| The Noypitz Bar & Grill | ![]() |
333 S Alameda St SUITE 115, Los Angeles, CA 90013, USA |
| Globe Theatre | ![]() |
740 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014, USA |
| The Mayan | ![]() |
1038 S Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90015, USA |
| Soho Dance LA | ![]() |
1618 Cotner Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA |
| Los Globos | ![]() |
3040 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA |
| Ballet Hollywood | ![]() |
6623 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, USA |
| The Vermont Hollywood | ![]() |
1020 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029, USA |
| El Floridita Restaurant | ![]() |
1253 Vine St, Los Angeles, CA 90038, USA |
| Steven’s Steak House | ![]() |
5332 Stevens Pl, Commerce, CA 90040, USA |
| Riviera 31 Lounge Bar | ![]() |
8555 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA |
| MNR Dance Factory | ![]() |
11606 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049, USA |
| 7 Kingdoms | ![]() |
11301 W Olympic Blvd # 116, Los Angeles, CA 90064, USA |
| ViBE – dance studio & creative space | ![]() |
2939 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064, USA |
| State Social House | ![]() |
8782 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA |
| Rock It Sports Lounge
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14239 Hawthorne Blvd, Hawthorne, CA 90250, USA |
| Ocean Towers | ![]() |
201 Ocean Ave Santa Monica, CA 90402 |
| The Victorian | ![]() |
2640 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405, USA |
| Quiet Cannon
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901 Via San Clemente, Montebello, CA 90640, USA |
| Alegria Nightclub | ![]() |
115 Pine Ave. Long Beach, CA 90802 562-357-8005 |
| PCH Club | ![]() |
6285 CA-1, Long Beach, CA 90803, USA |
| En Pointe Dance & Fitness | ![]() |
713 Termino Ave, Long Beach, CA 90804, USA |
| Sagebrush Cantina | ![]() |
333 S Alameda St SUITE 115, Los Angeles, CA 90013, USA |
Search Results for: dance
Puerto Rican singer and talented sonero Charlie Maldonado
Interview with Charlie Maldonado
José Charlie Maldonado Rodríguez, artistically known only as Charlie Maldonado, is a Puerto Rican singer who has a great talent as a backup singer and sonero, which he has been developing throughout a prominent and very successful career in the world of music.
After having read his biography and being interested in the journey he has been on in salsa, we decided to contact him and arrange a conversation in which we could learn more about him and everything he has done to get here. Next, is a little bit of Charlie’s beginnings and, later on, everything he told us.

Beginnings
Charlie was born on October 4, 1964 in the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico. At a very young age, he was always exposed to boleros and salsa music, as his father belonged to a musical trio that was very popular at the time.
For those years, he listened to Ismael Rivera, Cheo Feliciano, Gilberto Monroig, Danny Rivera, Marco Antonio Muñiz, among others. Charlie said that, with such references at that time, it was impossible not to be enchanted by the music, so his interest in this branch of the arts grew and grew over time.
His interest got to the point where he wanted to learn to play percussion instruments such as the tambourines, the maracas, the drums and, most especially, the bongo (it was the first instrument Charlie learned to play).
Although he does not consider himself as the best bongo player of the world, he is believed to be very capable of playing it efficiently and delighting the listening audience. Most interestingly, he did not achieve this level through formal academic training at an institute, but through constant practice at ”rumbones de esquina” (congregation of people who play music, dance and drink alcohol on a street corner), school activities, family gatherings and Christmas parties.
These informal activities in which he was able to participate gave him the opportunity to develop as an artist from a very young age. In addition, his father and other musicians in the family helped him a lot in this process. The magic you feel when you play music, the family warmth and interaction with the public are not learned in any academy,” said Charlie.

The Saljaztet
The first opportunity for Charlie to play in a professional group came with The Saljaztet in 1990 thanks to its founder Bobby Concepción, who saw him singing in one of those street parties and believed in his talent and what could be done with it.
Bobby is an industry veteran who has worked with many orchestras such as Orquesta Panamericana and La Orquesta del Maestro Willie Rosario. Being around him taught him a lot and he gained a lot of experience by seeing him in action on stage.
He even taught him some vocal and instrumental techniques to apply in his performances.
Charlie keeps the best memories of this group, its director and his colleagues. He is extremely grateful for everything he learned from them and continues to apply many of these things today.
Osvaldo Núñez, Sammy Marrero, La Selecta and more
”Every human being who comes into our lives has a lot to contribute and teach us. Lord made is different, so all the musicians I’ve worked with have taught me different things” said the artist.
Osvaldo ”Cuchón” Núñez is a brilliant musician who was very dynamic on stage. He was able to play the trumpet, do chorus and lead at the same time. He performed all of these functions excellently, which is why Charlie paid too much attention to what he was doing and copied him.
Raphy Levitt from La Selecta de Puerto Rico was an extremely regimented person who ran the orchestra very well and was excellent for business. He had an almost military discipline and was extremely picky about his musicians and vocalists, to the point that he made them rehearse separately depending on their roles on stage.

In the case of Sammy Marrero, he was always at the height of Levitt’s demands and sometimes exceeded them. In addition to being extremely disciplined, he always lived up to what was required of him on each project and even a little more. He even worked with him when he had his own orchestra, a period in which Charlie learned even more from him.
On this subject, the singer concludes that ”The personalities mentioned have taught me three fundamental things: discipline, perseverance and respect for the public”.
Solo career
The idea of becoming a soloist was always on his mind, but it was not until 2016 that he was able to carry it forward. The previous year, in 2015, the maestro Raphy Levitt unfortunately passed away, at which time Charlie had some songs recorded.
He was already thinking about becoming independent and creating his own musical project, but had not decided to leave the orchestra until the death of Levitt. That is when he got hands on work and finished the record production he had already started.
In 2016, he launched his first solo project entitled ”Dueño de Nada”, whose songs are mostly written by Charlie Ramos. The only cover in the album is precisely ”Dueño de Nada”, which was written by Manuel Alejandro and masterfully played by José Luis Rodríguez ”El Puma” in the 1980’s.
His most recent album is entitled ”Vida Artificial”, which was released in September last year and addresses very interesting and current issues. The single that gives its name to the whole album, ”Vida Artificial”, ”is perfect for today. Phones, tablets and computers are damaging everyone’s mind. There are families who sit at the table, but don’t even talk to each other focus their attention to electronic devices. Technology is important, but we can’t be connected to it all the time. That was the message we wanted to bring with Artificial Life” said Charlie.

Future projects
Charlie is about to release a song titled ”Señora Rumba” written by Eduardo Saya. The material has already been recorded and Charlie and his team are working on the video clip, which has a few shots filmed. It is expected to be released this August.
Likewise, he is working on his concerts and private presentations in Puerto Rico, but some opportunities are opening up in Colombia in the future.
También lee: We spoke with Andrea Chaparro from Lulada Club
Jimmy Rodríguez ”El Salsero Mexicano” talked to ISM about his career
El Salsero Mexicano
Jimmy Rodríguez ”El Salsero Mexicano” is a talented singer born in Mexico City, but spent a lot of his childhood in the city of San Luis Potosí, where he took his first steps as an artist.
Thanks to his brother and manager, Daniel Rodriguez, we had the opportunity to talk to him and learn more about the interesting career he has had in the world of entertainment. Meet Jimmy Rodriguez and the kind answers he gave to our questions.

Beginnings of Jimmy Rodriguez in music
By the time he got to high school, his talent for singing and charismatic personality made him the ideal candidate to participate in a talent contest, in which he would come in second place the first year in which he participated.
Jimmy told us that he entered the contest to live a new experience, but he did not expect to achieve such a high place, so he felt very excited and motivated because of what he could achieve thereafter.
The following year, he managed to get the first place in the same contest because he had spent a whole year studying and getting ready for that important moment. The previous time, he had only rehearsed the days prior, so he decided to take much more time on this occasion and the effort invested paid off.
As a result of this achievement, the Group Alfa Omega saw the potential in this young man, so they contacted him and offered him to join them. This would be his first paid job in music, which began to teach him how this business worked.
He began to play with Alfa Omega in events like weddings, and baptisms, which taught him how to entertain and charm an audience, and he is very grateful for this opportunity he had. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long.
In the end, Jimmy had to leave the group due to his move to Mexico City to continue his studies.
During his learning process, he developed their skills in playing the guitar and dancing in order to perform better on stage, keeping inmind that singing was his thing and that was not going to change.
When Jimmy arrived in the United States, he began taking singing lessons for more than nine years to improve his voice. Today, he continues with his vocal learning, as there is always something new to learn in this field.

Musical genres
It is not common to find a Mexican who sings salsa professionally, and more if we take into account that many of the most famous Mexicans sing ranchera, norteño music and corridos tumbados. So, we wanted to know why he chose salsa as the genre he wanted to pursue.
Jimmy explained to us that the first time he sang with a salsa orchestra on stage, half the musicians were Colombian and the other half were Mexican. At that moment, I felt like I had found my soulmate and I knew that’s what I wanted to do. Besides, dancing is very important in salsa and I have always loved to dance,” Jimmy said.
He finished by saying ”salsa combines my three most important talents, which are singing, dancing and charisma”.
When asked whether he would enter more typical genres of his country, he pointed out that he loves ballads and would have no problem in performing fusions and collaborations, but his north is still salsa for the moment.
The Voice and proceeds from the show
Being in The Voice has always been one of Jimmy’s biggest dreams, which he finally achieved a few years ago and whose judges were Luis Fonsi, Carlos Vives, Alejandra Guzman and Wisin. The best of all is that he made it to the final and he says that his secret to achieving this feat is to always be focused, to give the best of himself, to have a good relationship with show’s production and his colleagues and, above all, to choose a genre that was not typical for a Mexican.
This particularity made people call him ”El Salsero Mexicano”, a nickname he has continued using to this day with pride in what has been achieved so far.

While he was still participating in the contest, Adolescent’S Orquesta contacted him to have him in the group, which Jimmy accepted and became the first Mexican to be part of this Venezuelan orchestra. In addition to that, Jimmy kept releasing new music in order to stay alive in the public spotlight, as the singer understood that the fame that came La Voz was momentary and he had to take advantage of it.
Today, he continues touring with Adolescent’s Orquesta, working on an album with Marc Anthony‘s producer and taking singing lessons to further improve his vocal technique.
And speaking of Marc Anthony, this Puerto Rican artist has been one of the greatest inspirations for the Mexican, who wishes to one day reach that level of talent and fame, although he knows it will not be an easy way.
In addition to the already mentioned salsero, Jimmy has also been inspired and influenced by the styles of Rubén Blades and El Grupo Niche.
He has also had the opportunity to share the stage with Tito Nieves, Willie Colón, Jerry Rivera and many others.
Salsa and comparisons with other genres
When we wanted to know what Jimmy feels with the current situation of salsa, he says that he is well aware that this musical genre is not going through a good moment due to the popularity of trap, reggaeton and, more recently, corridos tumbados.
However, he ensures that he does not see this fact as something negative, but as a challenge of bringing salsa back to the place it occupied for years in past decades, so he gives his best every day to offer a fresh sound that appeals to new generations, and not only to fans aged 30 and older.

It is what has led the artist to make modifications in regard to the technical aspects, arrangements, lyrics and other details. In the specific case of lyrics, he has opted for simpler words and phrases that can be understood by anyone who listens to them. He continues to maintain the quality and heart that salsa should have, while taking into consideration what new generations are looking for.
Jimmy understands that everything happens very quickly nowadays due to social media, so he has had to adapt his style to what young people are looking for on digital platforms. That is why when he shows his music on his social networks, he always tries to communicate what he wants from the first second so as not to lose the public’s attention.
End
The conversation concludes with a thank-you to all the people who still support the salsa genre and a recommendation to new talents to never give up on their dreams and to work continuously to achieve all what they want.
Jimmy used his case as an example, remembering that he started singing on buses to help his family and now he assists international awards and reach the level that he has today, so he ensures that dreams come true and we must not lose heart until we achieved them.
Meet and learn the Venezuelan Salsa
Latin America / Venezuela / Caracas
Meet and learn the Venezuelan Salsa
Did you know that in Venezuela the basic traditional Salsa is known as “Salsa Cero”, where the only thing anyone needs is “Not knowing how to dance”, knowing the basic steps of salsa, hearing and feeling the rhythm of the music and the musicalization.

The basic steps of the sauce are:
- Paso de lateral and/or lateral: This basic step consists of three steps that are executed on the first three beats of the bar. The fourth beat of the measure is a pause where no step is performed. The three steps are repeated in reverse in a second measure to complete a sequence of the step.
- Cruzado o cross: en este paso los pies se mueven de la siguiente manera: En el golpe 1, el pide derecho da un paso por delante del pie izquierdo, de manera que lo cruza. En el golpe 2, el pie izquierdo cruza al pie derecho, y así sucesivamente.
- Gait: It is a very similar step to the side, but this time it consists of taking two “2” steps forward and two “2” backwards, advancing in short steps and repeating the cycle. With this step the dancer can execute it alone or with a partner, the latter is not performed and is usually executed in a couple but not face to face, since the two people cannot perform the march at the same time.

- Turns: The turns in both the man and the woman can be done with any of the steps mentioned above. The turn is usually done in step 1 where the man invites the woman to perform her basic step to turn, everything will depend on the entry made by the couple. There are different types of laps, we mention the basic ones on this occasion:
| a. Return of the woman/man.
b. Back in Croos. c. Return of the man. d. Right left. |
e. The butterfly.
f. The Bridge. g. The 70. h. Sixty. |

Did you know that Salsa Cero is not just for learning to dance?
Many people who practice or learn “Salsa Casino” take the workshop and/or zero salsa classes to learn to “count” the music that is being danced since musical counting is the fundamental basis of any dance.
One of the characteristics of this rhythm is the corporal expression, since there are details or corporal messages that make the couple understand how to move or what turn they are going to perform and these details can be known with the look, position of the hands and the body. before and during the return to perform. These details are very important especially in the man who is the one who controls and/or manipulates the woman so that she dances to the beat.
Among the different styles of salsa, Venezuelan salsa has a very special and interesting detail and that is that it is a very sensual style, in which the dancers make thousands of turns and constantly hug each other, showing their potential, emotion and feelings at the moment.

Latin music Festival in Spain August 2023
SalsaNor’s Rueda CongressAug 31 2023 – Sep 03 2023
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Eurostars Madrid Foro HotelRonda de Europa, 1, Tres Cantos, Spain, 28760 DescriptionThe 20th edition of SalsaNor’s Rueda Congress offers 50 workshops and 4 parties with national and international instructors and artists performers: Enrique Solla & Meli Rodríguez de Guzman Cost: from € 120 |
Sevilla Sensual Summer04/08/2023 – 06/08/2023
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Hotel Vértice AljarafeApartaments Vértice Aljarafe. Av. República Argentina,1 DescriptionEvent where we will enjoy Bachata and Kizomba from the best artists. Bachata and Kizomba
Dj´s
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Summer Bachata & Salsa Trip 2023 ✩ Holidays Official Event10/08/2023 – 17/08/2023
https://www.facebook.com/SummerSalsaTrip https://www.SummerSalsaTrip.com
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Spain Don Angel HotelCarrer del Pla de la Torre, 14, 08398 Santa Susanna, Barcelona, España DescriptionIt will take place at the hotel in the center of a beautiful city where the biggest bachata festivals in Spain take place. 60 hours of workshops on various levels, separate bachata and salsa dance floor during the events! |
Bachata Summer11/08/2023 – 13/08/2023
https://lasalsadelbaile.com/comprar/bachataummer2023
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Thalasia Costa de Murcia HotelAv. del Puerto, 327-329, San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, España Description:Artists: – Ronald Y Alba – Magda Y Valeria – Alfonso Y Mónica – Antoni Y Belén – Alfredo Y Andrea – David Eines – Tamara Y Candido – Crecory Campillo – Oscar E Inés – Alonso Y Noelia – Yaizà Melero – Franco Rocha – Juan Y Nerea – Jesus Y María – Oleo Eisa Adán – Agustin Y Amanda – Juanma Y Tania – Julio Y Alicia – Andy Y Saray – Marcelo Y Maribel – Samu E Isa Dj: – Dj Salya – Dj Miguelom – Dj Franky – Dj Samu – Nicko Play |
MADRIDKIZ11/08/2023 -13/08/2023
https://wa.me/34636087027?fbclid=IwAR2-HO0fRnZJ727Xd3aiHmCPnK_WqMGTvM4U32pcKCO8GdZ8C5GWPjoYBZ8 |
Hotel SPORT NáyadeAv del Nautico, s/n, 40424 Los Ángeles de San Rafael, Segovia, España Description:Jesús y Anni Dj Neo ***** HORARIOS *** VIERNES SÁBADO DOMINGO *********** PRECIO ******** FULL PASS (sin consumición) NOCHES (desde 23h) |
Bachatazo Beach Festival24/08/2023 – 27/08/2023
https://www.facebook.com/BachatazoBeachFestival
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VS Gandía Palace HotelCarrer de la Rioja, 41, Gandia, Valencia, Spain Description:4 days and 4 nights of partying (from Thursday to Sunday), from August 24 to 27, 2023…. We will have a POOL PARTY (on Sunday), and a BEACH PARTY (on Friday), because the BACHATAZO takes place in a hotel next to the beach. The important thing is that you book your accommodation soon, because in August, occupancy in Gandía will be 100%. Artists:
DJ’S:
Programación: Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday:
Accommodations: The entire event (workshops, parties, shows…) will be held at the Hotel Versus Gandía Palace, in Playa de Gandía, a beautiful brand-new hotel, just 100 meters from the beach. Hotel launch offer (can only be booked in full board, water and wine included in meals): Double/Triple Room: €99 x person and day. – Minimum stay: 3 nights. |



























