Cuban Salsa Congress - Feedback
COMMENTS ON 2008 CONGRESS
"I know it may look a little lame to have ticked excellent on all of the boxes but we had the most amazing weekend, beyond our wildest dreams."
"No adequate words to say how fabulous the weekend venue and event were!"
"24/7 salsa - life doesn't get any better"
"I came last year and thoroughly enjoyed it I've come again and enjoyed it just as much!"
"The teachers are excellent and the performances fantastic"
"I was here as a visitor, unable to dance (although Moe, Wilson and a couple of delicious young men proved that not to be the case!) but found the facilities and both hotel and Havana nights staff to be exceptional. I would never of dreamed I could have had such a superb time!! Thank you so much."
"Some unbelievable performers, great and new style of teaching (Dominican Power & Aqua rueda)"
"Venue is excellent in terms of dance floors & acoustics in the Lowther room"
"Brilliant weekend! Found all the lessons really useful. All teachers and staff were keen to accommodate different needs. Fab fab time - thank you"
"The DJ's, teachers and the Cuban dancers in the evening carried the event - they were great fun, danced with all the girls and were very charming much appreciated."
"Teaching overall was excellent - Cuban teachers are generous, thorough and I love their attention to detail"
"All artists dancing with everyone was also a big point of the special flavour of this festival"
Review of 3rd Cuban Salsa Congress, Bodlewyddan, North Wales, Nov.28th-Dec.1st 2008
By Sacha, from Cambridge Salsa
First Miguel Valentino, el señor presidente de Havana Nights, comes to the stage. He starts with simple words, but words which mean a lot: "Mi casa es tu casa, my house is your house, welcome to the castle and let's have the greatest party together". Because that's what it's all about, first and foremost: sharing some positive energy, in a great venue, through the music and the dance we like.
Then Wilson "Cheeky Monkey" Castro introduces the line-up of artists, each coming to the stage with their own style, each of them carrying a gem of knowledge that they will share with you during the weekender: a range of dancing flavours from which you will pick, mix and learn to enrich your own Salsa.
Then the music starts with the best UK DJs, bringing you a bleeding edge mix of the very latest Timba tunes, Salsatón, Son Clasico y Moderno, Rumba, Bachata... So fresh that some of these tunes are not even sold yet, so eclectic that for others it would take ages to track down the precise CD out of which their magic blossoms.
And then there are the endless parties, varied workshops, new encounters, good times with good friends, great dancers who share the same passion as yours: enjoying the multiple facets of Cuban music with your body and your soul.
Really the 3rd edition of Havana Nights' Cuban Salsa Congress in the Bodlewyddan castle was all this, and more. Another planet, another dimension, as much from the dancing as from the music point of view, with some impressive shows on top.
People got there from all over the UK. We counted only 6 heads from the Cuban Salsa community of Cambridge, but we hope that next year more of us will be able to join and enjoy this great moment which *does* bring your Cuban Salsa to higher places, to a dimension you didn't even know could exist.
Thanks to Miguel, Georgiana and the whole Havana Nights team for organizing this: it is not an easy thing to do, there is some risk involved and if they didn't do it then no one else would. So maximum respect, maximum love to them and thanks again for bringing the level of Cuban Salsa in the UK to such staggering heights, yet keeping it open and marked with a truly welcoming spirit. Ahi na ma, and see you next year!
