Today's Quote:
"If you're going to say anything about anyone, make sure you can write it down, sign your name to it, and tell the whole world about it. - Edie, The Salsa FREAK |  |
Salsa FREAK 1999 World-Tour Schedule
- Washington DC!: Mar 17th - 25th:
- New Jersey!, Mar 27th:
Partnering and Ladies Styling Workshop!
Sponsored by New Jersey's HOTTEST DANCE COMPANY, Cultural Explosion! Details coming soon! www.culturalexplosion.com - NewYork! Mar 28th - 31st Meetings, meetings, meetings.... and then taking Mambo classes with Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, Mr. Eddie Torres!!
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!, Mar 31st - Apr 4th:
Partnering and Ladies Styling Workshop! Wightman School Community Center (Squirrel Hill) from 2:00 until 5:00 on Saturday, April 3 - Atlanta, Georgia: Apr 8th- Apr 11t:
Partnering and Ladies Styling Workshop! April 9th at The Sanctuary, Saturday Ladies styling class at Atlanta Ballroom Dance Centre - Washington DC: Apr 18th and 25th:
TWO Sunday Partnering and Ladies Styling Workshops! 6-9pm at Club Diversity. Details coming soon!
Many of you are probably wondering... and some of you already know... "Something very exciting is going on in Edie's Life right now... we can't quite put our finger on it... but something very important is happening to her..." Could it be...
- The Convention?
- Another Trip?
- A new Dance Style Discovery?
- A television show?
- A Salsaweb Expansion?
- A New Music Section?
- A New DRESS? Click Here and see if you can possibly GUESS what's up with The FREAK lately...! | 
Edie, The Salsa FREAK
Where on Earth is Edie now? The Salsaweb World Tour Continues Join Salsaweb Magazine in its Mission to Promote Salsa Music and Dancing all over the World... The "International" impact Salsaweb is causing throughout the world is explosive - much bigger than we had realized. Salsaweb Magazine's own Edie, the Salsa FREAK has personally traveled with a dance team, and taught in ten different countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and in major cities all over the United States primarily to promote the growth of Latin Entertainment via the Salsaweb hub. Future promotions in their planning stages include Russia, Seoul Korea, Africa, South America, the Far East, the Indian Ocean, New Zealand, and Australia. Contact us if you'd like for us to come to your country or city for a write-up of your instructors and growing Salsa Scene! |
AAAAAaaaaahhhh... The never-ending argument of the elusive "Clave",
Meaning "Key"... the Key to Freedom to break on whatever the heck you want...
(Uh Oh... I said it!!! Oh NO!!! Shoot me now!!! Make me die NOW, before I suffer the WRATH of the "2-3" Clave Purists!!) The Clave is a Five Count ...
so what are we doing stepping on Six counts?
(...standing tall and firm, chin up, arms at her side, eyes closed, with pride and dignity...
The FREAK said, "I am prepared to DIE!! Take me NOW!!")
By Edie, The Salsa FREAK Excerpt from this month's Tip-of-The-Month... ....speaking of dancing (breaking) on different beats, It's OK, and very fun and challenging to dance Salsa and Mambo to ANY BEAT OF THE MUSIC - and even switch in the middle if you warn your partner verbally before! (just don't switch beats in a competition, the judges will knock you for it) Click here for an explanation of ALL THE DIFFERENT and WONDERFUL ways you can dance Salsa and Mambo!!! It's AWESOME once you've mastered them all (The 1, both 2's, 3,.4, and Pure Clave) with a willing, open-minded and FUN PARTNER!!! I get so sick and tired of people trying to ram the concept of "Dancing on CLAVE is only on "2" down my throat. If you really think about it, and want to get technical, the CLAVE is five beats, so who on earth decided to ad an extra step in there to make the dance a six-step, kind of halfing and "cheating" on a Clave rhythm. Hm? Think about it! Don't get me wrong... I ADORE dancing on "2" - that's when I'm dancing to the 2-3 Clave! AND.... Get this... I also ADORE dancing on "1" - that's when I'm dancing to the 3-2 Clave! | There are so many different Clave beats, that if you truly, truly danced to the Clave, you would break both on the "one" for a 3-2 Clave, and then you could also decide to break on the "two" for a 2-3 Clave. (Rumba or Son Claves) These are only two types of Claves... THERE ARE OTHERS!!! CLICK HERE IF YOU'RE CONFUSED Mr. Ray Biss has put together an awesome, Awesome AWESOME website describing the different Clave Rhythms. In fact, his site is so good, Salsaweb management has decided to award Ray our very prestigious WEBSITE OF THE MONTH AWARD!! ... His website describes all the different Clave rhythms and even has midi sounds to help you in your never-ending learning journey of this wonderful Latin beat. |
Salsaweb's most prestigious award for Excellence in Content and Design goes to Mr. Ray Biss. Website address: http://www.cam.org/~raybiss/rhythms/index.html
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Remember, that truly dancing to the Clave, would be FIVE steps in an eight count measure - NOT SIX. I'VE TRIED IT!!!
I've actually danced Salsa with a couple of partners to the PURE CLAVE RHYTHM of FIVE STEPS. IT'S COOL!!!! YOU SHOULD TRY IT! Step exactly to the Clave rhythm. You'll see, it's a five count. If you listen carefully, depending on the song, sometimes the Clave starts on the "one", sometimes it starts on the "two"... and ... sometimes it starts on the "three"... listen very carefully, you will be SHOCKED and AMAZED... Then... grab your partner, and TRY DANCING TO THE FIVE COUNTS! IT'S FUN!!! That's why I say... Honestly. WHO REALLY CARES????????? As long as you're having FUN dancing out there, and you follow your partner on whatever beat he places you on, you'll do just fine, and have a BLAST dancing! Side Note: Many of you wonder why I capitalize the word "Clave". It's because I respect it. I also always capitalize the word Salsa. The capitalized Salsa, is not a sauce...
~ Salsa News ~
His Royal Majesty, King Hussain of Amman, Jordan has recently passed away. We pay our deepest heartfelt respects and homage to the Kings family, as we learned of this news. The dancers at the International Salsaweb Convention will devote a moment of silence, and dance as a tribute to a man of peace. His Royal Majesty be with us in spirit, and in song. Dear Edie,
...Our dancing has come to a stand still with the death of the beloved King Hussein. The entire country of Jordan is in official mourning for 40 days. Needless to say, all the clubs that offer dancing are only playing very very soft music so public dancing is out of the question. My own group of students, husbands and wives, are really looking forward to the end of this period, although they will miss their king very much. Some dance studios have resumed dance lessons. But our group, because they are a bit older, don't think that it is appropiate yet.
All my love,
Pamela Alaeddin Dear Edie,
Hi Edie, how are you. Hope all is well with you.
This is a bunch of salseros and salseras who had the pleasure to meet you while you were in Amman in Dec 1998. We are waiting for you here in Jordan, once again, for a visit. We're following up all your news all over the world. You were a source of inspiration for us when we were just at the beginning of the rod...but now we have improved!!! Like you, we have discovered that Salsa is an inseparable part of our lives, and we are on the way becoming Salsa Freaks too.
More and more people are joining salsa classes here in Jordan especially after the party! Once again, hoping to see you soon, take care and all the best.....
Rula Malky Saba Ghul Basheer Khatib (photographer)  |
I've decided to dedicate this piece to His Royal Majesty, King Hussain of Amman, Jordan. May his memories and his mission of peace, last forever. |
.... Lucky for us that Rio is on a mission to bring Salsa to Jordan and took the first step by inviting Edie, The Salsa FREAK to come to Amman to teach a workshop. Following that, was our first ever "Salsa Night". The people were amazed by what they saw. Her dancing was dynamite and blew a lot of people away! Now, I hope they will come to the Salsera [Dance Studio] and learn the "King of the Dances"!-
Pamela Alaeddin , Owner, Great Shape Amman |
"The King of Dances", Arabian Salsa…
The Birth of Salsa in Amman, Jordan,
By Edie, The Salsa FREAK I received a mysterious and fascinating email over year ago from someone in Saudi Arabia, who told me he had been reading the Salsa FREAK site, and dancing Salsa "underground" for several months in Saudi Arabia. He told me the style was "Arabian Salsa". "Wow. Arabian Salsa…" I thought to myself as I tried picturing
what on earth that could possibly look like. |
| Images came to my mind ... ....of an oasis of camels,
water-filled smoke pipes,
sheiks, and women in veils...
flowing to the beat of the clave
in a candle-lit tavern
deep in the Arabian desert … | |
Click Here for this month's Feature Story
of Edie, The Salsa FREAK's Tour to Amman, Jordan
Victor Manuelle in Concert in Belgium: Live Report and Interview!
|  Salsa Stories from around the World...
We're gathering a ton of e-mails from people all over the world,
telling us their Salsa Stories - and how they became ADDICTED... Do you have a Salsa Discovery story you'd like to share ?
Click Here, and we'll post it on the net ! We figure it's a fun way of letting each other know that...... hey,
YOU'RE NOT ALONE ! The Beginning of a Love Story... Have you ever had the feeling...
...of an overwhelming sense of love...
By Edie, The Salsa FREAK Click Here for our New Love Stories Section! |
WHAT'S HOT!!
The International Salsaweb Convention, April 29th - May 2nd, Washington, DC! World-Class Salsa Dance Competition (Amateur, Semi-Pro, and Pro),
Expected attendance, 1,000 people per night!! Music and Dance Lifetime Achievement Awards, Performances, Dance Workshops, Scholarship, Exhibits, Leadership Training Workshops, Music Theory and Rhythm Workshops, Internet Training, Email Aliasing, and much much more!! | The International Salsaweb Convention Lifetime Achievement Award Winner:
Mr. Eddie Torres, New York Salsaweb Magazine presented the official letter of invitation to Mr. Eddie Torres at his studio in front of a class full of Eddie's students. Mr. Torres will be attending, and teaching at the International Salsaweb Convention this April. We are proud to announce that the Eddie Torres Latin Dance Team will be performing at this magnificent event! Click here for his review!!! Click Here to Read Sammy Rodriguez review of the Famous Mambo Legend... |
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| An email I received from my beautiful and dear friend, Anya Fuchs, Anya was part of Team Salsaweb that traveled to ten different countries throughout Europe teaching and performing Salsa. During our tour, we all struggled and we laughed, we suffered, and we sang... we danced, and we Lived Life. |  |
....Hey I've been listening to the Anthony Robbins tapes lately. Remember successful people ALWAYS keep trying. They see results as results and only that and not failures. If something doesn't work out then yeah you've just discovered another way it is not going to work so now you can try another way. They also can develop repor with anyone in the world. Remember that everyone is visual auditory or kinesthetic and to enter their world and really gain their trust you really have to talk their talk or feel like they feel or listen and hear like they do. Also they always ASK and see what resources they have to work with and take it from there. I really thought about you when hearing those tapes because you already seem to be practicing those things in your life and you have alot of success to show for it. This is important to me because I really want to be successful in my life and an inspiration to others. I mean successful in all ways like when I die I feel absolutely satiated and at peace and a part of the world. I stand very much for people doing what they are passionate about and even giving themselves a chance to discover what those passions are. Many people are just "surviving" rather than really being a player in life and living it fully. It is unfortunately often not until nearing death that a person realizes that if only... they hadn't lived in fear or held back or so on... We may have many lives, but while we have this one lets create the future and the now. It will be fun like one big creative story and we have all the imagination and power to create those characters and events. Girl you are creating the future and history and doing it with your own Edie flavor. What more can you ask for.
May the power be with you... Love, Anya
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Blading by day, Dancing by Night...
Edie, The Salsa FREAK Interviews
World Famous Randy Newman
"Story of a Roller Blading Maverick – Turned Salsero..."
... Full Story and Interview to come March 8th... | |
| | Venice Beach, California... |
Randy and I practically have the same shoe size, so he let me borrow his skates for the day. I strapped them on like ski boots, and stood up on my feet, wobbling around, arms flying in the air, trying to keep my balance. Randy looked at me, smiled to himself and said, "OK Edie, lean forward, put your hands out, and whatever you do, don't lean ba..... " CRASH!! Right on my butt. "...don't lean back Edie." Oh brother. I felt like I was learning to walk all over again. I picked myself back up, and "floated" to the gate. I then attempted to make it to the street. I looked down, on the sidewalk, and suddenly realized there was a CURB next to the street. A normal, standard sized curb, right next to my car. Now why hadn't I noticed this VERY STEEP AND VERY INCREDIBLY LARGE curb before? "Uh, Randy... uh, how do I stop.....???????" "Oh... I forgot to tell you.... those skates don't have brakes. I took them off." "YOU WHA.... " CRASH!! Right on my butt, AGAIN. "HOW DO YOU STOP THEN????" As I picked myself (and my ego) up, brushing off the pavement, which was now a very permanent part of my ass. Randy suddenly appeared over me, helping me up. He then started teaching me how to skate. Well, upon my INSISTENCE, he first showed me how to STOP with no breaks, AND THEN how to skate. Stopping was an issue for me. A VERY BIG ISSUE. We practiced on the street a bit, and then skated off to Venice Beach, only a few blocks away. Seeing Randy Newman on skates is like watching a dare devil 'do or die' movie. He's a symphony in motion. I'm here to tell you, that man can move. I felt like a complete klutz around him. Skating is easier than walking for Randy. He makes it look so easy! He's a natural athlete with the ability to pick up just about anything he sets his mind to... skating up steep ramps, jumping and skating down stairways, stairwell hand rails, over trash cans, over cars, flying in the air for a movie shot, bungy jumping, parachuting.... all done with total ease and complete control. ... it didn't used to be that way when he took his first Salsa Class... Being an expert at one sport or activity, then going on to another like partner dancing, can be a very humbling experience for most of us. It's like, you want to get good, real fast...! ... Now, a year later, Randy Newman, "Maverick Skater turned Salsero", has become surprisingly good at dancing Salsa. I even got my "fix" with him on the dance floor the other night! I'm proud to say, that he is now preparing for his first Salsa Competition at the Sportsman's Lodge in Van Nuys, California....
Full Story and Interview continued March 8th...
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| Salsa FREAK Interviews with Salsa / Mambo instructors coming soon.... !
Tony Piniero - Germany
Joby and Luis Vazquez go to Japan! - California
Janette Valenzuela - California
Rafael Gomez - Germany
Susan Sparks - France
Jacira Castro, Rene Gates, Jose Luis Alfonso - Florida
Cliford Jasmin - France
Pedro Gomez - Italy
Ricardo and Elba - Washington DCThe Salseros of Washington DC... story in the making! Manny Siverio, New York's World Correspondent for Salsaweb Magazine interviews THE REAL Edie Lewis... | "You've got to Dance like no one is watching,
and love, like it's never going to hurt."
- Author Unknown "Without Music, Life would be a mistake." -Nietsche "Without Edie, Salsa would not be the same" - Fernando :-) |
Click here for my Cool Moves© Salsa Video... |
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