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 How, why and when did you get into salsa?
I was introduced to Salsa by my best friend at University, Raul Caicedo, from Colombia, during the late 80’s. After graduating, we shared a flat in South London, and he took me along to the local Salsa Clubs. These were the early days of salsa in the UK and at the time, the clubs were mostly frequented by the local Colombian community. I loved the music, dance and Latino vibe and found it a refreshing alternative to mainstream clubs. It also brought back the ‘Latino spirit’ which I’d left back in Spain since my move to the UK in my late teens.
Who first taught you to dance salsa?
My first teacher was Michelle who taught Salsa in a church hall in Teddington/West London. I am grateful for her patience and the time she spent teaching me the basics of ‘cross-body’ style Salsa. A few years later, I went on holiday to Cuba and was blown away by the dance and music. It seemed so fluid and natural, but realised how little I knew about Cuban dance, how much I wanted to learn, and how unsatisfying everything I’d learnt so far was in comparison - a fairly painful experience given the time and energy I’d already invested in learning Salsa. I no longer just wanted to dance, I needed to dance ‘a lo Cubano’ and realised that this would involve more than attending a weekly lesson. I took a sabbatical from work, packed my bags and headed off to Havana where I spent a year totally immersed in the dance and culture. In Cuba, I learnt with and was inspired by many of the top international Cuban dancers, some of which, such as Osbanis Tejada, are today major figures in the UK Salsa scene. This was the start of what is becoming a life long journey of learning about Cuban dance, music and culture…
Did you have any dance training prior to salsa?
No.
Tell me a little about Havana Nights. When, why and how was it set up?
I set up Havana Nights upon my return from Cuba, in early 2002, which was a frustrating period for me, as the local Salsa scene, in terms of the music, the dance and the vibe, seemed a million miles away from what I’d experience in Cuba. In Cuba, it was all about enjoying the moment, the music, your dance partner and your body. The dance was all about moving your whole body, not just your feet and arms, fluidly to the music and in synch with your partner. The music was exciting and varied, and each track would take you on an emotional journey, and the dance and culture allowed you to express yourself fully to the music, naturally and without a care in the world.
My experiences at the local Salsa club, when I returned, were in comparison highly unsatisfying. I got fed up with the rigidity, the worrying about how you looked rather than how your partner felt, the music and the whole stressful scene and set up my own club to share with others what I’d experienced and enjoyed so much in Cuba.
I started my first Salsa Night in Leicester at Jongleurs with a handful of students. I was happy to subsidise the club during the first year, because I did not form Havana Nights to earn money, I already had a lucrative Management Consultancy and simply wanted to share what I’d learnt and experienced. It seems incredible that just over five years later, Havana Nights is one of the largest dance clubs in the UK with 10 weekly Salsa Nights, lots of parties and major events such as ‘The International Cuban Salsa Congress’ at Boddlewyddan Castle.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I draw inspiration from my experiences in Cuba and from Cuban music, dancers, and people. In addition, I get my inspiration from seeing how much enjoyment we give to others, through music and dance.
Who do you admire?
Artistically, I admire the work of Kerry Ribchester, founder of Key 2 Cuba and one of the early Cuban Salsa pioneers in the UK. Her understanding of Cuban dance and culture is deep and she has developed her own unique (and controversial) teaching methods to share this knowledge with others. I admire the courage, talent and creativity she has displayed as she has gone beyond simply teaching footwork and turn patterns, to addressing all of the elements, from body movement to attitude and spirit, which combine to make Cuban dance so uniquely powerful and attractive. I also admire her for going out, on her own, with little Spanish, to Cuba in the early 90’s, a challenging environment at the time, to gain a deep understanding of Cuban dance and culture and all her work since, to bring the best of Cuba to the UK.
What’s your favourite track at the moment?
Gozando En La Habana by Adalberto y su Son
What are your all time favourite tracks?
Marcando La Distancia - Manolito Y Su Trabuco
Tim Pop - Los Van Van
Un Montón De Estrellas - Polo Montañéz
What are your favourite albums?
Los Van Van - En El Malecón De La Habana
Marcando La Distancia - Manolito Y Su Trabuco
What was the last CD you bought?
Fin De Juego by Tirso Duarte - 2008
What music is in your car/cd player/tape player at the moment?
A compilation of all latest released of the best Timba & Reggaeton from Cuba in 2008.
Who are your favourite artists?
Los Van Van, Charanga Habanera, Tirso Duarte, Elito Revé, Bamboleo…
If you were not a successful Promoter/Teacher/DJ, what would you be doing instead? Or if you also have a full-time job, what do you do?
I’d be running my Management Consultancy that I gave up to focus on Havana Nights.
Tell me something most people wouldn’t know about you?
That I play flamenco guitar? That before Salsa, I was a Management Consultant?
What’s your all time favourite salsa club/event that you have played/taught/danced?
The first ‘Carnival De Cuba’, June 2006 in London.
What has been your most memorable moment?
The birth of my son, Lucas Valentino – when he opened his eyes for the first time…
Have you had any embarrassing/nightmare-ish moments in salsa?
Many on the dance floor….In the early days of learning Salsa, I took a Colombian girl on to the dance floor, led her into the opening out step and spent the whole track doing the same move again and again because I hadn’t learnt how to transition back into a basic step. Recently, my belt’s buckle broke whilst dancing at one of my parties and my trousers fell down to reveal my super man boxer shorts…I better stop here…
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I would just to like to thank all the people in the Salsa community, our students, guests, teachers and performers, and other promoters, for supporting me over the years and giving me this opportunity to share my passion for Cuban dance and music with others.
www.havananights.co.uk
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