The video was
uploaded to the web
on Saturday, June
20, 2008. By
Sunday, it had 1
million hits. By
Thursday, it was
everywhere —
embedded on Facebook
and MySpace pages
and flooding email
inboxes and
translating into
millions of viewers,
thousands of
comments, and
official "gone
viral" status.
But this one is no
YouTube vanity trip.
This one is
different. This one
feels important,
necessary, and
artistic; it's a
concrete
manifestation of the
change that the
world's leaders have
been preaching at a
time when the human
race could use a
little pick-me-up, a
little jig in its
step.
This one is a
high-definition
television
commercial for hope.
"Pretty cool, huh?" said Matt Harding, when it was suggested to him that, for the first time in history, someone — he — got the entire planet dancing together to the same song.
Already dubbed 'the best movie of 2008'
To wit: "Dancing," by the video-game designer turned videomaker Harding, is a thing of such unbridled joy and connectivity that one film critic, Erik Lundegaard, has already dubbed it "the best movie of 2008" on his blog. And why not? Times-infinity planetwide goose bumps can't be wrong.
"I hadn't even had a chance to sit down and look at until yesterday," said Harding, a 31-year-old native of Westport, Conn., Thursday by phone from his home in Seattle.
"I finished the trip at the beginning of June. I got home, then we had to record the music, and we shot the last clip in Seattle, and then I had about 10 days to edit the thing and get it done.
"It wasn't until yesterday that I finally had a quiet moment to sit down and watch it and sort of try to understand the response it's been getting since I put it up. It's been really amazing."
The sum effect of "Dancing," which is called "Where the Hell Is Matt (2008)" on YouTube, is just that --especially when coupled with the ephemeral music created by Harding's friend Gary Schyman and sung by Palbasha Siddique, a 17-year-old native of Bangladesh who will be a senior at Minneapolis Southwest High School this year.
'People are making ring tones out of it'
"It's crazy," said Siddique, who lives in Northeast Minneapolis with her mother and brother. "Right now it's number one on amazon.com in the soundtrack [category], and number six overall, so that's a really big accomplishment, because even 'American Idol' is number nine right now. I just never knew this would turn out so incredible. People are making ring tones out of it. Everyone on Facebook is adding me, and I had no idea there are so many Bengalis in our community, and they have all heard the song."
"Dancing" has its roots in two previous Harding-dancing videos, which were similar — if lesser — Internet sensations in which Harding danced alone. The videos caught the attention of Stride gum, which helped finance Harding's travel and production budget.
Courtesy of Palbasha SiddiqueHarding dances in a recording session with Siddique.
In the FAQ section of his website, Harding writes, "In 2007 Matt went back to Stride with another idea. He realized his bad dancing wasn't actually all that interesting, and that other people were much better at being bad at it. He showed them his inbox, which, as a result of his semi-famousness, was overflowing with emails from all over the planet. He told them he wanted to travel around the world one more time and invite the people who'd written him to come out and dance too."
Over the course of 14 months, Harding traveled to 42 countries and, simply, filmed himself dancing with folks. Now he has a publicist to help him field interview requests. And to think it all started in Hanoi, when a friend suggested, "go do that stupid dance you do and I'll film it."
He just kept dancing
"It started off as a goof; and then I just kept doing that on the trip I was on," said Harding.
"I started collecting [videos of himself dancing] as mementos. There was no higher thought to it than the person who brings a T-shirt or a stuffed animal and takes pictures of themselves everywhere they go. It just happened to be that dancing has more of a profound meaning to people.
"[On] the first videos I danced alone, but when I went to Rwanda it was by far and away my favorite clip of that [previous] video. It was so much more fun to dance with other people.
"I'm not much of an extrovert, so it would have been hard to go up to people and say, `Will you dance with me?' So the second video created an opportunity to find people. My girlfriend (Melissa Nixon) produced it for me, and everywhere we went, we organized these big events where we'd dance."
And what exactly does he call that step he's doing?
'The human metronome'
"I call myself the human metronome, because once the people start running in, I'm just this thing keeping the time in the background," he said. "When you watch it, your eye shifts to all these different people doing these crazy things. I've found that everybody sort of gravitates to the same things, from clip to clip. You see the guy in Stockholm on the far right, you see the girl in Poland with her hand on her skirt — all these little nuances that are fun."
When it came to the accompanying music, Harding and Schyman knew they didn't want to weigh down the footage with cheesy lyrics or over-the-top sentimentality.
"We were talking to a very popular musician who was interested in singing on it, but it didn't come together and we ended up kind of stuck," said Harding. "We were really struggling with lyrics: How do you write lyrics for a video like that without it being clichéd? And I said to Gary, `What if we did it in a foreign language?'
"And he brought up this poet, Rabindranath Tagore, an Indian poet who won the Nobel Prize, and I went looking through his poetry and found this "Stream of Life' poem that talks about life and being and dance, and I thought, `This is perfect.' So we had the lyrics, but we didn't have someone who could sing it in native Bengali."
Looking for a singer
Enter Harding's girlfriend, Nixon, a recruiter for Google who set out to find a singer. In short order she stumbled upon Siddique, whose father is a brigadier general in the Bangladesh army, and whose family settled in Northeast Minneapolis when Palbasha Siddique was awarded a scholarship to MacPhail Center for the Arts. A singer her entire life (she recorded her first CD when she was 7 and sang "God Bless America" before a Twins game when she was 11), Siddique studied at De La Salle High School and transferred to Southwest last year when she was accepted into the International Baccalaureate program.
At the moment, she is one of the most heard singers in the world. She is forming a band and releasing a new CD next week. She intends to study at Harvard Law. She is, in other words, on fire.
"I'm not on fire yet," she laughed. "I want the whole world to know me one day. It's just not there yet, but it'll get there."
Interviewed about war in Bangladesh
"I was being interviewed on a show about the war in Bangladesh, which my father is fighting in," says Siddique. "For some reason, the woman asked me to sing four lines from a song, and so I did, with no background music or anything. The video quality of it was so bad I asked the [program engineer] not to upload it. But he did, and it's good after all, because that's how Matt found me."
Harding flew Siddique and her mother to Los Angeles to record the track, and paid her $1,000.
"The recording could have gone disastrously," said Harding. "She's 17 years old, but she absolutely had the chops and she had this incredibly powerful voice and was able to give us this amazing performance.
"We were working with L.A. engineers and musicians who were just going, `How did you just find this girl?' It was all just very serendipitous, and when you've got that serendipity going, you just get out of the way and let it happen."
Which could be said about the "Dancing" video as a whole. Harding is reluctant to put into words what the video's "message" is, other than "it's just people dancing … so it's very simple, and very complex."
Not to mention unprecedented.
"It's true," he said. "This is something that hasn't been possible until very recently: The ability to travel all around the world like this, and get to all these places, and have access to these people, and to do it with a high-definition camera that weighs less than a pound and get it out to the entire planet, is all very new."
Here is a translation of the poem "Stream of Life," by Rabindranath
Tagore, which Siddique adapted for "Dancing":
Stream of Life
by Rabindranath Tagore
The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day
runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.
It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth
in numberless blades of grass
and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.
It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth
and of death, in ebb and in flow.
I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life.
And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.
Daily
Candy Miami - Addicted to Love,
Spring 2008 Wedding Guide
April 23, 2008
Planning your wedding is
driving you to drink. Fight back with
DailyCandy’s twelve-step program. Private Salsa
lessons with Salsa Mia are an essential part of
your wedding planning.
Step
1 Admit you have a problem. Your future
mother-in-law? Nope. Your lack of venue.
Luckily,
Schnebly Redland’s Winerynow hosts weddings in the
plantation-style property’s tranquil gardens
(complete with waterfalls and passion fruit
vineyards). And for party favors: mango wine
bottled especially for your guests.
Step 2 Discover the higher power. Flower power,
that is. Guerdy Réjouis, the flower architect
behind Fisher Island’s
Ocean Flowers,
pairs her stylized
designs with lighting, accents, and draping. Her
pick for this season: opulent color, like
fuchsia calypso orchids.
Step 3 Turn your will over to the gods (of
music). Namely
DJ Ross One,
the super spinner known for Favela Chic at
Mokai. Without a tinge of the macarena, he gets
everyone out on the dance floor (even, rumor has
it, Bill Clinton).
Step 4 Take an honest look at yourself. Realize
you deserve couture invitations.
Paper Fetish’s
designers don’t work off books. Instead they
craft each distinct card from scratch, using
everything from watercolors and rose petals to
feathers.
Step 5, 6, and 7 Admit the nature of your wrongs (it’s
your dancing); prepare to change (light
stretching); eliminate your shortcomings.
Private lessons from
Salsa Mia, the folks who bring you
Friday nights at Yuca, should do the trick.
Step 8 and 9 Make a list of those you harmed (your
bridesmaids) and make amends. Before the
big day, send them Beauty in a Box from
Face Time Cosmetics.
The darling package arrives bearing the maid’s
name and a cache of customized makeup.
Step
10 Keep a personal inventory (of the party).
Capture it all, not just posed and sober. Let
In Focus Studiosresident artist, Manolo Doreste,
reveal the night in all its natural splendor,
including a trash-the-dress shot, in which the
bride mars her fated frock in fiery devotion
(optional, obv).
Step 11 Contact the higher power. Or get a power
contact high by providing guests hand-rolled
cigars. Anissa Velazquez of Deco Drive Cigars
(305-674-1811) will arrange for a tobacco
aficionado to craft stogies using their
Dominican and Nicaraguan blends.
Step
12 Have a spiritual awakening (after tasting
your cake).
Ana Paz
uses her grandma’s recipe to create iced
art, which she can bling-out Miami-style with
Swarovski crystals.
If all else fails, there’s always step 13:
rehab (a.k.a. your honeymoon)
The
Miami Herald's New Miami.com
March 18, 2008
Salsa Fridays at Yuca
When in Miami, do as the Miamians do:
Salsa!
By Rayme
Samuels
Picture this: It's Friday
night and you find yourself
sauntering down Lincoln
Road. Somehow along the way
your feet start tapping,
your hips start shaking and
before you know it, you're
swept up in the sensual
rhythm of a salsa beat. No,
your ears aren't playing
tricks on you. Look up on
the corner of Drexel Avenue
and your senses will surely
be overwhelmed by the flurry
of sexy dancers spinning
their way across a crowded
dance floor. Salsa Mia has
hosted an addictive salsa
night in the upstairs lounge
at Yuca restaurant for more
than two years and has
successfully attracted both
diehard dancers and novices
alike week after week.
Once you venture past a
cheerful doorman and up a
narrow staircase, you will
find a ceramic tile dance
floor filled to the brim
with some of Miami's most
enthusiastic salseros.
"People come here to
socialize at the end of the
workweek, have drinks and
practice dance with other
students," says Salsa Mia
owner, Susan Fisher.
For the novice dancer,
Cuban salsa classes begin
every week at 9 p.m., when
impossibly attractive
instructors cover the gamut
of basic steps, intricate
twirls and classic rueda
calls. Arrive a few hours
later and you'll be amazed
by the gravity defying spins
and dips enacted by the
second wave of visitors --
some of Miami's best and
surprisingly humble dancers.
Everyone here is eager to
share the spirit of this
Latin dance. If you're
feeling shy, pony up to the
bar for a Corona or mango
mojito, two popular
favorites, and just enjoy
being inspired by the crowd.
For those with two left
feet, don't worry. It's not
all salsa here, as DJs Alex
and Alfredo mix things up
regularly by adding
reggaeton, merengue,
bachata, and hip-hop to
their rotations. At Yuca,
where the party goes on
strong until the wee hours,
says Fisher, "everyone fits
right in."
Crowded house: Salsa Mia
at Yuca on Lincoln Road. Photo: Rayme
Samuels
Miami
NewTimes "A Different Kind of Dip"
Thursday, March 6, 2008
A Different Kind of Dip
Learn how to do it with Salsa Mia.
BY RAINA MCLEOD
Julie Dull and Oscar Ochoa
Feeling Caliente, Caliente Caliente!
The infusion of Latin traditions into Miami
culture requires that upon entering
Miami-Dade County, you trade in the rules
you used to live by for a set saturated in
Goya spices. Here coladas are
piping-hot and sipped for breakfast instead
of on-the-rocks and guzzled by the pitcher,
and when you speak of salsa, you’re usually
referring to the dance, not a dip for
tortilla chips. But although you’ve
perfected the art of ordering a Cuban coffee
sin azúcar, your dance moves are
another story. And since your Hispanic
friends giggle behind your back at the
stiffness of your swivel, the crew at
Salsa Mia will teach you how to execute
the sensuous and flirtatious dance with ease
– and rhythm.
Two-hour salsa classes will take you
through all the steps, whether you’re a
beginner or a hoofing legend. New students,
just show up 15 minutes before the class
begins and you’ll be grooving before you
know it!
Alex
Ruiz
and
Brianne Barco,
of
Salsa Mia,
give Tristin and
Jeff the ins and
outs of salsa
dancing,
performing and
passion.
Universal Music and Salsa Mia present Hector Lavoe "The Originals"
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Enter To
Win
A 2-Night Pass to Salsa Mia at Yuca Lounge
Compliments of Universal Music & Fania
Participants went
online to FYE, submitted their entries at Yuca Lounge, or the
FYE stores in South Florida. Winners were announced in September
2007.
Premier of "El
Cantante"
Thursday, August 1, 2007
Premier
of El Cantante
Regal Cinema - South Beach
Salsa Mia Dancers were
invited by PictureHouse to perform at the
premier of new movie "El Cantante". El
Cantante celebrates the life of the
legendary Puerto Rican salsa singer Hector
Lavoe. Local Miami radio station MEGA 94.9
was there to broadcast the event. Que viva
para siempre la salsa y la musica de Hector
Lavoe! Tremendo "Cantante".
El Nuevo
Herald
Friday, July 6, 2007
Salsa
con sabor a
Yuca
MANUEL
EDUARDO SOTO
El Nuevo
Herald
Son hombres y mujeres altos, bajos, gordos, flacos, rubios, blancos, pero todos se reúnen los viernes y los domingos en el salón de fiestas del restaurante Yuca de Miami Beach con un solo fin: aprender a bailar salsa, perfeccionar sus pasos en la pista, o simplemente mirar a los alumnos de la academia de baile Salsa Mía que luego se quedan en la fiesta hasta altas horas de la madrugada.
PARECIERA
QUE SU LEMA
ES QUE EL
MOVIMIENTO
SE DEMUESTRA
BAILANDO, Y
PARA ELLO SE
HA CREADO
UNA ACADEMIA
QUE LOS
VIERNES Y
DOMINGOS
ADIESTRA A
SUS
ASISTENTES
EN EL RITMO
LATINO POR
EXCELENCIA
Son
hombres y
mujeres
altos,
bajos,
gordos,
flacos,
rubios,
blancos,
pero todos
se reúnen
los viernes
y los
domingos en
el salón de
fiestas del
restaurante
Yuca de
Miami Beach
con un solo
fin:
aprender a
bailar
salsa,
perfeccionar
sus pasos en
la pista, o
simplemente
mirar a los
alumnos de
la academia
de baile
Salsa Mía
que luego se
quedan en la
fiesta hasta
altas horas
de la
madrugada.
Mientras
por las
bocinas se
escuchan
discos de El
Gran Combo,
Celia Cruz y
Willy
Chirino, y
cada una de
las parejas
que repletan
la pista del
local
situado en
el segundo
piso del
famoso
restaurante
de comida
cubana
practica lo
aprendido,
la directora
y
propietaria
de tan
singular
escuela,
Susan
Fisher, se
desplaza por
todos los
rincones
para
cerciorarse
de que todo
esté bien, y
de paso para
bailar con
algún alumno
que no tenga
pareja en
ese momento.
''Esta
noche
tenemos unas
80 personas
en el
salón'',
dijo Fisher.
Un pase
por una
noche cuesta
$40; por dos
noches, $50,
y $100 por
cinco
noches.
También se
puede firmar
contrato por
20 horas de
clases
privadas o
en grupo o
si uno
resulta un
alumno
aventajado
sólo paga
por 10
horas, pero
tal vez le
baste con
cinco horas.
Hay
diferentes
tarifas
según lo
aventajado
que sea el
alumno o
alumna.
La noche
del domingo
llamaba la
atención una
rubia
espectacular
con un
vestido de
seda
transparente
que no
dejaba
prácticamente
nada a la
imaginación.
Tamaña
sorpresa fue
saber que se
llamaba
Catherine
Ivanova y
que había
llegado
recientemente
de Moscú
para
aprender a
bailar mejor
la salsa, a
pesar de que
por sus
sensuales
movimientos
muchos
podrían
confundirla
con una
caribeña de
cuerpo y
alma.
''Me
encuentro de
vacaciones
aquí en
Miami'',
dijo en una
pausa que
hizo para
tomar
aliento,
pero sin
perder la
sonrisa en
ningún
momento.
``La salsa
la conocí en
Moscú a
través de
unos amigos
latinoamericanos.
Pero siempre
que vengo a
Miami,
aprovecho
para
perfeccionarme''.
Y nadie
puede dudar
de que a
cualquiera
le gustaría
entablar
amistad con
esta rusa
tan alegre y
simpática,
ya que a
ninguno de
los varones
que la
invitaron a
bailar les
dijo que no.
Uno de
los
bailadores
que tuvo
oportunidad
de bailar
más de una
pieza con
ella fue Wes
Barnes, un
traductor
del
tailandés y
el laosiano
al inglés,
de unos 70
años, que
según contó
hace cinco
años que
concurre a
Salsa Mía
``por orden
del
médico''.
''Mi
médico me
recomendó
que hiciera
ejercicio
para
mantenerme
bien
físicamente
y por eso
vengo a
bailar salsa
aquí, a
Yuca, en
lugar de
montarme en
una
bicicleta
estacionaria,
como lo
hacen los
viejos'',
dijo en alta
voz para
poder
superar los
decibeles
que invadían
la sala. ``A
mi esposa no
le gusta
bailar, así
que vengo
solo. Ya
pronto me
voy a
jubilar y
pretendo
irme a vivir
a Bangkok,
donde no
dejaré de
hacerlo
porque allí
también se
baila
salsa''.
Los
alumnos
reciben
lecciones de
expertos
hasta las
11:30 de la
noche, los
viernes o
los
domingos,
después de
lo cual el
sitio se
convierte en
discoteca,
donde todo
el mundo
puede
disfrutar
por igual de
los bailes
tropicales.
Algunos
de ellos se
solazan
sirviéndose
los variados
tragos del
bar del
salón y
otros
prefieren
bajar al
comedor del
primer piso,
donde pueden
degustar
exquisitos
platos
cubanos como
la clásica
ropa vieja y
otras
especialidades
de la
exquisita
mesa cubana,
pero con un
toque
gourmet
que los
diferencia
de los que
sirven en
cafeterías y
restaurantes
familiares
de la
ciudad.
Otro
aspecto
positivo de
Yuca es que
a pocos
pasos están
los
estacionamientos
municipales
que les
permiten a
sus
parroquianos
dejar sus
automóviles
sin el
peligro de
que queden a
merced de
imprevistos.
Una mujer
ya madura
entró al
local en
medio de la
clase, se
sentó
tranquilamente
en un sofá,
abrió su
cartera,
extrajo un
par de
zapatos
cerrados con
los que
reemplazó
los que
traía, que
no tenían
talón. Se
paró y
raudamente
se sumó a
los
bailadores
de la pista,
moviendo los
pies al
ritmo de
Azuquita
p'al café,
de El Gran
Combo. Fue
una de las
últimas en
irse con su
pareja,
satisfecha
de la
jornada
salsera.•
'Salsa mía'
en Yuca, 501
Lincoln
Road, Miami
Beach. Para
más
detalles,
llamar a la
escuela al
(305)
987-3033
SunPost
Best of 2007
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
The SunPost Best Of 2007
Treasures Of Miami And The Beaches
Nightlife:
Best
Salsa Nights
Salsa
Mia
Ever
wanted to learn to salsa? Or are you
just looking for a great place to dance
the night away to a Latin beat? Salsa
Mia incorporates both. Six different
levels, from beginners to advanced, are
taught by six different instructors at
the same time and place. No need to
bring a partner as everyone rotates, so
you get to step on the toes of, and
eventually get in perfect rhythm with,
all sorts of people. Classes are held
Fridays and Sundays from 8:30 p.m. to
10:30 p.m. Stay after class Friday for
the hottest salsa nightclub on the
beach; open until 2:30 a.m. Location:
Yuca Lounge, upstairs, 501 Lincoln Road,
Miami Beach. Phone: 305-987-3033. Web
site: www.salsamia.com
Sports Club LA -
Member Celebration with Salsa Mia
Thursday, April 26, 2007
The Sports Club LA/Miami at the Four Seasons Hotel Members of the
incredible $25 million 40,000 square foot luxury complex enjoyed
a wonderful night of Salsa with Salsa Mia.
The 2007 Miami Beach
Dance Festival
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Miami Beach Dance Festival
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Miami Beach Botanical Gardens
Salsa Mia was invited to host the first Salsa Night with
Sangria, appetizers from Yuca, and dancing. The
Miami Herald was there to
take pictures.
Alonzo Mourning's Overtown Youth
Center Fund-raiser
Saturday, March 10, 2007 Salsa Mia representing Yuca at
Alonzo Mourning's
Overtown Youth Center Fund-raiser
Miami NewTimes "Hot and Spicy"
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Hot and Spicy. Salsa is our favorite dance
and condiment
BY KAREN R. FIGUEIREDO
Baile, baile!
You’ve lived in
Miami for how many years and you still can’t dance salsa?
There’s no need to feel like a dance floor loser; Salsa Mia will
make it easy for you to learn. Every Friday night at 8:00
the muy caliente event organizers host group classes at Yuca
Lounge. You don’t need a partner, and you certainly don’t
need to know anything about dancing; just show up and
they’ll teach you how to move.
You’ll start with the basic steps, one foot forward then the
other back, almost easier than walking. Soon you’ll be
swaying like a native Cuban, twirling in rhythm with
everyone in the rueda group or inching closer to your
favorite salsero. Ay papi. After the lesson is over you can
carry on Latin dancing at the lounge until 2:30 a.m.
Despierta America on Univision
Friday, February 23, 2007
2-Year Anniversary of Salsa Mia at Yuca Lounge The story of Salsa Mia filmed and reported by Paola
Gutierrez of Despierta America!
Aired on television show August 3rd, 2007
Escandalo TV on
Univision's Channel Telefutura
Monday, February 5, 2007
Salsa Mia teaches new Hip Hop artist, JJ, to Salsa on
Escandalo TV
His album titled Disco de Oro was released this August.
CBS Early Show - Live from South Beach
SALSA MIA ON CBS
Saturday, February 3rd, 2007
Salsa Mia LIVE from South Beach on the CBS Early Show. Saturday, Feb. 3rd. Super Bowl 2007 special coverage.
Telemundo's Ritmo Deportivo Films
at Salsa Mia
Friday, January 19, 2007 Salsa Mia was filmed for
Ritmo Deportivo on Friday, January 19th, 2007. The program
aired on Sunday, January 28, 2007.
Food Network Filming of Giada's Weekend Getaways
Friday, November 10, 2006
Food Network's Filming of
Giada de Laurentiis' new TV program called "Giada's Weekend
Getaways"... (MIAMI)
Chef Giada de Laurentiis travels across the
United States looking for vacation destinations for food lovers.
Giada’s
Weekend Getaways premiered
Friday, January 12, 2007.
Entertainment News & Views
Edition: Thursday, September 28, 2006
Learn to Dance with Salsa
Mia
...Learn to dance
Salsa every Friday and Sunday upstairs at Yuca Lounge...
First of a series
Where DO singles mingle? Some
untraditional places to seek out Mr. or Ms.
Right
BY
JILL BAUER
CAN'T BE BEAT
If you have to choose one
place to be on a Friday night, try salsa lessons
at Salsa Mia (at Yuca Lounge) on Lincoln Road in
Miami Beach. With a relaxed lounge atmosphere
and a welcoming staff, it's impossible not to
feel at home here -- whether you have two left
feet or can shake your bon-bon with abandon.
''I think this is fantastic,'' said
27-year-old Juan David who was there for first
time. ``I've been looking for an atmosphere like
this. . . . Everybody's like a family. You can
see and feel the energy.''
You don't need to bring a partner, and gay
participants can learn both the leader and
follower role, says owner Susan Fisher.
Italian TV Host - Gino Latino,
Films @ Salsa Mia
August 18, 2006
Salsa Mia was visited by Italian television host, Gino Latino.
Salsa Mia instructors were interviewed and the classes were
filmed for a program called Momento Latino to air in
Italia.
Wild On
Latino
Sunday, August 6, 2006
E! Entertainment Television Latin America Wild On Latino
Salsa Mia was interviewed and filmed for an upcoming program
of Wild On South Beach.
The program will air in over 28 Latin American countries. Stay
tuned for dates!!!
Satisfy Your Zest for
Adventure
The Salsa Mia Crew
Oscar, Alex, Brianne, Alex, Susie, Silvana,
Klaudia, Benny, Liliana
Not pictured above (Shadow, Nelson, Leticia,
Alexito, Tamara, Omar and DJ Alex)
July 14, 2006
On his summer tour of the most adventurous
cities in the United States, Procter & Gamble's ZEST FOR
ADVENTURE Man visited Salsa Mia at Yuca in Miami.
Written by
Zest for Adventure Man, John Guidroz
Fact: Salsa
Dancing lessons exist to make you look silly. At least that's
what happened to me last night. I went to South Beach for a
taste of the infamous Miami nightlife. What better place to try
some Latino grooves? Kickin clubs, hot ladies strutting down the
promenades, clothes clinging to flesh like a man to his pride.
As it turns out, a "good night" of Salsa education requires a
man to take off his pride; a "better night", his clothes. I
can't comment on the clothes.
The lesson kicked off with an introduction
to the basic 1-2-3 steps. Then a couple transition moves, some
side-steps, back steps-- simple enough after a few minutes. Then
they tripled the speed and threw on some music. Add the group of
people watching and I was petrified. Don't get me wrong, I can
count to 3 and generally get by on the dance floor at a club or
bar, but when I tried to follow the instructions in my head and
still listen to the music I ended up moving like a Zombie from
Night of the Living Dead. After an hour, solo time was finished
and, apparently, we were ready to be paired up for couples
dancing.
In a thick Hispanic accent,
the instructor told the men in the beginner group that it was
our jobs to lead the ladies. "Salsa dancing is communication
with your bodies. You take the ladies. Ladies, you want to be
taken, no?" I liked this guy, but he was a liar. When I got out
on the dance floor to try out my basic steps my experienced
partner tolerated my zombie steps for about two seconds before
taking me. I didn't care, she made me look good. What the hell,
dancing is all about a good time and living a little right? The
bottom line is that tonight had all the core elements of a good
adventure: fear, hesitation, learning, and, in the end, success.
Next time I just need to stop counting in my head, loosen up a
bit and brush up on my espanol. Maybe that will also lead to a
"better night."
Summer Rocks with Salsa Mia!
Issue 29 | July/August 2006
Salsa Mia appears in the
July/August issue of LRM magazine in their cover story of
the summer called "Summer Rocks! Twenty-four reasons to
emerge from the air conditioning to experience all that Miami
has to offer during the summer--great deals, hot events,
cultural stimulation and, best of all, shorter lines."
"Summer Rocks"is proof that summer is not hell on earth in South Florida.
It's also far from boring.
Salsa Mia is #2 out of 24 hottest
things to do this summer in Miami!!!
You Can Dance
"You may hear the music, but you'll
never really feel like a Miamian until you've learned to Salsa.
Summer's a great time to learn with Salsa Mia, which holds
lessons every Friday and Sunday night at Yuca Lounge. After the
2-hour Friday-night lesson, put your new moves to the test at
Yuca's Salsa nightclub."
-- Sara Churchville
Testimonials
Please send your testimonials to
info@salsamia.com if you would like them to be posted here below. Thank you!
From: Tahirah Gomez Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008
You guys are sooo great! I found you
on Expert Village instructional videos & want to know if you can
recommend any teachers in the Sacramento area of California or
bay area? I have never tried salsa before, but have learned
basics from your videos, & I am very happy dancing salsa, it is
fun. I am a belly dancer, so a little different for me dancing
with a partner.
You made it very easy with the instructional videos.
Tahirah Gomez
From: Damla Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008
Hello Everybody,
First of all I would like to thank
the whole Salsa Mia crew and especially Susan, Klaudia and
Oscar. I started salsa classes last week on Friday. I am Turkish
and I never danced salsa before in my entire life. I don't know
any moves or anything and I tried all the sports, all the
exercises you can imagine and never enjoyed what I was doing
till now.
It's really amazing how I became
addicted to salsa. I cant wait Fridays to come. I have a really
busy schedule at work, I work for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line in
Human Resources Department so you can imagine how crazy it is.
Normally on Fridays I get so tired and don't even want to go out
till I met you guys. Thank you very much for all your hard work
and your PASSION.
I just wanted to share my thoughts
with you. Have a great week and keep up the good work.
Love
Damla
From: Ray Hernandez Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008
Hi!.... I recently moved out of
state and unfortunately, I cannot attend your awesome classes
any longer.
I miss South Beach!!...Thanks for
your lessons...Sincerely, Ray.
From: James of the Miami Beach
Salsa Meetup Group Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2008 6:38 PM To: info@salsamia.com Subject: James just RSVPed for Salsa Saturday at Yuca
I was there yesterday. I'm in town from
Austin Texas for a few days. Great place, lots of friendly people!
James
From:
Zinaida Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 6:15 PM To: info@salsamia.com Subject: You are the best!
I would like to thank you for wonderful time I have spent at Salsa
Mia. You have succeeded to create a very natural atmosphere for you
guests and collect the best instructors in Miami. I tell to my
friends about Alex, Alexito and Klaudia who I miss very much.
Nobody can take their places in my heart, so I decided to wait with
salsa before I am back in Miami. I have zouk classes here instead.
Looking forward to meet you again,
Zinaida
From: Norah Azoulai Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 3:37 PM To: info@salsamia.com Subject: Saturday Evening Class
Hello Salsa Mia
Staff,
I just returned
from a weekend in Miami Beach with some friends and we attended
your Saturday evening class (level 1).
We had so much
fun. Thank you very much for helping us feel comfortable,
as none of us had ever tried Salsa, we were very nervous about
trying the class. Your staff made us feel right at home
and we are still talking about how much fun we had.
Thank you, &
see you next time.
Norah Azoulai
Advertising & Promotions Manager
I-Ride Trolley District Office
Subject:Thank you, a very nice
experience. Received: December 20, 2007 From:
Ray Perez
Alex & Susie,
I attended the Salsa Class @ Energy Fitness for the first time
Tuesday. I must honestly tell you that it was my most enjoyable
and beneficial lesson ever taken. The place, teaching room,
dance wood floor, is great. The instructor was very
knowledgeable, respectful and encouraging.
Alex you are a true professional!
I've been taking group lessons now for about nine months. I'm
looking forward to Salsa Mia's help in becoming a better dancer
and making it to the "advance level" in the year 2008?.
May you enjoy a "Merry Christmas" and a wonderful "New Year
2008" !!!
Ray Perez ( Sugar Ray)
Subject: Thank You!
Received: November 13, 2006 From: Greta Gorman-Webb
I just wanted to thank Salsa Mia for Salsa Fridays at
Yuca. I went for the second time this Friday and I
brought 4 friends. Two came for the lessons and the
other 2 came for dancing later. I have been
dancing salsa for almost 7 years now, but I have
basically just have been practicing on my own and I go
salsa dancing almost every weekend. I wanted to
start taking lessons because I want to perfect my
skills. I love the classes at Salsa Mia and I hope
to start coming every Friday and Sunday that I can.
I just wanted to thank all of you for such a wonderful
time. Everything is very organized with the punch
cards and registration. The instructors are very
kind and great dancers. Great job with everything
that you all are doing!!!!! I also wanted to
commend you all with Fridays classes with the taping for
the Food Network and all. There were a lot of
people and there was a lot going on, but everything went
very smooth and I could tell there was great
organization.
Gracias y Dios Te Bendiga!!!
Greta L. Gorman-Webb
Coordinator
Quality Improvement Programs
Barry University
Received:
October 7, 2006 From:
Delfina Sierra
Hello Friends,
I guess I am in one of those inspirational moments which compel
me to share.
My son Jose finally joined me to “Salsa Mia” one Sunday many
months ago, after much persuasion from me expressing my desire to
learn Salsa Casino and him getting in tune with his roots.
It was difficult for him being so young, and never being exposed
to Latin music as a child (me too), he made me proud. It was our way
of spending time together since he would be off to college and life
for us would change forever.
When we arrived at Salsa Mia we were greeted by a very special
lady, Liliana, who was professional and showed her kindness to the
max, even when I asked her to dance with my son to give him some
tips as I was not able to. After that Sunday, I did not return for
sometime. Had to come back though, I had purchased a “card”. Finally
, a couple of months after I forced myself to return just to use up
the card, and found I really enjoyed it. It is what I truly enjoy, a
place with great music where you can meet lovely people and get a
great workout too.
I still feel left out sometimes, (I really don’t know how to
dance) but , I am giving myself a little more time. I understand it
takes people a while to warm up to you and many of your members have
probably been with your company for years. I am just the “New Girl”
(?)
Yesterday, I brought two girl friends to show them the place that
I disappear to early on Friday and Sunday, that makes me so happy
and I am always talking to them about. They enjoyed themselves
tremendously!
I thank Liliana once again for making my friends feel welcome,
even though we were a little late for class , and for always making
me feel special when I go there by myself . ( that is not easy).
Silvana always makes me feel great. In her own way she gives us the
confidence to , “Move out of level three!” She is a special
person and instructor.
“Don’t worry Silvana, I’ll be back.”
I wish you all much continued success. Your company should be
known, not only for its’ great instructors and staff, but also as
being a safe haven for people that enjoy a night club environment,
socialize with people from all walks of life ( we all have our
story), and have a love for music that lights up not only the body
but the soul!
Keep on Dancing!
Delfina
Subject:Thanx for a great time! Received: July 27, 2006 From:
Michael Jeon
Needing a
break from it all, I came down last weekend from Washington DC. I've
been to SoBe on a number of occasions but never got to dance salsa
in the past because I didn't find anywhere with good music and
dancers. Well, I certainly wasn't disappointed this time! Been
dancing for a few years, but I'm fairly new to Rueda.
You all run an impressive class!
Keep up the good work. I'll certainly spread the word to the many
salseros & salseras in the DC area.
Thanks to Benny for correcting my basic. Man, have I gotten lazy on
my steps over the years! And thanks to Klaudia for letting me join
the Beg. 2 circle and helping me out. Save a dance for me the next
time I visit!
Best Regards,
Mike
Congratulations
to Mareley and Alex for winning this contest and the final
last Sunday at Sun Fest!!!
We are
proud of you!
Salsa Mia Team
Posted on Thu, May. 04, 2006
The Miami Herald
SUNNY ISLES BEACH
Perfect dancing combo earns $500 for mambo
Pollo Tropical's Mambo for the Perfect Combo dance contest
awarded $500 to the pair of dancers who best complement the
restaurant's new Steak & Chicken Combo Mambo.
When the beats to Oscar De Leon's Sigue Tu Camino came on,
there was no stopping Mareley Coro and Alexander Hoffmann.
The couple stepped to the tune and edged out five other couples who
wanted to be the star representatives of a chicken and steak dish.
Six couples, ranging in age from 8 to 82, shimmied and shagged to
salsa, hip-hop and reggaeton music Sunday, while a crowd of Pollo
Tropical customers cheered them on at the Mambo for the Perfect
Combo dance contest in Sunny Isles Beach.
Pollo Tropical searched for the perfect pair of dancers to
complement its newest menu item, the Steak & Chicken Combo Mambo.
The fast-food chain's regional dance contest took place outside of
its Sunny Isles Beach location at 17084 Collins Ave. Proceeds of the
competition will benefit the Greater Miami YMCA of South Dade.
Radio Personalities Lazarito and DJ Nino from WRTO-FM (98.3) La
Kalle's El Traqueteo morning show hosted the event and judged the
contest.
''We're looking for good technique, good moves and good
chemistry between partners,'' Lazarito said.
And the judges saw just what they were looking for in Coro,
26, and Hoffmann, 27, who received a $500 cash prize and a chance to
win a $3,000 grand prize at SunFest in West Palm Beach on Sunday.
''We feel great and we're going to do what everyone in Miami does
with $500; we're going on vacation,'' said Coro, who lives in Miami
with Hoffmann, her husband of four years. The couple, who teach
salsa at Salsa Mia in Miami Beach,
couldn't agree on a vacation destination, but were thinking about
getting away to Orlando for Coro's 27th birthday later this month.
Coro and Hoffmann will compete against the couple who won Pollo's
regional dance contest in Orlando last Saturday and another couple
who won in West Palm Beach.
Pollo Tropical has promised to donate 153 Steak & Chicken Combo
Mambos -- which totals the number of people who attended the contest
on Sunday -- and dance lessons from Salsa Lovers to children and
their families who attend the South Dade YMCA, located at 9355 SW
134th St. Customers can also jive in on the action by purchasing a
Steak & Chicken Combo Mambo and taking the receipt to Salsa Lovers,
located at 9843 SW 40th St., for a free group dance lesson.
Another duo who was energized to compete were brothers Jonathan
Quintana, 8, and Rodolfo Quintana, 9, who have been dancing hip-hop
since they were 4 years old.
''We [were] nervous but dancing is a good way to stay active and
make friends,'' said Jonathan, who won a $25 gift certificate to
Pollo Tropical for placing third in the contest.
Although some couples considered themselves professional dancers
and brought along their own music, Allan Cohen, 63 and Sheri Shonek,
82, competed for the first time.
''Look at these young kids,'' Cohen said. ``They should have had
a category for seniors.''
Subject:
Re:
Salsa Mia Team Received: March 29, 2006 From:
Liliana Popkin
Good job!
I know how hard you have been working to keep Salsa
Mia at an outstanding level. We can see all your
dedication and efforts to keep Salsa Mia staff,
students and dancers very happy. You are very
professional and a wonderful boss and friend!
I am very lucky to be part of Salsa Mia staff. Thank
you for all the joyousness that week by week your
offer to all the people who are part of Salsa Mia.
Keep up your
excellent work!
God Bless You!
Liliana
Subject:
Re:
Calle 8 and more from Estuardo Received: March 09, 2006 From:
Stuart Levy
Hi Susie,
I am SO proud of you for what you've been able to build -- it's
really
been something to see during the last several months. And the Salsa
Mia
future's so bright I gotta wear shades!
Estuardo
Subject:
Re: Salsa Mia: New member of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce Received: March 03, 2006 From:
Liliana Popkin
Te felicito Susie,
estas haciendo un gran trabajo con Salsa Mia.
Que sigan los
exitos.
Liliana
Subject:
an appreciation Received: February 23rd, 2006 From: Laura Boytz
This isn't really a
question, just an appreciation of you folks and what you're doing.
I was visiting
Miami from the San Francisco Bay Area last weekend and went to your
Friday night event. Some of my friends here in the Bay Area
had warned me about the "unfriendliness" of the Miami salsa scene,
but my experience at your event was just the opposite -- people
seemed very friendly and welcoming, even when I insisted that I
could jump into the advanced circle (which I did) -- the other
dancers seemed happy to tell me what was different when a move was
called that I didn't expect, and everyone seemed to be having a good
time. The friend I was visiting wasn't feeling
well so we didn't stay past the classes, but next time I'm in Miami
I sure will look up salsamia events!
Thanks for the
great Miami welcome,
Laura B.
Subject:
Re: pictures of the new places Received: February 24, 2006 From:
Bill Fisher
Susana has been my
sister for most of my life, so I'm a bit biased. Even so...
Salsa Mia has
become a fantastic place! Susan and I talk daily, and I know all the
hard work she and her associates put in to make the events happen
for everyone every week.
Most
importantly, she talks non-stop about how to make sure that all of
her guests at every event have a great time!
In fact, that's how
Salsa Mia got started. Salsa Susie wanted to create a fun club where
people of all ages and all experience levels could get together,
have fun, work up a sweat and meet new like-minded folks!
I'm impressed by how she has stayed
focus on the *real* bottom line: having fun.
Cheers,
Brother BilFish
(Hermano GuillermoPescadito)
Subject:
Re: Salsa Mia ::: 2 New Nights of Salsa
Received: February 23, 2006 From:
wbrewr
Good job, guys!!!
Subject:
RE: New Salsa Night - Vote - Sundays or Wednesdays? Received: February 09, 2006 From:
mariela gomez
Hi! I think it's a great idea to add
a salsa class. I'll vote for Sundays. See you!
Mariela Gomez
Subject:
New Salsa Night - Vote - Sundays or Wednesdays? Received: February 08, 2006 From: Daniela Rosales
I prefer
Wednesday night!! I'm so glad you are opening a new night, one is
not enough!!!
Step
1
designs with lighting, accents, and draping. Her
pick for this season: opulent color, like
fuchsia calypso orchids.
Step
10
Step
12
