Aussie Salsa Event

SATURDAY - JULY 11, 2009

Get ready for a night of dance, dance & more dance!

We are bringing together 4 of Australia's & the world's top dancers for an extravaganza of traditional Cuban Son, Salsa, Zouk & Bachata!

Eric Turro is considered the grandfather of traditional Cuban dance & along with partner Chantal, will mesmerise you with the magical spirit of Cuba!

Alex Bryan & Ebony Berell will teach & perform the slow & sensual Zouk - the sexy Brazilian dance that is taking the world by storm!

4 amazing dancers all under the one roof! Whether you love traditional Cuban dance or are a fan of the newer Latin dances, there will be something for everyone!

Fitness On Dance Floor Is Achievable

Image by CharlesFred via Flickr

Presented recently at the American College of Sports Medicine meeting in Seattle, one study found that salsa dancing could improve cardiovascular fitness, and the other found that less vigorous ballroom dances such as the fox trot or tango -- although not as much of a workout as salsa -- can add 2,000 steps or so to a person's daily walking total.

"Learning to dance can be a fun, social, local and friendly way to enjoy low-intensity physical activity and skill learning," said the author of the second study, Stephen Cobley, a senior lecturer in skill acquisition and sport/exercise psychology at Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.

Dancing, or at least watching dancing on TV, has soared in popularity recently. In the United States, "Dancing with the Stars" draws a significant audience each week, and its British counterpart, "Strictly Come Dancing," has more than 8 million viewers, according to Cobley.

Because this show was drawing so many viewers in the U.K., Cobley and his colleagues thought to capitalize on its popularity and conducted a study by offering a 12-week series of introductory ballroom dancing lessons to a group of sedentary adults.

The average age of the 27 study participants was 53, and most -- 22 -- were women. The once-a-week, two-hour classes were led by an instructor and included dances such as the tango, fox trot and cha-cha.

The classes replaced what was usually sedentary time for the participants and added about 2,000 steps to their daily total, the researchers said. Experts recommend 10,000 steps a day for good health.

Reasons Behind The Urge To Salsa

Help the needy, the poor, the handicapped, the ailing, the broken-hearted, the homeless, the lost, and the environment. The list can go on. When you help the needy - in services, monetary value, or other forms (lending a shoulder to cry on or an understanding ear to listen to other people’s problems) - the returns are ten folds over. However, don’t expect anything in return. Just the contentment you experience in your heart is an incomparably satisfying feeling. Giving something wholeheartedly without expecting anything in return is divine. Imagine yourself as the person on the receiving end. You can’t wait to return the favor once you get the opportunity to do so. Another way to enjoy life is to listen to music. Play your good old favorite songs and sing along. Sing your best. Sing carelessly or out of tune - whatever it takes to make your heart contented and whatever makes you laugh. Just hum the tune if you don’t remember the words. Sing until you laugh heartily. The idea is to cheer up. Do this in private with your close friends or relatives though. You don’t want to annoy your neighbors. The sound of nature is also music. The sound of river flowing, the gust of wind on a tree branch, waves on the seashore, and birds chirping are as natural as nature can be, and the way music should be. The sound of nature can make you optimistic because it is a beautiful and serene sound. Let’s face reality. Life has its share of troubles, disasters, and misfortunes. Bad news exists and it disturbs the mind. Totally ignoring it may not always be the answer to approach life in a realistic manner. However, you can always find ways to avoid being affected by it to maintain the dominance of life’s beauty. the power of moving the hips to the gyrating rhythms of salsa music has been an effervescent treat for me. The issue holding me back from more venues are purely logistical. I know with time that I will be out there among the beautiful people once again tearing the dance floor into shreds.

Bodies Built for Dancing

Image by Michael_P via Flickr

 

We've watched the rise and fall of celebrities learning to dance, often-- for the first time. As it turns out, dancing is not just for the stars.

Dik and Lynda LaPine of Superior, is spinning into the world of dance under the watchful eye of their instructor, Nik Zhelev. He teaches local hopefuls the fun-- and the art-- of moving to the music.

"There's something special about twirling a lady around and dipping. It's about just dancing and feeling the song," Zhelev says. "once you get into dancing, you can never really stop."

And that's exactly the case for the LaPines. "Both of us were a little bit scared in trying it out," Lynda says of her first experience with lessons. But the once reluctant duo of 29 years, has taken the plunge feet first into the trend of 'social dancing.' It's a throwback to society's more traditional roles-- with the man taking the lead, and the woman following.

Lynda sees it as a chance to replenish her soul-- and her relationship.

"I was one of those mom's where i was always focused on my kids and not myself," Lynda says. "But, I thought, 'oh, this would be something that would be good to build on our marriage.'"

"You become lovers again, and that's what's the magic behind all this," Dik adds.

"Once a week Dik, a mailman and Lynda, a church secretary-- set aside their daily tasks, and just dance.

"Forget about everything else, even if you're just doing the basics," Zhelev tells the couple during a lesson at Over the Top Dance Studio. "Just dance for a while."

"When you come to dance class, you cease to be your roles as mom and dad, and husband and wife," Dik says.

The two have already finished one 8-week session of the class, and are working on their second. It's called Latin Style Ballroom, where they learn the classics, such as: the Rhumba, the Tango, the Salsa, and the Cha-Cha.

It's a scene played out on other dance floors, as well. Duluth's Score Bar & Grill offers free Salsa lessons every Tuesday night between 7 and 8. For the mostly twenty-somethings, the music's a little louder and the lighting a bit more subdued. But the attraction is the same.

Instructors Byron Johnson and Juliana Bertelsen mastered the steps years ago. They say, for beginners, the biggest barrier is just getting out and giving yourself permission to try.

"It's that initial step to getting out there and doing it-- that's the hardest part," Johnson says.

"It can be really intimidating," Bertelsen agrees. "But after a while you realize, it is possible and you can learn another step and another step.

Nate Gange knows first hand about trying it and improving. At it for just one month, his ever-blossoming skill has left him optimistic. Not only will he look good on the floor, he says, but on the dating scene-- knowing how to dance is a huge bonus.

"A guy that knows how to dance, come on," Gange says. "It's like, I know how!"

So, as Nate practices his salsa steps, he also waits. Someday, he'll find his life's true dance partner, just as Dik and Lynda found their's almost

Trying Salsa As A Fitness Regimen

THE unfamiliar sound of sensuous music fills our small living room, where my partner is clutching the hip of a voluptuous woman in tight glittery black trousers and a plunging red sweater. He is sweating. She is smiling, but keeping a watchful eye on his feet. After all, it's not every day a girl gets to dance with a 6ft 4 Aussie bloke put together like a series of uncontrol-lable paperclips, whose notorious clumsiness resulted in him being banished to a corner of the room to sit still in a chair during the birth of our child. This is the man who wouldn't even dance at our wedding. Yet here he is, concentrating like his life depended on it, as he shuffles -- slinks, for God's sake -- into a sexy slow-step samba. Welcome to the world of salsa. It's a dance exercise trend that is sweeping the country and combines fitness, fun and even socialising. Most dancers are between 25-35 and single, but plenty of couples and older people are into it too. "A few couples meet at our classes -- one couple are getting married and having the reception in a tapas bar, with salsa music of course," says Hilary, our instructor. Hilary fell in love with salsa during a holiday to Italy 10 years ago, and became a qualified dance teacher. She now runs classes in Dublin five nights a week, with numbers ranging from 20, at her Salsa Fit sessions, to 100 at the traditional Thursday night gig held at the Garda Club. Although the starting level is slow, when you get skilled and confident enough to go to a club, you're likely to be dancing for up to four hours. "Now that's a good workout," says Hilary, "and fun too." She's designed a special cardio-salsa class for those signing up to improve their fitness. The format is more like an aerobics session -- we stand in line, with no partner required. But it still has the sensual body movements, great music and stimulating steps of salsa, and it's a good cardiovascular workout. And you don't need to have great Latin rhythm to take part. "The most common opening sentence I hear is: 'I've got two left feet'," says Hilary (35). But before I can lure my other half into a public class, he insists on a private lesson. Hilary instructs him to loosen his hands a little on my waist. They're white at the knuckles where we're linked in the centre between our feet, with thumbs raised. Our five-year-old hoots with laughter as Hilary instructs us in a "one, two, three, pause, five, six, seven, pause" mambo shuffle forward and back. "Do you want to join in?" she asks him. "Only if I can dance with you," he simpers. Smart kid. As for the adult male, he's starting to look like he's enjoying himself. He perked up considerably after being told he gets to lead: "This is good domestic role reversal," he mutters feelingly. By the end of the hour, we realise the dancing looks and feels better with smaller movements, instead of our start-out gambit of exaggerated clomping. To my astonishment, we are now going to group classes to try it out in public, where men often outnumber the women. "I wonder why that is," I ask my bloke. "It's got a lot going for it," he says. "Good music, simple steps, and the chance to call the shots with your wife -- and she can't answer back." We'll see about that.

Atlanta will Soon Love It's Salsa Dancing

Getting into dancing is ten times more fun with Latin Salsa dance classes Atlanta. More and more people are taking up ballroom dance lessons Atlanta because of so many reasons that will truly entice you into joining as well. Latin Salsa dance classes Atlanta come with very infectious music! The beat in Latin Salsa dance classes Atlanta is just too catchy that it really makes you want to dance. Even the shy ones find themselves tapping their feet to the music of Latin Salsa dance classes Atlanta – and after a minute or two, they are gamely on their feet trying out the moves themselves! Second, Latin Salsa dance classes Atlanta is very personal thing. It makes a lot of people feel good about themselves and serves as a motivation to get through the tasks of the day and find themselves back in the studio in the afternoon. Basically, ballroom dance lessons Atlanta is a commitment – and those who stick to it find themselves feeling better about themselves. Third, the many health benefits of ballroom dancing lessons Atlanta are just too good, Many researchers show that this type of dancing can reduce levels of stress and increase one’s energy. Ballroom dancing lessons Atlanta can also improve your overall muscle tone and body coordination. As you can see, dancing is a fun and unique way to burn those calories without getting bored! Fourth, ballroom dancing lessons Atlanta can be a good way to meet new people. Even if all of you come from highly different walks of life, your love for the music and the movement is what brings you together. In fact, one can probably say that dance is the language of peace – and there is definitely a lot of evidence of this in your studio. Fifth, ballroom dancing lessons Atlanta are a good reason to get creative and dress up a little bit. You wouldn’t want to attend your sessions dressed in baggy jeans, right? Because this is culture, you cannot help but dress up the part – so you can truly feel it and feel that you are part of the entire thing. Let us face it – we can be competitive even if it is already a friendly match. In ballroom dancing, competition just ups the excitement value of the dance so you are witnessing better moves and techniques. Ballroom forces one to be a bit competitive to show other people that you have as much right to be on the floor as them – thanks to your wicked moves and dips. At the end of the day, ballroom dancing is a really great thing to get hooked on. You have a lot of fun and in the process of dancing you learn that culture can be experienced in a different ways using your body as the vehicle for interpretation. Who knows – you could be dancing your way to success and inspiring other people in the same way that you were inspired to dance!

Cuban Salsa In A Step By Step Process

Dance has been an important part of rituals, celebrations and entertainment since before the birth of human civilization. In the beginning, before we had written language to record things, the purpose of dance was often to tell stories and to pass them down to future generations. The story of dancing in Cuba In Cuba, as in ancient times, dance tells its own story. The passion and energy of Cuban dance reveals the strength and conviction of the Cuban people, determined to enjoy life despite ‘la lucha’ (the struggle) of living in a strictly regulated country where the average monthly wage comes in at around 400 pesos - less than £10. The richness of Cuban music and dancing also tells the story of Cuba’s melting pot of cultures. From the high-stepping flamenco brought by the Spanish settlers in the 15th century to the frenzied tribal dances of the West African slaves, dancing is in the blood of the Cuban people. From the teenage girl in denim shorts to the cigar-seller on the street corner, Cubans are given to break into spontaneous dance steps. Furthermore, the people dancing on the streets of Havana are likely to be just as good as the professionals, because in Cuba dancing is simply a way of life. The variety of Cuban dances Cuba boasts a huge range of dances including classical ballet, contemporary, flamenco and folk dancing. But it is the partnered routines that appeared in Havana dancehalls between the 1920s and the 1950s - Salsa, rumba, mambo and cha-cha-cha - that can be seen in every Cuban bar, club and street. Of these, Salsa is the most popular dance internationally. Since the name ‘Salsa’ (it’s Spanish for ’sauce’) was coined, Salsa dancing has exploded in popularity in Latin America and across the world. Salsa dancing classes are now hugely popular but to really get into the swing of it a Salsa holiday in Cuba itself is a must. Tips for Cuban Salsa dancing If you do take yourself on a Cuban holiday, you’ll have the unique experience of watching Cubans Salsa dancing. It sometimes appears that by some genetic aberration they have been born with super flexible joints, defying physics to carry out all the complex manoeuvres they have integrated into the dancing. Their remarkable twisting body movements and natural sense of rhythm will dazzle you. If you have the right technique, Cuban Salsa is easier to learn than many other forms of dance. The basic footwork is a fairly simple walking motion, pausing every fourth beat, and there are some six basic steps you can follow to make sure you’re on the right tracks. 1 Relax To dance Cuban Salsa well it is important not to rush, but to relax into the steps. Movements should be precise and deliberate in addition to being flowing and smooth. 2 Walk with purpose Salsa dancing involves a continual circular motion. Couples walk around each other with an imaginary axis between them. This makes turns look smooth and effortless. Walking gives time to untangle your arms after each turn. 3 Have confidence in your lead The leader (usually the man) should have constant tension in his arms, while his hands guide his Salsa dancing partner around the floor. There is no need to clamp onto each other’s hands, only to use the right amount of tension to provide a leading signal. 4 Be flexible when following In order to follow well, ladies should try to match the tension of their partner. The exception to this is when arms need to be relaxed and flexible to complete arm-twisting Salsa moves without injury! 5 Keep balanced when you spin The key to all the spectacular spins in Salsa is not to lose your balance. One way to do it is by spotting while you spin - focusing on one spot at each turn - an age-old dance technique. 6 Use your body In Salsa dancing, ladies should make use of their body and be sensual, playful and creative. This can involve some creative arm movements, going with what feels right and basically showing off a bit. Enjoy!