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Search Results for: Salsa Fest

Miami Bachata Festival 2017

North America / USA / Miami

The Miami Bachata Festival (MBF) 2017 will be held January 26-30 at the beautiful Deauville Beach Resort in Miami. MBF is a celebration of culture through live music and dance attended by a diverse international audience. For attendees looking to be adventurous or take their dancing skills to the next level we provide instructional dance classes from beginner to advance with a line-up of World class local and international dance artists www.miamibachatafestival.com

At night, MBF brings out the entertainment! Each evening begins with live dance showcases that are sure to wow any audience with a mix of acrobatic, sexy and high-energy performances. Then, move on to live music with internationally recognized artists and then end the evening with some of the best tropical music DJs in the world to ensure you dance the entire night away. MBF is an event that provides something for everyone and we hope you join for the fun.

Confirmed Artists

Music

  • Grupo Extra

Dance

  • Ataca & La Alemana
  • Daniel & Desiree Ronald & Alba
  • Sara Lopez
  • Alex & Desiree
  • El Tiguere & Julianna Pablo Vilches & Yaima Billy & Ahtoy
  • Jose Ferrante & Elena Simone & Serena
  • Alfredo & Andrea
  • Frank Santos & Gatica Andrea & Silvia
  • Gregory & Jessica
  • Rodrigo & Wendy Paso Fino
  • Zeke Ruvalcaba
  • Roberto Lay
  • Mike G y Pura Vida

DJs

  • El Tiguere
  • Soltrix
  • Emerzive
  • Khalid

 

Grupo Extra

The hardest thing for new projects in the music business is to find an identity, a new concept, a new sound, a different style, and new colors. All the above describes Grupo Extra. The key members of Grupo Extra are: El Nene Flow (Neftali Caba), El Turko (Yassir Neher), Tony Santana (Edward Anthony Regalado Santana), Manny Rod (Emmanuel Rodriguez) y Yewdry Alvarado.

Grupo Extra
Grupo Extra

Grupo Extra is already known as a group with a big stage presence, a lot of strength and energy, perfect choreographies and beautiful harmonies. In their relatively short career Grupo Extra has shared the stage with great figures of the International Latin Music scene like Daddy Yankee, Wyclef Jean, Jorge Celedon, Kasav, Los Van Van de Cuba, Guayacan of Colombia, Prince Royce, Hector Acosta and others.

Dance

Alex & Desiree

Alex Morel is known for his musical style and flavor on the dance floor. He has been teaching workshops and performing in countries such as Germany, Portugual, and Israel, to name a few. After moving to NYC, Desiree Godsell began choreographing and dancing for Atlantic recording artist Santigold, and touring all over the world. She was part of the opening act for artists such as Coldplay, Kanye West, Jay-Z, M.I.A., and Rihanna. Desiree began her Salsa career straight at the top, partnering with the Mambo King himself, Eddie Torres. She’s appeared on late night TV shows David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brian, and Jules Holland. She’s currently producing a dance concert series called the Pearl in BK.

Alex & Desiree
Alex & Desiree

Ataca & La Alemana

Tanja “La Alemana” Kensinger began teaching professionally in 2008 with Jorge “Ataca” Burgos. Initially, their primary dancing style was Salsa, but switched to a Bachata emphasis after a friend of Tanja’s recommended they do a routine together. Their dance organization, Island Touch Dance Academy, currently has over 100 teams in many countries across the globe.

Ataca & La Alemana
Ataca & La Alemana

Gregory & Jessica

Gregory and Jessica were the champions of the TV program Yo Bailo Bachata in Spain. They also won 2nd place at the World Championship in the Bachata Cabaret division in Miami, Florida. They are known for their fusion of Salsa, Bachata, and Hip Hop. They have choreographed numbers for television appearances for artists such as Luis Fonsi, Chino y Nacho, and RedOne.

Gregory & Jessica
Gregory & Jessica

Daniel & Desiree

Daniel and Desiree are one of the hottest Bachata couples in Europe, and now, in the world! In a short partnership of only 3 years, they have achieved multiple titles, including the 2012 World Bachata Masters. Together, Daniel and Desiree have more than 15 years of combined dancing experience. They are known for their Bachata, but they also teach all kinds of Latin dancing. Some of their titles include Campeones BachataStars España 2010, Subcampeones BachataStars Europe 2011, and Campeones World Bachata Masters 2012.

Daniel & Desiree
Daniel & Desiree

Jose & Elena

Jose and Elena Ferrante Avella started dancing together in September 2011, debuting with “Just Promise,” a mix of Acro Dance and Bachata that represents the fusion of love and passion. This choreography, created in no time, was their winning piece in two choreographic Bachata competitions in March 2012: Bachata Day in Italy and The King of Bachata in France. In 2013, they won the Bachata Open in Spain and qualified for the 2014 World Bachata Masters. To date, Jose y Elena continues studying in various disciplines such as ballet, pas de deux, acrobatics, Latin Hustle, Bachata, Salsa, and Kizomba.

Jose & Elena
Jose & Elena

Kizomba Chick

Maria Ivanova (AKA Kizomba Chick) is a Kizomba instructor, promoter, and performer who has been sharing her love and passion in the U.S. and overseas. Maria is the first official face of Kizomba in Florida, spreading her vision for this breathtaking sensual dance tempestuously. She learned Kizomba with some of the greatest masters, such as Kwenda Lima, Petchu, Ricardo Sousa and Paula Loureiro, Albir & Sarah, and Joao & Mafalda. She continues to travel abroad to satisfy the thirst of learning and dancing, bringing back to her students the latest techniques and newest patterns.

Kizomba Chick
Kizomba Chick

Paso Fino

Paso Fino Dance is a brand dedicated to teach you the joys of Latin Dancing. Their mission is to bring passion to the people, to bring out the dancer in everyone, and empower people along the journey. Their instructors guide students through a fun dance experience that is designed to benefit the mind, body, and soul. They describe the experience as tribal, primal, and fun.

Paso Fino
Paso Fino

Tiguere & Julianna

EI Tiguere’s father was a self-taught musician, and he imparted a feel and love for music that would permeate in all that El Tiguere does. Some of El Tiguere’s earliest memories are dancing the night away with his mother in New York. El Tiguere has been dancing formally (studio taught) for three years and gotten his name for his sexy, and sometimes unconventional, style of dancing with swag. A true believer in “dance what you feel,” El Tiguere loves and embraces all styles of dancing. However, his true loves are Bachata and Mambo. A passionate teacher, El Tiguere has been teaching students what he knows about dance since his third month dancing!

Tiguere & Julianna
Tiguere & Julianna

Ronald & Alba

Ronald (from Colombia) and Alba (from Spain) were the Champions of the 2012 BachataStars in Spain and 2- time BachataStars Champions in Europe in 2012 and 2014. They’re currently the Champions of the World Bachata Masters 2015. They both currently reside in Alicante, Spain.

Ronald & Alba
Ronald & Alba

Rodrigo & Wendy

Rodrigo and Wendy Jimenez are renowned instructors and performers who have graced numerous stages locally and abroad. With intensive training under World Master Instructors and ESPN World Salsa & Argentine Tango champions, they also have been featured in several public broadcast television shows as well as the International Latin Dance Film “La Epoca.” They have conducted workshops and performed “SalsaTango” and “Bachatango” fusions at numerous Salsa congresses, festivals, and galas in major national & international cities. They have performed with Salsa star Eddie Santiago, the Queen of Salsa “La India,” and Salsa bands Guayacan and DLG.

Rodrigo & Wendy
Rodrigo & Wendy

Houston Salsa Congress 2017

North America /  USA / Texas

In 2000, Houston Salsa Dancers, Inc. hosted the first Congress of its kind in the City of Houston. Today, the Houston Salsa Congress continues to highlight the beauty, creativity, and culture of Latin dance and music with our featured performing artists and musical artists.

Houston Salsa Congres 2017
Houston Salsa Congres 2017

HOUSTON SALSA CONGRESS 2017

Houston Salsa Dancers, Inc. is officially recognized as a nonprofit corporation who hosts the LARGEST Salsa Socials in Houston every month raising funds for the annual HSD, Inc. Scholarship Program. Through this program, HSD has helped dozens of students from the Houston area by awarding a cumulative total of over $25,000 in scholarships.

Scholarships are awarded annually at the LARGEST Salsa event in the South, the Houston Salsa Congress, every Martin Luther King, Jr weekend.

The Houston Salsa Congress has become a must-attend event for many dancers and performers. Being the first non-profit Congress, the HSD Board Members are always innovating and changing how Congresses are managed setting the bar high for other events to follow the remainder of the year. The Congress consist of performances by only the best in Salsa and other dances, weekend workshops to help dancers improve their skills, and some of the best social dancing in the world!

Houston Salsa Congress 2017
Houston Salsa Congress 2017

Another way HSD is stepping above the rest is through its event called “Bailando Hacia La Universidad (“Dancing Your Way to College”)” which was designed to educate High School students on attending college and college admission. (We bring in guests speakers and end it with a special performance… Example agenda: http://www.houstonsalsacongress.com/schedule_collegeday.php).

Houston Salsa Dancers, Inc. also hosts the “SalsaDURA Saturday” social every 1st Saturday every month. SalsaDURA is also called the mini-Congress of the South attracting dancers and performers from all around the world. This monthly event helps fund the Scholarship fund along with the Houston Salsa Congress event.

BANDS

JOSÉ ALBERTO “EL CANARIO”

José Alberto Justiniano (born December 22, 1958 in Villa Consuelo district, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), better known by his stage name José Alberto “El Canario” is a Dominican salsa singer. José Alberto moved to Puerto Rico with his family at the age of 7, and inspired by Latin music went on to polish his singing at Las Antillas Military Academy. He relocated to New York in the early 1970s and sang with several orchestras. He received international attention as the bandleader of Tipica 73 in October 1977.

José Alberto started his own band in 1983, and became a major Latin star after the release of his 1984 debut Noches Calientes. His 1991 album Dance With Me, which established a new style of salsa called salsa romántica. He has sung hit songs such as “Sueño Contigo” His voice was widely adored by his fans, and his exceptional whistling abilities (being able to improvise as if he was playing a traverse flute) led them to give him the nickname El Canario (The Canary).

JOSÉ ALBERTO "EL CANARIO"
JOSÉ ALBERTO “EL CANARIO”

El Canario has enjoyed success in the United States and Europe, but especially throughout Latin America, including in his native Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Peru, Venezuela, Panama, and Ecuador. El Canario in 1999 also was part of the biggest Latin American festival in Australian history at The Bacardi Darling Harbor Latin American Festival in Sydney, as supporting act for salsa performer Celia Cruz with over 22,000 people in attendance.

On 24 May 2008, José Alberto celebrated 30 years in the music industry at the United Palace Theater in New York City. Among the several special guests were Oscar D’León, Ismael Miranda, Raulín Rosendo, Joe Arroyo, and Latin music mogul Ralph Mercado.

JOSÉ ALBERTO "EL CANARIO"
JOSÉ ALBERTO “EL CANARIO”

Bobby Valentín & His Orchestra

Valentín (birth name: Roberto Valentin) was born in June 9, 194, in Orocovis, Puerto Rico. He was taught by his father to play the guitar at a young age. When his mother died in 1947, he went to live with his older sister and was raised in the town of Coamo where he received his primary education and studied music. When he was 11 years old, he participated in a local talent contest with a trio that he had formed.

He played the guitar and sang for the trio and they won the first place prize. One of his teachers suggested that he attend the Jose I. Quinton Academy of Music, which he did. It was there that he learned to play the trumpet.

Valentin en concierto
Valentin en concierto

In 1956, Valentín moved with his family to New York City where he attended George Washington High School and continued to take music lessons. In 1958, he went to play for Joe Quijano but, shortly after, he played in the band of Willie Rosario, who was from the same neighborhood.

MUSICAL CAREER

In 1963, Valentín joined Tito Rodriguez (after not being hired by Tito in a recording session because of his age, he was given a chance and was added to his regular band) and traveled twice with Tito’s orchestra to Venezuela. He also made musical arrangements for Tito and at times for Charlie Palmieri, Joe Quijano, Willie Rosario, and Ray Barretto. In 1965, he formed his own band and was signed by the Fania Record Label. He recorded “El Mensajero” (The Messenger) and “Young Man With a Horn”. He held his first concert in Puerto Rico during that period of time.

In 1975, Valentín left Fania and founded his own record label “Bronco Records” and released the recordings of “Va a la Carcel” Vol 1 and Vol 2, recorded “live” at “El Oso Blanco”, Puerto Rico’s oldest state penitentiary. At the time, Marvin Santiago was the singer on Valentín’s band; his biggest hit with Valentín was “Soy Boricua”, an ode to Puerto Rican nationality that has since become a patriotic song for the pro-independence faction of the island.

In 1978, salsa singer Cano Estremera made his singing debut with Valentín’s orchestra and recorded various major hits for the band, particularly the Roberto Angleró song “La boda de ella” and “Manuel García”. During the years Valentín has been featured in recordings (and occasional live appearances) by Larry Harlow, Ismael Miranda, Roberto Roena, Cheo Feliciano and Celia Cruz. He also provided backdrop for the Billyván Santiago (Marvin’s youngest brother) song “Mata la cucaracha”, a sleeper hit in Puerto Rico during the 2002 Christmas season.

Houston Salsa Congress 2017. TICKETS
Full Event Pass: $280.00 (USD)
Full Event Pass + VIP Upgrade: $310.00 (USD)
Full Event Pass + VIP Upgrade: $310.00 (USD)
Night Pass (ALL NIGHTS): $110.00 (USD)
Night Pass + VIP Upgrade (ALL NIGHTS): $165.00 (USD)
Night Pass (THURSDAY ONLY): $35.00 (USD)
Night Pass (FRIDAY ONLY): $35.00 (USD)
Night Pass (SATURDAY ONLY): $35.00 (USD)
Night Pass (SUNDAY ONLY): $35.00 (USD)
www.houstonsalsacongress.com
Houston Salsa Congres 2017 FLYER
Houston Salsa Congres 2017 FLYER

Salsa y Sentimiento Academy

Latin America / Argentina / San clemente del Tuyú

Salsa y Sentimiento is renowned as the first dance academy in the Partido de la Costa. Founded in April 2012 by its current director, Mr. Gerardo Osvaldo Russo, the academy offers a wide range of classes for both adults and children.

The curriculum includes Salsa, Bachata, Reggaeton, Pop Dance, Contemporary, “Ritmos” (various rhythms), Tango, and Introduction to Dance. Beyond daily classes, the academy is a vibrant community hub that organizes parties, festivals, conventions, and events. These activities bring together Salsa and Bachata enthusiasts from across the country and around the world, making it a premier destination for international visitors every year.

Salsa y Sentimiento Academy - San Clemente Salsa Congress
Salsa y Sentimiento Academy – San Clemente Sals

Gerardo Osvaldo Russo

Mr. Gerardo Osvaldo Russo was born on July 3, 1984, and resides in the coastal town of San Clemente del Tuyú, Argentina. His passion for Latin music began in 2005 when he first started dancing and listening to Salsa. This spark soon grew into a lifelong dedication to various Caribbean rhythms.

In 2009, he pursued a professional certification in Caribbean Rhythms at “SAOCO” Studio, one of the top training facilities in Argentina. To complete his studies, Gerardo demonstrated immense commitment by traveling 300 kilometers (approx. 185 miles) every week. It was during this time that he made the pivotal decision to dedicate his life to teaching and developing the ambitious dance projects he had envisioned for the future.

“He mentions that the city where he lived offered no way to get trained since there were few resources, and he couldn’t manage to carry out everything he had in mind. Additionally, his motivation was to grow personally as an instructor and dancer, allowing him to share all the knowledge he was acquiring with the people attending his classes. In 2008, he began teaching—initially as a hobby for a year and a half—until he made the decision to work 100% in his profession. Consequently, today he has his own dance studio called ‘Academia Salsa y Sentimiento,’ which opened in 2012 and where he currently serves as coordinator and instructor. He is also in charge of organizing the ‘San Clemente Salsa Congress,’ which he has done for about 3 years, and he organizes annual Salsa, Bachata, and other Caribbean rhythm parties for his institution; these include seminars and training sessions with high-quality, experienced instructors.”

The reason behind the opening of the “Salsa y Sentimiento Academy” was essentially a need among the people, not only in their own city but also in neighboring towns within the Partido de la Costa—the region where San Clemente del Tuyú is located. This provided them the opportunity to learn how to dance, express themselves, and find a place of freedom and belonging, while also meeting people and socializing. Consequently, it is known for being the first registered dance academy in the entire region, with the founder feeling very proud of both the team and himself.

In short, they mention that their goal has always been for people to feel identified with the activities they perform, finding a place where they can learn and have fun while recharging their energy. Students joining the academy can do so without any prior experience or knowledge of the rhythm they wish to practice. For this year, 2017, they plan to launch their official website to provide more information beyond their Facebook account. At the academy, students can start from scratch, but those who already have experience are also welcome since there are several different levels.

We work with people from 3 years old and up. The greatest goal achieved was creating an International Salsa Congress, where they aimed to take their students to compete. In 2016, they were able to do so with the reggaeton group led by teacher “Maximiliano Laplaca,” reaching the finals of one of the most important competitions in Argentina and South America, called the “Argentine Aerobics and Dance Tournament” (TAAD).

This year, along with other businesses in the city, they are working to provide benefits to their students. The goal is not only for them to have the chance to learn and have fun, but also to access discounts and benefits at shops in San Clemente. There is also a project for the coming years to train teachers who graduate from our Academy.

At the end, Gerardo Russo gives us a message for both current students and future apprentices: “My message as a teacher, but primarily as a human being, is for you not to stop chasing your dreams. As long as you work hard with responsibility, passion, and respect, things can be achieved. I also want to tell anyone who wants to come to the Salsa y Sentimiento Academy that they will find a place not only to learn to dance and train, but also a supportive group of people. It is a place where you can freely express yourself and bring out everything you have inside. Both adults and children are united by our passion for dance. We are teachers who love what we do and wish to pass it on to new generations. We are always open to hearing from anyone with new ideas to build a better SALSA Y SENTIMIENTO ACADEMY every year”.

For this year, 2017, the schedule for the various rhythms mentioned above has been available since January and February, so that everyone is informed before joining.

This magnificent Academy is located at 21st Street No. 139, between 24th and 1st Streets in San Clemente del Tuyú, Argentina

Leader of K’ndela Salsa Band Eric Cabanilla and all his entertainment company has to offer

We are very pleased to be able to talk to the leader of K’ndela Salsa Band, a salsa group which has been gaining ground in New Jersey despite the great competition it faces. 

Eric Cabanilla is a talented musician who, in addition to founding a successful band, has also managed to build an entertainment company with a solid team that has put its talents at the service of large audiences eager to enjoy a quality show. The artist has told us some of the most important details of his career, and we bring them here for all of you.

Eric Cabanilla posing for the amera
Leader of K’ndela Salsa Band Eric Cabanilla posing for the camera at an event

How Eric started to like music 

Eric started his story saying that he and his siblings listened to the music their mother played as she cleaned the house and her children helped her with household duties. Back then, there were many romantic artists and groups such as Los Iracundos and La Sonora Matancera. These melodies helped him understand his love for salsa today.

One important thing to mention is that there were no musicians in his family to teach him about the professional part of this craft, so it can be said that he was the first to make this his way of life till today. His first impulse in this regard was to start writing poems at school, and he even won some poetry contests, which awoke in him the taste for putting words together to create pleasant sounds for others.

It was his great friend and musician Mike Pérez who encouraged him to put these compositions to songs, so he took those poems and rhymes he had created and added music to them. He worked alongside Mike for about seven years singing backup for the Orquesta Swing Combo until his sudden passing, which led to the dissolution of the group. Fortunately, the musicians were not left unprotected and could get a job in a new orchestra with new sound.

During this time, he had the opportunity to learn a lot about how the music biz works, as his responsibilities included institutionalizing the orchestra and formalizing its schedule through emails, business cards, written contracts, and that sort of thing. 

Angel Peguero, Eric Cabanilla, and Stephany Moore
Dancer Angel Peguero, Eric Cabanilla, and dancer Stephany Moore

Thanks to all this acquired knowledge, once Swing Combo broke up, Eric already had an accurate idea of what to do when creating his own orchestra and how to manage it, so he jumped into action from there. 

K’ndela Salsa Band

After all the experience he had gained, Eric finally decided to build something of his own, as he felt ready to take on such a challenge.

One of the first people he counted on was maestro Jimmy Bosch, “El Trombón Criollo,” who has a 50-year career and his own orchestra, Salsa Masters. He is always traveling the world with his orchestra, but whenever he is required to play with Eric and K’ndela Salsa Band, he makes an appearance without hesitation. He describes Bosch as a very professional man, to the point that he is the first to arrive and the last to leave at any rehearsal. 

Together with Eric and Bosch, K’ndela also leverages the talent of other great musicians like bassist Edgar “Danny” Rosado, pianist Ray “El Loco” Cabrera, Xabi “El Chamo” Estrada, Eric Pizza, Brian ‘Tibiri’ Pozo, Jimmy “El Nene” Feliciano, and Daniel “El Gato” Arboleda.

This orchestra project was his first professional goal, but once he made it, he did not want to be confined to that. He also wanted to offer a complete package that offers more comprehensive entertainment than just playing and singing. That is when he took advantage of their closeness to a dance school where he sometimes performed to be in touch with dancers who wanted to join their shows.

Eric and the rest of the band
From left to right Ray “El Loco” Cabrera, Danny Rosado, Eric Cabanilla, Xavi “El Chamo” Estrada, Erik Piza, Brian “Tibiri” Pozo, Jimmy “El Nene” Feliciano, Daniel “El Gato” Arboleda and Jimmy “El Trombón Criollo” Bosch

Additionally, he hired a relative who worked as a mariachi, who in turn introduced him to other artists who did the same thing so he could hire them. Over time, he also included DJs who would liven up all kinds of events with their diverse mixes.

Something Eric wanted to clear up is that all these professionals are permanent workers in his company. He has a very good relationship with many dance schools in New Jersey, to which he offers his packages, and there is always a very generous group of its dancers that accepts the proposal. Whenever Eric is involved in a festival or private event, he never has any problem finding talent in the field of dance to accompany him thanks to his reliability, professionalism, and great respect for the work of others.

Read also: The Cajón throughout history

Creator of Salsa Vida Takeshi Young graced us with his presence in International Salsa Magazine

In International Salsa Magazine, we have always tried to cover all types of Latin music artists, including producers, arrangers, composers, singers, musicians, dancers, and club owners. However, it is also important to talk to other platforms that promote Latin music as we do, so we contacted the creator of the website Salsa Vida, Takeshi Young, to learn a little more about this online media site and everything it has to offer the public.

Takeshi with a painting
Takeshi Young with a painting of Hector Lavoe

Takeshi’s relationship with Latin music

In view of the trouble digital marketing specialist, dance teacher, and competitor Takeshi Young went to create a site like Salsa Vida, we obviously had to ask what relationship he had with Latin music. He replied that he loves to dance and has been doing so for about 19 years. His attendance at various salsa events led him to create a calendar for the San Francisco Bay Area, where he currently resides.

The acceptance he had led him to include much more content like articles, events, guides, and much more. The main goal was to show salsa lovers all the places they could go to enjoy this genre, but over time, Salsa Vida was turning into a sort of online newspaper that provided information on many other things related to the same topic, especially dance academies. For its operation, it uses tools like WordPress, iTools, and Chat GPT as an information bank to his writings, most of which are of his authorship.

He used the name “Salsa Vida” because of the lifestyle that he associated with salsa, which he considered to be unifying, nourishing, and joyful.

Greatest challenges in creating Salsa Vida

One of the most annoying parts about creating Salsa Vida was the calendar, as Takeshi always had to keep an eye on updates, date changes, and event cancellations. Fortunately, he always received information from many of the organizers, who told him when there were any changes in their schedules.

Takeshi at the San Francisco SBK Congress
Takeshi Young dancing with the San Jose State Salsa Team at the San Francisco SBK Congress

Salsa Vida’s most important goal today

Takeshi pointed out that, at present, Salsa Vida’s most important goal is to teach and promote salsa around the world, which has led him to write all kinds of articles in which he seeks to educate his community on all kinds of topics related to Latin music, such as “what is pachanga” or “what is cha cha chá.” With this, he wants those interested in learning about dancing or knowing more about this rich world to have a starting point from the theoretical part.

In addition to that, the website still maintains the calendar to help salsa lovers find events related to their passion near their homes. 

Contacts obtained to date

Takeshi claims to have so many contacts with a lot of bands, especially in the Bay Area, which has helped him keep on growing his website. However, the people he interacts with most in this environment are dancers and instructors who give him a lot of information about their work with their academies and students.

Moreover, his work has also helped him gain invites and press passes to all kinds of events and concerts in both San Francisco and the rest of California, allowing him to cover them and bring the latest updates to his loyal readers.

Takeshi and Alyssa
Takeshi Young and dancer Alyssa Aguilar

Goals with Salsa Vida for the coming months

As for Takeshi and Salsa Vida’s goals for the coming months, the creative young man keeps searching for and publishing events from around the world for his readers to see, as well as highlighting the importance of expanding and publishing even more countries in his calendar so that many more salsa fans from other latitudes can use Salsa Vida to find what they want.

Today, the Salsa Vida calendar has events in about 80 countries, but Takeshi says it is not enough and wants to expand much more to other locations. He also wants to add more languages to make visitors to his page feel more comfortable, and new sections such as “Dancepedia” that would come to be a kind of Wikipedia, but focused on dance.

And if that were not enough, he wants to design an app through which those interested can use the same functions of the site in a much more comfortable and interactive way from any mobile device.

Takeshi’s other occupations

As well as handling Salsa Vida, Takeshi is also a digital marketing specialist and teaches salsa at San Jose State University twice a week.

Importantly, he has a BA in philosophy and a BS in software engineering, both from the aforementioned university. During those years, he was also a member of his class’s salsa and mambo clubs. 

Read also: Haitian bandleader and musician Mac Gregore Brunis fulfills his dream in Montreal

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International Salsa Magazine (ISM) is a monthly publication about Salsa activities around the world, that has been publishing since 2007. It is a world network of volunteers coordinated by ISM Magazine. We are working to strengthen all the events by working together.