Viva La Salsa Show

Posted on October 27th, 2008 by Allan Tabilas

Michael Majesty, an instructor and promoter in the Shreveport, Louisiana area, is putting together what is billed as the “World’s first touring salsa musical”, Viva La Salsa Show.   The show’s subtitle is “A Journey Through History.”  (Click on the image to the left for a 60 second promo video done by Nuevotec).  It follows the history of modern salsa dance from its beginnings - dancing and music from Africa, Cuba, Puerto Rico, through the 50s and 60s with New York’s Palladium era, through LA style dancing, etc.  The show features an all star cast of dancers, including Oliver Luda and Luda Kroitor, Junior Alabi and Emily Alabi, Luis Aguilar and Anya Katsevman (1-3-5 in the 2007 World on2 division), Ana and Joel Massicot (Masacote Dancers), Alex Da Silva and Alien Ramirez, Griselle Ponce, Tito Ortos and Tamara Livosi, and Genner Vasquez and Yudi Aguilar (2007 World Cabaret Champions).

Mary Kent, author of the book Salsa Talks (a great history and celebration of salsa music), will be writing the story and Sekou McMiller (from Chicago’s Descarga Caribe) will act as director.  The first dates are scheduled for the Strand Theater in Shreveport LA, and the Majestic Theater in Dallas TX, on January 9 & 10, 2009.  Visit the official website for more information.

Click on the image below for a video featuring several of the cast members of Viva La Salsa Show.

The promoter, Michael Majesty, interviewed by cast member Griselle Ponce and Nuevotec’s Dimas Mero, at the 2008 New York Salsa Congress.

Tags: , Emily Alabi, Griselle Ponce, Junior Alabi, Luda Kroitor, Michael Majesty, Oliver Pineda, Viva La Salsa Show
Posted in Salsa | No Comments »
Permanent Link

Similar Posts

• MamboNYC - Interviews with the cast of Celia & Yamulee performance
• The Addicted2Salsa video podcast is back
• Estilo Dance Studio - A Tribute to La Lupe and Celia Cruz
• 2007 World Salsa Championships on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes
• Eddie Palmieri on Salsa-Central

Halloween 2008 - Salsa Trick or Treat

Posted on October 23rd, 2008 by Allan Tabilas

If you had to name a holiday that is as much fun with kids as well as adults, Halloween is right up there with Christmas (at least in the U.S.).  On October 31, people of all ages have their excuse to dress up, eat candy, and party with friends.  Kids compete with the best costumes, hoping to get bags and bags full of candy.  On the adult front, there’s no lack of creativity with the design of costumes out there either.  One of my favorites is the beer pong table costume, or the beer pong collective table.  Classy?

Salsa studios from the Philadelphia, North and South New Jersey, and New York areas are all throwing their halloween bashes for 2008.  Here’s a short list.

Pennsylvania

• La Luna Dance Studio, Bensalem, Pa - Friday, 10/24 - Halloween Bring-A-Friend Party - Sonya Elmore, a competitor in our documentary, Salsamentary, is throwing her yearly party in the Philadelphia area.  Also, there is a costume contest in 4 categories: Scariest, Best Impersonation, Best Couple and Funniest. $200 in cash prizes ($50 first place per category)

New Jersey

• Salsa Fever on2 Dance Academy - Jersey City, NJ - Saturday, 10/25 - 3rd Anniversary and Halloween Party - Mario B’s studio is celebrating their 3rd anniversary, and featuring a performance from Plan B/Project B dancers Bernie Moran and Erica Rambay, who competed in the NJ/NY Salsa Open competition in July, 2008.
• Yesenia’s Dance Factory, Union City, NJ - Saturday, 11/1 - Halloween Bash - Yesenia Peralta is throwing her party in North New Jersey, and she’s performing with her brother, Ismael Otero of Caribbean Soul.  They are also celebrating Candy Mena’s birthday.
• Atrium Dance Studio, Pennsauken, NJ - Saturday, 11/1 - Halloween Party - Barbara Capaldi is famous for throwing Halloween parties at her studio in South Jersey.  Here’s a video gallery from the 2006 event.

New York (check Steve Shaw’s SalsaNewYork.com for more Halloween events)

• Salsa Salsa Dance Studio, Brooklyn, NY - Friday, 10/24 - 3rd Annual Halloween Social - Marcus Gonzalez and his studio are throwing their party at their Park Slope location in Brooklyn, NY.  Look for performances from Shani Girls, Bajari De Yamulee and Latin Fever Dynasty.
• Yamulee Dance Studio, Bronx, NY - Friday, 10/24 - Annual Halloween Social - Osmar Perrones and his company are hosting their event in their Bronx, NY location with a performance by Luis Aguilar and Anya Katsevman.
• MamboFateegz, New York, NY - Friday, 10/31 - 3rd Annual Halloween Party - Choco of MamboFateegz and the NY Salsa Congress is doing his Halloween party at the Dance New York Studio in Midtown Manhattan.

Posted in Salsa | No Comments »
Permanent Link

Similar Posts

• Brooklyn Salsa Gala 2008 Friday 11-14
• Salsadelphia - A new Philadelphia area Salsa Directory
• 2nd annual Philly Jam 2008
• 8th Annual New York Salsa Congress
• LuvSalsa Amateur Salsa Dance Competition and Party

2008 World Salsa Championships Postponed

Posted on October 21st, 2008 by Allan Tabilas

First held in Las Vegas in 2005, the World Salsa Championships has successfully built its reputation as the place for the world’s best dancers in the on1, on2, cabaret, and team divisions.  The Salsa Seven (led by Albert Torres and Rob Beiner)  have developed relationships with ESPN and Disney to bring our favorite dance to both national and international markets.  Stars such as Oliver Pineda and Luda Kroitor, and Abel Pena and Zulmara Torres have built their names with competitions like the World Salsa Championships, Mayan Championships, and the Puerto Rico Open.  Last year, Colombia’s finest dancers swept the team division (1st and 2nd place led by Luis “El Mulato” Hernandez), and won the cabaret division in Orlando, Florida.   Our own documentary, Salsamentary, followed three couples at the 2006 World Salsa Championships in the on1 (Darlin Garcia and Kathleen Eccleston), on2 (Taiti Walter and Cristel Beijkirch), and cabaret division (Sonya Elmore and Victor Colon).

We were surprised to learn that the 2008 event, originally scheduled for December 3-6 in Orlando, was postponed.  Currently there is no date formally announced.  According to members at Salsaforums.com, Albert Torres announced the postponement at the Canada Salsa Congress in Toronto in mid October.   Apparently the remaining qualifiers are still scheduled for November (Brooklyn Salsa Festival and Acapulco Salsa Congress).   Members at Salserosweb have also posted about this very topic.  With less than six weeks left, we can only imagine that many people, competitors and spectactors alike, had already made plans to attend the competition.  Hopefully a new date is announced soon, even if moves to 2009.

Here is the official statement from the organization’s website:

The Salsa Seven Inc. regrets to announce that “4th Annual World Salsa Championships at Disney’s Walt World Resort” scheduled for December 3-6, 2008, has been postponed. The Salsa Seven and Disney Special Programs are discussing plans for re-scheduling this extraordinary world-class competition.

The Salsa Seven Inc. and Disney, hope to announce the new dates for the “4th Annual World Salsa Championships at the Walt Disney World Resort” as soon as possible. All involved understand this is a disappointing announcement for the dancers and salseros involved in the competition. We recognize the personal and financial sacrifices you have made in preparation for the World Salsa Championships and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience.

Tags: , Albert Torres, world salsa championships
Posted in Salsa | No Comments »
Permanent Link

Similar Posts

• 2007 World Salsa Championships on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes
• LuvSalsa Amateur Salsa Dance Competition and Party
• July 4th - Super Salsa Congress Weekend
• Salsamentary (a documentary)
• 8th Annual New York Salsa Congress

Eddie Palmieri on Salsa-Central

Posted on October 13th, 2008 by Allan Tabilas

Our friends Steve and Mel C at Salsa-Central had a chance to do an extensive interview with the legendary musician, Eddie Palmieri.  The musician spoke at great length about his history in the music business, with his latin jazz and salsa bands and peers like Tito Puente.  Some of Eddie’s most famous hits include “Palo Pa’ Rumba” and “La Malanga”.  Mel C actually interviewed Eddie for Nuevotec at an event in New York in late August at Club LQ, but we were not permitted to post footage.  Eddie Jr., where’s the tape?

A brief excerpt from the interview - “… In my opinion, the latin music has the most complicated and exciting rhythmical patterns.  That’s why you can’t just sit down in your chair, you gotta get up, you gotta get up, and we got to get you to dance… if you’re really into it, that’s what makes it so unique.”

Here is a brief snippet of his biography from his website.

Eddie Palmieri, known for his charismatic power and bold innovative drive, has a musical career that spans over 50 years as a bandleader of Salsa and Latin Jazz orchestras.  With a discography that includes 36 titles, Mr. Palmieri has been awarded Nine Grammy Awards.  He received his first Grammy Award in 1975 for his release The Sun of Latin Music, which is often considered the most historic, as it was the first time Latin Music was recognized by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS)

Please click on the image below to go to Salsa Central’s interview with Eddie Palmieri. In addition, Baila Society’s Daniel Enskat also interviewed Eddie Palmieri for MamboNYC.com.

Tags: Eddie Palmieri, Salsa Central
Posted in Salsa | No Comments »
Permanent Link

Similar Posts

• Salsa-Central.com interviews Nuevotec Productions
• New Swing Sextet - Back On The Streets - CD Release Party - June 30 - Taj Lounge, NY
• NY Salsa at the Stardust in South Jersey
• Ritmo Masacote - Fantagious CD Release Theatre Production
• MamboNYC - Interviews with the cast of Celia & Yamulee performance