November 30, 2002

Please help me support the "American Institute of Vernacular Jazz Dance (AIVJD) and my efforts to bring this to the salsa community and get participation. Some of the other dances included are Lindy Hop, Tap, Hip Hop, we need not be so narrow minded as to attend salsa only events, we can join together for a common cause. I happen to be more eclectic than most of the salsa community, I want my hip hop, afrobeat, reggae, African dance, etc. This is a New York thing but many people from Toronto visit New York, in addition no matter where you live this is relevant. Posting this on your website will make many people aware of this organization.

Last year there was a close to nil attendance by the salsa community at the Harlem Dance Festival, even though Freddie Rios was honored, Jimmy Anton, Bernard Martinez, Frankie Martinez, Young Ambicion, etc. were listed and there. Savion Glover was listed to host, Jason Samuel (also of Bring in Da Noise Bring in Da Funk dancer) substituted, both are famous renowned tap dancers known to practically everyone in the world. This is an important organization working for what the salsa dance community believes in, to bring recognition and respect at a higher level. Buster Brown legendary tap dancer was also honored but sadly passed away before the event.

If you have never been to either Harlems your fears are grown from myths, Marcus Garvey Park in just outside of the Latino side at the start of the African American side and very close to east side and west side subways. It is a Washington Square type of park with a theater similar but more open than Central Park's Bandshell. If you are a dancer submit your promo materials, and everyone attend the next event in June, you will have a ball. It is a very impressive and exciting summer outdoor event. You will be notified again before the event.

Thank you,
Louise Chang


" Worry is the misuse of imagination." Author Unknown --- A.P., India

TO: SALSA DANCE PERFORMERS

PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITY

Submission Deadline - December 15, 2002

The Harlem Jazz Dance Festival 2003 - June 13 – 16 2003
American Institute of Vernacular Jazz Dance (AIVJD)
Event Co-Chair (Latin Division)
Nicole Frydman - N.Frydman@aivjd.org

Vernacular refers to indigenous dance forms created within a community and derived from native traditions, common social exchanges and a familiar culture.

To provide... a dedicated forum for the development and exposition of Vernacular Jazz Dance

Occasionally, a social dancer emerges of such enormous talent as to transcend the original social environment and enter the performance and professional arenas. Examples include Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers, Josephine Baker and Savion Glover.

Send all materials you'd like presented to the board to:

The Harlem Jazz Dance Festival 2003
American Institute of Vernacular Jazz Dance
34 West 129th Street, Suite 5A
Harlem, NY 10027

Send any promotional items letting the board know what the performance/ group/individual is and what they do. Anything on film or video or photo is very good to help the board know if they want to find a place in the festival for that performance. The artists who get chosen will most likely get a very small monetary stipend for their time but most of the work at this Festival is done un-paid since most artists who work with us know and support our cause and therefore choose to volunteer their time. What we end up paying the artists will be up to the Board as well and will be decided once the choice of artists is solid.

The Harlem Jazz Dance Festival Executive Board votes on all groups/ individuals who perform and work for the festival. They have a formal submission process and decide once all the information is in.

www.aivjd.org

To honor... the contributions of legendary Vernacular Jazz Dancers, preserving their legacy for future generations.

To educate... the Harlem community and beyond about the importance of Vernacular Jazz Dance and its contribution to American social history. To provide... a dedicated forum for the development and exposition of Vernacular Jazz Dance

October 27, 2002

Monday, October 28th, 2002 *Doors open 6pm

Halloween Salsa Costume Bash
Lebron Brothers "35th Anniversary"
35 YEARS OF SALSA WITH SOUL

Lebron Brothers are purveyors of pure salsa! The Lebron Brothers are arguably one of the greatest bands of Latin music: guaguanco, boogaloo, Latin soul, but especially salsa. The brothers include Josi, Angel, Frankie and Carlos.

In the late 1960's, at the height of the boogaloo craze, the Lebron Brothers struck out from their home in Brooklyn, New York to begin a legendary career recording more than a dozen albums over the span of about 30 years. They are remarkable artists who left a remarkable legacy. Their first album, Psychedelic Goes Latin was released in 1967 and included hit songs such as "Mala Suerte". The debut effort won kudos throughout the Latin and Black communities and led to their second offering in 1971: The Brooklyn Bums, the nickname for the Brooklyn professional baseball team, with hit songs like Apurate. The secret to their success was their knowledge of music, harmony and composition, but above all, their rhythm. These elements were well honed in their subsequent recordings, including the classic Salsa y Control. The family tradition continues with the current release Lebron Brothers 35th Anniversary which has quickly become a favorite for DJs and dancers.

Dance performance by:
Descarga Latina Dance Company
DJ's Henry Knowles, Nelson Torres & Franklin Ayala

@ EL FLAMINGO
547 West 21 Street, New York City (212) 243-2121
(Between 10th & 11th Avenues) across from Chelsea Piers
Complimentary Hot Buffet @ 6:00pm & Salsa Dance Lesson @ 6:30pm
Regular Admission: $10 (except special events)

Salsa in the Big Apple!


Copa Girls, Photo Credit: LaMusica.com

The scoop on the Grand Opening of Copacabana Nightclub in NYC. Thank goodness for some fabulous people I met last year who keep me posted on what's happening in NYC! Click here to see a videoclip, story and photos of the Grand Opening via LaMusica.com.

In this pic, do you recognize some of the current salsa divas from NYC, such as Stracy Diaz of Descarga Latina, Candy Mena of Jai & Candy, and Yesenia Peralta (Ismael Otero of Caribbean Soul's sister). Eyewitness News Story for more photos.

October 21, 2002

"El Maestro" Johnny Pacheco y Su Tumbao Featuring
Vocals: Hector Casanova & Ray Viera

@ EL FLAMINGO
547 West 21 Street, New York City (212) 243-2121
(Between 10th & 11th Avenues) across from Chelsea Piers

Complimentary Hot Buffet @ 6:00pm &
Salsa Dance Lesson @ 6:30pm
Regular Admission: $10 (except special events)

October 4, 2002

Check out these exhibitions if you want to learn more about the Roots of Salsa...


Raices: The Roots of Salsa from West Africa to New York
On view at the Museum of the City of New York

Exhibition, documents the Afro-Caribbean music known as "salsa" through photographs, broadsides, posters, programs, instruments, and costumes. The exhibition highlights the musical influences of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic; seminal musicians such as Machito (Frank Grillo), Tito Puente, and Tito Rodriguez; composers, arrangers, dancers, and the festive, colorful venues associated with the evolution of Latin music in New York during the twentieth century.

Opening on October 5, 2002
Exhibits through February 16, 2003
Museum of the City of New York
1220 Fifth Ave. (103rd St.)
New York, NY 10029
(212) 534-1672 phone

In addition, a number of public programs will be held in conjunction with the exhibition.

---Special Programs during this exhibit noted below

-- Sat Oct 5, 2002 -3:00 PM
The Roots of Salsa
Lecture/demonstration
Louis Bauzo and the Raices music ensemble and dancers trace the path of Latin music from its origins in West Africa to "salsa," its present form in New York

-- Sun, Oct 27, 2002 - 4:00 PM
Mambo in the Catskills: The Latino-Jewish Connection in Latin Music Panel Discussion/Concert
Makor/Steinhardt Center 35 West 67th Street, Manhattan

-- Sat, Nov 02, 2002, 2:00 PM
Film: That Latin Beat: A Short History of Latin Music from the 1930's to the 1960's.

-- Sun, Dec 08, 2002 - 3:00 PM
Dance Mania: The Palladium Ballroom as a Cultural Phenomenon.
Panel Discussion/Performance

For more information, check out http://www.mcny.org, (website confusing), click in "MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK", then CALENDER, then PRESS RELEASE, you will find complete readable information...

October 7, 2002

Latin Madness News Update by Manny Siverio of SalsaNewYork.com and Nelson Flores of Latin Madness...

Latin Madness III Hits the 40 Percent Mark
In less than 10 days, ticket sales for the off-Broadway Mambo Musical Latin Madness has doubled. Promoters Nelson Flores and Carlos Mendoza have informed SalsaNewYork that they are at the 40 percent mark in ticket sales. The show is still roughly 5 to 6 weeks away and will be playing between 11/7/02 - 11/10/02 and 11/14/02 - 11/17/02. New storyline, new dance numbers and several new top rated dancers have been added to the cast. Now is the time to get tickets for this hot show. Don't get caught in the last minute crunch to buy seats. Tickets are on SALE NOW.

West Meets East:
Edie The Salsa Freak Joins the Cast of Latin Madness
What do you get when West meets East…. No, not a Jackie Chan-Chris Tucker movie, you get Latin Madness III. One of the Internet’s most recognizable Salsa Dance Celebrities Edie “The Salsa Freak” has joined the cast of Latin Madness III. Edie who was an original co-founder of SalsaWeb.com arrived in New York a little over a week ago with her husband Al Espinosa and jumped knee deep into cast rehearsals. The presence of Edie and Al mark Latin Madness’ expansion to include performers from both U.S. coasts as well as the addition of what many call the L.A. Style of Salsa Showmanship to the show’s lineup. Catch the Madness between 11/7/02 - 11/10/02 and 11/14/02 - 11/17/02.

Ticket Sales For Latin Madness III Soar
Tickets for the third run of the Off-Broadway Mambo Musical Latin Madness have been selling like hot cakes according to Promoters Nelson Flores and Carlos Mendoza. The show has already sold over 1,000 seats or roughly 20% of total ticket sales. If you haven’t seen the show in the past, now is the time to buy tickets. Now is also the time to buy tickets if you’ve seen the show in the past since the promoters are boasting a totally new storyline with new numbers. Latin Madness III Choreography from Nelson Flores, Maria Tirado, Addie Diaz, Thomas Guerrero, Jai & Candy, Edie and Al Espinosa, Stracy Diaz & Hector Berrios. Catch the Madness between 11/7/02 - 11/10/02 and 11/14/02 - 11/17/02.

Latin Madness 3 Rehearsal Starts
NYC – The Cast of Latin Madness III is already hard at work preparing for the next run of this highly popular off-Broadway show. The producers Nelson Flores and Carlos Mendoza have informed SalsaNewYork that they are changing both the storyline and a large amount of the dance numbers to come up with a totally new and exciting show. Cast members are working harder than ever to learn the works of different top dance choreographers. Catch the Madness between 11/7/02 - 11/10/02 and 11/14/02 - 11/17/02. Click here to purchase tickets online or call 718-595-1000 and tell them that TOsalsa.com sent you.

Click here to win a pair of Front Row Seats to Latin Madness!
Deadline to enter is October 9th!

Click here for more info and updates!

Click here for some New York Event Updates on our new page!

Wednesday October 9th at Nell's

CANDELA
presents CUBANSOUL at NELLS

TIEMPO LIBRE
Combining the talents of some of the hottest young musicians in Miami today.
This group of Cuban immigrants and old friends, schooled in the various
conservatories of Havana, are now in demand by the likes of Albita, Cachao
and Issac Delgado. During breaks between projects they were able to come
together and develop their own style hence the name Tiempo Libre (Free Time)

This is hot stuff folks don't miss their NYC debut

Plus
DJ ELVIRA "Pure Salsa"

DJ MEDINA - Cuban old school and late night Timba

NELLS
246 W14St. NYC
212-675-1567
$ 15 Admission

Doors open at 9pm Bring this evite for $10 admission before 10pm
PS. Maybe you'll get the same discount if you print this off TOsalsa.com (TBC)

Come early, free group dance lesson on the lower level
With NILDA BORRERO
Lesson starts at 9.30
Now is your chance to learn a few moves
and best of all its free with your entry

Spanish Harlem occupies the lower southeastern corner of Harlem itself. The musical contribution of this neighborhood is the last great chapter in the history of 20th Century music in America..... Remarkably, it is a story that remains largely untold. El Barrio, as it is called within the community, has been the birthplace for Salsa, Latin Soul, Boogaloo and countless other variants within the tropical Latin idiom. From Tito Puente to Marc Anthony, this small enclave has exerted a monumental effect on the sound of American music today. Using the most accomplished players in the New York Latino community, this album features a cross-section of compositions that create a bridge into this exhilarating place.

Led by world famous pianist and arranger Oscar Hernandez, with outstanding performances by such singers as Ray De La Paz, Herman Olivera, Frankie Vazquez and musicians such as Ruben Rodriguez and Bobby Allende, this album is a long-overdue missing link to the music and history of Spanish Harlem.

This album does not celebrate the famous figures of Salsa: rather, it is a glimpse inside the secret history of the Nuyorican experience. Hector Rivera, Orlando Marin, Tito Rodriguez, and Pete El Conde Rodriguez are not household names, yet their contribution to American culture at large surrounds us everyday in the popular music of such artists such as Marc Anthony and Carlos Santana, who both owe an enormous musical debt to there unsung masters of La Musica Latina.

Whether youre a seasoned Salsero or a first-time mambonik, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra will prove that today is always un gran dia en el barrio.

Also Special Appearance By: Ellas y Amigos, Female Salsa Band

Birthday Celebration for:

Maria Torres (Original member of Broadway Show "Swing" & Creator of Hustle-Salsa-Swing USA Event) & Richard Goenaga (PR)

DJ's Henry Knowles, Nelson Torres & Franklin Ayala

@ EL FLAMINGO
547 West 21 Street, New York City (212) 243-2121
(Between 10th & 11th Avenues) across from Chelsea Piers

Complimentary Hot Buffet @ 6:00pm &
Salsa Dance Lesson @ 6:30pm
Regular Admission: $10 (except special events)
*************************************************
Que Viva La Salsa y Los Bailadores!!