2017

Latin America / Argentina/ Buenos Aires

Kadenza Dance School is a dance academy located in Buenos Aires, Argentina. They don’t just teach people the steps of a musical rhythm; they demonstrate through their teaching that dancing nourishes the spirit of those who practice it. Not only that, but dance also allows for a connection with emotions, giving students more freedom for their spirit or soul.

KADENZA is a school geared toward students of all ages and with different goals, whether they wish to pursue a professional path or use dance as a form of recreation or therapy. All their students and teachers benefit from a comfortable reception area, spacious studios equipped with mirrors, barres, wooden floors, high-quality sound systems, and Wi-Fi throughout the studio. In short, it’s an ideal place to learn with passion, as the atmosphere is full of joy, respect, and good vibes, where one can enjoy what they love to do most… which is dancing.

They also state that they are seriously committed to the quality of instruction, where qualified professors and instructors give their best in every class. This ensures their students incorporate the essentials of each technique and develop the maximum potential of their learning in the rhythms chosen by the student.

The Directors: Yamila Larraura and Juan Pablo Villar

The School’s Directors are Yamila Larraura and Juan Pablo Villar, who mention that, “Anyone can open an Academy, but few are the ones that make a difference.”

If we want to know more about the history of these two directors, we can start with Yamila Larraura, who was born in Argentina. Since she was a child, she began listening to Afro-Latin music thanks to her father, “Jorge Washington Larraura,” who was of Uruguayan origin. When she was 14, she went on vacation to Villa Gesell with her parents and a friend of theirs. It was on this trip that her interest in Salsa was awakened, as she went to a place near the beach that played Salsa music and offered classes in the afternoon with all the people from the beach.

One of the songs heard back then was “El Muerto se fue de Rumba” by the group “Las Sabrosas Zarigüellas,” which was very catchy for everyone who heard it. After her vacation, she decided to enroll in Salsa classes, where her teachers were Pablo Demaro and Kimena Puente.

As for Juan Pablo Villar, during his youth, he worked as a waiter in a bar and took theater classes, which also included lessons in national folklore and Latin rhythms (Salsa). This was his first contact with dance, and from that moment, he developed an interest in it. One day, a person came to the bar and mentioned that they taught classes in a studio, asking if they could leave flyers at the bar for people who wanted to dance. Knowing this, Juan Pablo Villar decided to go to the Salsa classes taught by Professor Pablo Demaro.

They explain that the Salsa classes back then were in a Cuban style, which featured fairly simple movements and figures. It was in these very classes that the future directors of KADENZA, Juan Pablo Villar and Yamila Larraura, first met.

The Journey to Kadenza

To gain a better experience, and to teach and give classes, they had to learn new techniques. They decided to seek out the best teachers in Argentina, who at that time were from the “Escuela de Mambo en Dos,” led by teachers Liz Paredes and Carlos Aragón, until they moved to Italy in 2007.

Afterward, they formed a dance group with their colleagues called “Combo Bayres,” during which time they toured the country and performed on various stages. In 2007, Liz Paredes and Carlos Aragón returned from Italy and formed the “Compañía Mambo en Dos,” where Yamila Larraura and Juan Pablo Villar joined the project. They gained great experience in the artistic world, traveling to different Argentine cities like Mar del Plata, Rosario, among others.

They also had the opportunity to travel abroad, attending the Salsa Congress in Uruguay, and later going to the United States, to New York City, to present at the Salsa Congress where they met great dance legends like Eddie Torres. Another great experience they had was the honor of being the official dancers for the famous Venezuelan Salsa singer “Oscar D’León” and the Dominican Salsero José Alberto, also known as “El Canario.” By 2010, they left the Mambo en Dos company to start their own school.

The academy’s beginning went without a name for a year, simply referred to as Pablo and Yamila’s school, but they were always looking for a name that would identify the essence they wished to convey. They eventually came up with “Cadenza,” which in Italian means “style of free rhythms.” To make the name more original, they changed it to “KADENZA,” feeling proud of their choice.

Contact Information

For more information, contact them at:

• Website: http://www.kadenza.com.ar
• Facebook:escueladebaile
• Phones: 5354-0957 / 15-3331-7875
• Email: [email protected]
• Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/106664874547676369685
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-he58RYqrJwoxoH8OID3ZA

 

Latin America / Venezuela / Caracas

Solar Latino Academy

It is an academy located in Caracas, Venezuela, founded by passionate dancers and instructors who dedicate their time and effort to teaching future well-rounded dancers. They use didactic methods to provide dance knowledge, expanding their students’ horizons and future at a national and international level.

They feature a great environment where students not only acquire dance knowledge but also enjoy their activity. They perform on stage to demonstrate the high quality of the show and to showcase innovative fusions of dance, aiming to position themselves as one of the best academies in the market.

In short, their vision as an academy is to “develop the best artistic working environment where our students learn and enjoy to the fullest.” “Basing this on the exigence and quality of our classes and shows, becoming a very competitive group, achieving national leadership and international recognition.”

The academy started with a group of students who learned to dance Salsa Casino for recreation, and as time passed, it became something more serious.

Starting in 2004, they began teaching family and close friends, and within a few months, they already had at least 50 students.

In 2006, the Solar Latino Academy was officially founded, starting with salsa casino. They later added diverse dance genres as they expanded their knowledge of integral dance and teaching methodologies, thus forming a large number of dance classes taught at the La Trinidad headquarters. The only founder currently at the academy is Oscar, who was responsible for instructing and training dancers and expanding the Academy. After achieving excellent results in national competitions and festivals, the Academy’s Dance Corps (Cuerpo de Baile) was formed.

They mention that they are currently a group passionate about dance and integral development, relying on dance as one of the most used tools for artistic and corporal expression. They also state that their work is maintained in constant artistic growth and teaching development, always applying “our innovative touch in everything we do.” They have even had the opportunity to participate in national and international festivals and, in addition to that, develop innovative events.

For more information, please visit:

• WebSite: http://solarlatino.comve/nosotros
• Facebook: AcademiaSolarLatino
• Instagram: solarlatino
• Twitter: SolarLatino