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SALSA
HEAVEN Ever wondered where it is? Well, any place where you can dance 24 hours a day with the best possible partners and the best instructors to show you new and exciting moves. At least, so will tell you an avid salsa nut. Does such a place exist? Naah, not really, but the last salsa workshop appropriately titled SALSA STARS and held Jan.27 in Oakland came pretty close. 15 hot hours of salsa, cha-cha-chá, merengue, rueda, hustle from 10am to 5pm. And you wouldn't call it heaven? It was my first time, so I showed up at 9:30, loaded myself with complimentary coffee and doughnuts (3, but who's counting) and moseyed on to my first class - Int/Adv Salsa with Salomon Rivera, "El Grande of Orange County", winner of numerous competitions and partner of Edie the "Salsa Freak" who was teaching a beginners' class at the same time. Participants had to choose from 3 different workshops each hour, so while Salomon was showing some basic steps, I slipped out to observe a more advanced class taught by the legendary Alex da Silva. The class was called Dips, Tricks & Fun Stuff, and fun it was. I caught myself a decent partner (not an easy catch if you did not arrive with one already). A partner was required for the next class of Lifts, Lunges and More! with Edie and Salomon and my partner convinced me to try it. (Gee, I did not even ask his name! Here is salsa for you: you dance in such intimate closeness and don't even know your partner's name!). Meanwhile, Alex continued with Hot Pattern Combinations and Ricardo and Sarah Tellez, founders of "Rica Salsa" Dance Company, offered Breaks and Cross Body Leads for beginners. After lunch, men followed Luis Vasqez who showed eye-catching moves for leaders and ladies piled up to his wife's Joby's Ladies' Styling class. It was so full, those at the front had to switch several times with those at the back. Her shines were sexy and maybe a little too hard for most people in the room. Salomon was teaching a merengue class to those who didn't care about their solo performance. By now you could see people guzzling water with happy fatigue on their faces. Still, there were two more sessions left and nobody was leaving. How could you miss Int/Adv Salsa with Joby and Luis Vasqez who produced a very successful instructional video and tour the world with their dance troupe Salsa Brava? They are based in LA, so a class with Joby and Luis was a special treat. I couldn't believe my luck when Edie herself asked me to be her partner for this class! (She wanted to lead). ( By the way, something is worth noting here. Edie asked me several times how her lead felt to me. In almost 3 years of dancing only two guys asked me that question and only after I brought up the subject). Obviously I didn't make it to the Dips, Tricks and More by Ava Apple and Luis Rosa, famous Bay Area dancers and teachers who also gave a hustle workshop from 4 to 5pm. Rueda fans attended 2 workshops offered by a dedicated rueda instructor Russ Hamer and his partner Sidney Weaverling. What about cha-cha-chá-chá? Not to worry: Ricardo and Sarah showed some interesting cha-cha-chá moves. (Ricardo never stops inventing new steps). Overall, the workshop was a tremendous success. It was very well attended and well organised thanks to John Riddle from DanceFun, and for $49 a salsa lover could not have had a better day. |