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Son Divas with new energy

The orchestra formed by Puerto Rican women will back to work and will release its first album in the coming months.

Son Divas is here to stay. This was stated by Aníbal de Gracia, manager, producer, and creative director of the girl group. After a short recess caused by the pandemic, Son Divas has just released the single ‘Mujer de acero’, which will be part of the first album they are working on and is scheduled to be released between March and summer.

“During this time in which many projects had been delayed as a result of the pandemic, many people told me that Son Divas should record an album. After thinking and appraising how much the group had made progress since its beginnings, I thought that it was the right time for that first recording.

We have already recorded some songs and others are in the process and we hope to release it between March and summer, but observing what happens with the matter of the pandemic,” said de Gracia, manager and producer of Son Divas.

They are Divas from Puerto Rico and they come with a lot of energy. — Son Divas of Puerto Rico

The musician/orchestra director also noted that more than 100 female musicians, among other guests, will participate in the record production.

“We decided that we were supposed to invite the largest possible number of women, not only of Puerto Rico, but of the entire world. We want to finish recording the album, be able to release it into the marketplace and, and look forward to the moment when we can play it live,” he said.

Son Divas is recording a song in conjunction with the Cuban orchestra Anacaona, the first women’s orchestra in the world. The Cuban group was founded by the Castro sisters in the 1930s. According to de Gracia, Dominican musician Wilfrido Vargas had contact with the Anacaona orchestra during the 70s, and in this way, developed the concept of Las Chicas del Can.

Ya hemos grabaWe have already recorded some songs and others are in process and we hope to release it between the month of March and the summer, of course, observing what happens with the pandemic issue," said de Gracia, manager and producer of Son Divas. — Son Divas records a song in conjunction with the Anacaona Orchestra from Cuba

“Although the album will have a romantic theme, it will be varied. Songs to dance salsa, merengue, and even a Latin jazz track can be found here. It will have a combination of new songs with some covers. ‘Eclipse total del amor’, a salsa version of a song popularized by Lissette Alvarez;

‘Mala novia’, ‘Una loca como yo’ and ‘Mujer de acero’, a song we already released in promotion. These are some of the tracks of the album”.

De Gracia began training the girls from Son Divas in 2017 after participating in a music festival in St. Kitts where he shared the stage with the Anacaona orchestra the previous year. After being impressed by these Cuban girls he decided to start a similar project in Puerto Rico.

“After recruiting girls, getting a whole lot of rehearsal, and overcoming the drawbacks of Hurricane Maria, we recorded the first single ‘Mala novia’, a song by Mel Martinez and arrangement by Ramon Sanchez. We managed to be played on the radio and it opened a lot of doors.

After that, we had to deal with the pandemic issue and the musical activity had stopped. — Son Divas, Nico Camilo, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Anibal De Gracia, Luz Mary Parra, Victor Manuelle and Lilly Aponte

We made several performances in Puerto Rico and went to St. Kitts. We recorded a second single titled ‘Una loca como yo’ in collaboration with Gilberto Santa Rosa and Victor Manuelle on backing vocals.

After that, we had to deal with the pandemic and musical activity had been stopped. Now, we are back to work again. We are working on the album that is sure people will like very much because it is being done with passion, love, and very good musical quality”, de Gracia said.

Son Divas is led by Nicole Yomara Santiago (musical director and trumpeter); it features singers Nico Camilo, Luz Mary Parra and Lilly Aponte. Zuleyka Martínez (saxophone), Nicole Vargas (trumpet), Ileana González (trumpet), Irem Díaz (bass), veteran virtuous Amuni Nacer (piano), Dali Marie (conga and bongo) and Daizalee M. Félix (timbal). The latter two appeared on the album.

The orchestra made up of Puerto Rican women — Son Divas with new energy

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Latin America – March 2021

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We may enjoy the Minga Cup championship this year.

Known..

“The Future is our” Minga Cup 2021

America is one of the five (5) continents that have been affected by COVID-19 at the cultural level, as the majority of its events, festivals, concerts, congresses, among others were canceled because of people’s safety. This year, many things want to return to normal, and others have gone somewhat different ways such as jobs and online events that have been of much use to avoid a total paralysis of the whole world paralyzed not only socially and economically speaking and create a new lifestyle to which to date we are doing everything we can to adapt.

Members of the Minga Cup — Dancing at the Minga Cup Competition

The return of the festivals and mass events in two thousand and twenty one “2021” will be conditioned upon what happens in Europe and the United States in the coming months because they are the ones with the highest infection rates. In Latin America, several events have been scheduled with tentative dates which will be met (only if it is live “face – to – face”) if there are not a lot of contagions or the country and organizers allow it in compliance with all bio-security standards to protect us and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In Chile, a wide variety of musical and dance events have been held for many years and, currently, some of them have been held online and, on this occasion, we have one of the best known South American championships in Latin America; we have a competition called Minga Cup, which is a tournament that aims to boost the healthy competition between national and international dancers in Chile to generate new forums for the style and category exposed.

The cost of the access passes are as follows:

40% discount on Access Passes, which includes workshops, competitions, and parties (Offer Price $42.000 / Actual Price $70.000).
30% discount on Masterclass with Antonio Berardi which includes 4 closed and exclusive classes by Antonio Berardi (Offer Price $50.000 / 2020 Price $70.000).
30% discount on Competitor Registrations.

In this opportunity, the jury has already been elected and chosen in 2020, which includes:

From Italy, The brothers Antonio and Jasmina Berardi, Professional Dancers World Champions of Caribbean Dance.
- Facebook: @AntonioyJasminaBerardi
From Canada and Cuba, dancers Harold and Regan.
- Facebook: @haroldandregan
From Peru, Deklan, and Natalia the nine-time salsa and bachata champions.
- Facebook: @FCOPIURADYN
From Argentina, Yonel Blanco, dancer, and director of SOMOS!, which is a Cuban Folk Dance Company.
- Facebook: @yonel.blanco
From Argentina, Gustavo Pinat, dancer and teacher of Estudio BamBoleo Salsa.
- Facebook: @GustavoPinat
From Chile and Australia, Karen Connolly, director of the Karen Connolly Professional Institute of Performing Arts.
- Facebook: @ipaekc
From Chile, dancer Roberta Cifuentes.
- Instagram: @robycifuentes and Facebook: @ Roby2310

For this year two thousand and twenty one “2021” it will be held from April 8 to 11, 2021, if you want to have more information in general, ticket sales or other questions write to their email info @ copaminga.cl, or they can also contact them through their page from Facebook @copaminga or his website www.copaminga.cl and enjoy a moment full of fun, learning and much joy with everyone else.

Note: “If you want to get out of this quarantine, take care”

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Circulo Offers Innovative Online Courses For These Times

Circulo Dance School in Munich

In these times of Pandemic, the Circulo dance school in Munich offers you the opportunity to continue preparing and staying active in the authentic Cuban Salsa dance with innovative online courses that transmit in explanatory videos the material of the respective levels in well-structured units and simple to practice and exercise from the comfort of your home and regardless of fixed schedules.

In this new generation of dance schools in Germany, the aim of Circulo is not to convey a dance course in the typical school style, but to teach it in such a way that it can be understood and mastered. Therefore, the focus is on the joy of moving to the rhythm of the music with dance steps and individual figures that form the basis in these lessons that guarantee success due to their more than 20 years of experience.

In these Online Courses they teach the Cuban Salsa or Salsa Casino, so-called in many Latin American countries, which does not mean a rigid sequence of steps and figures strictly learned, but a kind of communication, with feeling, wit, and eroticism.

At the Salsa´s basic level, you will start from the beginning with basic steps, twists, and simple figures to establish the basis. Its content includes Basic steps (Casino and Son Montuno), Take Fly as an isolation exercise, spins (alone and in a couple), combinations of several spins, and the basic and important circle of the Salsa Casino with various variations. At the end of this course, you will come across a video that summarizes everything that has been learned thus far.

In these online courses, you will also find the basic level of modern Dominican Bachata with combinations of steps, lilting rhythm, and a variety of figures. The course contains: Basic steps, Basic with a cross in 2, spins in 2 (alone and in a couple), combinations of several spins and figures.

How Does It Work?

Enrollment in the online course.
You will receive a confirmation by email from the Circulo dance school office and at the same time the bank details of the transfer.
Payment is made by bank transfer.
Once the payment is received, they will send you the access data to the Circulo customer platform by email.
From then on, you can watch the dance videos as often as you like for 8 weeks.

Price: € 95 per course

6 Reasons To Choose The Circle Dance School:

Marc um Mejrem – Circle Dance Instructor

It is the only Academy in the center of Munich’s ostbahnhof that has a school for learning Caribbean dances and a Salsa Club for Latin parties in the same place.
Since 1998 they have combined the teaching of the original Cuban Salsa with the essence of their culture.
At its basic level, the first steps and turns are simple, creating an environment of achievement for people without prior knowledge during the first minutes of the lessons. During the same level, additional steps are implemented and simple figures are danced.
At the following levels: Intermediate and Advanced, La Rueda Salsa Casino is added in which movements are made in synchrony with the announcement of a so-called Singer and they change partners. At these levels, dance figures are practiced and they learn sequences of movements that they implement quickly.
Additional weekly lessons for advanced groups are held in fixed groups with permanent teachers in so-called salsa clubs to offer fresh and safe dancing.
Also in this dance academy, you can master Salsa Suelta, Cuban Rumba, Ladystyling, and Menstyling.

CIRCULO Munich dance school – Practice and dance without limits!

Telephone: +49 (89) 494 888

Venue: Rosenheimer Str. 139, 81671 Munich, Germany

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PIETRO MINGARELLI

To The Beat Of The Latin Rhythm

He made Latin music his lifestyle. He fused the art of contemporary dance with the Caribbean rhythm. He made the national and international stages his home and the Salsa artists his true friends. He is a professional dancer, composer, and director of online programs. In each dance, he reflects his style… He is elegant, passionate, classic, and unstoppable. This is how Pietro Mingarelli shows himself.

More than 40 years of experience summarize a series of national and international triumphs. At 5 years old Pietro was already seen as one of the best dancers in Italy. His beginnings were in ballet, Jazz, tap (Tip-Tap), and contemporary dance, achieving third place in his first competition with only 5 years old, among a group of 500 couples with competitors up to 12 years old, which allowed him to stand out from his first presentation.

For the next 10 years, he continued his dance studies and participation in couples’ championships with his sister, partner, and dance partner, Daria Mingarelli, with whom he won 10 national championships.

In the mid-80s, without forgetting the rigor and discipline learned in his dance studies in Europe, he finds himself for the first time on a journey of no return to what would be his true passion, the Salsa. During a trip to Puerto Rico, he was able to establish the click with the Latin culture and one of the main and most representative rhythmic movements of it.

Gilberto Santa Rosa, Pietro Mingarelli, and Daria Mingarelli in the Video’s recording “No Digas Nada y Baila”

Between participation in a lot of festivals including the Bacardi International Dance Festival, which years later its format would become Congress, Pietro had the opportunity to establish professional alliances with the Arthur Murray Dance Center Academy (Puerto Rico) where he began to teach by Mambo. During that time, the Mingarelli brothers attended local patron saint festivals that would introduce them to the Caribbean idiosyncrasy, to the cadence of the salsa rhythm that is not found in the academies, that it is not possible to have it without feeling the music from the heart and connecting the feelings, which has no other name than what we know as the “El Sabor de la Calle”.

By the beginning of the ‘90s, Pietro had a consolidated career on the island of enchantment, dancing together with Daria for different local Salsa orchestras. From 1994 to 1998 the brothers were the official dancers of Gilberto Santa Rosa “El Caballero de la Salsa”, who see them dance and immediately add them to his work team. They were the protagonists of his Video “No digas Nada y Baila”, recorded in Old San Juan on the Calle del Cristo in 1997, and participated in the “Show de las 12” one of the most popular programs in the country in the presentations of the Salsa singer.

Instructor of Instructors

From the age of 15, Pietro born in Alessandria was emerging as the instructor of the instructors of Caribbean dance in Italy. As early as 1995 he was the co-founder of one of the most renowned schools in Turin, Salsa Manía, with franchises in Germany and other European countries.

Since 2000 he has been one of the annual organizers of world championships with live orchestras, such as the Italian Amateur Federcaribe Championship and the World Championship in San Marino.

As a visionary, he created the online program “Dance Revolution” that combines the training technique of a professional dancer with the “Son” (rhythm) of the street. Each class is live and personalized. This course of various levels teaches you the basic characteristics of Puerto Rican Salsa, teaching culture, and the differentiating way from other courses is the use of instruments played live to adapt the assistant’s ear for a safe and perfect entry into the dance.

The “Mingarelli Style” dance school with the slogan “From the Neighborhood to the Academy” took hold of Italy and the teaching system based on the combination of mastery of technique, a rhythmic execution of Puerto Rican Salsa, and an instructional mechanism that isn’t only based on the counter but the rhythmic sound of Salsa, it’s the current teaching method chosen by most of the best teachers from different salsa academies in the country.

For years, Pietro has been doing altruistic work with his sister, collaborating with associations of children with Down syndrome, deaf, dumb, and blind children to give free lessons, achieving an excellent level of performance among children with these special conditions.

Latin Beat

The Salsa dance professional, Pietro, masters several musical instruments: the Piano, the Conga, and the Percussion, the latter two he learned and mastered during his trips to Puerto Rico.

This knowledge laid the basis for the creation of his orchestra Pietro Mingarelli and his Generation 73 at the end of 2015. The name of the orchestra was given by the year of birth of each member of the orchestra, coinciding in the year 1973. This orchestra varies from 9 to 11 musicians on stage depending on the space. They have performed to 3000 people in discos and dance halls in the cradle of Italy, Turin.

At the same time, Pietro Mingarelli has composed more than 20 songs, including 9 of them in his digital record production ” Hecho en Cuba”, where the Romantic Salsa single “Volveré otra vez” stands out, “Caldero” (more danceable) dedicated to the renowned Cuban Timbalero Juan Carlos Calderin, and “Mi cubana salsera” lyrics inspired by his wife Yusely from Guantánamo – Cuba, among many others.

Currently, “Alma en Pena” is his most recent single released in 2019 that you can enjoy on digital platforms and will be part of the new CD that Pietro will bring us with famous international Salsa artists … Maybe, Gilberto Santa Rosa could be one of his vocalists… We will wait to see what this excellent pioneer of Salsa in Italy brings us very soon.

A Ritmo de Salsa…

A Ritmo de Salsa is his most ambitious program created in 2020. Its original name was “Aventuras en Ritmo de Salsa” and it would be broadcast from a cruise ship for one of the main television stations in Italy. However, it cannot be carried out due to the arrival of the Covid 19 Pandemic.

Pietro has an invaluable historical-musical knowledge that makes him very popular in the Salsa world

However, this program did not remain in the drawer, it was launched online through its platform “Dance Revolution” and its first episode arrived in March 2020, surprising its audience with interviews with friends and great personalities from the Salsa world, among which stand out: Gilberto Santa Rosa, Charlie Aponte, Willie Rosario, and Bobby Valentin.

This successful program is 1 hour long; however, everything can change depending on the interviewee. One of the cases was the interview with César “Pupy” Pedroso (The Van Van´s Pianist, arranger, and composer) that lasted 3 hours, while 1 hour and 30 minutes was the duration of the program of the guest Alfredo de la Fe, Cuban violinist -American, who has shared the stage with Celia Cruz, Tito Puente and other great personalities of the Salsa´s first line.

Each interview is loaded with history, anecdotes, mini-concerts, and learning tips that have helped these famous artists to successfully manage their instruments and their careers.

You can see new episodes of A Ritmo de Salsa on Sundays in premiere at 8:30 PM… And for this month Pietro brings us to the “Sonera del Mundo”, Aymée Nuviola. You don´t miss out on all the fun!

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