Hi Salseros y Salseras!

I remember when I first heard about salsa congresses in Japan (of all places) in 1998, date of the first ever Puerto Rican International Salsa Congress. This was back in the day when we only had vhs, 1 salsa dvd by Josie Neglia on the market, no DVDs, no internet lessons, no youtube. It was really hard to come by any international salsa moves or news. Til the congress!

I went to New York City in May 1999 to visit the Eddie Torres school. I heard he was the mambo guru (...still in Japan. This Japanese salsero was sporting the split pea yellow, satin Eddie Torres bomber jacket...and I remember asking, 'who is that?'). Then I went to the 2nd Puerto Rican Salsa Congress which is where I saw Mr. Albert Torres MCing and some of the world's (still, to this day) young and ambitious salsa troupes like the Vaszquez brothers, Joby Vazquez, Stacey Lopez, Young Ambition, Ismael Otero and his 2 lovely sisters and Thomas Guerrero. I have footage of them all dancing up a storm. It was INCREDIBLE to me!

I learned how to dance on2 and then planned my next salsa congress: LA 2000, organized by Mr. Albert Torres (not related to Eddie Torres! Oh and there are 2 Maria Torres' too! One is Eddie's wife, one is an amazing NYC hustle and jazz instructor).

LA was a great experience. There were about 2000 people and the following years, it went up to 5000+. Performing on that stage was pretty nerve wracking! Ah!

11 years later, there are salsa congresses every week, in every part of the world. Some salsa instructors have even left their day job, or their school, to travel the world and teach/perform every weekend. And now, there are even Bachata congresses!!! (Which is why I jumped on that bandwagon and now organize the Toronto Bachata Festival).

I came across this article about this year's LA congress. Some people in Toronto or Vancouver saw Yen and Eli perform (wwwoooow!!) so I thought it would be fun to read up on them here.

Where is your next salsa congress going to be?

SalsaSteph
www.GoDanceMambo.com
www.TorontoSalsa.com
www.TorontoBachataFestival.com




http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/06/salsa-takes-the-spotlight-a-photo-essay.html

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Salsa takes the spotlight: a photo essay

June 11, 2010 | 1:30 pm

Congress was in session for four days at the LAX Radisson, only there was no bickering or filibustering. Instead, hundreds of people of all ages, colors, sizes and nationalities came together to dance at the 12th Annual Los Angeles Salsa Congress, a congress where true democracy thrives and the boundaries that separate people melt away when the music starts.

“You have people from Israel dancing with people from Lebanon,” said Albert Torres, the promoter behind this event. Torres, who fell in love with salsa music as a teen in Puerto Rico, has a hand in almost 40 congresses worldwide.

From May 27 to 30, salseros honed their swivels and footwork in more than 70 daytime workshops taught by renowned international salsa dancers. Vendors hawked salsa shoes and sparkly, sassy outfits outside the main ballroom, where competitions and performances packed the house. Each night bodies spun and skirts twirled into the wee hours as both pros and recreational hoofers shared the floor and danced to live salsa bands.

One of the groups performing was Alma Latina Pro Kids from Tijuana.

“We dance for TJ, and we’re gonna give it all we can!” said Karen Burgos, 12, backstage in her iridescent costume before show time. The waify salsera said what made the L.A. Congress so “cool” was seeing the different salsa styles of the roughly 800 performers who came from about 30 countries to participate.

Eli Torres and Yen Dorado, the 2009 Mayan World Salsa champions, came from Philadelphia to teach and perform. They are the first same-gender pair to win an international salsa competition, and the two believe the Congress helps promote acceptance and understanding.

“We want people to see not two guys dancing. We want them to see two dancers showing their art,” said Dorado, catching his breath after performing, and glistening with both sweat and silvery glitter. “Why not show that salsa can be for everybody?”

Just think if Congress on the Hill worked like this. Democrats and Republicans would harmoniously twirl and dip each other, understanding that a dance is only successful when both parties work together — no matter what their differences.

-- Amy Tenowich

Photo: Praying before their performance are, clockwise from lower left, Maria Alejandra, 14, Juan David, 18, Diorman Casta-eda, 25, and Daniela Leon, 18. The four, who make up the salsa group Saoco, traveled from Medellin, Colombia, for the Congress. Credit: Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times

More in: Dance, Photography

How to pick up girls in the salsa scene

I think it`s pretty interesting how the social dynamic is far different in salsa than at regular clubs in Toronto.
It`s a fact that most men take salsa to meet people-notably women-whereas women salsa to exercise, dance for fun and hope to make friends. I say it`s a fact because I ran a survey for 2 years on my website and discovered these interesting stats.


Lots of men in the real world spread the word to their male clan that salsa is a great place to meet women.
They hurry to salsa clubs and see before them men of all ages dancing with attractive women.

`Non-salsa` men can see that partner dancing is like any other sport: technical. And without the proper technique to lead a lady into fantasy world, most men will find themselves to be completely inadequate.

In order to overcome these lack of skills and inadequacy on the salsa dance floor, men typically resort to the talking tactic, in hopes of standing one more chance with any woman. They ask if she wants a drink, if she came with anyone, if she has a boyfriend, if he can get her number.

On the first day? In the first month? Big mistake!

Almost immediately she will raise her eyebrows, possibly walk away, and tell her friends not to dance with you... because if you're picking up, then you are definitely NOT a dancer. Game over.

It will be worse if you try dancing with her first, then ask her for her number!

Note that he makes himself vulnerable by TRYING to dance in front of other ladies on the dance floor who will take note and make sure to avoid him.

Suddenly, looking like Brad Pitt is not such a great attention grabber...so how did 50-year old, receeding hair-line, no defined muscles, really short dude over there, get a dance with THAT bunny?

Simple. He knows the dance technique and holds off asking her questions. Because in salsa, you don't have too many conversations, unless it's about the last dance event, workshop, congress or concert...or who is an amazing dancer. He also makes sure he goes out in groups on 'collective' dates, until he's really really sure. Beware! Salsa is addictive, and will become your paradise, so think twice before you date a girl in the salsa scene: should it not go so well, you don't want to have to compromise your good times for her. It's a pretty small scene!

The morale of the story is this: Yes there are a lot of women in the salsa scene so yes, you can meet a lot of them. However, in order to befriend them let alone date them, you`ll need to get some serious salsa lessons, and refrain from using pick up lines, or you`ll lose before you even started winning. Concentrate on a different set of skills like leading her effectively, even if you only learn 3 smooth moves. Women will line up for you and beg you for more! Turn a negative (dancing??me??) into a positive: Since partner dancing is one of the few remaining areas women agree on to have the man lead, take full advantage of being the man!

The salsa world is a whole new paradigm: May the best dancer win.



SalsaSteph
www.GoDanceMambo.com