Search Results for: Latin Dance

Dance Papi

North America / USA / New York

Dance Papi is the best place on the web to learn Salsa, Cuban salsa, Conga drums and Hand percussion online for free. You could find all their Dance and Music Video Lessons http://dancepapi.com/about/

Ariel Ceja Founder

Ariel Ceja founded Dance Papi after becoming frustrated by the lack of online dance resources. Dance Papi aims to fill this void by becoming the best place on the web to learn social dances and Latin percussion by featuring instructive videos.

Prior to launching Dance Papi, Ariel studied film at Occidental College, worked as general manager for Ceja Vineyards and opened Bistro Sabor, a small eatery in Napa that served contemporary expressions of Latin America’s favorite street food and snacks.

He currently attempts to go out social dancing two to three times per week, is obsessed with the band Punch Brothers and sometimes posts cooking videos on salud! napa, enjoys sipping all styles of Pinot Noir and relishes a good hug so give him one if you see him.

Nicole Lazo Salsa On1 Instructor

Nicole Lazo is one of Sacramento’s top salsa instructors. She is an elegant and graceful dancer who is known for her unique, sexy styling and body movement on and off the dance floor, and a true love for teaching. In addition, her humble attitude and approachable personality make her popular amongst the Sacramento dance community today.

Nicole Lazo - Dance Papi — Nicole Lazo – Dance Papi

She has an ability to effortlessly follow any lead and break down complicated patterns and moves into simple steps anyone can learn. Nicole Lazo fell in love with salsa dancing sight unseen.

Even before her very first lesson began she bought tights (which she quickly learned she did not need) and dance shoes (a half size too large because no one told her ladies’ shoes should be bought in a smaller size).

Throughout her childhood, she took dance classes, as little girls are apt to do, and quickly realized that she would fearlessly dance anywhere, anytime! Ultimately, it was her experience teaching swing dancing in the piazzas of Rome, combined with her innate love of Latin rhythm that brought her to a local dance studio.

Having traveled throughout California, Mexico, and El Salvador to be trained in salsa, Nicole still continues to seek opportunities to further broaden and diversify her knowledge of Latin dance. Nicole brings fresh movement and style straight from her travels right into the dance studio!

Ariel Ceja and Nicole Lazo - Dance Papi — Ariel Ceja and Nicole Lazo – Dance Papi

Bogotá Dances To The Rhythm Of Son Salome

Latin America / Colombia / Bogota

Son Salome, a name governed by the main genre of Cuban popular music, Son, and the memory of the great Poet/Writer Lou Andreas-Salomé, is defined as a Bar with a dance floor, also defined as a large disco, open to lovers dance, connoisseurs of good Latin music as well as for those who wish to attend to enjoy the right environment for a night of guaranteed enjoyment, with first class attention offers visitors a high level of security, highly trained staff , which seeks to provide a space for enjoyment.

Photo 1: Dances To The Rhythm Of Son Salome

During my visit I was able to enjoy the best options in services, cocktails, drinks and first-class drinks, the reference given by the famous Chepe, owner and personality of the city’s salsa world, was to enjoy the specialty, the Cuban Mojito, a house cocktail that will take you to visit the Island of Cuba without getting up from your seat.

This great bar offers us a varied itinerary during the weekends, starting with Cuban music on Thursdays where you could coincide with large groups, on Fridays with the best DJs in the country closing on Saturdays and Sundays with great salsa, Cuban and even beautiful folklore of the country, singers or musicians of the first gala will make your stay a night class moment.

Photo 2: Dances To The Rhythm Of Son Salome

With 34 years of foundation, Son Salome offers a well-distributed place, with a large space to dance or enjoy a good group, a first-class toilet and, above all, an open space to spend a beautiful evening. We can only recommend you to visit Son Salome located in the center, a few meters from the main means of transport in the city, the Transmilenio at its Aguas station, exactly on Calle 19 # 4-20, in a sector called to be the future of Bogotá, due to the number of constructions that are currently under development, opens continuously from Thursday to Sunday from 6:00 pm, you can learn a lot about this beautiful place through the social networks:

Facebook, Instragam and Google through Son Salome, the Latin reference number 1 in the city.

Photo 3: Dances To The Rhythm Of Son Salome

For more information contact them through:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonsalome / https://www.facebook.com/pages/SonSalom%C3%A9-Caribe/1396835567299952
Phones: +57 2432506 / +57 3005707722

Steps Dance Studio Inc.

North America / Canada /  Toronto

Steps Dance Studio

Steps offers a complete curriculum of Salsa, Bachata, Hustle and Latin Dance for all skill levels. Working from a comprehensive dance syllabus designed by Jennifer Aucoin and refined by 20 years of Salsa teaching experience, their professionally trained instructors are patient, dedicated and passionate about their craft. Want you to leave your class and the dancefloor feeling great. The program is designed to allow students to begin anytime! Start any week, even absolute beginners. And come as often as your schedule allows. Steps Dance Studio has classes every night and on weekends, and most levels are offered twice a week or more.

Located just a few minutes walk from Bloor & Wellesley subway stations. 819 Yonge St. 3rd floor. Toronto, ON M4W 2G9 SE corner of Yonge St. & Davenport, north of Bloor St.

Meet Jennifer Aucoin, Founder, Executive Director and Instructor.

A full-time salsa instructor, choreographer and event organizer. She is co-artistic director for Steps Dance Company & co-founder of the Women’s Salsa Retreat. As a trained adjudicator, Jennifer has judged competitions in Puerto Rico, Ecuador, New York, Las Vegas, Orlando, Miami, Detroit, Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto. She has also represented Canada on the judging panel for the World Salsa Championships televised on ESPN.

She is on the judging panel for the prestigious Global Salsa Championships at the World Salsa Summit. Jennifer was also the first instructor in Canada to be certified to teach Latin Hustle by the IHDA. Jennifer is the founder and organizer of the annual Canada Salsa & Bachata Congress, an international salsa festival that takes place in Toronto every October.

This 4-day extravaganza, now in its thirteenth year, is the largest salsa event in Canada and features nightly performances by over 60 dance companies from all over the world and daily salsa workshops given by worldrenowned instructors. The Canadian Salsa Championships, part of the Canada Salsa & Bachata Congress weekend, is the largest and most widely recognized Salsa & Bachata competition in Canada.

Classes offered in Steps Dance Studio

Salsa

Salsa Level 1: No previous dance (or salsa) experience required. Start this class at any time. Each class starts with an explanation and review of the basic Salsa step and the timing and rhythm of Salsa music, followed by a new beginner level turn.
Salsa Level 2: Geared to those who are comfortable with the basic Salsa step, basic right and left turns and Cross Body Lead. Build on Level 1 material and learn new turns and combinations, add footwork (i.e. Salsa shines) and reinforce your timing and partnering skills. Learn proper posture, frame, weight transfer and connection.
Salsa Level 3: Cross body lead patterns, traveling turns, back breaks, checks and different hand hold variations will be linked into fun turn pattern combinations. Start developing a flow of motion between the moves that will make you feel good and look good on the dancefloor.
Salsa Level 4: This course will focus on high intermediate level turns and turn pattern combinations, how to maintain balance and connection with your partner while incorporating directional changes & intricate moves, improving musicality, how to remember shines and turn patterns and use them in different combinations, tips on how to be a better leader and follower, adding styling to your dancing – in short, how to be a more complete dancer!
Salsa Level 5: This course focuses on taking your dancing to the next level. Advanced level turn patterns, technique and skill development. Execute double spins, multiple turns and variations, intricate choreography, advanced level syncopations and sexy styling. Adapt and combine your moves to suit the level of your partner.

Bachata

Bachata Level 1: Bachata is a seductive and flirtatious dance that originated in the Dominican Republic and is played in all Salsa nightclubs. Learn the basic Bachata footwork and how to lead and follow some fun and simple Bachata turns and turn pattern combinations.
Bachata Level 2: Learn new turns and turn pattern combinations while focusing on the correct connection, tension and movement of Bachata dancing. Learn body isolation exercises and drills to help make this dance look smooth and sexy.
Bachata Level 3: Learn more intricate and complex Bachata turn pattern combinations. Learn how to execute syncopated Dominican style footwork. Learn body isolation exercises and drills to help you to incorporate the sensuous Bachata body movement needed to make this dance look effortless.
Bachata Level 4: Learn more intricate and sexy Bachata turn patterns. Add syncopated Dominican style footwork into your partner dancing. Learn how to incorporate the sensuous Bachata body movement needed to make this dance look effortless. Refine your leading & following technique in order to build a connection with each dance partner. And much more… For more information about schedules, classes, lessons, workshops and contacts, visit

https://www.stepsdance studio.com/

Latin America – October 2017

Sizzling Summer Nights dancer April Connella breaks silence on Orlando Delgado and her career

A while ago, we wrote a story about Sizzling Summer Nights, which is a series of outdoor performances by long-established and emerging orchestras at the Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles. However, we never had the opportunity to talk to any of those involved in the event, but that has changed in the last few days, as we have had the joy of speaking with professional dancer, dance teacher and choreographer April Connella, who will give us details on her career and professional life.

April at an event — April Connella at one of her dance events

How April became interested in dancing

April started to become interested in everything related to dancing from a young age, but the one who really introduced her in this world is Orlando Delgado, who was a salsa instructor and dancer in Los Angeles. It turns out that in this same city, someone close to Orlando saw April dancing in events by chance and told her to go to Orlando’s studio, meet him and take classes with him to reach her full potential. So she did and the connection between the two was instantaneous and, over time, they became friends and Orlando came to be someone very special in her life.

They became a dance couple, taught classes and did many events together until the untimely passing of Orlando in September 2023 due to a long battle with cancer

Sizzling Summer Nights

April was telling us that it was Orlando they really contacted to participate in Sizzling Summer Nights. One of his students in one of his dance classes, who turned out to be one of the organizers, suggested that both he and April attend these events, since the previous instructors had left, so he was looking for new ones.

Since then about eight years have passed and Sizzling Summer Nights has become one of the biggest salsa and Latin music events of the summer, largely due to the effort made by the talented duo.

Orlando and April in Sizzling Summer Nights — Orlando Delgado and April Connella at the Autry’s Sizzling Summer Nights some years ago

How Orlando’s death affected April

The dancer also confessed to us that Orlando’s loss has affected her personally and professionally, to the degree of saying that, together with him, she has lost a part of herself that feels that she will never be able to recover. Many have asked her why she does not get a new dance partner, but she finds it difficult to do that. She recognizes that there are many good dancers who could fill that spot, but finding someone she has the relationship and emotional connection she had with her previous partner is impossible. You do not get that anywhere else.

However, despite this painful loss, April knows she has to move forward in spite of everything and carry out her projects as hard as it is. In fact, one of those challenges is that April herself also happened to be sick with cancer and is in remission.

To this we must add that one of the things keeps her going is the great passion she feels for what she does and she believes that her profession is a part of her soul she cannot let die too. Not to mention that she has felt the support of the entire salsa community that knew Orlando in life and helped her to continue her work.

April and Chino Espinoza — Chino Espinoza from the group Chino Espinoza Y Los Dueños del Son and April Connella

April’s Feel Da Beat

The dance instructor explained that April’s Feel Da Beat is actually a new version of the previous dance company that was only called Feel Da Beat and was directed by Orlando. After the two meet, they not only become dance partners and best friends, but also business partners.

Then, Orlando was planning to retire at some point due to age, so he wanted his project to be in the hands of someone he could trust and that was April, whom he taught everything he knew so he could delegate what he had built so far to her. When Delgado’s health was already very frail, both he and April discussed the matter of the company and concluded that the best thing to do was to transfer it to her and change its name to April’s Feel Da Beat. After that, it was up to her to handle the project alone and adjust to this new stage without Orlando by her side.

She does not have a big team working for her right now, but she does work with many artists and dancers for the various events in which she performs.