| Recent Articles
Where
did merengue go?
(11/12/08)
Trouble in merengue-land has reached a new pitch as the Latin
Grammys axed the Best Merengue Album category from its list of
awards, starting with tomorrow's show...
Salsa
Etiquette (10/23/08)
Can I ask a guy to dance? How can I tell someone I don't want to dance with them? How do I get a lead back on beat?...
The
Lead
(10/16/08)
"Leading is not pushing or pulling. It is communicating an intention. Dancing is an art form, despite the fact that it requires the prowess of an athlete"...
"A good lead/follow is like a good conversation - you don't have to yell, you only need to talk. As you get better, all you really need to do is whisper".
El
Mambo (10/7/08)
Although there are many well-known artist who helped develop what we know as Mambo, many will agree that Arsenio Rodriguez is credited to inventing the Mambo. The story goes that Arsenio...
Overcoming
Fears of Social Dancing (9/25/08)
Some of them hang out right
over there where the best dancers are doing their thing, just
standing there and watching and wishing, and feeling inferior,
excluded or angry. And some of them get upset because they
don't get many dances. Sometimes, the people who are worrying
or intimidated are beginner or intermediate dancers, or
dancers who are new to the mambo scene. They may feel that the
crowd is cliquish or stuck-up or judgmental and critical. Here
are a few thoughts on the matter, and some strategies to get
you dancing more, having more fun, and bitching less.
Dancer
Levels (9/25/08)
A dancer on a certain level
can also have strengths or weaknesses that are characteristic
of a different level. This is created as a general overview of
9 levels that dancers fall into to help you distinguish your
level and which classes are right for you.
La
Guaracha (9/23/08)
During the early 1930’s, conjuntos (a group
or band) made up of about 7 members usually, were starting to
dominate the Latin scene and made the guaracha even more
popular. A lead vocalist of the group that can improvise and
handle fast lyrics was called a “guarachero/guarachera”.
2008
Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
(9/16/08)
Join us for a day of live entertainment,
dancing, food and arts & crafts.
La
Guajira
(9/16/08)
Guajira is a popular Cuban style with Andalucian roots and is typically played on guitars and a tres (a form of guitar with fewer strings).
The
Son (9/9/08)
The Son is the style that has been primarily
responsible for bringing Cuban music forward from its birth to what we call now Salsa.
The
Many Styles of Latin Dancing
(9/3/08)
Learn about the many different styles of Latin dancing and
where they originated from to evolve what they are today.
Ballroom
vs. Street Salsa
(8/26/08)
The war wages on wherever dancers gather, the battle of the
Ballroom Latin and the Street Latin dancers. I am a street
dancer let me put my bias right out there from the start. But,
I am not anti-ballroom, I believe there are 2 totally
different dances, and to continually argue over which is
better is to miss the boat completely.
Tumbao
Salsero at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront
(8/25/08)
he weather was cool with a slight breeze and it
was comfortable. The atmosphere was vivid, energetic, and full
of anticipation for a great performance. After a couple dance
lessons from the Mambo Room instructors, Tumbao Salsero was
ready to take the stage.
Before
Salsa, There Was Mambo
(8/21/08)
"La Epoca" The Palladium Era -
"La Epoca,"
a feature-length documentary-film, is about the evolution of
Latin music and dance from the Palladium-era (1948-1970) to
present day. The film covers in-depth detail regarding the
controversy over dancing "on 1" versus dancing
"on 2," Mambo versus Salsa, and the film focuses
heavily on the controversy over the the umbrella term
"Salsa" and its affects on the musicians and dancers
since the conception of the word's use to describe Latin
music.
Latin
Jazz Conspiracy at the Oceanfront (8/19/08)
Latin Jazz Conspiracy was
there to satisfy your need. Latin Jazz Conspiracy is a seven
member group led by Eric Musselwhite, Bill Brown, Jordan Ponzi,
Bart Kuebler, Ernesto Laboy, Robin Lugo and Bob Habib. In case
you were wondering they are all local Tidewater musicians as
well.
Mambo vs. Salsa (8/19/08)
Salsa
is not easily defined. Though many get caught up in the old
debate as to whom "invented" Salsa (Cubans or Puerto
Ricans), the truth of the matter is that Salsa has, and will
always continue to have a great number of influences that have
each played a large part in its evolution.
Vida
la Salsa ~ Journey Through History
(8/17/08)
Michael Majesty with his all-star cast of salsa
dancers, including world champion dancers, is bringing his
never before seen magnificent and sizzling hot salsa spectacle
to Theatres this January 2009...
North
Carolina Salsa Festival (8/12/08)
Following
the signs to Ninth Street looking for someone’s garage…
you come to a congested area where there are cars everywhere
but not a person in sight. This has to be the place, isn’t
it? But that doesn’t look like a garage. Actually, it’s a
classy little spot called George’s Garage. You begin to hear
faint sounds congas and there is even a line formed at the
door of anxious dancers waiting to get their arm bracelets.
Ban
Caribe (8/12/08)
The band kicked it off strong and had great
energy. It wasn’t long into the first song, that audience
members were up on their feet, dancing their way to the front
of the stage.
America's
Got Talent - Junior & Emily Alabi
(8/12/08)
Junior and Emily Alabi - a brother and sister
Latin dance team has been competing on the NBC show
"America's Got Talent".
Dancing
on the 2 (8/12/08)
Dancing
on the 2. What is this craze? I hear people talking about it
all the time. You walk into a NY/NJ club and ask a girl to
dance, the first thing out of her mouth is " Do you dance
on the 2"?
Friday
Night at the Mambo Room (8/6/08)
it
was a wonderful and energetic evening, a dancers dream. It's
also a great place for those who aren't up on their club
dancing yet or who may not want to frequent nightclubs. You
will definitely be seeing me spend my free Friday evenings at
the Mambo Room in the near future.
The
Cha Cha (8/4/08)
Many of you might already know what the Cha Cha
is, and some of you might have questions. For example, why is
it called Cha Cha? Where did it originate? Who primarily
started playing it? Or how do I know if the song is a Cha Cha.
Does
a DJ Make An Event? (8/4/08)
They again had a different DJ
who spun some really nice salsa/mambo music. I could tell by the sweaty shirts of my group that they were really enjoying themselves. For that matter the whole club was 'rocking'.
8th
Annual New York Salsa Congress (8/4/08)
Whether you dance on1, on2, on whatever, or not a dancer but a lover of Latin music this is the congress to attend. The New York City Salsa Congress hosts dance lessons from some of the most sought after dance instructors in the world; Eddie
"The Mambo King” Torres, Pupy, Nelson Flores, Al “Liquid Silver”
Espinoza, and many more. Dance lessons begin every morning at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. The artist showcases begin at 9p.m. and end at 10-10:30 p.m. Live music and dancing occurs immediately after, and ends at 3 a.m. from Thursday- Sunday.
Sol
Libre a the Virginia Beach Oceanfront
(7/29/08)
Sol Libre, if your not familiar, is a
Spanish-flamenco based group with urban and world percussive
rhythms. The group was first created by Jason and Jaime
Freeman, and later joined by family members and friends. The
band consists of six members, with the following
instrumentation: two Spanish-flamenco guitars, electric bass,
drums, percussion and tenor sax... more
4th
Annual Washington DC Salsa Congress (7/28/08)
The 4th Annual International Washington DC
Salsa Congress is coming up this August 15th-17th at the
Hilton Crystal City in Arlington Virginia. Three days and
nights of dancing, workshops, shows, and more are in store
this August. Every year the entire DC, Maryland and
Virginia Salsa Community pulls together to showcase the
homegrown talent of instructors, dancers, DJs, and musicians.
This event hosts artists, performers, dancers, and general
salseros from around the world. The congress has guests that
attend from Chicago, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania,
California, Georgia, Puerto Rico, London, Paris, Holland,
Mexico, Canada, India, China and mucho more
Salsa
Boot Camp at the Mambo Room (7/28/08)
This
Four hour class was amazing, everything you would expect out
of a 6-8 week series of training with others. Sandra Sanchez
and Leroy Winfield were both fabulous and fun to work with. A
great learning experience and good time to be had by all. I
would definitely recommend this class to all beginners and
those that want to socialize with others that share the same
interests in learning a remarkably beautiful dance... more
4th
Annual NC Salsa Festival (7/25/08)
Saturday August 9th Night performances
includes in this order Yamulee, Kelvin & Licelott,
Masacote Dance Company,Grupo Pa Lante, Lazaro - Universal
Mambo Dance Academy, CoboBrothers Dance Company, Yamulee
again, and Kelvin & Licelott. With the Saturday only
event you also get a 3 course meal...
more
How
to Plan a Successful Road Trip
(7/14/08)
The Congress organizers did
an amazing job. There were over 30 performances and over
30 instructors teach on1 and on2 throughout the 4 days.
The socials at night were packed with over 3 or 4 thousand
salsa dancers ready to sweat. The music was caliente and
the women were hotter... more
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