t dance sequence. This will hopefully be the beginning of ongoing biweekly or monthly series taught to you by the Somos El Son Dance Company ladies. Somos El Son was created in Seattle, WA nine years ago by the Chavez brothers, known in the salsa world for their incredibly fast and technical shines as well as innovative choreographies. Co-Directors Israel and Victor Chavez were born and raised in Mexico City and have been dancing salsa since early childhood. Their dancing developed in the “streets” of Mexico, and the Chavez syle is known for its raw essence. They strive to bring their innate passion for Salsa to our local community and actively continue to expand their influence into the Seattle Salsa Scene.
HaLo – Hallie's Loft
500 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
Music by DJ Fernando, DJ Cebrina, or DJ Cebrina
HaLo is Century Ballroom's second location for classes located 5 blocks west of Century Ballroom, offering ongoing five week series, along with occasional three week mini-sessions and weekend workshops.
Sunday classes in the ballroom are a four week series, along with Queer West Coast Swing on Fridays. Sunday classes in HaLo are a five week series.
No partner required. Those who register at the door get in the class as space allows. With classes in both locations, so be sure you know where your class is located.
New Dance Classes:
- All Ages Salsa Practica every Monday.
- All Ages Salsa on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Fridays of the month. Our All Ages Salsa dance continues at Century Ballroom on the 1st Friday of the month.
- All Ages Swing on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Saturdays of the month.
Halo is kindof like a living room. With comfy couches, soft benches, and cozy lights. There is no bar or cafe, but they have some beverages available.
The floor is newly refinished, so they ask that you not wear street shoes in HaLo. If you have dance shoes, please bring them. Otherwise, you may dance in your stocking feet or they will sell you some moleskin ($1) that you can put on the soles of your street shoes to protect the floor.
Ilusiones Latin Club
China Harbor, 2040 Westlake N, Seattle WA, 98419
Music by DJ Alonzo & DJ Manny; Jairo is your host
Salsa on Thursdays; cover $3
Live Salsa bands on Saturday with a cover of $9. 21 and over.
The attraction to Ilusiones Latin Club, of course, is dancing. Once you past the security frisk, and pay your cover ($6-$7), you follow the thump of merengue into the inner sanctum: 90 percent dance floor. Along the wall is a bar selling thin, small drinks at fat, tall prices. But only the most dedicated wallflower could actually keep out of the fray. There is nothing quite as infectious as merengue being pumped through huge speakers at a crowd of swaying dancers under flattering strobe lights.
The dancing is ready for public participation: The level of competency of everyone on the floor is fairly good, but not intimidating. Besides, the figure-eight hip swaying and up-tempo loin grinding of the China Harbor crowd tends to discourage self-consciousness. The DJ plays merengue, cumbia, and Spanish-language rap and reggae styles to which you can do any old nasty stomp.
The more difficult salsa steps, turns, and dips won't be tested by most songs, so you can work out the kinks without hang-ups. If you still want a refresher before show time, though, Thursday night features a group lesson earlier in the evening. Either way, China Harbor is worth a visit for a better-dressed and more authentic Seattle dance experience.
Live Salsa with the New Swing Sextet and DJ Henry Knowles
May 31st 2008
8:30p Lesson
9:30p-1:30a Dance
21+
$25 Adv
$TBA Day Of
Lesson: $5, plus cover
The New Swing Sextet:
A product of New York City and the excitement and turbulence of the sixties, the New Swing Sextet made its professional debut performing in the Singer Bowl at the last New York Worlds Fair in 1965. The band has been a popular and innovative exponent of Latin jazz, salsa and pop music for nearly four decades.
Composed of vocals, piano, vibes, bass and Latin percussion, the original New Swing broke up in the late seventies after successfully recording, touring and doing all the hot club dates that the New York metropolitan area had to offer. In recent years most of the groups core members have reunited and have been performing with Mambo Negro the highly popular Latin jazz ensemble, which performs regularly in and around the tri-state area. However, you can't buy or replace 40 years of history, and on special occasions the band performs as the New Swing. The New Swing offers an established and respected name with a sound from another era, which has been perfectly preserved and bottled for another generation to enjoy.
The band was part of a young crop (and new breed of aspiring Latin musicians) who grew up in the greater New York Metropolitan tri-state area with its rich ethnic mix and diverse inner-city culture, while at the same time growing up surrounded by the Latin music explosion happening in the region.
DJ Henry Knowles:
As the official disc jockey for the World Salsa Congress,
Henry Knowles is the DJs disc jockey, spinning that
tension-building beat and filling dancers with ánimo.
He is known to hold his own and understands how to
honor and inspire a Salsero on the dance floor.
Henry is the consummate professional with more than
25 years of experience catering to the serious Salsero.
Henry has performed as a disc jockey, master of ceremonies, sound engineer, video jockey and promoter working in major
nightclubs and venues around the world throughout his career span.
Over twenty years ago Henry became the official disc jockey for "Salsa in the Catskills."
His extensive travels include gigs throughout USA, Latin America, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe and Middle East —even Asia. He believes his travels are also an opportunity to share his skills, talents and experience with aspiring disc jockeys. Admired as the "DJs DJ," Henry often holds workshops wherever he happens to be, sharing with his comrades how he works the floor and the latest and most effective mixing techniques.
