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Artists

Miguel Enriquez (Cuba)

Top Cuban Sensation and his orquestra - Live on stage!

Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3

Davide (Italy)

One of the highlights of last year year's Cuban Salsa Congress and Made in Cuba Festival was a visit from talented young Rumba prodigy Davide Buffon.

Trained by Maykel Fonts himself. Davide, 14, from Italy, returns to Salsa Explosion's Cuban Festival to wow the crowds with his sensational talent.

Osbanis Tejeda (Cuba)

Osbanis Tejeda Fajardo was born in Havana, Cuba. He comes from a family of natural talent that taught him the best way to learn was by listening and watching. He Graduated a professor of Cuban percussion from the Fernando Guanches Academy, where he later worked with several Cuban musicians and taught percussion to children and adults.

He developed dance when he arrived in the UK, where the important thing to him was to feel everything you see, in music and dance. For that reason he says 'dance is to play and music is to live, so live to play'.

Anneta Kepka (Poland)

2008 IDO World Ladies Salsa Shines Champion and 2006 UK Salsa Champion, began her dancing career in Poland with Ballroom Dance.

Over the years she has studied various forms of dance, in order to create her own unique style. She has put most emphasis on Latin dances. Dancing is for her an everlasting passion. She now lives in London. Her current dance partner is Osbanis Tejeda, with whom she teaches and performs at congresses around the world.

Rayda Salas (Cuba)

Rayda started her dancing career in the 'Osirad Azul' company directed by Raul Cabrera, belonging to Asociacion Caribena de Cuba. She continued to work on many great projects in Cuba and Puertorico including 'Jala-Jala Dancing' company, the 'Ritmo Caribe' company, Casa Della Musica Egrem, and Cabaret 'Tropicana'.

 

Dawes Figueroa (Cuba)

Dawes started dancing in Cuba in the major theatres. He later moved to Italy, gaining success as a dancer and choreographer, taking part in major congresses and events across Europe.

In 2008 the pair Dawes – Rayda resumed under the project CubaRumba.com, where we can finally admire them in a fantastic work on Cuban Folklore.

 

Leandro Charanga (Cuba)

When he arrived in the UK in 2007, Leandro Charanga was immediately crowned 'The Reggaeton King'. 100% Cuban, he is one of the most charismatic performers around today.

Leandro's style is unique and wildly entertaining. His fusion of raw-energy reggaeton from the backstreets of Havana and his classical ballet education could only happen in Cuba. His dance is edgy and athletic, and at the same time full of grace and fun! A professional dancer and choreographer in Cuba, Leandro studied for 8 years with a leading Havana dance school; renowned for its breadth of teaching and emphasis on the performance arts. He attained teaching qualifications after 2 more years of study and has taught and performed in all the Cuban dance forms; salsa, son, cha cha cha, rumba, afro and, of course, reggaeton. He's worked with leading Cuban & international bands, been principal dancer in Havana's top shows, worked on TV and DVD and been head hunted by leading European dance companies.

Leandro has an enormous heart; his warmth and enthusiasm for dance fills the room. As a teacher and a performer, Leandro is loved on both sides of the Atlantic. He is famous in Cuba, where they call him 'Charanga'. Now resident in the UK, his favourite things include shoe shops, his cat, roller-coasters, Ben & Jerry's and working with the other amazing Cuban artists that Britain is lucky to call their own.

Rosa Perez (Cuba)

Havana born Rosa Perez attended Cuba's Elementary Ballet School 'Alejo Carpentier' followed by training at Cuba's National Ballet, where she was chosen on leading roles in ballet productions such as the Nutcraker, Coppelia, La Bayadere and many more. Her work has recently brought her to the UK, this has allowed her to participate in Latin dance events and Europe's main Salsa Congresses. In a very short time she has become one of the most popular Cuban dancers in the UK.

Miguel Monteiro & Marlene Almeida

Originally from Portugal, Miguel grew up in Lisbon where he started to develop an interest for Afro Cuban style dance. At the age of 13 he found his talent and started taking his hobby more seriously. He started by learning contemporary jazz, Latin rhythm and Salsa and later moved onto more sensual styles such as Kizomba.Alongside Iris de Brito, Miguel is leading the way forward in the UK with his interpretation of Kizomba – a fusion of Argentinean Tango and Zouk (French Caribbean). Miguel’s passion for dance and love of Latin rhythm has enabled him to develop his own unique and enchanting style. Languages spoken: English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French.

Mauricio Reyes (UK)

Originally from Latin America, but based in Birmingham (UK), Mauricio Reyes is the founder of Latin Motion, the biggest salsa outfit in the Midlands since it was established in the early 1990's. Mauricio has been dancing and listening to salsa all of his life and has been teaching salsa dance since the tender age of 17. As a DJ he is guaranteed to read the crowd, spinning a broad range of top salsa, from NY to LA, Colombian to Cuban, etc. Mauricio has been DJ-ing since 1994, playing and teaching regularly all over the Midlands, the UK and abroad.

He is a regular DJ at some of the UKs biggest salsa events, and has been awarded 'Top UK Salsa DJ', 'Top Regional Promoters' and 'Services to Salsa' awards at the 2003 congresses. As a dedicated salsa DJ, dance instructor and promoter for well over a decade, Mauricio's work within the UK salsa scene has been extensive. He has introduced and inspired a huge number of people to Salsa, including many other Salsa dance teachers in and around Birmingham.

Rafael Del Busto (Cuba)

Winner of 'The best male Cuban Salsa Performer Award' at The Cuban Dance Awards 2006. Rafael, born in Havana, is widely recognised as the UK's very best proponent of authentic Cuban Salsa, Mambo and Rumba dance style. He spent his formative years at the Cuban National School of Art and Dance (graduating with honours) spending a further three years with the National Contemporary Dance Company of Cuba, before coming to the UK to star in the hit West End show Lady Salsa. Since then he won no less than two World Open Salsa Championship titles. Rafael and Janet, his dance partner, are both beautiful to watch as well as beautiful people and will always bring a unique Cuban touch to any occasion. His passionate style and intricate footwork has seen the uprising of Cuban style in the UK.

Moe Flex (UK)

Moe Flex is one of the most exciting, inspiring and entertaining choreographers on the international Latin dance scene today! With the biggest smile in salsa, his boundless enthusiasm for dance is impossible to ignore and he has gained his reputation through sheer determination and talent.

As a leading authority in the field of dance, rhythm and body movement, Moe's unique style of teaching is now recognised Internationally and he takes his workshops and shows to congresses and events all over the world.

By adding his own personal touch to everything he does, Moe makes every dance experience a positive and memorable one and always leaves you wanting more. He really is an inspiring and motivational role model for all performing artists and celebrities and has worked with the likes of Rolldeep, Tim Westwood, 50 cent, Blu Cantrell, Craig David, Guy Ritchie & Madonna.

Kerry Ribchester (UK)

Kerry is a leading expert in the field of Cuban body movement. She has studied with a leading dance academy in Havana, has a B.A. in dance, and a postgraduate with a distinction in movement study. She danced alongside Madonna in Evita and won the 2003 award for the top UK teacher at the Salsa Congress. She is also a qualified Hellerwork practitioner and teaches worldwide.

Her work has been featured on Channel 4, BBC1, BBC2 and ITV. She has lead 33 trips to Cuba and is the founder and director of Key2Cuba, the leading provider of Cuban Salsa holidays.

Richard Harris (UK)

Richard is one of the youngest brightest and most talented up and coming stars on the UK salsa scene. Although he has only been dancing salsa since 2008 his rise to the top comes as little surprise to those who know him. Richards's background lies in street dance and primarily Hip-Hop. Much of this was learnt through watching others and then copying and often improving the moves. Richards's first taste of salsa was when he worked in Lanzorote opposite a Latin bar. Upon his return to England he found a class and after just two lessons his talent was spotted and approached by Frank Santos. After a year of training with Frank, Richard was deleted to be asked to join Frank's International dance troop 'A Yemaya'. Since then Richard has trained almost daily and as such now teaches in Kent and all around Surrey to an intermediate/advanced standard in both salsa and bachata. More recently, Richard has been approached to teach at International Congresses. Richards's passion for dance is second to none and he continues to improve and develop his own dancing talent under the watch full eyes of Frank Santos. He is furthering his study of a variety of different styles including Cuban, Rumba, Son, Cha Cha Cha and contemporary dance.

Susan Hacking (UK)

Trained in a wide variety of dance disciplines (including jazz, tap and ballet), Susan has been teaching salsa for 10 years and has studied Cuban popular and folkloric dance forms, both in Havana and Santiago de Cuba. Renowned for her attention to detail, style and technique, she is one of the UK's foremost teachers of authentic Cuban salsa and her extensive training enables her to help her students achieve greater fluidity in their body movement, a higher degree of musical interpretation and the ability to mix a variety of rhythms. She also regularly performs Cuban dance shows. Possessing an impressive knowledge of Cuban culture, Susan is a fluent Cuban Spanish speaker, has hosted 15 dance holidays to the island and is co-founder of Salsa Caribe Productions - London's leading promoters of authentic Cuban salsa.

As well as being a highly skilled teacher of Cuban salsa with 9 years experience, Jim is also a celebrated and vastly experienced Latin music DJ, specialising in cutting-edge Cuban salsa and timba. He regularly plays at many of London's top salsa venues and is resident DJ at The Afro-Cuban Lounge (at the Buffalo Bar), London's foremost weekly Cuban salsa night. He also regularly hosts dedicated Cuban rooms at many of the UK's largest salsa events, as well as playing DJ support at live concerts by visiting Cuban artists such as Los Van Van, Manolito and Azucar Negra. His first compilation cd Bar Cuba will be released on Nascente Records in June 2007. Jim has been a regular visitor to Cuba since the mid 1990s and is cofounder of Salsa Caribe Productions - London's leading promoters of authentic Cuban salsa.

Lazaro Lopez & Paola Lopez

Lazaro Lopez is an independent professional dancer, teacher and choreographer. He graduated with honours from the Cuban National School of Art and Dance, in Havana and started dancing professionally in 1989 with the dance company Raices Profundas. With this company Lazaro performed as a soloist dancer and he went on tour to Mexico and Japan with the show 'Noche Tropical' which celebrated 50 years of Cuban traditional music.

Paola Lopez began her dance training of Salsa and Cuban traditional dances in 1996. She has been dancing and teaching with Lazaro for the past 4 years. Paola's teaching focuses on building confidence in all the basic steps, feeling and counting the rhythm, developing a good technique and style, body movement, leading and following skills and musical interpretation, which is combined with a dedicated and patient approach.

They have taught and performed in various events all over the UK and Europe such as the LatinSplash Festival, Salsa Slam, La Scala, the Salsa UK International Salsa Congress, the Munich Cuban Salsa Congress, London Carnaval de Cuba, the Salsa Republic Weekender, the SalsaNor Rueda Gathering, Los Van Van and Manolito y su Trabuco in concert, Danseglede Oslo Salsa Congress.

Javier De La Rosa (UK)

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.

DJ Richard Fallon (UK)

Medals in ballroom and Latin dance as a youngster plus a healthy teenage passion for bop, jive and sharp funk moves led to Richard's eventual abduction by salsa dance and music in 1997.

Teaching and DJing since 2000 in a wide variety of London Clubs, Richard's two-year stint with Cuban dance troupe Cudance saw him performing nationally and internationally. Richard is an instinctive dancer, at ease dancing and teaching Casino and Rueda, as well as Mambo and Cross Body On1. Richard values clarity in his teaching: being able to break elements down into their constituent parts and put them back together again. As a DJ he's a musical fanatic with a keen eye for what's happening on the dance floor. While he enjoys and plays a range of Latin music, his one true, overriding love is for the wild montunos and shouted coros of Timba and Cuban Salsa, which is just as well, as that's what he spins at La Clave Cubana!

DJ Joel Verdecia 'Flecha' (Cuba)

DJ Flecha is an International Latin Disc-Jockey (DJ) with an impressive track record. He is currently resident DJ at Floridita, in London, and was the principal resident DJ at the famous Casa De La Musica in Havana, from 2002 to Feb 2008. He mixes in real time a non-stop music session promoting the best of the Latin and Cuban grooves of all times (Son, Montuno, Guaracha, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha, Rumba, Guaguanco, Salsa, Timba, Merengue, Bachata, Reggaeton, Samba, Ballenato, Cumbia). His achievements include: Judge of the Second Salsa DJ Competition (April 2007), Finalist of the Cuban First Salsa DJ Competition (March 2005), Winner of the House Music DJ Festival, Macumba Habana (December 2004), Leading DJ of the Casino Competition, Casa de La Musica Habana (July 2004), DJ time on Radio Taino and Radio Habana Cuba stations (1997-1998).

Swing Latino

Direct from Cali Colombia, Swing Latino (5 x World Salsa Champions). Swing Latino Salsa Dance School was founded by legendary Salsa dancer and choreographer Luis Eduardo Hernandez 'El Mulato' in 1995. 'El Mulato' was instrumental in developing and establishing internationally the Cali Salsa dance style, helping it gain recognition as a new style and force to reckon with in the Salsa world stage. Cali is a 3 million balmy Colombian city at the foot of the Andes, where Salsa music and dance constitute a way of life. The city has more than two hundred Salsa schools, mostly in the popular areas with well over 6,000 professional dancers.

Swing Latino having achieved five world Salsa championships in the US and Colombia as a team, in addition to various world titles by some of their individual couples, has unquestionably become the most important Salsa school on planet earth, helping to bring attention and introducing to the world the particular and distinct Cali Salsa dance style.

This is a piston-footed, high energy, below the waist dance style, twice as fast as those from New York, Los Angeles, Puerto Rico and Cuba, with amazing well choreographed and synchronised dance shows. According to Canadian anthropologist Lise Waxer, '...the El Paso Caleño or Cali dance step is a rapid double time shuffle on the tips of the toes, combined with high kicks and rapid footwork. Turn patterns and some style combine the old Cuban Guaracha and Mambo, North American Jitterbug, Twist and the Charleston - all high energy dances.'

Swing Latino's dancers represent Cali's common 'barrios', where popular dance culture has been turned into an art form, demonstrating a long tradition and love affair for popular dance. With an elegant street swagger, fast and precise footwork and beautiful movements, a style developed after a process that traces back its beginnings in the 1940's, Cali Salsa dancers have taken the world by storm. Swing Latino has travelled extensively in the US, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia, competing, performing and promoting Cali and Colombia.

DJ Angela De Cuba

Angela 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 and Rumba with the hard, fast sounds of modern salsa, timba and reggaeton. DJ'd at Key2Cuba events, Pontins, Carnival-de-Cuba After Party and Cuba-UK Congress and events.

 

Damarys Farres (Cuba)

DDamarys is a charismatic dancer, choreographer and teacher. She is director of The Cuban School of Arts and in 2006 was nominated as one of the best female Cuban dancers in the UK.

Graduate of National Ballet School in Havana. Completed a course in Art Management from UNEAC in Havana Curator and interpreter for Afro-Cuban Courses for foreigners with Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba Curator and interpreter for Afro-Cuban Courses for foreigners with Danza Nacional de Cuba Promoter of Afro-Cuban Dance Group Ocha.

Ulises Carrillo (Cuba)

Ulises is one of the youngest brightest and most talented up and coming Cuban Salsa stars on the UK Cuban Salsa scene.

 

 

 

Farah Portelo

Farah Portela is the Director of Tumbao, which is the premier school for Cuban Salsa in Scotland. Farah, who was born in Havana in Cuba, is a Rueda De Casino Master and was the first person to teach Cuban Salsa and Rueda de Casino in Scotland.

Tumbao have established a UK wide reputation for excellence, winning the Tropicana Tropics World Rueda de Casino and being runners up on two occasions.

Jose Hernandez Lynn

Jose Hernandez Lynn. Profile coming soon.

 

 

 

DJ Enrique Perez (Cuba)

The Salsa Explosion Team (Cuba/UK)

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