Wow,.. Klub CD (in a very traditional cultural venue of Ljubljana – Cankarjev dom) is the best place for salsa parties. The atmosphere is absolutely phenomenal and just the fact the party was sold out days before, gives you an approximate feeling on how much people like and want to attend it. The welcome drink and champaigne at midnight made it a bit more personal and holidaylike, while the show program gave a special touch to it.
We (performers) were all a bit dissapointed due to some technical problems with some of our shows (music went it’s own way from time to time) but overall all performers had fun on stage.
I have to dedicate this article to a new performance of Dulce Locura, which was this time performed only as a duo. Maja and me wanted to bring something new and fresh on Slovene salsa scene.. and we wanted to show more than 1-2-3, 5-6-7 count dancing. We did this lyrical stuff, which was meant to fit in the category of latin jazz. So we added some bachata, tango and chacha moves to jazz and contemporary feeling. The song we chose is very strong itself, so our dancing wanted to show a story as well (that’s why it’s lyrical ).
The story is not complicated, but I think it relates to all of us. Each and every one of us carries some shadows (or is followed by them), which have different effects on our lives. Some go by very unnoticed, some complicate our lives to an extrem, but with some we just learn to get by and live with. So this is our life story and a message, harmony makes everything so much easier. We strongly hope the show will touch even more people and we promise to keep up with our work, to grow even further and bring new stories, styles and experiences on the stage. We love this art and luckily we are starting to understand it.
Happy New Year to all faithful readers!! This show is dedicated to you, we did it with great passion and determination.
We’ll be seeing you in January 2009. Lots of warm wishes, hugs and kisses to all!
In the last month we were overflodded with Christmas parties… of course… It’s that time of the year. Tonight we’ll be having the last one for this year, I think. In the organisation of sports and recreation center BU-BA, Salsa christmas party will take place in Klub CD (Cankarjev Dom in Ljubljana), starting at 21h. Naturally, you will be able to see some shows (including Dulce Locura!!!), you’ll get a free welcome drink, midnight champaigne etc. Since the tickets are sold out, I guess it should turn out quite ok
This month all slovenian salsa dance schools organized their Christmas parties.. and just to get you in the feeling of how that looks like.. on the dancefloor.. here’s an example from Bolero’s salsa party:
Hehe… guys,… with all those girls… you still have to dance with eachother?!
Festivalna dvorana became such a familiar place to me, since we’ve been performing there on a regular basis in the last two years. But this was the first time I just came there to see the shows What an awesome feeling! And even better, I finally saw my Maja perform the routine with which they came second in the nationals and third in the world championships. Slovene dance school Kazina had it’s end-of-year production, where all groups show, what they have learned in the past few months. And I must say there were quite a few spectacular shows. One of them of course beeing the Ghostbusters routine, which you can see here:
Thank you Danijel for accompanying me and taping it!
There were two more shows which impressed me a lot: Monkey business and Santa rock star routine. The first one was the winnig number in the junior category on that same world championship (they also won the european and national champonships) and the second was top slovene dancer’s routine, a genuine show - entertaining, energetic, with awesome costumes, story and dancing. Congratulations to Željko Božič, for all those crazy ideas and choreographies and congratulations to all 99 dancers from Kazina, which have, in the year 2008, won medals on world and european championships. I think that is quite an impressive number, don’t you?
If you want to see more dance productions, come tu BU-BA tomorrow It might not be as glamurous and victorius, but you will be able to see a lot of people enjoying dancing. And party after that of course Starting at 20.00.
The Christmas salsa party announcement is coming up as well.. don’t worry ;)
I guess I’m full of pride these days, cause my friends are being so good and successful in the world of showbusiness and dance. I just returned from the show Briljantina – Slovene version of the musical Greace – and I honestly think the play is amaaaziiiiing. The Slovene lyrics totally work, the scenography, the voices, the acting and of course dancing are brilliant. It is a very dynamic, energetic, funny and expressive performance, with a very good cast! I know you might think I’m being subjective here, but even if I didn’t know anyone, I would see great potential in this young actors/dancers/singers.
A dear friend, and dance and aerobic partner at one point, Luka Markus Štajer, played the lead role in the musical and I can only congratulate him. I think the character resembled his real-life appearance a lot , therefore he was an excellent choice. He sang good, danced good and acted good. Congrats Luka – you’re the best! Mojca Horvat was the choreographer and director of the musical and she did good as well. It is true, the venue – Hala Tivoli – is not really THE place for musicals (the audience is sitting on ice and the acoustics is not really there), but I’m sure the 5.000 crowd covers for that So, I’m really looking forward to future projects like that. I hope artists will get inspired and bring more musicals to Slovenia. We loovee musicals!
It is with great joy and happiness in my heart that I can announce our Maja was 3rd in the world championship in street dance, which is happening this weekend in Slovakia!!! The famous Martico cup 2008 is presenting 3600 competitors from 27 countries and 204 trophies to be won. You might remember a while ago, when I reported Kazina (where Maja dances) was 2nd in national championship and therefore got a chance to compete in the world championships as well. And they did good obviously – they were placed 3rd in Slovakia.
Unfortunatelly this is all I know for now, cause Maja is not answering phones yet (!!!!), but I’m sure she will add all necessary information once she returns home.
So, Maja, tell us: how many groups in your category, who won and who was second, how did it feel, is the medal hanging around your neck heavy??
CONGRATULATIONS!! I know this is like a deep sweet dream coming true. I’m happy for you. All the girls from Dulce Locura are happy for you. Mwah, mwah!
And same goes for you Alex!
And Žele for the choreography I guess… (other dancers I don’t know unfortunatelly)
Untill Maja manages to return and report on the journey, here is an intro clip, invitation to this years Martico cup:.. if you’ll manage to understand anything.. hehe…
Martico cup has a special place in my heart actually. Since I was competing there as well. I think it was the first international cup, long long time ago, when I was still dancing hiphop in Bolero (damn, I’m getting old… cause that was old-school hiphop… in its beginnings). Well, our ‘army’ competed there (we were dressed as real soldiers) and we got into the finals I think. I still remember very vividly the feeling of going there, performing, seeing other groups.. it’s just a special energy, adrenalin, joy and youth! Plus I was alowed to skip school for a couple of days.. hihi
Ok, everyone already knows I was in Athens,… and almost everybody I know was there Well, not all, but still,… Athens felt like a general reunion of all salseros I have ever met on any congress. Plus a couple of thousand of new ones.
This was a super-sized festival. Everything was exaggerated – in a good way. First the line up. If I had to add anyone else on that list I don’t know who would it be (SDS couldn’t make it, otherwise even they would be added). There were just all currently top and most wanted instructors and performers. Crazy!! Eddie Torres, Yamulee, Swing Guys, Tito&Tamara, Tropical Gem, Susana Montero, Leon Rose, Magna, Flamboyante, Neeraj&Gosia, U-tribe, Hacha Y Machete, Albert Torres as moderator and … Ok, I can’t name them all… there were just to many. But I have to mention Supermario of course , the co-organizer,.. and Todos and Maria the organizers of the 1st Todo Latino Salsa Festival.. Though I would rename the festival in Todo Loco Salsa Festival, if it was up to me ;)
Second fascination were the live bands!!! Oh my god. Imagine New swing sextet and El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico on the stage and 2.000 dancers dancing under that huge stage?! Simply WOW! The music was PHENOMENAL!! You could just listen and enjoy it as much as dancing on it. (I don’t have to stress, that this time the songs they played were not 20 -30 minutes long, but only 3-4 min each!). And how do you squeeze 2.000 dancers in one venue? Well, you rent an Olympic stadium of course… what else?!
Yeah… I still can’t believe the super-sized things that were there.
Did I mention parties were on till 8am? No, correction,.. they actually ended at 8.30… which was the time for performers to do their rehearsal for the night shows. 2 hours of shows each night!!! Plus the competition!
Ok, so many data,.. I have to organize a little bit this review, otherwise no one will understand anything.
Where does the soul derive from?
Maybe I should start with a negative critique, cause positive are obviously countless. (more…)
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