Review Orlando Salsa Congress July 1-4, 2010

Written for OnlineSalsa.com by Brooke Meyer

I recently attended my first International Salsa Congress and must admit that when I was initially asked to attend I was hesitant. I am still fairly new to the salsa scene and assumed that in order to attend such a renowned event I’d need to possess advanced and/or professional skills at the very least. After a little persuasion from my friend; fellow dancer and congress veteran, I was convinced to take the trip.  Road trip!, that is. 

My First Salsa Congress

Upon departing Destin, Florida - located in the Northwestern Florida panhandle - we were just as giddy as three kids Orlando-bound to see Mickey Mouse for the first time; except we were not going to Orlando to visit Disney’s signature character, we were going to experience the 2010 Orlando Salsa Congress; and that - to us - was just as magical. The seven-hour-drive south flew by with the vibrant sounds of Salsa and Bachata music exuding from the speakers and visions of Salseras and Salseros dancing in our heads.

When we arrived at the stunning Hilton Orlando, the Congress’ host hotel, I was filled with mixed emotions: excitement and intimidation. I was thrilled to take advantage of everything that the congress had to offer including: more than 30 workshops to choose from, ranging from beginners to advanced, salsa, bachata and ladies styling and shines, 50 performance showcases featuring the crème de la crème, pool parties boasting pool side dancing, and of course the evening dance socials that would allow the opportunity to meet and dance with fellow Salsa dancers from around the world. I knew that here the people would understand that when I referred to LA Style “salsa” it was not the kind that you would eat with chips, but the kind of dance where flashiness, speed and power make the impossible look simple. 

Highlight: the Salsa Socials

The congress was fueled by daily workshops, but for me, the highlight of each day was the nighttime Salsa Socials. Hundreds of dancers turned out each night to show off their moves on one of two dance floors as the DJ - and sometimes a live band such as the Mambo Swing Orchestra directed by Edwin Ortiz - kept Salsa and Cha-Cha music flowing continuously until the early morning hours. It was fascinating to watch the advanced and professional dancers demonstrate their moves on the dance floor. The energy throughout the ballroom was exhilarating. Not to mention, it gave me the opportunity to try out my own new moves.

This is a clip of Nery Garcia and Giana Montoya performing their Salsa "Mambo Italiano" Routine at the Orlando Salsa Congress 2010.

Amazing Instructors

I would be remiss if I did not mention that I was able to polish these “new moves” by attending the workshops offered. Each workshop was 50 minutes in length and compiled of 50-75 students dancing at various levels. The workshops allowed me to learn new patterns, turns, styling and body movements from some of the very best dancers in the business such as: the infamous Shaka Brown, one of the most sought after instructors in the Salsa world known for his fluidity and creativity, as well as Edgar (Tun Tun) Mendez, known as one of the “Pioneers of LA Style Salsa” and most respected instructors in the USA, and the internationally known and talented Troy Anthony, who had the most unique and entertaining teaching style as he sang the steps of the pattern and often made us repeat them back to him so that we could remember them. Looking back, my favorite workshop was Charlotte Salsa’s Tango and Salsa Mix taught by Rodrigo and Wendy Jimenez. This workshop introduced a combination of Tango’s passion and seduction to the boldness of salsa. 

Following the daily workshops, each evening we were treated to Showcase performances executed by some of the most acclaimed dancers and teams from the USA and Puerto Rico. The routines were perfectly choreographed to incorporate various Salsa Tricks including incredible Lifts, Spins, Dips and Neck Drops. These were true “Hollywood” style performances with glitzy costumes, themes and action. These individual dancers were genuinely inspiring and left me eager to strive for perfection so that one day I too could perform like they did.

Dancing for Three Straight Days & Nights

We danced day and night for three straight days and it was amazing. I was told by my dance instructor, Jesse Ramos with G2G Salsa, that the weekend would be intense. He was right. Even though I have returned home, I still hear the rhythm of congas in my dreams. I left the congress encouraged and ready to fully explore the world of salsa that I was exposed to during the 2010 Orlando Salsa Congress. 



About the author

Brooke Meyer is a freelance writer from Destin, Florida (U.S.A.). As an avid traveler, a hospitality Sales  & Marketing guru and a Salsa enthusiast, she publishes reviews and cutting-edge articles about the travel industry and Salsa community. This is her first article with Onlinesalsa.com.

Twitter/Beach_girlee