9th Annual Vegas Salsa Congress

Honestly, I don't know if words can describe how awesome Salsa Congress was..... but I will try.....
Both Friday and Saturday I attended workshops all day.  I was definitely "star-struck" by some of the instructors, ahem....Fernando Sosa, ahhhhhmaaazing.............but tried to contain myself and not act like a wacko stalker.  Every workshop was great, my favorites were the Advanced ON1 & Salsaton with Fernando Sosa.   I really liked Alma Latina, MX, they taught a musicality class that was very  cool and I feel like I learned some good ladies styling from them.  I took a Salsa Divas women's workshop on Saturday but pooped out by the end of that because I was SO tired from two days of workshops and a night of dancing.......that didn't hold me back Saturday night though, a quick nap Saturday afternoon and I was ready for more Saturday night.  The nightly performances are always great but my favs are Tropical Gem & Yamulee, no surprise because they are the best in the world ON1 & ON2 respectively.  Shout out to our Las Vegas teams who did great also.
I love social dancing at congress because you have no clue who you are dancing with, how well they dance/or not, and its just fun to go out there and enjoy the music and meet people from all over.  EVERYONE, including the world famous, are so down to earth and friendly.  It just makes for a great learning atmosphere during the day and a fun time at night.  My toes on the other hand, were not able to keep up with the fun.  By Friday night I had bad blisters, so much so, I walked to the Valet in my bare feet all the way through the Tropicana casino.  It was a cheap price for the fun and memories!
I wrapped 'em up and danced anyway on Saturday.  The salsa scene just makes me happy.  I love the music.   I love dancing.  I love meeting new people and trying to keep up with them.   Ok....... I might not have loved this one poor guy that asked me to dance and was literally all over the place dancing like he was having a seizure, nothing resembled salsa but I think HE had a good time.  And that's what its all about......having a good time and that I did over and over last week.  Now I am starting to save my pennies & band aids for next year!

Did I mention I love how this guy dances?

Fernando Sosa (Italy) & Mi

  Amazing, Amazing Joe Figueroa from Philly
and my new friend Luana from Texas

 Friday night - Moms night out :)

Tash, Honeylyn, Me & Albena

 

Saturday Night with Alice & Wendy

Sam came with me but didn't want a picture :(

Ouch.....this is how my feet looked on Monday...two days later!
 Notice the popped blisters on my big toes.....grosssssss!

Here's a clip from the ON1 workshop with Fernando Sosa & Tatiana - LOVE. IT.

20 days and counting....

SALSA CONGRESS is coming to Vegas.  The 9th Annual Congress will be in town at the Tropicana beginning July 5th through July 8th.  This is the crowning Salsa event in Vegas so start saving your "dinero" and get your dancing shoes ready!!!  I'm seriously so excited.  I don't go dancing much, mostly because the late starting hour but once a year, I plan on congress.  There will be workshops, performances, live dancing, and great people from all over the world that love salsa as much as you!
You can pick and choose what you come to, workshops are offered during the day Friday, Saturday & Sunday.  Dance shows begin at 8:30 nightly and social dancing into the wee hours of the morning. It's reasonably priced and worth every red cent!  Check out the website HERE
I'm going to some workshops Friday & Saturday and will be at the evening performances and social dancing Friday & Saturday evening also if you wanna hang with me.

If you happen to wear a size 8/8.5 in Latin Dance shoes, I'm selling two brand new pairs (that were too small for me when I ordered them and a hassle to return) for $20/each.  Pictured above, one pair is beige/nude and the other is a redish/orange.

Also just for fun, check out the Youtube congress promo 

and notice who is dancing at 0.08 funny!!!

Las Vegas Salsa/Bachata Festival

Heres info (as promised in class) for the Salsa/Bachata Festival this weekend.  Unfortunately I can't be there but it will be a great opportunity to learn some new steps (Saturday) or just go in the evenings to see AMAZING performances and social dance.
It's this Friday 9th, Saturday 10th at the Riviera Hotel and Casino.  You can click the links below for more info.  Idea on ticket pricing....Friday $25 for performances & dancing.  Sat $30. Workshops or full passes are more.  Check site below.

Las Vegas Salsa/Bachata Festival Official Website to information & tickets

AMAZING

Here are some pictures from the Adolfo Indacochea workshop.  IT WAS AMAZING.....
The way he taught was incredible.  Broadway Hall was full of people, mostly ON1 dancers.  He taught us without counting and just using his voice (with a tumbao rhythm) and had us dancing ON2 within 10 minutes.  AMAZING.......I LOVED IT!!!!!!
After social dancing and hanging out, he and Carla danced for us.  I'm having trouble uploading that video so check back for that.  They are awesome dancing and I love how the really "feel" the music and interpret the nuisances within the song.   

I will dance anywhere

So here is a link to my family blog.  Check out my impromtu dance at a YMCA in Florida
http://bainbridgeblogger.blogspot.com/

Learn to Dance Salsa this week

When I first started dancing salsa I was so confused when people talked about dancing ON1 or ON2....calm down....... its just two different styles of Salsa.  There are many!
So out here in Las Vegas for the most part we dance ON1 or LA style.  It's when you ladies start with your right foot back on the first count of the music, men forward with your left.  ON2 is also known as New York Style or East Coast style.  The beat is the same, 1 2 3, 5 6 7 but ladies start 1 on the right in place and then forward on 2 with the left foot.  It creates a different pattern and gives a lot more room for styling and "sabor" or flavor. LA style has a lot more large movements as well as tricks whereas NY style is more about the "feeling" behind the dance, or so Ive been told...lol  I have not learned to dance ON2 yet.
Either way, here are two great opportunities for you to learn one or both styles.   I will be attending the workshop on Friday night with world famous dancers Adolfo Indacochea and Carla Vosconi They will be teaching ON2.  Sign up here to register in advance or purchase at the door on friday night.

If you are interested in taking beginning salsa classes (ON1) here in Las Vegas, Groupon is running a special for $30 for 6 classes at Broadway Hall Click the Groupon link to purchase! This deal ends Thursday night 8/25/2011

The obsession begins....

After having my fourth baby, I joined the gym to loose my baby weight.  Kami was just over a year old when I started.  For two years straight I worked out religiously.....almost two hours everyday except Sunday.  I love the elliptical, stationary bike, the ski type machine and I would also walk the track. 
One day I happened on a SALSA class.  My college roommates and I used to joke about taking our hubbys dancing salsa but never got around to it, or I should say never enticed them enough,  so when I saw the class at the gym, I thought "why not?"
Well it was love at first listen!!!  The music just grabbed me and took me in.  A few weeks later the class was cancelled and a Zumba class took its place.  The teacher was OLGA who has become a good friend of mine.  OMGOSH.....did I love it.  High energy, great music, people uninhibited by the movements and lots and lots of sweating going on - whooohoooo!  The addiction began.......
Of all the dance formats offered in the class, Salsa was my favorite.  I didn't know what I was doing, I just liked it.  I decided I would look for a salsa class and happened to find one at the W. Sahara location of my gym.  I started dancing with Fabiola, a beautiful Brazilian who I attribute with teaching me the foundation of salsa dance.  Ive had classes with the Rico brothers at Broadway Hall and dance weekly with my good friend & partner Daniel,  who has taught me so much.
I always loved music and dancing, did a little Irish dancing as a kid in Ireland and drill team in the little town of Alamo, NV when we immigrated but I never knew I could have so much fun working out and dancing until these last couple of years so I say dance on my friends, lets sweat it off together!