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- Interviews
- Featured Salsa Band - Havana Son
"Salsa's Jewel of the South" (Charleston, SC) - Featured Dancer - Kathy Cabrera
"Chi-Town's Rising Salsa Star!" (Chicago, IL) - Featured Webmaster - Frank Fuentes
BornToSalsa.com Founder/Webmaster (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
Discussion
Upcoming Events
- First Annual NC Salsa Extravaganza! - August 25-27
- Hotlanta Salsa Congress - October 19-22 2006
- Tropical Gem Workshops (Houston,TX) - October 19-22 2006
An Interview with Havana Son - SCBy Chris Soto
Chris: I would like to thank you for taking out the time to do this interview for www.lavozdelmambo.com; You are an extremely talented musician and I had the pleasure of hearing (and of course dancing) to your Latin Jazz band in Charleston, South Carolina. Before we get into how you ended up in SC, can you tell us how musical career started?
Rafael: Thank you very much Chris for the opportunity to talk about Havanason. It is an honor for us to keep the Salsa and Latin Jazz flame alive. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico in the 70's, the golden age of Salsa music, in my humble opinion. I grew up listening to Roberto Roena, Tommy Olivencia, Harlow, Pacheco, etc. I was able to see these musical heroes performing live many, many times. I still remember my high school graduation party in which we had Willie Rosario, Roberto Roena and La Sonora Poncena performing! Anyway, I started playing with our local band called "La Secuencia" playing percussion and doing the coros. I was 15 or 16 years old. I gradually moved to the Conga and started to play in all the "rumbas" in the neighborhood. I was taught from the very beginning how to play the true folkloric rhythms of guaguanco, columbia, etc. Then I went to college to be a pharmacist and eventually joined the Air Force in 1984 as a Pharmacy Officer. Everywhere that I went in my 20 years of active service, I took my congas and my salsa records with me. I was stationed in Texas, Arkansas, Panama, Germany, California, Florida and South Carolina and at all these places I always ran into somebody that was working on putting a band to play this music.
Click here for the full interview!
An Interview with Kathy Cabrera - ChicagoBy Johnny Johnson
Johnny: First and foremost, thank you for giving www.lavozdelmambo.com an opportunity to interview you. You are a rising star in the salsa community. You having been performing with Andy Cruzs group Los Soneros Del Swing since you were a teen; Now you are making a lot of noise on the salsa scene, performing with your partner Micah Boon as Mambofodadaz. However, before we get into that, can you tell us a little bit about your salsa dance background?
Kathy: Thank you Johnny for giving me the opportunity to be interviewed and be a part of you WONDERFUL magazine. I also appreciate your comments. :)
So about my salsa background, HMMM... I have always loved to dance, so of course I was that typical Puerto Rican who was always dancing anywhere I could. I started dancing with a group called Explosion Latina in the beginning of the year 2000 and remained in the group for a couple of months. Later, after I saw Los Jovenes del Swing perform (Andy Cruz's student group), I joined them and moved my way up to Los Soneros del Swing. I have been dancng with Andy's group for about six years now. In February 2005, Micah Boon asked me to be his dance partner and of course I said Yes! Currently I'm still dancing with Los Soneros del Swing and of course as a part of Mambofodadaz with Micah.
Johnny: You have gone from being one of many members performing on stage, to being apart of one couple. How would you describe this change?
Click here for the full interview!
Discussion Question
As salsa dancers, is it better to date someone who shares your passion for salsa dancing or best to seperate relationships from dancing?
Eddy Deynes - Houston, TX
Very good question and all I have to say it just depends on the person.
As for me, I'm open to anyone who is interested in getting to know me (Eddy Deynes) and not the person people know as SalsaEddy. I would like someone who enjoy this music, dance and culture we call Salsa but, I also likes to do other things too.
That is my answer. Thank you for sharing.
Janet- Karisma Dance Co. (NYC)Dating someone who shares your passion for salsa can be a joyous experience- the couple has the same circle of friends, they can attend salsa events together, they never have to worry about finding a dance partner at a non-salsa event...BUT, we all know the downfalls that come along with dating someone in the scene-- you're personal business becomes of interest to many, jealousy may evolve, the couple's scope of activities may be limited (their relationship mainly involves going to socials/congresses/classes/rehearsing)....I believe that if one dates in the scene, they are intelligent enough to already know what drama may come along with it...And if someone dates outside of the scene, they know there's a possibility that the person they are dating may not feel 100% comfortable with all of the partying/socializing with so many members of the opposite sex...
Sometimes, it's great when two people have different passions because they can come together and share their varied experiences.... And sometimes it can be difficult to discuss the scene with someone who doesn't know any of the people within it or how this "subculture" works. Relationships should be built on trust, respect, and open communication- without these, no relationship is expected to grow to its fullest potential.
Jai Catalano - NJ
Hey Johnny, I would be an idiot if I didn't say I agree with dating in the scene. I fell in love there. I was hurt there. I wouldn't change ANY of it for the world.
Interested in replying to the question? Send your replies to info@...; Please limit responses to a max of 150, also send apreferred headshot that you would like to be posted with your response. The best responses will be published next month.
An Interview with Frank Fuentes - Ft. LauderdaleBy Johnny Johnson
Johnny: First and foremost, thank you for giving www.lavozdelmambo.com an opportunity to interview you. You are responsible for putting together one of the most popular salsa websites in the world, www.borntosalsa.com; For those who are unfamiliar with you, can you talk a little bit about how you got into salsa dancing?
Frank: I grew up in Miami so I undoubtedly was exposed to Salsa my whole life, but my closest friends and I were never really into Salsa and wouldn't go to Salsa venues much. On many occasions, however, I would witness couples who had apparently had some formal training in Salsa Dancing doing their thing and I was drawn by it and always had a desire in the back of my mind to dance like that.
Then one day, about 7 years ago now, one of my best friends was coerced by his wife to go and take a private class with her. I was visiting him at the moment so I decided to go by and amuse myself at his expense. Half way through his private, a very attractive female instructor who was teaching a private of her own finished her class and I decided to give it a shot myself. I was hooked on day one (on both the instructor and the dance) and haven't stopped yet.
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