SalsaBabe

Online senior dating services grow with promotions

2012-01-18T06:36:00.001-08:00

As social individuals, everyone has the direct need for companionship. That is why, even the widowed and the divorced ones still find the way to spot another partner in their lives. And most of all, as one truth that clings to the common scenarios these days, even married people still find the urge to look for new companionship. Now the challenge has been taken up by the dating services which have popularized online through time. And now, there is the wide availability of the features of the so-called senior dating services.

The senior dating services work out just like any other dating services procedures. Senior or aged individuals who are still single has found this service the most perfect way of spotting the partner that they so wanted in their lives. For being singles for quite some time, there are these instances when seniors find it awkward to go on with individual dating. Thus, to solve this crisis, one can opt for the club dating or group dating. Slowly but surely is the way on how singles can manage their personal relationships.

Senior dating services make sure that you get the partner that you specify in your profile. They match your taste and standard with those members in their data banks. It is important that you make mention of the kind of person that you want to have as a partner or as a date.

The senior singles should find an efficient way on how they can comfortably meet partners. As a worthy advice to you, it matters that you first develop a certain bond or friendship with an individual. You can do this through chatting, sending emails to a person of the opposite sex, talking over the phone, and the likes. It likewise pays off to get to know the mannerisms of a person especially during conversations. You should also work out on the possibility of a personal meet up. Remember that your effort would only prove effective when you get the person to agree to go out and spend time to get to know you as well.

Senior dating services are at times offered by several internet websites for free. Senior citizens like you may surf these free sites and get your lucky stars working for you. The following are the things that you would have to take note of when partaking in a senior dating service.

Gather as much information as possible. Make sure that there would not be problems that can make things complicated for you in the end.

If you know that what you are accessing is a free dating service website, then be careful in dealing with the prompts which require your personal information and most especially that which asks for your credit card details. It may be one fraudulent site that you are dealing with.

If you are lucky enough, you may chance upon your soul mate through the senior dating services. It is likewise possible that you may find someone who is indeed a good conversationalist to while away your spare time.

Does Your Kitty Eat Cameras too?

2012-01-16T12:00:00.001-08:00

This cat is hungry for cameras twitter.com/tonygreene113/…
— tony (@tonygreene113) December 13, 2011

Youth activities for today

2011-12-06T22:19:00.001-08:00

The youth nowadays are very different from the youth of long ago. There are teens that prefer to spend most of their time at home, helping their parents do household chores. A great many of them are the outdoor type. These teens love to go out and have a great time with peers. If you’re trying to look for creative activities for the youth, you simply have to keep reading.

Some youth activities are healthy but some youth are into dangerous activities. You probably heard over the news or read in the newspapers about youths who are deeply into drugs and alcohol. These activities are unhealthy and will only destroy the lives of young adults.

Teenagers want to be accepted in a group and growing up can be very hard for them. They undergo a lot of changes and those teens who find it hard to cope with the changes are often caught in a dangerous situation. They often end up in the company of bad friends. Soon, they will find themselves taking drugs or drinking too much alcohol. Some others are into gambling which can further affect how they handle their finances when they grow into adults.

So what activities for youth can you do? Even if you’re in a difficult stage at the moment, you should not lose control of yourself. You should still be responsible for all your actions. You’re already old enough to know what’s right from wrong. So you have to choose your peers wisely and make sure that you belong in the right group.

Parents are the very first teachers of their kids. They must be able to set a good example so that even if their kids reach adolescence, they will know what to do. If the teens grow up to be good individuals, they can easily befriend other teens. Parents should monitor their kid’s activities and they must know their friends. That way, they can guide their kids to the right path.

Parents should also provide advice to their kids when needed. Good communication is a necessity. There are also activities that the family can do together; activities which are suited for the youth. Parents can start teaching their kids on how to be responsible with their expenditures by giving them the chance to budget their allowance.

The community also plays a very important role in governing the youth. Youth leaders should encourage fellow teens to join in sports activities. The sports activities can include volleyball, basketball, football, and other sports that can promote teamwork, sportsmanship, and camaraderie.

Joining youth groups is also an excellent idea. A youth group often has youth activities like camp-outs, outreach programs, prayer meetings, movie night outs, hiking, mountain climbing, and visits to foreign places. A good thing about youth group activities is that the parents and the organizers can monitor all the activities.

The goal of almost every youth group is to provide member youths with healthy activities which can help them as they grow older. Youth group ministries are also great because they help young people to be nearer to God. The group helps members to strengthen their faith in the Lord.

If you’re already in your teenage years, you have to be responsible for all your actions. Join youth groups so that you can do healthy activities for the youth.

Queen Chica Takes The Twitterverse By Storm

2011-08-05T00:06:00.001-07:00

Queen Chica has the rundown on what it takes to be an ultimate marketing killer on the web. Above is the twitter profile picture of :

@MamiChulaNY Where Tha Cash At
NewYoRican....True HipHop Head..Older Than You ♥ #TPL #TeamGetMoney I Get Paid To Tweet-Wanna Know How? Click Tha Link In My Bio---DONT DM ME!!!

That’s right she said it.. Don’t DM her or you’ll get your backspace key ripped off your keyboard…lol

SheBlogs Has A Few More Coals In The Fire To Kick The Summer Off

2011-06-03T14:41:00.001-07:00

SheBlogs and iStockphoto Present the Blog Makeover Contest

No matter how great you look, it’s always fun to change things up. Breaking out a different cut and color, a new pair of shoes or an entire new wardrobe is always invigorating. The same is true for your blog. A new design can put a skip in your keystrokes and a song in your prose.

And now, thanks to iStockphoto, one lucky SheBlogger will have the opportunity to have her blog professionally redone by Synotac Web Design, an award-winning firm based in Portland, Oregon.* She’ll also receive a one-year subscription to iStockphoto.com. All participants (along with their readers) will get three free iStock images and 10% off all purchases through the end of June.**

Submissions must be received no later than June 30 to qualify - so get your entry in early by visiting our contest page on SheBlogs.org!

This Week on SheBlogs.org:

Try Me Iced With New England Coffee

In celebration of summer, New England Coffee invites you to try their coffees iced with their 2011 Try Me Iced summer campaign. Beginning May 16th through August 31st, 2011 New England Coffee invites iced coffee fans throughout the country to head over To www.facebook.com/newenglandcoffee to learn more about their featured summer coffees:

Blueberry Cobbler, a fresh, sweet, juicy berry flavor brew, reminiscent of a country kitchen.
New England EyeOpener, an award-winning blend of rich Colombian and Central American beans with zesty French Roast.
French Vanilla, a smooth, luscious vanilla in a special blend of medium-roasted South and Central American beans.
Peach Cobbler, bursting with the flavors of a ripe, juicy peach and a hint of cinnamon, this American dessert is a favorite of all.

Between May 16, 2011 and August 31, 2011, New England Coffee is offering consumers a way to Try Me Iced with a Free 24 oz. Iced Coffee Tumbler. Read more on SheBlogs.org.

If you’re a SheBlogger please leave your comments below for an upcoming blogging contest that I can make you aware from my good friend Brian. Brian owns and operates a really great service for bloggers of all walks. An RSS Syndication service that gets your blog’s visibility launched into the ozone.

Really great community of bloggers and site owners that share in experiences whether good or bad can be found at the Blog Engage Community.

H/T: 113Tidbits of Commentary

How To Recognize A Bot Profile Pic On Twitter

2011-05-26T11:40:00.001-07:00

The twitter profile tells me all I need to know. Be wary of these kinds of accounts, especially the ones with “eggs” as profile pictures. They mostly crowd your direct messages inbox with links and crap that you could care less about.

If you have any of these in your following it could also hurt your Klout score, if you’re a marketer looking to keep your reputation intact.

Questions or comments on the use of twitter bots can be posted below. Thanks for stopping by.

Private Luxury Group Buys Jimmy Choo Brand

2011-05-23T14:31:00.001-07:00

Labelux, a privately held luxury goods group in Austria, said it came to an agreement to acquire the high-end shoe and accessories company Jimmy Choo from TowerBrook Capital Partners, a private equity company, and minority shareholders.

The price of the acquisition was not disclosed. TowerBrook had considered taking Jimmy Choo public but opted to sell it to a strategic buyer. The sale values the company, based in London, at about $800,000,000, people with direct knowledge of the matter said, declining to elaborate because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.

H/T: Jimmy Choo Shoes At Sister Site

The Eyes Say IT All On This twitter Profile Picture

2011-05-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

@Blondegirlofny long Island NY

Sugar and Spice and all thats F**king Nice;)

Someone’s a bit naughty on their twitter profile. And not being afraid to use evil foul mouthed words make her a winner in my book. Looks to be more of a party girl. Judging from the background of her twitter profile picture, all the sugar and spice are used quite frequently.

What do you think of @Blondegirlofny? Use the comments box below to speak your mind about this twitter profile pic.

H/T: 113tidbits of Commentary

Yes We Have Real twitter Professionals To Cameo

2011-05-09T21:31:00.001-07:00

This young lady is a real image consultant. Find out all about her and her illustrious inner workings and machinations on twitter. Here is her profile:

Owner-Mackenzie Image Consulting. Certified image consultant. Expert in personal branding, nonverbal communication, body language. Love to public speak!

http://www.facebook.com/MackenzieImageConsulting

H/T: 113Tidbits Of Commentary

Charlie We Have Another Winning twitter Profile Picture

2011-05-09T06:45:00.000-07:00

Is she only trying to hide her blood shot eyes? I bet you can’t guess…

A Winning Twitter Profile Pic

2011-05-08T17:30:00.001-07:00

Somebody please tell me what’s wrong with this picture?

Who Will Save Us From A Horrible Summer Of Movies

2011-05-06T14:46:00.001-07:00

Thor is out this weekend and it looks as though it’s going to be a keeper based on some early reviews. In the local paper it was given the “Swim” tag over the “Sink” tag. With the hoopla and 7-11 cups being distributed from convenience stores, can Thor save us from an early movie venturing death this summer?

Listed below Are The Summer Movies Being Released Soon

Some of the movies here in the list will have the moniker “Sink” tied to them for obvious signs of the usual overacting and weak plot.

Movie	Release Date	Rating
Thor	5/6/11	Swim
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides	5/20/11	Swim
The Hangover Pt. 2	5/26/11	Sink
Kung-Fu Panda 2	5/26/11	Swim
The Tree Of Life	5/26/11	Swim
The Beaver	5/27/11	Sink
X-Men: First Class	6/3/11	Sink
Judy Moody	6/10/11	Swim
Super 8	6/10/11	Sink
Mr. Popper’s Penguins	6/17/11	Sink
Green Lantern	6/17/11	Swim
Cars 2	6/24/11	Sink
Bad Teacher	6/24/11	Swim
Transformers: Dark of the Moon	7/1/11	Sink
Larry Crowne	7/1/11	Swim
Zookeeper	7/8/11	Sink
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2	7/15/11	Swim
Captain America	7/22/11	Swim
Cowboys & aliens	7/29/11	Sink
The Smurfs	7/29/11	Sink

All in all it looks like we may have a decent summer for movies. Now if only we can afford the gasoline to get to the theater. But that’s a whole different story altogether.

Will you attempt to see any of these box office bonanzas this summer? Let me know in the comments box below.

Javier May Have To Choose Softball Over Football

2011-05-05T17:22:00.001-07:00

Javier is looking for donations at: http://goo.gl/dZWfp

My son has had a thing for football but this year, we fell a bit short in getting the funds he needed to play. I’ve been trying to coax him into playing softball for the summer since the softball socks and other equipment may not be as expensive as what he needs for football.

But Javier being as resourceful as he is, I believe that if we do come up short for his football summer league request, he will still appreciate playing softball this summer.

Stay tuned for highlights from his future sports play.

Steve Madden Amongst The Sharks

2011-05-05T11:33:00.001-07:00

Shoe designers these days like Steve Madden cater to many others as well. The steve madden shoes pictured here are just one of possibly thousands that adorn the feet of women world-wide.

My wife loves these because of the ability of them and how they fit her appearance. She happens to be 5’6: and loves being able to be pumped up a bit higher in her shoes.

These are not what she wears to work but she does have a small heeled slip-on pair that has received tons of miles on them.

Do you enjoy watching women buy these shoes? I know, I do.

Can Your Lady Where This

2011-05-05T09:27:00.001-07:00

A question, we as men will sometimes ask. Honey can you wear this sexy nurse costume for me? What makes a nurse’s costume so appealing?

Sure, all nurses have dabbled in anatomy and physiology courses. But does the naming of bones and internal organ systems make them the instant cat’s meow?

I don’t think so, but as we all like to think, to each his own. I could get behind the idea of the sexy costume of any sort as long as it appealed to keeping my “Johnson” standing at attention.

What do you have to say about having your sex buddy wearing costumes?

Wonkette Blog Political attack Speech Against Sarah Palin Goes Too Far

2011-04-21T09:41:00.001-07:00

What happens when bloggers take their politically motivated posting too far. Hopefully this hits the Wonkette sight right between the eyes and especially her pocketbook. Many of the higher profile advertisers on the Wonkette blog have retracted their advertising from the site because of the hateful speech launched at Sarah Palin and the disability of her son Trig. The list of advertisers sent out tweets and postings on various media channels to show their disdain for the voracity of the Wonkette site posting which can be found here.

List of Advertisers On Wonkette Post Retractions

Cheers to the brands below:

JJIll: “All: Please know we do not condone the Wonkette story. Thank you for bringing it to our attention. We have taken action to remove our ads.”

Holland America Cruises: “Thanks for letting us known, we have blocked that page from running our ads.”

Nordstrom: “Thanks for letting us know. The ads have been removed. We’re sorry to disappoint you.”

Reliant Energy: “Thank you for alerting us. We did not choose this site and are working to have this removed immediately.”

Bob Evans: “Our ad is not supposed to be running on that site. Agency has been alerted to pull it immediately.”

DealSwarm: “We’ve pulled our ads from the site — we wouldn’t have approved them running next to that blog post. (Trig is a cutie pie.) Thank you for alerting us — we weren’t aware our ads were running alongside a blog post like that. Ads have been pulled.”

MetroPCS: “We don’t condone @Wonkette, have removed the ad and ensured that our ads won’t appear on this site in the future. Thanks for bringing to our attention.”

Blogger Opportunities For The Community Of Writers At Business2Blogger

2011-04-21T07:08:00.001-07:00

Looking at today’s opportunities email, the good folks at Business2Blogger have come up with an idea to stay out of the trash bins of some of it’s users.

As we are always trying to improve around here, recently we changed the code of the Blogger Email in an attempt to keep it out of your spam traps. And, well, turns out paying someone to improve it had the opposite effect...people had problems everywhere!!
So today we start a new Email program that we hope will keep your Blogger Emails in your inbox, where they belong. From now on, we will be using the Blogger Email to send you the link to the campaigns, which will be posted in a secret location on our website. To find them, you'll simply have to click the link in your email. The idea is that we'll be keeping the Blogger Email short and sweet, and hopefully out of your spam/trash!!

Here is the link to the reviews:

http://business2blogger.com/campaigns/2011/04/042111-proalkaline-alkaline-diet/

So, if you feel the need to get your toes wet in the writing reviews space of blogging, sign on up and see what catches your fancy. By the way, can you use the comments box below to share what other review communities that you may be aware of?

Yesterday’s bit.ly click stats graphic:

Looks like our U.S. folks are way ahead of the game.

Keep This Monkee On Your Back For Backlinks – Social Monkee

2011-03-09T12:55:00.001-08:00

Building backlinks to your pages is an essential part of SEO (short for Search Engine Optimization) for two reasons. The first reason is that it helps your pages get indexed faster, which is very important because you want the search engines to find them as soon as possible and crawl them regularly. The second reason is that it helps your pages get higher search engine rankings for the keywords of your choice. The more backlinks you have, the better. Period.

However, building backlinks can be a time-consuming, boring process. You can outsource the process to an agency and pay a lot of money... Or you can do it yourself with SocialMonkee! SocialMonkee is an instant backlink builder allowing you to build 25 unique backlinks, every day, FREE! All links are on unique C-Class IP addresses and domains. Imagine being able to create 25 unique backlinks every day, with the click of a button, FREE! Well, you can stop imagining...

So, 25 unique backlinks every day... That's a total of 175 backlinks every week, 750 every month. If you upgrade, you will be able to build 100 uniques backlinks, 3 times a day! That's a total of 2,100 backlinks every week, 9,000 every month! The good news is... you can get a Premium Account, FREE! All you need to do is to refer 12 members, and your account will automatically be upgraded. If you're not really into referral marketing, you may upgrade right now for a low one-time fee.

Submitting a page to SocialMonkee via the members area takes under two minutes, but there's an even faster way! They created a Firefox plugin that allows you to submit your page to up to 100 sites in just a few clicks, using nothing else than Firefox! If you have a Premium Account you will also get access to link reports and RSS feeds, which are great to keep track of your backlinks and get them indexed fast. Submitting your RSS feeds to RSS submitters is actually a very important step in link building.

So what are you waiting for? Join SocialMonkee now while it's still free!

Do you Know anything about Jack3D Up?

2011-02-22T19:59:00.001-08:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

We all have seen the numerous infomercials and and web ads of various overnight weight losing sensations. One that particularly stands out for me is a site called www.jack3dreviews.com. The site helps to dispel the myths of a nitric oxide based product that is supposed to have miraculous effects on the human body.

Needless to say, the results from some of the web buyers are much less than stellar. Ranging from a complete waste of time to “do not bother with this product”.

Sometimes sites like this lead to even more traffic and conversions. It would be interesting to find out what a vast sampling of users has thought.

2011-02-21T22:12:00.000-08:00

Sierra and her newborn kittens...

Bank account has wrinkles that won’t straighten out

2010-11-29T07:44:00.001-08:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

My bank account that is non-existent has a ton of wrinkles in it. I could sure use anti wrinkle creams that work for us less than fortunate entrepreneurs of the internet. The closest I’ve come to receiving any kind of compensation for my work was from a weird site called 113directory. Here the best way to earn these days is from referring many to a service and hope that someone or many stick around for the gravy train to come later.

Fishing My Favorite Unemployment Beach

2010-10-26T22:20:00.001-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Fishing can be a relaxing way to spend your weekends. It has been proven that fishing is one of the all-time treasured experiences of thousands of American families. However, any sport has its dangerous side and fishing is no exception. Whether you’re going on an excursion to one of the fine Branson Missouri hotels in the mountains or fishing the Keys of Florida, safety is paramount.

Majority of fishing equipment have sharp tools such as metal hooks which may lead to accidents when the fishing environment unexpectedly changes for the worse. Storms, hurricanes, wild currents, and other mishaps, could spoil your fishing trip.

If you are planning to go on a fishing expedition with family or friends, here is a list of urgent situations and what preparations you need to face each scenario.

When You Gonna Ride The Cloud?

2010-07-04T15:33:00.001-07:00

Stephen Pickering Cloud Sites™ Hosting - www.stephenpickering.com

Don't Just Get a Website. Get a Cloud Site™! Scaling Happens Automatically. Plans begin at $5/mo.

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tony greene's profile on MyLikes

Kim Kardashian Rocking The Tools For A Hotter Black Widow

2010-05-07T19:51:00.001-07:00

Kim would have made the Black widow suit of the New Iron Man 2 movie even more hotter than what Scarlett did. Sometimes, movies need to suffer on the acting ability for pure eye candy deliciousness. Hopefully Kim can get her skills honed for the new Avengers saga being planned from the Marvel camp. She would make an awesome Scarlet Witch!! Do you hear me Hollywood schmucks!! Let’s get Kim Kardashian into some of these blockbusters so I can expand my Blu-ray library..

Steamboat Springs Goes Latin

2010-01-11T20:17:00.001-08:00

During her more than 35 years living in Steamboat Springs and throughout her life, Polly Idol never has stopped dancing.

She went to big community dances with her parents as a child, taking in all their steps and energy. She majored in dance education in college, and after moving to Steamboat, she taught classes and helped found the Steamboat Dance Theatre.

As couples dance became popular here, she jumped at the chance to stay close to her passion while dancing with her friends and community members.

To go without dancing for even a few days would be a lifestyle “that I don’t really want anything to do with,” Idol said Thursday afternoon as she and dance partner Charles Horton prepared for a new set of classes at Northwest Ballet Studio that evening.

The two have been sharing their love of swing, foxtrot, salsa, cha-cha, two-step and other social dance forms with Steamboat Springs as a teaching duo for about five years.

It’s not the formal, competitive style of ballroom dance potential students might have seen on “Dancing With the Stars.” Instead, it’s a style that’s more social, meant for people to revel in dancing in someone else’s arms.

“More than that, it’s a conversation that happens nonverbally with people,” Horton said. Dancers form a connection, communicating an artistic notion with their interpretations, Idol said.

Making steps their own

In an advanced-level class at Northwest Ballet Studio on Thursday night, Horton and Idol encouraged their students — four couples who had taken their classes before — to move their own way with the music, playing with the steps and having fun with their basic knowledge.

Their students come to lessons as a date night, as an outlet to practice the steps they already know or as a chance to check one more item off their “bucket list,” Idol said.

The pair’s social dance classes range in size, going as small as four or five couples and as large as almost 20 sets of dancers, Horton and Idol said.

Horton also teaches classes for people looking for help getting through their wedding dances. He and Idol offer private lessons or quick tutorials at community events on an on-demand basis.

Idol also occasionally teaches country styles, and goes out dancing socially as often as she can, finding open floors at community events such as Backcountry Ball or Ski Ball; public concerts by the Steamboat Swings community big band; or during country performances at Ghost Ranch Saloon.

“One of our greatest joys in a small community like this is that we see our students out dancing and enjoying each other,” Idol said.

Horton came to formal couples dancing years after Idol. He’d always loved to dance and started taking classes in the late 1990s after seeing a movie called “The Tango Lesson.” After seeing that movie, Horton decided he wanted to be able to dance into his 80s. The steps he learned in classes stuck, and he started teaching with Idol in fall 2004 after she asked him to put together a piece for the Steamboat Dance Theatre’s annual concert, he said.

New class starts Feb. 18

Horton and Idol spend about as much time preparing dance routines and teaching techniques for their classes as they do leading them. After their advanced-level class wraps up in February, they’ll offer a similar set of steps to beginners in a six-week class from Feb. 18 to March 25. They expect the class to fill up and encourage anyone interested in participating to register early.

Horton, a massage therapist, and Idol, an educational materials developer for TIC, said they’d have trouble fitting more than one class a week into their already full schedules.

The highlight of their teaching pursuits so far has been leading a lesson to more people than they could see at a Steamboat Swings community concert and dance in March, Horton and Idol said.

Salsa Date For Next Friday

2009-12-06T11:22:00.001-08:00

Friday 11th December is a special Session, with workshops followed by a Graduation Night!

This just an excuse to have a bit of a party- with nibbles and finger food provided.

You can bring along a bottle of bubbles if you like!

Workshops 7:30pm - 8:30pm Social Dancing from 8:30pm to 11:00pm

Workshops are in two levels:
Beginners - Smooth Salsa Moves
&
Intermediate+ - Zouk Shines

Everyone is welcome!

Workshop and social dancing is only $10 for SLG students and $15 for guests.

Entry after 8:30pm is only $5 for SLG students and $10 for guests.

Get along, get dancing, learn something new, have fun, make friends and, if you need assistance, your teachers are there to help!

While workshops will vary from session to session each includes a social in Salsa, Zouk and Gafieira Samba with a dash of Cha Cha Cha & Bachata.

Greenacres Gets Ready For Salsa

2009-11-19T19:03:00.001-08:00

It's that time of year, when things get a little spicy in Greenacres!

Salsa fest takes place this Saturday at the Greenacres Community Park, from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

More than 12,000 people are expected to show up for live salsa music, the best of salsa dancing, and tasty ethnic foods.

Salsa Fest's main stage will be the center of entertainment.

Three international musical artists, a battle of the bands, solo artist, as well as the local radio station Mia 92.1 will all be on hand to keep the party going.

This year's performing artists will be be Rey Ruiz, Anthony Cruz and two time Grammy Award winner Lalo Rodriguez.

But the fun doesn't end with the music! If you don't feel like showing off your dance moves, try your hand at the domino tournament.

Players will compete to see who is the area's best domino player, as well as for a $250 cash prize.

Salsa Fest will also bring back the ever popular chihuahua race this year, where the tiny pups line up to show everyone that just because they are small, doesn't mean they're not fast!

And finally a salsa dance contest, salsa cooking contest, and amusement rides will round out the fun.

Admission is $10, but a family four pack is only $30.

And for those little salsa lovers under the age of 7, admission is free.

Zumba and Salsa Can Be a Potent Thigh Blaster

2009-11-07T09:11:00.001-08:00

The music is rocking to an infectious Latin beat. The sweat is pouring as the crowd shimmies and shakes. Are they dancing the salsa in Havana, Cuba or Cali, Columbia? They could be, but they are not! They are students in a Zumba With Pam Fitness class. Zumba Fitness is the dance fitness craze that has taken the world by storm and is now poised to take over.

Zumba started in the 90’s when Colombian born, fitness instructor, Beto Perez, forgot his usual aerobics music. He quickly grabbed his cassette tape from his car and for the next hour played traditional Latin rhythms—salsa and merengue. The class was a huge success and Perez realized he was onto something by merging aerobics with dance to a thumping Latin beat. Now, there are over 40,000 instructors worldwide teaching Zumba in over 40 countries.

“The principle behind Zumba is incredibly simple,” explains Pam Andrews, Licensed Zumba Instructor and owner of Zumba With Pam in Bear, Delaware. “There are no complicated moves to learn and you don’t need the coordination of a traditional aerobics class. or a dance partner. Best of all, the music is so infectious that you barely even notice you’re exercising.”

A one-hour Zumba With Pam class uses the four basic rhythms of Zumba based on simplified versions of salsa, merengue, cumbia and reggaeton. You will also experience a bit of calypso, African, tango, belly dance, flamenco and other international dances. Participants are constantly engaged and entertained with the variety of rhythms. It breaks away from the typical 32-count aerobic format and uses the passion of the music as it was meant to be experiences. Even those with two left feet are successful in a Zumba With Pam class because of the natural flow of the simple steps that radiate through the body in synch with the music.

Latino Festivals Gain Ground

2009-11-01T12:51:00.001-08:00

Dressed in the Colombian national dress, Ruby Stover and her nephew were among thousands who attended the fourth annual Festival Latino on Saturday at Bayview Park.

"I'm here representing my country," Stover said. "I want to show how beautiful it is."

Stover had a booth at the festival, showcasing food, clothing, instruments and photographs of flowers native to her country.

"So many people have misconceptions about Colombia," Stover said. "There is so much culture that few know about."

Latino Festival

For those at the festival Saturday, there was plenty of culture to experience.

"Our culture is to celebrate life, family, friends and food," said Grace Resendez McCaffery, organizer and founder of the event. "Festivals like this is what most of us are used to."

To celebrate food, venders provided numerous authentic Latin-American dishes, from tamales to boiled green bananas.

"This is my grandmother's cooking on a plate," said festival attendee Evelyn Keith, whose plate included pernil, a pork dish; batata, which is Spanish sweet potatoes; and Puerto Rican rice and beans.

Not only was there plenty of food, but live entertainment from Alabama, Atlanta and Florida delighted the crowd with salsa, zumba and mambo dancing. Many of the groups were high-school Latin clubs that travel to Latin events and festivals to perform.

"There is so much creativity in the Latin community, and clubs like these provide the perfect outlet," said Alissa Murpher, sponsor of Club Latinos at Foley (Ala.) High School.

Other entertainment included a local zumba fitness group who led a group dance; a professional Aztec dancer; and a disc jockey from Fort Walton Beach.

Along with booths representing various Latin American countries, numerous organizations, such as the U.S. Census Bureau, had booths to provide information to the local Latino community.

"We want to educate and inform people about the 2010 Census to ensure that the minority is counted so that they may have a voice," said Tina M. Joshua, partnership specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau. Her booth provided information about the census in Spanish and English.

Other information booths included the Foster Home Development of Lakeview Center, Healthy Start, the Special Olympics and various Spanish-speaking organizations and churches.

"This festival is an opportunity for businesses to market to the Hispanic community and to provide them with important information in their language," McCaffery said.

Los Premios MTV gala honors best Latin pop

2009-10-16T11:15:00.001-07:00

Mexican bands, reggaeton artists were big winners at Los Premios TV in Los Angeles, where the political leanings of the host, Calle 13’s Residente, also had some time in the spotlight Thursday.

Puerto Rican reggaeton duo Wisin and Yandel won for best artist of the year and best video for “Abusadora,” at the celebration of the best of the year’s pop, rock and reggaeton from Latin America at Universal City’s Gibson Amphitheater.

Pop diva Paulina Rubio won for best soloist and sang a duet with Cobra Starship’s lead singer Gabe Saporta.

“So early, I wasn’t expecting this,” she said, clutching her “lengua,” as the lurid pink tongue statuettes are called. “I want to thank my fans who have been voting day and night for (the song) ‘Causa y efecto.’ I’m the cause — you are the effect.”

Panda, an alternative group from Monterrey, won three “lenguas,” including best group or duo and best alternative act.

“With the explosion of reggaeton, we thought the winner would be, I don’t know, Calle 13,” lead singer Jose Madero said.

Calle 13 did win, for best urban artist. But best pop artist went to Reik, a trio from Mexicali, and alt-psychedelic band Zoe won for best rock artist.

For the first time, MTV held awards shows in Mexico City, Bogota and Buenos Aires, Argentina, and rebroadcast performances as part of the Los Angeles show, including songs by Spanish balladeer Alejandro Sanz and hip-shaking crossover star Shakira from Bogota.

The six regional awards went to Panda, Colombian alt-rockers Don Tetto, Peruvian pop group Adammo, Mexican singer-songwriter Paty Cantu, Argentine electropop band Miranda! and singer Loli Molina.

Fashion-forward dance artist Lady Gaga won song of the year for “Poker Face” and best new international artist. Best breakthrough artist went to the Italian duo Sonohra.

Host Nelly Furtado opened the show Thursday with “Manos al Aire,” a song from her Spanish-language album “Mi Plan.”

Then she got a little crazy. The Canadian-Portuguese singer challenged her co-host to throw down a few lines and rapped while two male body builders in tiny Speedos gyrated next to her.

Residente, whose given name is Rene Perez, called for Boriquen independence, and he called the governor of Puerto Rico a nasty name that’s not printable in Spanish or English to express his support for a one-day strike in San Juan over unemployment and public employee layoffs.

Residente, who talked a lot more than his co-host, also changed his shirt several times during the show to get his political message across.

One shirt said “Chavez for best pop artist” in Spanish, possibly a reference to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Another honored Argentine singer-songwriter Mercedes Sosa, who died Oct. 4. Another protested the current Honduran president and another referred to the Tlatelolco student massacre in 1968.

Eduardo Cabra — Perez’s brother and the other half of Calle 13 — jokingly said that Perez took lessons from Don Francisco, the buffoonish host of “Sabado Gigante,” Univision’s long-running variety show.

“Kidding, kidding,” he said.

Seattle Has The Hots For Salsa Dancing

2009-10-02T10:15:00.001-07:00

The chilly nights of Autumn have arrived, so keep your dancing feet warm by learning some salsa, cha cha, bachata, and merengue dance in Seattle! There is a surprising number of options for Latin dancing in the Northwest, and Latin dance is one of the most accessible partner dances around. The gold standard for Seattle salsa dance is set by the Century Ballroom in Capitol Hill where Seattleites can take classes in salsa, tango, and swing dance. Beginning to advanced salsa dancers strap on their shoes and fill the Century every Thursday and Saturday night. Go to centuryballroom.com for details and class schedules.

Praise for a site with a difference

2009-09-27T19:25:00.001-07:00

This is a site full of content.

in reference to: 113Tidbits - Social Feeds and Daring Commentary For You To Enjoy (view on Google Sidewiki)

Frederrick County Festival Says It’s ON

2009-09-25T11:32:00.001-07:00

Those wishing to celebrate Latino culture during Hispanic Heritage Month, which kicked off Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15, can check out Frederick’s fifth annual Latino Festival Sunday, Sept. 27, from noon to 5 p.m. at Frederick Community College.

This year’s festival, set to take place between the FCC library and the field house, will feature food, music and activities for children and adults.

Proceeds from the Latino Festival go to Progreso Latino Scholarship Fund, which is managed by the Community Foundation of Frederick County.

Over the past four years, the festival has provided about $17,000 in scholarships for high school students with financial need who show academic promise, said Beverly Hendrix. Hendrix is the director of diversity at Frederick Community College and helped organize the event.

Denver Deli - Sandwich By Day, Salsa By Night

2009-09-18T21:16:00.001-07:00

This spring, while Zaidy's remained a deli during the day, it transformed into Zaidy's Fusion Grill at night, featuring a menu of small plates and music, including salsa. "It has been terrible," Hannes says of the late-night activities. "There have been nights I can't get to sleep until after 1:30 a.m."

Hannes says he contacted the restaurant 37 times to complain, but the noise issue was not resolved.

On one occasion, Hannes called the Denver Police Department to report loud music; the officer who responded subsequently told Hannes that offering a DJ and dancing violated Zaidy's hotel/restaurant liquor license The restaurant's response? The dancing was spontaneous, and not a result of its advertised salsa nights, Hannes recalls.

Although Zaidy's is allowed ten special events a year under its current license, it is required to inform the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses of any such bookings. On July 13, the city sent a letter to the restaurant's owners, notifying them of several complaints of "excessively high noise levels, illegal live music and illegal dancing." The letter referenced a Zaidy's postcard promoting salsa music and dancing from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., and instructed the owners to "immediately cease" the music and dancing until they obtained either a standard cabaret license (which would allow a DJ) or a dance cabaret license (which would also allow dancing). The new activities were affecting nearby residents' "sense of peace," the city continued, noting that those residents were there before "Zaidy's changed its business concept and Zaidy's must accommodate the needs of the neighboring residents."

And what do the neighboring residents need? "We would like to see some diversity, such as art galleries and retail clothing stores," Hannes says. "We already have bars." Writer Square is home to the popular Front Porch and Red Square, as well as other eateries that have also been suffering through construction.

Salsa Dancing DJ’s Take It Live Across The Pond

2009-09-10T18:54:00.001-07:00

Why not kickstart your weekend with a spot of Salsa dancing on Friday night? The highly-experienced salsa tutor / fashion designer Sheryl May will host her monthly salsa event at the Poverty Bay Club, with a 45 minute lesson to begin with. It doesn't matter if you've never tried it before, anyone is welcome so why not give it a bash? Once the lesson concludes, there will be plenty of dancing to follow and the bar will remain open. Costs $5 on the door.

Croatian sisters Maya & Vanya (pictured above) are being touted as one of the hottest DJ acts in the country at the moment and are scheduled to hit the decks at Soho on Saturday night. They have playing at every major party in NZ over the last year but apparently you have to "see them to believe them." Maya & Vanya are also booked to play at Rhythm & Vines this year, so this will be a good chance to check them out and see what they're all about.

Learn To Salsa In LA

2009-08-29T13:07:00.001-07:00

There are several awesome places to learn to dance in a variety of cultural flavors. For us here on SalsaBabe, we liked the ones listed below. Give them all a spin to see which ones can fill your niche.

Studio A Dance

This is the place to go if you want to learn Bollywood dance. That could be you in that colorful chorus line of Bombay beauties and gents. This Silver Lake studio also teaches modern dance, hip-hop and even the Brazilian dance/fight sport of Capoeira.

2306 Hyperion Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-661-8311

Walk in Dance Out

Like the name implies, these folks are great for beginners with big dreams of the dance. They host dance classes in styles like bolero, American tango, rumba, swing hustle, salsa, night club disco, Lindy hop and 2-step dancing. Locations are varied, spanning from Redondo Beach to W. LA. Their six-week courses usually include 18 hours of practice lessons for free.

310-373-8487
Various locations

Millennium Dance Complex

If you're considering going pro, the folks at Millennium can help you. Started by a pair of dancers--George Moro and Ruth Landis--who met during the Vaudeville era, they offer classes and workshops for adults and children in hip-hop, ballet and jazz dance, taught by working performers and choreographers.

5113 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
818-753-5081

New York Salsa Event

2009-08-14T10:19:00.001-07:00

Tanora Concert

Sunday - August 16, 2009

$12 gen. - 8pm

Led by singer-songwriter
Cecilia Engelhart,
pianist Bob Karty,
and percussionist Michael Spiro,
this sextet plays a compelling blend of Latin and Brazilian jazz from their recent CD "Día Real" and new originals.

La Pena Cultural Center
3105 Shattuck Avenue,
Berkeley, CA
94705

A delectable sextet featuring some of the region’s most gifted players, [Tanaóra] offers a melodically rich sound unlike any other band around.’

Andrew Gilbert, ‘Critic’s Pick’,

San Jose Festival Draws Record Crowds

2009-08-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

The annual gathering of the faithful was well under way Saturday as the music began at noon in downtown San Jose. We've been seeing them for 20 years now, those San Jose Jazz Festival early birds, streaming into the Plaza de Cesar Chavez with their lawn chairs and umbrellas in tow, staking out the best shady spots from which to savor the jazz wailers, the blues belters, the New Orleans rhythm kings.

Groups like the Wild Magnolias, the venerable second-line funk band from the Big Easy. They were Saturday's opening act on the main stage at the 20th annual festival, which continues today on nine stages.

The group, a number of its members extravagantly beplumed, Mardi Gras-style, was tempting the crowd Saturday with "Iko Iko," the oft-covered tune from New Orleans:

Talkin 'bout

Hey now

Hey now

Iko iko an nay

Jockomo feena ah na nay

Jockomo feena nay.

Translation: Get on your feet and dance.

Which Fred Harris, an amateur saxophonist from the East Bay who spent a year or two in New Orleans in the 1980s, was doing with half a dozen members of his extended family.

Newest Salsa Party Spot - Mad Donna's

2009-07-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

The ¡Diablos Que Bailan! (Nashville Salsa Meetup) site has been abuzz for a while now---a year to be exact—with fans singing the praises of the Salsa Bash hosted by DJs Pablo Bodini and Jonathan Blanco. No doubt Mad Donna’s has become more than a party place where dancers gather every other Friday night. Some say they’ve found friends there, others romantic interests. But for those of us who’ve been attending since that first event, we still get excited walking up the steps to the blasting tempo of the congas and clave, the trombones and trumpets. Maybe because Bodini and Blanco know how to give more than a good party. They provide a home where regulars feel like family.

Friday, July 24th marks the first anniversary of Funtopia’s Mad Donna’s Salsa Bashes and you’re invited to celebrate. As always, they’re doing it up in style: two simultaneous dance floors; a complimentary Mexican food bar; mojitos, sangria, and caipirinha specials; and giveaways all night long. Add to that the free salsa lesson starting at 10:00 pm and the same cover price of $7.

When asked to reflect on the past year, the Party Masters said:

“We feel very excited in celebrating Funtopia's first year of existence. What started with a mere 60 people on our first event now averages 120 customers. We have remained loyal to our main mission: To provide a safe, friendly and fun environment where everybody is welcome. As a result, our crowd has included customers barely over 21 up to sixty something. Similarly, salsaholics from countries as far as Uzbekistan or Japan have joined our dance floor.

Regarding our music, we are continuously incorporating the latest tunes to keep the music mix fresh, while playing the classic tunes that everyone recognize, and many times sing along (in spite of some of their lyrical skills). Sometimes, we may even vary our mix depending on the proportion of new dancers or cultures.

Aussie Salsa Event

2009-07-10T22:57:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-06T07:56:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-29T07:34:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-21T20:39:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-18T20:21:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-15T19:06:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-14T20:14:00.001-07:00

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!

Trop's Philly block Is Saying Alot For Everyone With Salsa In Mind

2009-05-13T21:36:00.001-07:00

THE TROPICANA Casino & Resort in Atlantic City, in bankruptcy and looking for a buyer, has been in the news recently more for its financial woes than big casino payouts or top-flight entertainment. However, that didn't stop crowds from attending the Philly Block Party during a blustery March weekend. The hotel's popular Quarter features 60 stores, entertainment venues, the bluemercury spa and restaurants as diverse as the upscale Palm, P.F. Chang's China Bistro and Corky's Ribs & BBQ. When the Quarter opened in 2004, it was heralded as a welcome addition as Atlantic City casinos sought to lure younger visitors, non-gamblers and others seeking excitement beyond the casino floor. Restaurants can open and shut quicker than a cooler of cold drinks on a hot day. But the restaurants here seem to have done well, brimming with customers undeterred by (or perhaps drawn to!) the $10 vodka shots from the ice bar at Red Square restaurant, or the premium-brand mojitos at Cuba Libre Restaurant. The Quarter looks and functions in the true spirit of a Latin piazza. Grandparents watch children play near the fountain. Palm trees soar two stories up toward a ceiling painted to look like a tropical daytime sky 24/7. During our recent visit, young, energetic travelers carrying their own coolers, couples eager for a weekend alone, and seniors raring to play the slot machines all lined up at the check-in desk of the Havana Tower, Tropicana's newest hotel addition, located in the heart of the Quarter. There are three additional hotel towers that make up the Trop. The North and South Towers sit atop the casino floor and recently were refurbished with gorgeous linens. The West Tower is part of the Tropicana complex but not connected directly to the casino. No matter which room you choose, an ocean view room won't cost you extra since they are provided on request, availability permitting. My husband, Weller, and I hadn't been to Atlantic City in quite a while. In fact, we'd never spent the night there. We had arrived early, beating check-in crowds that at one point backed up in a line that snaked around the hallway. Our guest room was rather simple, not at all what was expected, and the flowered bedspread had us wishing we had perhaps stayed in one of the towers with the luxurious new bedding. But the room had an unexpected southern view that displayed Atlantic City from a different perspective. Turning off the lights and leaving the draperies open, one could fall asleep in the moonlit, neon glow. Waking to a morning view of the ocean, I thought, "Who needs the nightlife of Manhattan to have a good time?" Marylanders pride themselves on their crab cake recipes. But I defy anyone to find a more delicious crab cake than the sandwiches at Cuba Libre. However, we made two mistakes. First, we ate waaaay too much at Cuba Libre, considering we were dining at Carmine's that evening. Second, by eating too much at Carmine's as well, we went upstairs to sleep rather than hit the dance floor at Cuba Libre for a late night of salsa dancing. With its heaping, family-sized portions, Carmine's solidly reinforced Italians' legendary love of food. Smart guests know to avoid eating at least six hours before their dinner reservation there - and to bring friends and family who are not bashful about eating like every day is Thanksgiving dinner. First, bread arrived, fresh and warm, with little dishes of herb-seasoned olive oil for dipping. Pace yourself - there's a lot more to come! Salad came - a bowl the size you would hurriedly prepare after a workday to feed the entire family. Next was a beautifully presented antipasto platter of Italian meats, cheeses, olives, pickles and vinegar peppers, followed by heaping bowls of country-style rigatoni, beans, sausage and broccoli. Then the servers arrived with platters of honey-brown, oven-roasted chicken and sizzling sausages and porterhouse steaks - the latter plate so heavily laden the server needed both hands to place it on our table. It was the Lenten season and I was abstaining from meat, so it required serious willpower to keep from sampling even a tiny piece, especially while listening to the appreciative murmurs of other diners. Finally, dessert arrived. There's just one way to describe a foot-long platter of ice cream topped with hot fudge, caramelized fruit and whipped cream sitting on a chocolate torte. Sinful. Carmine's, however, has labeled this signature dessert "The Titanic." At the end of our family-style meal, the waiter wrapped doggie bags for our party of about 10. Whew! Bless the woman who cooks like this on Sundays. *

Students Get Involved In Salsa Dancing Contest

2009-05-10T10:50:00.001-07:00

About 150 youngsters from Indio, La Quinta and Palm Desert will take to the floor in the Desert Sands Unified School District's first ballroom-dancing competition later this month. Advertisement On May 16, students will tango, fox-trot, salsa, East Coast swing, or cha-cha their ways through the competition, said Bob Horn, who is co-organizing the event. Each dance will have its own competition with participants engaging in two dance-offs. Judges will select three couples to remain on the floor to compete for first-, second- and third-place medallions, Horn said. All competitors will receive a participation ribbon. The schools with the entrants who win first place in the competitions will also receive a trophy that will be displayed for a year, Horn said. Horn and his wife, Nancy, who are professional dancers, held free dance lessons for after-school-program teachers at schools in the district. Those teachers then taught children in their programs.

Quick And Dirty Guide From a Salsa Beginner

2009-05-07T22:49:00.001-07:00

After decompressing from a busy week, I was up for something spontaneous. Something to feel immersed, alive and in a different city. Just so happened my friend Mel called out-of-the-blue to tell me I had some lookalike on the tele. I could hear her husband Rod laughing in the background as I searched for “Jonas Brothers” on the Disney Channel. I did find the actress. And it was creepy. As we were talking, it dawned on me that I was speaking to two of the best dancers I know. They are the only two among my circles of friends who have actually taken lessons (swing, salsa, etc.) Within 15 minutes of the conversation, we talked each other into a convoluted plan that would take us to Chicago's Nacional 27: salsa dancing. We walked in, got a table by the bar and ordered one of my personal favorites, caipirinhas. The booming music, chatter and element made me feel I was somewhere in Latin America – Sao Paolo? Mexico City? Bogota perhaps? I perused the menu and noticed the amazing dishes as I walked by to check out the dancefloor. Dishes that included smoked chicken empanadas, shrimp adobado with pineapple-vanilla salsa, boniato and plantain croquetas, barbecued lamb tacos, and variations of bamboo skewers, ceviches and paellas. Oh. My. Word. After an amusing, yet in-depth chat with James the Navy pilot-turned-physician at the bar, we picked up a few more cocktails and headed to the “club.” My goal was to hold my own. The dancefloor was already packed. I sat and watched Mel and Rod show me their dance prowess. It brought a smile to my face in reminiscing of our days at UW-Madison when people would clear the floor to watch Rod dance. And here we are almost 20 years and how many kids later, starting our evening at 11pm just to dance Latin-American style. They told me of the basic dances, salsa, cha cha, merenge and mambo. Though subtle, each had a definite style of its own. I’m thinking the difference is in the hips. Those who have the coordination can sell it; those who don’t …not so much. The simultaneous smooth stepping and walking with sultry hips and shoulders to an upbeat tempo -- that takes focus. It was exhilarating for me to feel the music press against my body while simply people watching…from neophytes and laughter to polished serious dancers. Then Rod turned to me and took me out on the floor. Oy. Growing up in the disco era with four sisters who lived for dancing pretty much equated me with self-proclaimed coordination. Any confidence in that thought quickly diminished. Rod taught me his and Mel’s favorite: bachata. It involves moving to the side and ending with a hip thrust on the fourth beat. For some reason, I just couldn’t get it. What was my problem? I looked more like a Ms. Jazz Hands version of John Travolta’s 10th “Saturday Night Fever” sequel, “Stayin Alive”. My sisters would hang their heads. Mindless and freeform for him; focus and confusion for me. How embarrassing when we are surrounded by pros. The neat thing was everyone was in their own zone. After Rod made a few suggestions, I got it! Then he smoothly led with turns and spinning me behind his back, all the while, keeping the same counting and side-stepping with such finesse. Mel made a good observation. At a place like this, if someone comes up and asks you to dance, he genuinely just wants to dance. No expectations or motive necessarily. Just a polite “thank you” afterwards and heads on his merry way. With a ginger-passion sangria, strangers dancing with strangers surrounding us, it felt like I was on holiday. Nacional 27 offers salsa lessons every first and third Tuesday of the month. Guess I was a week off, though I notice it is holding its first annual Cinco de Mayo fiesta. A 2-fer.

The Ultimate Cinco De Mayo Cheat Sheet

2009-05-06T20:33:00.001-07:00

Our list of Cinco de Mayo parties is full of $3 Corona bottles and DJs spinning salsa, so to help you figure out which of today's events is right for you, we've compiled this list of tips. Best for Free Drinks The annual blowout fiesta hosted by LatinVIP.com and a number of Hispanic professional and student groups always does something special for early arrivals. This year, the party's at the Park at 14th, and it features free beer and tequila from 5 to 6 and a free buffet from 5 to 7. In Georgetown, the Cinco de Mayo party at Mate opens with free Dos Equis beer from 8 to 9. Best for Free Food In addition to the party at the Park at 14th, Town Tavern has a free taco bar from 4 p.m. on, and Mister Days will have a taco bar to go along with the free salsa lessons and discounted Coronas and margaritas. While it's not free, it's still a great deal: for $10, McFadden's is offering an all-you-can-eat taco bar and two drinks of your choice after 8 p.m. Best for Live Music A number of places are promising live mariachi music, from a street festival in Silver Spring to a late-night bash at Lima. But for authentic mariachis, you probably won't do better than the D.C. Mariachis, a group of native Mexicans who perform in and around Mount Pleasant. They're making a special fiesta out of a regular Tuesday night gig at Haydee's; the music begins at 9. If you'd rather spend happy hour listening to a live salsa band, head for Cafe Citron, where Rudy y Su Locura performs from 6 to 9. You'll also find half-price food and drink specials. Best for People Who Want to Listen to Something Other Than Salsa DJ 2-Tone Jones and DJ RBI have been rocking the artist-versus-artist hip-hop night formula at Almaz for a hot minute, but at tonight's special Latin Quarters party, they're spinning hip-hop from artists like Fat Joe, Big Pun, Cypress Hill and the Beatnuts. Beer and tequila specials should help get the dance floor moving. Down U Street, DJs Doc Delay and D-Mac are planning a night full of Latin funk and soul, hip-hop, disco and other booty-shaking beats at the Velvet Lounge. Best for Random Weirdness Town Tavern will have a live donkey on its patio today as part of Cinco de Mayo Mayhem. Yes, you read that correctly. A live donkey. I'm guessing el burro will be more of an attraction than the free taco bar or the midnight pinata-smashing contest, but you never know. Get your picture taken with the donkey, post the hopefully-not-too-embarrassing photo to Town Tavern's Facebook page, and you could win a free happy hour for yourself and 25 friends. Best for Dressing Up Cafe Citron is offering a pair of costume contests, which begin at 8 p.m. at midnight. (Advice from the organizers: "Be original! Be Cool! Women Be Sexy!") Winners take home $100 cash. Everyone (in a costume) is a winner at Rosa Mexicano, where the first 200 people to show up in Mexican wrestling masks, sombreros or other costumes after 5 p.m. get a free shot of tequila in a souvenir glass and are eligible for prizes and giveaways all night. McFadden's is looking for the most decorative sombreros in its annual Best Sombrero contest. Winners get bar tabs and other prizes. (If you just want a sombrero of your very own, the parties at Mackey's, Town Tavern and Kitchen are all giving them away while supplies last.) Best for Networking (since this is still D.C.) Make sure you've got plenty of business cards when you arrive at the Park at 14th: the Hispanic Bar Association, the Hispanic Lobbyists Association and the National Society of Hispanic MBAs are among the groups hosting the annual Cinco de Mayo happy hour. Best for Helping Others Pinatas, food, music, and beer and tequila specials help to raise money for the Junior League of Washington's literacy programs at Kitchen in Glover Park. (A $5 donation is suggested at the door.) Meanwhile, at Chi-Cha Lounge, a happy hour with drink specials, dancing and a silent auction benefits Hope House, a charity that helps children whose parents are in jail. (A $15 donation is requested.)

Local Tampa Salsa Dancing Salon

2008-03-30T10:35:00.001-07:00

Located in Tampa, Florida, Salsa Caliente Dance Studio offers classes in New York-style salsa "on 1" and "on 2" for dancers of all ages and skill levels. We provide our students with an exciting, high-energy environment in which each person can progress at his/her own pace. Our excellent instructors take students step by step through the curriculum, teaching the hottest dance moves while emphasizing correct form, timing, and style. We also teach bachata, merengue, and cha cha in workshops and private lessons.

Just Salsa Defined From Another Source

2008-03-18T22:31:00.001-07:00

Salsa is One - But there are many interpretations. In this section you can examine the Basic Salsa dance steps in diagram and concise written language. New York Salsa on "2" Eddie Torres-Style and Razz M' Tazz, as well as the JustSalsa on "2" basic dance step is detailed. Also you will find Cuban-style and Los Angeles-style on "1" Salsa dance steps in an easy to understand way.

Bustamove: Learn to Dance: Salsa

2008-03-18T22:29:00.001-07:00

Salsa is a street version of Mambo. It has grown rapidly in popularity over the past 20 years and is now danced in nightclubs all across the country. Characterized by pronounced hip movements and a more intimate dance position, Salsa is a very sultry dance.

Bustamove: Learn to Dance: Salsa

Salsa Defined Through Wikipedia;s Eyes

2008-03-18T22:27:00.001-07:00

Salsa refers to a fusion of informal dance styles having roots in the Caribbean (especially in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the United States), Latin and North America. The dance originated in Cuba through the mixture of Mambo, Danzón, Guaguancó, Cuban Son, and other typical Cuban dance forms. Salsa is danced to Salsa music. There is a strong Afro-Caribbean influence in the music as well as the dance.Salsa is usually a partner dance, although there are recognized solo steps and some forms are danced in groups of couples, with frequent exchanges of partner. Improvisation and social dancing are important elements of Salsa but it appears as a performance dance too.The name "Salsa" is the Spanish word for sauce, connoting (in American Spanish) a spicy flavor[1]. The Salsa aesthetic is more flirtatious and sensuous than its ancestor, Cuban Son. Salsa also suggests a "mixture" of ingredients, though this meaning is not found in most stories of the term's origin. (See Salsa music for more information)

Salsa (dance) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Essential Fitness For Salsa Moves

2008-03-14T19:52:00.001-07:00

If you'v been training, here's a short list of bodybuilding fiction.

1. 12 Rep rule

Most weight training program include this much repetitions for gaining muscle. The truth is this approach places the muscles with not enough tension for effective muscle gain. High tension e.g. heavy weights provides muscle growth in which the muscle grows much larger, leading to the maximum gains in strength. Having longer tension time boosts the muscle size by generating the structures around the muscle fibers, improving endurance.

The standard prescription of eight to 12 repetitions provides a balance but by just using that program all of the time, you do not generate the greater tension levels that is provided by the heavier weights and lesser reps, and the longer tension achieved with lighter weights and more repetitions. Change the number of reps and adjust the weights to stimulate all types of muscle growth.

2. Three Set rule

The truth is there's nothing wrong with three sets but then again there is nothing amazing about it either. The number of sets you perform should be base on your goals and not on a half-century old rule. The more repetitions you do on an exercise, the fewer sets you should do, and vice versa. This keeps the total number of repetitions done of an exercise equal.

3. Three to four exercises per group

The truth is this is a waste of time. Combined with twelve reps of three sets, the total number of reps amount to 144. If your doing this much reps for a muscle group your not doing enough. Instead of doing too many varieties of exercises, try doing 30 to 50 reps. That can be anywhere from 2 sets of 15 reps or 5 sets of 10 reps.

4. My knees, my toes

It is a gym folklore that you “should not let your knees go past your toes." Truth is that leaning forward a little too much is more likely a cause of injury. In 2003, Memphis University researchers confirmed that knee stress was almost thirty percent higher when the knees are allowed to move beyond the toes during a squat.

But hip stress increased nearly 10 times or (1000 percent) when the forward movement of the knee was restricted. Because the squatters needed to lean their body forward and that forces the strain to transfer to the lower back.

Focus on your upper body position and less on the knee. Keep the torso in an upright position as much as possible when doing squats and lunges. These reduces the stress generated on the hips and back. To stay upright, before squatting, squeeze the shoulder blades together and hold them in that position; and then as you squat, keep the forearms 90 degree to the floor.

5. Lift weights, draw abs

The truth is the muscles work in groups to stabilize the spine, and the most important muscle group change depending on the type of exercise. The transverse abdominis is not always the most important muscle group. Actually, for most exercise, the body automatically activates the muscle group that are needed most for support of the spine. So if you focus only on the transverse abdominis, it can recruit wrong muscles and limit the right muscles. This increases the chance of injury, and reduces the weight that can be lifted.

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