As you may already know, a bunch of Slovenian salseros are coming to 3rd Bulgarian salsa weekend in Sofia, which will take place from 14th to 16th of March. The organizers of this congress are Alex & Flo, nice couple, which we had a chance already to see and meet in Slovenia. They were one of the instructors on October’s Salsa Power festival. We noticed they are good dancers, they know crazy tricks and they are very likeable. Those are all the reasons I decided to invite them to a short chat. Meet Alex & Flo – if you’re not sure who is who, you can figure it out from the answers
1.When was the first time you danced salsa and how was it? Alex: About 8 years ago, incidentally I went to a salsa party and I was fascinated. I did my very first steps and couldn’t stop since then Flo: I am not sure about when exactly… probably like 10 – 12 years ago. It was great, I did other kind of dances before that and I was really enthusiastic about this new feeling salsa gave me
2. Where and when did you meet? Alex&Flo: We had common friends and we have met long time ago, but salsa was the reason we became close and then one thing led to another and we got married J
Dreaming at eve, when the bright sunset glow
Is gilding the clouds in the west.
Dreaming of those gone before, yet we know
They are safe in the arms of the blest.
Why dream and mourn for the friends that are gone,
When we know they are free from all pain.
Why not press on toward the goal they have won
Hoping sometime to meet them again.
Ring the bell gently in memory of him
May its tones guide the erring ones here.
To help to pursue the good work he began.
And each and all find a welcome far and near.
At only 58 years of age one of our greatest politicians has passed away. He left some memorable achievements throughout the history of our young country, and even before when Slovenia was still a part of former Yugoslavia. With his PhD in economics he didn’t really want to become a politician, but everybody else wanted that. In all good work he made as a premier and president of Slovenia, he managed to bring the warmer, more human-like side out as well. Unfortunately his disease took away more successful years he might have had in front of him. In his last years he turned into a completely different person, helping people in material and spiritual way. Peace and good is what all people need, were his last words, published on the official webpage of his humanitarian organization Gibanje za pravičnost in razvoj (Rights and development movement).
Do you like to attend festivals? Do you like to meet all sorts of people, dancers and instructors? Have you ever thought about who’s behind the scenes of the organization of such an event? Read about the anecdotes that happen on such events! Find out, if that really is a dream job!
We have a special priviledge to hear it from first hand. Find out how one of the five most important Salsa Congresses in the world happens? Meet the owner and director of the Salsafestival Switzerland, which takes place this weekend in Zürich:
Thomas Stadler – Event promoter and Salsa instructor since 1991. President of the Salsa Association in Zürich for many years. Carrier of the West Coast Salsa Congress Award.
1. Thomas, tell us how you first met this dangerous girl, called Salsa? In the 80’s my father left home to live in different places of Latin America. So my brothers and me spent much vacation time to see him in a number of Spanish speaking countries, including the Dominican Republic. It was exactly on the 4th of January 1988, when some girls from his neighborhood took me dancing Merengue and Salsa to a club nearby.
2. I guess she (salsa) really got under your skin, since you do so many different things for her: teaching, organizing, awarding, promoting etc. I was addicted from the first second. Watching people dance Salsa was a jaw-dropping experience for the pale young Swiss guy that I was then. When I returned, I went through a university career and I even worked in the industry, but Salsa never left my mind. I took the first available lessons in Zurich, went to clubs, started teaching, and there came a point where I was so absorbed that I decided to leave the ordinary life behind me and work exclusively for Salsa.
I had a loooong sleep today Yes well… it was a fun event yesterday. Talal gave us some incredible classes - we really really enjoyed them. The partnerwork with spins in a completely different directions then we’re used to do it, footwork in fastforward motion and some spices of dancing on 2. Enzo and Ivana, newcomers in Slovenia, showed us more about cuban dancing, which is not that common in Slovenia, and showed some heavy acrobatic moves. I admit I did not event want to try them?!
In the evening we all gathered in Festivalna dvorana. DJ Jose and Principe played the music till late night, we danced till we got blisters again and we saw (and gave) some hot performance.
For the time being I will only publish the performance of Dulce Locura. We decided to combine dancing with LIVE singing. Festivalna dvorana seemed a nice hall to entertain the audience with both activities and since we don’t see that in salsa parties very often, I think the surprise effect was achieved.
Other clips will be posted shortly: coming up Enzo&Ivana, Talal and Shayala’s belly dancers.
Festivalna dvorana is ready. I saw it with my own eyes yesterday, when I was surprised and invited to the dance. Due to the nice act of surprise I was of course late but still, people said the best part was in the end anyway. The hall, where tomorrow salsa party shall be held, was packed and dance-floor always full. Lovely hosts, singing star Alenka Godec and some Big band. A nice evening full of emotions, red hearts and kissing couples. I like to see all the man dancing foxtrot and swing … just to please their loved ones. Now let’s see how our salseros will do tomorrow
Not that I’m a big fan of promoting American invented and commercialized ceremonies, but I like to celebrate love and friendship. So joy all loved, in love and everybody’s friends!
I’m looking forward to Saturday’s Salsa Valentine’s Power. Dulce Locura is preparing something reeeaaaalyyy special this time. Well… always… but still.. I bet you’re not expecting this!! :) :) C ya!
It took me a week to post this, I’m sorry, but it’s still worth it. This was the first live ice-skating performance I saw and must say I didn’t expect it would impress me that much. There were some great performers on that ice – of course Plushenko was top of the pops, but I loved Petrenko’s entertaining performances as well. Some beautiful solo and couple dancing, and a few other highlights – like that ballet guy hanging on the rope, live opera singing and.. well.. even the flamenco guy. A nice two and a half hour show, which passed really fast. I think that’s the best proof of how fun the show was. I even made a few clips – although unfortunately from a distance. Champions on ice, performing in Hala Tivoli (Ljubljana, Slovenia).
Why? Because I started dancing salsa in the same club, just that it was called Basic than. I’m glad that place got revived, eventhough it was crowded till the last corner. Let’s face it, it’s not the biggest place , yet somehow the atmosphere was always good there. I have no reasonable answer on Why, we all just felt good dancing there. And allthough the place has changed now (Thank God there’s a little more room to dance), it still felt the same. I felt nostalgic yeah … So keep those parties going, I will come back … with a camera of course.
Today we officially buried our traditional winter chaser – Pust … and what do you know: there really is sun outside How did we do that? We danced, of course! Yesterday night was a special night in BU-BA, because people wore carnival costumes. It’s really fun the see all the devils, hippies, cows etc. etc … DANCING! Just to make sure we did a group rueda, so the winter is really gone now. See a few photo impressions from yesterday night!!! Congratulations to all brave salseros who dressed up!
“Isn’t it ironic,” Alanis Morissette would say… It’s carnival time, Pust as we call it, who is suppose to chase away the winter… and yet, I saw my first this season’s snow yesterday, right on the carnival Saturday. A lot of snow I must say, as you can see from the photo. Thank God our driver had the winter equipment, otherwise we could never come up that hill. If we went a little faster I would probably feel like Colin McRae… Dancing all over the road. We couldn’t go that fast of course, because there was simply too much snow on the road.
But I must admit the feeling was AMAZING. The beauty of the white, the peacefull quiet, the power of mother nature.
Yes well… it was a fun event yesterday. Talal gave us some incredible classes - we really really enjoyed them. The partnerwork with spins in a completely different directions then we’re used to do it, footwork in fastforward motion and some spices of dancing on 2. Enzo and Ivana, newcomers in Slovenia, showed us more about cuban dancing, which is not that common in Slovenia, and showed some heavy acrobatic moves. I admit I did not event want to try them?!
but still, people said the best part was in the end anyway. The hall, where tomorrow salsa party shall be held, was packed and dance-floor always full. Lovely hosts, singing star Alenka Godec and some Big band. A nice evening full of emotions, red hearts and kissing couples. I like to see all the man dancing foxtrot and swing … just to please their loved ones. 
Not that I’m a big fan of promoting American invented and commercialized ceremonies, but I like to celebrate love and friendship. 
