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César Tafur “Rocoto” an excellent Peruano illustrator

César Tafur “Rocoto” is a Peruvian illustrator, who does truly impressive vector portraits.

Illustrator Cesar Tafur “Rocoto” is Today with us in International Salsa Magazine / www.SalsaGoogle.com.

What a tremendous honor and pleasure to tremendous to be interviewed. Thank you very much for the consideration and appreciation for my work.

César Tafur "Rocoto" is a Peruvian illustrator, who makes some really impressive vector portraits. — César Tafur “Rocoto”

Let’s begin with the first question: How would you describe your illustration style?

They are 100% vector illustrations marked by an obsession with the details and the follow-up on a realist tendency. Agile strokes with varying thicknesses. The painting is mostly based on plain colors, trying not to use many gradients.

At what point in your life did you start liking the world of illustration?

Since I was a very young child. My parents say I spent a lot of time scribbling on everything I found.

The freedom I got from them contributed a lot since they never reproached me for scratching everything: photos, walls, t-shirts, etc. (laugh)

What did you study, César? Where and what did you learn there?

My dream of youth was to be an architect. I studied Graphic Design, as a consolation at not being able to enter the university. Unfortunately, my training as a designer was not the best one. But all clouds have a silver lining. I met and learned a lot from people who loved drawing and strongly influenced me in this institute. They taught me the proper use of drawing tools and materials.

My tendencies to drawing started to increase. I also learned the software (Adobe illustrator) that I could use to do what I do now.

How were your beginnings in the world of digital illustration?

At the beginning, it was a bit frustrating. I had already seen the work of some illustrators, and by comparing them with mine, well… the difference was catastrophic. What impotence! But the practice is everything. I’m self-taught, nobody taught me how to do what I do now. It is gratifying.

What were you thinking of making illustrations of famous people?

César Tafur "Rocoto" — Tito Rojas 1955 – 2020
César Tafur “Rocoto”

I always try to mix things that I like and make me happy. The characters I draw are mainly characterized by two things: they are either salseros or Football players. Salsa (music) and football (even though I am really bad at football) are things that fascinate me. Besides, when drawing famous people, I test the quality of my work because, this being a public figure, it will be easier for others to identify. If it is not, it is not well-illustrated, and that, for me, is a failure.

Can you enumerate some of the famous people you have drawn? Singers, athletes, musicians…

The list is quite long. Singers like Celia Cruz, Rubén Blades, Héctor Lavoe, Lennon, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Pavarotti, etc. Sportsmen: Ronaldinho, Zidane, Messi, Ronaldo, Buffon, Rafael Nadal, Jordan, Pirlo, The Rock, etc. Some, I have even drawn on more than one occasion, such as Ruben Blades, Messi, or Roberto Carlos, just to cite some.

Which illustration or illustrations are you most proud of and why?

Not so much proud. I could tell you about the illustrations that make me the happiest. One of them is the one I made of Maestro Eddie Palmieri ho was a salsa legend. It was so well received in the salsa world that many of those spoken to on this subject congratulated me because it was a good image. But the thing that moved me the most was that Maestro Palmieri himself posted this illustration to his Instagram account. Wow! Another one that makes me feel very happy and for which I received many congratulations is the one I made for my mom on her birthday.

What has been the most successful illustration?

That of Maestro Eddie Palmieri, thanks to it I made a lot of friends who love salsa.

What illustration required the most from you?

The one I made of a Harley Davidson motorcycle, ufff, you have no idea the trouble I had making that illustration. The idea of discarding it crossed my mind because of the complexity of its details twice, but I decided to continue it and then… I think it worked out in the end. I love that illustration.

What commissions have you done in the world of illustration?

I made some drawings for a friend who was a promoter of salsa events, with which he promoted his events. I’ve also done some for other friends as a token of appreciation. I do this more for a hobby than generating income.

What material, tools, and programs do you use to make your drawings?

I use a graphic tablet (Wacom Intuos Pro). All my illustrations are made in Adobe Illustrator. I also use Photoshop to modify the image to be illustrated if necessary.

We have seen that anyone who wants to get an illustration with your style, can you tell us about the steps to follow to order you an illustration?

I merely ask one thing: Send me an image with good resolution to my email: [email protected]. The rest is on me.

How far would you like to go in the world of illustration?

I haven’t thought about that. Like I told you already, I do this like a hobby. I feel happy doing this, it pleases me and it fulfills me.

Although (it may sound a bit arrogant) I would like my style to get marked and above all recognizable.

We have seen that all your works are signed with the name “Rocoto”, where did this artistic name come from?

It’s a nickname I’ve had as far as I can remember. Rocoto is a pepper (chilli) very spicy. It turns out that my physical characteristics (according to my father) were similar to those of that fruit of nature in my first days of birth. He made that comparison in front of his friends (which aroused laughter and guffaws) and I stayed with that nickname still today.

What future commissions or illustrations do you intend to do?

Many things go through my head. One of them is to create collections of characters based on characteristics in common with others. For example: World champions, musical legends, sporting legends, etc. Each collection has different graphic styles, but I still keep my illustration style.

What does César do on a normal day?

I try not to be a man of habit, but most of the time, that desire is not realized. Many factors adversely affect. Luckily my job allows me to do stuff I like: drawing and reading. However, I’m surely in front of my PC sketching or planning what to draw in the afternoon.

What are your hobbies? What do you like to do besides illustration?

Another of the things I love the most is reading and doing crossword puzzles. And if there’s a salsa concert in the capital, I’m always going there no matter what! I am passionate about live music.

Many people say that everyone draws according to his personality, do you think your drawings are looked like the way you are?

In some aspects. I think the simplicity of the final drawing resembles the way I am: clear and simple. I consider myself a detail-oriented person (it sounds a bit kitschy hahahaha, but it is the truth) and this is something related to my illustration style: I have an obsession with details in my work.

Could you tell us about other illustrators or artists you admire, know or follow consistently?

I follow many illustrators and cartoonists (I would give anything to make cartoons). If I had to mention just one name, I would choose Cristiano Siqueira, a MASTER of vector illustration. My style arose precisely thank to some of his work. In the world of caricatures, I have a homeboy of mine called Walter Toscano and Jean-Marc Borot as references, two real geniuses, I admire (and envy) them very much!

And someone you admire outside the world of illustration?

I admire many, but I’m a fan of is Rubén Blades. A Panamanian singer-songwriter that is considered a reference in Latin music. It seems to me that think the lyrics of his songs are fabulous.

What music do you listen to?

I’m a music lover and I listen to a little bit of everything, depending on the context. But I love Salsa. When I draw, I listen to romantic salsa and ballads. When I’m with my friends while sharing moments between drinks, I listen to hard salsa and cumbia.

What are your favorite movies or series?

I am not fond of the seventh art. Regarding the series, I love and enjoy La Familia P. Luche, which is a Mexican comic series by comedian Eugenio Derbéz.

Any book that you have read lately, or one that you especially liked.

I really liked these two novels: The Boys From Brazil (Ira Levin) and Le Solitaire (Guy des Cars). I recommend them to everyone!

Any person you would like to thank especially for what he/she has given you in the world of illustration.

Many people influenced and encouraged my love of drawing, it is difficult to mention just a few. Friends from the neighborhood, from high school, my parents, I feel a deep and sincere gratitude for all of them.

Is there any person who is special to you and who to thank in life in general?

Infinite thanks to the person who motivates and gives meaning to my life: Trinidad Callirgos, my mother.

To conclude, We would like you to tell us how we can see your work on the internet. What social networks do you use?

I have accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Behance. There you can visualize all my illustrations.

Apart from my work, you can also see one or another post of my social life on Facebook.

Date of birth: August 3, 1989

Place of birth: Chiclayo, Peru

Facebook: Facebook.com/cesarangel.tafurcallirgos

Instagram: Instagram.com/cesar.tafur_rocoto

Behance: Behance.net/cs_leo200450ad

Source:

Legal Authorization: César Tafur “Rocoto”.

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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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