WELCOME TO
... AN OLYMPIC EVENT! As London gears up for a massive tourist influx for this year’s 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, what better excuse for salseros to start the year with a marathon dance event in the heart of this exciting cosmopolitan city? Now in its fourth year, the Stars of Salsa dance festival – brought to you by Tamambo and Leon Rose, the founders of the world-famous SOS (Salsa on Sundays) Sunday-night salsa social in central London – is back… and this time, it’s bigger, better and LONGER! Adding to our previous years’ successful format of three party nights and showcases of premiere dance performances by some of the most exciting international and UK dancers, you can now join the cream of London’s thriving social-dance scene with four nights at four different venues right in the heart of central London – including our new Thursday pre-party and a Friday all-night dance party at one of London’s most exciting nightclubs (see page X for the latest newsflash). Of course we still have the Saturday-night party at the Camden Centre, plus a full day of workshops at the Royal National Hotel on Sunday, and this year will have both sides of the Royal National Hotel for the Sunday-night party to cater for both kizomba and salsa lovers. Yes, we’ll be competing in the mega-energy stakes with all those athletes heading to London for this year’s summer Olympics by offering our very own marathon of dance events in even better locations – created by dancers for dancers.
With the buzz around the Olympics now building up to fever pitch, Transport for London has been busy giving the city’s infrastructure a major spruceup, with exciting plans for a new high-speed Javelin rail link, upgrades to underground and overground lines, and the UK’s first cable-car system over the Thames, the ‘Thames Gateway Cable Car’, to link the two main Olympics sites (North Greenwich Arena and the ExCel). Work on new and existing venues extending into Greater London is also under way. The great news is that while all this upgrade work may cause chaos in London for the time being, we’ll be left with some outstanding additions to the London skyline – not to mention major improvements to the infrastructure, which will make getting to and around London for Stars of Salsa 2013 SOOOO much easier! If ever there was a prime time to visit London*, 2012 is it – so come join us early in the year and be a part of the excitement. – Jane Hurd Cahane *See pp 12-15 for a sneak preview of what millions of tourists flock to London to see – along with our top tips on how to save money and beat the queues.
Contents 3 Newsflash: Friday Party Venue Change
16 Maykel Fonts Inspiration
4 The SOS’12 pre Party
18 Teachers & Perfomers at SOS’12
6 Getting to and around London
20 Stars of Salsa 2012 Programme
10 In the know: The London Salsa Scene
22 Make the Afrolatin Connection
12 Top 10 things to see and do in London
26 Review of Stars of Salsa 2011
NEWSFLASH Friday party venue change This year, the Stars of Salsa Friday night party, , introducing some of our featured performers and kicking off the event in style, will be held at the famous Egg Nightclub rather than our usual venue at the Royal National Hotel – why? Because we wanted to give you the chance to dance ALL NIGHT LONG! Yes – you will be able to dance at this egg-citing location from 9pm to 9am on your full and party pass!* Along with its reputation as one of London’s most unique clubs, the huge, multi-room Egg club has the longest opening times in the UK (it’s open 24/7), so is an ideal place to launch the event. And it also enables us to offer two dedicated dance rooms, one for kizomba, zouk and bachata, and the other for salsa, mambo and cha cha vibes. Located on York Way, near Kings Cross station, Pentonville Road and Caledonian Road (there’s
Friday Party EGG NIGHT CLUB 200 York Way Woburn Place London N7 9AX
Registration: 21.00 Workshops: 21.00 - 22:00 Doors Close: 09:00 International Workshops: Int/Adv Salsa Workshop with Los Pambos Dance Co. (BG) Kizomba Workshop with Afrolatin Connection Dance Co. (P)
even a free Egg shuttle bus from The American Car Wash on York Way outside Kings Cross station; if you’re sat-naving, it, the address is 200 York Way, Kings Cross, London N7 9AP), the club also features an Ibiza-esque vibe, a chill-out garden area with outdoor seating, an indoor eatery (so you don’t have to leave the club if you need to refuel), and a couple of VIP/private spaces. Get your passes now for what promises to be a fun-filled, exuberant night for all you hard-core dancers on www.starsofsalsa.com. For more information, please subscribe to our newsletter on the sign-up tab at the Stars of Salsa page on Facebook. – Jane Hurd Cahane
*If you are just buying a single pass for the night, prices start at £15 pre-sale and £20 on the door.
Saturday Party
Sunday Party
Camden Centre (opposite Eurostar’s St Pancras station)
The Sunday venue is at the World famous SOS (Salsa on Sundays)
Camden Town Hall Euston Road London W1CH 9JE
Royal National Hotel (North side entrance)
coupon
DJs DJ Stefano “El Malo” (CH) DJ Julian “The Duke” (UK) Doors open: 21.00 Doors close: 04.00
Woburn Place London W1CH ODG Registration: 11.00 - 11.00 Workshops: 12.00 - 17.35 Doors evening: 18.30
THE SOS ’12 PRE-PARTY
...this year’s don’t-miss event! The fourth annual ‘Stars of Salsa – the One and Only’ festival gets off to a bang with a fabulous Thursday night pre-party at Pexava dance club. With its central location (just around the corner from Holborn tube station on the Piccadilly line), a large, sprung wooden dancefloor, and some of the best national and international teachers and dancers, Gil & Shelley’s Pexava dance night has quickly become one of London’s most popular salsa socials – and you’ll soon see why. Featuring international showcases from James and Alex of Dubai and others to kick off the party in style, the Stars of Salsa 2012 pre-party is a perfect opportunity to meet other dancers and get acquainted with London’s vibrant, cosmopolitan salsa scene. Not yet a confident social dancer? Have no fear – in addition to classes for all levels from 7.15-8.30,
Gil & Shelley, Bircan and the team are running a beginners’ course from the first Thursday of the month, starting at 6.30-7.15pm (registration at 6.15pm). Tickets are available on the door only, at the amazing-value price of £10 for class and club, £8 for club only (8.15-11.30pm) and £5 for the Beginners course. – Jane Hurd Cahane
Venue: Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, WC1R 4RL http://www.starsofsalsa.com http://www.pexava.com
8th INTERNATIONAL
WARSAW SALSA FESTIVAL
9 w
a s r Wa
2 1 0 v2
o n 11
9th - 11th NOVEMBER 2012
THE BIGGEST SALSA EVENT IN POLAND!
WORKSHOPS/DANCE SHOWS/PARTIES/CONCERTS
LIVE RUMBA JAM SESSION
ONLY 70€
ARTISTS: YAMULEE (USA) MAYKEL FONTS (CUBA) JUAN MATOS & AMNERIS MARTINEZ (USA/PUERTO RICO) HACHA Y MACHETE (USA) NUNO & VANDA (PORTUGAL) FARID & ADIL (MOROCCO /FRANCE) AFROLATIN CONNECTION (PORTUGAL) ADOLFO INDACOCHEA (USA) KWENDA LIMA (CAPE VERDE) FRANK SANTOS & JULIE CAMOUS (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC/FRANCE) TAMAMBO & LISANDRA (UK) ANIA CHAGOWSKA (POLAND) PROJECT SALSA (POLAND) SALSA SABROSA (POLAND) SALSA LIBRE (POLAND) AND MORE!
WWW.SALSAFESTIVAL.PL
GETTING TO AND AROUND LONDON by Jane Hurd Cahane
For such a huge, busy, urban sprawl of a city, London is still fairly easy to get to and around in once you know where you’re going, as it is well supplied with tube (underground/metro) lines, buses and overground train links. And if all roads lead to Rome, SOS’s prime location near Kings Cross (both an underground and major railway station) makes it incredibly accessible to visitors travelling from anywhere. Of course the most convenient (though not usually the cheapest or even the fastest) airport for international travellers is Heathrow, but even though most of the budget airlines fly to locations outside London, you can still connect to the centre easily by bus (see Easy Jet’s bus company, www.easybus.co.uk, for cheap bus travel from all airports to London) or rail, with relatively fast links to Kings Cross/St Pancras stations – so, whichever way you choose to travel, you won’t have any problems getting here.
TIP: Most major rail and tube (London Underground) stations offer free mini-Tube maps, and also have a local street map somewhere near the exit, which help in working out your journey. You can usually estimate two minutes per stop on a tube line, though some delays are normal.
TIP: If you plan to cover a lot of journeys over different travel zones in a day or over a few days, it is worth it to buy an Oyster Card or London Travelcard (available from any tube station) or London Pass, which also offers travel discounts along with discounted entry to many attractions (marked with a star; see www.londonpass.com).
From Gatwick Airport: Take a direct train to Kings Cross/St Pancras. From there, it is a short walk to most of the venues. Travel time: 35 mins.
From Luton airport: Take the free shuttle bus to Luton Airport Parkway train station and then catch the direct train to St Pancras. Travel time: 20–35 mins.
From Heathrow airport: Take the Piccadilly tube (underground/ metro) direct to Kings Cross station. Alternatively, for SOS’s normal home at the Royal National Hotel, get off a few stops earlier at Russell Square tube station. Travel time: 40–45 mins.
From Stansted airport: Take the Stansted Express train to Tottenham Hale and then change onto the Victoria line tube to Kings Cross. Alternatively, take the easyBus shuttle to Baker Street, and then take the Circle or Hammersmith & City tube line to Kings Cross St Pancras. Travel time: 35–45 mins.
E N E C S A S L A S ON IN THE KNOW: THE LOND The London salsa scene is incredibly lively and diverse, with more salsa clubs per square mile than New York – but it pays to know where and when to go, and what to do when you get there Right, you’ve bought your pass, booked your travel and hotel, brought your snazziest outfits and are looking forward to some hot, hot, hot dance nights – well, you’re definitely in for a memorable experience, but here’s a few tips on how to ensure you truly have the time of your life. Firstly, like other European cities, London’s salsa scene has evolved from a predominantly Cuban scene (with a heavy Colombian accent) to offer a huge variety of styles, classes, clubs, live-band nights, weekenders and performance-training groups, with the level of top-notch on1 and on2 dance talent proliferating as we write, so keen is the passion for the dance here.
Secondly, some on2 dancers at popular clubs like SOS tend to stick with dancers they know, so can come across a bit elitist, but if you persevere in chatting to them or asking them to dance, they will soon warm up to you, and you will find they are actually really friendly. But whatever you do, don’t waste your time sulking if anyone doesn’t recognise your fantastic dance skills immediately and so turns you down – just ask someone else for a dance from the among the many talented others hanging out near the dancefloor, and get out there and enjoy yourself! That way, you’ll soon feel like you’ve fit in and made some fantastic new friends.
You will normally encounter all of the above styles – along with kizomba, zouk, bachata, cha cha, reggaeton and other genres – in most clubs, unless it is a venue or night that caters for one particular style. Most seasoned dancers can dance all styles, but if you are unsure whether their preferred cross-body style is on1 or on2 and don’t wish to get turned down, check whether the DJ favours mambo music over salsa, watch the dancers to see what timing they dance on, or failing that, just ask! “If you persevere with asking for a dance, you will find most dancers are friendly and happy to dance with you.”
Note: The action of asking for a dance is NOT limited to men – so ladies, don’t just stand there and waste time waiting for a dance – just grab someone and go for it!
creative musical interpretation as well as technical advancement, so are great for both advanced and improving on2 dancers – and they are a good way to get to know London dancers.
Thirdly, new clubs are springing up all the time in London, although the best – like SOS – have remained popular for years because of their consistently high-quality dancing and music. In central London, how good your dance night is usually depends on which dancers are there, who is DJing and who is running the venue – for example, the best nights at the long-running Bar Salsa! are Mondays and Wednesdays; other nights tend to be Latin pop-oriented, with an emphasis on drinking.
There are many other good clubs in Central London and Greater London (the areas south and north of the river, or to the east and west of Central London), and beyond, with an increasingly popular kizomba and zouk scene – many clubs offer dedicated rooms or nights to cater for these.
Recently, there has been a growing mambo/salsa social scene, with great new clubs like Gil & Shelley’s Pexava Thursday-night social in Holborn, TNT’s Tuesday-night social at the Boston club in Tufnell Park (opposite Tufnell Park tube, on the Northern line’s High Barnet branch). These feature a relaxed, friendly vibe, with an emphasis on
Apart from Facebook and word of mouth, a good source of info on clubs is at www.salsa-central.com or www.londonsalsa.co.uk. No matter what your style or flavour is, your time in London and at the Stars of Salsa 2012 festival will certainly add something new to your repertoire – whether by learning from masters at the workshops or through private lessons, or simply by dancing socially with the huge range of experienced, talented dancers here. Just keep smiling, keep dancing, keep an open mind, and ‘show friendly to make friends’!
Apart from Facebook and word of mouth, a good source of info on clubs is at www.salsa-central.com or www.londonsalsa.co.uk
TOP 10 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN LONDON With its eclectic jumble of ancient, historical and ultra-modern buildings, cultures from every corner of the planet, world-class museums and galleries, and unique, village-like areas, London has something for everyone – so why not make the most of your time here by visiting some of these before the Olympic crush? Here are some of London’s top attractions, along with tips for what to do and where to eat nearby for those with limited time or cash. by Jane Hurd Cahane 1. The London Eye Undoubtedly the best place for a panoramic view of the city is from a capsule on the London Eye – the giant ferris wheel perched on the South Bank of the Thames. On a clear day, you can even see Windsor Castle on the 30-minute trip. Also, The nearby South Bank Centre arts complex offers free concerts, exhibitions and events at the Royal Festival Hall, with inexpensive places to eat. www.southbankcentre.co.uk Nearest tube stations: Westminster, Waterloo (Jubilee, Bakerloo and Northern lines). TIP: The Eye is open from 10am–8.30pm, but be sure to arrive early to avoid disappointment and cut queuing time – also check (www.londoneye. com) first for any special offers on tickets or to fast-track your entry.
2. Thames River Cruise Apart from a leisurely stroll along the river from the South Bank Centre, a quick, fun and inexpensive way to take in London’s many attractions on the Thames – The Eye, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the huge, impressive Tate Modern gallery, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Tate Britain, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London – is a cruise. The pubs, park and market in Greenwich – home of the Royal Observatory and official site of the Olympics – are also well worth exploring. TIP: An £8 Red River Rover ticket allows you to hop on and off all day from Greenwich, Tower, London Eye and Westminster Piers while you sightsee (see www.citycruises.co.uk).
3. Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament London’s most iconic building is its massive clock tower, adjacent to the Houses of Parliament and the 1,000+-year-old ‘living pageant’ of Westminster Abbey. Immortalised by painters such as Turner and Monet, it’s a true must-see. TIP: For the best view, take the Jubilee or District and Circle tube lines to Westminster, and walk along Westminster Bridge; for more visitor info, see www.parliament.uk or www.westminster-abbey.org).
4. The Tower of London The Tower boasts an impressive collection of Royal Beasts, Beefeaters (guards dressed in historic red costumes), Royal Armour, Crown Jewels (including the breathtaking Koh-i-Noor diamond) and historic prisoners. Open daily for guided tours from 10am-4.30pm, last admission 4pm; tube Tower Hill (District and Circle tubes). TIP: Check out www.globetrips.com/Tower_of_London for discounts.
5. Tower Bridge Probably the most famous bridge in the world, the impact of this huge Victorian Gothic structure never falls down, although you can still witness its gates opening and closing to river traffic at certain times. It also has an exhibition well worth seeing. Tip: Walk across the bridge for an impressive view of historic and modern buildings, including the Tower of London, the new City Hall and HMS Belfast.
6. Trafalgar Square & The National Gallery Near Charing Cross and Leicester Square tube stations (Bakerloo and Northern lines), Trafalgar Square is a massive, open-air space featuring Nelson’s Column, the National Gallery’s world-class collection of paintings and the greatest concentration of pigeons outside Venice. The main gallery is free, but there is a charge for exhibitions at the adjacent Sainsbury Wing – including (currently) the most complete display of Leonardo da Vinci’s works (see www.nationalgallery.org.uk for tickets). Tip: The National Portrait Gallery (around the corner, and also free), Soho/ Chinatown, Covent Garden, the Comedy Club and Piccadilly Circus/West End theatres are all within walking distance. Tip: Both national gallery cafes offer good food at reasonable prices, but one of London’s best-kept secrets is the inexpensive and atmospheric Café in the Crypt restaurant at St Martins in The Fields church on Trafalgar Square, which also hosts concerts (www.smif.org).
7. Chinatown, Soho and the West End You can always find good, cheap Chinese food (though beware of some of the tourist-trap, all-day buffets), great bars and clubs, West End cinemas and theatres, and an exotic atmosphere by strolling through the alleys in Chinatown (between Leicester Square and Shaftesbury Avenue), and in and around Soho (which stretches up from Leicester Square to Oxford Street). One of London’s most popular cinemas, the three-
screen Curzon Soho (www.curzoncinemas.com), opposite Chinatown on Shaftesbury Avenue, also has a nice bar and cafe. If you’re staying in London on Monday and still have energy to dance, head to Salsa! at 96 Charing Cross road – it’s free before 9pm, but doesn’t get busy until 11pm (www.bar-salsa.com).
Tubes: Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus (Northern and Piccadilly lines) Tip: You can sometimes get reduced prices for tickets for shows at West End theatres by queuing early in the day for same-day seats.
8. Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street and Buckingham Palace Piccadilly Circus is a busy plaza famous for its Eros statue and bright lights, which continue up along Regent Street’s shops. If you find the crowds overwhelming, walk along Piccadilly and escape into Green Park or the serene cobbled courtyard cafe at the Royal Academy (www.royalacademy.org.uk).
After a short walk through Green Park and on to St James Park, you can gaze at the majesty of the Queen’s home and gardens at Buckingham Palace – take a guided tour, or hang around to watch the changing of the guards (usually around 11.30am – see www.royalcollection.org.uk).
Tip: As per most London art galleries, the Royal Academy is open until 9pm on Friday nights, often with free jazz in the courtyard.
9. London Markets The best place to pick up bargains, retro treasures, street fashion, cheap ethnic food and a real sense of London’s vibrancy are at one of its many colourful markets. For vintage, antiques (Thursdays), and a real East End vibe: Old Spitalfields Market, near Liverpool Street station (Circle, Metropolitan, District & Central tube lines). For food-lovers: Borough Market (near London Bridge tube, Northern and Jubilee lines). For fashion: Portobello Market in trendy Notting Hill (Notting Hill
Gate tube, Central line). For all things funky and vintage: Camden Market (Camden Town tube, Northern line). For arts & crafts, clothes, antiques (Mondays) theatre, and food: Covent Garden Jubilee Market Hall (Covent Garden tube, Piccadilly line). Other notable markets include: Greenwich (as above); Whitecross (Old Street tube, Northern line); and Billingsgate Fish Market (Canary Wharf, East London tube).
10. Bloomsbury and the British Museum Right on the SOS doorstep is Bloomsbury, an area made famous by the long list of literary and intellectual luminaries who once resided here – Virginia Woolf, Dickens, Darwin, W.B. Yeats, J.M. Barrie and John Maynard Keynes, to name a few – so a brief stroll around the neighbourhood will reveal a wealth of blue plaques. Also nearby
(between Holborn and Russell Square tubes, both Piccadilly line) are all 94 galleries of the British Museum, containing some of the world’s greatest treasures of Greek, Roman and Egyptian antiquities – free; daily 10am-5.30pm, Fridays 8.30pm (see www.brtishmuseum.org).
Tip: There are plenty of shops, restaurants and an art-house cinema (The Renoir) at the nearby Brunswick Centre, opposite Russell Square tube.
SAVE MONEY WITH THE LONDON PASS The London Pass is an award-winning, value-for-money tourist card that has been used by satisfied visitors to the city for over 10 years. It gives you free entry to 55 of London’s top attractions (as marked with an asterisk in our list) without having to wait in line, a free 120-page guidebook, over 30 free offers, plus free transport. It’s also valid for 12 months, so you can always use it on your next visit! www.londonpass.com
MAKE A DATE WITH MAYKEL A FONTS OF INSPIRATION
This year, our featured master performer/teacher is the dynamic, exciting and outstandingly versatile Maykel Fonts. This year, our featured master performer/teacher is the dynamic, exciting and outstandingly versatile Maykel Fonts. Widely regarded as one of the best Afro-Cubanstyle dancers in the world today, Maykel trained at the prestigious Tropicana dance school in Cuba, where he studied ballet, afro, rumba (Guaguanco, Yambú and Columbia), modern and contemporary dance before moving to Italy in 2000, where he expanded his repertoire by studying other disciplines – flamenco, jazz, hip-hop, acrobatics and Latin American dances – with master teachers. His intense dedication and training paid off when he won first prizes for best choreography and best solo dancer at the 2006 World Salsa Congress, also winning first prize for best solo dancer in 2001. Maykel has toured and performed around the world with Milton Morales, Ray Sepulveda, Mercadonegra and the Buena Vista Social Club, among others, and has appeared in numerous
Italian TV shows, including Italy’s version of Top of the Pops. Although he is an amazingly gifted solo performer, his shows with Cuban partner Kirenia Cantin are also breathtaking. He recently opened his own dance academy, the Maykel Fonts Academy, in Milan, where he teaches afro, rumba, hip-hop, jazz, classic, contemporary, flamenco, tango, bachata, son, cha cha, salsa and percussion. No stranger to the UK, Maykel has previously wowed audiences at the 2011 International London Cuban Congress, and the Cuban Salsa Congress and ‘Made in Cuba’ Christmas Special in Bournemouth, with his standout performance with Davide Rumberito. Students also raved about his masterclasses at these events. Now we’re giving you an opportunity to watch and learn from this undisputed creative master at the Stars of Salsa 2012 – don’t miss! – Jane Hurd Cahane
DANCE STUDIO PRESENTS
Wake up ! a s l a s o t
30th march-1th april 2012 warsaw, poland 2 days of workshops 2 nights of parties and dance shows international artists & instructors
ONLY 50â‚Ź
ARTISTS: JUAN MATOS (NYC), MELISSA ROSADO (NYC)
www.SalsaSpringBreak.pl
JUAN MATOS (USA) Originally from the Dominican Republic, Juan first made a name for himself in the New York salsa scene before his sexy and highly individual on2 style made him an international star. Now based in Italy with his group the Fogarate Dance Company, he regularly teaches and performs at congresses all over the world.
JOSE ANTONIO & VANESA – SON RUMBEROS (SPAIN) One of the top Spanish salsa-performance couples, Jose Antonio and Vanesa started dancing together in 2001 with Francisco Vasquez’s Son Rumberos group, and have been touring and performing internationally since 2005. Their fusion of Cuban and Puerto Rican salsa with jazz, ballroom and acrobatics has earned them four national championship titles, and they represent Spain at the World Championships.
MAJUSEE DANCE COMPANY (FRANCE) Formed by Leon Rose’s Project colleague, Matthieu Ferret – formerly of Fance’s first NY-style group, Uforia – MaJuSee regularly perform in Paris and at congresses around the world.
ANIA CHAGOWSKA – SALSA LIBRE (POLAND) Tamambo’s former dance partner, the ballet- and jazz-trained Ania Chagowska, runs the Salsa Libre dance studio and club in Poland, as well as the Warsaw Salsa Festival. She is regarded as one of Europe’s leading female dance teachers and performers.
LOS PAMBOS DANCE COMPANY (BG) Champions in their home country of Bulgaria since 2005, Los Pambos Dance Company (made up of Haralmabos [Pambos, the choreographer and director] and Maria Agapiou, Hristo Kirov, Miroslava Todorova, Ilia Iliev, Petya Milanova, Milen Iliev and Anelia Mancheva) is in great demand at congresses around the world.
IÑAKI FERNANDEZ (SPAIN) From Madrid, Spain, Iñaki Fernandez is one of the most sought-after UK and international teachers and a member of Leon Rose’s The Project. He specialises in bachata, salsa, kizomba, argentine tango and cha cha.
DJ’S DJ JULIAN “THE DUKE”(UK) DJ ERIC “THE SAINT” (DR)
DJ EL MALO (CH) DJ SHAAN (UK)
RICARDO AND PAULA – AFROLATIN CONNECTION (PORTUGAL) International salsa and kizomba stars Ricardo Sousa and Paula Loureiro have been dancing together since 2000, and formed their eight-member Afrolatin Connection company in 2005. Fusing together a variety of dance styles, they have won top awards (for best teachers and performers) in Portugal in 2008 and 2009, and serve as the official judges of Africadançar, the international kizomba competition.
TAMAMBO & LISANDRA BRUHNS (UK/GERMANY) SOS co-founder and international teacher/performer Tamambo (Dutch/Iraqi) has teamed up with Pura Salsa’s Cuban-German co-founder and choreographer, Lisandra Bruhns, for an exciting new collaboration, first premiered at the 2011 Mallorca salsa congress.
MAURO CASALI & EVA HURYCHOVA (UK) Italian-born Mauro and Czech-born Eva met and have been performing together since they began teaching at SOS in 2003. Their performances have achieved increasing national and international acclaim, and they were voted the UK’s best performers and teachers in 2009 and 2010.
LEON ROSE & THE PROJECT (UK/FRANCE) SOS co-founder, teacher, choreographer and performer Leon Rose won several competitions in the early 2000s, quickly cementing his reputation as one of the UK’s top dancers. He joined the London All-Star Latin Dance Company to promote what has become known as ‘London Style’ before setting up The Project and taking his special brand of dance-teaching magic to Paris.
PORTRAIT DANCE COMPANY (UK) Co-directed by three of the UK’s finest female dancers, performers, choreographers and teachers, Colleen Daniels, Miriam Oppel and Simone Mowen, Portrait Dance Company is a meeting of three creative minds coming together to portray diversity through dance, which together presents an edgy, urban yet uniquely feminine take on salsa.
STEVE ‘SALSA JUNKIE’ (UK) Steve started dancing six years ago and quickly became an avid salsa addict – hence the name. After travelling widely to learn from international teachers, he has become one of SOS’s most popular on1 and on2 teachers.
MORE TEACHERS & PERFORMERS CHRIS WINIARSKI & NATALIE BALTAO (POLAND/UK)
JAMES & ALEX (UAE) ERIC LALTA & LIDUINA LOVERT – SDS (BELGIUM/GERMANY) TAREK DEMERDASH (UK) FOSTER’S DANCE COMPANY ISTANBUL (TURKEY) JOSE ANTONIO & ALICIA (SPAIN) SIMON MASCARENHAS (UK) RAFAL KRAKOWIAK & BEATA WENDA(PL)
Note: Workshops in Galleon C are at all levels unless stated otherwise. The organisers reserve the right to change the workshop timetable on the day.
MAKING THE Stars of Salsa 2012 proudly presents Paula Loureiro and Ricardo Sousa from Portugal – aka Afrolatin Connection – who are currently firing new waves of dance passion with their stunningly unique, sexy and über-sensual kizomba/salsabased performances and excellent teaching skills. Don’t miss the international premier of their new two-couple show, ‘Afro Fusion’, on Saturday – and watch out for their performance of ‘Guajira con Tumbao’ on Friday!
To watch these two dance together is indeed something special – as you can see from the choreography in their recent show, ‘Lusiadas’ [watch the video here], they have achieved a fluid, seamless blend of elements as diverse as Argentine tango, street dance, contemporary, ballet, Cuban salsa and Afro-Latin movement, mambo and salsa and, of course, kizomba – which has helped them to become fast-rising stars in the growing kizomba community, in demand at salsa/ kizomba festivals around the world. They are also official judges of the international kizomba competition, Africadançar.
Ricardo started taking lessons in Cuban-style salsa with Paula in Porto in 2000, and they soon began dancing and teaching together, eventually forming the eight-member Afrolatin Dance Company in 2005. They had already established a reputation as Portugal’s top salsa teachers, winning awards in this category in both 2007 and 2008, when they heard their first kizomba track at a salsa party. Ricardo was immediately smitten with the music and dance, and began eagerly studying the history and Angolan culture (even the food!) behind it with Portugal’s ‘Mr Kizomba’, Petchú. He went on
to focus on understanding and being able to break down all of the various body isolations, timing and movements in order to transmit this to students at the Afrolatin Connection dance school he runs with Paula in Porto (they also run an Afro-Latin dance and show club called Muxima on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, as well as other dancerelated events*), although he was initially teaching kizomba with someone else. For Paula, the infatuation with kizomba was a little slower in coming. At first she resented its intrusion in salsa clubs, thinking it was little different to bachata. But when she saw a 12-year-old girl dancing it barefoot, she was really inspired and impressed by her style, and suddenly understood that this is how kizomba should be danced. So, she began going to kizomba clubs with the girl (a friend’s daughter), to try to get to grips with the dance, and then began learning together with Ricardo. Together they have gone through all of the difficulties most non-Angolan learners of kizomba face – particularly those who come, like they do, from a salsa background, and are therefore used to counts in the music (which doesn’t usually translate so easily with kizomba) – and have mastered all of the technical aspects of the dance,
so that they are now able to blend their knowledge of salsa teaching with their intensive study of kizomba to help students develop an innate understanding of the music and dance. Ricardo creates figures of the dance on a 1 to 8 count, making it easier for salsa dancers to quickly assimilate the basics of kizomba; he then goes on to explain and build on the movements. He emphasises that the leads are similar to Argentine tango in that the man holds the woman close to his chest, and the woman must use her butt more – “It’s like tango, but with a little sugar,” he says. Paula and Ricardo believe you can learn enough in one hour to be able to have fun dancing kizomba socially, although as you go on, it’s important to concentrate on making your movements even smaller – as he says, “Less is more” – so, whether you are new to kizomba or keen to make rapid progress in the dance, a workshop with these masters will undoubtedly improve your love and learning of this dance of the dance. – Jane Hurd Cahane *For more information about their club, classes and events, see: www.afrolatinconnection.com, www.muximabar.com or www.dmaes.pt
JUST TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE I In case you weren’t around at last year’s event, or want to prepare (or compare) with this year’s, here’s a reprint of the review of Stars of Salsa 2011, written by Karen Chau of Salsa-Central online. The third instalment of Stars of Salsa took place on the 28th to the 31st of January 2011. Stars of Salsa is an annual 3-day salsa event which takes place in Central London to celebrate the anniversary of the renowned Salsa On Sundays (SOS), a dance social in London. For the past two years I had only attended one or two parties. This year I decided to go the whole hog with all three parties and the Sunday workshops, which meant driving into London every day from Stevenage. Normally it would not have been possible for me to travel back home each day for most other congresses with the two-day workshops and early starts. The one-day Sunday workshop, which started at noon, and the party that followed from 8pm to 1 am, gave me plenty of travelling time. I was contacted by a number of my friends from Europe confirming their attendance. Some came for a reunion with friends and family, others just wanted to come to London to visit. The normal price for a full pass for the event was £75, but a steal at £35 if booked a year in advance. The Friday evening party started off with 2 international workshops by Juan Matos from New York (Advanced On2 footwork) and Los Pambos from Bulgaria (On 1 Partnerwork). I have always been a fan of Juan and I just love his style, while Los Pambos are salsa champions from Bulgaria. The venue was at the north side of the Royal National Hotel where the weekly Salsa on Sundays normally takes place. Among the three shows, my
pick would be the show performed by the all-lady dance troop ‘Kaboom’, choreographed by Eva Hurychova and Clare Gayler. The members of the dance troop included some of the best dancers from London. It was supposed to be a ‘quiet’ night as most dancers were not expected to arrive until Saturday, nevertheless hundreds of dancers turned out to show off their moves on the two dance floors with music from the 2 International DJs – DJ Plane and DJ Fonsesca. Saturday was a night to remember. The event was held at the beautiful Camden Centre (ten minutes from SOS), which has a huge floor and a lovely stage. I managed to get front-row seats for the shows and had great view of all the action on stage. The programme of shows included a few premières, never seen before in other big salsa congresses. My favourites, based on the musicality and artistic presentation, were Los Pambos (BG), Tamambo(UK) and Ania (PL), Salsa Libre (PL), Full Project (ES),Majusee (FR), Vagadancers(ES), Leon Rose and the New Project (FR) and also the lovely Kizomba performance Magoa from Afrolatin Connection from Portugal. The dances were polished and performed with great energy. It’s been a while since I have seen Leon Rose perform. His act, partnered by Dorttya Ujszaszi, was amazing, and won a standing ovation from the
IN FOR MORE OF THIS YEAR…
audience. The feedback from the UK dancers/ performers was very positive, and they were most inspired by these European performers. The party lasted to 4am. The workshop on Sunday started from noon, again at the Royal National Hotel. There were 3 rooms with different levels and styles. I took two Kizomba workshops with Ricardo and Paula (Afrolatin Connection), a Dominican Bachata Workshop with Inaki Fernandez, and Cha Cha footwork with Juan Matos. The latter was very popular with more than a hundred people attending even though his partner Amneris Martinez was absent due to visa problems. From a personal viewpoint, one day of workshops were just right for me, it was really a matter of quality rather than quantity. All workshops had very positive reviews, and all the dancers who attended, be they advanced or intermediate, had an enjoyable time. The “Kizomba” movement seemed to have reached Stars of Salsa. Unprecedentedly, there was an hour-long Kizomba lesson with Neelam “Indigola” and Prince Tevin before the party started, and there was also a separate Kizomba room. The Main room with three dancefloors hosted three different partner-work workshops with our own Tarek, Miriam, Steve ‘Salsa Junkie’
and Colleen, and Mauro and Eva. The weekend concluded with even more dancers showing off their moves, and the addition of DJ Eric was a plus. One could feel the energy emanating throughout the rooms. Although it was getting very stuffy and hot in the room towards the end of the night, that certainly did not dent the enthusiasm the dancers who were a good mix from all over Europe. There were again three really good performances including our own Oro Negro Dance Company, but I missed them as I stayed in the Kizomba room, which was at the South side of the hotel, totally admiring the skills of the Portuguese teachers and the French dancers, with DJ Virus on the deck spinning the best Kizomba/ Kuduro tracks. The general consensus of this weekend was: “An excellent weekend to meet so many different dancers every day, low bar prices, high-quality performances, and fun-filled workshops from top teachers. Tamambo, Leon and their team have done themselves proud.” I’ve already booked my full pass for next year for £35!
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