The devastating earthquake that hit the nation of Haiti on January 12, 2010 has quickly mobilized support from all around the world, including the salsa dance community.
Did you miss it? Watch this
highlights clip with video and stills from the 2009 World Salsa Championships. Snippets include footage from nearly all the top 3 finishers from the on1, on2, cabaret, and team divisions. Watch Cristian Oviedo & Liz Lira, Luis Aguilar & Anya Katsevman, Ritmo y Sabor, Jonathan Landa & Jenny Rodriguez, and many more. Thanks to John Narvaez and Liz Rojas for informing me of the song, "Mambo In Two Parts" by Snowboy and the Latin Section. The cover photo features Puerto Rico's Edwin Nieves & Greysa Baez from the on2 division below.
Special thanks to Jessica Hannah, Mauricio Sandoval, Julie Wagner,
Noel Roque, Jose Mendoza (ATP), Victor Perez (HyM), Cristian Oviedo,
Liz Lira, Luis Aguilar, Anya Katsevman, Joel Lopez & Erika Bautista (RyS),
Dakin & Kayono Ferris, Francisco Vazquez, Albert Torres, Rob Beiner
To close the final Sunday night at the Philadelphia Salsafest, two teams had 15 minutes to prepare a salsa shines/footwork routine to battle one another.
The first team includes James (Jimmy) McIver (A&E Dance Studio/BMB), Cristian Oviedo, Bernardo De La Vega (BMB), Niya Patel (Proyecto Barrio), John Narvaez (Salsamania), Noel Rodriguez (Calle Luna), and Henri Velandia (HotSalsaHot). The second team includes Al Espinoza, Victor Perez and Burju Hurturk Perez (Hacha y Machete), Uriel Garcia (Art in Motion), Eduardo Perez (A&E Dance Studio/BMB), and Allen Thomas (Proyecto Barrio).
Reposted and modified from the original blog post.
Sonya Elmore and La Luna Dance Studio in Bensalem, Pa have announced the first annual Philadelphia Salsafest to be held from Halloween weekend, October 30-November 1, 2009. The invited performers and instructors list is stacked, as Sonya has invited local, national, and international talent including Puerto Rico Open & Mayan champions and World Salsa Championships finalists (Sonya and partner Victor Colon finished 5th at the 2006 World Salsa Championships in the cabaret division, and is a principal subject in our Salsamentary documentary). Local Philadelphia area talent includes Jessica Rodriguez, Calle Luna, Darlin Garcia, Mike Andino, Barbara Capaldi, and Joe Figueroa. Here is an abbrieviated list of scheduled artists -
Jessica Moya Rodriguez talks with Mambodelphia's George Dennis about a special project coming October 23 -- The 2010 Pose for the Cure calendar. The calendar teams the women of several Philadelphia area salsa dance groups Las Estrellas, Art in Motion, Mambodelphia, Ahi-Nama, and Arte Salseros who are working to raise funds for the Susan G. Komen breast cancer foundation, in conjunction with photographer Brandon Pittam.
The calendar will be available at La Luna Dance Studio's Halloween party on Friday, October 23 in Bensalem, Pa.
The wait is over. We are less than a week away from perhaps the largest salsa congress in the world.
Performer and promoter Marlon "International" Mills talks with Jessica Hannah about the 9th annual 2009 New York Salsa Congress.
Kicking off this labor day event of salsa is a party on Wednesday night (September 2) at Club Cache. Thursday night is the first official night of the Congress at the Hilton New York Hotel, followed by three days of workshops, performances, and social dancing.
Check out the official page for more information. Below is our HD highlights video of the 2008 event with Tito Allen, Adalberto Santiago, Juan Matos, Candy Mena, Maykel Fonts, Jazz Biancci (MamboNYC), Griselle Ponce, Karel Flores, Betto Rojas, Julissa Cruz, Mel C (Salsa Central) and Magna Gopal with Dimas Mero.
The La Vieja Guardia social in New York is celebrating its first anniversary in serious style.
Promoters Joel Dominguez, DJ Antonio Esquievel, and Alfredo Felix have invited a number of performers and musicians for their event on Saturday, August 29th at the Cathedral on 504 West 41St (between 10th and 11th ave) in Manhattan.
This July 4th weekend in the U.S. features two great salsa congresses.
The 6th annual Las Vegas Salsa Congress, promoted by (2006 Mayan team champions and 2006 top 5 finalist World Salsa Championships) Sin City Salseros in association with Albert Torres, is one of the premiere events on the west coast.
Nathan Strager, Oscar Coronado, and staff has again secured Fernando Sosa and Tropical Gem from Italy for the second year in a row. Legendary artist Adalberto Santiago is the featured artist for Saturday evening. Confirmed performers include Tito and Tamara from Puerto Rico, Marco Ferrigno from Italy, rising couple Jose Aguilar and Mariana Salinas and Alma Latina from Mexico, Rogelio Moreno and Salsabor y Cache, and Cristian Oviedo and Liz Lira.
We had lots of fun at the congress, with Joe Figueroa of Philadelphia's Living in Rhythm returning as a workshop instructor.
On the east coast, the Orlando Salsa Congress makes its return for the fourth year. Organized by Frank Fuentes of Born to Salsa, Michael Barbieri of Salsa Heat, and Jose Luis Gutierrez of Salsa Karibe, the event promises a great combination of parties, workshops, and performances. Confirmed artists include the Bronx's Yamulee, Boston's Masacote and Salsa y Control, Chicago's Urban Vibe, and Atlanta's Paso Fino.
Below is our high definition highlights video from the 2008 Las Vegas Salsa Congress.
Legendary artist, musician, performer, philanthropist, and icon Michael Jackson had died at the age of 50. To say that he is one of most important artists in the history of music is an understatement. Michael Jackson changed the fabric of music in his 40 years in the industry. He has influenced many of today's mainstream artists, as well as our own salsa scene's brightest stars and veterans such as Al Espinoza and Ismael Otero. Nuevotec's own staff has been known to break down and start popping, doing the backslides/moonwalk, and the robot, and sung Michael Jackson's many number one tracks. His legacy both in and out of music will never be forgotten.
Al Espinoza and his Liquid Silver Productions dance group (including members Guy, Cristina, Annalisa, Nathaniel, Banu, and Sean) performed their "Jackson 5 / Michael Jackson" routine at the 2009 Washington DC Salsa Congress. They performed to the songs, "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough", "The Love You Save", and "Dancing Machine".
We are less than a week away from the 5th annual Washington DC Salsa Congress. It's not too late to order your tickets for the event at the Hilton Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, VA from June 19-21.
Hosted by Shaka Brown and iMambo.tv, the congress features three days of parties, performances, and workshops.
Some of the artists slated to appear include Al Espinoza, Darlin Garcia, Ismael Otero and Shani Talmor, Melissa Rosado, and Iran Castillo.
Below is our HD highlights video from the 2008 event (you don't need to press the HD button).
Congratulations to dancer Jonathan Platero, who recently made the top 20 of the 5th season of So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD), a U.S. based reality dance competition show.
A former gymnast, Jonathan has performed individually and with the Orlando, Florida based dance company Salsa Heat. To our knowledge, Jonathan is the only dancer to place in the top 10 of the World Salsa Championships in three separate divisions (cabaret,on1,team) in addition to placing in the top 5 in four separate divisions of the World Salsa Federation competition, all before he turned 21. He also performed in High School Musical. Jonathan is now based in New York, where he also dances with Sekou McMiller.
Veteran musician Jimmy Bosch held his CD release party for his fourth album, “¡A Million!”, at the Imperial Club (in association with Mike Pena & Marlon Mills) in New York on May 13. Please follow this link at Salsa-Central for an interview with the acclaimed musician. The CD is now available at Amazon and CDBaby..
Over the past three years, we have accumulated a large variety of videos, from interviews, highlights, social dances, and performances. We have been entertained by the likes of Al "Liquid Silver" Espinoza, Oliver Pineda and Luda Kroitor, Tropical Gem, Santo Rico, and many others. Each week (or two) we will profile a selection of videos, ranging from the very popular to the rarely seen.
This week we feature Grizel Del Valle, also known as Chachi or Gzell. A very talented dancer, Chachi is one of original members of both Caribbean Soul and Taima dance companies. Gifted with a beautiful voice, Chachi has appeared as a singer in shows such as "Havana After Dark" and other productions. She also was a cast member of "Celia Cruz - The Musical", and the Marc Anthony/Jennifer Lopez film "El Cantante"
Chachi with Raul Santiago at the 2006 New York Salsa Congress
Guillermo and Chachi at the 2008 Dancers Night Out
Sekou and Chachi at the 2008 Yesenia Dance Factory Opening
Caribbean Soul with Chachi at the 2004 Puerto Rico Salsa Congress
Raul and Chachi at 2006 House of Dance Christening
Nuevotec was on location for the New York Launch Party & Runway Show for Burju Shoes in late April. Burju Hurturk Perez, also of Hacha y Machete, invited colleagues, friends, and family to view her new line of shoes for dancers and the wedding market, in collaboration with Karina Jimenez of Something Blue NY. Among the models were Melissa Rosado, Duplessey Walker, Lori Perez, Stracy Diaz, Aurora Fiorentino Scerbo, and Karel Flores. Attendees included Yesenia Peralta, John Jay Lalama, Victor Mayovanex and Gretel Ramirez (Karisma Dance Company), Marlon Mills, Musician Gilberto "Pulpo" Colon, Jr., and Angel Justiano of the New Swing Sextet. Interview hosted by Davin Riley.
