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Dance Is Like The Air We Breathe: An Interview with Inspiracion Latina’s student Cassandra

3/27/2014

Cassandra was born in Etobicoke, Ontario. She started learning Samba in 2009 at the age of 26. She had no background in dance, but loved the music and wanted to perform. After learning Samba, she started learning Axe, Afro Peruvian and Salsa. Also, she enrolled in our Samba Performance classes which allowed her to perform in front of big audiences. Of course, the audience was blown away by her beautiful smile and her exotic looks.

She is a go getter who perseveres and practices by repeatedly going over the routine until she feels comfortable. As her teacher, I am very proud of her accomplishments.

She works within the healthcare industry as a kinesiologist and of course enjoys healthy living. Part of healthy living for her is having a work/life balance which is why she makes time for dancing.

In a short interview, Cassandra speaks about the meaning of dancing in her life.

Queen Latina: What is your family background?
Cassandra: My parents are both from St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This is a group of islands in the Caribbean close to Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.

Queen Latina: Did your family introduce you to any form of dance?
Cassandra: No. Dancing was definitely a sole pursuit.

Queen Latina: How was your family's views about dancing?
Cassandra: I grew up in a family with conservative views on dancing. Personally, I love dancing and feel it's as natural as breathing. Dancing is an expression of the soul and our creativity.

Queen Latina: As a dance student what inspires you?
Cassandra: As a dance student I find inspiration in following the rhythms of the music. There is a liveliness to Brazilian Samba music which I love. I remember the first time I heard such music and I instantly fell in love with the music. I find once I get into the music it is easy to dance.

Queen Latina: What does dance mean to you?
Cassandra: Dance is like water or like the air we breathe. It's necessary and part of the flow of life. I discovered dance as an adult but it felt so natural to me. There is definitely a connection between how the body moves and how the spirit feels. Dance is something I can do when I'm happy or even if I am not feeling my greatest.

Queen Latina: How does dance influence your life?
Cassandra: I am fortunate that I dance out of pure enjoyment of it.

Stay tuned for more interviews to our dancers and students!

Queen Latina

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Spring Resolution: What’s Yours?

3/20/2014

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In the winter time, Canadians look forward to spring and summer patient-less. Many of us experience winter blues, also known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), while others may experience what I like to call “hibernation season syndrome” characterized by endless time spent in bed sleeping and resisting the need to get up. Whatever your behaviour may be for dealing with the harsh Canadian winter, rest assured that spring is right around the corner! In fact, the official date for spring this year is today: Thursday, March 20th.

Many people choose the New Year to set new goals and resolutions. But why wait a whole year for a break through? Spring is a great time to start planning and realizing your dreams including any new or old resolutions. I always think of spring as the perfect time to get fit for summer: eat healthier, meditate, exercise more, sleep better, pick up a new hobby, for example, dancing, learning a new language, or anything else that that your heart desires.

Start your spring resolution by setting small, realistic goals. Be concrete about what you want to achieve and don’t give up trying if you don’t succeed the first few times. For instance, my goal is to engage in at least 15 minutes of physical activity such as weight training every day, except the weekend. I want to gain more muscle mass, increase my energy level, and feel better overall. Starting small means you won’t set yourself up for failure. Dream big, but start small.

Write down specifically what you want to attain and track your progress. Decide on a deadline if you’d like; this may help especially if you are more goal-oriented as opposed to process-oriented. Remember to prioritize (new goals take up time which you normally spend on something else) and remain positive throughout the process. After all, even the slightest attempt to improve and meet your goals counts!

For those of you who are serious about getting healthy and fit this spring (or in the near future), I highly recommend “The Hormone Diet” by Dr. Natasha Turner, ND. In her groundbreaking book she shares some very valuable advice on how to stay healthy by keeping our hormones in balance. Truly an interesting read!

If you’d like to include more physical activity as part of your spring resolution, consider joining one of our dance classes. Click here for more information.

Please share your comments! What is your Spring Resolution?

Diva in Heels

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Inspiracion Latina rocking the New Year!

3/15/2014

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Are you curious about what we’ve been up to since the onset of 2014?

In January, we had the pleasure of performing at the KPMG’s Annual Networking event in Toronto. We had four of our best performers at the event, working their magic to bring the hottest Latin entertainment to the occasion. Our vibrant choreographies included Samba, Merengue, Salsa and Bachata. We certainly brought the heat to the party, despite the cold Toronto weather outside.

In February, we performed Samba at Aladin’s Palace once again since New Year’s Eve. We always get excited (and proud) to hear back from our regular customers; it serves as a non-verbal testimonial of the excellent service we provide to our clientele.

In March, we performed Salsa, Bachata and Merengue at the 90th birthday party of Harold, a lovely English man who was a champion ballroom dancer of the Blackpool in England. He is an inspiration to all of us because of his upbeat personality and his love for dance.

There is no better way to celebrate your special day or event than with our performers from Inspiracion Latina Dance Company!

To book us for your next event, click here.

To sign up for dance classes, click here.

Want to join our performance team? Contact us at dance@inspiracionlatina.com

Follow us on Twitter and visit us on Facebook.

Diva in Heels

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Meeting the Inspiracion Latina Dancers: Kate

3/8/2014

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Let me introduce you to another of our talented dancers who is a very kind and spiritual human being. She promotes animal welfare and enjoys being in touch with nature as an example she volunteers at a community garden club in Thornhill. Her name is Kate Vino.

Kate was born in Ukraine, but lived in several parts of the world before finally immigrating to Canada with her family. She started dancing at the age of 10 with Ballet as her starting point. Parallel to taking Ballet classes, Kate also began to enjoy Jazz and Pop dance. As a teenager, Hip Hop was very popular and she had to try that as well.

In her early 20's Kate decided she needed a change in beat, so she began learning Salsa, Bachata, Merengue and Brazilian dances. She joined Inspiracion Latina Dance Company in 2013 where she continues to work on her technique in a variety of dance styles while performing at various events around Toronto and the GTA.

In a short interview, Kate speaks about her passion for dance.

Queen Latina: As a dancer what inspires you?
Kate: I am inspired by the world's diverse cultures. I love travelling and getting to know new places and people, their unique traditions, languages, their music and dance. I've always been particularly drawn to Latin American culture, and that is where I found my inspiration for dancing.

Queen Latina: What does dance mean to you?
Kate: Dancing, for me, means many things. It is its own unique language that offers a way to connect to our ancestors and spiritual selves. Through dancing, I learned the meaning of being a human being. Dancing allows me to strengthen my confidence and face my fears; it also reminds me how to embrace my imperfections.

Queen Latina: How does dance influence your life?
Kate: Dancing definitely helps me stay fit, and connect with like- minded people who are passionate about similar things. Simply put, dancing helps me “come out of my shell.” It pushes me outside of my comfort zone. I carry on a similar attitude in my day to day life when I face challenges. Interestingly enough, when I am performing, I see a different side of me. And I kind of like it :D

Queen Latina: How was your family’s view about dancing?
Kate: Everyone in my family enjoys dancing as a hobby. We like to see musicals and other dance shows like ballet and Cirque de Soleil.

Queen Latina: Do you think living in Toronto influence you as a dancer? How?
Kate: Toronto is so diverse and multicultural, which opens the door to try many different styles of dance. If I was living in a different part of the world, I am not sure I would be dancing or performing Latin and Brazilian styles.

Stay tuned for more interviews to our dancers and students!

Queen Latina

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Dancing Is Ageless

3/1/2014

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Dancing is sometimes considered to be an activity for the young rather than the old. Just think about it. Have you ever seen a ballet show with a ballerina over 45, or a 60 year old break dancer doing the spins? Most of us have this stereotype that the only thing older folks in their 60’s are breaking is their hips.

In a rapidly changing world, there are many more people interested in dance, whether young or old. Nowadays, more people are choosing dance as a physical activity and a hobby, as well as a mental and confidence booster. Truthfully speaking, dance has no boundaries or limitations, nor should it have an age cut-off. New Zealand’s senior dance team “Hip Op-eration” is the perfect example of this.

They are labelled as the "world’s oldest Hip Hop group" with dancers who are anywhere from 65 to 90+ years old. The Hip Op-eration is a great example of what dance should be: boundless and ageless. The group’s members stay physically active despite some mobility issues: one member is in a wheelchair and a few others use walking sticks. Moreover, you may be equally surprised to know that The Hip Op-eration took part in the 2013 World Hip Hop Dance Championship in Las Vegas.

This definitely serves as an inspiration for me (and I hope for others as well) to continue enjoying dance until old age, and even beyond!

Watch The Hip Op-eration dance crew in action:

Diva in Heels

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Dance Is Like The Air We Breathe: An Interview with Inspiracion Latina’s student Cassandra

Spring Resolution: What’s Yours?

Inspiracion Latina rocking the New Year!

Meeting the Inspiracion Latina Dancers: Kate

Dancing Is Ageless

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