London Salsa Scene: Your Salsa Letters, Your Salsa Views

The Best of London Salsa Classes, Salsa Clubs, Salsa Events in London & the UK
Founder of the Official Fan Club for Latin Music & London’s Carnival de Cuba

We would like to apologise for any weird stuff you are experiencing currently as we are re-launching the site. Weird stuff off-site is your own affair.
Editor: 07979 280 283 editor@londonsalsascene.co.uk

Best of London Salsa: Your Letters 17 Jan 08


	As Salsa Live Bites the Dust, Gringo Rumbero Saddles up for Bournemouth Weekend

It is now unfortunately obvious that the Warner’s Spring Bank Holiday LIVE SALSA FEST, has now passed into history. Perhaps Boogaloo Promotions will put it on at some future date with another holiday organisation.
   A pretty good alternative, for those who prefer a more laid back and relaxing weekender, including a live band, is the LATIN FESTIVAL PARADISE to be held at Bournemouth,
from Fri 18th April - Sun 20th April 08.
   Event organiser is Latino Beat, Bournemouth’s premier organiser. The weekend consists of 2 days of workshops and 3 evening parties, with classes at different venues in the town. Robert Charlemagne heads the list of over 18 guest teachers.
   I personally have not experienced any problem with events held in different venues, but I suppose it’s not much fun with torrential rain and a force 8 gale. Parking can be a problem in Bournemouth, but there is a good taxi service. The cost of weekend passes are £49 up to 29 Feb, £55 up to 31 Mar, £60 up to 17 April, £65 Door. Special accommodation deals are available through Latino Beat from £30 ppn. To book: Tel 01202 421104 info@latinobeat.co.uk www.latinobeat.co.uk. The Gringo Rumbero
CLICK HERE TO COMMENT ON THIS STORY
salsa at Hayling Island & Bournemouth

Warner Leisure Hotels launch a host of dance weekenders this year. There is a beginners only Salsa Weekender at the Sinah Warren resort on 14 March 2008.
Learn to Dance Latin focuses on Rumba and Cha cha cha at Sinah Warren on 25 February and Lakeside on 28 April, both resorts on Hayling Island. Meanwhile, Belly Dancing for Beginners launches at the Sinah Warren resort
on 25 April 2008.
Learn to Irish Dance at the Lakeside Resort, Hayling Island and Alvaston Hall,
both weekends on the 14 March 2008.
For more on the full range of Warners new dance breaks: 0800 1388 399 www.warnerleisurehotels.co.uk We will have full reports on these new dance weekends soon. Editor

Best London Salsa: Your Letters Monday 17th Dec 2007

Robert Charlemagne’s Salsa Emergercy!

I’ve scratched by my favourite CD - Dance City by Tito Puente and Eddie Torres. I think it’s out of stock everywhere. Is there anybody out there who knows where I can buy it again? Robert Charlemagne, Salsa Nation
We’ve said to Robert we’d get the word out there! Can anybody help? CLICK HERE to comment
(Right: Robert Charlemagne photographed by London Salsa Scene’s Miguel del Foto).

CUBA’S FINEST RELEASE NEW ALBUM - OUR
COOL CAT POLICE STAFF CAN’T FIND IT SALSA
EMERGENCY NER NER NER NER NER NER!!!

Van Van the Man Man

SALSA EMERGENCY NER NER IT’S ALRIGHT FOR YOU LOT WHO DON’T HAVE TO WORK...

JUAN FORMELL Y LOS VAN VAN “AQUI EL QUE BAILA GANA” - Planet Records announces the WORLD PREMIERE release of the overdue Double CD + DVD LIVE from the mythic Cuban Grammy Award-winners.
In the making for two intense years, this is the definitive Van Van collection. The double CD was recorded during the

Best Places to do Cuban Salsa at Weekends?

triumphant 2005 Tour, while the DVD was shot during the 2005 Tour last concert at the Havana Karl Marx Theatre by award-winning director Ian Padron using 20 TV cameras and audio/light systems that no tropical music band has ever had at their disposal before.
All Van Van’s classics are featured with special guests and all the band’s historic singers from the last 30 years, Pedrito Calvo included.
AN ESSENCIAL DOUBLE CD + A DVD FOR FANS OF THE SOLD-OUT CONCERTS AND FOR THE MILLIONS OF LATIN MUSIC LOVERS! DJ Melao

I am a passionate Cuban salsa dancer for 2 years now and am looking for a good venue for Friday's/Saturday's.
I work a lot, so cannot make it to clubs. during the week. Do you know of any good venues? Do they also offer classes, I would really like to start Rueda as well as Casino. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Michael
We would suggest checking out: www.afrocuban.co.uk ED
CLICK HERE to comment

I’M TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET HOLD OF THE VAN VAN CD - no luck with the Planet Records I found on the web - they’re not stockists. CAN ANYBODY HELP? Ed. EMAIL US (Our highly trained police cat on the trail)


	DUBLIN’S DJ GARY TO THE RESCUE!!!


	In case you're still searching, the Los Van Van CD+DVD "Aqui El Que Baila Gana" is available now - CLICK HERE for just under £12 :-) DJ Gary, Dublin, Ireland. Thanks Gary, you’re a star - the album has just been released (22 December) and is a must buy. Ed *CLICK HERE to comment*

Win Your Christmas Present From Us!

TO CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH OF THE FAN CLUB FOR LATIN MUSIC - NUEVO RITMOS - WE HAVE LOADS OF GREAT MUSIC TO GIVE AWAY IN OUR CHRISTMAS COMPETITION. WE WILL AWARD CDS TO THE BEST LETTER TOO! JUST CLICK HERE TO EMAIL US, INCLUDING THE WORDS NUEVO RITMOS COMPETITION IN THE SUBJECT LINE WITH YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, PREFERABLY A LANDLINE AND YOUR LOCAL CLUB***. Competition closes: 5th January 2008; 1 entry per person. Ed

Best of London Salsa: Your Letters


	Salsa Ain’t Just for Latinos!


	Hi Ed - I just read the letter fom Latina Annie (See Letters). First, I would like to say in response "lighten up" Salsa is not a religion. I also don't think it belongs to just one group of people. Latin people who, like most of us, are a mixture of different races, are not the only ones to have passion and feeling and I don't believe that you have to be born with it.

Passion and 'feeling' (?) can come to any one of us at any time and is not owned by any one culture. I dance and I teach. I most certainly have passion for dancing and the women I dance with. I do not, like just about all the dancers I know, dance salsa for fashion. I dance because it makes me feel fantastic, (Is that enough of a 'feeling'?) and because I love to socialise with people from so many different countries.
If I was teaching solely for the money I would have given up long ago. I teach because I love to pass on my knowledge, to then see these students take what I have shown them and develop it in their own way. The knowledge no longer belongs to me. It’s theirs to do what they like with it. Salsa has evolved from how it was first danced, as has the music. You can choose to dance it how you like and, no one particular way is right.




		*Diablo Cats Dance Purformance Company prove Ginger Toms and Tabbies salsa with feeling and passion.*

If you can keep time with the music, your partner can follow you and, most importantly, you are both enjoying yourselves then, I don't think anyone has the right to tell you that what you are doing is wrong.
So, come on Annie, think positive thoughts, not negative. Don't hide yourself away with just one group of people. Go out and mix and accept what other people have to give you. If people like the way you dance they will copy you. But be prepared for them then to change it! Philippe Retourne, www.salsadanceparties.co.uk Looks like non-Latinos can write with feeling and passion too - over to you, Latinas, Latinos and others - agree or disagree? We’ll post your comments here! Ed. London Salsa, 19 Jan 07.

*Best of London Salsa: YOUR LETTERS*

		Orquesta La Verdad Debut Album is the Heart of New York - DJ El Chino

	Hola amigos, para hoy les quiero recomendar el album debut de LA VERDAD que viene quemando directamente desde Nueva York. Esta orquesta esta fue formada por por los vocalistas Armando "Tito" Tam y Carlos Rosario quienes lograron agrupar a algunos de los musicos mas prestigiosos de la gran manzana, entre ellos podemos nombrar a Pablo "Chino" Nuñez quien tambien interpreta el piano, el bajo y claro, los timbales, el vocalista Frankie Vasquez entre otros. espero lo disfruten ;) Track: Nueya York; artist: Orquesta La Verdad. Album: "From a different perspective" (2007) New York contacta a LA VERDAD: Email: Armando "Tito" Tam (armandotam@sbcglobal.net ) Website: www.infamous.net www.myspace.com/mandoinfamous baja/download: "El Todopoderoso" http://www.sendspace.com/file/h3l44o *DJ El Chino, London Salsa Post Saturday June 9*

		Carnival de Cuba Gets its own Song

		Hey did you know that Sur Caribe has written a new conga especially for the London carnival? "De La Habana Hasta Londres" I don't think it's avaibable yet, as far a sI know it's very recent, but I expect they'll play it at the concert. Michelle White, June 8, London Salsa

		TIMIMG IS EVERYTHING

	YOUR LETTER NO1: Hi Editor, I would like to find out more about timing and where I can purchase CDs on this. Many thanks, Ruth YOUR LETTER NO2: Hi Editor, Do you know any specialist Latin/Salsa music shop I can go to, to get this record by Mike Bello? I asked Imogen yesterday and she said this is the “counting” record. These CDs are not on Virgin, HMV or Amazon, Thanks, Pamela London Salsa Post, Thurs 24 May GOT ANY HELPFUL HINTS ON TIMING and TIMING CDs? CLICK HERE TO EMAIL US!

Best of London Salsa: MORE OF YOUR LETTERS 15 Oct


	*LONDON SALSA SCENE EXCLUSIVE: OUR HIDDEN CAMERA REVEALS...*


	Morris Men Dancing to Madonna’s Greatest Hits: We Have Proof!

Once again Strictly Come Dancing will be on our screens. There is no doubt that this TV programme has boosted the number of people attending salsa classes; at least that is the case with my local club. However in my opinion salsa has been consistently misrepresented on this show.
The problem is that it is organised and run mainly in conjunction with the Ballroom Mafia. For instance Chris Marques & Jaclyn Spencer although no doubt worthy champions, won the UKA competition, which is the competition recognised by the Ballroom Fraternity. Last year at one point there was featured a display of mambo dancing led by them. It appeared that




	*Secretly filmed outside Madge and Guy Ritchie’s Wiltshire pad - Morris Men dancing to Pappa Don’t Preach.* spot Mad

all the couples involved apart from Chris & Jaclyn were ballroom dancers. Why were they not salsa dancers?
   I was watching the ice dance competition on TV during the last Winter Olympics when to my surprise, I noticed that during a salsa sequence, the skaters were competing using real salsa music, tunes that I recognised. So why is virtually no authentic salsa music ever used at the salsa stage of the competition?
   You will never see Morris dancers dance to Madonna, so why should salsa be danced to Lionel Ritchie, or as Brendon Cole did, to Hot Hot Hot? Did he not know that this is soca not salsa? Although not the case in other dance forms, the music is the cornerstone of salsa and includes some of the most exciting dance music known today.
   As an extremely entertaining dance, salsa performed by top salsa dancers needs no added artifice, posing and posturing; so why can't it be represented as it is? Richard M.




		*Material Girl: we spotted this on Madge’s sideboard.*


	I am not Richard M!

	Dear Editor, Morris Men Dancing to Madonna's Greatest Hits: We Have Proof! Disclaimer: The article above was recently published on the londonsalsascene.info site and I have been approached on several occasions by people asking if I was the author. I would, therefore, like to take this opportunity to make it clear that Richard M. who penned it was not Richard Marcel. Richard Marcel (pic right)

WHAT DO YOU THINK? AND WHO IS THE MYSTERIOUS GRINGO RUMBERO? CLICK HERE TO TELL US - WE WILL PUBLISH YOUR REPLIES

London Salsa: London Salsa Scene Problem Page


	I’m on my first date; but where do I take my girl to dine and dance?

Dear Ed,
I haven’t been dancing very long but I met this gorgeous girl and you know, we’ve had a few dances together. She’s agreed to go out on a date with me tonight (Friday 27), a sort of a date, maybe it’s not, anyway we’re going out together.
We said we’d go for a meal, salsa class and club, make an evening of it. Trouble is,
I’m not sure where to take her - what should
I do?

Dave, Fulham
Ed Replies:
Dave, anyone who’s that unsure whether he’s on a date or not is definitely on a date. Check out our events page, tonight only - Mambo City Congress; Afro Cuban Jam, last Friday of every month; Tito’s in London Bridge; Salsa! on the Charing Cross Cross; a great vibe, but not cheap - Floridita in Soho; try cocktails and dinner at La Bodeguita del Medio in Kensington, but no dancing.
But you’ve got us thinking. Where are the HOTTEST SALSA SPOTS in town and beyond to DRINK, DINE & DANCE RIGHT NOW??? WHERE IS THE VIBE??? We’re going to find ‘em for you!!! It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it. If you’ve got recommendations CLICK HERE to email us. And Dave - don’t forget to write in and let us know how the hot date went!
London Salsa in Heathrow, Seven Sisters, London Bridge, Soho and Kensington Friday 27 April 2007

©London Salsa Scene is an online, independent magazine guide covering salsa and the Latin lifestyle in London and beyond. The views published are not necessarily those of the Editor. All rights reserved. London Salsa Scene retains Copyright over all the articles and photographs published on this website - it is an infringement of that right to use this material elsewhere without our written permission. Disclaimer: London Salsa Scene publishes information on behalf of promoters, organisers, dancers and others in good faith but is not responsible if these events are cancelled, altered or if performers and instructors billed not not appear; this is exclusive liability and responsibility of the event organiser.


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