More and more I get new students who have taken classes somewhere else or learned to dance in the clubs and want to go to a higher level. Here is the process...

Pease don't sign up fo the level you believe you are ready for - it is rarely an accurate level because every school has a different syllabus or moves in every level. Our level 1 will not be the same as another dance school's level 1. As well there are so many different styles of salsa. I have so many students who are preficient at the circular Columbian style of salsa but have no experience with the New York/LA style salsa which is definitely a different style and needs to be taught properly.

Instead, email us to set up a free assessment. We will gladly meet with you after class for 5 minutes and dance with you and let you know which level you belong. Sometimes it will disappoint a student to know they are not as advanced as thy originally thought. Please don't be disappointed or upset to go back a level. It will only make you stronger and if you learn the first two levels properly you will have a very solid foundation and no serious issues when developing into an advanced dancer. However, if you rush your initial learning and skip crucial steps, you will always struggle and wonder why you keep hitting plateaus and can't advance properly.

So always remember that every instructor teaches differently and to go back to level 1 can really only make you stronger.

Keep dancing!

Here is a great post on tips for preparing for your private lessons from Evan...remember that this is also useful for group classes so keep his tips in mind for every class you have!

Private Lessons – Part 1: Getting Ready

Guest writer: Evan Carmichael

Yesterday evening I helped one of our new Toronto Dance Salsa students prepare for the new semester by doing a private lesson with her. We went over the salsa basics and part of Level 1 and I thought it would be a useful exercise to write about a great idea she had.

The first thing she did when she came in was pull out a pad of paper and a pen so she could take notes at the end of the private. Once our lesson was complete she took notes on what we had learned. She wrote down the names of the moves and the important things to remember for each one. I was impressed!

Learning salsa involves a lot of practice until you can get it into muscle memory. When you take a private lesson it's easy to learn a lot very quickly and then forget it the next day. If you don't practice you won't remember. By writing down what you learned you are more likely to remember when you are practicing at home so you are better prepared for the next time you go out.

A good rule of thumb is to practice what you learned in a private lesson immediately again when you get home to cement the muscle memory. Practice again the next day and as much as you can throughout the week. Even if it's only for a few minutes or while washing the dishes, practice makes perfect!

So the next time you take a private lesson or even a group class, bring a pad of paper and a pen to write down what you learned and what the most important things to remember are. You'll remember the right way to do the move a lot more clearly and become a much better dancer as a result!

Good luck!

Evan Carmichael

It is great to get articles and advice from our students. Here is another guest blog post from Reshma Ramjattan regarding her experience shopping for shoes. Hopefully it will save you some time and money!

"Hey TDS family,

I wanted to let you all know about something I recently experienced in hopes that you won’t make the same mistake I made. The lesson I learned is: make sure your dance shoes fit you properly!!

As a new salsa dancer, I went out in search of a pair of salsa shoes a couple weeks ago. I didn’t know too much about dance shoes, I just assumed they’re supposed to fit like regular dress shoes. I looked on the TDS website and found a place. I’m normally a 5 ½ or a 6 so I tried on the 5 ½ first and it was way too tight. The size 6 fit a big snug so I tried on a size 6 ½. To me, they fit perfectly but I wasn’t sure how dance shoes were supposed to fit but the lady assured me that they fit fine and that I’d have no problems with them. I left there very happy, not knowing what was about to happen a few days later…..

I went to my regular Sunday dance class and I found that my feet kept sliding forward in my shoes, leaving my toes to hang over the edge. I found this to be very uncomfortable so I asked one of the instructors if this was normal. She said no and suggested that I get insoles to prevent my feet from slipping. I went to a shoe repair place a couple days later and I asked for insoles and the repairman advised me that insoles wouldn’t help me because my shoes were in fact too big for me. He said that because of the material and because they’re dance shoes, I need to buy them a big snug and as I dance, they will stretch out. He also advised me that the space between my shoes and my ankles was too wide. He said that there was nothing he could do for me and that I needed to go back to the place where I bought them and get a smaller size. I called the lady from where I bought them and she said that if I want another size, I have to buy a completely new pair of shoes.

I referred back to the TDS website to see if there was another place I could try. To my delight, I found Century Wide Shoes (www.cwdanceshoes.com). The saleslady Angela greeted me with a big smile and she was very helpful and very friendly but most importantly, she took the time to make sure the shoes fit the way they’re supposed to. I left there feeling satisfied and relieved. I took a few of her business cards as I was leaving and I promised her that I’d give them to my TDS friends as I was very happy with her service. I tried the shoes in my next class and they were perfect.

My fellow dancers, when buying dance shoes, it’s important that you make sure that they fit you the right way. Make sure they are snug and there isn’t too much space in the ankle area and your toes aren’t hanging over the edge. They are supposed to fit a bit tight when you first wear them, but they will stretch out. Happy dancing!"

Written by Reshma Ramjattan

What a great evening...about 500 people salsa and bachata dancing at Plaza Flamingo on Friday evening as part of our last outing of the summer semester!

We started off by celebrating the arrival of Bachata singer Alex Bello with a beginner and intermediate Bachata lesson. Sara and Kimberly taught the beginner lesson and by the end of it people didn't even look like beginners! Evan and I challenged the seasoned dancers with a complicated intermediate Bachata pattern. The lessons had over 200 people in attendance which was a huge number. Everyone was very respectful and tried to keep quiet so that everyone could hear the lessons. The feedback from the lessons was amazing - I think we need to add a little bachata spice more often!

By 11:30 the house was full with people dancing the evening away awaiting the arrival of Alex Bello. He began his performance at close to midnight and in no time at all people filled up the dance floor and began dancing to his live tunes.

It was a great evening - thank you to everyone who came out. We are taking a break for the next few weeks and will resume classes and outings in mid September....have a great summer!

At the end of every semester I host a celebration and appreciation day for all our helpers and yesterday (Sunday) was the end of the summer semester celebration.

We met at Bevermead Beach in the Kawartha's - it is about 1.15hrs drive from Toronto. To my surprise people were early and assisted us in setting up the volleyball net on the beach. By 11:30am over 25 helpers were in attendance playing some seriously competitive beach volleyball, frisbee, kiteflying, and relaxing by the water. We even had some brave souls jump in the lake for a dip.

2 hours later we jumped in our cars and made a 9 vehicle driving line to Evan's parents Lakehouse. It is an unbelievable home right on Lake Shemong with all the toys (hot tub, boat, tubes, floating toys, etc). We had an amazing BBQ lunch there with home made hamburgers, BBQ chicken, salads and corn and then wasted no time in taking turns boat riding, trying to dunk the passengers behind us on the inflatable hotdog, dipping in the jacuzzi, swimming in the lake and much more.

By 6pm everyone gathered around the karioke machine and proceeded to sing to the oldies and John Radke took out his guitar and serenaded us with some cool tunes. Annamarie (Evan's mother and the hostest with the mostest) made everyone shakers and we were able to sing and rattle our shakers to the music.

We followed this off by a BBQ dinner of Italian Sausages, salads and an ice cream sundae bar. During dinner we had some Toronto Dance Salsa trivia and after dinner we retired to the bunkey which is a great area overlooking the lake for some games.

There was a huge amount of laughs and it was a very exciting day. I am so happy and proud to have such an amazing group of helpers and I thank everyone for their energy, enthusiasm and participation. Photos to be posted very soon!

Final huge thanks go to Annamarie, David and Evan for making the day unforgettable.

Oh no, the pressure is on to beat this outing...what to do next???

I am often asked why we don't offer drop in classes. Many people have unpredictable schedules and can't commit to a 9 week consistent group class. Others just don't want to and like the flexibility of drop ins.

This is how I feel about drop ins. When you have different people coming in every week with different skills and knowledge it is very hard to keep everyone happy and keep the class progressive. With a group class everyone has the same syllabus to learn. You review last week's work, you learn new material that complements your prior learning and then you put it together with everything else you have learned. This is truly the best way to learn. It is progressive and you will notice your development. There is a pattern to the learning that is optimal and you will see a difference quickly.

Drop ins definitely have their place but are really move geared towards those who already know what they are doing and are looking to learn a new turn pattern or move. That is why we have club classes available at our bi-weekly outing - to get that fix. Please don't attempt drop in classes as a beginner. Commit to learning properly and you will see how quickly you progress!

I love how much great conversations I can find online about salsa dancing...it is so interesting to see your thoughts put down in writing. Such is the case with this great forum thread...click here to read it. Basically it discusses how you can actually improve your dancing just by thinking about it.

When I was learning to dance, I thought about it every free second I had. If I wasn't actually dancing, I was creating turn patterns in my head, choreographing a song, thinking about what I wanted to work on or improve. All of this actually assisted me. I would wake up in the middle of the night with a turn pattern (sometimes it made no sense but other time...bingo!). I would be more aware of music accents and breaks because I would listen to it constantly and my memory sharpened so that when I was finally on the dance floor I had to think less and just execute.

I always tell my students that if they absolutely can't practice to at least imagine practicing because it will help with memorizing and confidence. If you can imagine you can do it, then you can do it!

I hear it constantly..."Bachata is such a great dance", "I love dancing Bachata", "Can we learn some more bachata?". People love Bachata! And so it should be - with a romantic, slow, sexy feel to it, Bachata is widely played in salsa clubs and is gaining in popularity.

I can definitely understand the draw. Salsa is by far my favourite dance - it is complicated, fast, challenging, musically interesting and no dancer is a like. But Bachata is enjoyable for completely different reasons. You don't have to think. You can close your eyes and enjoy the rhythm, the movement, your partner and the simple moves. The simplicity of the dance allows for more body movement and especially if you are dancing knee to knee it is a very sensual close dance.

Click here for a great post about Bachata, it's history, some videos and even some music. I enjoyed reading the article and watching the video demos and hopefully you will too.

For a great night of Bachata dancing join us this Friday, August 24th at 8:30pm at Plaza Flamingo. Alex Bello, famouse Bachata singer, will be performing at 11:30pm. There will be a beginner and intermediate Bachata workshop from 8:30-9:30pm and salsa/merengue/bachata social dancing between. Cover is only $10.

See you then!

I recently read a great article about the learning curve of both men and women specifically in regards to partner dancing. In this article was a very interesting graph that showed the learning curve which helps to explain many issues when it comes to how differently men and women learn. Check out the article by clicking here.

As you can see this is a generalization but after years of instructing thousands of students I can attest for the accuracy of the information. Take a look at the males' line. Men tend to learn slowly but consistently. There is a little bit of improvement over a longer period of time and it is only after much time and practice that this curve starts to shoot up and can eventually overtake the average female's learning curve. If you look at the females' line, it is very diagonal and steady in it's rise from the beginner to intermediate level and then can plateau.

So when women approach me and tell me that they are frustrated by the men in their level, this is why it is so. Women learn faster initially. However, many women get an over-inflated sense of confidence and stop attending classes, choosing instead to just dance in the clubs. However, once they reach an intermediate level they get stuck in a rut and feel frustrated by the decrease in progress in comparison to the first months of learning. I know I went through this process and it takes a lot of hard work to get off of the plateau. As suggested in the graph, ladies styling, performance groups and competitions help elevate the dancing at this point.

So if you are a female, please understand that men initially have a tougher learning curve to deal with but with patience and support they will be eventually get to your level...be patient! And men, if you are frustrated by your progress remember that it will come if you keep at it and eventually it will be fun, easy and free.

Let me know what you think of the chart - would love to hear some feedback!

It is great to see students getting involved in the website. Recently journalist and Toronto Dance Salsa student Reshma Ramjattan submitted to me her review of the movie "El Cantante" for our students to enjoy. Here it is...thanks Reshma!

"Hello my Toronto Dance Salsa family!

I checked out the new movie, El Cantante, starring Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony on the weekend and all I can say is: wow! El Cantante is based on the life of salsa legend Hector Lavoe, played by Marc Anthony. It starts off with Puchi, played by Jennifer Lopez, being interviewed about her life with Lavoe. The story begins in 1963 when Lavoe leaves his native Puerto Rico against his dad’s wishes to pursue a singing career in New York City. Shortly after he arrives there, he meets Puchi, they become smitten with each other and end up getting married and having a child.

The movie is all about Lavoe’s life with Puchi and his rise and fall from stardom. It shows how he got signed with his first record deal and how he became a huge star, teaming up with Willie Colon, then branching off and going solo. It also shows Lavoe’s turbulent relationship behind the scenes with Puchi. Looking on the outside, many of us would think that being a world-renowned singer with lots of money would be a fantastic life to live. But this movie shows you both the wonderful times Lavoe had and the very,very dark times he experienced.

I won’t tell you too much because I really want all of you to go check it out for yourselves. But I don’t recommend that you take your kids to see this movie. There is some sexuality, profanity and many scenes that show drug use. Leon Ichaso directed the film and he did a terrific job, style-wise. He used black and white documentary-type imagery when Puchi was being interviewed about Lavoe’s life, and colour to show the scenes in real time. I liked how the movie progressed with a timeline, showing Lavoe’s life in years leading up to his death. The one thing I didn’t like about the film was that it ended somewhat abruptly. It skipped a block of time in the end and went from an accident that Lavoe survived to text on the screen stating that he died five years after at the age of 46. I would’ve liked to have seen more about the times closer to his death and how Puchi’s life was after Lavoe’s passing.

Overall, I really think you will love this movie. The music is so good, I found myself dancing in my seat and I wanted to go out dancing right after the movie finished! I even caught myself watching Jennifer Lopez’s footwork while she was dancing…can you say I’m a Toronto Dance Salsa student??!!

My fellow dancers, go check out El Cantante, I give it 4 out of 5 stars. I’m sure you’ll all really like it. "

Reshma Ramjattan

There is an interesting article recently published about corporations and employee morale ad motivation. In it, the writer discusses using different methods of sports, arts and other creative means as a replacement to the usual team building and motivation exercises to bring out the best in their employees. Click here to read the full article.

"Whether it involves opera or jazz singing, flamenco or salsa dancing, extreme sports or even a spot of method acting, staff across the country are being removed from their comfort zones and asked to attempt something new, and potentially embarrassing, often with dramatic results." According to the writer, encouraging your employees to get out of their comfort zones and try something new, something physically or creatively stimulating can improve a workers morale and performance in the workplace.

Having a background in Human Resources, I remember trying to get creative in the types of activities we had our associates participate in and salsa was definitely one of them. It made people laugh and let loose, touch co-workers they normally wouldn't and there was a real high that you would see from the team after an activity like this.

In the article, a company was profiled after a session of salsa dancing: "Everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves, even though some people were slightly out of their comfort zone. Although some people were natural dancers and others less so, any embarrassment disappeared once we got going."

When interviewed, the organizer stated that even though the results could not be measured, she thought the impact of the session was very high...morale, productivity, staff rentention, workplace relationships and teamwork were all positively influenced.

Get salsa classes happening in your corporate environment and see the difference yourself!

So what is all about this new craze of couples learning a more exciting wedding dance such as salsa instead of the usual traditional slow dance? It seems, with the influence of popular dance shows and movies, that couples are going above and beyond to create a fun entertaining evening for their guests and this includes an exciting wedding dance.

There is a great article about this topic...click here to read it. Essentially, the article talks about the great lengths that couples are going to make their wedding unforgettable. One couple spent $2500 on 30hrs of private dance lessons to be able to really feel comfortable, knowledgeable and confident in their choreographed routine.

If you are thinking of a spicier dance for your wedding there are some things you should keep in mind. I get phone calls all the time requesting private wedding lessons and I mostly just refer them to a ballroom instructor after asking them if they want something more traditional and if they have time to commit. I would only take a couple on if a) they understand what salsa looks like, it is high paced, fun, difficult to dance in a long dress and definitely not traditional b) have they taken lessons before? Starting from scratch is really difficult. If all you want is to do the basic steps and turns, then a couple of lessons may do the trick. But if you want to competent and really make an impact, this takes time and practice. For every 1 hour of private lesson, I recommend 4 hours of practice.

If you aren't prepared to make a commitment to practice, this may not be the dance for you. My suggestion is to decide whether you want to learn to dance for the long term benefits so that it is not just about the one night. Then take the time to take some group classes and once you are prepared take some privates to hone your skills and choreograph the routine.

Happy dancing and congrats to all the engaged couples!

Since receiving a birthday dance on Sunday evening I have received several questions on the topic...questions about how long it is, how to change partners, what is appropriate, etc. Here is some info that may be useful when participating in a birthday dance or being the star of the birthday dance!

First of all, remember that there are usually many people interested in participating so the amount of time you spend dancing with the person should not be long...30 seconds is the usual time frame although it depends on whether there is someone waiting. If there is, keep to the 30 second rule. If there isn't you can go on longer until you see someone approach.

How do you aproach? First you see if there is a line up. If so, go to the end of the line and wait for your turn. If not, start to do your basic on the oustkirts of the circle and slowly move closer to the dancing couple. Make sure the leader sees you and just wait. The leader will do the rest.

If you are leading and you see someone approach, finish the combo you are doing and then execute a move that allows the follower to be led into the new lead easily. Moves like arm throws, free turns, bowling balls, etc. Anything where you direct the dancer to the new partner and let them go. Be careful not to push the person into the new partner. If you are a lead and the birthday person, gently let your partner go with a similar move and then dance closer towards your new partner.

I find sometimes dancer want to show off their most difficult moves in a birthday dance. Just remember that the birthday person has to adapt to many different partners in a very short time so keep your moves clean, easy to follow and execute, and most of all, fun.

Hope you all have wonderful birthdays...see you at the next birthday salsa dance!

Well it was another awesome outing to Montana Lounge Sunday night as almost 250 people danced the evening away. Christianne and Carolina taught the absolute beginner class, Rob and Sara sexied it up with the level 1 class, and Evan and I challenged the more intermediate students with a complex turn pattern (poor men are still dizzy from the turn, turn and a half, hook turn, etc. combination!).

Even though it was hot in there, it didn't stop the crowd from taking advantage of the lessons and dancing non-stop. I was happy to see lots of beginners on the dance floor, practicing their right turns and open breaks and, as usual, I as always proud to see the level 3s and up practicing the more complicated moves and looking really great!

It was nice of everyone to remember that I recently celebrated my birthday and, in the usual salsa tradition, I received a birthday dance (in fact, not one but two and later on an added bonus). A birthday dance basically means everyone gathers around in a circle and takes a quick turn dancing with the birthday boy or girl. It usually lasts one or two songs. Yesterday was quite hot and it was hard to dance more then 2 songs in a row with close to 20 partners, switching from leading to following, from dancing on 1 to dancing on 2. However, it was great fun and thanks to all who participated and Evan for setting it up!

Later on Teddy Olaso and the gang from United Salseros/Mambo Mosaic did another dance which as also quite hilarioun and I danced with many partners I haven't seen in a while...thanks to Jessie, Brian, Jason, Kerem, and more for the dance!

Many people have asked me questions about birthday dance etiquette so tomorrow I will offer some tips on this salsa tradition.

Our next outing is Friday, August 24th at 8:30pm at Plaza Flamingo for a special evening of bachata with Alex Bello. More info to follow!

Here is the last part of Linda's adventure at the Miami Salsa Congress ... thanks Linda!

"Miami Salsa Congress 2007…thoughts by Linda Domenichini!


Sunday:
Bachata! What a nice way to start the morning. We were so excited to take that class and build upon the basics that we’ve learned in level 1 at TDS. There is a cute move that instructor Jorge Elizondo (Texas) dubbed “popcorn.” Ask me to dance bachata and maybe I will show it to you! Puerto Rican style salsa was next on the agenda with Jhesus Aponte (Puerto Rico). Jhesus is a fantastic performer, but we were so tired that we were struggling to pick up the advanced on2 shines and turn pattern. Transitioning from on1 to on2 is tough enough, but the lack of sleep didn’t help us. Luckily, Joby Brava’s (L.A.) ladies styling on1 class helped us to gain back some of our confidence. We rocked it! But then, we were told about another injury: Andy Cruz, scheduled to teach us some mambo hip hop, came hobbling into the room in crutches, but he showed us his support, as an instructor from Salsa Lovers (Miami) took over and taught us an athletic shines combo. We sure did heat up the floor! I finished the day with a dips and tricks class with Al & Karla Espinoza (L.A). This is my second class with Al & Karla; I had the opportunity to take class with them last year during the Canada Salsa Congress. I enjoy their classes because their millennium style really focuses on musicality. I did the shines section of the class, but as there weren’t enough men available, I sat out and observed the dips portion and how they broke it down and explained the technique. I tried it with a couple of the men when the class was dismissed and I got it! So, it was a very leadable turn pattern and trick/dip. After all my hard work, I rewarded myself with a swim in the ocean before the last night of performances and dancing. The evening included yet another memorable performance by Al and Karla Espinoza. Can you imagine salsa dancing to a James Brown song? Well, it is possible! Al came out dressed as the “Godfather of Soul” and injected a little bit of comedy into a spectacular salsa routine. I also lost my voice cheering for Toronto’s own Los Salsomanos. The night ended with more dancing into the wee hours of the morning, and as I rested in between dances, I enjoyed watching a very advanced rueda circle.

I am very pleased that I had the opportunity to grow as a dancer by attending the Miami Salsa Congress. I was inspired to continue my salsa development by the wonderful people I met, the classes I took, and through the performances that I saw. If you ever get the opportunity to go to a congress, please go because it is worth it. I am really looking forward to the Canada Salsa Congress in Toronto this coming October. I hope to see you all there celebrating our love of Latin dance and music!"

Here is part 3 of Linda's adventure in Miami...

"Miami Salsa Congress 2007…thoughts by Linda Domenichini!

Saturday:
To jump-start the morning, we got a taste of Colombian Style Salsa partner work with Son de Cali. It was so interesting to experience this style of salsa, which will certainly add some flair to my dancing. We learned the Columbian basic, mark, elevation, fours and a basic with a cha cha cha, the latter being a move we were told is used often to replace the standard basic during really fast songs. With just a few basic moves, we were dancing with some Columbian flavour! We were scheduled to take ladies styling on2 with Griselle Ponce for our next class, but unfortunately, Griselle had a hairline fracture and couldn’t teach that day, so Nelson Gaston Vidarte from Energy One (Miami) stepped in to take over the class. He performed the night before, so we knew all about his fantastic body movement, but now we know that he is also a fantastic instructor! My shoulders still ache from the isolation exercises and shines combo he took us through. Shake, shake, shake! While some of us took Ismael Otero’s (New York) turn patterns on2 class, I decided to take some casino rueda with Rene Gueits & Salsa Lovers (Miami). They had three circles going – beginner, intermediate and advanced. I’ve never taken a casino rueda class before, but since I consider myself a strong enough follower, I decided to jump in the intermediate circle. It was a lot of fun whizzing around the circle and I think I had a permanent smile on my face the entire hour. If you have yet to try rueda, you should definitely give it a go. Next, we dove into on2 territory with Jayson Molina (Puerto Rico) who challenged us with a shines routine. The advanced class was tough, but I learned a lot by pushing myself to try something out of my comfort zone. After Jayson’s on2 class, I finished the day with an on1 turn pattern class with Salsa Karibe (Miami). I’m glad that we rotated frequently in this class because I got to dance with some great dancers. After a tough day, I needed a little cat-nap before the performances and evening dancing, so I decided to snooze by the pool, but of course, it was non-stop action at this event - with poolside dancing!

At any given salsa congress, the Saturday evening is usually known to be the biggest night of entertainment, and I was once again blown away by the talent on stage. My favorite performances of the evening included Al & Karla Espinoza (L.A.) who inspired me to keep working on my multiple turns! Griselle Ponce (N.Y) braved the stage in her wrapped foot (that beautifully matched her costume I might add) and proved that even with an injury, she is one of the best dancers around. Billy Fajado and Katie Marlow (Ft. Lauderdale) gave a stunning cabaret style performance with incredible lifts and graceful style, while Jhesus Aponte and Sheila De Jesus (Puerto Rico) injected salsa with a swing/jive feel. A most amazing performance was given by a troupe from Montreal (I’m still trying to track down who it was because they were so fantastic) and I absolutely loved the show by Santo Rico (N.Y) The future of salsa looks bright as we watched a group of high school kids from Massachusetts - Salsa Con Clase – who brought down the house with their funky flavour.

Once again, I was exhausted by midnight, but I wanted to check out the social dancing for a bit, and I’m sure glad that I did because Sonora Carruseles from Columbia was in the house! What a great concert."

Last part on Monday!

Here is the continuation of Linda's experience at the Miami Congress

"Miami Salsa Congress 2007…thoughts by Linda Domenichini!

Friday:
Our first class was with Miguel & Darija from Germany, who taught a fun Cuban style turn pattern, but I was really looking forward to Cha Cha Cha class with Franklin Ayala (N.Y). After going over the basics, he kicked it into high gear with a difficult shines combo. At first, I thought I wouldn’t be able to pick it up, but I was proud that I was able to catch on to the choreography. Our next workshop of the day was a shines combo with Salsa Heat (Orlando). It was a familiar set of moves, but a fun combo that gave me the chance to work on my technique and ability to pick up choreography. Andres Echevarria was a fantastic instructor who really encouraged us to excel. The excitement kept building with an Afro-Cuban rumba class, taught by Neri Torres (Cuba), which was by far one of the most interesting and challenging body movement classes I’ve ever taken. Next on the list: shines and styling with Hooked On2 (Miami). Once again, the class consisted of another challenging combo, especially since I just started learning On2. When our instructor Ivette started styling, you knew right away that she was a pro. That ended my day of classes, although I heard that the styling on2 class by Sheila De Jesus (Puerto Rico) was a great experience. I enjoyed some sunshine by the pool and was off to the get ready for the evening performances.

A jam-packed list of top international salsa performers took the stage during the weekend. I had so many favorites, but the most notable Friday night performances included: Energy One’s Nelson Gaston Vidarte (Miami); Jayson Molina (Puerto Rico); Joby Brava & Omar Muñoz (L.A.); and Alessalsa Style (Italy). By midnight, I was too tired to social dance. I missed out on a live concert by one of Florida’s most sought after bands, Potencia Latina, but I knew that I needed some rest to make it through another day of workshops. I dreamed of swift feet and salsa beats that night!"

Part 3 tomorrow!

Linda, Carolina, John 1 and John 2 hit the hot Miami Salsa Congress last week and Linda agreed to guest blog for the week and share with you her experiences...Thanks Linda!

"Miami Salsa Congress 2007…thoughts by Linda Domenichini!

One word: phenomenal! This sums up my experience at the 6th Annual Miami Salsa Congress. Held at the Miami Beach Resort & Spa on August 1-5, the event brought together all those who have a passion for salsa for five full days of parties, performances and workshops - and wow, this event did not disappoint!

We arrived in Miami early Thursday afternoon, which gave us a chance to settle in and hit the beach. Before we knew it, it was time to go to the official kick-off party at Yuca Lounge in Miami Beach. The small venue was packed with salsa enthusiasts and I had some great dances. I even learned a few new moves and a dip! Many of the instructors gave a freestyle demonstration of their talents as well. Among the salsa pros was Toronto’s very own Giovanni Torres, who tore up the floor with his shines. I was really impressed with the talent during these demonstrations – especially since the floor conditions weren’t the best (stone tiles) - but nothing could stop us from moving our feet to the beats of DJ Alberth Moreno (South Florida) and DJ Franklin Ayala (N.Y). We didn’t get back to the hotel until three in the morning!

A late-night made it a challenge to get up for the workshops, but we didn’t travel all that way to sleep in and miss out on classes with some of the most acclaimed salsa dancers in the world. With two classes (in different rooms) an hour to choose from, we had to plan which ones to take for our dance development. The program offered classes from the beginner to advanced level, ranging from various styles including Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Colombian. On1, on2, footwork on clave, ladies styling – whatever you were after, it was there! The congress even offered a beginners bootcamp, taught by Edie “The Salsa Freak” Lewis. I wish I could have taken all of the classes, but I managed to participate in five out of the seven timeslots of classes each day."

Stay tuned to the next post from Linda's exciting Miami trip...

Well unfortunately for some reason El Cantante has not come out in Toronto yet and I am not sure if it actually will which is disappointing. There has been a lot of discussion about this movie and with all the talk it would make sense that it should show in Toronto. Oh well we shall see if it does...

So to combat the lack-of-dance-movies-blues, Evan and I, alongside Evan's parents Annamarie and David, rented the movie Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School. It looked to be a small independent movie which is not my usual cup of tea but the word "dancing" and the cover of the DVD sold me so we rented it.

In case anyone was planning on seeing this movie, here are my thoughts on it. First of all, if you wanted a movie with dancing scenes in it, you will be disappointed. There was very little dancing to be seen and what was shown was very basic lessons in cha cha and merengue with the wrong music played. Definitely did not satisfy me in that way.

What was left was a very slow, although touching, story of healing and love through dance. At Marilyn Hotchkiss' dance school, several mourning widowed gentlemen found laughter, joy and even new romance through the miracle of dance.

The story was somewhat choppy, lacked some details to make it truly believable and was too slow for the most part, but if you are looking for a simple background movie while you are doing something (e.g. working on a puzzle as in Annamarie's case), it will be a nice movie to see.

Part 2

Yesterday I commented on a great article I read on how salsa has changed in New York which many say is where salsa was born and cultivated. Click here to check out the article. It is very interesting to see how some are very excited by the changes and some feel the loss of an art.

If you ask Eddie Torres who really took the gritty New York Salsa and turned it into a sleeker more structured dance, he will tell you the changes in salsa are positive. It is less about partying and more about skill and focus. Young kids are no longer being integrated into a scene that promotes alcohol, smoking and even drugs. You will not likely find any great salsa dancers with any of these vices. Instead young salsa dancers feel inspired to get in shape, stay clean, work hard and dedicate themselves to the sport similar to any young athlete.

If you see Torres teach a workshop or dance, you will likely believe he truly feels the same passion and love for the dance as he did 30 years ago. So the passion of the dance is still evident. Go to a congress and you will see it. However, it is just not as free flowing and careless. And that is where the loss is felt by some.

I am so glad to see Toronto Clubs doing better then ever. We are lucky to have a choice of several good clubs to choose from 7 nights a week. All the new shows and dance movies like "So You Think You Can Dance", "Dancing with the Stars", "Dance with Me", etc...have managede to introduce the art to new dancers. I know we can keep the upwards momentum and continue to enjoy this great art.

Part 1 - Is Salsa Changing?

I read this very interesting article about the evolution of mambo to salsa in New York and how salsa in changing. Take a quick read by clicking here. There were many interesting points that were brought up in this article that I wanted to comment on...this may take a few posts to get through!

The first theme that was discussed was how salsa has drastically changed since the era of Hector Lavoe and other famous salsa artists in the 70s and 80s. Salsa was grittier back then, danced in smoky clubs where alcohol and drugs were in abundance. The dance was less about the sport and more about the social aspect, a way for those of Latin heritage to unite, socialize and party together. The moves were basic and the rhythm was whatever you were feeling at the moment to that particular song. There was a freedom to this way of life that is not as evident these days in the New York salsa scene.

With the introduction of Eddie Torres to the mambo scene and the creation of dancing on "2", salsa became more structured and emphasis was placed on dancing on beat in a similar linear manner. Dance lessons became more popular and learning to dance "properly" was emphasized.

With all the changes, salsa clubs in New York have become less popular. Instead, salsa studios, weekly socials, parties and congresses have taken over in popularity. The dance has become more competitive, athletic and sporty. It is taken very seriously and the days of drinking, smoking and even drugs in the salsa environment are fading quickly.

I can definitely see these changes in Toronto also. Although salsa clubs in Toronto are more popular then ever, the tone has changed in the 7 years I have been dancing. When I started dancing the clubs were filled with mostly those of Latin background. The dancing was much simpler, really fun and very social. There wasn't a big challenge to the dance style though and the rhythm of many dancers was all over the place and difficult to follow.

Fast forward to 2007 where salsa clubs are just a packed but with every type of dancer - background, size, age and skill sets vary considerably. Dancers focus on varying up their turn patterns and sticking to a certain beat. The skill level is much higher with amazing multiple turn variations. There is less drinking, no smoking and more focus on dancing.

I don't really think one is better than the other. I am a non-smoker, non-drinker so an environment that caters to this appeals to me. I like the challenge of more complicated dancing and I really want my partner to dance on time. However, I also loved dancing in a free, structure free environment where no one cared about rules and just let go.

Hopefully we can keep alive the free, social and fun factor of the past and merge it with the clean living, athletic structure and continue to enjoy all that salsa dancing has to offer!

(Continued tomorrow)