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Interview with Hopeton - Salsa Magico |
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Written by JoJo
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Tuesday, 22 May 2007 |
How, why and when did you get into salsa?
I got into salsa in the early 90's through a friend of mine (Jacqui from SalsaKings) who took me to a dingy room in this pub called “Heroes Bar” on Thorpe Street, Birmingham one Saturday. The atmosphere was infectious. There was this tiny dancefloor, filled with these amazing dancers with the biggest grins, and the rest of the room was also filled with onlookers and dancers whizzing around on the beer sodden carpet.
I spent the entire night wide-eyed and opened mouthed, thinking I want to be a part of this. The music was so infectious. The couple I was staring at the most I later learnt that she shared the same birthday as me and he called himself “El hombre Elastico”. I asked my friend where I could go and learn this and was told, Tuesdays @ Custard Factory in Digbeth. The rest is history as they say.
Who first taught you to dance salsa?
That person was someone at The Custard Factory whom I met the very next Tuesday called Mauricio Reyes (Latin Motion) and he still looks the same today!
Did you have any dance training prior to salsa?
None whatsoever, now I've ended up with two right feet!
Tell me a little about your salsa company. When, why and how did you set it up?
Mine can hardly be called a Company, SalsaMagico is really a hobby of mine. After 18 months of going to Tuesday classes at the Custard Factory and waiting for a fortnightly party at Heroes,my mate Noel and I started to go to The Rhythm Room in Sheffield every Wednesday where they had freestyle dancing after the lessons. 6 months after doing that we hit upon the idea of starting our own night.
I had no teaching experience and certainly was no way confident enough, and neither was my mate, but the seed was sown. Shortly after I met Helena from Fuego Latina (then called SalsaRico) in Manchester who was moving to the Midlands and asked if she would teach for us, and Noel had a contact at the Belfry night club and by then had started to amass a collection of CD's, and so the Wednesday night collaboration between SalsaMagico, Salsa Uno and Salsa Rico was formed.
I became Helen's nonspeaking partner and 2 years later she moved on to start her own classes in Wolverhampton leaving me with about 30 students.
The classes grew from strength to strength to a stage where one of the original students started to teach the beginners and I had to invite H (Senor H) to teach a 3rd level.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
My initial inspiration came from three sources. Firstly from Andrea Stewart (Duende Dance Co) who got me to that point in every learners life where suddenly the steps click into place.
Secondly Omero Gonzalez (choreographed the dancing in the film Born Romantics) whose class I went to @ Bar Tiempo in London where I developed a taste for Cuba. Thirdly Edlin Josephs who encouraged me to teach in the first place.
Who do you admire?
Teachers:
Nelson Batista (Cuba) who brought salsa to the UK, and Edie the Salsa Freak (USA) she is a great teacher and knows how to bring out the best in everyone, especially when it comes to timing and rhythm.
Musicians:
aside from the greats like Tito Puente, Los Van Van, and Frankie Ruiz, Alex Wilson - he is very innovative, pushing the boundaries with his mixes. In the 90's we had salsa reggae which has now fused to become reggaeton. Alex has been mixing salsa with R n B and now Bhangra, who knows what’s next.
Dancers:
Ricardo Murillo and Vivianna Vargas 2006 World Champions from Colombia - their performance was 1st class, a must see.
Promoters:
USA - Albert Torres, UK - Joseph Davids and Cressida Childs.
What’s your favourite track at the moment?
Mujer Prohibida - Héctor Tricoche
What are your all time favourite tracks?
Too many to mention but here's a selection of my varied taste in Latin Music:-
Locos Por Mi Habana - Manolito y Su Trabuco
La Vida Es Un Carnaval - Celia Cruz
El Preso - Fruko y Sus Tesos
Valio La Pena - Marc Anthony
Anhelo -Adolescent's Orquesta
Sube Lo -Alex Wilson
Si Tú Me Faltas - Jerry Rivera
Chapeando - Los Van Van
Lamento Boliviano - Toque D'Keda
Tiburon - Proyecto Uno
Tabaco Y Ron - Rodolfo Y Su Tipica
and anything by Grupo Niche
What are your favourite albums?
Salsa Con Golpe II – Quinto Mayor
Across 110th Street - Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Barrio Fino - Daddy Yankie
Llego La Ley - Raulín Rosendo
Amar Es Algo Mas - Pedro Jesus Locos
Por Mi Habana - Manolito Y Su Trabuco
Chapeando - Los Van Van
Oro Salsero - Frankie Ruíz
We Broke The Rules - Aventura
Todo a Su Tiempo - Marc Anthony
What was the last CD you bought?
Inglaterra by Alex Wilson.
What music is in your car/cd player/tape player at the moment?
Everything from R n B, Bachata, Reggaeton, Reggae, Cumbia, Forro, Soul, oh and of course Salsa - everything is on my ipod, that way I don't have to mess about with changing CD's.
Who are your favourite artists?
Going by what's in my CD case; for sheer entertainment value...sadly some are no longer with us:-
Tito Puente Eddie Palmieri Bamboleo Sonora Carruseles Africando Willie Colon Victor Manuelle Gilberto Santa Rosa Ruben Blades India Celia Cruz Oscar D'Leon
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?
Living in a shack somewhere on an exotic island being a bum... ...Ahhh one can dream can't they, but seriously renovating old houses - I love DI.Y.
Tell me something most people wouldn't know about you?
I'm older than I look!
What’s your all time favourite salsa club/event that you have played/taught/danced at?
Having to DJ at Pontins, Brean Sands (in the small room the DJ fell ill - lucky I had my music with me) the DJ's better now.
Dancing in Milan at a theme park called Aquatica, the dancefloor was outside by the pool, sadly they have now put a roof over it.
My times teaching at Mosquito Coast in Leicester were the most fun, always packed to capacity.
What has been your most memorable moment? Driving 15 hours from Oslo to Molde in Norway to see the original members of Buena Vista Social Club play under the Northern Lights.
Have you had any embarrassing/nightmare-ish moments in salsa?
Several, my first was dancing with this girl who always had her hair up, and whilst doing a turn I got my watch caught up in her hair - I have never worn a watch since!
On another occasion my partner’s dress fell open, so being the gentleman that I am, I quickly wrapped my arms around her and whisked her off the dancefloor to save her any embarrassment.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
How times have changed - it wasn't so long ago when I was learning to dance, that all that was being taught was called Salsa and the teachers used to say left, right, left, right, left right, or tap 1,2, 3. That's all we did for months before we did any turns, and the music was drummed into us. We never thought it was too far to drive to London for a lesson and dancing, and we appreciated every little space to dance whatever the condition.
Also those days of just popping into the front bar at Ronnie Scotts on Broad Street, Birmingham and giving the Bar tender a salsa tape to play whilst we took over the bay, and the passers by at the Bus Stop stared at us.
Progress.....keep salsa alive!.....got to go now, I can hear that call 1,2,3.......5,6,7. See you on the dancefloor……………
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