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.