Here’s a presentation of the instructors of the fifth edition of Leuven Salsa Festival, of the workshops they’ll present and of our dj’s!
- Alex & Flo
Alex holds a degree in fashion design. For a long time, he practiced martial arts and sports climbing. Then he studied at the National Sports Academy, where in 2003 he won first place at the Inner Gymnastic Championship. Before discovering dances, Alex was a professional stunt and in only 2 years he participated in 12 American film productions, featuring famous Hollywood artists. In the year 2000 Alex found himself incidentally at a salsa party in Sofia. He became so enthusiastic about salsa that he started taking classes immediately. At the beginning it was just fun and a good way of relaxing after a hard training day, but dancing salsa is a magic that quickly turns into a profession and a way of living!
Flo’s biggest passion was drawing, until she discovered dancing. She participated in various international art exhibitions and competitions, where she won a great number of prizes. She studied at the English Language School in her home city and then moved to Sofia to study arts. She ended up with a MA in Literature. She tried all kinds of dances from folklore to ballroom dances, contemporary dance and many others. She participated in many shows and dance competitions. In 1998 Flo discovered salsa, which became her big passion. She traveled to Cuba and on her return she got actively involved in dancing and teaching salsa. Flo has participated in many concerts and shows. She has performed in various musical, advertising and artists videos.
Alex & Flo started dancing as a couple in 2001. They were first working in Bulgaria (they are still the organizers of the Bulgarian National Salsa Competition and the BG Salsa Weekend that are held every year) and then moved to Brussels teaching in Brussels and travelling very regularly to congresses worldwide for workshops or shows.
Workshops
Alex & Flo will propose two partnerwork workshops salsa on1, one at beginner-intermediate level and a second one at intermediate-advanced level. Flo will also propose a ‘Ladies’ styling’ workshop on Saturday.
Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihL_IgYTLLI (combo)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_JGJlxlsAs (show)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8zbuvVJnkY (show)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWlNNcGhH0E (show)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mjAty_EfT8 (show)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsFeSxHXR7E&feature=PlayList&p=435C3CAC40CA0FF7&index=15
- Gaëtan Collaert
Since childhood, Gaëtan lives in symbiosis with music. First as a dj, later as a musician, he entered the dancing scene to put his tunes into life and movement! Argentinian tango, salsa, chachacha and bachata are on his agenda and have influenced his elegant and personalized style, as well as inspired several of his shows. See Gaëtan float over the dance floor and come and learn some of his great figures !
Workshops: Gaëtan will propose a tango workshop ‘open level’ meant for all those who have already danced some tango and an advanced salsa on1 partnerwork workshop, just to challenge the more experienced dancers!
Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jonMNIqHDk (show)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFwiWmoSWL0 (social dance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9BFVgMUWhU (social dance)
- Ivan Hidalgo O’ Farrill
Ivan studied at the « Istituto Superior Artistico » in la Havana (Cuba) and was scholed as dancer and dance teacher for Cuban and Afro-Cuban dances. First price winner at the ‘Chachacha festival’ in Cuba, edition 1986, he danced with several companies like « Olorum » (directed by Lazaro Ross), « Pinos Nuevos » (directed by Lazaro Noriega) or « Pro Danza ». He was an instructor at many congresses in France, Belgium, Spain and Guadalupe, participated as a dancer in the European tour of the ‘Ethnic Festival’ with amongst others Jimmy Cliff and was a guest dancer in the ‘Brussels Ballet’ directed by David Zonnenbluck. Ivan is currently artistic director of the Arte-Mixto Dance Company based in Charleroi (Belgium).
Workshops: Ivan will present four workshops on Saturday. There’ll be a rueda workshop (don’t miss that), a ‘Men’s styling’ workshop and an intro to Kizomba, a new hype on Latin dance floors. Ivan will open up the party with another great rueda!
Videos:
- Maria Szumielewicz
Maria started dancing salsa in 1999 and having gathered skills very fast, she started teaching soon after. She is an original salsa stylist and is very well known for her smooth following technique. You will find in her dancing a lot of classic moves as well as ones taken from afro cuban dances what makes Maria conspicuous on the dancefloor. Also, as the music has always been an inseparable part of her life, she considers its interpretation as one of the most important things while dancing. Very inspiring figures for her were: Frankie Martinez, Eddie Torres, Burju Hurturk, Franklin Diaz, Juan Matos, Griselle Ponce, Candy Mena and many other fabulous dancers and instructors. Maria was co-founder of Montuno Ayé Salsa School in Warsaw, Poland and although she specializes in New York style, she teaches on1 as well. Maria will start a series of ‘Ladies’ technique & styling’ classes at LeuvenSalsa! in february.
Workshop: At the festival Maria will present a workshop ‘Ladies’ technique & styling’, open level (meaning everyone should be able to enjoy this).
Videos
- Grégory & Fernanda (LeuvenSalsa!/Granda Dance Project)
Grégory and Fernanda teach bachata in Leuven and Brussels. They try to share their big passion for Latin music and dance with their students. Their personality, friendly and warm, seduce the future bachateros, making them feel at ease in their company. Grégory & Fernanda are clearly determined to help up building the bachata scene at national and international level. They are the organizers of ‘Bachatando’, the first international bachata festival in Belgium, that’ll take place on March 7-9 of 2009 in Brussels.
Workshops: Greg & Nanda will present a bachata workshop at intermediate level on Saturday and, to close this fifth edition, a ‘rueda de bachata’ workshop (open level). ‘Rueda de bachata’ is of course inspired by the ‘Rueda de Casino’ that is well known in the salsa scene: couples dancing in a circle executing figures asked by the ‘leader’ that often result into a change of partner. A great way to end the festival!
- Carl Hourcau (LeuvenSalsa!)
I’ve always been crazy about music & dancing, never knowing which one of the two I prefer … After having enjoyed a lots of different sports I’ve turned progressively to dance, with a long experience in contemporary dance. I’ve started salsa about ten years ago like many people: so many others are doing it, so you want to try too … Quite a change from contemporary dance to salsa! At least seen from the outside, because after all it’s all … dancing. I started teaching salsa a couple of years ago to some friends and then 3 years ago the LeuvenSalsa! dance school was born. We organize dance classes (salsa but also other styles) and several events as we believe courses on their own are just … courses.
Workshops: On this festival I’ll propose a salsa on1 partnerwork workshop at beginners-intermediate level on Saturday and a body movement workshop (open level) on Sunday. Learning how to move efficiently and smoothly isn’t always easy but as many things it’ll come through practice.
- dj Cisko
Ten years after Christmas’ eve 1991 when he first mixed for a salsa crowd in Nijmegen (Holland), Cisko moved to Belgium, while his name was heard in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Arnhem, Eindhoven, Dusseldorf , etc. “(… ) I knew that it wouldn’t be easy in Belgium, but it was impossible for me to quit as it was my passion….”
He carried on with his activities in Holland organising parties or as a dj but he wanted to be a part of the Belgian salsa scene where fellow dj’s were heating up the local dance floors. Cisko clearly had a different way of playing salsa and the crowd liked it.
He now belongs to the world class salsa dj’s for his talent and his warm personality and he is often invited to perform on big European salsa events. About his passion, he said:
“(…) I am not sure I have a “style” as salsa evolves as music as well as a dance. I learn a lot listening to local and international dj’s when I travel for this passion. I try to adjust with the crowd and smoothly bring them to react to my inspiration of the moment. That same crowd inspires me: a smile, a glance, a shine, a hip movement or a salsero’s footwork, and I there I go for a next song or a mix. One guideline though, it has to be a good one, with a rich text or a great musical arrangement. I play salsa from New York, Miami, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Africa (oh yes) or Colombia, and from Europe, I play salsa that makes one willing to move including myself behind the equipments! I play salsa without time or space barriers, I play salsa as if I were in an endless journey through Time and Space, I play salsa for all, Black or White, Chinese or Latinos… I play salsa for Jewish, Muslims, Christians, Gays and Straights, Young and Elders; I play salsa for Nowadays Word Citizens. Because I strongly believe that The Salsa World should inspire the World today! Imagine that! I must confess, I never plan or think of my sets hours before and I most of the time decide what the next song will be during the last 30 seconds of the current track. The idea is: if one goes out for a party, he deserves to have fun. Thus once I push on the “play” button, nothing else becomes more important than focussing on the dancers’ and listeners’ pleasure, my pleasure. Even if they won’t remember the face behind the mixer at the end of the evening (unless the music selection was poor!) it’s always a great feeling to see happy faces leaving the party and say to the person they came with or just met or have been “chasing” for so long: “See you here next time”? And there is usually a next time. So see you next time?”
- dj Willy
DJ Willy is originally from Surinam ( South America) and that’s where he began his career as a DJ spinning disco, house, R&B and Latin music as early as in 1980. The club where he worked for almost 8 years became the most popular one in the country and still is.
In 1992 Willy moved to Holland and one year later he was asked to work for the famous then Latin Club Margarita’s in Amsterdam, where he was spinning mainly salsa and R&B. As salsa was getting very popular in the 90s, he was invited to play music at many salsa parties in Amsterdam and other neighbouring cities. At present, DJ Willy is still a favourite DJ at all the major salsa clubs and events all over Holland and Belgium.
Willy has performed as a DJ next to all the great salsa artists who came to Holland like Grupo Niche, Guyacan, Soneros del Barrio, Jimmy Bosch, Issac Delgado, Manolito y su Trabuco, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, José Alberto El Canario and the greatest till now Eddie Palmieri. He has also been spinning at international congresses in Amsterdam, Haarlem, Barcelona, Paris, Brussels, Sofia, Dusseldorf, Bucharest, Paramaribo ( Salsuri ), in salsaclubs in Kopenhagen, Munich and other citys in Europe, and at one of the biggest outdoor festivals in Europe, the Antiliaanse Feesten at Hoogstraten, Belgium. In october 2008 he will perform at the 1st Greek Salsafestival in Athens.
His favourite artists are Ray Baretto, Eddie Palmieri, Sonora Ponceña, El Gran Combo, Mongo Santa Maria, Victor Manuelle, Issac Delgado, Los Van Van, Joe Cuba, Cheo Feliciano, Hector Lavoe, Raphy Leavitt and many more.
- Dj Dian (Bulgaria)
DJ Dian has begun his career in 1993. Just a year after, he won the 1st place in a competition. He got acquainted with the Salsa music following his first Salsa lesson in Pambos Dancing Center.Since then, and in the last 4 years he allowed himself to flow with the Salsa music, feeling the passion of Latin beats profoundly.Interconnected with his experience in these years he became an exclusively wanted DJ of the Bulgarian Salsa Stage.His distinctive way of playing music is a result of his deep sense of the feeling and his coherence with the free spirit of Salsa. Someday he was asked if what would be the best place for a salsa party. The reply was that a really crowded place where everyone would be ready to have fun. But, if DJ Dian is at the place, you could bet that it will be upbeat, twice as entertaining and enjoyable!
