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Interview with Mel C - Carpe Diem Dance Company |
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Written by JoJo
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Tuesday, 22 May 2007 |
How, why and when did you get into salsa?
My sister Theresa used to manage a Mexican Restaurant in Moseley called Poco Loco (it’s a Chinese now I think!), the restaurant sponsored an annual event called The Latin American Festival in Birmingham City Centre. My sister dragged me along to help hang some banners and I saw Zain (Latin Motion) dancing and thought wow, that looks really cool!
Who first taught you to dance salsa?
I started Salsa Classes with Latin Motion, my first teacher was a guy called Graeme Haney.
Did you have any dance training prior to salsa?
I’ve not had any formal dance training prior to salsa but I’ve always loved to dance. As soon as I could walk, my brother was teaching how to dance to Reggae!
Tell me a little about Carpe Diem. When, why and how was it set up?
Carpe Diem was formed in 2003, originally, as a performance group. I was asked to join Duende Dance Company (run by Andrea Stewart) but I couldn’t commit to rehearsals as I’m based in Birmingham. Andrea suggested I start my own group, so I did! We’re also a successful dance school, we work alongside major organisations, such as the DanceXchange, the biggest Dance Academy in the Midlands.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
A lot of people inspire me, but I would definitely have to say my mom. She has always encouraged me to have a go at anything I choose to and she’s constantly supported my growth in salsa. She’s done everything, from mending costumes, banking class takings, to making dinner for Frankie Martinez!
Who do you admire?
That’s a hard one, in the salsa world I guess I admire anyone who is passionate enough to organise events for the love of salsa, like Liz, from Club Candela. Non salsa world, apart from my mom (again), my sister Susan, she has just had a little girl after having three boys first and she manages to look after all of them and run her own business, now that’s what I call girl power!
What’s your favourite track at the moment?
Salsa: Brooklyn Sounds – Libre
Non Salsa: Cure and The Cause – Fish Go Deep
What are your all time favourite tracks?
Salsa: I absolutely love Merecumbe, there are so many versions of that song and I love them all! I also love Cuando Te Vea – the Spanish Harlem Orchestra version and the Bobby Valentin version too!
Non Salsa: Don’t laugh but I love cheesy 80s pop, all the artists that used synthesizers in their tracks, like Marc Nolan – Tainted Love, Don’t Go – Yazoo and anything by Duran Duran. Steve did me a load of 80s music cds when we drove across Spain last year, fantastic!
What are your favourite albums?
Salsa: Across 110th Street – Spanish Harlem Orchestra LA33 – LA33
Non Salsa: Anything by Floetry and Jill Scott
What was the last CD you bought?
Salsa: Brooklyn Sounds – Libre, fantastic album
Non Salsa: Estelle (UK Hip Hop artist)
What music is in your car/cd player/tape player at the moment?
Steve’s brother fitted a cd player in my car last month so I have loads of cds in there! I’m listening to a compilation cd I made when I first started buying salsa, there’s a real mixture of tunes on there, it’s amazing how your tastes change!
Who are your favourite artists?
There’s so many! If I had to name a few, I would say:- Ray Barretto Spanish Harlem Orchestra El Gran Combo Tito Puente
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 work in Human Resources during the day but if I didn’t have Salsa, I would probably work in the Fitness Industry as I’m a bit of an adrenalin junkie.
Tell me something most people wouldn’t know about you?
I’m a black belt in Shotokan Karate.
What’s your all time favourite salsa club/event that you have played/taught/danced?
Taught: Southport Pontins – my first ever Ladies Styling class and 300 women turned up!
DJ’d: - Ireland, Maynooth Salsa School Weekender – It was the biggest event I’d played at and I had the dance floor packed all night!
Danced: – As long as the music is good and I’m with good people, then I will enjoy my night no matter where I am!
What has been your most memorable moment?
There’s been a few of those too! I would have to say performing on stage at the UK Congress in front of 2000 people, that was a total mind blowing experience!
Have you had any embarrassing/nightmare-ish moments in salsa?
I was dancing at St. Annes and I got my heel caught in my trousers - fortunately, my partner managed to catch me before I hit the deck!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
There are quite a few people in salsa that have helped me along the way and I’d like to give them a quick mention:-
Sharon (Salsa Caribe) - This lady is unfortunately no longer with us, I remember the first time I met her, I’d been dancing about 3 months, she came right up to me and said ‘you’re gonna be really good at this!’ She was the first female salsa DJ I knew, which I thought was great. She also encouraged me to go free lance and for that I will always thank her.
Special Tee – Tee inspired my love of footwork, he also helped me to get the timing right when I very first started dancing On 2! He’s a great teacher and very under-rated, in my opinion.
Mo - Cuba Cafe, Manchester - Mo gave me my first Guest Slot opportunity, he approached me after he saw me dancing at the Victor Manuelle concert in London and asked me to teach for him. He also came up with the name Mel C :-) He has constantly supported me from the moment I started to make a name for myself and he still recommends me to people now!
Mauricio Reyes (Latin Motion) – Mauricio gave me the opportunity to break into teaching and when I left Latin Motion to start up on my own, we continued to work together and still do now. (p.s. to anyone reading this who knows Maz, there’s no T in Mauricio so stop pronouncing it wrong, you know who you are!)
Mel C
Director of Carpe Diem Dance Company & Carpe Diem Entertainments Ltd
Founder of Salsa Central
www.carpediemdancecompany.co.uk
www.salsacentralglobal.com
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