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Nelson & Sophia: Kizomba III

Based on the format of their initial Vol 1 & 2 DVDs, Nelson and Sophia bring to us 8 more moves in each volume. Each DVD is simple, but well organised. Each move is demonstrated, then broken down into the male and female parts, then danced to music. The moves are then progressively combined into the final routine which includes all moves in the DVD. The only difference between the 2 volumes (except for the moves, of course) is that in Volume 3 the male and the female parts are demonstrated by the male and female dancer alone, while in Volume 4 each dancer explains his or her part while dancing with the partner, which I found more effective. The moves are simple and technically most dancers should be able to master them fairly easily. Dancing them nicely and giving the Kizomba feel may be a bit more challenging, but the demos from Nelson and Sophia are captivating and convincing. A nice product if you are into Kizomba.

Instruction DVD Review: Granda Dance Project: Rueda de Bachata vol 1

The idea behind this DVD is quite simple: we can take the concept of the rueda de casino, so popular in Cuban salsa, and adapt it to be danced in Bachata style with Bachata music. There are a few details to work out before doing that, mostly related to differences in the basic steps and in the music. Grégory and Nanda cover this at the beginning of the DVD, when they also refresh the basic elements of Bachata and then progress to show some moves and different ways to change the partner during the dance. All steps are broken down first, shown in partnerwork and then in a full rueda of 4 couples. Useful to get going with your rueda team.

Review by Fabio from SalsaIsGood

It is with a great pleasure that Dias Cubanos 2011 invites you to first International rueda de casino competition held in The Netherlands.

Rueda de casino is considered as one of the highlights of Cuban salsa dance style and its popularity has spread across the world thanks to its group spirit, high tempo and   never-ending variety of synchronized moves and combinations to be created.

One of the most important goals of the festival Dias Cubanos is to spread knowledge and increase awareness about Cuban dances and Cuban culture. As organizers, it is our mission to do our utmost best to make sure that each participant will experience an authentic immersion into the beauty of the Cuban culture.
On the other hand, we also would like to give you the opportunity to make your own contribution not only by attending the festival but also by actively showing off your best rueda moves and sharing your love and support for Cuban culture within the wide international network of what Dias Cubanos can be proud of.

To attend the rueda de casino competition the team should consist of four (4) to eight (8) couples and each team shall have 210-240 seconds (3½ to 4 minutes) to execute their routine. A complete guideline and rules will be soon available on www.diascubanos.com and will be emailed to all the applicants.

The competition is open to everyone however pre-registration is required and should be received not later than May 15, 2011. Please be aware that for this first edition 16 groups will be allowed to attend the competition: first arrived, first served!

Please apply or inquiry for more info by emailing at info@diascubanos.com.

We look forward to your rueda!

Born from pure passion, the festival “Dias Cubanos” is an annual international Cuban salsa event aiming to promote Cuban dances and Cuban culture in its completeness, flavor, colors, music and rhythms.

The Cuban salsa festival “Dias Cubanos 2011” will offer you a memorable weekend with parties, shows, live music, large variety of workshops, highly specialized and internationally renowned teachers, a rueda de casino competition and much more.

• 30 hours of workshops
• Internationally renowned dance teachers from Cuba, Italy, Sweden, Germany and The UK
• Great variety of workshops ranging from traditional Cuban dances, e.g. Cuban rumba, afro Cuban, cha cha cha and son to hits such as rueda de casino, cubatton, hip hop a lo cubano, kizomba, fusion rumba/belly dance and much more • First ” Dias Cubanos” rueda de casino dance competition
• Three parties: “Welcome party” on Friday 24 with the rueda de casino competition, “Gala party” on Saturday 25 with dance shows and live music with “the Kel Torres band” (Cuba/Germany) and “Goodbye party” with live “Doble Impacto” (Cuba/Belgium) on Sunday 26. All parties with international Djs from Cuba, Italy, Belgium and more!!!
• A beautiful all-in 4 stars hotel hosting the festival close to Amsterdam, Amsterdam Schiphol airport, Rotterdam and the north sea coast

Stay tuned for more info via www.diascubanos.com. Should you wish to be added to our newsletter please send us an email to info@diascubanos.com.

Hasta Dias Cubanos!

Troy & Denise: Salsa Essentials vol 1

The purpose of this double DVD series is to take you from basic steps to an intermediate level via basic moves in NY/LA style as well as to help you to make the further step to an advanced ‘frame of mind’ by introducing you early on to several variations of the basic moves. This may sound familiar, but the way it is carried out is less so: there a few differences between this DVD and similar products in the market. The one which struck me the most is that a lot of emphasis is placed on moving and walking rather than on dancing on the spot. This may remind you of Cuban salsa, but it is taught for LA or NY style. Keeping the flow of motion makes it easy for Troy and Denise to go straight from basic steps into cross body lead, circumventing several intermediate steps which salsa instructors usually take between the two. Whether this works in real life as smoothly as it looks on the DVD I do not know, but it does look convincing. For example, rather than teaching spot turns, as it is usually done in a salsa class, Troy and Denise introduce right and left turns during the cross body lead. This ‘trick’ allows them to move next straight into a set of standard moves, including copas, which are largely combinations of cross body leads and turns. It is a nice idea. Both Troy and Denise have in mind not only salsa students but also salsa instructors in their teaching, since they often refer to them pointing out important elements which should not be left out of a salsa class. What comes out of this is not only a possible alternative plan for teachers to organise their classes but also for students who already know the basic elements and want to see them organised in a different fashion.

Another feature which sets this DVD apart from others is that dancing on1 and on2 is introduced straight from the basic steps and throughout all material; the result is a method which is completely versatile to both LA and NY salsa. On2 is taught both with the man stepping forward on2, and stepping forward on6, which Troy calls ‘On6′. A very good product, definitely worth a serious look both for students and teachers

Review by Fabio from SalsaIsGood

DVD Available through www.salsa-dvds.com

Fabsalseros: Cuban Salsa for Beginners vol 1

This DVD is a valuable tool for all salsa beginners who are interested in the Cuban style because it brings everything what the beginners need:
- Fundamentals of Cuban salsa music (counting, explanation of clave)
- Basic steps with demonstration of Cuban body movement
- Leading and following principles
- Basic Cuban figures and their combinations
Everything is explained concisely and clearly. Figures and combinations are demonstrated first on counting and then with music.
I can recommend this DVD to all beginners as I did to my students. I can say from my personal experience that if you will master this, you can go dancing across the whole Cuba from Havana to Santiago and Baracoa, since common Cubans and Cubanas do not dance over-complicated figures presented in most DVDs on the market.

Review by Ondrej Durej for STEPS4DANCE

DVD available through www.salsa-dvds.com

Nelson & Sophia: Kizomba 1&2

The latest equation in the latin dance scene goes roughly like this:

Bachata hip movement +
Merengue motion +
Lambada hold +
Tango steps =
—————-
Kizomba

However, this does not imply that if you can already dance Bachata, Lambada and Tango you necessarily will be able to dance Kizomba. This is mostly because of the bizarre and variable count used in the dance, which ranges between 3 beats basic steps (to 4 beat music!) to moves of 4, 6, 8 and even 12 beats. This is where Kent Salsa comes handy with their Kizomba level 1 and 2 DVD. They cover the basic elements in a simple and clear manner. If you already dance at least one ‘Caribbean’ style dance (zouk, bachata or salsa) as well as tango, this DVD will give you the few hints you need and you will be able to dance a beginner level Kizomba in a jiffy. If you are a novice in those dances you may need a bit more practice, but the necessary explanation is all contained. A simple, but effective product.

Review by Fabio from SalsaIsGood

DVD available through www.salsa-dvds.com

Salsa Instruction DVD review: Jami Josephson: Latin Body Motion for Salsa & Spins

Like all DVDs from Jami this is a very professional production. It is a technical DVD, in which Jami shows basic dancing techniques, the ones which give solid foundation to any kind of dance and applies them to salsa. The result is something useful for the beginner dancer, to get things right straight from day one, to the intermediate dancer who may want to clean up a few things, and to the expert who may need some reminders for things he/she knows already but maybe forgets to apply regularly.

A-s usual, Jose explanations are very clear and so are the demonstrations. The camera view follows the details you need to focus on and all throughout the DVD you have the feeling you are learning something which doesn’t just apply to the latest styling fashion, but some solid foundation you will use for a very long time in your dancing.

The material covered goes from the very basic elements of salsa basic steps and proper motion for knees, hips and chest, to how to place your weight on your feet during the basic steps, to spinning technique, covering balance exercises, spotting, left and right turns, travelling turns and multiple turns, solo and with partner. Spins are discussed both on1 and on2. A useful reference also for salsa instructors.

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Review by Fabio, from SalsaIsGood

DVD available through www.salsa-dvds.com

[17. – 19. September, Zapata Stuttgart] Mit einem 3-tägigen Salsa-Festival feiert víaDanza Salsa-Tanzschule & Tanzreisen in Stuttgart ihr 10-jähriges Jubiläum. Auf dem Programm stehen Salsa-Partys, -Shows und Live-Acts. Außerdem werden täglich Tanz-Workshops vom internationalen víaDanza-Trainerteam angeboten und durchgeführt.

„Aus Kuba, Spanien, Italien und Deutschland reisen unsere víaDanza- Instruktoren und DJs an, um mit Schülern, Reise-Gästen und allen Salseros/as aus nah und fern, 3 tolle Salsa-Tage zu verbringen“ verspricht víaDanza-Chefin Lena Bernardo. Tagsüber werden laut Programm insgesamt 28 Workshops zu unterschiedlichen Themen angeboten. An den Abenden steigen Salsa-Partys mit Shows, Salsa-Food, Überraschungs-Highlights und natürlich tanzen, tanzen, tanzen.

Mit einer Pre-Festival-Party startet das Jubiläum am Freitagabend. Die Karten für diesen Event sind limitiert. „Schon hier“, sagt víaDanza-Mitinhaber Ulrich Fichtner, „dürfte die Stimmung schnell auf den Siedepunkt steigen; – getreu der víaDanza-Philosophie: Salsa tanzen, wo sie kocht“.

Am Samstag um 13:00 beginnt das Workshop-Angebot. In verschiedenen Räumen des Zapata Clubs wird ein buntes Tanz-Programm angeboten; von Salsa, Merengue & Bachata bis hin zu Raggaeton, Son und vielem mehr. Ab 19:00 startet dann die große Jubiläums-Fiesta mit vielen Highlights und Live- Shows auf 3 Dance-Floors.

Auch am Sonntagnachmittag werden noch einmal Workshops im Zapata angeboten, bevor man sich später noch einmal in großer Runde zu einer Abschlussparty trifft.

Der Kartenvorverkauf hat bereits begonnen. Fullpass, Tageskarten, Workshop- Pässe können online bestellt werden über die víaDanza-Homepage: www.viadanza.de

Auf einem eigenen Festival-Blog (http://blog.viadanza.de) können sich Salsafinados umfassend zum Programm, Tickets, Stars und Übernachtungsmöglichkeiten informieren.

Weiter Infos gibt es unter:
(1) Tel. 0711 4205260 (víaDanza Salsa-Tanzschule)
(2) Tel. 0711 48907003 (víaDanza Salsa-Tanzreisen)
(3) www.viadanza.de
(4) E-Mail: tanzschule@viadanza.de Ansprechpartner bei víaDanza: Lena Bernardo und Ulrich Fichtner