A London Salsero in Miami-Ashraf Moussa

I met Ashraf here in Miami while he was visiting from London. My first encounter with Ashraf was on a Tuesday night when he asked me to dance. We were at the Salsa night held at Tapas and Tintos along Espanola Way, hosted by Melina Almodovar, a local Salsa artist, and Ricky Torres, a local Salsa instructor and dancer. Ashraf and I didn't end up chatting until two nights later when I saw him again at The Well, a Thursday night Salsa party hosted by the Miami Salsa Dream Team. Ashraf and I got to talking, and he told me he dances lots of Salsa back home in London. I was very intrigued to realize that we clearly researched Miami Salsa with similar methods. It was just really cool to run into someone who lives in another part of the world, but essentially experienced Miami Salsa the same way I did. 

If you are ever in London, this interview will give you direction on where to find the Salsa!

SE=Salsera Elena

SA=Salsero Ashraf

SE: How long have you been dancing to Salsa for?

SA: 3 years 

SE: When did you first start dancing?

SA: I remember when, 29/11/2009 J

SE: What made you interested in dancing to Salsa?

SA: Ex-girlfriend forced me to it …. Then I found myself doing ok at it.

SE: When you first started dancing, it was in London?

SA: No, it was in Cairo, Egypt “homeland” then I moved to London to work for the British airways at the base in Heathrow in 2010 then I really got more into it because it was the only way to make new friends there….I was a new immigrant to the UK so it was hard making friendships with British people at first.

SE: Who taught you to dance/where did you learn how to dance?

SA: Like I said my ex forced me to be her partner then I found myself learning faster than her haha … anyway she was a great teacher in Cairo “Khaled Tegana” then after I moved to London I went to “Mario”.

SE: Where have you traveled to dance Salsa? Can you describe your experience dancing Salsa in each place?

SA: Cairo, London, Paris, Berlin, Milano, Tunisia, Dubai and finally Miami “it’s fun working for an airline” J

SE: Did you travel to Miami just to see the Salsa dancing there?

SA: No I had to do something first for work at JFK airport then yea I traveled to Miami for a vacation and dance so I think yes.

SE: Can you compare the different Salsa scenes from the different locations you have danced Salsa in? For example, how does the Salsa dancing in Miami compare to the Salsa dancing in London?

SA: In London bigger community many people from everywhere and dancing here is more Hardcore.

In Miami nicer people very warm and friendly because most of them are Latinos J  and they more like to enjoy and feel the music more than do complicated tricks like here in Europe and North Africa too they like to show off their tricks and what they can do.

 

SE: Where has been your favorite location dancing Salsa, at home in London, or somewhere else?

SA: Berlin the best.

SE: What is the Salsa scene like in London? Can you tell me anything and everything you can about Salsa in London? What styles of dancing are most popular? Who are the top Salseros in London? What are the best places to go to dance Salsa in London?

SA: It's huge here and it’s still growing more and more and there is other dancing getting popular here like the African Kizomba from Angola and the Zook too, mostly they dance on1 still here but the on2 thing  spreading here like crazy so people change to it. The top here I sent you their links “Mario, Sam, Moe, Laith, Rose and Susana Montero, best places are :

Salsa! Mondays and Wednesdays mostly bachata and kizomba …. Tuesdays for on2 only 

SOS the best in week Sundays only

Mambo city Fridays only

The other places are not so important.

SE: Are there places you would like to travel to for Salsa that you haven’t yet visited? Where would you go to visit the Salsa scene? What place is next on your list to visit for Salsa?

SA: NY.

SE: Have you been to any Salsa Congresses? Which ones? Which was your favorite Congress?

SA: Egypt Salsa Congress, Carthago Salsa Congress “Tunisia”, Berlin Salsa Congress and of course every Congress in London they are too many here during the year.

SE: Are there Salsa Congresses in London? When are they held? Are there other big Salsa/Bachata/Latin Dance events in London?

SA: The best are “London Cuban Salsa Congress every summer” and “5 Stars Salsa Congress every winter by Mambo City“

SE: Do you only dance Salsa? Or do you maybe promote, DJ, instruct Salsa as well?

SA: Yes L I wish I can do Bachata and Kizomba but looks like I am stuck at the things I can say I am good at.

SE: How has Salsa changed your life?

SA: I have many friends all over the world now because of it J and believe me it’s hard to make friendship in big busy city full of cold people like London thank God Salsa was there for me J

SE: How many days/nights a week do you dance?

SA: 3

SE: Who are your favorite Salseras to dance with?

SA: Susana Montero 

SE: Who are your favorite Salseros in general?

SA: Leon Rose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hes awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

SE: I mentioned to you that a Salsero friend of mine from Alabama, USA has worked and trained with Super Mario, can you tell me more about your experience with him? What he’s like? His teaching style? What makes him a popular instructor? Why did you decide to learn Salsa from him?

SA: Maybe He’s not a brilliant dancer but he’s defiantly a brilliant teacher he’s making a so many good dancers in short times and he teaches me a lot of thickness and tricks.

SE: Please feel free to add anything else you can or would like to about your overall Salsa experience!

SA: Oh just one thing …. I think the musicality in Latinos and North African people bodies are better than the euros lol People are so alike even in the way they look and behave and dance … many people thought that I am Latino in Miami.

Thanks so much to Ashraf for taking the time to answer my questions about Salsa in London! I really enjoyed what you had to say. I totally agree with your words about the Miami Salseros, how they are warm and friendly, and more into just dancing as opposed to trying to show off all their moves, like in other places. I think my new friendship with this London Salsero is just one example of why the art of Salsa is so beautiful. Like Ashraf said, Salsa connects you to people, it allows you to meet new Salseros, hear about different experiences, and most importantly, share what others are doing to spread the love of Salsa!

Side note: please stay tuned, though it is taking longer than I had anticipated, I am working on a Salsa documentary of my time here in Miami. Many of the people I mentioned in the opening paragraph of this post will be featured in the documentary. Unfortunately, I don't have any footage with Ashraf! That will have to be saved for a London Salsa documentary!

Coento-A Salsa Photographer from the Netherlands

I met Coento via twitter. I don't remember what the conversation was, but I think he responded to one of my tweets. So, naturally, this Salsera asked him if I could interview him. He is a Salsa photographer out of the Netherlands. If you happen to take a trip there, or already live there and need to know where the Salsa is at, this blog post interview should give you some insight! Enjoy!

SE=Salsera Elena
SC=Salsero Cuento

SE: How long have you been dancing to Salsa?  
SC: I started around 2002 currenly not dancing because of health problems.

SE: Was it in the Netherlands where you first started dancing? 
SC: Yes indeed I started to dance in NL.

SE: What made you interested in dancing to Salsa? 
SC: In 1999 I first came in contact with what I didn't know than was Salsa. I saw it in a new club when I was in Spain and immediately feel in love with it and the music.

SE: Who taught you how to dance/where did you learn to dance?  
SC: My first teachers were Joop & Toos from Salsa Para Siempre. Later on I moved to Mi Salsa and got lessons from Rensly. 

SE: Do you photographer only Salsa events? 
SC: Yes indeed Salsa & Bachata events. 

SE: Were you a photographer before you were a Salsa dancer or vice versa? 
SC: I did some photography when I lived in Spain and mainly on Pub Crawls for a bar. 

SE: Tell me about the Salsa scene in the Netherlands. Where are the best places to dance at? What style of Salsa do the Salseros dance there? Tell me everything about the Salsa scene here. What makes the Salsa scene in the Netherlands different than the Salsa scene in other areas of the world? Are there lots of Salseros in the Netherlands?   
SC: The Best places to go and dance are actually the main big cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht den haag where big parties are at! The Salsa community is big in Holland and everywhere around you can dance. The main style of dance is On1. At the big parties always are a lot of On2 dancers. Popular at the moment are Bachata parties and Kizomba is also becoming hot. In Holland we have many nationalities living together. Always the parties are multi cultural so that makes a big difference I think. And yes we have a lot of Salseros around. Also I go a lot into Belgium because it's only 1 hour drive for me to go there. 

SE: Have you traveled to any other countries or locations to dance Salsa? What’s your favorite place or location to dance Salsa at?    
SC: Yes I have been to England, Germany, Spain, and Cyprus. My favorite is the Benidorm Salsa Congress, I’m one of the photographers there for the 4th year.

SE: What is your most memorable Salsa moment?
SC: I think that has still to come but last summer I had a blast at the Latin and Salsa Jazz Festival in Barcelona where I was able to take pictures. 

SE: You are a Salsa DJ as well? 
SC: Yes indeed because of love for the music. 

SE: What do you like best when it comes to Salsa, DJing, dancing, or taking pictures? 
SC: Well I think I go for taking pictures I love it. 

SE: Who are some of the top Salseros in the Netherlands? 
SC: That will be Patrick Mussendijk, Brain & Mechteld, Taiti & Christel, Femke & Manoa, and upcoming Salsero Sergio from Estilo dance.

SE: Have you been to Salsa Congresses? Which ones? Can you tell me about each of them? 
SC: Over the ten years I've been to quite a bit of Congresses like in Germany, Spain. and Cyprus. In Germany it was a small Congress in Berlin. Spain the Benidorm Salsa Congress four times and Salsa Jam in Cyprus to times, and Antwerp Diamond Salsa Congress. Haarlem Salsa Congress and Amsterdam Salsa Congress are a few I’ve been to.

SE: What other Salsa projects/events are you working on? What other Salseros do you work with in the Netherlands? Do you work with Salseros in other parts of the world?
SC: I’m not a organiser of events. At the moment I have a regular gig every second Friday of the month. I do a lot for Mi Salsa with music and promotions. I mainly get asked to come over and take pictures or DJ.

SE: What’s your favorite part about being a Salsero? 
SC: Actually more like being a Salsaphotographer I think it opens doors that otherwise would be difficult to open. I think over the years I made a name with my work and lots off people love it.

SE: How has being a Salsero changed your life? 
SC: I met a lot of nice people and am able to travel abroad. 

SE: Do you do any Salsa teaching or instructing? 
SC: No sorry I’m not into that kind of stuff. 

SE: Please tell me anything else about your Salsa experience that you would like to add! 
SC: Due to my blog (yes I blogged as well a couple of years ago) a Latin site from Groningen contacted me to see if I was interested to take care of the province I lived in that is Zeeland. I agreed so now I take care to put the fotos and parties in their agenda.We are one of the biggest Salsa Latin sites in Holland called www.Latinnet.nl.  We also launched an app recently where Salsa peeps can find parties in the area they live in. It’s for Android and Iphone so check it out!!! This year has been marvelous, I have seen a lot of live concerts this year and I loved it. I hope next year will be better for me health wise. This coming week I hope to hear from the doctors what they want try to get my Clave (hart) in better shape. That is my wish for 2013.

SC: Salsaludos from Holland it’s been a pleasure to fill in the questions.
Coento

SE: To SalseroPhotographer Coento, thank you so much for this interview! I will keep you in my thoughts and I hope to see you feeling better after the New Year! I hope to officially meet you one day soon and shall we Salsa the night away! With Salsa Love, Salsera Elena!

Philly Tri State Area Salsero-Luther Lockard

This interview is with a Salsero from the Philadelphia area, Luther Lockard. I met Luther this past September at the Hotlanta Salsa Congress. It was Friday evening and we were waiting in line before the performances started. We started chatting and have been in contact since. Thanks to him, we got a picture with Island Touch's La Alemana and Ataca. It was awesome. So, if you are in the Philly Tri State Area, BE sure to check out these spots Luther talks about, or just hit Luther up to find where the Salsa is!

SE=Salsera Elena

SL=Salsero Lockhard

SE: How long have you been dancing to Salsa for?

SL: I have been dancing Salsa for almost two years. Since January of this year, I have been taking regular lessons at La Luna Dance Studio in Bensalem Pa., a Philly suburban studio. By the way this is the studio that hosts the Philly Salsa Fest each year and is also home of Calle Luna Pro Dance Team and Las Estrella who will be performing at the Resolution Jam this January.

SE: What got you interested in Salsa?

SL: My passion for Salsa begin in 2011 after taking three months of Arthur Murray Ballroom dance lessons when I realized that Latin dancing was what I want to really learn well. It was taking me too long to learn Salsa in a ballroom program so someone turned me on to Barbara Capladi who owns and operates The Atrium Dance Studio in Pennsauken, NJ. I took 12 weeks of basics and 6 weeks of intermediate training when I had to stop because it was a scheduling issue with my business (I am self employed). So it was until January of this year that I found La Luna across the river where they taught all of the Salsa levels on a Sunday. It was perfect for my schedule and I have been there every since.

SE: What is your favorite part about being a Salsero?

SL: Latin dancing allows you the freedom to express your soul with another human being in a creative, fun, and intimate way. It’s like communicating without talking. Also it allows you to choreograph each dance you do which will look different with each dance because the dynamic of each interaction is different.

SE: Where’s your favorite place to dance to Salsa in the Philadelphia area?

SL: I have a bunch of favorites and am learning of new places to go each week. So I have no one favorite spot. The Philly Tri state area is growing its Salsa community with new venues opening on a regular basis.  For my purposes, I consider the Philadelphia area to include the 5 counties around Philadelphia, the northern Delaware counties, all of South Jersey including Atlantic City and the Princeton NJ areas.

SE: Tell me about all the different venues in Philly that you know about to dance to Salsa. Tell me anything, and everything you can about the Philly Salsa scene.

SL: First let me preference my remarks by saying I am relatively new on the Salsa scene and cannot do full justice to this question. There are simply too many people who have been around longer that may be able to give a more complete history and picture of the Philly Scene. So I will answer this by listing the places I frequent and by giving a short description of how I feel when I am there. This is in no order of preference:

Atrium Dance Studio – Barbara Capladi, owner – Pennsauken NJ – Salsa party every Saturday night, with a laid back, friendly crowd, everybody knows each other, lots of laughter and fun. Performances on occasions and Live Latin Bands 3-4 times a year. Barbara also operates out of another nightclub on Sunday nights in which a lot of the same crowd frequents. It’s called “The Coastline” and has been a popular nightspot for generations in the South Jersey area. Free cover, free lesson, great dancers, cant beat it. Barbara dedicates the first Sunday of the month lesson to “newbies” at the Coastline; great or beginners to break into the salsa scene.

La Luna Dance Studio – Sonya Elmore, owner – Bensalem, Pa. This is my home studio and I like it because of the excellent instruction (all of the instructors are excellent). When on the road, at congresses, they often “team teach”, so you can have 4-5 high quality instructors in the same workshop.  They have parties once a month and often partner with their sister studio Estilio, run by Mike Adino who until January of this year was also an instructor at La Luna.  He still covers for the instructors when the pro teams are on the road. There is usually a performance or two at each dance social form in-house or guess dance teams. They are constantly having boot camps and workshops during the year from in-house personnel to guess studio workshops. Almost every month something is being offered.

Estilio, South Philadelphia, Mike Adino, owner. I have not been to Mike’s studio but I have been blessed with his instruction at other venues he teaches from. One of them being a meetup group in Princeton, NJ, called Lets Dance New Jersey CJDS Hot Salsa with Mike Adino 1^st Saturdays of the month. He teaches a 1.5-hour lesson. His following at this venue is Huge and growing. In October there were over 176 people in attendance and I would say 95% of them were there for the lesson. Nice spacious dance hall in Princeton called the Suzanne Patterson Center. It is something to see that many people in a lesson that he handles very well. I was honored last week when he asked me to lead the men in CBL footwork exercises while he took the women to the other side to work with them. Estilo has several dance teams and performs regularly at major area venues such as the Stardust Ballroom and Parx Casino.

Stardust Ballroom in Bellmawr, NJ has the largest dance floor in the area and can host up to 500 people easily. Their Salsa nights are on 2^nd and 4^th Saturdays and draws from the entire Delaware Valley area. This is the first venue where I actually attend a Salsa party. It blew me away seeing all of the fantastic dancers under one roof. It was after this party that I moved away from the ballroom program like I mentioned earlier.

Blurr Night Club, Olde city Philadelphia operated by Team Salsa and Jose Maldonado and Philly boy on II as primary promoters. They hold Salsa Sundays, which the grand opening two weeks ago was a big hit. This is going to be a top spot as most of Philly’s best dancers are here. It's literally a couple blocks away from another hot Philly spot called Brazils, which hosts some of the best dancers in Philly on Wednesday and Fridays. La Luna Dance Studio and Estilo Dance Studio co-sponsors dance here with La Luna operating the Wednesday night dance and Estillo operating the Saturday dance. Also, 1^st Mondays is Estillo night and 1^st Thursday is sponsored by Calle Luna & Estillo Pro Dancers.

There is a new spot opened up at a place called Freestyle Martial Art.  The Salsa group here call themselves freestyle dance and fitness. Martial Arts in Northfield NJ is ten minutes from Atlantic City. Their first night was two Fridays ago and it was good, a small venue but some of the best dancers around were there. I visit less frequently due to time limitations places like Lyrics in Northeast Philadelphia, and Club 360 in Parx Casino just above the city.

I could go on and on there are many places that I have heard great things about but not had the chance to visit like: Salsa in the City @ Studio 1807 Master Jays, The Reef, Philadelphia, Starry Ferrari Salsa social in Pottstown, Pa., Julie Berger, founder and director of Salsa in the Suburbs Dance Studio Media, Pa, Mambodelphia, Pa, Living in Rhythm and Art in Motion all good studios with high quality dancers and reputations and many, many more.

SE: What is the difference between the Philly Salsa scene and Salsa scenes you have experienced in other locations?

SL: Well first there is variety amongst the Philly scene as it not the same everywhere. The closer you get to Princeton and Central jersey, the more “on 2” dancers you see. There is not much “On 2” Dancers in the Philadelphia City region. If I had to pin it down to one thing is that the Philly area dancers like spinning and there is not a lot of “shines” going on. I notice the further south I travel, the more shines and flare you see in the dancers.

SE: What Congresses have you been to? What is most memorable about each Congress? Which has been your favorite Congress?

SL: I have been to two in New Jersey, LA, DC, Atlanta (where I met you lol), and of course Philly Fest. I will have to give that to LA. The organization was excellent, was on time, smooth, very smooth. But, I enjoyed all of them and had great learning experience in all of the congresses. So far, I am set to go to Houston and Denver in 2013.

SE: What is your goal as a Salsero?

SL: To be the Best that I can be in Latin Dancing and to promote it through blogging and organizing dance venues primarily via meetup groups.

SE: Who are some of your favorite instructors from the Philly area? Favorite instructors from other areas? Favorite people to dance with?

SL: Everyone I have mentioned above is my favorite. Philly has some awesome instructor talent, and I am meeting more of them every week. Everybody I take a lesson from has given me something invaluable in my learning experience.

SE: What places do you want to travel to, to dance Salsa that you haven’t already been to?

SL: See above.

SE: How much is Salsa involved in the rest of your life? Has Salsa changed your life at all? How does Salsa influence your decisions?

SL: Well let me just say, it is my life to stay. I have totally transformed my body via Salsa dancing. People who have not seen me in sometime are floored when they see how much weight I have lost. This is good for my mind, body and spirit. I recently took over the leadership of The Philly Salsa meetup Group (1450 + members strong and growing). I have received very positive feedback so far and several promoter have begun to come to me to ask to post on my page for their events.

SE: If you had to choose between staying in Philly to dance Salsa, or go to a different place to dance, where would you choose?

SL: Humm, well keep in mind I consider Philly the “Tri State Area” so if you are literally talking about the city itself versus other places, I would say it would be The Atrium in Pennsauken, NJ which is very appropriate as I finish this interview. That is exactly where I am headed now. So not to be rude…I got to Go!

SE: Do you have any advice for people interested in learning Salsa?

SL: Just Do It, don’t be shy, don’t worry about what other people are doing, everybody had to start at the beginning, but you have to take the first step. Take lessons, take lessons, oh did I say take lessons from many different people. It’s been a pleasure doing this interview. 

Thank you to Luther for allowing me ask questions about his Salsa experience. Slowly but surely I have interviews coming for you Salseros! Please let me know if you would like to be interviewed by me, Salsera Elena.

Salsero Question: Where would you spend 30 Salsa Dollars?

After two beautiful South Florida Salsa nights in a row, I got to thinkn, and came up with this question that I want to ask Salseros: If you were given 30 Salsa Dollars, in the city of your choice, where would you spend the Salsa Dollars? Obviously there is no such thing as Salsa Dollars, but if you only had 30 of these fake dollars in your pocket, where would you spend them? You can choose any place, anywhere, anytime, any day or night of the week, in any city, state, or country, but the place of choice must be somehow Salsa related. Why did you choose these two places? The Salsa Dollars wouldn't have to be spent in one night. How would you spend your dollars? On workshops? On a Salsa social? Details, please include details! I really, REALLY hope people will take the time to comment on this question. It's just a random question that I thought would be fun to ask Salseros. I hope to travel to as many Salsa venues around the world as I can, so with the help of readers, I can accomplish my goal by knowing where people LOVE to dance Salsa at!

I will answer my question about where I would spend my 30 Salsa Dollars by writing about the South Florida Salsa venues I attended the last two nights.

Thursday night I went to Seductive Salsa/Bachata Thursdays @ The Well, located at 444 W 41st in Miami Beach, FL. I found the event info for the party via the Born to Salsa website which lists various South Florida Salsa events, classes, socials, etc. The party at The Well is FREE for ladies before midnight and $10 for gentleman all night. The beginner's Salsa class led by Nelson Fritz, aka Negro Fino is FREE. I took the LA Style Salsa class led by Ricky Torres. This is where the first half of my Salsa Dollars were spent. I enjoyed the lesson very much and learned some new moves and pointers for my Salsa dancing. The social dancing started promptly after lessons were over with DJ Calderon spinning the Salsa hits. I didn't stay too late for the party that goes until 3AM, but to no surprise, the dancers here were beautiful, just like the hosts and organizers of the party. For Bachata lovers, there is a separate room where Hervin Alvarez teaches a lesson before the party starts. This coming Thursday, December 6 will be a big birthday bash for DJ Calderon and friends, so if you are in the Miami area, and you love Salsa, I would be sure to make it to The Well!

Friday night, after arriving in West Palm Beach, I went to Salsa Essence Dance Academy's Friday night social. Here, I spent the second half of my Salsa Dollars. I took a lesson from the owner and lead instructor of the academy, Kathy Sarria. I must say, the Salseros at this party were some of the friendliest, most hospitable Salseros I have ever been around. There were dancers of all skill levels out on the dance floor and nobody had a problem dancing with someone who perhaps was not quite as advanced. The instructors shared the dance floor with the students, and everyone just shared an awesome Salsa filled night. I left this party with one of the biggest smiles on my face that I've had in a LONG @ss time! Salsa Essence's next social dance will be this coming Friday, December 6, so if you are in the West Palm area, and you want to get your Salsa on, I would highly recommend attending this party!

So far, my South Florida Salsa experience has been unforgettable! Everyone that I have met has been really supportive of the purpose of my Salsa blog. I am getting a lot of yeses to my interview requests, so stayed tuned to my blog to read about what's happening in the South Florida Salsa scene. And, DON'T forget to answer the question: Where would you spend 30 Salsa Dollars?

Salseroblanko, Huntsville, AL

Today is a good day because I will be posting my first interview. I am so excited to have this opportunity to write about a fellow Salsero! His name is John Salseroblanko Morey of Huntsville, AL. When I was in Atlanta for the Hotlanta Salsa Congress I got to see this Salsero perform with his men's team. It was only three guys dressed as Cowboys, so it wasn't hard to remember their faces. After I was home from the Congress, I sat down to friend request everyone I could recognize from my weekend in Atlanta. Of the people I was able to find, Salseroblanko graciously accepted my request. Lucky for me, he quickly responded when I put the Facebook shout out looking for interested interviewees. So after doing some research on the guy, Salsera Elena (SE) asked the following questions and Salseroblanko (SB) provided the following answers.

SE: "Your bio says your first lesson was in 2000 in Dallas, TX. Was this your first ever encounter with dancing to Salsa? If not, when was?"

SB: "I was first exposed to Salsa dancing at a Latin club by a friend of mine when I was 30 but that didn’t get me excited to take lessons. I was enjoying the music and atmosphere but that was the extent of that. It was 10 years later in Dallas is when I saw two men passing a female back and forth taking turns dancing with her is what got me interested in taking lessons."

SE: "What was it about Salsa that inspired you to start taking lessons?"  

SB: "It was those two guys I saw dancing with one girl as I mentioned earlier. I found that really interesting. I wanted to learn the moves the men where doing."

SE: "How did you decide on DC as your first Congress location?"

SB: "The was the first congress I heard about and it was close to Greensboro, NC that I could just drive to."

SE: "How did you first hear about Congresses?"

SB: "It was from an instructor living in Greensboro, NC."

SE: "Which Congress has been your favorite so far?"  

SB: "Back in the day it was the Los Angeles Salsa Congress."

 

SE: "Which Congress has been the most memorable for you?" 

SB: "Right now it is still the LA congress. My team will be performing at the NY Congress in 2013 so I am hoping that will be very memorable."

SE: "Can you tell me about your experience with Super Mario? What was your dance relationship with him like? What about his style of dancing inspired you to learn from him?"  

SB: "I met Super Mario BEFORE he was even a big star. He stayed at my home every time he came to NC. We are close friends. We still email each other keep tabs not just on our salsa lives but our lives in general. He is a very smooth and fun dancer. I love that about him. He also exhibits great leading which has inspired me to be a specialist meaning I teach leading and following techniques. That is not the easiest to teach. Most don’t stress that. They just teach combos. I teach combos and stress leading and following techniques."

SE: "Was your move from Dallas, TX to Greenville, SC because of Salsa, or other life reasons? If because of Salsa, how did you decide on Greenville?"

SB: "It was because of work."

SE: "When did you decide you wanted to become a professional Salsero? What did that decision involve? Did you ever have to choose between Salsa and a different career?"

SB: "Being a pro came with the territory. I do not make a living on Salsa. It is my passion. I am fortunate I can enjoy this dance without having to worry about making a living out of it. I am an engineer by trade."

SE: "Tell me about your training? You’ve named your instructors, how did you go about learning from them? Did you take private lessons? Did you attend their classes regularly? What was your training schedule like? How much time did you commit to training?"   

SB: "I met most of my instructors at the congresses I attended early on. Edie the Salsa Freak and Super Mario have had the biggest influence. I took private lessons from them. When I was first learning I went dancing 6 nights out of the week, practiced every day at home and took 2-3 lessons a week and it was expensive then, $20 an hour!"

SE: "How did you get your first teaching gig in Illinois? How’d you end up there?"

SB: "I ended up there because of work. There was NOTHING there! Lol so I decided to each at the workplace which then expanded to a studio then ended up having a salsa night! That was fun!"

SE: "What was your experience in Greenville like? What methods did you use to bring the Salsa scene to Greenville?"   

SB: "When I arrived in Greenville, there was no salsa scene. They had Latin clubs. I looked for a studio and started teaching. I started with one class which grew to 4 classes in less than 1 year. We had socials at the studio but then the students wanted more. They wanted a place where they can buy drinks. I found a club called Dockers. I had to find a DJ which I did. I instructed the DJ as to what type to play and what format. That place was never in the red. We broke even the first night. We had salsa night every week average 80-120 people at this place that the max capacity is 160. It was so much fun!"

SE: "When did you start performing? How did you get recognized as a performer?" 

SB: "It was in Greenville SC. I did a Steve Urkel routine. It was funny! Here is the video"  

SE: "How did you end up in Huntsville, AL? What were some of your methods to bring Salsa to this town?"

SB: "Work brought me to Huntsville. As always I search out salsa nights or dance lessons. I found one person who was teaching rueda at University of Alabama Huntsville. The class was very small. I found a studio and started teaching. I decided to host a FREE SALSA SOCIAL on the 5^th Tuesday of the month to give the students a way to practice and it is my way to say thank you for taking lessons and telling others about Salsa. I still do it today (going on 5 years). Then I stepped it up and looked for a club. Found one (it is not easy to find a nice place for salsa in Huntsville). It was a newly opened club called CLUB RUSH. We started salsa nights there Aug 2009. We were there for 2.5 years. Change of ownership, we were gone. So we are in the process today of looking for a good home for our salsa nights. We are currently hosting our salsa night at a nice fitness center."

SE: "Which Congress has been your favorite to perform at?"

SB: "Right now the Hotlanta Salsa Congress."

SE: "Tell me about the flash mob. How often do you conduct a flash mob? What does it involve? Per the flash mob video on the homepage of the Salseroblanko website, did you know the people that were joining in or they were just joining in?"  

SB: "We did our first flash mob in Jan of 2011. That was fun. We have only done it another time. We do not do this very often but we plan to.  Doing a flash mob is not that difficult unless you want to turn it into a production. I pick a song, create a simple routine of about 13-15 eight counts, teach it to those interested and set up where to perform. I generally try to teach it in 3 hours and perform it that same day. So far it has worked. I set it up as if we do not know each other. As you saw in the video."

SE: "Tell me about the events you have going on in Huntsville?"

SB: "I have two “big” events, Salsalabama Jam (OCT) and the Spring Salsa Fiesta (APRIL). These are well attended. Not huge like the bigger cities. The Jam is about 250 and the Fiesta (two years old) is about 180. We are in Huntsville, it takes a long time to generate dancers and interest in the events."

SE: "Do you teach by yourself?"  

SB: "Yes."

SE: "Do you have a dance partner?"

SB: "No."

SE: "How many days and hours a week do you teach?"

SB: "I teach every Tuesday, beg I and beg II, one hour each class. I also teach a 4 hour boot camp once a month."

SE: "Do you have another job?"  

SB: "I am an Electrical Engineer."

SE: "How often do you get to travel around with Salsa?"

SB: "Not enough! Lol!!  I am allowed by my wife to attend two congresses a year. I travel once in a while to teach or dance in Nashville (visiting our salsa friends there)."

SE: "What is your favorite place you have traveled to? What other places have you traveled?" 

SB: "I have no specific place that is my favorite. As long as the music is good, I love it!"

SE: "How’d you get the name Salseroblanko? Did you name yourself or someone else named you?"

SB: "Well at first I was called salsero loco. I did some crazy wild moves early on then I decided that Salseroblanko was good for me. So I stuck with that."

SE: "What are your current and future goals as a Salsero?"  

SB: "Right now I just want to keep building the scene in Huntsville. We have a long ways to go. I compare the scene like a baby learning how to walk. The scene is born, now the baby just needs to learn how to walk and eventually be a marathon runner."

SE: "What advice do you have for training and aspiring Salseros?"

SB: "If money and time is not an issue, take as many lessons as one can afford, give yourself time to practice, practice often and concentrate on techniques and not the moves, and travel to experience other dancers."

SE: "Who are some of your favorite Salseros to dance with?"  

SB: "Joby Brava, Magna copal, Randi Pearson. I call these ladies Ferrari’s lol. Easy to drive."

So if you live in Huntsville, AL or happen to be passing through, I would highly recommend getting in touch with Salseroblanko. Clearly he can dance and he is your walking source of all things Salsa in Huntsville, AL. To Salseroblanko, thank you so much for allowing me to interview you. I could go on all day asking questions about your experience in the Salsa world, but I figure the interview has to end at some point. I do plan to get to Alabama sometime soon to check out for myself the Salsa scene. Until then let's keep on dancing! 

If you would like to get in touch with Salseroblanko, check him out at Salseroblanko.net or at www.alabamasalsa.com. Also check him out on Facebook or send him an email at salseroblanko@yahoo.com.

Licensed Zumba Instructor

These days, who doesn't know what Zumba is?  If your answer is me, well you'll only find a brief description of everything the Zumba program has to offer in this post. Today I'm writing about my experience becoming a Zumba instructor. In a nutshell, Zumba is a dance fitness workout designed to tone, shape, and strengthen your body by moving and dancing to various international rhythms. Check out Zumba.com to find information about everything Zumba. There you can find out what Zumba is, where classes are offered near you, instructors near you, DVDs, apparel, and so on.

This summer, after having attended many Zumba classes, I finally decided to get licensed as an instructor. Becoming licensed to teach Zumba is pretty simple. The first step is to pick a date to take the Basic training. The earlier you register, the less you pay. The cost ranges from about $220-290 (all this is found on the website). The training class is a one day event, totaling about eight hours and includes a lunch break. During the course of the day you learn so much great information like the four basic Zumba rhythms (Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, and Reggaeton), the history and structure of the Zumba program, about the founder Alberto "Beto" Perez and his journey to making Zumba what it is today, how to grow and market yourself as an instructor, and so much more. 

Once you finish the basic training you can join the Zumba Instructor Network (ZIN). The ZIN membership costs $30 a month and is meant to be an investment for your journey to becoming a top notch Zumba instructor. The membership gives instructors the tools necessary to continue to develop and grow as an instructor. As a member instructors can take more training classes like Zumba Gold, Toning, or Aqua training. Being a ZIN member allows you to receive marketing tips and tools to get the word out to new students that you are an instructor. 

If you or someone you know is looking for a Zumba instructor, look no further. I am available, ready, and licensed to show you how to party while working out. If you are new to Zumba, I can assure you that once you try it, you will love it! If you are looking for more Zumba, Salsa, or Latin dance information, you have come to the right place. Just ask and I will provide you an answer. As always, thank you for reading!

Frederick Salsa

It's Thursday and my favorite night of the week because the Frederick Salsa Meetup will be joining together for a full night of dancing. This evening the instructors will be teaching Bachata for all levels at Hinode, a Sushi restaurant along Carroll Creek in Downtown Frederick. I personally cannot get enough of Frederick Salsa. The organizers of this group, Sylvia and Alba, have done such a wonderful job of bringing Frederick together to create a Salsa community! I've been in Frederick since I was 16 when my family moved here from Gaithersburg, MD. I must say, never have I enjoyed Frederick and the downtown scene as much as I have the last couple months attending these socials. The crowd is a mix of all levels of dancers looking for the same thing, a nice place to get their Salsa on!

I first joined the Frederick Salsa fun in mid August when the meetup was being held at Bentz Street Bar on Bentz Street. The last month or so the location has moved around a bit from Cafe Nola and Hinode, to That Cuban Place. Sometimes Sylvia and Alba hook us up with an extra night of dancing at Mexicali Cantina. Both Nola and Hinode are located off Market Street in the heart of downtown Frederick. My favorite location was when we were at That Cuban Place located on Church Street, slightly in the cut of Frederick. For the Halloween festivities, the group enjoyed a night of dancing at Mistro, also located in downtown. No matter where the action occurs, you are sure to have a wonderful time when you hang out with Frederick Salsa!

The evening usually starts around 8:30PM with a Salsa or Bachata lesson from Alba and Nathaniel. I gotta say, it is quite a treat to get lessons from these two. Not only are they beautiful dancers, they are some of the areas most well versed Salseros, constantly training with the best in the DMV. No matter where you frequent the Salsa venues in MD, DC, or VA, these two are everywhere. When you do catch them out, be sure to grab them for a dance because they are experts in the Salsa field and will be sure to give you some useful pointers. I don't know if they are official dance partners, buy like many other Salsero and Bachatero pairs, they make for a stunning match. Together, Alba and Nathaniel have really helped Frederick Salseros improve their dance skills. They both exude confidence, are so kind and helpful as teachers, and they are just so fun to watch as dancers!

After the lessons, DJ Cuban takes over the spot light by spinning the best Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, and everything in between. With DJ Cuban, there's never a dull night of dancing! Not only is he a cutie pie, he really knows how to cater to the crowd that Frederick Salsa attracts. The party usually is suppose to end around midnight, but DJ Cuban keeps us moving til well past some of or bedtimes!

If you are in or around the Frederick area, I highly recommend checking our Frederick Salsa. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a beginner, this is a great place to mingle and meet people. I have met so many wonderful dancers at this meetup. I look forward to what Frederick Salsa has for our Salsero future!

                                 

     
   

A Salsera's Trip to Hotlanta

I went to Hotlanta, aka Atlanta, GA, for the 3rd Annual Hotlanta International Salsa Congress. It was the end of September, my second Latin Dance Congress in just two months, and my first time in the ATL. I had a very wonderful time. Not only did I get to meet and enjoy local and out of town Salseros, I was able to experience a wonderful city.

The trip began Thursday evening as my mom and I set out on our twelve hour Megabus ride to downtown ATL. I know, you are probably wondering, "why the heck would you Megabus it to ATL from DC when flights are quicker and more comfortable?" Though it would have been much easier to fly, I chose Megabus because it fit my budget. The round trip was $100 even. 

Early Friday afternoon, after changing buses in Charlotte, NC, we arrived at the Civic Center MARTA station located along Peachtree Street in downtown ATL. We made our way to our lodging at the Hotel ATL, located a brisk ten minute walk from the bus station at the corner of Spring and Baker Streets. Though the Congress was being held at the Hyatt right up the street from Hotel ATL, I chose here because it was just as nice as the Hyatt, but a more compromising price. For two nights, Mom and I split the $150 total.

After checking in and getting settled, we headed out to explore the town. We walked East along Peachtree Street past numerous restaurants like Hard Rock Cafe and Hooter's, the Mall at Peachtree Center, and many visually stimulating structures and attractions as well as shops and dining. We ended up at the Underground ATL. There we found your typical, inexpensive, working class friendly shops. I was able to pick out a cute outfit for the evening's dancing at a little boutique called Bonnie's. After lunch in the food court, Mom needed to stop by the Computer store, so we rode the MARTA (ATL's metro system) as well the Georgia Tech Trolley to arrive at our destination.                                                  

Upon returning to the room, and after resting for awhile, Mom and I grabbed dinner at a Sushi spot. After dinner, we parted ways for the evening as I made my way to the real fun, the Salsa Congress. Friday evening opened with wonderful performances by many local and out of town, talented dancers! A night full of live music, dancing, and socializing followed the performances. I stayed out as late as I could, but made sure I got to bed early enough to rest up for more dancing the next day.

Saturday morning started with a scrumptious, filling, continental breakfast courtesy of the hotel. This gave me plenty of energy as I would need it to take full advantage of the day's workshop options. One of the perks about these Congresses is the opportunity to take dance classes from top instructors and performers from around the nation. I arrived at the Hyatt around noon to attend as many workshops as I could fit in. My favorite class was conducted by Jay Stylz out of Dallas, TX and Leah Patterson, my new Salsera friend out of Arkansas. They taught a very informative Bachata footwork class that I really enjoyed. 

After dinner and another trip to the Underground for another cute outfit for the evening, I made my way to the Hyatt for my last evening at the 2012 Hotlanta Congress. Not only did I get to dance the night away, I shared many dances, laughs, and stories with new Salsero friends that I plan to revisit with for more Salsa adventures. I met people from all over, like DJ Stephen Greene from Richmond, VA. There's Luther from New Jersey and Kelley from Salsa Essence Dance Academy out of West Palm Beach, FL. These people will be in my memories for as long as I am a Salsera! Though I didn't realize it at the time, through facebook research (or stalking, whatever term you prefer) I became acquainted with Paso Fino Dance Academy, the hosts and hometown Salseros at Hotlanta. 

Sunday, our last day in ATL involved less dancing and more site seeing. We had a few hours before our bus left, so Mom and I made the eight minute walk from our hotel to where the Aquarium, Coke World, and Centennial Park is located. Upon arriving just outside the Aquarium, we ran into a Congero named Anthony. The heavens above must have read my desires because when we set out Friday afternoon to explore, all I wanted to find was someone on the streets playing Congas. Anthony was very insightful and inspiring and both Mom and I felt it was more fate than luck that we ran into him. I took the opportunity to freestyle to our new friend's music. It was a very memorable, humbling experience. After parting ways with Mr. Conga man, Mom and I were gonna stroll the Aquarium, but we felt it was a little over budget. Mom had toured the Coke World the day before while I was attending workshops. She enjoyed the history, facts, and tasting the coke products, however, she felt there could have been more freebies considering the obvious message of, drink Coke presented to the public. Before heading to the bus to make our way home, we had lunch at a place called Stats, a sports bar about a mile from the Falcon's stadium. This particular Sunday the Carolina Panthers were in town, which made for an entertaining game.

I had such a wonderful time in ATL as a learning Salsera. My experience at Hotlanta makes me more anxious and excited for Congresses to come.