Salsa in the city

A huge two-day Salsa congress in Dubai slated for December

The language is music; the culture is salsa. And it just takes one good dance to become an addict! For those of you who yearn to dance and have never tried your feet at it, here is the chance to get into the salsa grooves at the First Annual Dubai Salsa Congress (DSC) to be held on December 12 and 13, 2002.

The idea originated when Mark Turner, owner of Malecon Restaurant Chain, and "The King of Salsa", Albert Torres, met in Rome and planned to host a huge salsa event in Dubai.

Torres then met the team that would form the organising body of DSC and eventually Malecon officially appointed desertbeat.com and Team Salsa of Dubai (www.salsadubai.com ) (TSD) as the main organisers for the Congress.

"We will offer you the chance to learn all about salsa and how to dance salsa and enjoy two days of salsa classes, shows, demonstrations and parties," says the enthusiastic leading Congress promoter, Jamal Sirhi.

"The Congress is for everybody and especially for those who have never danced salsa before. This could be the best way for you to start as we have dedicated a complete hall for the absolute beginners," he asserts.

It is also proposed that all those involved would wear a "Salsa for All" badge during the two-day encounter.

Malecon has also announced a salsa competition during the Congress for all amateur salseros. The competition is open to all, including, international visitors to the Congress. An international judging committee will decide the winners for the Grand Prize of an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles, USA, to attend the Annual West Coast Salsa Congress that will be held in May, 2003.

So, enthusiasts must sign up now to enter the competition by filling out the DSC form (http://www.dubaisalsacongress.com/dubaicongresswebsite/graphics/dsc%20entry%20form.doc) and send it to: competition@dubaisalsacongress.com

A crowd of about a thousand participants is expected, as entries pour in from GCC countries, Europe, Asia, Far East and even Australia, informed Sirhi.

And why would it not be? During December, the weather in Dubai is probably the best in the world. Hence, Tamie Fowlie, a salsa instructor and TSD member, describes the event as a mix of "Sun, Sand, Sea and Salsa".

And all participants can enjoy the two days of sun, sand, sea and salsa in a unique blend of contemporary design and urban chic at the Fairmont Dubai.

"We like to keep up with all that is hip, trendy and topical and so we decided to house the Congress," says Claire Malcom, director of public relations at Fairmont.

The hotel architecture and ambiance aptly present the stage for the first ever salsa congress to be held in the Middle East.

"We have designed an interesting pattern of events to allow the enthusiasm to peak to its maximum before the Congress itself," informs Stephen Smith, another TSD member organiser and salsa instructor.

A Salsa Fusion is planned for August 28 at Malecon in the Dubai Marine Beach Resort. The event features DJ CRUZ (Robert White) of Mambo City, UK, and DJ Dan Kelly of Channel 4FM Ajman.

And to top it all, on October 10, Salsa Brava‚ renowned as the No.1 Salsa dance company in the world, is going to sweep you off your feet.

They will be bringing eight of their fabulous dancers alongside Luis and Joby Vazquez to perform live.

Thus, by volunteering their energy, time and expertise to the maximum value for salseros, the TSD and desertbeat.com intend to channel all your vigour towards the Congress, as salsa gains more popularity day by day.

People from all over the Emirates are becoming more aware of the attraction of salsa, hence the increase in the number of people attending salsa classes.

Some of these classes include: Salsa-Dubai with Phil (www.desertbeat.com/salsadubai.htm), Team Salsa with Tamie, Ahmad and Stephen (www.desertbeat.com/salsawithtami.htm), Salsa with Royston at The Fairmont Dubai (www.desertbeat.com/salsawithroyston.htm), Rueda Salsa with desertbeat.com at Planetarium Night Club (www.desertbeat.com/ruedasalsawithdesertbeat.com.htm) and Salsa Abu-Dhabi with (www.desertbeat.com/salsaabudhabiclass.htm).

Kim Harris, an administration manager by profession and a salsero at heart, believes that Salsa helps an individual build a healthy social interaction.

This reformed student-turned-salsa-teacher, believes that it also proves to be an excellent workout and looks after our cardiovascular system too.

In fact, someone somewhere has also predicted that in times to come, salsa will become the number one sport.

Marije Soer, a new learner of the dance, comments that it is amazing to be able to meet so many people from such varied walks of life and interestingly, all connected through a common interest - salsa.

"It is simply infectious," she bursts. Seconding her, Lubana Fahmy, points that what surprises them all at the salsa classes is the varied age group that is infected by it. "The youngest salsero in the class is an 18-year-old and the senior-most is 65. Is it not simply startling then, to find all age groups on the Salsa floor?"

Sirhi takes a step forward and brings to attention the fact that Salsa changes a person's perspective. It brings to life a new dimension at interpreting a relation as a whole and an individual in particular.

When on the floor, he explains, you do not eye a beautiful woman to be your dance partner.
Instead, you wait in a queue to partner a beautiful dancer.

Smith says that of the 3,000 registered moves of this Latin American dance, whose origin might precisely be from somewhere in Africa, here in Dubai, they dance just a couple.

So they have yet to go a long way towards satisfying their urge to learn and excel at it.

However, Fowlie puts her foot down to comment, "whatever the techniques and history behind, all that matters is that you have loads of fun while dancing salsa."

Thus, to make most of the Congress coming