Europe

Salsa trip – Where to dance Salsa in Europe?

Europe

Do you want to go to Europe but you don’t know where are the best places to dance? Do you want to enter in the passionate salsa world? Are you looking for adventures and meet new people? International Salsa Magazine wants to guide you to the best salsa and Latin places in Europe. In this edition we show you the dance life in three different countries: Ireland, Switzerland and England.

Ireland

Strictly Salsa

This academy/club offers a weekly Salsa Classes and a Salsa Club every Thursday in The National Stadium on the South Circular Road, Dublin. The classes are divided for categories:

Ladies: Alexandra – Ladies Styling with Body movement. For those of you who know Alex, this will be one of the greatest most indebted workshop focused around not just footwork and styling but how to use your body and techniques and tips on how to practice and perfect what will be thought to you in class. It will not just be watch me then try it, Alex loves questions and wants to share her knowledge.
Men: Claudiu – This for you guys will really help you put more flavor and movement into your dancing skills, incorporating all this with steps that are very usable on the social dance floor, there will be elements of Rumba & Guaguanco and by the end it should all come together nicely. As with Alex, Claudius knowledge is very deep so ask as many questions as possible to maximize the time.

For more info: http://strictlysalsa.ie/

Salsa Dublin

A lot of our instructors are also performers and they have a huge amount of experience performing on stage /in competitions/ at weddings & parties. The academy has dancers from Ireland, Turkey, Poland, Spain, Romania, and each one brings their own individual strengths to our group.

The teacher’s team has two previous winners of the Irish Salsa Championships, and the current (2012) Champion of the Irish Bachata Open. We also have instructors with backgrounds in Ballroom, Hip Hop, Ballet, Contemporary etc. which gives the team a greater understanding of musicality and a deeper appreciation for what they teach.

Development of the dancers is a key focus in our structure. Through regular team meetings, teachers training and dance group practice, we are able to keep physically and mentally growing and improving. You never stop learning no matter how good you are, so we are always striving to better ourselves. This academy works with world class international teachers and champions, bringing them to Ireland so that they can share their knowledge and ideas with the academy and their students.

Workshops are crafted for all levels of Salsa and Bachata lovers. A day of workshop involves a total of 4 hours of learning from four local and international dance instructors!! You will be sharing this amazing experience with both your fellow learners and from people from outside the regular classes.

For more info: SalsaDublin.com

Switzerland

La Movida Laussane

La Movida/Poco Loco is a bar-restaurant known by its Latin-Mexican aesthetic and food, which also offers special nights and parties for Salsa and Latin music lovers. With the performances of Dj’s and live bands, this special club is bringing all the Latin flavor to Switzerland. Cocktails, food, music and more!

For more info and reservations: https://pocoloco-movida.ch/

Salsa Passion Company

Whether you are completely new to the art, or experienced dancer, Salsa Passion Company has the knowledge and the experience to bring you further with your dance skills.

The academy philosophy is understanding that dance is about social and fun, but while you are investing your time and money to learn, why not learn it properly.

They’ve develop a “step by step” method that is fun and efficient for everyone to learn. They teach the “know how”. You will learn the vocabulary and the techniques of how to put them together, so you can be.

To learn how to dance Salsa, you should first understand the rhythm of Salsa, the steps, the body movement, the TWO persons but only ONE system principle in order to dance together with harmony, then move on to the turns and figures, and that’s the focus of the academy.

For more info: http://www.salsapassion.ch/d_course.html

England

Caramelo Latin Dance

Looking for Salsa classes in London? You’ve come to the right place! At Caramelo Latin Dance you will find only the highest quality tuition in Crossbody Salsa On1 and On2, as well as in and many other Latin dances.

Caramelo Group - Salsa — Caramelo Group – Salsa

The 4-week Latin dance courses are perfect for a consistent and immersive approach that will help you see a marked progression in your dancing irrespective of your level.

Classes take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays. You can Combine your Salsa classes with Bachata, NY Mambo On2, Cha Cha Cha, Pachanga and Styling and enjoy Latin dancing to the fullest!

For more info: http://www.caramelolatindance.co.uk/

Incognito Dance

Incognito Dance Company (IDC) was established in 1999. It has some of the most experienced and qualified Latin Dance instructors and performers in Europe. All our Latin dance courses, workshops, holidays, events and clubs are run and taught by highly trained, friendly instructors who encourage dancers of all levels to enjoy the spirit of dance.

Try the award winning Gold, Silver & Bronze Salsa Courses, learn to dance, have fun, keep fit and meet new friends. Check out the private lessons, weekly classes, regular workshops, bootcamps, monthly parties, holidays, and special events.

Experienced dancers are given fun, technically challenging classes, and plenty of hours to social dance to the latest Latin music by our fabulous DJ’s. The academy teach many Latin dance styles of salsa from LA Style, NY Style, Cuban and Puerto Rican, as well as Bachata, Kizomba, Cha Cha, Reggaeton, Latin Hip Hop, Merengue etc.

For more info and classes: https://www.incognitodance.com/

Salsa Soho London

The best place to celebrate your Latin roots! Salsa classes every night of the week, amazing drinks menu with over 50 cocktails and of course non- stop Latin music.

This club/restaurant has menus to suit all occasions and tastes. For a bigger party or less formal occasion they Sharing Planks are perfect and includes Salsa favorites like tacos and Iberico ham croquettes. Special events, birthdays, parties and more, with the best atmosphere in London!

For more info and reservations: https://www.bar-salsa.com/soho

Omar Ledezma Jr. and Pacific Mambo on tour in Europe

We had several occasions to talk with Venezuelan singer and percussionist Omar Ledezma Jr. because he always has interesting things to say about his projects and tours, and this time it was no exception.

Recently, the artist along with the rest of Pacific Mambo Orchestra were doing a small tour in Europe, more specifically in France and Italy, and we wanted to know all he could tell us about these performances, most notably the great musical event Tempo Latino, which is held every year in Vic-Fezensac, France.

Omar at the festival — Omar Ledezma Jr. at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Peruvia, Italy

Pacific Mambo in Italy

Something interesting about this year is that Pacific Mambo not only went to Tempo Latino, but they also had a few shows in Italy prior to the festival. Before that, they played in one of the most important events of jazz and music in general which was the Umbria Jazz Festival that took place in Peruvia, where they had the opportunity to play after the impeccable performance by Brazilian singer and guitarist Djavan.

He also describes this concert as a great experience and a great opportunity to continue to demonstrate their talent to audiences that had never heard them before, so they enjoyed it and took full advantage of it.

Later, they had another performance in the city of Palermo, where they were accompanied by the Palermo Brass Orchestra. Omar says that this combination was spectacular and that the music sounded incredible with the brass in the background, to the extent that they spoke to the group and several of the musicians accompanied them to France to play with them at Tempo Latino as well.

Pacific Mambo at Tempo Latino one more year

Omar explained to us that he does not handle the details of the contact to Pacific Mambo to attend Tempo Latino again, but he did tell us that the singer of the group, Cristel Durandi, was the godmother of the festival, which was a real honor for all its members and they were very gratefulfor that. It can now be said that there is an important connection between the orchestra and the organization of the event for future editions.

He told us that there is nothing particularly different than previous years and that, in his case, he felt he was treated like family by the organizers and the other musicians with whom they had the opportunity to talk to. The ones with whom they shared the most were Latin jazz trumpeter Maite Hontelé and the guys from La Orquesta La 33, who had their own performances on that stage that has seen so many Latin talents shine over the years.

Pacific Mambo in Palermo — Pacific Mambo Orchestra rehearsing at The Royal Theater of Saint Cecilia in Palermo, Italy

On Saturday 27 July, it was finally their turn after Maite played with her new orchestra of young musicians, which was preparing the audience for them when they had to delight the audience with the best of their repertoire.

We are always happy to be able to bring our music to the people of France and the world in general because, as always, there were people from all over the world who traveled just to attend the festival. It was very nice to be able to play there again and soak up so much energy. Whenever we go, we always feel at home” said Omar about Tempo Latino.

General details of the tour

Omar’s tour with Pacific Mambo was conducted entirely in Italy and France. As mentioned previously, the guys had never played in Italy before, so this was something very special for them, since the people they met had excellent receptivity to their music and the organization of these concerts offered them all the support they needed in the technical, administrative and hotel part.

The first place they visited was the city of Peruvia, Italy, where they participated in the Umbria Jazz Festival. From there, they moved to Palermo, Sicily, where they had their second performance, and finally, they flew to France for Tempo Latino.

Regarding the accommodation in France, the artist told us that he and his orchestra fellows stayed in a hotel in the town of Auch, a place they had never been to before and which was about 25 to 30 minutes by bus from Vic-Fezensac. Omar highlighted the spectacular view they enjoyed on their journey and all the fields of vineyards and crops they had the opportunity to observe.

Omar and Maite — Musician Maite Hontelé and Omar Ledezma Jr.

Upcoming performances

As for the next Tempo Latino edition, it is still too early to know if Pacific Mambo will participate again in the festival, so those conversations with the group to go to France next year remain to be seen.

However, the musician could confirm that they will have a local performance in September. He also informed us that they will have a concert at Yoshi`s the first weekend of next year, which is already a tradition for the band every year.

For the time being, the band will use these months to refresh their repertoire, create new music and prepare for what is to come in 2025.

Salsa y Punto Dance Company! 2001 – 2017

Europe / España

Salsa y Punto Dance Company. Proud to carry their flag around the world

Salsa y Punto has more than 15 years of experience teaching Caribbean rhythms. We cordially invite you to meet them so you can experience the heat and the guaguancó.

Here you will find teachers with great international experience who will teach you and help you improve your dance style. Starting in September, they will be launching new facilities: 2 open-plan rooms with air conditioning, showers and toilets, as well as free parking.

Just 8 minutes from the center of Valencia, in the Alfafar Business Center, surrounded by restaurants and entertainment areas and enjoy between the MN4 Shopping Center and Carrefour.

Without a doubt, it will be your best choice!

Salsa y Punto was born in Caracas Venezuela in 2001, directed by the musician and dancer Jhonny Sánchez and the dancer and choreographer Carmen González.

They are the first dancers to present the Salsa L.A Dance (online) with acrobatics in Venezuela, since at that time the existing dance groups ventured into other dance styles.

Starting in 2001, Jhonny & Carmen show their first Choreographies as a couple to the Venezuelan Salsero public. In previous years they had the opportunity to work in Venezuela and visit Puerto Rico with the Latin Image Group in 2000 and 2001.

Jhonny and Carmen are the pioneers in this style of dance and this is demonstrated by the significant number of presentations and videos for more than 15 years, in which they have managed to forge their own original style over time, “Salsa A3” (3 dancers), since 2003.

They have walked through the best stages in Venezuela, in addition to participating in the most important concerts in Caracas.

They toured their country of origin with the Orquesta Dimensión Latina “2001-2002” and participated in television programs such as: Sabado Sensacional, the Carolina Gómez Show, De Todo Un Poco and De Par en Par.

They were the exclusive couple to represent Venezuela at the World Salsa Congress in Puerto Rico 2002, and in turn managed to be finalists among the best 8 couples in the world at the 1st World Dance Championship “Salsa Open”, Puerto Rico 2002.

In 2003 they visited Spain, as guests at the World Salsa Congress in Valencia, where they were “a revelation as a dance company.”

Due to the great success, and the number of presentations offered by promoters from different festivals, they decided to stay in Valencia, the city that received them for the first time in Europe.

Currently, they direct the Salsa y Punto academy, through which a large number of students from the Valencian Community have passed, and have trained dancers who today work as dancers and teachers.

Since 2002, they have performed at the most important dance festivals in the world and have been the forerunners of Kizomba in Valencia since 2011. In 2013 they managed to be World Runners-up in the Kizomba Open, and Kizomba Champions in Switzerland 2015.

They were finalists of the television program “Tú si que vales 2011”.

To date, they run their dance companies Salsaypunto Dance Company, Salsaypunto Amateur, Kizombaypunto and Bachataypunto.

Proud to carry the flag of Venezuela and Spain around the world.

Rubén Blades: What a magnificent way to celebrate 70 years of life and 50 of career!

North America / USA / Miami

Rubén Blades

The author of many of the most popular hits in the history of salsa, reached the seventh decade and music has not stopped playing for him.

The indisputable social sense of his songs made the difference in times when the themes of every other song were about love and unloved.

“The poet of salsa” was born on July 16, 1948 in a humble family, in Panama City, leaded by musicians, because his father was a percussionist and his mother was a pianist.

With an amazing multifaceted nature, Blades was the first in his family to go to college; so music was a hobby, like any other. Shortly after graduating as a lawyer, he arrived to Miami running away from Omar Torrijo’s dictatorship.

Since the time of Fania, he has walked through different currents of the same genre and composed the song Patria, which is still the second national anthem of his native Panama. In his last awarded albums, he returns to the company of great orchestras and to an intentional change in his voice to give nostalgia airs to the songs he sings. He has won 17 Grammy Awards and has been nominated 3 times for the Emmy Awards.

He has ventured into film, television and politics. His deeply critical nature does not allow him to ignore injustice and the abuse of power, and does not skimp on making his point of view known. Recently, he hinted his presidential aspirations in Panama for the 2019 elections, and this would not be his first time at the presidency’s run. In addition, he was Minister of Tourism between 2004 and 2009.

Blades has acted in 35 films and three series, and we must add the recently released documentary, “Yo no me llamo Rubén Blades” directed by Abner Benaim. Apart from his apparition in the popular TV series “Fear The Walking Dead”, he recently participated in the film “Hands of Stone” about the mythical Panamanian boxer Roberto “Manos de Piedra” Durán. There is no artistic space which Blades has not dabbled in.

How does he celebrate 70 years of life and 50 of career?

Singing! Although he has stated on several occasions that he wants to devote himself to other artistic facets and perhaps on purpose, he has allowed himself to think retired and then reappear with excellent albums like “Cantares del subdesarrollo” or, “Medoro Madera” the truth is that everybody is wondering, what will Rubén Blades do now, will he retire?

Currently, Blades writes opinion articles and publishes them on his website www.rubenblades.com, while on tour with the Panamanian group Roberto Delgado & Orquesta, until September. As if that was not enough, he prepares a book of poems, two scripts for cinema, is considering a couple of offers for the big screen, and will continue promoting the documentary “Yo no me llamo Rubén Blades” that although HBO has not revealed when it will be released on TV, will continues its journey in film festivals, and on cinema until August 30th in Panama, and 31th in Mexico to start the next premieres.

As a cherry pie will keep us in suspense about his possible presidential candidacy, because ” “antes necesito saber lo que el país quiere y si está dispuesto a abandonar el clientelismo a cambio de un plan nacional a largo plazo” Likewise, Blades clarified that ” no es algo que esté ya decidido “, it is a possibility, which requires society’s “apoyo masivo”.

This year near his 70th birthday, he affirmed without doubts: ” No me despido de los escenarios, sino de las giras de salsa. En este momento tengo muchos otros planes y proyectos y, a mi edad, tengo que priorizarlos”.

Anyway, Rubén Blades is that salsero that integrated action and politics into his social struggle. What else can we ask of him?

International Salsa Magazine presents the Dj, Jeferson Flores, triumphing in Europe

Currently, they are known through the abbreviation “Dj” or the term “deejay” respectively, and in previous times, they were called “disc jockey”, to those people, which select and mix recorded music and thus be heard by a certain audience, thus issuing its sound in locations such as: discos, mini clubs, clubs, dances, events, concerts, bars, restaurants and rumbas, demonstrating their versatility, knowledge and bringing joy to their followers, listeners and dancers.

In this issue of International Salsa Magazine, we present a Venezuelan musician, selector or dj, who is currently triumphing outside our borders and extolling the name of our country.

We refer to Jeferson Flores, born in Caracas in 1992, and from a very young age he was inclined to music, because his father, also worked as a professional dj of salsa music rhythm and this somehow influenced Flores to learn the trade and legacy acquired thanks to his father.

Beginning with only 15 years of age to musicalize, using in first place the formats of compact discs “cds” and “cuatromil quinientos”, in the Caracas saraos known as “Picoteros” and in the remembered “Minitecas”, and in second place demonstrates his skill in the “plates”, when using the formats of discs in acetates or vinyl, selecting salsa for the dancer and he also commented us that with the passing of the years and until the present time, he stands out and characterizes himself for being a professional salsa dj; he stands out and is characterized for being a “dj crossover”, that is to say, what it means in the Spanish language, dedicated to “mix” with the use of “controllers” his excellent musical repertoire. International Trajectory.

The performance abroad of our guest of this month in International Salsa Magazine, has been quite extensive and successful, beginning to work in Colombia, where he worked as a “resident dj” for five years in a prestigious nightclub in Bogota, then began his period, musicalizing in Ecuador, Poland, Germany and is currently based and makes professional life in Barcelona, Spain, being described by specialists as one of the “Dj Crossover” more complete and versatile, placing Latin music in their dances. And as a result of his excellent performance in the Iberian country, he was the winner last year of the “Latino de Oro” award, in the categories: Salsa Dj and Dj Crossover, respectively, and by the way, in this year’s edition 2024, he has been nominated again in both categories for this award, considered one of the most important of the music in the European continent.

As for his most recent performances as a “musical selector”, last Saturday, June 28, he was mixing salsa at a location in the city of Marbella, Spain, in an event called “Venezuelan Night”, and next Saturday, July 6, he travels to Madrid to make the rumberos of the “mother country” enjoy, integrating the line-up of the Dj show, the “Fiesta Blanca”, alternating in this opportunity with the musicalizers: Reni Herrera, Ditxon Mercado, Dj Argenis and Dj “El Negrito Caliente”.

Finally – he told us – Jeferson that his work in Spain has been very well liked and he is one of the most requested Djs in the rumbas every weekend. His social networks and contacts are, instagram: jefersonfloresoficial2, facebook: Yeferson Flores, Tik tok: @jefersonflores457, Youtube: jefferson flores.

Email: [email protected], Booking: +34691292564. From International Salsa Magazine in Palo Alto, CA www.salsagoogle.com, we wish Dj Jeferson Flores, the best of success and continue to succeed in Europe for the pride of Venezuelans, always putting good salsa for the dancer …! Until next time and let’s keep on salsaing. Dj. Augusto Felibertt and Carlos Alberto Colmenárez Oropeza.

The first DJ was British radio engineer Ron Diggins.

Contrary to what many may imagine, it was not a bohemian musician in a garage or some friends in a ghetto. The first DJ was British radio engineer Ron Diggins, who in 1949 invented the Diggola, which today is considered the first “mixing desk” in the history of music. The home-built Diggola had two turntables, lights, microphones, amplifier, speakers and was built on a wooden coffin (yes, coffin) base.

With his Diggola at the ready, and like a good DJ, he loaded his equipment into a van and began playing records at the hundreds of UK events where he was hired, causing the crowd to go wild. “I didn’t invent anything, I just put the same things to a different use,” he commented in the magazines of the time, never imagining that his creation would be the beginning of a revolution in music, where DJ’s and beatmakers would take beats to every corner of the planet.

Ron Diggins, throughout his life, played records in more than 20 thousand parties, retiring only in 1995, after 46 years of career in front of the decks. Passionate about music, he passed away in 2011 at the age of 91, leaving an eternal legacy.

In 2020 it will be 25 years since Diggins retired from the dancefloors. And we commemorate it with music, without a minute of silence, because a life with silence is the last thing the first DJ in history wanted.

Article written by @comte_con_eme, member of the Urban Roosters Army.

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