Last year the San Diego Salsa Festival featured lots of dance shows, great social dancing, and introduced a new focus for the event: Bachata dancing.

With the advent of bachata specific dance rooms, attendees to last year’s San Diego Salsa Festival were able to add some variety to their night and take advantage of the varied music offerings.

This year the festival will feature both salsa and bachata dance workshops, so if you need to learn or simply brush up on the dances you’ll have great opportunities to learn from the best.

For more information about the event please visit the new San Diego Salsa – Bachata Festival website. Also keep visiting Ritmo Bello for updates regarding this great event.

John

Ritmo Bello

Just a quick reminder that this upcoming Wednesday February 3rd is our 1st Wednesdays of the Month Meetup event at Cafe Sevilla.

The theme for this February edition is “Dress in Red” so if you have a favorite red dress, pants, shoes, whatever this will be the night to wear it.  Last year when we held this event at Cafe Sevilla the whole club was filled with people dressed in red and we hope to do the same this year.

This monthly event held at Café Sevilla is a great way to break the ice with new people in a safe and friendly environment. Don’t forget the event is FREE to attend!

For those of you unfamiliar with Café Sevilla, the venue is known for its great Spanish Cuisine and as a great salsa dance venue.

The event is open to everyone so feel free to come alone or bring any friends. We’ll meet downstairs at 8pm in the VIP area of club that will be reserved for our group.  Just look for the Meetup.com signs.  Valerie will give a free salsa lesson starting at 8:30pm.

For full details and to RSVP please check out the special event page here on the San Diego Salsa and Latin Dancing Meetup group. If you have additional questions feel free to contact me on Twitter @RitmoBello.  Don’t forget to wear red!

John

Ritmo Bello

At first glance you probably wouldn’t think that San Diego has much going on apart from the traditional surfing and other recreational diversions for which this place is known. It takes a simple look under that well known surface to see that San Diego is a teeming hot bed of salsa dance talent.

Much of that dance talent is due in part to the myriad of salsa dance competition teams that offer a wide array of styles and philosophies of salsa dance. San Diego is fortunate to have a salsa scene influenced by such a great group of performers that help inspire those new to the scene to learn more about the dance.  Here at Ritmo Bello I’ve been privileged to get to know these performance groups over the years and I wanted to highlight some of them here.

Well known performance groups like Majesty in Motion and dancers from A Time To Dance Studio have excited audiences through the years through innovative dance. Newer dance companies such as Alma Latina and Salsa Susie’s Cosabellas & Hot Tamales have done a great job of expanding salsa dancing to a wider group of people. Some local San Diego talent has seen great national exposure such as Junior & Emily’s Amicitia Dance Company and Serena Cuevas Deseo Dance.

These and many other dance teams which I haven’t mentioned here all deserve to be recognized for the great exposure they give salsa dancing to the general public. For many people here in San Diego, joining a dance team is a great way to accelerate your learning of salsa dance while expressing yourself through performance.

If you’ve had a good experience with a local San Diego dance team feel free to leave a comment on this post.

John

Ritmo Bello

I love history, especially when it deals with dance.   I wanted to share some video resources out there with those of you wanting to learn more about Argentine Tango.

This first video has a short overview of the history of Argentine Tango by a Florida based Tango Instructor.  I think it serves as a good intro to the subject:

This second video explains in more detail the history of the dance itself and its influences:

This next video is actually one in a series of videos that does a great job of breaking down the history of Tango according to the development of orchestras in the genre:

I’m sure there are many other good videos out there concerning the subject, so if you have one to share please do so by leaving a comment on this post.  Thanks!

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For those of you new to San Diego and/or new to the dance scene here, check out the San Diego Salsa and Latin Dancing Meetup Group.  The 1,000 + member group offers a wide variety of events that are posted by many of the dance studios and instructors that make up our dance community.

You’ll find everything from dance auditions for performance teams, latin dance themed house parties, and simply getting together for a night of dancing at all of San Diego’s great venues.

The group is made possible through our many Meetup.com sponsors and through member donations (the group is free to join though!).  Come check out the San Diego Salsa and Latin Dancing Meetup Group!

Even though the 2010 San Diego Salsa Festival is not until September of this year, it is not too early to submit your entry to perform at the event.  The organizers for the event are accepting video submissions via YouTube and Facebook for anyone that might be interested in performing.

To submit your entries simply email the links to info@sandiegosalsafestival.com.

For more information on the event keep checking Ritmo Bello and the official website for the 2010 San Diego Salsa Festival at www.sandiegosalsafestival.com.

On behalf of Ritmo Bello, I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe, happy New Year.  2009 was a tough year for many of us, but it was great to have lots of fun filled events with the San Diego Salsa & Latin Dancing Meetup Group to help us get through it.

Thanks to everyone in the San Diego Salsa and Latin Dance community for your continued support.  We hope you can all make it out to our first official event for 2010 at 1st Wednesday’s of the Month with Meetup.com at Cafe Sevilla January 6.  I plan on giving away FREE EK Clothing Latin Dance 2010 calendars at 8pm sharp (see the pictures above)!  See you all in 2010!

John

@RitmoBello

Okay, if you are like me you are probably not done with your Christmas shopping. Indeed, I still have many gifts to get for all types of people on my gift-giving list.  Some of those folks, surprising enough, are Salsa and Latin dancers. I thought I would share (Shoooo! Don’t tell them!) some ideas I have for gift giving to them and anyone inclined to dance.

An easy gift idea for a salsa dancer is salsa music. Depending on the person’s current collection of salsa music, you may have to think outside the box to get them something unique. I found one salsa compilation by Dimelo! Records that is different enough to warrant my writing about it in this article. The CD, a salsa Christmas compilation titled “Ponle Salsa a Tu Navidad,” features Orquesta Tobaco y Ron and Chino Espinoza jamming out to all sorts of Christmas tunes.

Another great gift idea is something for the salsa dancer to wear. EK Clothing has some great clothing for women that want some style when they hit the dance floor. They also have a great selection of salsa dance shoes (check out some of them in this video above) that are functional yet comfortable for regular use.

For salsa dancers that are guys, sometimes simple gifts mean the most. A great gift for the avid salsa dancer could be as simple as handkerchiefs that they can use when they go out and dance (you know to wipe all the sweat off with class). They are inexpensive and if you really want to spruce them up you can have them embroidered with their initials.

If you have other ideas for Christmas gifts let me know via Twitter at @RitmoBello.  Merry Christmas!

1^st Wednesdays of the Month with Meetup.com is coming up again and with it a great opportunity to meet new people here in San Diego.  It’s hard to believe that this is the twelfth and final Meetup event for 2009 at Cafe Sevilla!

To end the year off right we are asking people to donate to the Marine Toys for Tots organization here in San Diego.

Please bring any new, unwrapped toys for donating to the Marine Toys for Tots. We will have an area on site at the event (8pm to 10pm) to collect any new unwrapped toys to help out the less fortunate during this Christmas season.  For those of you unfamiliar with the Marine Toys for Tots organization check out these videos here that explain some of the great services they provide to our community:

This monthly event held at Café Sevilla is a great way to break the ice with new people in a safe and friendly environment. Just like last month, the event is FREE to attend!

For those of you unfamiliar with Café Sevilla, the venue is known for its great Spanish Cuisine and as a great salsa dance venue.

The event is open to everyone so feel free to come alone or bring any friends. We’ll meet downstairs at 8pm in the VIP area of club that will be reserved for our group.  Just look for the Meetup.com signs.  Valerie will give a free salsa lesson starting at 8:30pm.

For full details and to RSVP please check out the special event page here on the San Diego Salsa and Latin Dancing Meetup group. If you have additional questions feel free to contact me on Twitter @RitmoBello.

Don’t forget to bring your toy donations and see you all at 8pm Wednesday December 2^nd at Café Sevilla!

Smartphones, those great devices that allow you to not only make phone calls but also do all sorts of web tasks, are increasingly becoming part of our daily lives. If you have seen the recent Verizon Wireless commercials (like this hilarious video called “Island of Misfits”) you know that these devices mean big businesses for those involved. Indeed, the iPhone, Motorola Droid, and other such devices are changing the way we interact with the world.

Salsa and Latin dancers represent a niche group that can take advantage of these great new devices in the form of phone programs called Apps. Although there are apps for everything from checking your bank accounts to finding movie times, you may not be aware that there are apps specifically for salsa and Latin dancers.

One great example available for the iPhone is the Latin Dance Factory app. This app allows a user to see video demonstrations of footwork, gives you tips for avoiding common pitfalls when leading or following, and provides a great resource overall for any salsa dancer.

Other apps available include the Ballroom Dance Channel app. This app teaches you Latin style dances like salsa, rumba, and samba beginning with simple steps and through big name instructors from shows like “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Apart from learning dance, other apps available on both the iPhone and Android Market can help you become more familiar with different forms of Latin music. Pandora, for example, allows you to build up your own music lists from free internet radio based on your own preferences. If you want to learn about different salsa artists, the program allows for great recommendations based on the salsa music you like to hear.

Other app programs like Shazam help you to learn about Latin music in a different way by allowing you to identify any song by simply playing a snippet of that song. For someone new to salsa and other forms of Latin dance this can you help you become more familiar with artists and expand your knowledge of each genre.

These are just the tip of the iceberg as I’m sure others are working on more apps for all the different smartphones coming out.  If you know of any other good salsa and Latin dance related apps send me a message via Twitter at @RitmoBello.

That’s right! Dimelo! Records is hosting their annual Holiday Party on December 10^th and this year they are hosting over 50 Latin music groups for the event.

Dimelo! Records recording artists Orquesta Tobaco y Ron, Chino Espinosa, La Charanga Cubana, Johnny Polanco, and Lucky 7 Mambo are just some of the great acts that will be performing live at the Mayan Nightclub where the event will take place.

San Diego salsa dancers have the opportunity to take part in this great event and hop on the Dimelo! Records Tour bus giving us all round trip travel to the event. For more information about the bus and event make sure you check out the Dimelo! Records website.

See you at the Mayan Nightclub December 10^th!

Dancing During the Holidays: How to Stay Healthy on the Dance Floor this Winter

An Article by Ritmo Bello Guest Writer Kelly Rice

Dancing during the winter is like a natural prozac; when it gets dark earlier and the cold air forces us inside, we seek the refuge of the dance floor: it keeps us warm, it creates a blissful distraction from the shortened daylight hours, and, unfortunately, it creates a paradise for viruses, the dance room essentially becoming a petri dish for breeding strains that pass from one dancer to another.

The good news, though, is that there are some simple things dancers can do to stay healthy during the flu season.

Wash Your Hands

Before you go out, while you are out, and when you get home. A simple thing that can prevent the majority of germs that cause sickness. Avoiding touching your mouth/nose while dancing will also aid in keeping you healthy. Simple soap and hot water are clinically proven to kill most germs, and the best choice but if you are unable to get to a sink, an alcohol based cleaner such as Purell will help in a pinch.

Get Plenty of Rest

Our bodies’s immune systems are directly affected by the amount of sleep we get and jeopardizing our defense system by inadequate sleep will increase the risk of catching a cold or the flu. Maintaining your daily quota (most adults need 7-9 hours) during the flu season will keep you feel better and healthier out on the dance floor. For those of you who love to dance till dawn during the week, consider calling it a night a little earlier if your job requires an early wake-up call.

Stay Warm

It may sound funny, but staying warm is another vital key to keeping well during flu season. Sure you feel warm after you’ve sweated your heart out to 30 salsa songs, but leaving the dance floor, soaked in sweat, and going outside and getting chilled can compromise your immune system and leave you feeling not-so-hot in the morning. Bringing a change of clothes, or at least a dry shirt to change into before going to your car is the best method to prevent chilling.

Vitamin C

Medical experts agree that while most healthy adults need about 250 mg of vitamin C daily, when the immune system is compromised or our bodies are exposed to illness or excess stress, or vitamin C requirements are increased. A supplement such as Airborne or Emergen-C has 1000mg and is easy to mix with water. When out dancing, keep in mind that excess alcohol is known to lower immune system, so when considering a drink at the bar, why not opt for OJ on the rocks?

Get Vaccinated

There is not much debate between doctors about whether or not to get the flu shot. According to physicians at San Diego’s Lifewellness Institute, the flu shot is the most effective means of flu prevention.

This year especially there are questions about the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, LifeWellness breaks it down for us dancers: The H1N1 virus is a new genetic strain of virus which was created when viruses infected both mammals and birds. The result was altered DNA in the virus, creating a new “bug’ for which we have no antibodies. So the H1N1 vaccination, when available, is by far the best means of preventing this infection from curtailing your time on the dance floor.

Remember to Keep Dancing!

Being healthy means participating in a moderate amount of exercise, so by all means keep dancing. Following these tips can help arm your defenses and keep you well throughout the winter so you can salsa, boogie or swing your way through flu season.

About Kelly Rice

Kelly (a San Diego native) is a substitute teacher, graphic designer and health coach. When not working, Kelly enjoys dancing and teaching zouk lambada. Check out what this dance is all about on the San Diego Zouk website.

Back by popular demand, Café Sevilla is planning one last yacht party for 2009.

For those of you that attended the last few yacht parties you know that this will be a great event that should not be missed. This time around Café Sevilla is providing a more intimate experience with a different twist.

Join Cafe Sevilla and Ritmo Bello along with 450 guests as we celebrate along on the waters of the Pacific.

The Adventure Yacht is an intimate boat that holds only 450 guests. You will be able to enjoy breathtaking views of the San Diego bay by night.

Some other highlights of the night will include:

*  2 Floors of music (Live Salsa Band & Hip Hop )
*  Professional Photography
*  An Outdoor deck to enjoy the California Ocean
*  Complimentary Tapas (These were really good last time!)
*  2 fully-stocked bars
*  Official After-party at Sevilla nightclub

The San Diego Salsa and Latin Dancing Meetup Group along with Ritmo Bello will be there to enjoy the evening with you. For more information about the event and to RSVP please visit the Café Sevilla Boat Party Page.

See you on the Café Sevilla yacht and message me via Twitter at @RitmoBello!

Although San Diego has many different dance companies, each one shines in their own special way.  A good example of this is Alma Latina Dance company.  Directed by Gabriela Equiz and Sergio Jasso, their dance company is known in San Diego and throughout the world as one of the best around (they are currently ranked #5 in the world in the On 1 division of the ESPN World Salsa Championships).

Apart from world class salsa dancing, Alma Latina is also known for its great work with dancers of all levels, including kids.  I recently sat down with Gaby and Sergio to discuss their dancing, what motivates them, and what they have in store for San Diego salsa dancers.  I hope you enjoy the interview!

John  @RitmoBello

_________________________________

Ritmo Bello: Sergio and Gaby, thanks for taking the time to address the Ritmo Bello dance community. Let’s begin. What would you say is the main focus of Alma Latina Dance Company?

Alma Latina Dance Company: We focus on helping salseros dance better than they ever thought they could and even helping them get to competitive levels while enjoying the process.  Many people have told us that they really enjoy our sabor and the attitude that our dancers project on stage!

Ritmo Bello: What are the origins of your dance company? Why did you choose Alma Latina Dance Company for your name?

Alma Latina Dance Company: As a child, I went to a performing art school in Mexico City and loved it- all I wanted to do everyday was sing and dance.  I realized that Tijuana didn’t offer anything like that, so I decided to start a performing art school in the summer of 2005.  Later, I asked Sergio to come and help me instruct the boys in salsa dancing and we became partners. Then we expanded into teaching salsa to adults in 2006 in Tijuana and in San Diego in January 2008. We just started teaching in Los Angeles as well.

Ritmo Bello: What type of salsa dancing does Alma Latina perform? What types of influences have impacted how you both dance salsa?

Alma Latina Dance Company: Unlike other salsa companies, our dance teams aren’t exclusively On 1 or On 2- we focus on the musicality and that means we train our dancers to easily switch into whatever timing the music calls for.  You’ll see that our salsa choreographies usually incorporate many other dance influences: hip hop, ballroom, modern, flamenco, ballet and tap- it gives our routines their distinct style.  On top of that, both Sergio and I contribute different aspects of what makes us so strong:  Sergio has a strong sense of musicality ( & humor) and that comes through in our choreography and I have a good eye for lines and details and tend to polish and perfect things.

Ritmo Bello: Does Alma Latina Dance Company have a particular focus on teaching certain age groups to perform?

Alma Latina Dance Company: We don’t like to limit ourselves to any age group: We have people 3 years to 70 years old. But we do earn a lot of attention for the accomplishments of our young dancers: Our kids couples took 1st and 2nd place in three age divisions in the first Annual Kids Salsa Convention in LA, and Albert Torres has invited our kids to be featured in a showcase at the 2009 World Salsa Championships in December!  We’ve recently decided to form a non-profit around our kids dance troupe.  Our Mission statement is to connect kids to culture using Latin music and dance to promote discipline, pride, health, and the history of Latin culture all while having fun.  If you or someone you know would like to make a donation, please contact us at Info@AlmaLatinaDanceCompany.com

Ritmo Bello: Are you taking on new dancers now? How does someone audition to be a part of your salsa performance team?

Alma Latina Dance Company: YES!!! We are always taking new dancers for our Amateur & Intermediate teams.  We also have Semi pro and Professional levels that do require a private audition- but we can do that anytime- just send us an email:  Info@AlmaLatinaDanceCompany.com.  In addition, we have members of each team learn the routine of the team above them so they are always challenged and so they can get ready to step up a level.

Ritmo Bello: I understand that your dance company operates out of Tijuana , Mexico as well as San Diego, California . How has this impacted the types of dancers you train?

Alma Latina Dance Company: I think it has made all our students really happy and inspired- there is such diversity in the dancers!  The San Diego students always comment how they love the warmth of our Tijuana studio culture (we all kiss hello and goodbye to everyone at our TJ Studio).  And our Tijuana students love the enthusiasm of our San Diego dancers!  Also, a big plus is that all our dancers can come to the Tijuana studio and practice for free whenever, and there is always a Social going on at Alma Latina … I am not joking, there is a party every night…. And then TACOS at a stand by our studio  :)  We’re working to bring that same atmosphere to San Diego- starting on November 14th, we’ll have a monthly Social in San Diego too.  Our new studio, The Woodroom, is in Northpark, which has a big neighborhood party called Ray At Night.  As part of that event, we’ll be offering a free beginner lesson from 7:30-8:15 and free social dancing open to the public from 8:15-10:00 (just in time to head out to the other salsa clubs and socials)!

Ritmo Bello: Where has Alma Latina Dance Company performed?

Alma Latina Dance Company: We love to perform locally as well as at all the big West Coast Congress events like San Diego, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Arizona and San Francisco.  We have also regularly traveled to the Acapulco Congress, the Mexico National Championships in Mexico City, and the World Salsa Championships.  We recently performed at the Mayan Team Competition and WON- we are so excited to have earned that distinction!  We are also really pleased to have been invited to headline the Seattle Salsa Congress over Thanksgiving weekend.  We are hoping to add Europe to our list of performance destinations in the next year!

Ritmo Bello: In many of those performances and competitions you’ve won a number of awards. Can you share with us some of your best memories involving winning those awards?

Alma Latina Dance Company: Yes- we are so proud of our many dancers who have done so well in competition! Just this year we have claimed 6 first places and 6 second places in competitions Nationally and Internationally.

Competing is really hard work but we love it- it is the best learning experience. Competing takes all the challenges of performing and adds judges into the mix!  You learn to cope with your nerves and the pressure– and dance regardless.  The challenge is doing it like it is a show even when you see the judges just in front of you.  You want to think that they are going to be entertained!

Admittedly the competitions add pressure, but they also push us to grow as dancers and be the best performers we can be. That’s where the great memories come from: working together towards a goal and achieving it- and traveling as a group to perform for very appreciative audiences!

Ritmo Bello: Is is true that you’ve been ranked within the top 10 salsa dancers in the world according to the ESPN World Salsa Championships?

Alma Latina Dance Company: Yes, we are currently ranked 5^th in the world and this year we want to go back and rank higher if possible!  It is really hard because you compete with the best in the world and everybody is improving and getting ready- there’s no way to get an advantage…so imagine!!! But I think we could do something good this year…

Ritmo Bello: How was your experience at the San Diego Salsa Festival this year?

Alma Latina Dance Company: Great! We closed the show on Friday and performed the 2nd to last number on both Saturday and Sunday- just before Yamulee from NYC closed the show- and after great dancers like Adolfo Indacochea, Hacha y Machete etc.- what a compliment!  We were incredibly flattered by the fact that we got standing ovations on Friday and Sunday.

Ritmo Bello: In your opinion, what is the best thing about dancing salsa in San Diego ?

Alma Latina Dance Company: Everything!  The people are genuine and nice, there is a huge number of incredible dancers, and everyone has a good attitude.

Ritmo Bello: I’ve noticed that there are a number of videos on YouTube showcasing your salsa dancing. How do you feel about being a virtual salsa celebrity for the YouTube crowd?

Alma Latina Dance Company: I think that YouTube has helped us a lot.  We find a lot of people who have never seen us in person but they follow us on YouTube.  We have even had people hire us based on that- can you believe it?  We hardly can!

Ritmo Bello: Is there anything else you’d like to share with the Ritmo Bello readers about your dance company and yourselves that we haven’t covered yet?

Alma Latina Dance Company: We want to thank you and all of the San Diego salsa community for your support!  We feel really blessed to be teaching here where people really believe in us.

Ritmo Bello: Do you have contact information in case anyone from the Ritmo Bello audience wants to contact you?

Alma Latina Dance Company: Yes- please contact us- we are still growing and want to serve the needs of the San Diego Community!

Alma Latina Dance Company

www.AlmaLatinaDanceCompany.com

Info@AlmaLatinaDanceCompany.com

619-600-5536

Ritmo Bello: Sergio and Gaby, Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to seeing you at one of your events.

Alma Latina Dance Company: Thank you so much- we look forward to seeing you and all your readers at our free social on November 14^th!

_________________

You can contact John on Twitter at @RitmoBello

1^st Wednesdays of the Month with Meetup.com is coming up again and with it a great opportunity to meet new people here in San Diego.  This time the event will have a different twist in that we are asking people who attend to donate food to the St. Vincent de Paul Villages in anticipation of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Please bring any NON-PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS for donating to the St. Vincent de Paul Village and Food pantry. We will have a box on site at the event to collect any canned food and other non-perishables to help out the less fortunate during this Thanksgiving season.  For those of you unfamiliar with St. Vincent de Paul’s Villages check out the videos here that explain some of the great services they provide to our community:

This monthly event held at Café Sevilla is a great way to break the ice with new people in a safe and friendly environment. Just like last month, Café Sevilla has eliminated the cover charge for Wednesday so it will again be FREE to attend!

For those of you unfamiliar with Café Sevilla, the venue is known for its great Spanish Cuisine and as a great salsa dance venue.

The event is open to everyone so feel free to come alone or bring any friends. We’ll meet downstairs at 8pm in the VIP area of club that will be reserved for our group.  Just look for the Meetup.com signs.  Valerie will give a free salsa lesson starting at 8:30pm.

For full details and to RSVP please check out the special event page here on the San Diego Salsa and Latin Dancing Meetup group. If you have additional questions feel free to contact me on Twitter @RitmoBello.

Don’t forget to bring your canned goods and see you all at 8pm this Wednesday November 4^th at Café Sevilla!