The Best of Salsa Classes, Salsa Clubs, Salsa Events Co-Author "Find the Rhythm" and Founder of London's Carnival de Cuba
LONDON SALSA SCENE - OXFORD GALLERY Dateline: 11th March 2010
CLICK HERE for Salsa Calientita's Smokin' Class Act
LONDON SALSA SCENE'S BEST SALSA WEEKENDERS Salsa Calientita's Grand Oxford Salsa Weekend Tuesday 10 March 2009
Grand Chilled Friendly Party Vibe Alive and Well at Oxford Weekend
The Grand Oxford Salsa Weekend has done it again - if anything, the vibe was more friendly and chilled - this one's as classy as it gets. The setting at the Heytrop Hotel in Oxford, Friday 5th - Monday 8th March looks like a stately home, the setting for a posh Morse murder mystery. But the only murder here was on the dance floor! The party vibe was full on, and hosts Salsa Calientita's Clay and Debbie Thomas promise an even bigger and better event next year! Featuring Susana Montero, Super Mario, Marchant and Davina, Miguel Monteiro and more, this is the weekender for salseros looking for style, elgance, comfort and a really relaxed vibe. London Salsa Scene's Miguel de las Fotos caught all the highlights - CLICK HERE to view our all new gallery! (Above: Ladies in Red Dance showcase with Coleen and Miriam)More: www.salsacalientita.co.uk www.salsapromotionsuk.co.uk email: salsacalientita@yahoo.co.uk tel: 07973 390440
PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE LONDON SALSA SCENE'S MIGUEL DE LAS FOTOS - TO HIRE THE LONDON SALSA SCENE TEAM - 0797 280 283
CLICK HERE FOR MIGUEL DE LAS FOTOS ALL NEW OXFORD GALLERY
Super Mario and friend, Grand Salsa Weekend, Oxford. Photo by Super Miguel de las Fotos.the Million Fotos Man! Call: 07734 72 1983 to hire for your event.
CLICK HERE To See Super Mario's Most Excellent Oxford Routine!
ALONG WITH A 350 SELL-OUT CROWD AT SALSA CALIENTITA'S GRAND OXFORD WEEKENDER FRIDAY 6TH-MONDAY 9TH MARCH, SUPER MARIO CAME TO RELAX, CHILL OUT AND ENJOY THE PARTY VIBE. LOOKING GOOD MARIO!!! This year, organisers Clay and Debbie Thomas were obliged to move their popular weekender from its usual place in Folkestone to the Heythrop Park Hotel in Entstone, near Oxford. Despite the move, the vibe remained absolutely unchanged - the Grand Salsa Weekend was as friendly and relaxed as ever. Maybe even more so - every year, this weekend gets better and better. With a line up including Marchant and Davina, Tamambo, Leon Rose, - not to mention Super Mario - and more, partying until the wee hours with dancers, you're bound to get a buzz going. It's now a toss up whether the event stays at the new location - great food, stylish hotel, the dance floor was not so big, but we're promised more space next time, or goes back to Folkestone. For my money, who cares, this is one of the friendliest, chilled party vibes around - and would be, wherever they decide to hold it! More: www.salsacalientita.co.uk Debbie & Clay 01753 535009 or 07973 390440
DO YOU WANT FOLKESTONE OR OXFORD for 2010? CLICK HERE TO EMAIL US WITH YOUR VIEWS!
YOUR LETTERS - We asked you for your views - this is what you said! Thursday 12th March 2009
You Vote for OXFORD! The People Get What the People Want!
"
This is the 4th time I have been on the Grand Salsa Weekend.
If asked to choose between Folkestone and Enstone, I would choose Heythrop Park Hotel next year (not the Burstin Hotel in Folkestone) as the food was far better quality, the ambiance put everyone in a holiday mood and the bedrooms were much better...so much more comfortable. The workshops and evening dancing were excellent - great fun as in previous years.
Mark's cat lost his cool when he went to buy a round of drinks.
Next year, if the Grand Salsa Weekend is at the Heythrop Park Hotel, a superior quality sprung wooden floor 2x the size is needed, the dance floor last weekend was woefully inadequate in size and there were sharp edges around the perimeter to catch your shoes on if you were not ultra careful....it's always best to have everyone in a huge dance hall as this creates a more fun party atmosphere, rather than have people split up in several dance halls...and please do not use a carpeted room as a dance studio..... Oh and someone ought to tell the hotel the reason why their bar income was probably really really low was because the bar prices were sky high ! For example, on Friday evening, I ordered two glasses of wine and an orange juice, and paid £13.00 ! Quite a few very thirsty salsa dancers just drank tap water after the shock of their first visit to the bar! Despite the dance floor and the bar prices, I really enjoyed the event. To put on such a smooth running very enjoyable weekend at a new venue, is surely proof that the weekend overall was as good as in previous years at Folkestone.
Regards, Mark
(Full name supplied.)
Oxford - not Folkestone, please!
Kim R. (Full name supplied)
lLONDON SALSA SCENE MIGUEL DEL FOTO's REVIEW IN PICTURESTUESDAY 21st April 2009
Tony Lara & Daniela's Bachatango Paradise for Latin Festival Dancers
Catch the vibe - the faces tell the story! All photos by www.londonsalsascene.co.uk's Miguel del Foto - 07734 72 1983 to hire Miguel.
CHECK OUT THE VIBE - CLICK HERE FOR MIGUEL DE LAS FOTO'S 2009 FESTIVAL GALLERY! CLICK HERE FOR OUR 2008 REVIEW!
FOR FLAVA, VIBE, FRIENDLINESS AND CHILL-OUT X-FACTOR, LATINO BEAT'S 5TH FESTIVAL PARADISE at the Carrington House Hotel, Bournemouth on Friday 3rd- Sunday 5th April has got IT. Tony Lara and Daniela had the crowd eating out of their hands. Their showcase was fun, musically well judged and executed with a refreshingly light touch. In day-time workshops, they wowed dancers with their introduction to sensual fusion genre Bachatango, showing how danceable Bachata-Tango music can be. This is a sizzling double quarter pounder of Latin flavas, served with extra hot bachata and hotter tango, with the potential to be a dance floor powder keg. The fiesty cocktail of Latin flavas continued with workshops on Cuban style, son, mambo reggaeton and performances delivered by the likes of headliners Leo Henriquez, Marchant Birch & Davina and more. Hero of the hour was Salsa Caribe's Susan Hacking who stepped into the breach when fellow instructor Ariel Rios Robert was delayed to deliver a stonking workshop on Cuban body movement. With three late night parties and live music from salsa crew Cache, this weekender serves up a Latin feast with all the right ingredients. This is one weekender where B&B accommodation added to the vibe - our hosts were friendly and hospitable, accommodation very comfortable. It was good not to feel bound to dine in the hotel or resort and have the freedom to explore Bournemouth and find interesting places to eat in the evening. We found Coriander, a great Mexican place - so you can max out on salsa as well as enjoying a more rounded weekend than some. Last year, we said this weekender was the surprise winner and was going to grow and grow. This year, the Latin Festival Paradise lived up to it's promise and we're predicting an even bigger and better event in 2010 - this is one to watch! Editor
Salsa Kingdom Review Wednesday, 17th September 2008
SALSA KINGDOM - BRING IT ON!
Nothing is more satisfying than attending a festival that's worth every second of the six hours spent travelling to get there. Salsa Kingdom, Camelot Theme Park on 5th-8th September was an incredible event and one that should be in everyone's diaries for next year, writes London Salsa Scene's competition winner Heidi Clark. The venue was ideal with spacious dance areas for the workshops; a choice of bars and places to eat, and a great club to shake your booty in the evening, plus loads of parking space. Workshops were hosted by some of the best teachers/performers known to salsa, which gave me the opportunity to experience a flavour of the different dance styles, i.e. Afro-Cuban with Rafael De Busto, Latin Hip Hop Fusion with Maria Torres and Jermaine Brown, Ladies Styling with Susanna Montero, Reggaeton and La Rueda with Moe Flex, Cha-Cha Shines with Tito and Tamara… the list goes on. The club venue was big enough to accommodate everyone and had raised levels to overlook the dance floor. We were really spoilt with superb live bands; New Swing Sextet on Friday and Eddie Palmieri on Saturday. Both bands were tight and had the floor jumping.
I was in for a real treat with the dance shows produced and choreographed by Maria Torres and Jermaine Brown, who presented Salsa Kingdom with performances from some of the world's best salsa dancers. The standard of presentation was absolutely superb and the performances were outstanding. Huge credit goes to those who worked behind the scenes to keep the festival running smoothly. They worked so hard! There were some lovely touches to the weekend. One in particular was spending Sunday afternoon dancing outside in the courtyard to Palenke playing live. It brought everyone outside to chat, dance and generally soak up the relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Even the sun shone through the clouds for us. I was scheduled to head home around 4pm, but I was having such a good time that I couldn't resist staying on to enjoy the rest of the day. The evening's dance show was followed by a sensational firework display in honour of Celia Cruz. I then danced in the club until midnight before driving home. Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep before work the next day, but the buzz I got from having such a fantastic time kept me going. For more on next year's event: call 07977 134 927 or visit: www.salsakingdom.co.uk
Intrepid reporter Heidi Clark went North for the launch of Salsa Kingdom. Report filed: Wednesday, 17th September 2008.
LONDON SALSA REVIEW - Salsasplash, Hayling Island - AUGUST 08
Salsa Reloaded Mambo City-style
Now we know what keeps dancers going back year on year to this event. This is a salsa break with knobs on, that manages to combine a sense of style and occasion with a chilled, laid back vibe. This year, the event pulled in a crowd of celebrities, including Marilyn Monroe, Super Mauricio, Mahatma Ghandi (Lloyd Dixon looking very fetching in not very much), a pride of Catwomen, and an outbreak of smurfs.....
CLICK HERE to see our Gallery!CLICK HERE to read our Review !
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