Watch Eddie salsa

Los Angeles Style

Johnny Vazquez (January 27, 1979; Guadelajara Mexico- )

Johnny is considered the greatest L.A. style dancer today, winning first place at many national and international competitions.

Johnny won 3 years in a row at a professional level salsa competition in Los Angeles. His career as a professional salsa performer and teacher took off. His dance partner at that time was Carolina Sarisola.In 2002 he decided to live in Valencia Spain. He formed his dance group “Johnny Vazquez y su imperia azteca”.

Watch Johnny salsa

Afro-Latin

Frankie Martinez (born and raised in Queens, NY)

Frankie Martinez is one of the salsa world’s most well know names as a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and founder of the ABAKUA Afro-Latin Dance Company. Martinez was born in Forest Hills, New York and is of Puerto Rican descent.

Watch Frankie salsa

Seaon Bristol

Seaon Bristol, pronounced see-on and often referred to as Seaon Stylist, is a renowned salsa dancer, choreographer, and instructor living in Los Angeles, California. He is probably best known for being a pioneer in the role of being a male follower, a position traditionally reserved for women.

Watch Seaon salsa

Seaon has been critized by purist salsa dancers as he plays with the gender role.

Leon Rose

Leon Rose is a London born Caribbean salsa dancer, instructor, and choreographer who is regarded as one of, if not the best, salsa dancer in the United Kingdom.

Watch Leon salsa

Josie Neglia

Known as “Princess of Salsa”, Josie Neglia is recognized as one of the top Salsa stars of the world. She is an outstanding teacher and performer who also knows how to market herself very well. Her 7 instructional Latin dance videos have long become bestsellers all over the world. Josie particularly detected the demand on the market for Salsa instruction. She is a recognized expert when it comes to Latin Style & Technique for Ladies. She acquired a bachelor’s degree in the art of dancing at York University, Toronto and has been dedicated herself to training in ballet, Jazz dance, Ballroom and Latin dancing. Her partner Alvaro Coronel is of Guatemalan and Columbian origins. Josie has a blog of her own.

Alex da Silva (March 271968; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil-)

Alex Da Silva is a dancer and choreographer, specializing in Salsa dancing. Da Silva is also known for being a recurring guest choreographer on the Fox TV show So You Think You Can Dance.

Watch Alex salsa

Salsa in the movies - Part 2

Toronto Salsa Passion — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:06:00 +0000

Salsa in the movies: Part II

SALSA MOVIES (2001-present)

The Way She Moves (2001)

Director: Ron Lagomarsino

Release dates

Summary: In Houston, the aspirant to photographer Amie (Annabeth Gish) receives a complete Salsa and Mambo dancing course from her close colleagues and friends as her wedding gift. Her wedding with the wealthy and arrogant Jason (Daniel Cosgrove) is close and she intends to dance Salsa in the feast. Amie meets the Porto Rican instructor Nicholas (Kamar de los Reyes), and she feels a great attraction for him. When Nicholas bet with his former mate Cristina (Tessie Santiago) that he would teach Amie to be a great dancer, they daily train together for long periods and they fall for each other. Amie breaks with Jason, but is not sure about with whom she really wants to stay. In the end, she realizes that her heart had Salsa and Mambo, instead of Country music.

Trailer

N/ A

Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)

Director: Guy Ferland

Release dates

Summary: An American girl (Garai) and her parents arrive in Cuba right before the Revolution breaks out. She meets a local boy (Luna) who instantly notices her dancing abilities and romances her. But as Castro’s forces are forcing Americans to leave the country, will she stay or will she go?

Watch the trailer

El cantante (2006)

Director:Leon Ichaso

Release Dates

Summary: The rise and fall of salsa singer, Héctor Lavoe (1946-1993), as told from the perspective of his wife Puchi, who looks back from 2002. In the early 1960s, Héctor arrives in New York from Ponce, Puerto Rico. Success comes quickly. “The more he grew as an artist,” Puchi says, “the more he sank as a person.” It’s a tale of talent – creating salsa with Willie Colón, with the Fania All Stars, and as a soloist – and a story of disintegration – fueled by drugs, alcohol, partying, and depression. Puchi’s voice – proud and querulous – dominates off-stage as Héctor’s does on.

Watch the trailer

Mumbai Salsa (2007)

Director:Manoj Tyagi

Release Date

Summary: Maya Chandhok lives a wealthy lifestyle in Delhi along with her parents. Refusing to buckle down to her mother’s demands to get married, she re-locates to Kolkata, obtains her MBA, and then goes to reside in Mumbai where she gets a job in a bank, and shares a flat with two room-mates, Zenobia and Neha. She meets with Sanjay and both fall in love. Then one day he dramatically and publicly dumps her. A few days later she meets with Rajeev Sharma, who is heartbroken after his fiancée, Pooja, dumped him to re-locate to America, and both are attracted to each other. She is delighted when he proposes to her, but her delight turns sour when he asks her to re-locate with him to Singapore, drop her career, and be a home-maker for the rest of her life. Maya must now make up her mind amidst chaos and heartbreak that also threaten to tear apart lives of both Neha and Zenobia, who are also dating Rajeev’s friends, Karan Kapoor and Shaji, while conservative Tyagraj, Rajeev’s pal, struggles with his feelings about a much liberated Caucasian co-worker, Pamela.

Watch the trailer

The Big Shot-Caller (2008)

Movie’s webpage

Director: Marlene Rhein

Release Date: USA 2008

Summary: As a child, Jamie Lesser watched ‘Strictly Ballroom’ ninety-seven times a day and dreamed of becoming a salsa dancer. But in ‘real life’, his social awkwardness, failed love life and severe near-sightedness got in his way. After insurmountable disappointments, he turns to his estranged sister, Lianne, a streetwise, self-proclaimed hip hop dancing dynamo, inspires him to follow his dream, reclaim his self-esteem and become what he was truly meant to be.

Watch the trailer

Mango Tango (2009)

The winner of the Jury Prize at Ventura Film Festival

The movie’s webpage

Director: Marianne Hettinger

Release Date: USA 2009

Summary: Marlene, a New York City dance teacher, is driven to therapy by the increasingly neurotic men she meets. A vacation in the German Alps turns out to be her biggest challenge yet…

Watch the trailer

Salsa Lessons (2009)

Director:Antonio De La Cruz

Release Date: USA 2009

Summary: A love story about two people meeting by chance in New York City. Pedro is a Salsa instructor and Rosa wants to learn how to dance salsa. Through the power of salsa dancing they find each other and also discover that their painful past is very much still in their present. Can They move on? Letting go of the past is not as easy as we think.

Watch the trailer

Coming soon…

Born to Salsa

Watch the trailer

Salsa in the Movies 1

Toronto Salsa Passion — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:43:00 +0000

SALSA MOVIES (1988- 2000)

Salsa (1988)

Director: Boaz Davidson

Summary: Kenny Ortega, the man behind the moves of the hit “Dirty Dancing,” choreographs the sizzling Latin excitement in this red-hot story of a passionate young dancer (Menudo’s Robby Rosa) who sets his sights on becoming the “Kings of Salsa.”

Trailer

Buena Vista Social Club (1999)

Director: Wim Wenders

Summary: A group of legendary Cuban musicians, some as old as their nineties, were brought together by Ry Cooder to record a CD. In this film, we see and hear some of the songs being recorded in Havana. There is also footage from concerts in Amsterdam and New York City’s Carnegie Hall. In addition, many of the individual musicians talk about their lives in Cuba and about how they got started in music.

Trailer

Born Romantic (2000)

Director: David Kane

Summary: Centered around a salsa club, three men pursue three women across London. Fergus is trying to find his ex-girlfriend, the elderly charmer Frankie the beautiful Eleanor and the robber Eddie is trying to find one of his victims, cemetery worker Jocelyn.

Trailer

Salsa (2000)

Director: Joyce Buñuel

Summary: At age 24, Rémi Bonnet, brilliant pianist, abandons Chopin and Toulouse to play the music he has secretly loved for years – Salsa! He heads for Paris, the salsa capital of Europe, only to discover to his great surprise, that nobody wants a white boy in Latin band! Felipe, his Cuban friend, sets him straight: ” You don’t have the Latino look, muchacho! Today, if your are not Cubano or Columbiano, you are out!”. Undaunted, Rémi deliberately takes on the identity, accent and complexion of an unemployed alien in a city where most foreigners will do almost anything to become French. Barreto, 75, the legendary Cuban composer, who is about to close down the once famous Casa Cubana, offers Rémi a job giving dance lessons to the locals. It is here that Rémi falls in love with Nathalie. Her family’s “secrets and lies” reveal parental links to Barreto. Do these links explain why this shy beauty ought to be a bomb on the dance floor?

to leave comment please visit:http://torontosalsapassion.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/salsa-in-the-movies/

Say it with me Now - Salsa terminology

Toronto Salsa Passion — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:29:00 +0000

by Jana Jankovic

As we reviewed the steps, and appropriate terminology complementing them in our last class, I couldn’t help but question their meaning. Sitting on the subway on my way home, I wondered how and why these steps, turns, and switch-a-roos (as I like to call them), were labeled the way they were. I wondered about the importance of their names.

For instance, the ‘hammer-lock’– that must have been invented by a dude. He hammers the woman by twisting her arm and then locks her in by not letting go. Pretty good system if you ask me. The women most likely came up with the ‘cat-walk’, and an eighty-year-old man must have given us the idea for the ‘comb’, since the last time I saw one was in my grandfather’s shirt pocket.

When I first started salsa I didn’t pay too much attention to the vocabulary. I was there to dance not study. As time passed and the lessons became more challenging I found myself getting a little confused as to what step we were doing next since I hadn’t memorized their names. I realized that for my and my partner’s sake I had to get familiar with these terms in order to refer to them on the dance floor and in class. In just one class, I put a name to each little spin, twist, and tap, and what a difference it made. I was now able to control what moves we did next as well. If I wanted a hook turn, I just said so, if I wanted the cross body lead I let the words slide off my tongue and off we went!

So next time you’re in class, pay closer attention to what you’re doing and what it’s called, and you’ll feel much more confident. If there are any nerds such as myself out there who’d like to get a head start and impress their instructor, here’s a little sneak peak at what you can expect to hear:

1. I turn, You turn: the male partner first turns himself and then the girl.

2. Cross body lead: the male partner takes a step to the side to let the female pass in front of him as you exchange positions.

3 . Cross body lead with a turn: the male partner pulls the woman to pass in front of him as in the cross body lead, but this time spins the girl at the end.

4. Hammer lock: a right turn for the girl but while still holding on to your partner’s hand with your left hand behind your waste.

5. Cat Walk: a cross body lead, but this time the woman going under the man’s arm so you end up in a hammer lock.

6. Comb: the man turns his female partner without letting go of either hand, so you end up facing each other with crossed hands. He then gently throws her hands into the air and she slides them along her hair and neck as if combing herself. To be contined....

My first time dancing salsa in a club

Toronto Salsa Passion — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:22:00 +0000

Last night was my first time at a real salsa club. It was sensational. Initially, I was a little intimidated. The dancers there were extraordinary. I sat down to have a drink and observe. It was both exhilarating and overwhelming. Men and women were all moving to the same sound but in such unique and diverse styles. It was like moving art.

After finishing my drink I gathered up the courage to join them. Although I was a little nervous at first, as soon as my feet reached the dance floor, no one and nothing else mattered but the dance. Just like the food, salsa as a dance has a tangy flavor and spice. It was hot both in temperature, and movement. I tried to keep up with my partner and fit in with the rest of the talented dancers. I was sure I looked like an amateur, but the people there were so relaxed and inviting, nobody seemed to care or be judging anyone else. It was nice to see people from different levels dance together and enjoy it. This encouraged me to learn faster and dance more often. I want to be as good as them. I want to be approached by a beginner like myself someday and be as inspirational for them.

After hours of meeting people, sweating and of course dancing, it was time to call it a night. I felt a lot more comfortable and confident by the time I left. Not only was it fun, but I actually learned a few stylistic moves and made new friendships. As it turned out, my first time was absolutely painless and pleasurable!

To leave comments http://torontosalsapassion.wordpress.com/2009/11/

Who takes the lead

Toronto Salsa Passion — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:05:00 +0000

Who plays a more dominant role while dancing?

The man or the woman?

By Jana Jankovic

Although women like to be in control of their relationships, in salsa it’s the guy who holds the power. In this case, the women seem to be the followers, while men take charge of the situation and guide us as they please. Sometimes, I think this may be a pretty good arrangement in romantic relationships as well. The only problem is, the men don’t always know when and how to take charge. Perhaps this is our fault.

When I first began learning salsa, I had a difficult time accepting that the man was in charge, and giving up control. I often had to remind myself to relax, breathe, and most importantly – trust. In any partnership if you don’t trust one another, the dance, relationship, or friendship will most likely fail. We must allow ourselves to let go, and our partners to guide us.

It’s understandable that when we can’t predict the next move we want to control it. Yet, I found it best when I simply stopped thinking about it all together. If you listen to the music and pay attention to details, it’s incredible how much you’ll actually feel in control. The squeeze of the hand or light pressure on your shoulder blade sends you signals to prepare you for the next spin, dip, or cross body lead. I still found my partner guiding me but felt more in control of my body and mind. Confidence goes a long way, and of course with practice you’ll have the perfect balance between you and your partner. After all, isn’t that what partnership is all about?

to leave a coment please visit http://torontosalsapassion.wordpress.com/2009/11/

Salsa Travel Guide - Paris

Toronto Salsa Passion — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:30:00 +0000

The Paris Salsa Scene

While you may not automatically think of salsa when you think of Paris, the “city of lights” does have quite the amazing salsa scene going on. While at one point it may have been difficult to even find good Mexican food in the city, this situation has changed immensely. Due to increased immigration from people in Latin America, the interest in salsa music has increased proportionately as well.

That said, the salsa scene in Paris is slightly different than the salsa scene in London, England for instance. In London, England, people tend to take a lesson at a club – and then dance at the club for the rest of the night. In other words, the people there generally treat salsa as a social event.

In Paris though, the people there tend to be a bit more serious about their salsa dancing. As such, in Paris, there are considerably more salsa dance studios than there are in London. As a result, people have the opportunity to learn salsa at a much more advanced – and personal - level than when they only take one lesson at a club.

Which Clubs Should You Visit?

There are a number of great salsa venues to visit when in Paris. One of the more established clubs is called La Pachanga. This club is open every night of the week from seven pm onwards. Upon paying the entrance fee, club goers are treated to free salsa lessons – and then can practice their moves the rest of the night. For those people who enjoy dancing to great salsa music while enjoying an incredible Latin America ambience, visiting La Pachanga is an excellent idea. http://eng.lapachanga.fr/w/restaurant/home.php

Another great salsa club to visit is Le Barrio Latino. This unique club boasts of four different floors. The first and third floors play amazing Latino music and the second floor is a restaurant that serves the appropriate regional Latin food. The forth floor of the building is a nightclub that also boasts of a VIP section. Be prepared to see people dancing everywhere in this club – including the hallways. http://www.barrio-latino-toulouse.com

for complete source of Salsa clubs in Paris visit http://www.salsafrance.com/article.php3?id_article=278

All in all, what could be more romantic then Salsa under the Paris bridges and next to the Eifel Tower? Paris has an awesome salsa scene that you should definitely check out sometime.

Best Salsa Music

Toronto Salsa Passion — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:48:00 +0000

Best Salsa Music

Here are 10 salsa songs from the last 5 decades

1960s

El Watusi by Ray Barretto

La Perfecta by Eddie Palmieri

1970s

Siembra by Willie Colon and Ruben Blades the best selling Latin album of the 70s with the song title.

Rebelion by Joe Arroyo

1980s

En Barranquilla me Quedo (I stay in Barranquilla, Colombia) by

Joe Arroyo

With some jazz sound in it as 80s were the years of innovation for SALSA.

Salsa romantica

El Ultimo Beso (The Last Kiss) by Marc Anthony

Tu Eres El Hombre (You are the Man) by Orquesta de la Luz

Asi es La Vida (So is life) by Luis Enrique

1990s and present

Mi tierra (My land) My favourite salsa song: it says the homeland you were born in you never forget. by Gloria Estafan singing with Marc Anthony (Grammy Award for Best Latin Tropical Album, 1994)

The Album: Directo al corazon (Directly to the heart) by Gilberto Santa Rosa (Grammy Award for Best Latin Tropical Album, 2007)

The first song of the album Locura de Amor (Crazyness of Love)

to leave comment visit http://torontosalsapassion.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/best-salsa-music/

Can Salsa Change your Life?

Toronto Salsa Passion — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:50:00 +0000

by Jana Jankovic

Salsa can change your life.Don’t believe me? Then I challenge you to try it. When first asked to write about salsa I was a little stuck. I mean there’s only so much you can write about a dance…or so I thought. I started thinking about the footwork, the dance, the partnership, but I forgot to look beyond and into the history of how Salsa truly came to be.

Then I wrote a mini Encyclopedia including the dictionary definition and comparing it to the spicy tomato sauce salsa literally translates to mean. All this was good valid material but it was lacking something…passion. Then my instructor and the founder of Toronto Salsa Passion told me about how salsa changed his life. While working at a bank, he knew he wasn’t doing what really made him happy.

One day he simply quit to pursue his dreams. In February 2008, Toronto Salsa Passion was born. As my friendship with Tony grew, I asked him about his other passions. He responded with, “You may have only one passion that overpowers all the rest. The rest are all hobbies.” From then on I paid closer attention to the way I felt while dancing this spicy dance to its sultry accompanying rhythm. It was always there, I just wasn’t sure how to define it.

This feeling of confidence, freedom, and passion flowed through my body every time I stepped foot on the dance floor. I was immersed in the music. I was submerged in sweat. With my feet burning and my hair stuck to my face, I forgot where I was and indulged in the wave of rhythm and dance. There was nothing else. Toronto is a city of art, culture, fashion, and music. I find Salsa a mirror image of our city as it possesses all of the above.

We’re not always aware of the things Toronto has to offer, but I found myself a little closer to its soul as I began dancing salsa. It’s right there in front of us. We just have to look, feel, and let ourselves be taken away. So whether you think it may be a passion of yours or simply a hobby, salsa can help you find yourself or just have fun!

For those interested, I’ve included my research and the benefits of this saucy dance… Music: Salsa involves diverse styles of music and movement. When African rhythm is blended with Spanish music, the result is a seductive sound of drumbeats and jazz. tHe multiple instruments add great depth and passion to this voluptuous dance. Anywhere from ten to fifteen instruments can be used to create the salsa tones and rhythm. The most important instrumentation is the percussion. This includes claves, cowbells, timbales and conga.Other instruments used are trumpets, trombones, bass guitar, piano maracas, guiro. This mixture of vibrations provides the dancers with great variety in movement and style.

History and Culture: Developed in the 1960s by Puerto Rican and Cuban immigrants, this dance was first established in New York City. Today, we can enjoy salsa in London, Miami, Seoul, Bangkok, Toronto, and many other places around the world. Because salsa is open to improvisation, different dancers from different cultures with their own unique styles, can all perform the dance in a similar, fluid motion. No two people are alike and therefore no two dancers are alike either. Some can feel the music and know when to move, while others must be told and take a more strict approach to learning when to start or turn. Still, people all over the world love to learn and teach Salsa.

Health: This expressive dance is very healthy for your physical and mental health. While freeing your mind of any stress, you’re also freeing your body of any calories. Dancing salsa is equivalent to bike riding or swimming, when it comes to cardio workouts. Many therapists recommend salsa for people who have trouble expressing themselves, or feel depressed. The dance floor is a place of comfort and assurance, and you are in control. After spending some time in Salsa clubs I was pleasantly surprised to see people drinking water instead of alcohol. This addictive method of working out without even knowing it makes you feel and want to be healthy. Salsa dancers usually like being active, hydrating on water, and eating healthy.

Socializing: Salsa helps build new relationships and make old ones stronger. Couples become more intimate and self-esteem rises. People are high on energy and confidence and therefore feel more comfortable interacting with others. You’ll feel good in this learning environment where everyone is at equal levels of ability and the only person anyone’s judging is themselves. Not only are the classes a great place of interaction but as there are frequent excursions to salsa clubs and extra workshops, you’re always meeting new people.

So You think you can dance Canada complimentary school outing!

Toronto Salsa Passion — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 06:37:00 +0000

On September 16, Toronto Salsa Passion, with a special complimentary invitation from "So You think you can dance Canada" visited the elimintation show. It was an exciting and unforgetable opportunity to get a glimpse into the world of dance competition and entertainment that is sweeping North America.

From Toronto Salsa Passion attending So You Think You Can Dance Canada Show Season 2 Elimination Round

The profesionalism of the whole production team was at the top level and the show was colorful and energizing. Emotions ran high when contestants had to dance for their lives and the audience cheered with support the whole time.

Everyone had lots of fun. There were many contests and special prizes for the audience members and one of the TsP invitees Heba Fadil and Imran Hanif won a special hoodie with the "So you think you can dance" logo on it.

From Toronto Salsa Passion attending So You Think You Can Dance Canada Show Season 2 Elimination Roun

Big thank you to the to the crew! They did and amazing job and took great care of us!

So You Think You Can Dance Canada-Special Dancer and Top 20 Revealed, Aug 23

Toronto Salsa Passion — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:12:00 +0000

The Top 20 will be revealed on Sunday!

Watch an amazing dancer Vicky Luo, who have already made it to the finals

The level of talent is extraordinary. As a result, CTV will add an extra hour of So You Think You Can Dance Canada on Sunday, August 23 at 9 p.m. ET.

Following Tuesday's audition show and Wednesday's Finals show, Sunday's special episode will feature the pivotal moments when this year's SYTYCDC Top 20 are revealed.

"These 20 individuals will capture our imagination with the language of dance," said Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and Channels, CTV Inc. "Over the next few months, viewers won't want to miss a second as these talented dancers evolve even further in front of our eyes."

"We had amazing talent our first season, but the quality of the dancers we discovered this year has set the bar even higher," said Sandra Faire, Executive Producer SYTYCDC. "We can't wait to introduce this newly discovered talent to the country."

In Sunday's special one-hour Top 20 reveal episode (August 23 at 9 p.m. ET), the final group of competitors find out whether they proved to the judges they have what it takes to make it into the Season 2 Top 20.

With a week of battling nerves behind them, the remaining competitors learn their fate one by one as viewers discover who will be competing for their votes this season.

The SYTYCDC Season 2 Top 20 are poised to tear up the dance floor during the first Performance episode on Tuesday, August 25 at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the elimination of the first two dancers Wednesday, August 26 at 7:30 p.m. ET on CTV.

Encore episodes air Sunday, August 23 at 2 p.m. ET and Sunday, August 30 at 5 p.m. ET on MuchMusic, before moving to the regular timeslot of Sundays at 6 p.m. ET beginning September 6 on MuchMusic (visit muchmusic.com to confirm local broadcast times). The Season 2 broadcast schedule continues as follows on CTV (all times ET; times and dates subject to change; visit CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times):

Sunday, August 23 at 9 p.m. ET (one hour) -- Top 20 Reveal Special Tuesday, August 25 at 8 p.m. ET (two hours) -- Top 20 Performance Episode Wednesday, August 26 at 7:30 p.m. ET (half hour) -- Top 20 Results Episode

So you think you can dane Season 2 begins Tuesday, August 11 on CTV

Toronto Salsa Passion — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:08:00 +0000

Season 2 begins Tuesday, August 11 on CTV

Updated Thu. Jun. 25 2009 10:38 AM ET

CTV

Watch the promo video here

As announced during the MMVAs, the eagerly-awaited second season of "So You Think You Can Dance Canada" jump starts CTV's fall schedule with a four-hour two-night premiere on Tuesday, August 11 at 8 p.m. ET and Wednesday, August 12 at 8 p.m. ET. Encore episodes begin airing Sunday, August 16 on MuchMusic (visit CTV.ca and muchmusic.com to confirm local broadcast times).

Premiering just one week after the season finale of this summer's most-watched television series "So You Think You Can Dance," Canadian dancers will captivate the country as they take centre stage this fall. "So You Think You Can Dance Canada" was the #1 new TV show in the country in 2008/2009, with an average of 1.4 million viewers weekly.*

Airing Tuesdays and Wednesdays on CTV, the series kicks off with the hard-hitting Toronto auditions, where hopefuls showed up for "So You Think You Can Dance Canada's" permanent judges, Jean Marc Genereux and Tré Armstrong plus returning guest judge Luther Brown, from the set of "So You Think You Can Dance" Mary Murphy, and Blake McGrath, who puts the competitors through the paces during his much anticipated and feared boot camp. The premiere episode is followed on Wednesday with highlights from auditions in Vancouver and Saint John.

Once again featuring Canada's most talented dancers, trained and untrained, as they compete for Canada's votes and strive to be named Canada's next Favourite Dancer, the Season 2 audition episode broadcast schedule unfolds as follows (all times ET; times and dates subject to change; visit ctv.ca to confirm local broadcast times):

Tuesday, August 11 at 8 p.m. ET (two hours) - Toronto Auditions
Wednesday, August 12 at 8 p.m. ET (two hours) - Vancouver and Saint John Auditions
Tuesday, August 18 at 8 p.m. ET (two hours) - Montreal and Edmonton Auditions
Wednesday, August 19 at 8 p.m. ET (two hours) - Finals Week

* Source: BBM Nielsen Media Research, (Sep. 22 - Dec.14, 2008), "So You Think You Can Dance Canada" performance shows

El Rancho Salsa Outing Students Thoughts

Toronto Salsa Passion — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:26:00 +0000

This past Saturday night, Toronto Salsa Passion had its r at El Rancho, one of the city's most dynamic and popular latin clubs.

About 40 students and guests attended the lesson led by Tony and Liz, learning or reviewing basic salsa steps and then moving right into an impressive routine.

The salsa lesson was followed by a bachata introduction and review. With practice on rearranging elements in both the salsa and bachata routines, students were ready to take to the dancefloor, practice and create their own routines and enjoy the vibrant music.

As the night went on and the club filled with salsa-loving dancers, the energy and passion became contagious. The nightclub experience, with our students, friends, and other salsa lovers, took us into the heart and soul of salsa and an unforgetable night.

Salsa Outings Afterparty Thoughts

Toronto Salsa Passion — Thu, 21 May 2009 02:47:00 +0000

by Julia Savitch

As I was returning home from Plaza Flamingo outing by Toronto Salsa Passion, I was feeling the pleasant tiredness that comes from knowing you just did something that was good for you â€“ moved, shook, rolled, and otherwise exercised for several hours in a row. But besides that, I was feeling joy, warmth and a sense of belonging. It is hard to rationally explain why a night out at a Latin club results in this kind of feeling, but I will try.

The night kicked off with lessons in salsa and merengue, which gave the guests an opportunity to meet each other, get in the dance mood and relax. Practice and free dancing to fiery rhythms followed.

One of the things I like about going to a Latin club is that people come there to actually dance. That is, as opposed to getting drunk, stoned or otherwise intoxicated and spending some â€œqualityâ€ time hugging bathroom installations. Not to say people donâ€™t drink at all in a Latin club, but there is no need to overdo it in an attempt to have fun, as everyone is having so much fun already. The joy of motion, the intoxication of the rhythm, the haze of speed â€“ all these things make it unnecessary to resort to additional doping.

Another thing I like about the Latin clubs is how easy it is to meet new people there. No stupid pick-up lines are required, no need to be afraid of embarrassing yourself when trying to approach someone you donâ€™t know. It suffices to come up to the guy/girl youâ€™ve laid your eye on and extend your hand. Maybe I havenâ€™t been going to Latin clubs for too long, but I am yet to see a case of a refusal.

Finally, on the sense of belonging. That comes from feeling you are a part of a group, sort of a special â€œnationâ€, who have the same interest â€“ that in Latin dancing, the same goal â€“ that of learning and improving oneâ€™s skills, same culture â€“ that of liberation and passion, and same language â€“ that of salsa, merengue, and bachata.

Next time there is an outing to a Latin club, come with us and see for yourself!

Bachata - Dance of My Heart

Toronto Salsa Passion — Sun, 17 May 2009 13:46:00 +0000

By Carma R and Tony

Arguably, the most sensual Latin music and dance of all times, Bachata is a genre of music that takes its origins from the colourful countryside and the rural neighbourhoods of the Dominican Republic.

As a music and as a dance, bachata expresses the desire for connection and intimacy. It's the longing we have for someone to know us in the deepest part of our hearts, to know we are not alone. It's a tender spot, the most vulnerable part of ourselves, where we wish to know another can reside and be close to us and know we are together in the world.

Even when strangers dance the bachata, modestly separate from one another, the paralleling of movements, the continuous contact, the graceful and gentle spins, are all invitations to walk together for awhile, to be close, to share in tenderness. I move you and you move me. No matter which way you turn, we are going together. The dance can be playful and light, a game of mirroring one another, of playing to the rhythms of the music.

But if you hear the invitation to what bachata has to offer, and accept, then two, become one, and move in synchronicity across the floor. In the closest of embraces, a couple can experience the powerful emotions drawn out in the music: feelings of love, warmth, joy, excitement. Something in the music touches your heart so powerfully, you can't resist and you respond instinctively in your movement. Bachata is about feeling the emotion in the music.

The longing and loss experienced in heartache are also expressed in bachata music and dramatized in the dance's movements. Turn away from me, I'll turn you back. Come back, come back, come back to me. Where you go, I'll follow. Stay here, close to me, feel my heartbeat, and remember.

Dancing under bachata's sensual rhythms, you are drawn into the present moment and elevated into a world of romance and passion, of heart-felt emotion and desire, of intimacy and longing.

So you think you can dance Canada audition dates and cities

Toronto Salsa Passion — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:44:00 +0000

Dance Canadian audition tour dates and cities announced

So you think you're the next Nico Archambault? Come out to this year's auditions for So You Think You Can Dance Canada, starting Saturday, April 4 at the Centre for the Performing Arts in Vancouver, B.C., and prove it!

Auditions for the dance tour are a grueling, intense process, and hopefuls must come prepared for the most important moment of their lives. After all, you wouldn't expect earning the title of "Canada's Favourite Dancer" to be easy, would you?

Audition dates and locations Registration begins at 8 a.m. in each city. Auditions will be held at the locations and on the dates listed below (subject to change):

Toronto, Ont. Monday, May 18 Metro Toronto Convention Centre John Bassett Theatre, 255 Front St. W.

In the inaugural season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, Nico, the 24-year-old, from Montreal, Que., proved that he had the moves and came out on top. Not only did Nico earn the respect and admiration from dance fans across the country, but he also took home $100,000 and a brand new Mercedes C230.

CTV also confirmed today that the charismatic cast from Season 1 will return, including host Leah Miller.

So You Think You Can Dance Canada's esteemed panel of Canadian experts include Canada's international ballroom champion Jean Marc Genereux and Canadian dancer extraordinaire Tre Armstrong. Also returning as guest judges are edgy choreographer Blake McGrath and hip-hop guru Luther Brown.

"I was blown away by the talent that came out to the first audition tour and am really excited to be a part of the search for Canada's next favourite dancer!" said host Leah Miller.

The unstoppable "So You Think You Can Dance Canada" phenomenon began last April with the first ever audition tour stop in Vancouver and continued across the country with more than 2,500 auditions.

So You Think You Can Dance Canada is designed to showcase and judge the talent of Canadian dancers.

Rules and regulations

The So You Think You Can Dance Canada Season 2 cross-country auditions are open to all Canadians who, as of April 1, 2009, are of the age of majority in the province/territory in which they reside, and are no older than 30 years of age.

* Competitors must be either a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
* All competitors must be legally eligible to work in Canada.
* Competitors must be of the age of majority in the province/territory in which they reside and no older than 30 years of age as of April 1, 2009. The age of majority is as follows: 18 years of age in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan; and 19 years of age in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut and Yukon.

* All competitors must provide two pieces of identification, including a government-issued photo ID (e.g. driver's license or passport), at the audition. * Competitors may bring a non-competing dance partner for purposes of the audition.
* All competitors must bring with them, along with the proper ID, the signed personal release, the completed preliminary questionnaire, and the music sheet. All will be available at the audition site and for download soon at dance.ctv.ca.

* All competitors are asked to bring with them the completed music sheet indicating the music they will use in their audition, along with the CD containing the indicated music.

* All songs must be "original" songs that are commercially available. A song must not be a re-mix of a song, a song downloaded from the Internet, or a competitor-created mix.

* Competitors will not be permitted to audition in any article of clothing with a visible designer, sports or other logo; artwork; name; photo; or other mark which may be subject to protection by copyright or trademark laws.

Find your way to peoples "Hearts" wtih your salsa dancing.

Toronto Salsa Passion — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:41:00 +0000

I am serious! Where ever you are in the world, Salsa is always a small community that everyone starts to know everyone (at least from their city / school) after a while; so you would guess how important it is to leave a good image of yourself. I know that some people have that charm; no matter where they are and when they come to the club, everyone lines up to dance with them.

Trust me, that charming person can be exactly you, only if you know how to behave. Let's review some of my personal experiences on how you can not only get to dance with others, but get them to actually like you for who you are, regardless of your dance skills.

Dancing Salsa is about having fun!

It is important to improve your techniques and you might be tempted to prove your worth by demonstrating the number and complexity of the moves you know, but that is not a turn on for any partner. Put that show off for some other time, probably when you are performing in a competition; flirt with your partner in a non-creepy way; feel the music and instead of using complicated turn patterns and cross-body leads right after you start the dance, try to feel each other's lead/following style and dance level.

I personally think that guys who just follow one routine with every partner, and that one routine happens to be a complicated one, are not confident of themselves; instead guys who smile, start the dance smooth and unhurried, feel the music and let their feeling lead them towards their moves are awesome dancers.

What I am trying to conclude here is that during a social dancing you don't need to pick your partner off the floor to make a good dancer unless you know them and have practiced the move before hand- what you need is confident smile, eye contact and caring about your partner. The latter applies to both girls and guys, so remember: pick up the fun attitude upfront and then walk over the dance floor.

"Dance like you will never dance again" and by this I don't mean be creepy! I mean ask different people to dance with you. If you are in a higher level, remember how you liked to dance with advanced dancers when you started learning, so ask beginners to dance with you; and if you are a beginner, don't be intimidated by the style of an advanced dancer, so don't hide away when s/he gets free, go ask him/her for a dance, and remember to tell him/her how much you know; as long as your advanced partner knows where you are, he/she can adjust the moves with you level. So don't be shy, "Dance like you will never dance again" (read The Art of Getting Rejected)

"If you are a lead, be a nice one" I always see guys dancing all over the crowded dance floor, trying to show all their moves and skills (going back to the first point), which ends in hitting other dancers, leading their partner to the middle of another couple's dance, etc.

Little accidents are inevitable on the dance floor and everyone tries to understand it to some point, but if it happens again and again people really start to get annoyed and think that you don't know anything about dancing and believe me or not, they'll start having little nicknames for you which spreads our through the whole community very fast!

So if you don't want to ruin your reputation and have yourself finger pointed, take care of your leading on the dance floor. If the dance floor is crowded or small, take small steps, try to stay in close hand hold positions and avoid flashy moves and dips unless you are really sure there is no one behind your partner and no one is going to change direction towards her.

Remember that women's dancing shoes are usually open toe with high heels; as the leader you are responsible for making sure that she doesn't move into a spot where she'll get stepped on or steps on someone else's feet.

Remember that having a slow and pleasure dance with no harm to anyone leaves a much better picture of you in your partner's mind as well as other people on the dance floor and that's what you really want as you progress dancing skills in classes and practice sessions.

Salsa Music Basics

Toronto Salsa Passion — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:26:00 +0000

For a long time I have been watching people while they are dancing in the clubs. There are people who have taken 5-6 levels of salsa classes; still, they don't seem to understand the music very well; when I talk to them, they say that they were not taught about the music and learned finding the beats in the music by themselves.

The truth is salsa is a hard music to discover on your own, because there are many instruments and voices on top of its base rhythm; and there are various base rhythms which are played on different beats. Dancing a while, we all start to feel the music and will be able to find the famous "one" through feeling and listening, but just like Salsa Dancing, Salsa Music is something you can totally learn about, and when you learn the music and its characteristics, it becomes much easier to find the beats while listening.

Learning to find the beats through gut feeling is the same thing as learning to dance in clubs; we all know that's not how it works.

That's why I've decided to write a series of articles about Salsa Music, its history and origin, instruments contributing in its formation, etc. I would like to clarify that my opinion is not a professional musicianâ€™s opinion and my only concern is to help beginner students learn and understand salsa music as they develop their dancing techniques.

Characteristics:

As you might know, Salsa Music is played in common time, which is four beats in every bar. The music is played in two bar phrases, thereby forming an eight-count. In New York style salsa, which is the dancing style we teach in our classes, Dancing Steps take place on 1,2,3 ~ 5,6,7 and counts 4 and 8 have a pause for weight transfer. If you imagine a ruler, you can visualize the beats as shown below.

1st Bar 2nd Bar

Origin:

There are different ideas about where the salsa music comes from. But according to Wikipedia, "Salsa's roots can be traced back to enslaved Africans that were brought to the Caribbean by the Spanish as slaves". Read more This goes back to 1930s; however, Salsa dancing was not officially born until 1960s and 70s in New York City. As a matter of fact, a Manhattan-based recording company introduced many of the first-generation salsa singers and musicians to the world. [Same ref.]

Instruments and Rhythm

This is the main criteria I want to dig into. In order to understand the music and learn to count with it, you need to understand its components. In order to hear each layer separately, go to this link. This is a very effective and useful simulator that you can use to understand salsa music components. Most salsa music songs have a base of clave or conga rhythm.

Clave: The word clave is Spanish for "key", in the sense of an answer key or a musical key signature. The word is usually pronounced [ËˆklaÎ²e] in the Spanish style, but many American musicians pronounce it to rhyme with save. Read more

Clave rhythm is the foundation of salsa; all salsa music and dance is governed by the clave rhythm. The most common clave rhythm in salsa is son clave, which is eight beats long and can be played either in 2-3 or 3-2 style. The one you can hear in Salsamerlizer is the 2-3 style playing on 2,3,5,6.5,8 beats. As you can see you can count it as 2 3 5 & 8 (pam pam pam pam pam). The 3-2 style goes: 1 & 4 6 7 (pam pam pam pam pam) Going back to our ruler, here is how each rhythm looks like:

Listen to some sample music and try to figure out the clave style in them. Rehearse this as much as you can with different songs. If you can understand the music, you can find the beats and can dance on rhythm, which is much more important than knowing a large number of moves! I want to emphasize again: good dancers aren't good because the know lots of moves; they are good because they know how to dance with music. I'll talk about other instruments next week.

Dancing gives you great opportunity to find the love of your dreams

Toronto Salsa Passion — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:29:00 +0000

Alon and Luda found each other @ Toronto Salsa Passion

These days “how we met” stories we hear from couples who’ve met in Salsa classes, socials, night clubs, etc. are countless. I was in Babaluu’s on Valentine’s Day where a guy proposed to his girlfriend and brought tears of happiness to everyone’s eyes! I think everyone would agree that dance classes are one of the best places to meet someone. If you are not too sure, read this writing;

Let me ask a question first: what do we do in our regular day to day activities that give us the opportunity to meet someone new for dating? As a rule of thumb, if you are looking for a date, “you must prospect”! This means you must go to places where you can meet new people, and if you are smart, and agree that you can’t find the right person at first sight, you will choose places where you can actually interact with people and get to know them more before asking them out. That’s exactly the opportunity a dance class or a dance social gives you.

In dance classes, you don’t need a partner and if you are not with a partner you will automatically follow the rotation rule; so everyone will meet everyone and has fun talking and laughing while practicing moves. In salsa practice sessions, you dance with different level dancers and can teach and learn from each other while getting to know new people and arrange next meetings in clubs or other sessions. All three places let you not only meet new people, but also talk to them, dance with them and get to know more about them. Let me stop right here and add a quote from Salsa Connection blogger Sam Gill; his February tip says: “Women, if you are looking for a relationship, dancing may give you great clues about a guy. How physically comfortable is he and how does this correspond with your own physical comfort levels? How interested is your dance partner in making a salsa connection with you? My guess is that if he doesn’t connect with you in ways you can experience on the dance floor, he’ll likely not be able to off the floor. If he blames you for his dance mistakes … you’ve learned something important about him. If he shows off his dance moves and pays no attention to you … you’ve learned something important. If he assumes you know nothing and proceeds to constantly instruct you … you’ve learned … You get the point. A social dance relationship reveals loads about a person and how they will approach other social and personal relationships. This is why I think dancing is actually a pretty great place to meet and get to know people.” Same things are true about women’s dancing attitude and men’s interpretation about it.

In addition to this, Salsa Dancing is a complete teamwork. There is a great line in the amazing movie “Dirty Dancing” where Johnny –the instructor- talks about each dance partner’s moving zone and dance frame and how each partner must learn to dance in his/her zone and avoid invading other party’s zone. We teach this in our classes and you’ll master it through time. This is a basic lesson of respecting each other. Good dancers are good not because they know 10,000 moves but because they’ve learned to respect other party’s frame zone and that will accompany them through their personal lives as well!

So you see? As I said, you’ll all agree that dance classes give you perfect opportunity to find your special someone through meeting new people, learning about their attitudes and personality in addition to their looks and then making a decision that is more likely to be the right one than your other dating decisions.

If you want to buy dancing shoes

Toronto Salsa Passion — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 04:42:00 +0000

Salsa Tip#2 from Tony

Some of you may feel that it is time to go for a new pair of dance shoes. I mean, this is totally something you feel!

If you’ve started feeling that even though you have the techniques, your turns are messed up because your feet literally swim in your shoes, or because you can’t rely on those strapless high heels, or because your shoe’s sole sticks to the floor, that’s the time for you to buy real dancing shoes.

There are two main categories of salsa appropriate dancing shoes: Casual and Formal.

Casual dance shoes: You want to wear these shoes for your classes, practices, and causal club nights. Formal dance shoes: these are the flashier, shinier shoes you wear at clubs. Many students use the same pair of shoes in the class as well. Previously you could only find formal shoes in open toe Latin models but now you can find them in various models even in boots.

Ladies/Men’s Ballroom Sneakers:

Ladies/Men’s Jazz Shoes:

Ladies/Men’s Standard Shoes:

Ladies/Men’s Latin Shoes:

If you line in GTA area, you may find the shoes you like at one of these places:

Addicted 2 Dance Shoes - 45 Brisbane Road, Unit #7, Toronto, ON, M3J 2K1 Tel: 416-663-6293 or cell: 416-508-8940, e-mail: biostyleinc@rogers.com

Malabar - 14 McCaul St (near Queen and University), Tel: 416-598-2581

Dance Plus - 22A Dorchester Ave, Tel : 416-251-5998

Toronto Dancewear Centre - 530 Wilson Ave, Tel: 416-630-2292

Helen’s Dancing Shoes – Helen Choi, 2619 Warden Avenue, Unit 5, Tel: 416-835-6903 – call for an appointment

Century Wide Shoes - 8 Glen Watford Dr. Unit#29, Scarborough, Tel: 416 -293-3303

Tips for beginners/new students

Toronto Salsa Passion — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:06:00 +0000

Tip#1 from Tony

What to wear to your dance classes

Wear something that you feel comfortable in. i.e. yoga pants/jeans, tank tops, t-shirts.

If you are coming right from work and can't bring your comfy cloths its ok too; just make sure you are dressed in light clothing; otherwise you are going to feel hot. Salsa is quite a workout! Some girls like to wear a skirt/dress for the class; it is especially common in our summer sessions.

When choosing your dress, keep in mind that you are going to turn and bend over, so choose something that you feel comfortable doing your moves in. Don't wear something that will prevent you from doing your move correctly and completely.

As for shoes, you do not necessarily need to invest on a dancing pair of shoes in your beginner levels. Basically any kind of shoe that has a slippery sole is acceptable. Do not wear rubber sole shoes because you'll not be able to move freely. Suede, plastic and leather soles will give you the freedom you need to lead and follow.

Ladies; stay away from certain types of shoes: Strapless Sandals/Slippers: Do not wear shoes that will not stay connected to your feet when you stand on your toes.

High heel strapless dress shoes: you can wear heels but I don't recommend shoes with heels higher than 2 inches for beginners, and again they should be strapped to keep your feet connected to your shoes at all times. You will dance on heels when you get into intermediate levels, but for a beginner class, its better to wear flats if you are not used to heels in your day to day activities.

And last but not least, be presentable and perfumed! Remember that you will continue dancing salsa like forever and your classmates will turn into your close friends. So come to your class as you would go to visit your friends!

I'll talk about different types of dance shoes and the places you can get them in my next posting. "

Toronto Salsa Passion

Celebrities in Love with SalsA

Jennifer Aniston

““I love the sweat each time I’m doing an exercise routine. It just wouldn’t do if I didn’t. I see it as a sign that my metabolism is building up. And by the way, I love Salsa”

Jennifer actually did her routine to stay fit in the romantic comedy Along Came Polly in 2004 where she shared the leading roles with Ben Stiller.

The Salsa Scene of Jennifer Aniston from the movie Along Came Polly

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson is a 31 years old Hollywood actress. She got famous with role in the 2001 comedy-drama Almost Famous. She then starred in the hit film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) which gained her wider fame.

Kate had to go through a strict diet and exercise program several times in her life, for example after gaining 60 pounds while she was pregnant.

Vanessa Williams

Vanessa Williams has the title of the first African- American Miss. America. After becoming Miss. America she was in movies, TV shows and also released albums. The 47- year-old celebrity still looks hot and fresh.

Roselyn Sánchez

Roselyn Sánchez is a 37-year-old Puerto Rican singer, model, and actress. Elana Delgado of the TV series Without A Trace also has a career in cinema; Rush Hour 3, The Game Plan. Nightstalker…

Roselyn also loves to dance and sing. She is a big salsa fan.

“My favorite type of dancing is Jazz and I love to Salsa“

Sofia Vergara

The wife of Al Bundy Gloria at the popular comedy TV series “Modern Family” Sofia Vergara, the famous Colombian actress does the dance of her Latin culture in an episode of My Wife & Kids.

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez,a.k. a. J. Lo, says “I love salsa” and shows her moves during a talk show:

Do not forget; you do not need to be a celebrity to do the salsa!

Leave your body to the rhythm,

feel good and stay in shape!

Salsa Perfomance-It’s Show Time

You & Your Partner Are Ready

Now, a few months later, you and your partner are ready. You’re ready to show others what you’ve been working so hard toward and impress your audience.

The Key to Being a Performer

You and Your Partner At the Stage

If you and your partner are different when it comes to these approaches it’s a good idea that you transfer your energy to each other. This way, the over-confident dancer will be brought back to earth and focus on the steps while the nervous performer will gain some confidence and relax.

In the end, whatever the outcome may be, remember that with each performance your steps, attitude, and confidence will get better and better!

Where to dance Salsa in Miami

Salsa & Miami: A relation by nature

When you look at the map above you get it right away that there will be no worries to do the salsa when you are in Miami, USA. Miami is the closest North American city to the lands of salsa.

Salsa Clubs in Miami

Wednesday Happy Hour Complimentary Sushi and Paella 5-8pm Ladies receive complimentary Champagne & Wine 5-9pm

Colombian Tavern with nostalgic tropical music. Open Wednesdays through Sundays from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Dress: Dressy Hours: Fri – Sat, 10pm to 4am Sun 3pm to 11pm Cover charge: $20 – Parking: Valet, $10

Every Saturdy starting at 10:30 p.m Bongos Cuban Café This is the club owned by Gloria Estafan and Emilio Estéfan

Every Sunday – 3 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. – Salsa!

Hours: Thu nights – free basic salsa classes Sun nights – casino style and Timba

Café Nostalgia @ Miami Beach, FL ( 6 km from Miami) Open Wednesday thru Sunday From 8pm to 5am

Club Hoy Como Ayer Hours: Thu nights Cristal Nightclub @ Miami Beach, FL

Hours: Sat nights

Havana Dreams Café Hours: Fri – Sat, 10pm$10 cover.

Kaffee Krystal Nightclub Hours: Wed – Sat nights

Mix of new and old salsa, Cuban classics, merengue, and vallenato.

La Covacha Hours: Fri – Sat nights

Mango’s Tropical Café (Miami Beach, FL)

Latin Connection Band

Thursdays from 11 pm to 4:00 am

Fridays from 10:30 pm to 4:10 am

Saturdays & Sundays from 11:00 pm to 4:10 am

(El) Palenque Nightclub Hours: Fri – Sun nights Rendezvous

@ Miami Lakes, FL

Típico Dominicano (Miami Beach,FL)

Hours: Fri – Sun, 9pm to 5am

Tropigala (Miami Beach,FL)

Hours: Wed-Sun 7:30 pm-2 am Cover $20, $39 without dinner

Salsa Dance Classes in Miami

Private Lesson 5 Hour Pack

199 $

They have different packages for private lessons and group lessons.

For singles the price range is between 50-70 $/hour, and for couples 70-90$/hour.

Different Class Packages from 1 Night to 40 nights

1 Night Package 40 $

10 Nights Package 200 $

Wednesday Aug 4th – Sunday Aug 8th, 2010

29 April - 3 May,2010

More of Salsa Clubs in Miami

Lulaworld 2010

Salsa Travel Guide - New York

Salsa Travel Guide - New York

New York City.The capital of finance and entertainment. A big metropolitan city. Therefore, this salsa guide will bring the “salsa” in Manhattan only.

Center of New York City and the New York metropolitan region

Manhattan hosts the seat of city government and a large portion of the area’s employment, business, and entertainment activities. As a result, residents of New York City’s other boroughs such as Brooklyn and Queens often refer to a trip to Manhattan as “going to the city”.

Land size: 2.96 sq mi (59.5 km2)

Population

- Total

1,629,054

- Density

70,951/sq mi (27,394.3/km2)

Wednesday Happy Hour
Complimentary Sushi and Paella 5-8pm
Ladies receive complimentary Champagne & Wine 5-9pm

Dress: Dressy
Hours: Fri – Sat, 10pm to 4am
Sun 3pm to 11pm
Cover charge: $20 – Parking: Valet, $10

Every Saturdy starting at 10:30 p.m
Bongos Cuban Café
This is the club owned by Gloria Estafan and Emilio Estéfan

Hours: Thu nights – free basic salsa classes
Sun nights – casino style and Timba

Café Nostalgia @ Miami Beach, FL ( 6 km from Miami)
Open Wednesday thru Sunday From 8pm to 5am

Club Hoy Como Ayer
Hours: Thu nights
Cristal Nightclub @ Miami Beach, FL

Havana Dreams Café
Hours: Fri – Sat, 10pm$10 cover.

Kaffee Krystal Nightclub
Hours: Wed – Sat nights

La Covacha
Hours: Fri – Sat nights

(El) Palenque Nightclub
Hours: Fri – Sun nights
Rendezvous

Hours: Wed-Sun 7:30 pm-2 am
Cover $20, $39 without dinner

70,951/sq mi (27,394.3/km²)

Thursdays – sets begin at 9:30pm & 11:15pm
Fridays & Saturdays – sets begin at 11:30pm & 1:15am