2017

Bachata Festival 2017 in San Francisco, California

North America / USA / California

The Ultimate Bachata, Salsa, Kizomba and Zouk Experience… A Dance Convention for Beginners, Intermediate & for all levels of dancing! The 9th Annual SF International Bachata Festival

Date: JULY 21st – 24th, 2017
Bachata | Kizomba | Zouk | Salsa (4-Party Rooms)
3 days and 3 nights of dancing
Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 10am until 6am!

Photos from the 2017 Bachata Festival in San Francisco

Transform your dance skills in one weekend with these world renowned dance instructors plus a dance experience of a lifetime!

Live Band
Dance Workshops from 10am to 5pm
Performances Every Night Ÿ Social Dancing until 6am
Jack and Jill Contest prize Giveaways

SFIBF, (San Francisco International Bachata Festival) is the largest and hottest Bachata festival in the world, located in one of the greatest city in the world – San Francisco. Created by Rodney Rodchata Aquino, along with its sister event Reno Bachata Festival, they are the first Bachata festivals in the USA. It celebrates the music and dance of Bachata, preserving its roots and accepting its evolution, as well as Salsa, Zouk and Kizomba.

Festival Line-Up

More than 20 instructors, DJs and Live Band for this year’s festival!

Adam Taub (Colorado)/ Bachata:

Adam Taub is one of the few ones who have seriously studied authentic bachata (the way Dominicans dance). SFIBF is extremely proud to present him with his special music, history and dance workshops at the San Francisco International Bachata Festival – July 21-23, 2017.

Adam Taub is a documentary film director from Colorado whose films include La Quinceañera, Don Angelo, and El Duque de la Bachata. His film La Quinceañera won the 2007 award for Best Documentary at the Angelus Student Film Festival in Hollywood, California and Best Documentary at the San Diego Latino Film Festival.

Alberto & Nola (Australia) / Bachata:

Nola Komis is the Founder, Director and Principal Instructor of A Touch of Salsa Latin Dance Studios in Sydney, Australia. A Touch of Salsa runs classes in Salsa, Bachata, Zouk and Kizomba. They also offer competition courses, workshops, performance courses and more and will this year will be celebrating 11 years.

Nola Komis and Alberto Torres-Perez have been teaching together for the past five years and they are both passionate and love sharing their passion for dance. Nola and Alberto have both travelled to Athens, Geneva, New Zealand, Hawaii and all over Australia where they have taught workshops at Festivals/Congresses to packed participants and have received many great reviews for their classes.

Nola and Alberto are looking forward to being part of the San Francisco Bachata Festival in July 2017.

Emelie Andagan (Sacramento) / Salsa:

The Yemaya Salsa Dance Company was founded by Emelie Andagan & Heather Wong-Xoquic in October, 2000. Emelie learned to dance salsa after only a few years due to her extensive dance background of over 20 years and many years of experience as a ballet and jazz student, and later a teacher at the Ballet Theatre of Dover Dance Conservatory.

The troupe started as a small group of only four couples that rehearsed twice a week in various garages and practically anywhere with a smooth surface. She owns and manages Yemaya Dance Studio in Sacramento, and is the main director of Yemaya dance Company.

Luis Aguilar (San Francisco) / Salsa:

Luis Aguilar debuted in 2000 with the Salsa Mania Dance Company in San Francisco. Since then, he performed with such giants in the Latin music industry as El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, the Tito Puente Orquestra, Celia Cruz, Ray Barretto, Jose “El Canario” Alberto, Oscar de Leon, Eddie Palmieri, the Spanish Harlem Orquestra and Sonora Carruseles. In addition to his impressive performance credits, Luis has taken 1st place in many Latin dance competitions and Congresses such as The San Francisco International Salsa Congress and the Bay Area Salsa Dance Competition.

Since joining forces in 2007, Luis and Anya have become the ON 2 WORLD SALSA CHAMPIONS for the second year in a row, along with having become two time undefeated San Francisco Congress Salsa champions in ’09 and ’10, undefeated two time New York Congress champions in ’09, ’10, Puerto Rico Hustle and Salsa champions ’09, and are currently the North American Salsa Champions and two time winners of the NY/NJ salsa open. With their combined backgrounds, Luis and Anya make a dynamic duo that brings a fresh new element to the salsa dance floor.

Benga Da Beatz (Ohio) / Kizomba:

Benga is a Nigeria born international dancing sensation, with backgrounds in several African dances, ballroom dances, American dances, and latin dances. From Waltz to Tango, Makoussa to Kizomba, hip hop to west coast swing, and Irish dance to Bollywood. Benga has intensive dancing experiences all across the globe.

An Afro Beats and Afro-cuban solo performer, and a latin dance instructor well known to many now as the Da Beatz. With 26 years of African Dancing and 6 years of professional latin dancing, Benga is teaching and promoting at every Latin events possible with his own vibrant style of Fun Swagness.

Cymeone Mopao (France) / Kizomba:

Cymeone Mopao is a well-known kizomba instructor based in Paris. He is one of the first instructors to have taught kizomba in France beginning in 2009. Born into a family of musicians, he was accustomed to lots of music and quickly adapted to the dance lifestyle. As he immersed himself into dance, he became proficient in African style dances such as ndombolo and coupé décalé.

When he was 18, he joined a group of dancers called “les coeurs brisés “. From there he became interested in other Afro style dances like Zouk, Kompa and Kizomba. He gave his first Kizomba class in 2009 and became one of the most wanted instructors in international festivals. In 2010, he was the first French instructor to teach Kizomba in the United States (New York).

Bruno & Olga (Los Angeles) / Zouk:

Bruno and Olga started dancing together in November 2015 and have since taught and performed at numerous events around the country from local workshops to large international congresses.}

In 2016 they took second place in the semi-pro division of the Zouk US Open with their now well-known choreography piece “Worth It” and shortly after got featured in the “Fences” movie, that’s currently in production stage. Olga has a rich dance background in classical ballet, modern, contemporary and commercial jazz, as well as hip hop and heels choreographies. She is also an All-Star west coast swing dancer. Bruno is trained in hip hop, salsa, kizomba, tarraxinha, semba, and of course brazilian zouk.

He has been on the social dance scene of his hometown Braga, Portugal since he was 14 years old. Since his move to the US he’s been mainly focusing on zouk and kizomba, training and teaching around the country with his partner, performing in ISDC dance company for a while, and currently codirecting the Zouk team at Ivo Vieira’s Dance company and learning from the best dance professionals in the world.

Sandro (Brazil) / Zouk:

Sandro Soncini is a dancer, choreographer and dance instructor from Florianopolis, Brazil. He has studied and trained in dance for over 10 years. Sandro is experienced in many partner dance styles, and has intensively studied the concepts of body movement driven by his training in tango.

In 2010 Sandro moved to Argentina to continue to develop his dance skills and education at DNI tango school. Sandro has participated in various congresses and competitions, including BAILA FLORIPA DUO, where in 2012 together with his partner he placed 3rd.

Sandro has taught in zouk throughout Canada, United States and Brazil. Currently Sandro is living in Vancouver, Canada with a focus on promoting zouk in the Pacific North West.

Bachata Festival 2017, Tickets / Passes:

Tickets: Full Passes $200.00 Unlimited. (EXP July 15th)
Tickets at Doors: $250 Buy Your Passes in mybachatafestival.com

Location: The SF Marriott Hotel 1800 Old Bayshore Hwy, Burlingame, CA 94010 Discounted Nightly rate of $141 a night (you must use the site – www.sfibf.com) Free Shuttle 24 hours a day.

Advanced Salsa Dancers With Superpower

North America / USA /

If you identify as an Advanced Salsa Dancer (ASD), remember that with great power comes great responsibility. When you become an ASD, the superpower than you gain is your awesome dance skills. You can use those skills to further your own pleasure and gain by holding them back from the newer dancers below you. Or, you also can give those skills freely to the new dancers waiting to be inspired.

Photo 1: Advanced Salsa Dancers With Superpower

“Waiting” To Be Inspired

The main reason to be inspired is than most new dancers aren’t actually “inspired” by the dance in a deep and meaningful way. They may love it on first sight the same way you like a thing in a store or a person you are attracted to.

Photo 2: Advanced Salsa Dancers With Superpower

But, just like you don’t know that person, they don’t know the dance yet. You don’t know yet if you want to put in the work to have a relationship. You don’t know if there’s enough to get in return until that attractive person shows you their personality. Yes, there are a few new dancers who ‘get the bug’ and dive deep right away.

But, most new dancers need time and inspiration to really fall in love. It can take you a year or maybe more. You can dance some Latin music before or get caught “Salsa” properly. It must be a combination of community, opportunity, and self-confidence that get you to that point. You need be inspired.

Photo 3: Advanced Salsa Dancers With Superpower

An Artist can make someone at their first congress feel amazing, or feel horrible.

The Superpower

The people who have put in the work to become great Salsa dancers are the people in the best position to inspire others. Their superpower is the ability to make people fall in love with the dance. It’s the reason that international artists can inspire so many.

Photo 4: Advanced Salsa Dancers With Superpower

They’ve put in the work that lets us see the best of the Salsa dance. We are attracted to their dancing, which is the first step, the first movement. An Artist can make someone at their first congress feel amazing, or feel horrible.

If the artist has a disengaged pity dance, their partner may not feel the desire to continue learning the dance. If the artist gives their all, their partner may find a renewed appreciation and desire for more.

Photo 5: Advanced Salsa Dancers With Superpower

ASD do the same thing, but on a local level. They’re generally more accessible than the international travelling pros that put them in a position to immediately influence their local community. An advanced salsa dancer who gives of themselves freely will often find many newcomers who are working to be better.

They inspire a growth mindset in their newcomers. There are many examples of this in their own community. One driven earlyintermediate dancer can pinpoint the exact moment that he/she decided to really give all enthusiasm to Salsa dance. It simply took one motivational sentence and dance from a local teacher.

Passion For Community And Dance

Photo 6: Advanced Salsa Dancers With Superpower

Many hardcore dancers feel passionate about the Salsa dancing style. So, many times they forget that newcomers often don’t know enough about the dance to be passionate about it. Mainly, newcomers become passionate about the community, energy, music, and vibe. They may like the dance, but they simply don’t know enough about it to be in love. ASD, remember that how you make beginners feel will determine how they feel about the Salsa dance.

It’s you who will show them the possibilities they have to grow. Use your superpower for all good; share it with those who need you to be inspired. Sure, in a few years you’ll have the benefits when those newcomers turn into your fellow Advanced Salsa Dancers Thanks to their instructor who you are, their best dancer of inspiration.

Photo 7: Advanced Salsa Dancers With Superpower

Somaly Zapata

Latin America / Puerto Rican / Puerto Rican

Somaly Zapata She Shows Us Her Musical History

Somaly Zapata Santana is a Puerto Rican who was born on July 24, 1988 in the town of Bani, Dominican Republic. From a very young age, she showed inclinations for musical art, getting to participate in different social events. Her first song was a Mother’s Day gift to her grandmother when she was 13 years old. As the years passed, its melody and lyrics developed in the genres of Salsa, Merengue, Balada, Bachata or a fusion of them, giving it a characteristic that other songs do not have.

She was influenced by great tropical artists such as Milly Quezada, Olga Tañon, Celia Cruz, La India, among others; However, he did not show his voice to the public at that time because he was a very shy person, but always with a musical spirit deep inside.

She began to perform in different activities, imitating only the movements of Milly Quezada and mimicking her great themes almost perfectly. In her adolescence she began to discover herself as an artist on a vocal level through her lyrics, taking classes on topics related to this art, writing situations with no personal experience, but which were interesting for a composer hungry to express her most intimate feelings.

In 2011 he decides to go to work in the US (Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts) as a cultural exchange, which allows him to acquire knowledge and in turn save money to be able to professionally record his first song. From that moment on, he began his artistic career at the hands of the prominent Dominican musician/arranger Juan Valdez Ybet, who fusing ideas, supported by the great career of Mr. Valdez and the magic of the singer’s lyrics, launched from gradually the different singles of the artist; Not to mention, he is a member of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers).

These are the themes and/or songs that they present to us: Author: Somaly Zapata Arrangement: Juan Valdez Ybet Regalame – (Merengue) For someone like you – (Salsa) When the sun goes out – (Salsa) Doesn’t it hurt? – (Salsa) promotional theme.

For more information:

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somalymusic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SomalyZapata/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/somaly_zapata
GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/116832184355913365324

Cache Orchestra in United Kingdom

Europe / United Kingdom / Holanda

Cache Orchestra in United Kingdom. The Best Mix for Salsa!

Cache Orchestra it’s known for its Salsa sound and is considered to be one of the finest bands of its kind in the UK. Their passion for the music is infectious and gets both Salsa enthusiasts and those new to the sensuous Latin American rhythms straight on the dance floor.

Cache Orchestra has thrilled audiences throughout the UK and internationally, playing authentic Latino rhythms that come straight from the streets of San Juan and Havana. The band is a lively and accessible mix that brings a vibrant spark to all the different rhythms that make up Salsa – mambo, rumba, chacha, bomba, merengue, bolero.

Cache Orchestra in United Kingdom- Integrans

“UK’s very own Buena Vista band….absolutely tremendous…. music like that and we’re all feeling terrific. If you don’t start to move to this there is no hope for you. Extraordinary music.” Sean Rafferty, BBC Radio 3

“Most of the band members hail from Santiago De Cuba, the birthplace of Cuban son…. and have the effortless musicianship that comes from being to the manor born…..a set infused with rhythm changes and infectious melodies and grooves. ….the best band playing Cuban son.” Jane Cornwell, Songlines (Homegrown)

“Band were great, intoxicating music and a great crowd – all of which made for a fabulous vibe. Thank you!”Cecile Jackson “Please pass on my thanks to the band who were brilliant at our event and were just what was needed to get the party going. My only regret was that I did not have more time to enjoy the band myself!” Anne Davis, Asylum Productions

“….the acoustic septet with the real sound of Santiago De Cuba.” Simon Broughton, CD of the week, Evening Standard.

“A big thank you to the band for an exceptional wedding party. Everyone was very impressed with the sound and impeccable musicianship and is still talking about the band.” Jessica Garland Communications & Events Manager .

“Thank you to you, the band and dancers for a fantastic evening at the Chanel Conference. Everyone had a great time and they were still talking about it when they left the next day!” Emma Stoker – World Event Management Ltd

“I just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed the band on Saturday. The music was superb and everyone was so complimentary about the group. So, thank you for helping to make our day so memorable.” Linda Marks – Harrison Parrott Ltd, Project Management.

“Please pass on my thanks to the whole band who were great on Friday and really got everyone going in the Vodafone Village. I look forward to working with you again.” Dee Goldstraw – Business Development Manager, Liz Hobbs Group

For tours and more stay tuned with us and check their website

https://www.facebook.com/OrquestaCach%C3%A9-320982197917226/

Kaem and Marina. The Dynamic Duo in France

Europe / Francia

Kaem and Marina are most known as choreographers, international instructors & performers. They are the creators of the AsOne style in kizomba, and the founders of the KizAcademy Studios and the KizAcademy TEAMS worldwide.

They owe their international success to the stunning emotional power of their improvisations, the huge diversity, creativity and complexity of their moves and the artistic depth of their performances.

Their workshops became among the most praised in the world thanks to their groundbreaking methods of training inspired by hip-hop, contemporary, martial arts, athletics, acting, but also Tao, zen meditation, mindfulness therapy and spiritual practice.

Their 10 hours programs aim to make the student able to connect to himself, free himself from fears and judgement, dive in his creative world, learn to see his own technical flaws, master the movements in a very deep way, fully connect to his partner emotionally, master the energy flow between the partners, and the most important: learn to train by himself and build his own tools to become independent, and therefore free.

In June 2017, after 21 months of dedicated research and preparation, they created the KizAcademy Instructors School: the world’s finest and most complete program for instructors. Kaem & Marina’s career probably had one of the fastest growths the afro-Latin dance world has ever witnessed.

Only 10 months after they started learning kizomba, they made ” THE PIANO SOLO” a kizomba video that hit 1 million views within 4 days, and got them teaching and performing in festivals and events all over the world. After only one year of international career, they decided to stop working with festivals, to work with their teams and to launch their own schools worldwide.

They created the AsOne style, and reached their goal within 4 months and been able to welcome around 70 students in every class they taught. That allowed them to be totally independant from any other institution and to focus full time and with total freedom on their pedagogy, their technical mastery, and most importantly:

Their creative journey. But why is this path relevant?

Such a fast and rare evolution was only possible thanks to 9 pillars every artist has: o Vulnerability, self-acceptance, self-discovery and self-mastery.

Inspiration and exploration of what touches one’s heart
Developing one’s own style ,with sincerity and overcome the fear
Creating a program of training for oneself
Training on the deepest layer of movement : the natural motion and the biomechanics
Creating a program of workshop
Public speaking ,pedagogy and psychology of learning
Choreography drafting and cinematic video making
Expansion strategy, marketing and management

Anyone with an open and curious mind can learn all those things, The issue is that no one, so far, was teaching them.

Most of the masterclasses only focus on succeeding at making fancy moves. They totally disregard the development of the creative universe of the students, and they ignore all the other skills that make a complete creative dancer and a successful artistic entrepreneur.

During their carrier, Kaem & Marina became more and more aware of this mismatch between the existing concept of masterclass and what is really important to grow as an artist and have an international career. Therefore, they decided to create a full program for instructors that would prepare for the most important journey a dancer could ever experience: Self Discovery, Technical and creative Mastery and full self-expression.

For further information and courses https://www.facebook.com/KaemMarineAsone/