The Big Interview: Time for some Latin Lovin'

Current Salsa World Champions, Oliver Pineda and his dance partner Luda Kroitor, will perform at Baile Latino 2006, which will be held in Bahrain from June 13 - 15. So Marie-Claire reckoned why not pose them some hip-shaking questions.

What inspired you to take up salsa?
Oliver: My family was dancing salsa socially at the time. I was only 11 years of age so I used to ‘simply’ tag along to the classes as I did not want to be home alone. However it did not take long before I got the bug, kicked my father off the dance floor and partnered my mum in my first ever dance class. Not long after that I met this little cute girl by the name of Luda. We were 11 & 12 at the time. The rest is history...
Luda: I was 11 years old and my sister had her 18th birthday party at Lambada club. The club was featuring a Brazilian show, which I fell in love with. I started doing salsa classes in the same club the following week and met Oliver. From then on how could I resist?
Who have been the greatest influences in your salsa career?
Oliver: Christmas 2004 I had the privilege of working, dancing and learning from the Godfather of salsa Eddie Torres in New York for six weeks. 
Luda: Same as Oliver, but actually Oliver is the person that has been the biggest influence in my career, couldn’t have done it without him.
What do you like about teaching salsa?
Oliver: I love working with people, seeing them improve and being proud of them. I love seeing students achieve their dreams, and knowing I had a part to play... whatever that may be.
Luda: Seeing the enjoyment on people’s faces makes you want to just keep going. When you see your students improve, or perform it’s very rewarding.
What qualities make a good and successful teacher?
Oliver: Patience, knowledge, confidence, personality and warmth are just some of the qualities needed for a good and successful teacher. 
Luda: Patience is a virtue, number one rule. Make sure you teach to the student’s ability, and enjoy yourself.
What do you believe makes a great dancer?
Oliver: Often dancers put their life, heart and soul into their dancing to be the best. I believe that a great dancer may not necessarily be someone who lives dance but can just be someone who simply feels the music and enjoys what they do.
Luda: Being a great dancer takes a lot of work, love and patience. Good dancers are the people that enjoy themselves. On a professional level for me a great dancer is the one that is clean, technical and remembers that “Less is More”.
What has been the greatest experience of your salsa career so far?
Oliver: Winning the 2001 IDO World Salsa Championships in Miami and winning the 2005 1st Annual World Salsa Championships held in Nevada, Las Vegas.
Luda: Same as Oliver
What else do you want to achieve?
Oliver: I would like to defend my World Championship title and win many more reputable competitions. I would also like to dedicate more of my life travelling the world spreading the love of dance. Continuing to build my dance school Latin Motion Dance Academy and eventually build it to become an international icon and empire is also on the top of my ‘to do’ list.
Luda: If we didn’t have the same goals to achieve we wouldn’t be dancing together. Therefore, same as above.
What are you hoping to accomplish with your participation in Salsa Bahrain 2006?
Oliver: I would like to meet and dance with loads of new people and see for myself the great things I have heard about salsa in Bahrain.
Luda: We heard that Bahrain is very beautiful, and that salsa is very respected and growing really fast. We would love to share our knowledge and also learn from a different culture. And of course dance lots and enjoy.
What advice do you have for anyone interested in a career in salsa?
Oliver: It is very hard to have a career in dance unless you are in the right place at the right time. You either strive to be the best and travel a lot or start up a dance related business (which does not give you much time to dance) or in my case... do both! Be prepared to work hard, go through your ups and downs and have loads of fun!
Luda: Dance with the music. Remember, it takes lots of hard work, love, determination and never forget to have fun.
Who is your favourite salsa musical performer?
Oliver: Some of my favourite salsa dancers are Franklin Diaz (Male) & Griselle Ponce (Female). My favourite salsa musician is Tito Puente.
Luda: Same as above
Which song do you hate dancing to?
Oliver: Hate is a very strong word. I do not hate dancing to any song however I do feel some songs more than others. My toilet brakes happen when a Merengue comes on. Sorry Dominicans. 
Luda: I don’t think I hate any song.
What’s the best dance scene you’ve seen in a movie?
Oliver: You’ve Been Served! Those dance scenes inspire me to be born again and break dance!
Luda: All dance scenes from Dirty Dancing.
If you could dance with one celebrity, alive or dead, who would it be?
Oliver: Jennifer Lopez... need I say more?
Luda: Hard to answer. Justin Timberlake, I love his style.
If you had not learned to salsa, where do you think you would be now?
Oliver: I would have probably pursued my martial arts or some form of sports like soccer. I would have also pursued my music as I am a percussionist and Latin Percussion runs in my family.
Luda: I don’t want to even think about it!

Styles of Salsa

Cuban style
The original salsa style, as considered by most, which has been developing in Cuba since the 1950s. Cuban-style salsa can be danced either “on one” or “a contratiempo” – the latter is often referred to as “on two”. An essential element is the “cuba step” (also known as Guapea), where the leader does a backward basic on 1-2-3 and a forward basic on 5-6-7. The follower does the same, thereby mirroring the leader’s movement.
Colombian style
This style is common in Latin American countries. The leader and follower do most of the movements while standing in place. It stems from the Cuban style.
Los Angeles style
Developed in recent years, this is a style of salsa much effected by Hollywood and by the swing and mambo dances, thus being the most flashy style, which is considered “more show than dance” by many.
Eddie Torres style
The “NY Style” is a combination of the “On 1” and “On 2” systems. The timing of the steps are on the 1-2-3, 5-6-7 as in “On 1” but the breaks (where the body changes direction) occur on the 2 and 6 as in “On 2”. NY instructor Eddie Torres developed this step pattern around the late 70s and the 80s.
Ballroom Mambo
This style is similar to Los-Angeles style, but it is danced “On Two”. The basic step timing is 2-3-4, 6-7-8 with the breaks on 2 and 6.
Puerto Rican style
This style can be danced as “On One” or “On Two”. If danced as “On Two”, it is always danced on count 2, and not on count 6 as in Ladies-style NY.

1st Annual World Salsa Championships, 2005
By Edie, The Salsa FREAK

When I heard that this particular competition was going to be televised worldwide on ESPN, I thought to myself, “Well it’s about time the rest of the world see what we’re crazy about and addicted to! It’s about time that those that have taken Salsa dancing to an entirely new level be recognized!

Albert Torres and a group of seven unnamed investors calling themselves “The Salsa Seven” put together a Salsa Competition that was unprecedented. The 2005 World Championships took place at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Couples from all over the world qualified at various Congresses and Festivals in their countries to compete at the World Championship finals in Las Vegas, so everyone who competed was already a winner. This particular competition however, was to see who was the “Best of the Best”.

You can’t deny talent. This event displayed just how far couples can take Salsa. The depth and complexity of their moves highlighted their talents as athletes in peak performance condition. These weren’t just dancers out there, these were artists – showcasing their craft to a level beyond what anyone would think possible.

Because there are few rules, this dance has exploded internationally like wildfire at a feverish rate. In less than 10 years, what was once a house party dance, Salsa dancing has grown into enormous international events called Salsa Congresses. Tens of thousands of crazy Salsa-Holics attend these events virtually every weekend in some part of the world.

The Styles of Salsa
The differing dance styles of Salsa are country-based. Although danced to the same music, the footwork, timing, and pattern styles look and feel completely different. For example, there is a Cuban Style and Puerto Rican Style. A derived variation from Cuban Style is Miami style. Derived variations from Puerto Rican style are New York and Los Angeles style. Colombia has its own style called Salsa Cali Style, which displays a more rapid-paced type of footwork. Tricks and lifts can be added to each style. In fact, this year the couple from Cali Colombia took first place Cabaret division. The footwork variations are endless, timeless, and beautiful in their own right.

To dance Salsa socially, you simply need to know the basic step; the rest is up to what style your peers in your particular city or country are dancing. There are so many different ways of dancing Salsa it can make your head spin. For example you can dance in a slot or linear fashion, or dance in a circular fashion. You can dance on the first beat of the music (On-One), on the second beat of the music (On-Two), or on any beat for that matter. It was interesting that for this particular competition, maintaining that same beat throughout the entire routine was 40% of the total score!

The Judges
There were four competing Divisions. On-One, On-Two, Team, and Cabaret.
The select panel of judges was perfect. Through the years, we’ve all experienced bogus judges like movie celebrities that didn’t know a thing about Salsa, or ballroom pros that never frequent Salsa nightclubs, or Tango pros that have never taught, much less seen street-style Salsa. This time, the Salsa Seven chose well-known, hard core Professional Salsa dancers that have either internationally taught, performed, promoted, competed, coached, or have created instructional Salsa DVDs. Every judge chosen lives and breaths the Street Salsa scene as if it were the last thing they would ever do.

Every judge chosen was well known throughout the world, and have established themselves as Ambassadors of Salsa through their many years of competing, teaching, showcasing, and promoting the business. They’ve also earned respect and reverence from their peers, worldwide. The distinguished panel of judges was: George Watabe from Japan, Spin from Korea, Nelson Flores, Jamie Josephson, and Luis Zegarra, from New York. Stacey Lopez, Tito and Tamara from Puerto Rico, and myself (Edie, The Salsa FREAK) from Los Angeles / Miami. Billy Fajardo was the head judge, and Katy Marlow was in charge of tabulating scores.

It was difficult to judge what seemed at times to be apples and oranges. The judges were asked to rate each couple from 1 (lowest score) to 10 (highest score) based on various performance criteria the judging committee specified. Professional Salsa judges base their final decisions on the perfection and execution of each move. Was it a clean routine? Did they dance with the music? Were they on time? How was their visual presentation, costumes and grooming? How complex was their routine?  Did the guy just stand there and spin the girl most of the time?  Was she doing all the work out there?  How creative was their routine? Did they compliment each other as a dance “couple”? The criteria given to us were simple, but every judge used their years of Salsa dancing experience far more than what was on that sheet of paper to base his or her final decisions.

The Sport of Salsa
Watching this competition was like watching an Olympic Figure Skating championship, or a Gymnastic Olympiad.The beautiful thing about Salsa dancing is its flexibility as both a social dance and a sport. The sport of it highlights the agility and flexibility of the moves, the artistic talents of the contestants, and the endurance of the athletes to maintain their energy throughout the entire number. Salsa Competitions also demonstrate the speed, control, and balance required to execute each routine flawlessly for the judges.

In the Cabaret division, couples are allowed to perform death-defying lifts and tricks, wowing the audience with their flexibility and agility as athletes. The balance, strength, speed and ability is identical to Ice Skaters lifting their partners off the ice in beautiful, picturesque poses.  In fact, there are many professional Salsa dancers who train world-class Olympian ice skaters in lifts and poses. The Cabaret division demonstrates the enormous strength and endurance of each couple.

The Team divisions were also able to execute “off-the-floor” moves that impressed the audience and judging panel. Every couple did an outstanding performance. There were a few that got the jitters out there, whether it was from the floor, or nerves from the television cameras. It was unusual for these couples to be showcased in such a large arena. The dance floor was enormous, and the arena could house well over 5,000 people.

To earn first place in the On-One and On-Two divisions, you had to be head and shoulders above the rest. In other words, there were the winners, and then there was a gap, and then there was the rest. You could see the depth and quantity of hours dancing together in the winning routines. I always say, that a quality routine is based on the quantity of time you spend together, rather than the quality of time. Luda and Oliver (On-Two winners - Australia) have been dancing together now for ten years and have competed many times before. Abel and Ziomara (On-One winners – Los Angeles) have been together now for two years, and rehearse virtually every day.

It helps to have a deep, mature partnership. It was interesting that both couples that won first place are not married to each other, nor are in a dating relationship together. They are strictly dance and business partners that share a love for the music and competing.

The Team division was more difficult to judge during the preliminaries because each team had timing issues. Timing in the Team division meant that one or more couple was not in sync with the rest of the group. In a Team competition, you are only as strong as your weakest link.

It wasn’t until the finals on Saturday, that the team called “Pretty Boys and Girls” from San Francisco showed their true colors – literally. They came out with the flashiest, most beautiful costumes, and executed a nearly flawless routine.

The Cabaret division was the most difficult to judge. The top three were Jhesus and Marielys from Puerto Rico, Rodrigo and Yesenia from Los Angeles, and Ricardo and Viviana from Cali Colombia. Each one of them could have taken first place. In the preliminary rounds, one couple didn’t display enough Salsa dancing, as part of the rules were that over 50% of the routine had to be recognizable Salsa. The judging criteria specified that a proper representation of Salsa dancing with lifts should clearly distinguish it from other gymnast-type of sports. The couple from Colombia clearly represented Salsa dancing with a few lifts and tricks both at the preliminary and final rounds. The other couples either made major mistakes in their routines or did not dance enough Salsa during the preliminary rounds that cost them the title at the finals.

Edie’s Personal Thoughts…
Cut the Fake and Stiff Left Arm While Walking Onstage.
I know this was an event for television, but the way the girls came out on the dance floor looked too much like a Ballroom competition. Their left arms pointed out looked too fake, and too stiff. Instead of Salseras trying to “copy” what the ballroom dancers do, we should come out with our own Salsa Style of walking out the dance floor. After speaking to a few social dancers each night after the competition, many were taken aback by this type of presentation. I personally would have liked to see a less stiff, more relaxed flowing movement of the hands; a more flowing, stylish, comfortable caress in the air, in and out, softly brushing the hip, up and out, with beautiful arm and finger styling. Why not let the ballroom women take a look at how “We Salseras” grace the stage prior to performing, and have THEM copy US for a change.

Audience should be allowed to social dance prior to the competition and between divisions.
It would have made the contest seem much less shorter if we took a “social dance” break for a song or two between divisions, and had social dancing start early in the evening before the competition started. We judged for literally four hours. Prior to the competition, DJ Frank from Los Angeles was playing some KILLER Salsa music. There was an exquisite dance floor, stunning music, and Salseros just SITTING THERE in the bleachers waiting for the competition to begin. I was in shock. I wanted to get up and dance so bad, but I had the feeling that I would have been the only one, and stared down by everyone! I think that most people felt they “weren’t allowed to dance” or something.

Make the Final, the "Final". Eliminate point accumulation.
Again, this is my personal opinion, but I feel that an accumulation of points over two days is not necessary, nor fair. The way couples dance at the finals should be the final decision, period. Judges should judge solely on how the couple does that night – not try to remember how much better they performed from the night before, or accumulate points from the night before. As in the Olympics, you only get one chance for that gold. Not an accumulation over time. This makes for a less controversial event, especially if only the finals are shown on television, or if people can only make it to the finals on Saturday, missing the preliminaries.

Where were the New York competitors in the On-Two Division?  Hm?  What's up with that NEW YORK??? 
No comment.   .:(

Even if they don’t change a thing, it was a fabulous, well-run, professional event. It was an honor and privilege to be asked to judge this competition. The social dancing afterward was to die for. The Salseros from Las Vegas ROCK’D MY WORLD!!! They are really, REALLY good!

It’s about time that those that have taken Salsa dancing to its highest level be recognized throughout the world on ESPN. Who knows where this will go… Salsa, “Cirque du Soleil” style…? The possibilities are endless.

2005 WORLD CHAMPIONS

ON "ONE" -
1st Place - Abel Pena and Ziomara Torres!!
- Los Angeles, California USA

2nd Place - Erica and Joel!!
- Oaxaca, Mexico

3rd Place - Rafael Arenas Jr and Maria Jossee Strazero!!
- Montreal, Canada


ON "TWO" -
1st Place - Oliver Pineda and Luda Kroitor!!
- Sydney, Australia

2nd Place - Junior and Emily Aliva!!
- San Francisco, California USA

3rd Place - John Navarez and Liz Rojas!!
- San Francisco, California USA


"CABARET" DIVISION -
1st Place - Ricardo Murillo and Viviana Vargas!!
- Cali, Colombia

2nd Place - Rodrigo Guzman and Yesenia Adame!!
- Los Angeles, California USA

3rd Place - Jhesus Aponte and Marielys Molina
- New York, Puerto Rico and Venezuela

"TEAM" DIVISION -
1st Place - Pretty Boys &Girls!!
- Bay Area, California USA

2nd Place - Salsamania!!
- San Francisco, California USA

3rd Place - San Tropez!!
- Montreal, Canada


EXHIBITIONS BY:
Billy Fajardo and Katie Marlow / Miami, Florida USA
Tito and Tamara / Puerto Rico
Los Rumberos / Los Angeles, California USA and Guadalajara, Mexico
Swing Guys / Milan, Italy
Victor and Gaby / Mexico City, Mexico
Brandon and Serena / Chicago, Illinois USA
Nicolas and Patty / Valencia, Spain and Manchester, United Kingdom

ESPN showing:  April, 2006

Next Years' Event:  see www.atpevents.com for complete details!

Salsa for all ages:

Watch Niko (30) and Patty (72) in one of the exhibitions as part of the ESPN Show.DVD available now.