Category: Salsa

Dance showed up in my life when I most needed a friend: An interview with Inspiracion Latina’s student Gabriela Daroczi

1/27/2016

Gabriela was born in Romania. Since her family background is Hungarian/Romanian, she learned Hungarian and Romanian folk dances when she was 7 years old. After moving to Canada, she learnt a variety of Latin dances such as salsa, merengue, cha cha, bachata and Brazilian samba. Currently, she is taking afro Peruvian dance classes which are new for her.

She is married and has an adorable son called Stefan who also enjoys dancing. Gabriela brings him sometimes to the Dance Cardio classes and he is our official selfie photographer :)

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

Queen Latina: As a dance student, what inspires you?
Gabriela: Seeing performances of other dancers. Dedicated teachers who are so passionate about what they are doing and know how to transmit that to their students. Music!

Queen Latina: What does dance mean to you?
Gabriela: Dance for me is a feel good state. I hear a song I like, I want to dance :-)

Queen Latina: How does dance influence your life?
Gabriela: Dance showed up in my life when I most needed a friend! I got hocked to the Latin dances and I met so many people and made many good friends.

Queen Latina: How was your family’s view about dancing?
Gabriela: We all love music and dance in my family

Stay tuned for more interviews to our dancers and students!

By Queen Latina

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Meeting the Inspiracion Latina Dancers: Lynda

9/28/2015

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It has been awhile since the last posting in our blog, but we are back now with our dancers and students interviews!
This time let me introduce you to one of our talented dancers who is always promoting social awareness. She is a cycling advocate, environmental educator and community engagement enthusiast….. Her name is Lynda!

Lynda was born in Singapore, but moved to Canada several years ago. She started learning Chinese dance in primary school at the age of 10. It was at University where she learned jazz and modern dance which allowed her to choreograph and perform for the Eusoff Hall at the National University of Singapore and to be part of NUS’s Dance Ensemble and the team that won the dance performance for the Annual Rag event, three times. As she points it out all this means that she spent more of her university years dancing than studying! :D
After graduating, she started learning Salsa (LA and casino style), Bachata, Cha Cha and Merengue which opened doors for her to perform at salsa festivals and congresses in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. At these events, she got to take workshops from well known international instructors such as Super Mario and Susan Montero, Olliver Pineda and Luda Kroitor, Magna Gopal and Ana Masacote. Parallel to taking Latin dances classes, she also enrolled in Ballet, Hip Hop and pole dance classes.
After moving to Toronto, she started her training in Brazilian Samba and Afro Peruvian dances with Inspiracion Latina Dance Company and School. She also brings her mom to Dance Cardio classes when she is visiting from Singapore. Lynda is married and has an adorable daughter.

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

Queen Latina: As a dancer and performer, what inspires you?
Lynda: Music! I love dancing to the music. I love watching dancers feel the music, dance to the music.
One of the most memorable dance performances that I have ever watched was Floor Play (Burn The Floor). I highly recommend it! And I love performing. It is exhilarating and highly addictive.

Queen Latina: What does dance mean to you?
Lynda: Dance is a form of self-expression. It connects me to my inner being. The physical workout from dancing also connects me to my body. It lets me better understand the muscles of different parts of my body.

Queen Latina: How does dance influence your life?
Lynda: I can't imagine my life with no dance!

Queen Latina: Do you think living in Toronto influences you as a dancer? How?
Lynda: Living in Toronto exposes me to so many more different dances. I really appreciate the diversity! In addition to Latin dances, I've also tried Eskitas (Ethiopian), Zorba (Greek), Nia (a Non-impact Aerobics dance that originated in the U.S.) amongst others.

Queen Latina: How was your family’s view about dancing?
Lynda: My family supports me because I enjoy dancing so much. My 14-month old already loves dancing too, so maybe one day I'll get to perform together with her.

Stay tuned for more interviews to our dancers and students!

By Queen Latina

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

3/27/2014

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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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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 [email protected]

Follow us on Twitter and visit us on Facebook.

Diva in Heels

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New Year’s Resolution

12/1/2013

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November has been a busy month for Inspiracion Latina Dance Company. With several private and corporate shows, and preparation for the 2nd Annual Holiday Party on December 14th at El Rancho, the director and the company dancers have had their hands full.
On November 16th, we celebrated a 50th birthday party with a very special person who is also one of our returning clients. The show that Inspiracion Latina put together was actually a surprise. The theme of the night was Rio Carnival at the Grand Empire Banquet Hall in Brampton and the performance included several samba routines. The audience was full of energy and party vibes. The guests at the party immediately wanted to be part of the Carnival show. As a matter of fact, the guests decided to join the party before the dancers even finished their performance!

"It was so fulfilling to see such an enthusiastic crowd," said one of the dancers performing that night.

"You just have to move with the flow when you perform," said another dancer. "It's all about the audience and meeting their needs."

That is at the core values of Inspiracion Latina Dance Company. Whether your group is reserved or outgoing we have the skills, experience and energy to get them on the dance floor during our shows. At the end of the day, we want everyone to have fun and leave with a smile on their faces.

On November 23rd, the Inspiracion Latina dance crew showed off their talents at a corporate Christmas event at The Royalton in Woodbridge, Ontario. We definitely brought some heat to the party with our Bellydance, Latin Salsa and Brazilian Samba performances. This group was a bit on the shy side, but we managed to get a good number of people on the dance floor. It's like a chain reaction. You convince one person to get up to dance and suddenly you have a group of people dancing. I think it's a fact that dancing is contagious, even for the inexperienced.

Inspiracion Latina Dance Company is so grateful for having the opportunity to play an integral part in each and every event, from birthdays to Christmas parties, to charity events. Looking forward to the New Year and reflecting on our accomplishments in 2013, Inspiracion Latina would like to thank all of its clients, fans and supporters, students and company dancers for all their support.

Stay tuned for videos of our shows and bios of our dancers!

To book us for your next event, click here.

Stay connected and Like us on Facebook.

Diva in Heels

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Salsa For Smiles 2013

9/30/2013

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We, Inspiracion Latina Dance Company, are so excited on helping to raise money for the "Salsa for Smiles" Event organized by Transforming Faces at Lula Lounge on October the 9th. All the proceeds go towards providing Comprehensive Cleft Care. This event will have the presence of Clave Kings Band and DJ Jimmy Suave who will be in charge of the music and we will provide the dance lessons and entertainment. Also, there will be amazing prizes including tickets to the Raptors and Argos games, a trip to Montreal and much more. Don't miss it!!!
Please click on the following link to order your tickets in advance: http://www.transformingfaces.org/connect/events/salsa-for-smiles-2013/

Queen Latina

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Dance showed up in my life when I most needed a friend: An interview with Inspiracion Latina’s student Gabriela Daroczi

Meeting the Inspiracion Latina Dancers: Lynda

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

Inspiracion Latina rocking the New Year!

New Year’s Resolution

Salsa For Smiles 2013

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Dance showed up in my life when I most needed a friend: An interview with Inspiracion Latina’s student Gabriela Daroczi

﻿Meeting the Inspiracion Latina Dancers: Lynda

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

Inspiracion Latina rocking the New Year!

New Year’s Resolution

Salsa For Smiles 2013

Authors

Archives

Categories

Meeting the Inspiracion Latina Dancers: Lynda