Salsa Explosion 14th Anniversary - Sunday 8th July 2007
Artists
Ricardo Murillo & Viviana Vargas (Performing 3 Shows)
World Federation Salsa Champions
Featured in Salsa En El Barrio, the bigest salsa show in the UK!
Taught by international teachers they have studied ballet , jazz, acrobatics, Argentinean tango and European Latin ballroom for several years in Colombia and have attended several worshops in the USA and Europe. For the past five years Ricardo Murillo has been directing one of the biggest and most important salsa schools in Latin America called Stylo y Sabor in Cali-Colombia. As a dancing and teachers couple Ricardo and Viviana have also been invited as guest stars in several events in the USA, Europe, Latin America and Asia. They were world salsa champions in the first edition of the World Salsa Federation Championship in Las Vegas, USA, in 2005, the most important salsa competition worldwide. They also won first place competitions in Miami , and several times at different competitions in Colombia. Last year they visited London and taught several salsa and choreography worshops and performed at various events with high acclaim.
They will also visit London as part of their European tour to perform with the show Salsa En El Barrio during the summer 2007 and to offer shows, workshops and lectures at events, clubs and dance schools.
They really wow the audience with their flexibility and agility as athletes. Their death-defying lifts and tricks, refined fast foot work and their unique style is simply breathtaking.
Juan Carlos
Professional Cuban Dancer and Choreographer
Juan Carlos was born in Cuba. He studied all forms of Cuban traditional Dance from all the venerable masters for 19 yrs, mainly in Havana, Cuba. Juan Carlos was a regular performer with the Buena Vista Social Club, Juan Carlos started his dance studies at the National School of Ballet in Havana, from the age of 7 until the age of 11. He then went on to study at the National School of Art and has a qualification from the Superior Art Institute of Cuba. He has danced with the Muequitos de Matanzas (Rumba/Columbia/Guaguanco), and with the Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba. He has performed in shows with the world famous Buenavista Social Club and Conjunto Chapotin and his Star, Septeto Habanero, Havana Casino, Van Van 1999 La piragua, Anjel Bonne and his Band, Casa de la Musica and Okay Cuba, and many others. He has also appeared on many Cuban TV Programs, including the Palmas y Canas TV program, Para Bailar 1982,a festival celebrating Cuban Music, a Country Music Festival, De la gran Escena, with the Cuban TV Ballet Company. Dancing alongside the famous Hermanos Santos, and atop the Hotel Inglaterra, Hotel Nacional, Hotel Triton, Hotel Riviera in downtown Havana, a formidable venue for traditional Cuban Culture.
Kerry Ribchester - Director of Key2Cuba Ltd
BA: Dance; Certified Hellerwork Practitioner; DES and UKA Qualified Teacher Status
Kerry is a world-class dance teacher and movement therapist who has travelled quite literally, all over the world studying, teaching, performing and leading conferences in Structural Integration, Cuban dance and Well Being. What makes Kerry's work very special is her detailed understanding of the body in movement, and her depth of knowledge and research into Cuban Dance.
Her Background
Kerry's formal training in dance includes a B.A. in Dance and a Postgraduate degree from The Laban Centre for which she attained a distinction in Movement Analysis. She won the Lisa Ullman Travelling Scholarship in 1987 to research Latin movement and dance throughout Brazil and thus began her passion researching how the Latin body moves from the 'Core'. After 12 months in Brazil she returned to the UK and taught dance at G.C.S.E foundation, BTEC levels at Brunel University. Kerry also opened the first Latin club in the UK, Club Brazil, introducing Cuban Salsa, Brazilian Capoeira and Lambada onto the London scene.
Training
Her fascination with movement led her to undertake an in-depth seven year study of Body-Mind Centering and Physical Integration with the renowned Patricia Bardi and Lenora Grubinger in Italy. This study included the systems of the body i.e. the organs, fluids, glands, nervous system, skeleton, muscles, and developmental movement which consolidated her deep understanding of the human body in movement. Noticing how Body Mind Centering techniques brought her clients more effectively into their full movement potential she decided to train as a Hellerwork practitioner. Hellerwork is a powerful educational process that incorporates deep tissue bodywork, movement education and verbal dialogue to align and balance the body's structure and posture. Her two year course in Structural Integration included a nine week full-time intensive programme in New Zealand, and an advanced training in Trauma. At the International Hellerwork conference in San Francisco, 2003, she was invited to teach alongside Joseph Heller and Dan Bienenfeld as a specialist in the movement of the pelvis.
Coaching
Her 1-2-1 coaching work includes teaching Movement, Dance, Hellerwork and Body Language to leaders of Corporations, professional performers and the public. Kerry's unique expertise is superbly profiled in her video 'Salsa from Within' which details in a step by step process how to dance Salsa 'Cuban Style'. Her private clients have included; Kylie Minogue, Rula Lenska, Frank Skinner and Bill Wrigley CEO of the Wrigley Company.
TV, Film and Publications
Her work has been featured in many publications: The Observer, The Evening Standard, The Times, The Telegraph, Time Out, Bella and Animated publications. She has also danced alongside Madonna in Evita and has taught Cuban Dance in a six-part documentary The Confidence Lab for BBC2, screened in September 2000. Kerry has also featured as the Movement coach in a documentary on well being for ITV called The 18- 30 Stone Club. In 2003 she won the title of the Top UK Salsa teacher, at the British Salsa congress.
Her Current Work
A unique brand of dance programmes held throughout the year at various locations across the UK, Europe, and Cuba. Body-Mind leader for Breakthrough International, led by Doctor Bart Sayle, a leading corporate motivational training organisation in the UK and the USA. Clients include; Satchi and Satchi, P&G, Wrigleys, Yahoo, Ross Foods Interbrand, Allied Domecq and Masterfoods. Motivational work with Corporations improving corporate health, well-being, body language, vocal and physical communication. Clients include Lever Brothers, Virgin, Gooseberry dating agency, Walls and Quest Int'l. Hellerwork practitioner - private 1-2-1consultations; clinics in London and Hamburg. Teaching Cuban dance at the U.K Pontins Salsa Festivals, The British and International Salsa congresses worldwide, including Norway and Paris. Managing Director and Founder of Key2Cuba Ltd, a specialist Cuban Dance holiday company since 2002. She recently raised $20,000 with the Key2Cuba team and Martha Gavron to renovate the dance theatre space in Havana for the internationally acclaimed Raices Profundo Dance Company.
What Inspires Her
For the past ten years Kerry has focussed on her primary loves; Cuban Dance, Hellerwork and facilitating corporate change. She has travelled to Cuba extensively analysing the body language and movement of the Cuban people - how they sit, stand, walk, embrace, gesture and communicate, and how they move fluidly from the core of their bodies when they dance; which is the essence of Hellerwork. She has analysed the movement make up of Cuban Salsa, Son, Rumba, and Afro-Cuban Dance and has specialised in how to translate this through dance teaching to a non-Latin mover. She has also been deeply inspired by Cuban music through her close relationship with Los Van Van, Cuba's leading Salsa orchestra and Clave Gua Guanco (the leading Rumba Ensemble). In all Kerry has led more than 40 Dance programmes in Cuba, teaching and studying alongside Cuba's top teachers; including Juan de Dios - Director of Raices Profundo, Ildoylidia Ramos - principle dancer, and Borja Jimenz - Director of CNEART. Having gained six certificates studying at the Academy in Havana, and combining her Hellerwork and Body Mind Centering techniques, she is now able to open the door of Cuban dance to others with unique inspiring training which brings her clients to their full movement and dance potential. Kerry has also contributed to the renown corporate conferences of Breakthrough International, collaborating with Dr Bart Sayle on NLP Techniques and specialist movement release work.
Joseph Davies (MC)
Director of The Latin Collective, the UK's Premier Latin Dance Promotion company, Joe started dancing salsa in London in 1997. Initially he learned the different basic techniques of what is now known as Miami/Puerto Rican style salsa (the fore-runner of "London-style"), but, soon after forming The Latin Collective, he met Mr Eddie Torres - The Mambo king himself - from whom he learned to dance on2. His time with this Salsa Master educated him in the importance of timing, technique and tension and strengthened Joe's resolve to improve teaching practices in the UK. In the last few years, Joe has worked hard with his team to develop both his and their skills as dancers and teachers and the result has been some of the UK's best dancers and most popular teachers. As well as festivals in the UK including Pontins, The Salsa Explosion Festival and numerous other weekenders, Joe and his team have travelled abroad extensively and have taught already in Italy, Spain, Sweden, throughout Ireland and Denmark. Joe returns to teach for us this year by popular demand and we are delighted to have him back!
Javier De La Rosa - UK's Most Popular Cuban DJ Award Winner
Javier, winner of the "Most Popular Cuban Salsa DJ " Award 2006 and finalist in the Bacardi DJ Competition 2003, he is one of the most exciting Latin DJ's on the scene. He came to the UK five years ago from Havana, Cuba, where he worked at the Castillito Cultural Centre and was involved in various musical activities. He has been DJing in the UK since his arrival, playing Salsa and Timba Cubana, Reggaeton, latin Hip-Hop and R & B to suit the occasion.
He featured in iD London magazine (October 2005 edition) as one of the UKs leading emerging acts in the urban latin music scene. Currently, you can find him playing at various clubs and events in London and the UK.
Enrique Perez's Salsa Explosion Team - UK's Most Popular Cuban Salsa Promoter Award Winner
Enrique Perez is the creative force behind Salsa Explosion. Born and raised in Pinar del Rio and Havana in Cuba, Enrique has been dancing salsa for over 25 years. A highly respected salsa teacher and DJ in Italy and Spain, Enrique exploded onto the UK salsa scene in 1994 with enough Latin spirit to set the south coast on fire.Enrique quickly established himself as one of the UK's leading Cuban salsa teachers and performance artists, winning numerous salsa competitions and performing at some of the country's top salsa dance festivals and events. A finalist in the 1999 British Salsa Championship, Enrique was awarded a Diploma from the United Kingdom Alliance for Dance, Drama and Exercise (U.K.A).Enrique is Salsa Explosion's lead salsa instructor and teaches a range of classes for all levels. He is also available for demonstrations, workshops, master classes, corporate functions and private tuition.Also in demand as a Salsa and Latin DJ, Enrique runs a number of weekly salsa club nights and special events in and around Bournemouth, bringing some of the UK's finest live bands, DJs, dancers and salsa enthusiasts to the south coast.In 2006, Enrique won the UK's most popular Cuban salsa promoter award, as voted for by the British Public.
Damarys Ferres - The Cuban Shool Of Arts & UK's Cuban Salsa Champion
Damarys is the Director of The Cuban School of Arts, and a British Salsa champion. She trained in the National Classical Ballet School and The National Conjunto Folklorico, in Havana.
Since she arrived in the UK, she has continued to promote and help with the integration of Afro-Cuban culture, dance and traditions in the UK.
She has participated, taught, organised, danced /choreographed with all the best dancers, teachers, dance groups, musicians and promoters, who are currently at the top level of the Cuban dance scene. Some of her works include: Consultant on BBC TV program 'Auf Wiedersehen Pet', providing professional advice regarding authentic Cuban Dance and Culture.
Angela De Cuba - TOP UK Cuban Salsa DJ
"I started DJing at the first Key2Cuba salsa club in London several years ago having fallen in love with Cuban music on my first visit to Cuba.
I enjoy mixing the traditional sounds of Cuba from Son & Rumba with the hard, fast sounds of modern salsa, timba & reggaeton. I've DJ'd at Key2Cuba events, Pontins, Carnival-de-Cuba After Party and Cuba-UK Congress and events."