SAMI & PILAR - Columbia . UK Champs 2008

UK salsa champions 2008, Sami and pilar are the youngest salsa couple dancing in the uk and have been dancing together for 3 years, come from a dancing background having studied ballet, contemporary and musical theatre. Sami and pilar exploded onto the salsa scene in 2009 and have been at the biggest salsa festival and congresses since.

Sami and Pilar as well as bieng brought up dancing salsa in thier native colombia have been taught by some of the best international and resident teachers. Sami and Pilar have been taught by Ricardo and Viviana (world champions 2005/2006), Swing Latino (world salsa champions 2007/2008) Carolina and Cesar Velasquez Resident tango champions and Philip Langlais resident teacher and performer. They have a great energy and connection when dancing. with thier fast footwork and lift and dips sami and pilar are a must see.  Managed by the one and only Moe Flex, Sami and pilar are the biggest talent in the uk.

LORETA JUZENAITE

Started her dance career at the young age of 6 in Lithuania, first as a Ballroom and Latin dancer before she found Salsa in 2008 with LatinMotion (UK). After just a few months she won the amateur division of the Salsa-North-West Official British Dance Council Salsa Championship. Through sheer hard work and determination she has rapidly earned her place within the LatinMotion Team and fostered a strong reputation as one of the top female Salsa dancers in the Midlands.

More recently she has become well known as Mauricio Reyes's dance partner, teaching & dancing all around the UK & abroad. Loreta is renowned for her grace, incredible spins, accuracy and precision on the dance floor. She has already taught at some of the biggest Salsa Congresses around UK like GBSEx in Manchester, Cuban Salsa Congress in Bournemouth & SalsaKingdom in Southport, Scottish Salsa Congress as well as many other Weekenders and special events. Her passion for performing has now brought her the opportunity to work with two of the worlds top salsa dancers, Darlin Garcia (Philadelphia, US) & Shaka Brown (Washington DC, US). Loreta is able to dance and teach various styles such as Salsa on1/on2, Ladies Styling, Bachata, Cha Cha and many more.

WESLEY PRINCE - Salsa Addicts

Wesley is a UKA qualified teacher, passionate about dancing and teaching Salsa. He has taught up and down the country for many years have learn t in Birmingham. His main goal is to make everyone attending his classes have fun and take their dance a step further.

HELENA - Fuego Latino Leeds/UK

Helena is a founding member of FUEGO LATINO and is a UKA qualified instructor.. She has been a popular guest teacher, instructor and promoter across the UK, and also teaches regularly in Leeds, Sheffield and Huddersfield. Her career in Salsa stretches back many years with the earlier major events in Wolverhampton, Manchester Town Hall and Leeds. She has taught, performed and DJ’d in The Cayman Islands, Malaga, Granada, Malta, Guernsey and Ireland. Helena, a Sign Language Interpreter by profession, has also provided instruction to members of the Deaf community and whilst studying in Wolverhampton held weekly classes (taught through sign language and speech), that were regularly frequented by deaf and hearing students alike. Her classes are fun and accessible and she obviously enjoys teaching as much as her students enjoy learning from her.

JIMMY & EVA ESPERANZA - The Latin Connection

Jimmy first discovered salsa in 2001. After training with Rami William and later Luis Vasquez, went on to found ‘Salsa Abu Dhabi’, was Salsa Abu Dhabi’s lead instructor and introduced La Rueda to Abu Dhabi plus organized various events and festivals.

Moving to England, 2007 saw the birth of Jimmy’s new salsa venture - The Latin Connection. Within a year he founded the Latin Connection dance team and LBS Student team. Latin Connection appeared in various TV adverts as ‘Get into Newcastle’ BBC/ITV as well ‘Durham bid City of culture. Jimmy has now in a short period of 2 years got regular guest teaching slots regionally and around UK in various festivals and congresses, plus organizing Teesside Latin Festival with partners twice a year. His aim is that people like and enjoy salsa and have loads of fun!

Eva, from the vibrant city of Madrid, is a true salsa addict who dances every night of the week if she gets the chance! She has been with the Latin Connection team since its inception and her enthusiasm shines through in everything she does.

THEO - Dancation

Theo is the head instructor at Dancation. He is a dance champion from Ghana and an expert in both New York and Cuban styles . He has a wide array of experience in the field of salsa, alongside others forms of dance including bachata, merengue, casino rueda, zouk, kizomba and cha cha cha. He has been mentored by some of the best in the world of salsa both in the UK and Ghana. To him, salsa is about the passion and his energetic teaching and dancing style exudes this.

JOHN & VICKY - Salsa Bailar

Salsa bailar are John Wood and Vicky Gardiner, who have been salsa dancing for 12 years between them.John started teaching salsa across the North East in 2005 after being taught by Lossie and Gareth Roberts of Encuentro Latino in York for several years. Coming from a family of Irish and Ballroom dancing champions, the partnership with Vicky developed after a series of private lessons to fine tune her technique in 2005 and salsabailar was born........With further tuition from Emma Moore of Salsology and GBSExII fame, John and Vicky have gone on to embrace New York Cross Body Lead On1 dancing and are regular teachers at some of the top salsa nights in Newcastle as well as teaching their own night, Salsa at the Angel in Gateshead nr the iconic Angel of the North every Thursday night.

Forever sharing their knowledge and passion through fun and challenging lessons, Salsa bailar have been trying to unleash the passion across the North East since 2005!

"Another brilliant night!! We have so much fun watching YOU both having so much fun! What a mad couple you are and your teaching is so easy to follow. You are a pleasure to be with. Keep up the good work, thanks x" Student from Salsa at the Angel, August 2009

JOO-LEE & ANDY LEWIS - Lindy Jazz

Joo-Lee and Andy began promoting swing dance in 2007 and now run regular Lindy Jazz Clubs in Durham and Newcastle as well as DJam, the international Swing and Blues Festival. Joo-Lee danced ballet briefly as a child and since 1993, her training and social dance experience in Lindy Hop, Contemporary, Street, Salsa, Jive and Tap have influenced her personal dance style.

Andy has been dancing since 1990, having started with Ballroom, then Modern Jive and Tango. Coupled with an instinctive understanding of music and musical interpretation, his dancing is smooth and connected and his skills as a Swing and Blues DJ are sought after both nationally and internationally.

Together, they have been inspired and taught by top international teachers such as Frankie Manning, Steven Mitchell, Peter Loggins and Russell Sargeant. These multiple influences, together with their naturally warm and friendly attitude have made them popular swing dance teachers. Their encouraging and thorough connection-based teaching approach has attracted a growing interest in Lindy Hop, Charleston and Blues in the northeast.

REBEKAH BEWICK

DJ DHEZY - 2nd Runner up UK DJ awards 2008-2009

Dhezy, who's from Angola, became enraptured with salsa in 2000 at Sunderland University and was soon Djing for the university's salsa parties.

In 2002, while working for Bar Lorca in London, he was baptized into cuban style. Dhezy had his first gig at Bar 55 in 2004 & stayed for 3 years. He has done much to raise the profile of Salsa and Latin music on Tyneside and is now a popular local character & honorary Geordie.

Dhezy is currently working in partenership with Jimmy S.A.'s Latin Connection. As a dj Dhezy is specialized in Salsa however he always leans toward Cuba & prefere to play a party mix (salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Chachacha,Reggeaton, Charanga & Timba.)

Most prestigious gigs includes: Nobby Solano (Newcastle FC) Tribute Party 2007, Alex Wilson show & The Big Dance "Vamos Festival"2008, After Adoption UK 2008 & 12th Night Extravaganza - Northeast Salsa Congress, York 2009 and recently runner up Dj category on The UK Salsa Awards (salsa central) 2009, Vamos Festival 2009.

DJ TONY PIPER - Salsa York

Became a born-again teenager when, after 20-something years, the kids were finally old enough to look after themselves. Was dragged by Mary, screaming & kicking, to my first Salsa class in 2000. The rest is history. Started York's first club 2001. Founded the region's first congress, 'A Twelfth Night's Salsa Extravaganza', in 2002, & introduced the region's first Salsa directory on www.salsayork.com. Started DJing at the Wetherby Engine Shed, and elsewhere, in the same year. DJ 'Caballero' believes in Salsa as 'Street Party' and is very resistant to a gloriously underground scene becoming more 'formal'.

Current projects are the continuing development of the Engine Shed & of regional Salsa, and the delivery of an advanced regional directory next month: February 2010.