THANK YOU for making Mama Nellie's Tribute Party wonderful!

January 9th in Ypsilanti was the scene for by far the best night of salsa ever dedicated to one person.  That night 250+ people came in from all over the Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Ohio to pay tribute to one of Detroit’s icons of the salsa community.  In short, the Dance Pavilion was the place, salsa was the dance, and the guest of honor was of course Mama Nellie!!

It became clear very early how many people would come out to honor Nellie.  The open dancing didn’t even start yet and the salsa class was packed!  It was a great start to what would be a memorable evening.  Following the class people began to fill the 2800 square feet of dance floor and it was on!!  The dance floor was as a giant whirl of salsa. Beginner, advanced, On1, On2, On whatever…  it was all there. The place was jumpin’ while DJs Marc, Koki and Samer kept the music thumpin'.  There was no way you could not feel the heat and excitement of this night.  Then came the moment we were all there for the tribute to Mama Nellie.

New or old to the salsa scene, once you meet Nellie you realize quickly how she has that burning passion for dance, feels at home on the dance floor and feels the music deep in her soul.  For as long as we all can remember she is always warm and affectionate and makes even the most reserved characters feel right at home.  And that is before she even starts dancing!  So for the lady that has been our example by giving so much love and inspiration to the salsa community, at 9pm started our dedication to Nellie.  It began with Cat narrating a video slideshow montage of Nellie doing what she does best, dancing and making people smile!  Sounds of oohh’s and aahh’s filled the room.  Immediately following the video, Cat and I presented her with a plaque of honor and two dozen roses. When asked to say a few words, Mama Nellie had to pause because she could barley contain her emotions. Appearing a bit overwhelmed, she sincerely thanked all for this memorable evening.  But that was not the end of it! It was time for the dance presentation by Laura Kyle and Koki displaying a trio showcase. They danced for the lady of honor and Nellie clapped enthusiastically for their tribute performance.  Then it became Paparazzi time! Pictures upon more pictures were taken of Nellie’s beaming smile as she was escorted over to the reception area and surprised by one of Jeanette's beautiful cake creations!  The cake seemed huge, with white icing on outside, chocolate inside, and some secret ingredients only Jeanette knows.  More photos, more hugs, more oohh’s and aahh’s….  Nellie was loving it!  Lastly we paid tribute to Nellie the best way we dancers know how.  It was time for the circle dance with Mama Nellie at the center, and yes Mama Nellie danced and danced until the last beat of the song! Using words like awesome, fabulous, wonderful, speechless etc, Mama Nellie thanked everyone.  Again the dance floor was open and we all danced, smiled, and laughed the rest of the night.  Finally our elegant lady gathered her gifts, her flowers, her plaque, and allowed the evening to end. This will be remembered long into the future as the night we danced and danced and danced and said thanks to Mama Nellie for everything she does and continues to do. The spirit was there and the feeling was good. Viva Nellie La Reina........

On behalf of myself and Catherine Martinez, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for coming out to pay tribute to our beloved Mama Nellie.  Doing this meant a lot to us and all our love and support meant even more to Nellie.  I try but there are not enough words to express how great you’ve made us feel.  Thank you to Marc, Koki and Samer for volunteering to DJ, thank you Laura, Koki, and Kyle for the dance presentation, thank you  Jeanette for your wonderful cake, and thanks to Leronki Leonard for stepping in at the last minute to be the evening’s photographer. You saved us!  Last but not least, thank you Mr. Ron Brown, owner of the Dance Pavilion, for providing such a wonderful environment on this very special event.

- Bobby