International Salsa Magazine

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News “En Clave”

Latest News of the Salsa Movement in Spain

artist dressed in light blue suit and white hat playing the trumpet
News “En Clave”! The most recent ISM section in 2022

This 2022 we come with more strength, new ideas, and recharged. In this first edition, we released a new section titled News “En Clave”. A space dedicated to the collection and promotion of the best shows, concerts, books, and the latest news from the Salsero environment & Latin rhythms in Europe and Asia.

Spain is one of the old-world countries that begin January 2022 with the best Salseros and Bachateros events. Here we will tell you each one En Clave so that you don’t miss out on going to one.

News “En Clave” In Spain

Luis Alberto Díaz "El Negri" playing the piano in the sound rehearsal
Cuban Pianist – Luis Alberto Díaz “El Negri”

We open the section to the northeast of Spain with La casa de Cuba in Barcelona, ​​El Sabor Cubano BCN. This Nightclub offers live music, Cuban Salsa, International Salsa, Bachata, and urban rhythms with DJs, it also has Salsa and Bachata instructors who give free lessons for beginners at 9:30 PM every Thursday and Sunday. The virtuous pianist Luis Alberto Díaz “El Negri” together with singer “Changui” will be playing the best songs of traditional Cuban music this Thursday, January 6th, and Sunday, January 9th, for two and a half hours. This will be one of the first live Salsa evenings that you can enjoy starting the New Year. El Sabor Cubano BCN opens its doors from 7:00 PM to 12:30 AM at Francisco Giner 32 Street, 08012, Barcelona. Have a memorable moment in this nightclub with a good atmosphere, friendly and impeccable service, and an authentic Cuban mojito. You find more details on their official social network.

We are still in Barcelona, and this time we walk through the Diobar Restaurant / Nightclub. This Greek restaurant has enabled a musical space every Thursday for Salsa and Rueda Casino classes. The duration of Salsa Thursdays is almost five continuous hours organized as follows: one hour of Cuban Salsa class and the next one in Rueda Casino, followed by the AfroCuban Jam Sessions live (open to all musicians). Starting at 9:15 PM there is a class for dancers of Intermediate / Advanced level with which they will acquire new skills for mastering individual steps, the couple turns, and Rueda figures. The cost does not exceed € 5, and the closest date is Thursday, January 6, 2022. A novel proposal to enjoy Salsa in the musical space of the Dionisos Born restaurant located at Marqués de la Argentera, 27 (ground floor) 08003 Barcelona, Spain.

colorful Cuban Party art at Matisse Club
Cuban Party begins January 12th at Matisse Club

We now jump to the east coast towards Valencia, and we run into the Matisse Club. We tell you that in this place of exhibition of events and culture they offer every Sunday the Cuban Party event, live Cuban music with AR-Latin (directly from the Caribbean island) playing Salsa, Latin Jazz, Son, and Bachata. This one-hour live show begins at 8:30 PM. Then you will enjoy six hours of Latin Quarter Session with DJ Sergio Falomir. Admission is € 10 and begins on Sunday, January 12th at the Sala Matisse. Enjoy a Latin music atmosphere with the Cuban Party event every Sunday of the month at Matisse Club located at Campoamor Street, 60, 46022, Valencia.

And the last News “En Clave” that I bring you is the Latin Dance classes in Salason in the northwest of the country at Lirio Street, 30 Cangas Do Morrazo, 36940, Galicia. This culture platform is designed for the reception of musical performances with exceptional acoustics and cutting-edge technology. Salason is a building structured in three independent but complementary environments at the same time. Salsa and Bachata classes will begin on Tuesday, January 25th, from 7:30 PM to 11:00 PM.

The Objectives of these Cuban-style Salsa and Rueda Casino classes, as well as the traditional Bachata lessons, are fun and disconnection to the routine with the rhythm of Latin music. Also, it improves coordination and body expression coupled with the new relationships that are established between people with similar pleasures.

On Tuesdays, there are two groups for intermediate students: The Salsa class starts at 8 PM while the Bachata group starts at 8:30 PM.

Thursdays are classes for beginners and have two times of choice: 8 PM and 9:30 PM. For more information, venture to visit its official website

We continue with Bachata…

group of people dancing at the Bachata Sensual World Congress
Bachata Sensual World Congress 2022 will be held in Girona

We start with one of the main congresses to be held the second weekend of this month (Friday 7th – Monday 10th) in Girona, a city located in the region of Catalonia, mainly known for its exuberant architecture of medieval origin and the historic Barri Vell neighborhood.

The Bachata Sensual World Congress (BSWC) brings great quality Bachata Sensual workshops with more than 16 qualified instructors of this Dominican rhythm and leading Salsa professionals worldwide. There will be live shows with more than 16 couples on stage and famous night parties during the three days of the event.

Girona becomes the international city of the Dominican melody with Bachata Sensual World Congress 2022

BSWC will take place at the Evenia Olympic Palace Hotel, Avinguda Del Rieral, 55 17310 Lloret De Mar, Girona. Tickets (Full Pass) range from € 140 and the event begins the first day at two in the afternoon ending on Monday, January 10th at five in the morning.

We continue, and it is the turn of the Winter Bachata Festival 2022. The particularity of this festival is that it will have night workshops with social dances, the instructors are mostly local, more than one continuous hour of shows, and a closing party. The musicalization throughout the weekend will be in charge of DJ Miguelón, DJ Salva, and DJ Yago in a shared room with the rhythms of Bachata and Salsa. Obtaining Full Pass tickets (€ 40) can be obtained through teachers or promoters and different payment methods by clicking here.  Remember that Winter Bachata Festival begins on Friday, January 21st, and ends on Sunday, 23rd, also returns for the fifth time to the Spanish municipality of Cullera at the Hotel Cullera Holiday, at Av. el Racó, 27 Cullera, Valencia.

Now we finish our trip in the center of the country, specifically in Madrid. During the first weekend of the month, the Magic Bachata Weekend event will take place with all the established biosafety measures: temperature measurement, Hydro-alcoholic Gel, and Mask (during the three days). Magic Bachata Weekend will begin on Friday, January 7th, and will end on Sunday, 9th. This weekend full of Bachata will feature 18 pairs of instructors of the genre conducting workshops, shows, and late-night Latin parties. You can get tickets online at La Salsa del Baile and the price at the door ranges from € 60. The venue will be the Hotel Eurostars Madrid Foro, Ronda de Europa, 1, 28760 Tres Cantos.

Why Does Everyone Know La Bodeguita Del Medio In Prague?

The Most Emblematic Restaurant / Bar In Havana (Cuba) Turns 19 Years In The “City Of Hundred Spires”

Five women sitting and toasting at the La Bodeguita del Medio bar
Spanish is also spoken in La Bodeguita Del Medio in Prague

Prague (Capital of the Czech Republic) has become one of the most hospitable major cities for Cuban migrants.

In this bohemian region nicknamed the “City Of Hundred Spires”, beer is the traditional drink of any establishment, so an authentic Mojito (made with natural spices that aid good digestion) is a delight for the palate of any inhabitant or tourist of the area. And you can only taste it in an authentic Cuban place such as La Bodeguita Del Medio.

This Restaurant / Bar was founded in the city of the Astronomical Clock 19 years ago (December 17th, 2002), six decades after the opening of the original restaurant in Havana (Cuba).

La Bodeguita del Medio is designed in the colonial style of 20th century Havana with live music and daily dance acts. It has two original bars and a replica of the famous Sloopy Joe’s Bar (a 20-meter long mahogany bar with high stools and luxurious display cabinets) that was made in Colombia. In this bar, besides the mojitos, you can also try more than 150 types of short and long drinks.

View from the stage with a pianist and singer performing at the bodeguita del medio in prague
Usually, there is a notice that says: Tonight Latino Dance Show

Regarding the menu, you will find typical Havana specialties, as well as seafood, fish, vegetables, and meat specialties. Also, and adding a bit of tradition, you will find the menu in Spanish and if you can attend every day at noon you will delight the international European menu.

Additionally, while you taste the variety of dishes and cocktails, you will enjoy a live Cuban band (generally trios) and performances by Latin dancers every night.

Six Decades Of La Bodeguita Del Medio

Night shot of the neon green facade of the Bodeguita del Medio in Prague
Food is prepared with fresh ingredients and according to the season in La Bodeguita Del Medio (Prague)

Based on the story written by La Bodeguita Del Medio in Prague

“For some reason unknown to us, it is said that La Bodeguita is located at a distance of one hundred cobblestones (stone carved in the shape of a rectangular prism for paving streets) from the largest American Baroque building in Cuba, which if proven, indisputably turns out to be true and is the Havana cathedral.

In 1950, La Bodeguita del Medio restaurant opened its doors at number 207 cobbled street…

Upon entering La Bodeguita (in Havana) for the first time, the olfactory senses revel in the delicious aroma of Cuban mint, while tasting the special herbs, which do wonders for the digestive system. Thus, these inseparable ingredients became the rudiments of the famous drink that we know today as MOJITO, whose current shape and flavor were developed in La Bodeguita.

At the back of the Havana Bodeguita restaurant, guests have the opportunity to sample excellent Cuban cuisine, while enjoying the sounds of traditional melodies sung by a Cuban trio.

Now let’s go back to… 1942 when Ángel Martínez Borroto bought a small shop in the still fortified old town of the city. A short time later, he dedicated himself to managing and developing his small business, called La Casa Martínez… For some time… clients would come to La Bodeguita to settle their business with a glass or two of rum.

Among the most prominent regulars who frequented the Bodeguita at that time, were the classic Cuban poet Nikolas Guillén and the notable prose writer Alejo Carpentier. Little by little, La Bodeguita established an impressive client base, which turned out to be a popular choice for intellectuals, artists, and bohemians… In fact, over time, La Bodeguita became a forum for progressive-thinking intellectuals (who came from Latin America and the world) to meet and debate.

…Initially, meals were only available to family members and the few waiters, prepared by Martinez’s wife, nicknamed “Armenian girl” (presumably because of her dark skin tone).

At this time, the main ingredients were a combination of black beans and white rice or as it were more often called: maoríes y cristianos.

To finish, the guests were served baked pieces of pork, called “Fried Pork Masses” and fried plantain chips known to the locals as “Plantain Tostadas.”

Martínez was dedicated to satisfying the requests of his most trusted customers and later began serving food, even though people only paid for drinks.

Crowded bar area in Prague's Bodeguita del Medio
Smoking is allowed in this establishment (La Bodeguita Del Medio-Praga)

In 1950, the title of Martínez’s company was indefinitely changed from La Casa Martínez to the name the regulars had been using for some time: La Bodeguita.

This same decade also saw the arrival of a new wave of clients from around the world, including artists such as American singer Nat King Cole, Nobel Prize Winner for literature Ernest Hemingway, and female beauty idols Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren.

…Today La Bodeguita del Medio serves as an unwavering reminder of its bohemian past where guests, whether intellectuals, politicians, or passersby, continue to meet and pass the time.

As for the colonial Bodeguita building, dating from the late 19th century, many visitors believe that the collection of priceless signatures, memorabilia, and photographs preserved on the stone walls deserves to be listed in the Guinness Records Book.”

Say Goodbye To 2021 To Latin Rhythm In Austria

Get ready to enjoy yourself in the company of the Latino Mio dance school in Salzburg on the last night of the year

Couple dancing Salsa at the Latino Mío event in Salzburg, Austria
Start the countdown to the New Year at La Noche Latina 2021

Say goodbye to New Year’s Eve to the Latin rhythm in the country of Mozart together with the Latino Mio cultural and dance association, and create an unforgettable memory in Salzburg, the fourth most populated city in Austria.

Latino Mio is a dance school that teaches courses and workshops on Salsa, Bachata, Cha Cha & Tango, and they also organize many dance events throughout the year.

This academy brings you the most anticipated event of 2021, La Noche Latina, on Friday, December 31st at the cozy Italian restaurant with traditional Naples cuisine, Ristorante Pizzeria Jamme Ja.

The doors will open from seven at night with DJ Jhonny mixing the biggest hits of Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, and Urban Music.

Easily forget your daily life with this lilting music and let yourself be seduced by the Latin American temperament.

Venue: Saalachstraße 74, 5020 Salzburg, Austria

And the next year it will be much better! The Latino Mio dance school is already in the preparations for the Latino Festival 2022 in the district of St. Veit im Pongau, Salzburg.

This event will feature live Salsa bands, samba shows, capoeira, traditional Latin American dances, workshops, animation, and much more in a family atmosphere.

The instructors will be led by Jhonny, founder of the cultural and dance association “Latino Mío” with 15 years of experience in the instruction of Salsa, Bachata, and Kizomba. Also, will be Dany “El Tango”, who is characterized by being a passionate teacher. Dany will help you develop your style with improvisation and spontaneity from the beginning.

They are joined by Claudia and Oscar. The first is an excellent dancer who will warmly and cheerfully teach you the dance steps, just as she will give you helpful advice on getting suitable footwear. While Oscar, will educate you and help you tune your ear to keep the rhythm of the movement.

It is worth noting that Oscar is a graduate of the Esnaola Music Conservatory of Buenos Aires (Argentina) and sings in various orchestras touring concerts in Europe and Argentina.

Date: Saturday, August 20th, 2022

Hour: 7:00 PM

Academy Address: Gstättengasse 16 5020 Salzburg, Austria

These Data May Interest You At This Moment Of The Year:

View of the Mirabell Palace with the background of the cathedral and the Fortress in Salzburg, Austria
Mirabell Palace in Salzburg, Austria
  • Salzburg is one of the most beautiful and charming cities in Central Europe. Its Historic Center was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996, which attracted a greater number of international tourists a year.
  • One of the most visited places in this Austrian city is the Mirabell Palace. This magnificent seat was built in 1606 by Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich. Its wonderful view of the cathedral and the imperious castle together with the perfectly manicured rose gardens makes it an extremely photogenic place. Access to the Mirabell Palace is free but a large part of its spaces are closed to the general public.
  • In Salzburg, you will also come across the “Mozart Birthplace” museum located on one of the main avenues. Here you will find the piano with which Mozart made his compositions, scores, and other personal belongings. The cost of entry does not exceed 10 euros.
  • And the place that most attracts visitors to Austria daily is the Hohensalzburg Fortress. It is located on a small hill in the heart of Salzburg. It was built in 1077 and has only received modifications dating back to 1500. The curious thing about this castle is that it never was taken by its enemies, and today it is one of the most preserved fortresses in Europe.

Everything You Always Wanted To Know About La Macumba

The Number One Latin Music Bar In The Czech Republic

Couple dressed in black dancing in La Macumba, Prague
La Macumba opens its doors from Monday to Saturday from 5:00 PM to 4:00 AM

Experts say that La Macumba is the Latin bar chosen by tourists as the number one among the best places for fun with Afro-Caribbean music to visit in the capital of the Czech Republic.

Every day (except Sundays) are days of continuous eleven-hour parties (from 5:00 PM to 4:00 AM) in a Cuban atmosphere and at the cost for admission of approximately five euros.

Saturday nights are the busiest days, thus it is recommended to go before 11:00 PM to dance on the dance floor having a great space. Likewise, to order your favorite cocktail you don’t need to know the Czech language because the bartenders are Cuban and speak Spanish, so your fun will never disappear neither an instant.

To attend La Macumba you must wear casual clothing and not carry excess belongings because inside there is little space to sit and leave them. The environment is designed with an American car from the 50s, there is an area allusive to the streets of Havana, and added to this, all the decoration includes the illusion of beaches and palm trees of the Cuban capital, so your stay in the bar will be one of the fastest trips you will make to Havana in one night.

Facilities of the Latin bar La Macumba in Prague with dancers on the dance floor
In this Latin bar, you can taste varieties of traditional Cuban drinks as well as cocktails

The recommended minimum limit to have fun inside the Latin bar is two hours due to a large number of activities, the best DJs in Prague mixing the greatest hits of Latin music (DJ Alejandro, DJ Chocolino, DJ Lázaro, DJ Mario, and DJ El Rey), theme parties with a program and demonstrations several times a week, and various instructors who teach amateurs and enthusiasts to move to the Salsa rhythm.

The owners of the Macumba are the dancer Mandy Valdés and Robert Šmítek.

Mandy is a Cuban immigrant with many years of experience as an instructor in the Czech Republic. He was one of the first Salsa teachers in the country and many of today’s teachers were his students. Mandy in addition to the Salsa, teaches Cha-Cha, Merengue, and Bachata. Also, he played percussion in various Cuban bands and still performs occasionally.

Mandy can convey a love for Salsa and dance techniques with patience and humor. He is aware that each learner assimilates the lessons at his/her speed, so he generates an individual approach throughout the teaching stage.

His classes are based on mastering the basic movements that should look elegant and natural. “You won’t see so many variations dancing in Cuba, but the dancers are incredible and sensual. And that’s what Hot Salsa is all about. Salsa is not science, it’s fun”. Mandy commented.

On the one hand, Robert began dancing at 16 years old in dance clubs in the country. He has been a champion in dance performance since 1999, Czech vice-champion, a semi-finalist at the World Championships. He won the Cup in Torino (Italy) and first place in the Salsa championship of the Czech Republic in 2002, just to mention some of his greatest successes.

64 / 5000 keyboard Resultados de traducción Dancers dressed in red dancing in the Latin bar La Macumba
Every day is a Cuban party in La Macumba

The name of the bar La “Macumba” means black magic in the Latin American world and just in the heart of Havana, the people enjoy with great interest a club called with this name, “Macumba”, which is the most sought-after and popular company in Caribbean island. It is why Robert and Mandy decided to bring this positive Latin American charm to this golden city located in the heart of Europe, Prague.

This Latin bar has Salsa lessons every day. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, the Salsaholics professors are teaching the Casino or Salsa Rueda style. In these lessons, you will have a lot of partner swapping and the dynamics are very natural as well as fun. Here, you will get a wide skill of performing figures led by a lead dancer.

Also in La Macumba, you can learn Cuban Salsa with the instructor León. The experienced teacher León and his dance partner Saška will introduce you to the tradition of the Afro-Caribbean land so that you can feel and understand the roots of Salsa. The classes have twirls and dance steps of this genre that are increasingly the connecting of joy in people around the world. You can find León at this club every Monday and Thursday.

La Macumba Is The Number One Latin Music Bar In The Czech Republic

Venue: Štefánikova 230/7 150 00 Prague 5-Anděl, Czech Republic

 

Saúl Delhom “Esta Salsa me gusta” one of the things I like the most is to learn, create and share

Saul Delhom this Salsa I like is one of the things I like the most is to learn, create and share.

Each DJ brings in his own way a vision of salsa and a very interesting sector contributing to the cultural richness.

Musical themes are like some smells, they are capriciously anchored to certain moments of our life and when you experience them again they are able to make you travel in time in an instant, have you experienced it? A salsa, a son, a mambo.

Just by listening to the first bars, for some reason your skin bristles, and memories cascade. That is the basis of this book, a very simple idea: What salsa do you like?

Within the salsa world, there is a group that rarely receives the recognition it deserves.

Each DJ. He brings in his own way a vision of salsa and a very interesting sector contributing to the cultural richness
Saúl Delhom “Esta Salsa me Gusta DJs Edition”

They are those who work with thousands of musical themes before their eyes and hands pass hundreds of albums, who select the ones you like and also the ones you still don’t know you like, for me they are salsa sommeliers, or more popularly: DJs.

I contacted DJs from different parts of the world and asked them variants of the initial question: What salsa do you like? What song do you have a memory associated with? What song attracts you musically? The result of their answers is this condensed book made up of all these wonderful stories and anecdotes from nearly one hundred DJs, whether for sentimental or purely musical reasons.

The format of the book is just right so as not to be distracted by frills, where the person and what he tells is the important thing. For that reason, it has a peculiar orientation, more common in calendars, since it opens from bottom to top, instead of right to left. I wanted to layout it with that orientation because that way, while you are reading the text, you have the photograph at the top, as if it were behind the book talking to you, always present, centered, and not on a displaced side. It is a detail that is perhaps too subtle but that I considered important.

Another feature, already common in many of my music-related books, is that on each page you can find a Spotify app code to scan and listen to the song. In addition to the stories, I have discovered many interesting topics with this book!

I felt really privileged to be the first person to read all the texts that have been sent to me.

Each DJ brings in his own way a very interesting vision of salsa and the industry, providing cultural richness.

I was also delighted to see the diversity in terms of the type of stories, from a song that fondly remembers a mother, to the technical analysis of composition and the reason for its enjoyment. And as for another type of diversity, I have tried to have as many women as possible, although it is true that we are already starting from a lower percentage.

Already at the beginning of the book, I apologize for leaving hundreds of women out of it, either for lack of time or lack of knowledge on my part and for that reason, in addition to the fantastic support from the collective, I have decided to start with another book that will be the continuation of this first volume. Stay tuned because it will soon be published!

“Esta salsa me gusta – DJs Edition”

Saúl Delhom "Esta Salsa me gusta" is one of the things I like the most: learning, creating and sharing
Saúl Delhom “Esta Salsa me gusta” is one of the things I like the most: learning, creating and sharing

Facebook: Saúl Delhom

Website: Bailo Pinto

IG: Bailo Pinto

Article of Interest: Bella Martinez, the irreverent Salsa writer