site.danscents.com Blog

Glenn Weiss & Barbara Gore - City Lights Ball organizers

This weekend offers an exciting treat for those interested in world class ballroom dancing. The City Lights Ball, hosted by Glenn Weiss and Barbara Gore of Menlo Park, is a three-day event full of competition, workshops, and general open dancing for the Ballroom enthusiast. From Friday, January 29th through Monday, February 1st, the Doubletree Hotel at 2050 Gateway Place in San Jose is the location for hundreds to attend dance camps and cheer on competitors from amateur to professional in American Smooth, International Latin, Standard, and Rhythm dances. Juniors, adults, seniors, and teams will compete for a chance to win in their division this weekend.

Take this weekend and watch the exciting world of Ballroom, because it’s more than just a dance, it’s a lifestyle!

For more information on the City Lights Ball:

Online: City Lights Ball

Call: 1-650-223-4950

AC Dancewear - Designs by Ava Childs

Dance fashion is strong in the Bay area with Ava Childs leading the way through her custom designs. AC Dancewear, founded in 2009, is Ava’s new business that retails her sleek and sexy costumes for theatrical performances, competition, and special events. She will showcase her fashions at the 2010 San Francisco Salsa Festival presented by John & Liz productions. Keep a look out for this rising star in the dance fashion scene.

For more on dance lifestyle through food, fashion, and fitness, visit Danscents! online, because it’s more than just a dance, it’s a lifestyle!

Pineapple Sunshine Salsa

Hola Salseros,

As salsa dancers, we have to make sure we are consuming the proper foods and cuisine to keep our physique fit and flexible to dance all night long. Of course fresh is best when talking about food recipes to meet our physical needs. Here is a tasty recipe for salsa that you can add to your dish to accent the main flavors.

Ingredients:
¾ cup diced pineapple
1 cup diced fresh tomato
¼ cup of whole corn kernels
¼ cup of diced white onion
¼ cup of diced jalapeño peppers
Juice from 1 lemon
Chopped fresh cilantro to taste

Preparation:
Add the diced pineapple, tomato, onion, and peppers in a bowl. Add the corn kernels, the chopped cilantro, and lemon juice to the combination. Mix thoroughly for an evenly distributed salsa. Enjoy with smoked fish, broiled chicken, or sautéed shrimp. Refrigerate to keep salsa fresh.

Recommendation:
Eat with Asian Pineapple Smoked Salmon. Marinate fresh Salmon fillets in all natural soy sauce and pineapple juice. Place fillets on grill and cook on both sides for 10 minutes. Add a side dish of Asian noodles and scrambled eggs. Now your meal is complete! Enjoy and stay Salsalicious!

Ashanti Altovese

Grilled Chicken Teriyaki with Pineapple Sunshine Salsa

Hola Salseros,

Looking for a delicious meal to fill up on before the Friday night dancing takes over? I’ve got a special recipe that combines Latin tradition with a twist. Try it tonight!

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Sunshine Pineapple Chilaquiles

Ingredients:
3 Chicken Breasts marinated in Teriyaki sauce
1 ½ cups Sunshine Pineapple Salsa*
10 – 12 6’ round Corn Tortillas
2 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Diced Monterrey Jack Cheese
*See previous recipe

Preparation:
Preheat grill to about 375 degrees F. Add marinated chicken breasts to the grill and cook on each side for 12-17 minutes until completely cooked. Slice tortillas into 1in squares and add to heated pan with olive oil. Fry the tortillas until crisp. Add Salsa to the tortillas, mix, and cook for about 5 minutes until well incorporated. Add diced Monterrey Jack cheese to taste and let melt on tortillas and salsa.

Presentation:
Center a scoop of chilaquiles on a plate and top off with grilled chicken breast. This dish is a sweet and spicy sensation that will surely get you in the mood to dance. Enjoy!

Ashanti Altovese

Ashanti Altovese - Professional dancer and instructor

Hola Salseros,

Whenever I go out Salsa dancing, whether at a nightclub or at a social, it allows me to express myself, bond with friends, and relieve stress. It’s so nice that dancing can do all that to make a person feel so good inside – and it shows outside! That happy, bubbly person we see out makes us feel happy and bubbly as well.

Sometimes we don’t think about how we are perceived as people, as dancers and what that means to those around us. Are we polite? Do we say hello? Do we make eye contact? What does our body language communicate about who we are as people and dancers? Dance floor etiquette is a topic that I feel we can’t talk enough about and ultimately effects are respective Salsa scenes in different ways. It can attract or repeal newcomers depending on how seriously people take it. I want Salsa as a dance, a music, and a lifestyle to continue to grow as long as it can and we can all be ambassadors for the cause by the way we model ourselves.

From novice level to the world renown professional, we are all role models for Salsa. When we walk into the club, the congress, or the dance company social, we represent a brand that is Salsa. Furthermore, that brand carries into our professional careers, our family life, and into our own personal grown. So the next time you are out dancing, say hello to someone new, dance with a newbie, converse and dance with those who dance On 1, On 2, Cumbia, or Timba. Let’s show respect to all those around us and we will shine like stars because we are role models. We are Salsa’s finest and it shows through our inner spirit.

Ashanti Altovese

Ashanti Altovese - professional dancer and instructor

Hola Salseros!

Have you ever gone out to the club after a long day of work and stress only to find yourself a victim of stares and whispers? Ladies, you get dressed in your best attire, do your hair and make-up, put on an attitude of positive energy because you already had enough drama earlier in the day, and you step out for a night on the town – ready to feel good and dance the stress away. Gentlemen, you shower, shave, pull out the suit to wear that makes you feel like a million bucks, and you press, dress, and get ready to impress – prepared to dance with follows who make you feel good and happy that you came out for a dance. You arrive to the club, feeling good inside, and then it happens – Hateration.

You’re on the dance floor enjoying a lovely dance with the lady or gentleman who so kindly gave you the pleasure, and when the song ends, you retire to a section of the club dedicated to observers and those waiting for their chance to enjoy the music with a charming partner. Next thing you know, you catch eyes rolling at you and you hear whispers and giggling. Your intuition tells you that it’s not a harmless conversation but a jab at your confidence and style. You wonder to yourself, “Did I do or say something wrong?” And of course the answer is no. But the reality is, you stepped out in style, with swagger, and tore up the floor, so what is an observer to do? Option number one, get inspired by your presence and be happy for the people that are in the Salsa community. Option number two, appreciate the style, finesse, and talent of someone who’s only looking to enjoy the music and have a friendly conversation or two. Or option number three, take the easy way out and hate on your decision to do you, be you, and love what you do.

Let’s be honest, hateration is a form of a compliment. The person hating doesn’t want to give love with full security in their inner person and spirit, so instead, they hate fully with complete insecurity with who they are. You’ve seen it at the dance club, at work, at the grocery store, any time, any place, hate is there, ready to rear its ugly head with the goal of only striking at what’s positive. But there’s no need to worry; because where there are haters, there are supporters who look to give love unconditionally. And, the general rule is, if you don’t have some haters, then you’re not doing something worth hating on!

So the next time you’re out and you feel dagger eyes watching, snickering, giggling, and catch eyes rolling, just know that you’re on your way to somewhere others can’t follow. Know that you’re doing something worth talking about and use it as ammunition to continue learning, growing, and contributing to world we know and love as Salsa, because it’s more than just a dance, it’s a lifestyle!

Ashanti Altovese

Ashanti Altovese - professional dancer and instructor

Hola Salseros,

As the world economy reels over the decline in consumer spending, crash in the housing market, and fraudulent practices in the finance and banking industry, people are looking for an escape from the reality of the American dream gone south. Was it ever really there to begin with? Who knows! But what we know for sure is that it’s on a hiatus until gold, oil, or diamonds start falling out of the sky. Of course there’s endless reality television programming to keep you in the land of the lost, dysfunctional, and desperate. And don’t forget good old X-Box, PSP, and Wii Sports to keep your mind and body preoccupied for hours on end. But the best relief from the madness is a glass of classical Salsa from the Fania All Stars with a shot of Mambo shines and a chaser of Salsa combinations to finish it off. The only problem is, the clubs are closing, the drinks aren’t selling, and the dancers aren’t dancing. Has the economic recession put Salsa in a depression?

The evidence is clear; clubs that were once packed with patrons are now closing their doors to the public, Salsa festivals and world class competitions have been postponed due to weak ticket sales and low sponsor commitment, and Salsa dancers all around the world are cashing in their dancing shoes for a gas card or a grocery gift certificate. Yes, times are tough! But is there a way that we can support our beloved Salsa without breaking the bank and ultimately the genre as a whole?

There are options available to us like the discounted price or free guest list for nightclub and social dancers. There is also the random house party with free-flowing Sangria and plenty of Ray Barretto, Tito Puente, and Celia Cruz music to keep the party going. And don’t leave out the spontaneous Salsa street party with a boom box, broken fire hydrant, and stray dogs running around like an authentic breezy evening in the sultry Havana nights of Cuba. There are options and we have to be really creative in how we support the art because this is the time when we need to do it the most. Support your local band by coming out the club for an hour or two and if you can’t, by their CD and invite folks over for barbecue and beer. Attend a social, festival, or congress and if you can’t, purchase the DVD, a t-shirt, or even a bumper stick that reads, “I missed the Congress, but I Salsa all the way home.”

Understand that it’s important to save our pastime and the people who make our time pass. So, thank you to all the DJs, instructors, competitors, students, performance teams, musicians, promoters, media affiliates, volunteers, and sponsors who make our Salsa world possible, because it’s more than a dance, it’s a lifestyle!

Ashanti Altovese

Ashanti Altovese - professional dancer and instructor

Hola Salseros,

Have you ever wondered what gives the top female Salsa instructors, performers, and competitors their edge? When you look at them you see confidence and sex appeal, great technique coupled with original styling, and a perfectly sculpted body with curves that make a winding road jealous. Yes, they have something that some are born with and others it takes years to obtain. They have what I call Erotic InnerG®, a release of the inner goddess that allows them to remove negative energy and accomplish all they set their minds to. It’s a freedom of expression and ability that no one can tamper with because it’s owned by one source, the goddess within.

So what exactly is Erotic InnerG®? It’s the ability to channel powerful female sexual energy associated with the spiritual connection of the mind and body. It’s an intuitive element that we all possess but seldom utilize because of its social interpretation as threatening confidence. The usage of such a strong natural force can create intimidation to those around who are not in tune with their own inner goddess. Such an occurrence leads to a rapid disposal of negative energy to combat the positive inner goddess, which only amounts to confusion and conflict within. This state of being is counterproductive to the realization of goals and dreams and brings with it destructive forces from the surrounding environment. This is a road I implore those not to follow but abhor, as it is detrimental to mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional health.

How does one release the inner goddess? The most powerful tool we own to enlighten, resolve, and heal ourselves is breathing. Breathing opens up all aspects of the psyche and allows the free flow of energy to parts of the mind, body, and spirit that need repair, rejuvenation, or release. To gain control of this innate force, one must focus on deep meaningful breathing. Secondly, one must focus the mind on a concrete idea, action, or experience that is essential to the progression of their sacred world. This concentrated thought is energy that permeates through the body and into the physical realm. Lastly, one must engage the body in committed movement possessing strong conviction in the breathing and concentrated thought to achieve the release of the inner goddess. With strict dedicated practice, this exercise can improve health in all aspects of your daily life.

Understanding the tools you have at your disposal is important for dealing with life’s many challenges. We have many natural tools that rival any cosmetic change, narcotic fix, or violent reaction to the tests we face.
With the implementation of Erotic InnerG®, we are rulers of our world and resistant to negative attitudes and actions that may damage the very thing we look to protect, our inner peace.

So, the next time you see Griselle Ponce, Magna Gopal, Melissa Rosado, Liz Lira, Zulmara Torres, Cheryl Burke, Edie the Salsa Freak, Maricza Valentin, Shani Talmor, Josie Neglia, Anita Santos, or Anya Katsevman burn up the dance floor with their eyes, moves, and body, just remember they are reflecting and projecting Erotic InnerG® to make you feel what they feel when they’re Salsa dancing, complete control over their destiny and peace of mind in knowing that they deserve the best in life. Because it’s more than just a dance, it’s a lifestyle!

Ashanti Altovese

Ashanti Altovese - professional dancer and instructor

Hola Salseros,

We all know the phrase, “Home is where the heart is”. Well family is where you make it and I’m proud to say that over the past ten years, I’ve made a family in the world of the Salsa fine. Yes, you folks that consistently provide music, entertainment, and opportunities in the world of Latin dance are an essential part of the foundation that makes Salsa stand tall. As we deal with current issues in world politics and a changing global economic structure, let’s take the time to celebrate what we have created, the Salsa Family. Welcome to the world of The Salsa Socialite©, the lifestyle guide to Salsa food, fashion, and fitness.

The Salsa Family is special because we are an expanding global presence in the world of dance and entertainment. Salsa is alive and progressing because of our dedication to the art and each other. Like in any family, there may be squabbles at the dinner table, but we stand unified in the face of struggle and strife to keep one another afloat and fighting. We persevere through hard times and find ways to promote business and friendly competition while lifting up the whole genre and catapulting it into areas of un-chartered territory. I feel that the future is bright for the Salsa Family. They say that during times of crisis, change, and uncertainty you can see a person’s true character. It’s the same for a nation, a species, and a family. Our family is strong and we show our will in the best of times and in the worst of times. We must hold on to this sentiment and remember that what we have created will outlast any recession, depression, or transgression.

Thank you to the founding members of our society who sacrificed and experienced maltreatment, discrimination, and disrespect to establish our world of Latin flavor. It wasn’t an easy road, but your tenacity paid off and it is our generations’ turn to give back and pay it forward. Race, culture, and creed have no bearing on our cause as we speak the universal language of Salsa and think with the mindset of unity. Love the life we have as the Salsa Family continues to provide warmth, love, and protection from the elements of hate, bigotry, and violence. I’m so proud of our family and am looking forward to helping to develop the next generation of instructor, performers, and competitors. Because it’s more than just a dance, it’s a lifestyle!

Ashanti Altovese

Ashanti Altovese - professional dancer and instructor

Hola Salseros,

Have you seen a woman that when she walks in the club, all eyes are on her? She dresses to impress, has a smile that lights up the room, and is always treated as VIP. You’ve seen her, she’s got a style on the dance floor that’s unmatched by any other follow around. She knows how to move her body and makes every second count when the music is on. And for the five minutes a song is playing, the only thing that matters is she and her partner. The lead feels like ice melting in her embrace and who can blame him because she’s the Millionaire Salsera. Haven’t seen that girl? Well welcome to the world of The Salsa Socialite©, the lifestyle guide to Salsa food, fashion, and fitness.

The Millionaire Salsera is not a phantom, nor is she an imaginary character. She is the essence of every special woman who understands what being a Salsera is all about. Many think that being a millionaire is solely related to the material and physical world we see and feel. We are all conditioned to think that money, cars, houses, and jewelry make a millionaire. But when all the trappings of the secular world are stripped away, all that’s left is the essence of that person. A true millionaire is someone who projects energy of high value without a single material item around them. The Millionaire Salsera has a high net worth provided by only one thing – the way the music and the dance makes her feel inside.

It’s true, music and dance can make a person feel so valuable because of the energy it creates in the surrounding environment. The Millionaire Salsera has mastered her world because she is thinking and acting on what makes her authentic. Salsa makes her feel strong, it gives her freedom to be creative, it gives her the power of choice, it provides a moment of peace for herself, and it delivers doses of high octane happiness. All these feelings are actually worth more than millions – they are priceless. And, circumstances, people, and things immediately attract and align with what is similar when one acts on behalf of their true spirit. Therefore in time, she becomes a millionaire in reality and in spirit.

So salseros, the next time you’re in the club and the Millionaire Salsera walks in, get a dance and feel the power of Salsa creating high net worth in your atmosphere. It’s a special feeling that can change your life forever. Because it’s more than just a dance, it’s a lifestyle!

Ashanti Altovese