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Bookies now have Latin Night, Every Wednesday. DJ Ray spinning Salsa, Bachata, Merengue and DJ Renn spinning Reggaeton 2208 Cass Ave, Detroit 48201 FREE PARKING & ADMISSION!!!

Name?   Luc Tshiboyi

Where are you originally from (ethnicity)?   From Belgium (but from Congolese descent)

How long have you been dancing?  a couple of years

Where did you learn?   Seville, Spain

Where do you go out to dance? Dance Pavilion, Dance Revolution, Cafe Habana (but I’ll come more often to the Detroit Area)

What do you think could be done to expand the salsa scene?  More love, more interaction among the different groups or studios

What do you do aside from dancing?  Banker, tutor

Your favorite song?  (at the moment) Johnny Colon – Merecumbe; Orquesta Dee Jay – Yemaya y Obatala; Wuelfo – Bueno y Pico

What advice would you give to someone who is new to salsa dancing?  You will only become better by dancing, not by watching others. Don’t be intimidated, get yourself out there and dance

Name?   “Mambo” Marci Iwrey

Where are you originally from (ethnicity)?  Eastern European heritage (but with a Latina heart!)

How long have you been dancing?  A lot of ballet in my younger years; salsa 10+ years.

Where did you learn?  Throughout the area; I’ve taken privates with various instructors; attend salsa congresses – Puerto Rico, Chicago, Miami and New York

Where do you go out to dance?  EVERYWHERE!

What do you think could be done to expand the salsa scene?  We do a lot with the YA Salsa organization – bring in out-of-town talent, teach classes and encourage all levels to attend the YA Salsa socials;  would love to hear suggestions from new and experienced dancers – please write to us here on the YA Salsa site!

What do you do aside from dancing?  I am currently working on various creative projects:  write, do voiceovers, host a tv show (Serenatas Latinas with Jimmy Barrios), perform, Co-Direct an Israeli/Eastern European dance group (The New Festival Dancers), teach salsa in West Bloomfield at the JCC and various other venues, volunteer on the YA Salsa team, and I’m a mom! Please see www.mambomarci.com for more info!

Your favorite song?  It changes constantly –  at this particular moment, it’s “Soledad”  by la-33  from Colombia. Also, I love their “Que Rico Boogaloo”. This group was the highlight of my recent interviews with the bands at the Sunfest World Music Festival in London, Ontario. (They also are known for their awesome salsa rendition of the Henry Mancini “Pink Panther” theme.)

What advice would you give to someone who is new to salsa dancing?  If you happen to feel intimidated – YOU ARE NOT ALONE! There will always be inspiring dancers who are at a higher level. Always feel the joy of the music and the dance, and don’t get discouraged. The joy of the music and the dance is what it’s about! ♥

I just came across a great salsa training tool.  More than just a metronome, the Salsa Beat Machine is a freely available online Salsa trainer that. can be used to improve your dance timing and feeling of the rhythm and undertanding of the music. It breaks down for you the different rhytmical patterns composing Salsa Music, using an intuitive mixer-like interface. An online visualizer tab let's you visually associate the what you hear with the instrument that is currently playing.

This will help dancers and musicians of any level and style, whether you are "On-1" or "On-2".  They offer it in a browser only version, PC download and even an iPhone so you can pretty much use it anywhere.  

Open the Salsa Beat Machine... 

Videos on Youtube.com...

Check out HBO's new documentary on Salsa dancers in NYC's Spanish Harlem.

Follows a group of lonely hearts who come together and connect with each at a Salsa dance school in Spanish Harlem.

Salsa isn't featured nearly often enough as a serious topic in mainstream movies, so how close does their world of Salsa match yours?

Marc Brewer & Stacey Nyland won second place of the IntoSalsa 5th Annual Salsa Dance Competition at the Red Room.

Welcome to KNOW YOUR SALSEROS for August!  Presenting:   Gustavo Ares from Argentina, burning up the  dance floor! He's new, but he's caught the salsa bug big-time!  And the lovely Renee Orr, who has been dancing salsa here in the "D" for years. It's always a pleasure to see her smiling face at any venue around town!

Name?
Gustavo Ares

Where are you originally from (ethnicity)?
I’m from San Juan, a small town in Argentina. I’ve been living in the Detroit area since November of 2005.

How long have you been dancing?
I started this year (about 6 months).

Where did you learn?
Well. I have been in all of the free classes provided at the parties, socials, and besides that I learned a lot by asking friends “how you do this” or “show me how to do it”. I also meet good dancers that share a lot with me, so it’s a good opportunity to thank them for the good times and fun that we have when we are on the dance floor.

Where do you go out to dance?
I go to every possible place/party:  Sangria, Woody’s, YA Salsa social.

What do you think could be done to expand the salsa scene?
Since it’s easy to recognize new people at the social, I think that the more experienced dancers should spend some time with them, share and communicate, so at the end, they are going to see how nice this Latin style is. Something like in other environments there is a mentor that introduces you and makes your life easy (at least at the beginning, then go by yourself, lol). I think this warm behavior would make people come back for a second time and also bring new people to see and learn about this culture.

What do you do aside from dancing?
Right now, I’m working on my PhD at the Henry Ford Hospital in downtown Detroit.

Your favorite song?
“Adicto a tu piel”

What advice would you give to someone who is new to salsa dancing?
Be early to every social or party, usually there are free lessons with very good and well-known instructors. Besides learning new movements/patterns, you also are going to be able to talk, share experiences and more important, let them know you. A least it works for me!!  

Name?  Renee Orr

Where are you originally from (ethnicity)?
I am from Detroit, and my ethnicity is Black American- of African-Jamaican decent.

How long have you been dancing?
I have studied dance since I was a child- ballet, tap, modern, but I fell in love with Salsa dancing in 1998 at The Parabox Nightclub that was in downtown Detroit.

Where did you learn?
I began taking lessons at Troy Dance Studio in 2000, and have been a hardcore Salsera since then.

Where do you go out to dance?
Recently I go out dancing at Woody’s in Royal Oak, YA Socials, Motor City Salseros Socials, Vicente’s Cuban Restaurant in Detroit, 2010 Detroit Salsa Congress, and I have attended numerous Salsa Congresses in the US and Canada.  Like many Salsa lovers, I always find places to dance Salsa whenever I travel.

What do you think could be done to expand the salsa scene?
I am excited to see that there are several new and upcoming instructors in the Metro Detroit area to attract newcomers to Salsa. Great entertainment- bands, guest performers, and workshops (YA is doing a great job at this!) help to bring crowds out.  It always helps to have nice spacious venues with smooth wooden floors and great Salsa DJs (which we are lucky to have here in Detroit!).

What do you do aside from dancing?
I work in Healthcare Staffing and enjoy spending time with friends and family. I am also an Aunt to 10 little ones.

Your favorite song?
I can’t say that I have just one favorite song, but I do have some favorite artists- Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Oscar DeLeon, Ray Barretto, Jimmy Sabater, and anything by the Fania all Stars.  I prefer Salsa Classica, smooth, mid-tempo danceable music, and Latin Jazz.

What advice would you give to someone who is new to salsa dancing?
It’s all about having fun!!! Relax, practice, and enjoy!

Another great video courtesy of Opes Media! Includes our goodbye to Koki and interviews with Alien & Cristian. Enjoy!

"As always the YA Salsa Socials are known for great people, excellent music, and hot hot...(did I say HOT yet?) dancers! June was no different, YA Salsa hosted Alien Ramirez and Cristian Oviedo so Opes Media Company had the honor of filming them live! You may know these two Salsa Champions from hit shows Dancing With The Stars and So You Think You Can Dance. If you haven't heard of them...well shame on you, lol. Check out the video and see for yourself what makes them true Salsa Champions. "