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World Salsa Cruise, 1999 We are so RELAXED, we feel like we've just been reborn. This was one of the most beautiful, romantic and glamorous experiences I’ve ever had in my entire life. The service, the scenery, the glitz, and entertainment was top notch. The music was sensational and the people so friendly and warm. The 1999 World Salsa Cruise was a very intimate, exciting, and glamorous experience. There was everything from jet skiing and para-sailing in Haiti to flying a helicopter over the Virgin Islands. There were trips on a multi-million dollar submarine, snorkeling, and horse-back riding on tropical beaches of the Bahamas. Every evening we danced, and danced, and danced working off what we ate, and ate, and ate... till we couldn't any more... Here's how it started.... We arrived at Port Miami at around 2:00pm. We were surprised that there were so many people who had been let on the boat even earlier in the day. Passengers could get settled in, and start using all the facilities literally hours before we set sail. my dance partner and I saw Angel Rodriguez, Director and Founder of the Razz M Tazz dance company first. He was already in his shorts and tank top jogging around the track upstairs. Both he and Addie, his wife, got there real early to start RELAXING as soon as possible. This was their first cruise for the both of them, and a much needed vacation together at the same time. Addie had just got back from Cuba shooting for a documentary film. Their schedules lately had taken them opposite directions, so this cruise was the answer to getting their souls in check with each other once again. We ran into Manny Siverio, New York’s World Correspondent for Salsaweb, when we got to the cabin. I could tell we were nearby someone who was with the cruise from the sounds of Salsa blasting out of their cabins. Speaking of which, the cabins were AMAZING! The colors were soft peaches and browns, very relaxing. The shower was better than my own at home! There was lots of room for baggage, a desk, lots of mirrors for changing, and a pretty good sized bathroom. David Melendez, the cruise promoter, really spoiled us (thank you David!!) The first thing we did was get settled in. We LOVED the room! We then started "exploring" around the ship. We went to the gym, the nightclub, the restaurants, the spa, the pools, the saunas and whirlpools, the decks, the game rooms, the libraries, the ping pong deck, the sign-up desks, the lobby… we realized that this was like the Glamorous Ritz Carlton Hotel, except sideways, and floating on water! If stood on-end, this enormous ship would be the size of a tall sky-scraper! Our first day, we set sail toward Labadee, a beautiful peninsula off the island of Haiti. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines apparently buys real estate off remote Caribbean islands for their guests to enjoy. my dance partner and I went Jet Skiing that day. IT WAS INTENSE!!! I rode behind my dance partner on the same jet ski. When he went super fast (which was 99% of the time), my fingers tightened on to his vest straps, and hung on for dear life. The faster he went, the more thrilled I got, and the more I loved it. Riding on the back of a jet ski with my dance partner is like riding a very fast, bullet motorcycle on the water! The Caribbean ocean water was a warm as a bathtub. The color was a deep, rich, glimmering aqua blue. Picture in your mind the most intense color blue your mind can possibly imagine, and then multiply that by a factor of ten. The blue color was like nothing I’ve ever seen. The pearl-white beaches were clean, Each evening, we all went Salsa dancing. What was fantastic about this trip was that we got to dance Salsa virtually every night! On most Cruise ships, all they play is Rock, Techno, House, Swing, or Lawrence Welk music. For most Salseros, it’s frustrating not being able to partner dance because all we know is Salsa. There are very few hard-core Salseros who know different partner dances like The Hustle, Swing, Tango, Waltz, and the like. We end up so busy trying to master Salsa, that when we’re faced with other dance opportunities (like on a Cruise Ship or wedding), we realize we don’t know anything else! Fortunately my dance partner knows sixteen different dances, so in every section of the ship we went to, whether they were playing Big Band music, Techno, or romantic music, my dance partner and I could Swing, Hustle, Waltz, or Fox Trot! We gave a small Swing performance in one room, and the next day, were asked to give a private Swing and Lindy Hop lesson to the couple who ran the Swing band that was playing the night before. They wanted to add some partner dancing routines to their band numbers, that would add “spice” to their musical performances each night. Right now, my dance partner is teaching me each dance, step-by-step. He has been extremely patient with me, but there are times when I could just scream, having to break old “Salsa” habits, and learn completely new styles. Each dance has its own idiosyncrasies and ways of dancing it. As a professional Salsa dancer, I now realize just how important it is to become well-rounded in MANY DIFFERENT dances overall. Because of the differing techniques involved in each type of dance, my own Salsa dancing has improved! For example,
This is just the beginning. Finding the time to practice all the dances, and do them well is itself an art form. I literally have to write “Edie” on my dance partner’s schedule book to get an appointment with him. I’m not kidding. Addie Rodriguez of the Razz M Tazz dance company gave a beautiful Ladies Styling class one day. Like her classes on Thursdays at the Latin Quarters in Manhattan, her class was full of eager women eager to learn her incredible dance style. During the week, my dance partner taught a variety of dance classes. Not only did they include Salsa, but Swing, Tango, Samba, and Cha Cha. It was eye-opening witnessing my dance partner teach a bunch of hard-core Salseros all these different dances! Many of them had never attempted them before! Everyone was appreciative of my dance partner taking his time to teach them a new dance. At least he got them to the point of doing a solid basic and turn or two in each style. During the week, we visited the island of Puerto Rico, where we visited my dance partner’s father and his family. We also went the Virgin Islands and Bahamas, where we dove in a 2 million dollar submarine along the ocean floor, and then flew in a small helicopter over the islands. Others went on horseback and rainforest tours, while others scuba dove, paraglide, and snorkeled. The Razz M Tazz dance company gave a spectacular Salsa performance by the pool one evening. Angel and Addie invited my dance partner and I to perform a one minute number with them during their routine. It was an honor for the both of us to perform with such a high-caliber dance company like Razz M Tazz. They are known for adding pizzazz and flavor to their performances by dropping in other dances like Cha Cha, Jazz, and Hip Hop to their routines. The crowd just loved the performance! I think one of the most beautiful things overall about the cruise was how relaxing and romantic it was. Waking up late, taking naps, and ordering room service was the “norm” for all of us. There is something about the soft rocking of the boat, the warm Caribbean air, and dancing Salsa all night with old friends and new, that makes you feel like you’re in heaven on earth. I remember one moment specifically when we invited Angel and Addie Rodriguez to one of our workshops. With all the sincerity in his voice, Angel told me, “Edie, I’m going to have to pass on taking my dance partner’s workshop tonight. I want to spend a romantic evening on deck with my wife. She’s an incredible woman, she deserves it.” I replied with a big smile on my face, “Don’t worry about it Angel, your wife is much more important! Go!” As you can see, cruise ships bring out the romance in virtually everyone! I cannot WAIT for the next Salsa cruise this March in the year 2000! This time, we’ll be on the other side of the Continent, along the beautiful coastal waters of Mexico! my dance partner and I, among other World Class instructors will also be there, giving workshops and performances.
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and the sand cotton soft. On each island, guests could ride banana boats, snorkel, or relax on floating mats. There were relaxing hammocks big enough for two people, and plenty of places to get drinks and food.