Malaysian Salsa Scene - spoilt for choice
Two years ago, if someone would to ask me... where 's the best place to salsa? i would have been able to count the number with my fingers. Of all the places that i have been to, Salsa Havana remains one of my all time favourite.
My acquaintance with Martin Reyes, the manager of Salsa Havana @ Federal Hotel, stretches way way back when he was a band member of a salsa joint in PJ , Juanita @ Crystal Crown to be exact. Back then, my sister and I would swoon and swayed to the music from Martin's live band music. Something about men and their instruments ( *wink *Wink). But anyways , that's not the whole point of this article, although this author does concur that nothing beats dancing to live music!.
Ah .....those were the days where salsa joints were but a precious commodity for salsa-addicts such as i (although in practise ......to the few and many who know me, i may not qualify as one). I have learnt salsa some 5 years ago , and back then my club visits or "field trips" as we use to call it, can range up to maybe 6 (if i am lucky, that is) in a year. However that began to change when i chanced upon a group of people who share the same interests and passion as i do... if not , more.
2007, is the year that i believe Malaysian Salsa is at its highest form. Everywhere i turn, i am surrounded by people trying out new dance tricks on the dance floor ..or starting their love affair with salsa for the very first time. Salsa is also beginning to gain more prominence in the local media. Understandably so as this year, there are at the very least 2 BIG salsa events to choose from ( 1st Malaysian World-Latin Salsa Congress at Port Dickson in June and the 2nd Malaysian Salsa Festival at Pangkor Laut in August), a mini sampler with the Salsa 101 organized at KL Hilton (see promo insert) , and a handful of salsa places to go to practically each day of the week:
Thurs ~ Salsa Cabanna @ Friendster Cafe / Q Bar; Fri ~ Salsa Havana; Sat ~ Little Havana / Salsa Havana
* other days Salsa Havana by requests.
Not a big fan of salsa-ing on a week day night, i found myself heading for a salsa fix not once , but for the past 2 weeks in a row. Last week something amazing happened which tested my limits and boundaries of what i perceived. I went dancing for 2 nights back to back. Talk about commitment! I might as well throw in the towel at work and turn to my new found abilities.. which is to....... Outdance (making sure i have enough endurance on the dance floor, Outlast (keeping myself still alert in the wee hours of the morning), and Out survive ...the long hours at work while trying to appear alert and perky to fellow colleagues and bosses.
All in all a very good year to look forward to. There's so much to see, so much to learn, and so much more to experience. To those out there who have just started with salsa ...my advice is to take this opportunity to truly get to know how wonderful salsa can make one feel. I know, cause i have been fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of this beautiful love affair.
My acquaintance with Martin Reyes, the manager of Salsa Havana @ Federal Hotel, stretches way way back when he was a band member of a salsa joint in PJ , Juanita @ Crystal Crown to be exact. Back then, my sister and I would swoon and swayed to the music from Martin's live band music. Something about men and their instruments ( *wink *Wink). But anyways , that's not the whole point of this article, although this author does concur that nothing beats dancing to live music!.
Ah .....those were the days where salsa joints were but a precious commodity for salsa-addicts such as i (although in practise ......to the few and many who know me, i may not qualify as one). I have learnt salsa some 5 years ago , and back then my club visits or "field trips" as we use to call it, can range up to maybe 6 (if i am lucky, that is) in a year. However that began to change when i chanced upon a group of people who share the same interests and passion as i do... if not , more.
2007, is the year that i believe Malaysian Salsa is at its highest form. Everywhere i turn, i am surrounded by people trying out new dance tricks on the dance floor ..or starting their love affair with salsa for the very first time. Salsa is also beginning to gain more prominence in the local media. Understandably so as this year, there are at the very least 2 BIG salsa events to choose from ( 1st Malaysian World-Latin Salsa Congress at Port Dickson in June and the 2nd Malaysian Salsa Festival at Pangkor Laut in August), a mini sampler with the Salsa 101 organized at KL Hilton (see promo insert) , and a handful of salsa places to go to practically each day of the week:Thurs ~ Salsa Cabanna @ Friendster Cafe / Q Bar; Fri ~ Salsa Havana; Sat ~ Little Havana / Salsa Havana
* other days Salsa Havana by requests.
Not a big fan of salsa-ing on a week day night, i found myself heading for a salsa fix not once , but for the past 2 weeks in a row. Last week something amazing happened which tested my limits and boundaries of what i perceived. I went dancing for 2 nights back to back. Talk about commitment! I might as well throw in the towel at work and turn to my new found abilities.. which is to....... Outdance (making sure i have enough endurance on the dance floor, Outlast (keeping myself still alert in the wee hours of the morning), and Out survive ...the long hours at work while trying to appear alert and perky to fellow colleagues and bosses.
