Dancing With the Stars: JR Martinez Salsa's and Cha Cha’s to Mixed Results

J.R. Martinez took to his Latin roots for his first finale dance Monday night on Dancing With the Stars.

Martinez, 28, and his dance partner Karina Smirnoff shook their hips to a salsa version of Kat DeLuna's upbeat breakout song "Whine Up."

The routine, done in freestyle form, had Martinez pulling elaborate twists and turns. Smirnoff even got to jump on Martinez's neck as he threw

her in the air like a rag doll.



“In the freestyle, Karina and I decided to do a salsa inspired routine because of the fact that I am Latin,” Martinez said.

“Karina wanted to do this lift were I hook my leg to her neck,” Martinez added. “She’s had surgery on her neck before and I just think it’s

too dangerous.”

Martinez went through with the dance, lifts and all, earning Martinez a perfect 30 (out of 30.)



“I have only one thing to say J.R. that’s the way to come back!” said judge Carie Ann Inaba overjoyed. “Those lifts were the sickest lifts

I’ve ever seen and Karina I am glad you are safe.”

Goodman was delighted with Martinez’s dance and the eye candy.

“Two things were revealed,” Goodman said. “Karina’s body and your talent…fantastic!”

Judge Bruno Tonioli told Martinez his dance was “a jungle, rival hypnotic experience.”

“You are exuberant,” Tonioli said. “What a comeback!”

Martinez's didn't have the same luck the second time around.

The army vet attempted to execute the Cha Cha, to Jennifer Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud” (written by Gloria Estefan) but his ankle injury affected

his posture once again.

The judges gave him a total of 24 points (out of 30)

“The magic of J.R.,” said Inaba. “Everyone loves you! When people watch you dance they fall in love with your spirit.”

“However, your musicality was a bit off,” continued Inaba. “It’s like you were dancing ahead of the music.”

Goodman was not pleased.

“J.R. this wasn’t that good,” said Goodman followed by an echoes of boos from the audience in solidarity with Martinez.

“You were off… there were a lot of mistakes.”

Still, Goodman praised the Salvadoran actor for taking on the dance to begin with.

“I think it was brave that you did a lot of that dance.”

This puts Martinez second after underdog Rob Kardashian, who pleasantly surprised the judges and the audience by slamming his performance

earning him a perfect score twice.

Rooting him on was his famous, knockout sister Kim, who in recent weeks has been criticized for her ending her marriage to Nets basketball

player Kris Humphries just 72 days after saying 'I DO.'

Former talk show host Ricki Lake also managed get high scores for her dances (a 27 and a 30) making the decision for America that much harder

for who should win the coveted Mirror Ball trophy.

Source: Alexandra Gratereaux

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Posted in 2011 dancing with the stars , 2011 DWTS , cha cha , Dancing With the Stars , J.R. Martinez , JR Martinez , Latino J.R. Martinez , Salsa

'My girlfriend gave me the silent treatment after raunchy tango with Aliona,' reveals Strictly's Harry Judd

Harry Judd may have it all; the money, the looks, the fame.

But it seems he doesn't have a happy girlfriend.

The Strictly Come Dancing star has revealed his other half Izzy Johnston was so infuriated watching his raunchy tango with professional partner Aliona Vilani, that she gave him the silent treatment for an evening.

The McFly drummer, 25, invited Izzy to rehearsals, but was left regretting his decision when she 'freaked out'.

But Izzy, the violinist from Britain's Got Talent band Escala, was overwhelmed with seeing her beau behave flirtatiously with another girl.

Harry told Now: 'On the ride home Izzy was really quiet. At that moment it’d really hit her that this was her man with another girl.

'She was freaked out a bit. She said, "Just don’t talk to me now - speak to me in the morning."'

But despite taking a brief hiatus from each other for six months previously, the couple are stronger than ever and live together.

Reflecting on their time apart, Harry said: 'She needed time away from me because I’m a pain in the a**e. Thankfully, it has all worked out.

'We needed to be apart. We’d been together for five years and we’d been inseparable.

'It was never going to last like that. I wanted to go on lads’ holidays and golf trips and out with just the boys.

'That was a huge problem in our relationship. So I was able to go out and let my hair down. We got our independence back.'

Gushing about his missus, Harry added: 'I don’t know why but we are chemically connected. Our eyes met and we knew. It was amazing.'

'[Strictly] is intimate but I wouldn’t have bought a house and moved in with my girlfriend if I didn’t think she was the only one for me.'

Harry and Aliona were third on the leader board last Saturday, scoring 33 out of a possible 40.

They were pipped to the post only by Holly Valance and Artem Chigvintsev, who triumphed with 34, and Chelsee Healy and Pasha Kovalev, shooting to the winner's position with 36.

It was Lulu that waved goodbye, as her and partner Brendan Cole were eliminated in the bottom two against Audley Harrison and Natalie Lowe.

Source: Nadia Mendoza

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Posted in Britain's Got Talent band Escala , Harry Judd , Izzy Johnston , Mcly drummer , Salsa , tango , tango dancing , The Strictly Come Dancing star

Hispanic Heritage Month: How Latinos Have Shaped Music in US

A handsome, tuxedoed Desi Arnaz hits a conga drum to the beat, moving his feet, at one with the music, as he sings Babalú.

It didn’t matter that "I Love Lucy" was in black-and-white, and I, a child of the 80s, had grown up on a steady diet of color television. Ricky Ricardo entranced me as I stood next to my mother, folding clean towels still warm from the dryer. That is my first memory of Latin music.

For others, it may be the records their parents played, or José Feliciano’s Feliz Navidad at Christmas time. Maybe it was Ritchie Valen’s rock-and-roll adaptation of La Bamba, a song that, before reaching the Top 40 on American charts in 1958, was actually a traditional Mexican wedding song from Veracruz, complete with a folkloric dance that involves the bride and groom working together to tie a red ribbon into a bow using only their feet.

Those born into the MTV generation may remember watching Gerardo’s Rico Suave video in confusion, or learning to dance The Macarena with their friends.

More obscure influences on American music by Latin music go much further back and include "The Habanera" beat or "Spanish Tinge" – a term made popular by New Orleans musician Jelly Roll Morton in the early 1900's. "Spanish Tinge" refers to the method of spicing up the conventional 4/4 rhythm most commonly used in jazz. 

"If you can't manage to put tinges of Spanish in your tunes, you will never be able to get the right seasoning," Morton is quoted as saying.

Celia Cruz, Selena, Tito Puente, Gloria Estefan, Carlos Santana, Jenni Rivera, Enrique Iglesias, Cypress Hill, Ricky Martin, Los Tigres del Norte, Kat DeLuna, Kid Frost, Marc Anthony, Tito El Bambino, Jennifer Lopez, Calle 13, Los Lonely Boys, La Mafia, Daddy Yankee – all have made their mark, and there are hundreds of other Latinos who aren't quite as famous. 

Those born in the United States, as well as those who immigrated here, those in the spotlight and those working behind the scenes – they have all contributed to the music we listen to each day.

Very few American music genres can claim to be free of Latin influence, and Latinos in the U.S. continue to shape the landscape. From the bawdy Spanglish lyrics of performers like Pitbull to the sweet bachata ballads of Prince Royce, Latinos in the U.S. and from all over Latin America give us plenty of reason to literally sing and dance in celebration during Hispanic Heritage Month and all year long.

Tracy Lopez

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Posted in Hispanic Heritage Month , latin music , latino , Salsa , salsa dance

Dance Away Health Worries

How Grooving can Affect Your Wellbeing

Dance is a great way to maintain heart health and keep illnesses like osteoporosis, high blood pressure and diabetes at bay.

Dancing is the only activity out of 11 monitored in a 21 year study conducted by Albert Einstein College of Medicine deemed to lower the risk of memory-related diseases, so your physical health isn't the only benefactor of dancing to the music.

Dancing is great for someone who is trying to get a total mind, body and soul workout. Scientists are constantly discovering how dancing can help with brain functions as a person gets older. in addition, dancing can be a good workout for your joints without causing harm to your bones and joints.

What is dancing? The act of dancing entails anything from structured step sequences done to a particular kind of music, to free form moving to the beat of the music. Or it can be somewhere in between. The process of finding out what kind of beat you enjoy moving to can be interesting in and of itself.

Dance and Step into Action

Review the forms of dance to explore, pick one and look around for opportunities in your area to participate with other dancers. Belly, ballroom, clogging (stomping and tap steps), contra (men and women make square dance type of moves but in a line), flamenco, folk, jazz, line, modern, salsa, square and swing dancing are thirteen types to choose from.

Dance classes, some of them free, are given in a wide variety of places. Often, nightclubs offer different types of dance classes in the hour just prior to the live music beginning. A western bar might offer line-dancing classes while salsa classes are provided at a club that features Latino music.

Senior centers offer ballroom dancing opportunities. Community centers put on dances throughout the year. In addition, aerobic dance exercise programs are offered at gyms and health clubs nationwide.
How to Get Started with Dance

Shy? Crank the volume up on your stereo, cable music channel, or MP-3 player and dance in your own home. Dance through the whole house. Twirl or spin, twist and shout, point to the ceiling, and then to the floor with complete concentration. Enjoy getting healthier and happier with every step you make.

Emotional health is strongly linked with physical and chemical activities occurring in the body as you dance. Multiple studies since the early 2000s have reported the positive changes dancing can make for people of any age suffering from depression.

With so many mental, physical and emotional health benefits from such a non-exercise activity, the art of dance deserves to be checked out.

Source Naheed Ali
photo tzgrovinj.hr

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Posted in dancing salsa , flamenco , folk , jazz , line , modern , Salsa , salsa dance , square and swing dancing

Salsa helped me shimmy away my excess pounds

A HAMPSHIRE company director is trying to get more people to take a turn at salsa lessons in a bid to beat obesity.

Karen Blake, 46, director of gas, plumbing and electrical firm PA Blake Ltd, from New Milton, has lost three stone since taking up the dance classes.

Four years ago the mum of two – pictured today and, also, before her weight loss, weighed 13 stone and was desperate to lose weight and drop down from her size 16 dress-size.

“I joined the gym so many times, but wasted so much money,” said Karen.

Now weighing 10 stone and a size 10, Karen said she knows how hard it is to start losing weight but after her first salsa class, she found it easy to keep going.

“I was lacking in confidence with my body shape, felt frumpy, horrible, and very self-conscious,” she said.

“Now I am addicted, because with salsa, there is always more you can learn.”

Karen is now urging more people to try out the dance to lose weight and assists with a weekly Sunday night salsa class at Banister Park Bowling Club.

For more information visit justdance.net or call Karen on 07986 154759.

Source thisishampshire

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Posted in first salsa class , Salsa , salsa dance fitness , salsa dance weight loss , salsa fitness , salsa loose pounds , top 2011 weight loss

How I get ready to rumba: Pamela Stephenson reveals how she's poked, pulled, wrenched and zipped into her dazzling Strictly outfits

1 READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP? NOT YET!

As an archetypal mental health professional (habitat: New York) I am no parading
peacock.

Pallid of skin, short of lash and nail, business-like of dress and sensible of shoe, I’m afraid I tend to shun lipstick, cleavage, and even facial waxing.

My wardrobe comprises a row of neat and modest suits in black, grey and navy, with high-necked shirts. There is no need for complicated under-garments; a rather large pair of plain, stretchy knickers cover my ample backside, while a sturdy ‘reduction bra’ keeps my puppies well hidden, to avoid inciting arousal in curious onlookers.

Note the broken spectacles. This Doctor of Psychology is surely the least likely Strictly candidate one could ever imagine (well, bar a politician or two).

Despite all this, I was persuaded that the best colour for my soon-to-be-televised skin was a lovely shade of bright orange. I’m now addicted to the process.

Achieving a spray tan involves removing every stitch of clothing, donning a paper shower cap and stepping into a misting booth.

One is then instructed to adopt several yoga-like poses as a woman welding a spray gun lets fly an icy stream of tanning mist in well-aimed sweeps.

I woke in the morning to an acrid smell and wondered if my husband had left his socks in the toaster again – only to be reminded (by my sunset-stained sheets) that I had bypassed five days’ holiday in Minorca and cut straight to the plane ride home.


2 IS THIS BRUCIE’S?

Since my natural crowning glory is a tad thin these days, Neal the gifted hair artist (and polo-player to boot!) magically boosts nature’s strands by clipping in ‘wefts’ to provide all the extra body and growth a would-be siren could want.

He curls and crimps both real and fake strands and pushes me off to a camera rehearsal with a delightfully attractive headscarf holding my curlered hair in place.

Being seen in public in such headgear is entirely humiliating, but this action is specially designed to take anyone who starts to believe her own publicity down quite a few pegs.

This is harsh treatment indeed, especially since I suspect that my long blonde hair might be my sole redeeming physical feature.

3 MAKING UP IS HARD TO DO

Bryony the queen of all make-up artists has designed my facial look based on the ‘Fred and Ginger’ style of this week’s foxtrot.

Bryony is blessed with considerable talent, but, given the raw material, she needs several hours and a few stiff drinks to accomplish this miracle.

She turns my eyes from what have been described as ‘little peepholes in the snow’ into the cats’ eyes we have come to expect of a Strictly glamourpuss.

She builds layer upon layer of light and shade – a work of art of which Caravaggio, Monet, even Rembrandt, would be proud. Grey brow strands are darkened, stray facial hairs removed.

False lashes are applied both above and below the eyes – one, two, three at a time.

4 UNDERCOVER STORY

  

Reader beware: those with weak stomachs may want to skip this section. A health-and-safety warning is also issued: DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!

First I don the smallest of G-strings. (Steady on people, it only gets worse.)

I then step into a pair of too-small support tights and wrench every last ounce of cellulite firmly inside.
Another pair of tights – fishnets if it is a Latin dance, plain if it’s ballroom – goes on after that.

The waistbands of both pairs of tights are snipped at the waist to avoid the ‘muffin-top’ look I so oft-sport, especially when wearing jeans (weekends only).

5 AN ODD PLACE FOR A MIC

You may wonder why there has been no mention of an upper foundation garment.

It’s because my bra is welded to the main costume, and comes complete with microphone battery-pack inside one cup. ‘It has to be the right side,’ insists Sue, my dresser – but neither of us can figure out why.

The presence of the microphone pack in the right cup means that a large wodge of foam has to be strategically positioned inside the left one to even things up.

The actual microphone head is tiny, flesh-coloured, and peeps out of the cup like a mushroom-like wart.

A nice look in close-up.

6 HILDA OGDEN, READY FOR HER FOXTROT

It's time for the lovely green curlers to come out as Neal completes his artistry, finishing my hairdo with pins, combs and, occasionally, hair accessories such as jewelled bands, rhinestone clips or satin bows.

My scuba-diving skills are utilised when it comes to holding my breath for the hair spray, which takes several minutes. No naked flames, please.

7 INTO THE MOTHERSHIP

Knickers are always sewn inside Strictly dresses (these costumes are all-singing, all-dancing, and could actually do the show all by themselves).

I step carefully inside the mothership and, after a certain amount of poking, pulling and twisting, am zipped in as snugly as a sofa in a newly washed cover.

Breathing is optional.

8 THE GLOVES ARE ON

Accessories are applied – earrings, necklaces and long black gloves with elastic on the middle fingers to keep them in place.

‘Floats’ may be added if required.

They’re the scarf-like pieces of fabric that are draped from arm to waist in order to waft gracefully behind the dancer (for some unfortunate contestants they become the blinkers caught around the head during a spinning accident – not for the faint-hearted).

9 MANY A SLIP

I put on my ballroom shoes.

The soles must be brushed to avoid slipping. Sequins cause slippery surfaces, and there are plenty of those lying about, so frequent brushing is required.

Some dancers use castor oil – not for the good of their health, but to coat the soles of their shoes for a better grip.

Frankly, I’m confused by all this high-tech stuff and tend to leave my fate to the banana-skin gods.

10 THE FINISHING TOUCHES

My cleavage is enhanced with highlighter and shade as Bryony does the finishing touches.

She can create a chiselled siren from a pepperoni pizza face in a mere
90 minutes.

Foundation is applied with a spatula, the best bet for covering blotches, blackheads and wrinkles. My arm tone is evened out, my old-lady brown spots are covered, my nails are painted (the one I chewed after last week’s judges’ comments is replaced with a fake).

Nearly five hours after the process started, I am ready to dance for 12 million people.

The only question now: How do I get out of this thing?

Source Pamela Stephensons

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Posted in 2011 best pamela stephensons , 2011 best pamela stephensons dance , Foxtrot , Salsa , salsa dance fab , salsa dancing shoes , salsa dress

Strangers in arms, united by their love of tango

The Argentine Tango Festival gives dance lovers a chance to practise their steps, writes ROSEMARY MACCABE

INSIDE THE Garda Club on Harrington Street in Dublin on Saturday night, you could be forgiven for thinking you were at a birthday party. Perhaps that gentleman over there is turning 50; or this woman here, it’s her 30th, surely. People greet one another like old friends or family reunited.

This is no birthday, although it is a party; this is a milonga and the culmination of the Dublin Argentine Tango Festival, now in its ninth year.

The festival includes workshops and afternoon performances, and this Saturday night is a chance for tango lovers, students and teachers alike, to practise their skills. As Ingrid Blake, who is here with a group she met through the dance, says, “it’s nice to use what you learn”.

Things don’t take off in earnest until 10pm, when Quinteta Tango Extremo, a tango orchestra from the Netherlands, take to the stage. Theirs is a contemporary type of Latin music; beneath the familiar tango rhythm are echoes of familiar tunes – is that Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina?

The first couple to dance wear jeans, and she is wearing trainers. Despite their casual appearance, the dance is bewitching. As they are joined by others, the dance floor begins to take on a theatrical appearance.

The colours of tango are, it seems, black and red, but this is not a rule; one woman wears a pink patterned dress with a long leg slit. Another is dressed in snakeskin – a blouse with matching leggings – while another is wearing a 1920s-style gold sequined sheath.

Everyone appears to know one another. Some people are relative strangers, but united by their love of tango: Carlo Pariset, for example, has travelled from Gloucestershire, and Henry Mathias from Edinburgh, but the two met previously at tango events, and greet one another like old friends.

Similarly, on the dance floor, people swap partners regularly and, in a throwback to the dance halls of yore, men and women can be heard asking one another to dance. The dancing couples, in turn, are relatively mismatched – young and old, short and tall; tango seems the most democratic of activities.

“It’s one of those things you can do at any age,” says Mary Browne, one of the first on the dance floor. “It’s so much fun and there are no limitations.”

See tangofever.net, tangoireland.com, dublintango.com

Meet the dancers . . .

Ingrid Blake , works in finance

What brings you here?

I used to dance salsa and swing. Then I tried tango and fell in love with it.

Who are you here with?

There are five or six of us here, people I’ve met through tango. It’s a really sociable group.

What do you like about tango?

It’s just about your body, and my job is so much about my head . . . it’s nice to switch off.

Alison Ní hAnracháin , works in management

What brings you here?

I’m passionate about tango – I’ve been doing it for three years now.

What do you like about tango?

I took it up for zen meditation – dance trance. I’m into yoga and meditation. I did karate for a long time, and still do yoga. Dance seemed the next natural progression.

Did you go to any of the other events in the festival?

I went to all of the workshops! You end up getting totally addicted, consuming as much as you can.

Who are you here with?

Lots of friends. It’s a great community – everyone knows one another.

There are several people here I’ve never met before, but they’ll be friends by the end of the night.

Catherine McDonnell , nurse

What brings you here?

A friend of mine, who loves tango, invited me along. I’ve done salsa before, but I didn’t keep the

classes up, so I’m kind of trying to get myself re-interested in tango!

What do you think of the night so far?

It’s fabulous, there’s a great atmosphere. It’s very sociable. People are so friendly, which is amazing, really.

Mike Carter , economist

Did you go to any of the other events in the festival?

I did a few workshops in the afternoon – I thought they were brilliant. There were really good teachers.

What is it that you like about tango?

I used to do ballroom, latin, salsa and jive . . . tango is the dance of the moment. It’s very popular and very accessible.

You could dance every night of the week in Dublin. I live in Bangor and there’s not so much tango there, that’s why I come down to Dublin.

What do you think of the evening so far?

It’s fantastic. Great venue, great music.

Carlo Pariset , engineer

What do you like about tango?

It’s fun. I like the music, I like the social aspect, and I like the fact that you can dance tango wherever you go. You meet people, you get to know them.

Do you go to many tango festivals?

I try to travel to festivals as much as I can – I’m living in Gloucestershire at the moment, so I came over for the festival.

What do you think of this evening?

I’ve just arrived, but it all seems good. But I have to dance, then I’ll know.

Henry Mathias, social worker

What is it about tango that you like?

I like the music, mostly, and it’s quite a challenging dance, but if you get it . . . occasionally I do a

good dance, and feel very good.

How long have you been dancing tango?

Off and on for about five years.

Did you go to any of the other events in the festival?

I went to a tango cafe in the Stag’s Head pub. It was a really nice venue.

What do you think of this evening?

It’s good – it was a bit slow to start but it’s getting going now.

Source Irishtimes

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Posted in Argentine Tango Festival , ballroom , Dublin , Garda Club Dublin , jive , latin , Salsa

Dancing with stars, Sonoma Valley style

Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation is bringing back its popular “Fall Frolic: Dancing with Our Stars” on Sunday, September 18, 5 p.m., at Sonoma Veterans Hall. The event, inspired by ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” lends a fun and interactive spin to fundraising.

Proceeds from the evening will help replace a 26 year old X-ray system. One of the Hospital’s two X-ray machines was installed in 1985, and after nearly three decades, it has reached the end of its life. Funds raised at this event will be used to purchase a new, state-of-the-art digital X-ray machine and help ensure the Hospital is able to continue offering this life-saving diagnostic service to the community.

The evening includes a buffet dinner, cocktails, Sonoma wines, a dance lesson by Gene Russo, dancing to the Richard Olsen Orchestra, and two auctions (silent and live) offering an impressive assortment of goods and getaways.

The event’s highlight will undoubtedly be the dance competition, which features eight Sonomans paired with professional or veteran dancers. The couples are “in it to win it” and have put in numerous hours in the dance studio perfecting their steps. Guests are in for an exciting show featuring the Waltz, Argentine Tango, Disco, Salsa and more.

This year’s line-up includes:

    * Michael Brown, M.D. and Elaina O’Malley
    * Sue Albano and Ed Dufault
    * Gayle Jenkins and Patrick Jude
    * Vinny Pacheco and Gabrielle von Stephens
    * David Pier and Phyllis Gurney
    * Denny Lane and Rhonda Guaraglia
    * Holly Kyle and Craig Atwood
    * Rebecca Hengehold and Dennis Goss

Julie Atwood and Ed Dufault, the reigning champions, will also perform. Choreographer Gene Russo once again brings his skills to the production, coaching the dancers as they prepare for the performance.

For more information or reservations, call Harmony Plenty at 935-5070. Tickets are $185/person until 8/18 and $200 thereafter. Sonoma Veterans Hall, 126 First Street West, Sonoma.


Source Suzie Rodriguez

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Posted in 2011 dancing with the stars , Argentine Tango , Salsa , Sonoma Valley style , Sonoma Veterans Hall , Waltz

Joyous Zumba:Dance and exercise to a Latin beat

(July 21, 2011)  Six bucks can buy you a margarita. That’s also the fee consummate musician and merrymaker Marla Joy charges for the Zumba classes she teaches from Fortuna to Trinidad.

“Drink one margarita and you might consume 300 to 600 calories,” Joy says. “You might feel OK, but for six dollars come in and get a better high than a cheap margarita and burn 600 calories. You don’t need three or four drinks to reduce your inhibitions and express yourself dancing. We get right into business for an hour.”

Zumba is an aerobic-cardio fitness system of short dance combinations taken from merengue, salsa, cumbia and other Latin-inspired steps choreographed to mostly Latin rhythms. Zumba classes incorporate fitness exercises such as bicep curls, knee lifts and squats into the dance combinations. The rousing music and choreography make for a jubilant atmosphere, more of a dance party than a fitness class.

Zumba was born of a happy accident in Cali, Columbia, in the mid-‘90s when aerobics instructor Beto Perez forgot his aerobic music and grabbed cumbia, merengue and salsa tapes from his backpack, then improvised steps from those dance traditions for the workout he was leading. The crowd loved it. And this totally fun craze began.

When I lived in New York, I didn’t need a gym membership. I walked everywhere and swam at my neighborhood pool. I could take modern dance classes of infinite styles any day of the week from morning until nightfall. Disappointed by the lack of modern dance classes here in Humboldt, I joined HealthSport and started taking Pilates, which, by the way, along with being great for anyone’s back, is particularly good training for dancers. Delving into the minutia of muscles and bones while doing Pilates is an absorbing addition to but no substitute for dancing.

Why not aerobics? Way too mindless for me, and bad for the knees. My best friend from high school, a size-two aerobics queen, would drag me to a class whenever I visited her. She and her friends would be high kicking it, all buffed out in the latest gym fashions, flashing tennis bracelets, pumping their arms in the air. (It was the ‘80s). It was a demanding workout, but too repetitive and I found the pop music annoying. Yet there was a palpable group energy; the women were definitely experiencing a collective rush. That’s what I needed: a big, sweaty, group-dance high to get me into the gym on a regular basis. But I wanted one with some artistic merit.

When I saw fliers for Marla Joy’s Zumba classes, I saw the potential for a wild ride. Joy is an incredibly hot and versatile musician who plays flute, bass and drums. Hip to dance, Joy has collaborated with choreographer Laura Munoz in live performances — she even wrote music for Munoz’ piece Take Off Your Skin — and more recently accompanied the modern dance classes Munoz teaches at Dell’Arte. Joy taught Israeli folk dances for the band Chubritza; she also gets crowds dancing playing bass in the Cajun band The Bayou Swamis. A musician teaching a musically rich form like Zumba was a sure win.

I like that she’s older, too. At HealthSport the younger Zumba instructors I encountered emanated positive energy and clearly taught the steps. But they did it to the max without considering the varying ages and levels of fitness in the room, or reminding participants to listen to their injuries and limitations, or suggesting modifications (not doing squats as deeply, for example). They were young fillies who do not yet harbor concerns for the longevity of their bods.

Source Stephanie Silvia

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Posted in Cumbia , health sport , Latin-inspired steps , Marla Joy’s Zumba classes , Merengue , Salsa , zumba dance , zumba fitness , zumba fitness class

Dancing on the deck of debt disaster

latinadanza

If you hate government — and these days who doesn’t? — then I hope you weren’t at the corner of Michigan and Harrison on Saturday night, to see the kind of wretched excess that government run amok can create.

It would have broken your heart.

At least 1,000 people — easily, maybe 2,000, or more — gathered in the Spirit of Music Garden, a flowery corner of Grant Park. And they were dancing, hundreds of them, crowding a huge dance floor, doing the cha-cha and the merengue and just hopping around while Angel Melendez and the 911 Mambo Orchestra played hot salsa grooves.

It might come as a surprise to you, with layoffs and belt-tightening and the fiery hell mouth of financial doom opening up directly under us, that masses of Chicagoans still gather weekend nights for the city’s SummerDance. Nor is this an aberrant folly of one renegade city office — the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Office of Tourism, of course the Park District all have a hand in this scandal of publicly supported dancing.

Who knew about this? I certainly had no idea, right up to the moment my wife — of course — informed me we were going downtown to dance in a public park. My immediate, unarticulated thought was “Why don’t you just kill me in my sleep and get it over with?” I recalled visiting Taiwan, where people ballroom dance in the Taipei parks. There I spied, oh, a dozen couples, sedately waltzing under the trees. I caught sight of them from far away, too far to hear the music. It was a deeply melancholy sight, these older men and women, faces blank, silently waltzing in unison. And now I was to be one of them.

SummerDance was not at all like that. My I-don’t-want-to-be-here scowl melted as soon as I caught sight of the scene — the park ablaze with light, jammed with people, all ages, all races, sitting at tables, eating, drinking, joyous, dancing to an infectious Latin beat, not only on the dance floor, but all over, some dancing extremely well, some in fancy dance shoes and frilled dresses and Mambo King sports shirts, doing polished routines at top speed, feet flashing, hands fluttering.

I should make clear that I was joking when I described the event as “wretched excess” and a “scandal” etc. I think it’s great; I want the government to throw dances — though you might not. You might want the government to manage fisheries. And somebody else might want the government to support the preservation of historic barns. And even though I neither fish nor visit barns, I can understand those functions, and more.

That’s what makes me a Democrat. I’ve accepted the idea that other people exist, people who want other things, and grasp that we are all joined together in a common purpose we call the United States of America.

This blows the mind of a certain party (hint: Republicans) who are ready to shut the whole thing down, causing unimaginable disaster, because they hate the idea of a government, and have seized upon the strategy of the national debt — which we’ve had for years, which always waxes and wanes — deemed it completely unacceptable, and are refusing to extend the debt limit, which must be done to allow the government to function.

Don’t get me wrong. The government spends too much, wastes too much. But forcing the U.S. government into default over the debt ceiling is like burning down your house because you have a big mortgage. It’s nuts.

With the debt crisis coming to a head — one can only hope — this week, we are seeing the climax of an attitude that has built for years: the Reaganite notion that all government is bad and the less the better, period. The appeal of such a thought is easy to see. People do not like to pay taxes, and when narrowly framed in those terms, the path seems clear — slash taxes to a bare minimum, starve government and everybody’s happy.

As long as the focus stays on the tax cutting part, Republican cheers have drowned out debate. Now we’re at the “which-programs-get-cut” part, suddenly we hear the crickets.

Politically, this is a godsend for the Democrats — this crisis will be the rock that the Republicans wreck their 2012 hopes upon.

In terms of national unity, however, it shows how far apart we’ve cracked.

On a crowded dance floor, even a novice quickly realizes you have to consider everybody around you. One showboat couple doing an oblivious Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers act would knock over a dozen nearby dancers. Not that I saw any of that. People adapted, adjusted, dancing close, confining their flourishes. Everybody got along, life seemed sweet and musical. It’s so sad that many of our fellow citizens would only see it as a waste because they can’t hear the music.

Source Sun Times

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Posted in dance debt disaster , dance steps , Dancing in Crisis 2011 , Merengue , Salsa , salsa dancing steps , Summer Dance

Rocking it, salsa style

Salsa is a type of Latin American dance that involves footwork coordinated in time to jazz and drum beats.

Until a decade ago, if you were to ask anyone about “Salsa”, they would have thought you were talking about the spicy Spanish tomato-based puree that goes with nachos.

But recently, the dance form, Salsa, which has nothing to do with its homonym, has become increasingly popular, not only in the western hemisphere, but throughout Asian countries as well.

“But it is important to keep in mind that salsa is under a category called ‘social dances', that is, dances that take place with a partner,” says Ms. Kokila, who has been teaching salsa since 2000.

Success of Salsa

Many patrons and fans of Salsa operate under the misconception that Salsa can be traced back to Spanish roots, but this is ncorrect. Salsa dancing arose out of Cuba, due to a mixture of West-African and native Latin American influences. The dance continued to have great success in the north American countries, because of its catchy jazz beats, rhythmic footwork and easy-to-learn steps.

A Chennai-ite who took up learning the dance at the Russian Cultural Centre, Chennai, says, “Yes, it was a fun class. There were people of all ages dancing, and it's not difficult to learn at all, especially when compared to other dance forms.”

Styles and Steps

There are many different varieties of Salsa that exist today, each having a unique name that either specifies the geographic location it originated from or the name of the dancer who was the first to popularise it. Each of these individual styles has a distinct characteristic, whether it be a more complex beat to follow or a twist in the basic footwork.

Small steps

The basics comprise small steps taken first by the right foot, then the left, and accompanied by a slight swaying movement of the hips.

Sheela Ram, who has done a course on Salsa dancing, says, “You can do it to any song, basically. When I was doing the course, they had general Salsa music playing all the time. All you had to do was step to the beat.”

As she so aptly stated, ‘stepping to the beat' is considered to be the trickiest part of mastering this dance.

Traditional Salsa music consists of triplet beats at rapid speed. Newer styles of Salsa music vary in their tunes and rhythms, but as Ms. Kokila puts it, “Salsa is all about the basics. Using a little bit of basics, you can dance and show off.

Once you know the basics, branching out to other styles of salsa becomes easier as well.”

************************

Best dancers

These individuals have not only been the best dancers during their time, but have also pioneered various forms of the dance.

Eddie Torres

Juan Matos

Frankie Martinez

Magna Gopal

Seaon Bristol

Leon Rose

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Fun facts

The name Salsa was not linked to the food, but to a dance teacher named Frankie Salsa, who lived in the 1930s.Columbian Salsa is known as “Cumbia”, while a Cuban-originated form of the same is known as “Casino”. Read on to see what the essential parts of a Salsa dancing costume are!

Women:

Flair-dress in red or black

Long, flowy skirt with a blouse

Heeled ballroom shoes

Men:

Slacks with a satin shirt

Short formal pants with satin shirt

Salsa shoes with hard soles

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Movies with salsa

Guess what? Your favourite actors have also jived to Salsa at one point or another!

Dhoom 2

Kal Ho Na Ho

Naqaab

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Kites

Step Up2

Dirty Dancing

Dance with me

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So salsa

Salsa is a type of Latin American dance that involves footwork coordinated in time to jazz and drum beats. Most forms of Salsa usually involve a partner. But there are two accepted alternate forms: “suelta”, which can be done as a solo routine, and “Rueda de Casino”, where up to eight people can participate by dancing in a circle and constantly switching partners.

Source Samvitha Ram

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Posted in Latin American dance , Rueda de Casino , Salsa , salsa dance , salsa dancing , salsa dancing steps

The Smithsonian Institute Honors Latin Music with A New Exhibition

The Smithsonian Institute has opened a new exhibition honoring Latin music. The title of this work is American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music. The exhibition includes a mix of panels, graphic works, audio material and musical instruments related to the development of Latin music in the United States.

American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music takes a look at the contributions that Latin music artists have produced in the US since the 1940s. The exhibition is an opportunity to explore the social conditions that provoked the birth of legendary stars like Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and Selena.

Geographically speaking, this unique cultural event focuses on five cities that have been shape to a large extent by Latinos. The exhibition covers the evolution of Latin music in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and San Antonio.

American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music will run between July and October at the Ripley Center in Washington DC. If you like Latin music and have the chance to be in the nation's capital during this time of the year, this exhibition is definitely a nice opportunity to learn more about the sabor (flavor) that has defined Latin music throughout the years.

Source  Carlos Quintana

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Posted in celia cruz , latin music , latino music , Latinos , Salsa , salsa dance , selena , tito puente

Getting to know Cuba

The colors, smells and energy are overwhelming

Arriving in Havana by night is only fair for your five senses. They would be overwhelmed if you arrived in the middle of a clear-blue Caribbean day.

Even still, you'll need all the olfactory, auditory and visual capacity you can muster to process a Havana night.

It's been a lifelong dream of mine to travel to Cuba, a dream that grew more desperate as Cuba's aging revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro, became more frail.

I wanted to see the Havana of legend, the '53 Chevys, the mansions of Batista's era faded to a dull, communist gray. I wanted to see the salsa clubs, the poverty and the passion of Castro's Cuba.

Most of all, I wanted to see people of Havana, the thriving masses of islanders stuck in neutral for more than 50 years, a people who prompt more curiosity world-wide than just about any country.
Havana after nightfall

When the sun falls to the west of the city, dips down below the Malecon and slides into the Caribbean Sea like an orange slice into a tropical drink, there sounds an inaudible call for the city's 3 million residents.

The street population swells with the fading light. The barrios that surround and make up La Habana Vieja, or old Havana, become little lighted worlds unto themselves. The old gather under streetlights to smoke cigars and play dominos and the young strut like peacocks in fiery, skin-tight fabrics of pink, orange or lime.

In the hotel district, the tree-lined Prado promenade offers a people-watching paradise. On its mosaic marble tiles tread the feet of Habaneros, the affectionate term for those Cubans who live in Havana. They filter out of the barrios in droves for a look at the bourgeois tourists inclined to wander no further than the verandas of the few restored hotels.

The afternoon siesta has ended by 6 p.m. Dinner is hours away and the Habaneros begin to visit the small bodegas, often just a barred window into which some pesos are passed before a hand extends with a shot of coffee, a bottle of water or beer. For many Cubans, this is the only allowable exchange of goods for money near the tourist centers.

After their first, and usually only, purchase of the night, it will be all window-shopping and American dreams for the hungry Habaneros.

I'm told that heat is always an issue in Havana, where the Centro area is typically several degrees warmer than the rest of the city due to high-density population, lack of green spaces and poor building design.

When you step outside the air-conditioned room in your hotel, the oppressive humidity bears down on you with all the force of a tropical storm. No material will make your clothes comfortable in this combination of heat and moisture, though linen feels better than cotton. No sooner have you dried yourself after a second or third shower of the day than your skin is damp again. The Habaneros would as soon walk around sans clothing, but a communist sense of modesty pervades the culture and prevents complete nudity.
The sound of Havana

Music pulses at all hours, directing the undulating crowds. Just under the riffles of jazz guitar, the scratchy maracas and the tropical pop of the bongo drums is the deeper, more-resonant sound of the African drums. You can't hear it exactly, it's almost as if they were played on that faraway continent in another time and carried here on the same jet stream that carries the big storms from the Sahara.

But you can feel the African drums in the marrow of your bones. The Habaneros feel it too, and they congregate in writhing clumps of torsos and limbs, a gyrating mass of brown, black and light skin in tune with the frenetic energy of the Havana night. There are no boundaries for the music or the dancing. Each could start sporadically inside a night club or on a dirty street corner.

There is electricity in the air. Light shows over Havana harbor stay in the distance, producing an anxiety that can only be soothed by the plop of hot raindrops, the reassurance that a tropical thunderstorm brings.

When the salsa clubs open around 9 p.m., the Habaneros move toward their favorite nightspots. The tourists migrate to the hotels where the salsa shows are practiced and safe, where plastic-fabricated clothing enhances the dance and the dancers are paid to play.

In the barrios, where the Habaneros dance in back-room bars to the beat of the Afro-Cuban All Stars and overdubbed salsa pop, clothing only accentuates the most flamboyant dancers, the good dancers let their skin and their moves produce the show.

Amidst the music and the tightly controlled motions of the most disciplined salsa dancers, there is a release of sorts. Waves of pent up energy are given off with each hip thrust and trumpet blast. And when the music subsides, for it never dies away completely, they wander back out into the streets with wide eyes, eager for the remains of the night.
In the wee hours

It is in the wee hours that you notice the rum bottles passed around. The sweet smell of it wafts over the scent of ficus trees and perfumed women, or chicas as the men call them. Around 2 p.m., the rhythm of the night plays a descending scale and hums along at a lower cadence and with sweeter melodies.

The heat doesn't seem quite so oppressive now and the Habaneros are on concrete benches, arms and legs intertwined, the bottles clinking against statues of Cuban heroes. It is at this moment that you can finally tear your eyes from the sights and sounds, your nose has become somewhat accustomed to the smells, just enough to wake you to the realization that you are tired.

This is the Havana I came to see, smell, touch and to hear. The city and its people were everything I imagined and perhaps even more vivid than the colors and smells conjured in my mind from photographs and descriptive stories.

Source TIMOTHY ALEX AKIMOFF

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Posted in Afro-Cuban All Stars , cuba , Cuban , dance salsa , Habaneros , Havana , Salsa

Rita Indiana Brings Merengue & Disco at LAMC

Dominican singer Rita Indiana gave her first of many performances, mixed with infectious merengue, an upbeat disco tempo and positive social energy, in advance of the the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC).

The small, private gathering took place at Drom Lounge in New York City’s trendy SoHo neighborhood Tuesday night.

“This song is for all the young, urban people who no one believes something will grow out of them,” Indiana said in Spanish upon performing her hit “Jardinera” (Gardener). “Where no one thinks anything will grow, grass begins to flourish.”

The crowd got an up-close-and-personal feel of Indiana’s vibe, artistic abilities and creativity – a sneak peek of what the Dominican singer and songwriter is cooking up for her performances this week at New York City’s S.O.B.s lounge.

“Sing with me!” Indiana asked her audience as the crowd began chanting with her excitedly.




She'll put on an acoustic show at S.O.B.'s and at Central Park’s Summerstage, where she'll join ChocQuibTown and Tropical Dance Party DJ’s Uproot Andy and Geko Jones.

After finishing her set, Indiana thanked her fans as a screen behind her began rolling the music video of her popular tune “La hora de volvé” (Time to Return). In it, the singer blends traditional Dominican music elements, such as el “merengue ripiaó,” (fast paced, old school meringue) with “la güira,” (metal percussion instrument played with a brush) while urging immigrants to come back home.

Source Alexandra J. Gratereaux

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Posted in 2011 Rita Indiana , Drom Lounge in New York City , LAMC , latin , Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) , merengue disco music , Rita Indiana , Salsa

Timba Classes Sweeping El Paso

EL PASO- An exercise routine started in the Borderland is growing in popularity.

It's called Timba and its creator, who lives in El Paso, is trying to take Timba to new heights.  He's hoping to make it the next popular form of exercise nation-wide.

The women at Tumbao Dance Studio in West El Paso are taking part in what could very well be the next exercise craze, Timba.

“Timba is an exercise system involving dance. Students learn Salsa, Cumbia, Merengue, Cha-cha-cha, Mambo, a bunch of different forms of Latin music,” said owner, Eddy Zayas.

“It's just the most fun workout. You don't even feel like you’re working out. You just feel like you're having fun, like a little kid again,” says June Peterson, who does Timba three times a week.

Zayas says he originated Timba in 1997 in Juarez after leaving his native Cuba. He brought the system to El Paso two years ago.  “We're trying to launch it across the U.S. We're going to Los Angeles. I have workshops in Miami, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio,” said Zayas.

Zayas has been dancing since he was a young boy and even became a professional dancer back in Cuba.
He recently went back to the island and shot a Timba video which he'll use to promote Timba.

Zayas said Timba not only helps you burn calories, but they  teach the moves, so you can learn how to dance.

“With Timba, we teach you where the steps come from, how to do them. We have more forms of dance than Zumba. I think we have five more than Zumba and it's as fun and you sweat,” said Zayas.

“I wasn't really trying to lose weight but I’ve lost five pounds and just toned up a lot,” said Peterson.

Peterson is one of about 500 people who take Zayas's classes.

Zayas says he's proud of his Cuban culture and grateful to have the opportunities he's found here in the Borderland.

“Because of the system in Cuba, it's very difficult to have your own business,” said Zayas.  “I’m so happy of my roots and to be able to share it through dance.”

The classes are held Monday through Friday in the morning and evening. For more information on schedule and prices visit: http://www.tumbaodancestudio.com/

Source Oralia Ortega

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Posted in best timba dance 2011 , Cha-cha-cha , cuban culture , Cumbia , El Paso , latin music , Mambo , Merengue , Salsa , salsa circuit 2011 , Timba

Bollywood grooves to salsa, latino beats

I wanna tell you ‘bout a dance that’s goin’ around, everybody’s doin’ it from the grownups down”. The famous Rolling Stones number holds good right now for Bollywood, which is completely smitten by salsa and tango.

Though Aisha was not a hit, it was a treat to watch Abhay Deol, Sonam Kapoor and Lisa Hayden in a salsa number in the romantic comedy.

Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan scorched the screen with their fast-paced sensuous salsa moves in Kites. In Guzaarish, Hrithik once again mesmerised with his adrenaline rushing performance, while Aishwarya Rai -Bachchan impressed with her flamenco moves.

“International dance formats have always been eye-catching and people make it a point to stop and watch them. With the repeated display of these techniques on the small screen through dance reality shows, the interest of the masses has grown in them,” said choreographer Sandip Soparrkar.

An expert in ballroom dance, Soparrkar was the man behind Hrithik-Kangana’s dream-like dance moves in Kites.

“People are surprised when they see Indians perform ballroom dancing. But Bollywood is becoming international. People need to know that our country is not just about buffaloes and snake charmers,” said the dancer who won the European Ballroom Champion for nine years with his partner Ewa Maria.
It’s true that the new lot of choreographers are not shying away from trying new dance forms in Hindi movies, but it was Shiamak Davar who introduced jazz-infused contemporary dance with the Shah Rukh Khan-Madhuri Dixit-Karishma Kapoor starrer Dil Toh Pagal Hai, telling the tale of a dance-drama troupe.
Soon after, these new forms replaced the jhatkas, matkas and pelvic thrusts. Beautifully choreographed jazz was hugely appreciated in Dhoom (2004), followed by the locking-and-popping in Lakshya (2004), contemporary in Naach (2004), salsa in Honeymoon Travels (2007), and Bollywood-style Broadway in Aaja Nachle (2007).

“While hip-hop has been making inroads into Hindi cinema for some time, other dance styles went unnoticed. Break dance got recognition because of pop legend Michael Jackson,” said choreographer duo Bosco-Cesar.

With films such as Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji, Saat Khoon Maaf and Patiala House, the trend will continue.
“I choreographed a sensuous tango piece for Priyanka Chopra in Vishal Bharadwaj’s Saat Khoon Maaf. I also did a salsa number for Ajay Devgan in Madhur Bhandarkar’s movie, ‘Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji’,” said Soparrkar.

“Reality dance shows and choreographers like Terrence, Remo and Shiamak have educated the masses about the various dance formats through television.” said Bosco.
But, has it overshadowed the typical Bollywood dancing?

Sandeepa Dhar, a trained dancer and debutante actor of Isi Life Mein, said Bollywood dance will never die, and the new dance forms have a long way to go.

“The typical Bollywood dance is a mix of jhatkas and matkas that will never die. But it’s amazing to see that the industry is giving space to these international dance forms. People have had enough of the same old style,” said Sandeepa.

“The international dance formats are at in their initial stages in our country right now while the typical masala dancing has been there for many years. They might co-exist but neither can take over the other’s place.”

Source IANS

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Posted in latin dance , Salsa , salsa dance , salsa dancing , tango

Which workout should you pick?

With dozens of new fitness studios opening in Indian cities, you now have access to a wide range of workouts to stay fit, well beyond the regular gyms. Life's in a rut?

Try some salsa and kickboxing to take care of that extra energy. Want to shed some kilos? Start spinning and weight training. Want to work on flexibility and core? How about some yoga and zumba? The choices are endless. Here are 10 easily available workouts that you can choose from today...and why they might be perfect for you!

Zumba: An hour of high intensity zumba can burn 400 to 600 calories, while strengthening your core and engaging your muscles. Add dance like movements, fun tracks to move to and you've got yourself a workout that you'll enjoy. Zumba comprised of a set of high tempo aerobic and bodyweight exercises, and has progressively difficult stages for those of you who believe in truly pushing yourself to achieve fitness results.

Zumba fact: Make sure that you progress in movements and engagement to avoid hitting an early plateau.

Kickboxing: If you're looking for a great fat burning and body toning workout that keeps you coming back, then kickboxing is the workout for you. Kickboxing burns approximately 800-900 calories per hour and builds speed, agility, strength and good form through some basic moves. Moves are combined and intensified to form workout routines that could even involve sparring, if you're up for it. Kickboxing is creating waves in most Indian cities as the new get-fit-now workout routine.

Kickboxing fact: Be prepared to sweat. A lot. Remember - the slower you move, the lesser you workout and the fewer the calories burnt per hour.

Spinning: Every second gym or fitness studio offers group-spinning classes with dedicated instructors. Several outdoor cyclists opt for spinning in the monsoon or winter months as a decent alternative to outdoor cycling workouts. Choose spinning workouts if you're looking to build stamina and resistance.

Spinning fact: Be prepared for a room full of sweaty folks with loud music (sometimes even disco lights!) and an instructor with a headset. To get the most out of a spinning workout – pay attention to what the instructor says.

Cycling workouts: If it's the real thing you want, then you don't even need a gym to start sweating it out on a cycle. Try urban cycling workouts. If biking through the city makes you feel nervous, simply go for early morning rides when the streets are empty and the air is fresh. An hour of moderate cycling can burn anything from 400 to 800 calories an hour, giving you a well-rounded workout that'll grow on you as you get used to cycling through your city's streets.

Cycling fact: Invest in a good bicycle and protective gear. Time yourself, and experiment with uphill and downhill cycling – yes, your city can offer you all this and more.

Skipping workouts: If you can jump rope for 10 minutes, then the skipping workouts might help solve your dilemma of how to clock daily workouts. Skipping as a cardio activity can easily be alternated with bodyweight exercises for a home workout. Since it's quite taxing, skipping burns approx. 400-500 calories an hour. Of course, skipping for an hour is near impossible for us mortal souls, but you can target 15 minute sessions spread through the day for similar results.

Skipping fact: Target a set number of revolutions. Buy a skipping rope with an in-built counter, and set goals of 100, 200, 300, or 500 revolutions in the shortest time.

Dancing workouts: With studios offering everything from street jazz to salsa and bollywood bhangra these days, Dancing is increasingly available to us city folk. Dancing engages your core, builds on your muscle range of motion through functional moves and keeps your heart pumping for that cardiovascular goodness. Although dancing workouts start out as low intensity, as you progress, they get tougher and therefore burn more calories eventually.

Dancing fact: Be sure to invest in a good pair of dancing shoes, and remember – the key is progression, so work hard to move up to higher levels.

Yoga: While yoga may not aid quick weight loss in its slower forms, it works wonders for joint flexibility, core strength and muscle tone. Forms like Iyengar yoga and Power yoga have made their presence felt in several new fitness studios that promise body-sculpting results as well. With 250-350 calories burnt per hour, yoga is a great way to stay in shape for those looking to maintain rather than lose. All you need is a yoga teacher and a yoga mat.

Yoga fact: Yoga also helps improve posture and breathing technique, which helps us fight daily stress more effectively.

Aerobics: Simple aerobic classes focus entirely on cardiovascular exercise. This can be as intensive as you want it to be. From 300 to 600 calories burnt per hour, aerobics depends on quick movements to build momentum and encourage weight loss as a by-product. A great way to avoid lifestyle diseases like diabetes and hypertension, aerobics class are now increasingly adding elements of resistance and strength to take their workouts further.

Aerobics fact: Simply practicing the same aerobics movements everyday isn't enough. Progression in intensity is key to reaping maximum benefits from aerobic activity.

Weight training: Weight training is a highly effective method to stay fit well into your middle to older years. As we age, our body's metabolic rate decreases. Through weight training, we build more muscle and evade slow metabolism since muscle burns calories more efficiently. Choose between weight training at the gym, or buying weights and following a home workout, but weight training is one of the best practices for healthy weight management, and immunity boosting.

Weight training fact: The right diet, rich in essential food groups is essential for a weight-training programme. You need to nourish your body to follow stringent weight training workouts. Read more Personal Health, Diet & Fitness stories on www.healthmeup.com.

Source Sasha Gusain

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Posted in calories , diet , exercises , kickboxing , Salsa , stress , top 2011 best workout , workouts , zumba

Who is DJ Torqueo?

 Steve or better known as Dj Torqueo who is so admirable with his great performance.

Alex was born in Brighton, England in 1984 and moved to Michigan in 1992. A recent graduate of the University of Michigan Engineering School, he is currently looking for a "real world" job. He has been DJing for about 7 years and has recorded 8 live sessions, including 4 in the past 2 years. He has studied music since he was young and is an avid drummer/percussionist. Alex first got involved in the Electronic music scene when he heard Prodigy's "Firestarter" in 1998. 

He bought his first set of decks a year later and never looked back. He plays constantly across UK, his versatile style remarks him to play at the hottest exclusive salsa venues, guesting and fantastic feedback from every events and a number of international Congress bookings confirmed. He can spark the night and hit the dance floor by playing a good mix of Mambo, Cha-cha-cha , Salsa to name a few.  His passion through Latin Music inspires many DJs nowadays.You can download two of his most recent sets by going to the DJ Torque website at http://waxdj.com/djs/2873/about.php.

DJ Torqueo

Cafe Mambo

Here are the Top Ten  Salsa Music  for  September 2010

01. Pachapo y el Super Tumbao - Bacalao Salao

02. Johnny Ventura - La Negra Cacha

03. Conjunto Diamante - Te Necessito (Torqueo Edit)

04. Bobby Montez - The Parisians (DJ Duste Remix)

05. Ray Olan - El Music

06. Los Dementes - Pa'l 23

07. Monguito Santamaria - Oye Lo Que Digo

08. Mario Ortiz - Se Acabo El Bembe

09. Roberto Roena - Consolacion

10. Oscar D'Leon - Oye Lo Que Traigo

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Posted in Dance , DJ Torqueo , Djing , latin music , Salsa , Salsa Congress

Welcome to Salsa Circuit

 What is  Salsa Circuit?

Salsa Circuit is the premier website connecting people across the globe through Latin news, music, dance and events. It is a global phenomenon that brings together Hispanics and Salsa enthusiasts. We aim to expand worldwide to cover salsa events and promote its rhythm in hope to make waves and spread this evolving craze in every major city in the world
 

Why Salsa Circuit?

A Growing Hispanic Market
There is a growing population of internet users across the world. The number of Hispanics online is estimated to grow rapidly in the next year exceeding 22 million users. according to an eMarketer report. A lot of Hispanic internet users consider the internet as a reliable source of brand, product and purchase decisions. Let Salsa Circuit connect your brand to the online Hispanic market.


Enjoy Reliable Cost-Effective Service

Enjoy maximum exposure with millions of visitors at SalsaCircuit.com. If you are looking for ways to reach your target customers and increase your visibility, call us now so we can provide solutions to your advertising needs.

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Posted in Dance , dance lessons , dance salsa , dance steps , dance video , hispanic market , hispano , latin dance , latin music , Salsa , salsa circuit , Salsa Congress , salsa dance , salsa dance steps , salsa lessons

Contact us

We'd love to hear from you!
Feel free to contact us @ 1-877-321-6060
Email: info@salsacircuit.com

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Posted in dance salsa , Salsa , salsa circuit