Artists

Jhon & Liz are back by popular demand...!!!

Jhon and Liz are world-class ground-breaking Salsa dance artists and are among the most accomplished competitive Salsa dance couples in the world. They are the founders and directors of the San Francisco, Bay Area-based Salsamania Dance Company, which was formed in 2000.

As a powerful force in the industry, Jhon and Liz in just five short years have taken themselves and their company - which includes both the Salsamania, professional team; and Son De Mania, semi-professional team to the top of the world's competitive Mambo dance scene.

For the first time at Gatineau Salsafair!!!

Terry Tauliaut et Cécile Ovide, fondateurs de l'école Salsalianza de Paris, ils sont reconnus dans le monde entier par leur participation à de nombreux congrès internationaux.

Deux danseurs magnifiques, ils enthousiasment leurs fans avec leurs chorégraphies et ateliers de danse fantastiques. Leurs racines et leur mélange culturel les stimulent toujours à de nouvelles inspirations. Leur style est une « unique couleur pure - : la couleur métisse ».

Rafael & Carine, firt time in Canada!!!

Rafael Luiz Ferreira and Carine Slva Morais hold many championships such as the 5th edition of the traditional championship Rey Castro, São Paulo. They are renowned teachers and choreographers. Among them are the World Salsa Congress in Brazil, Rio Salsa Congress, Puerto Rico Salsa Congress (Puerto Rico), Brasilia Salsa Congress, Salsa Congress weasel (Argentina), Sampa Samba Dance and Workshop by Jimmy Oliveira.

Rafael Luiz Ferreira Barros and Carine Slva Morais are also sought after to International Salsa Congresses around the world for performances/shows, workshops.

Luis & Nerea, firt time in Canada!!!!!

Luis Alberto Chavez and Nerea Perez Rincon hold many championships titles and they were also finalists at the World Salsa Championship 2009 on1 division.

Nerea was a part of the groups Papa Rumba and Dancing Dragons, champions in the Open of groups 2008. Luis, was the champion of Spain of 2007 and one year later he has won second place. He also danced with world renowned artists such as Johnny Vazquez and Ramon Morales being a part of Nuevo Imperio Team. Luis and Nerea are sought after to International Salsa Congress around the world for performances/shows, workshops.

Marie Josee Strazzero, originairement italienne mais née à Montréal, Canada, a commencé à danser à l'âge de 4 ans. Elle embrassa l'art de la danse et a une formation multidisciplinaire en ballet classique, ballet jazz, danse contemporaine, claquettes et de danse latine. Dès l'âge de 10 ans, Marie-Josée commença à danser professionnellement. Elle obtint une bourse pour étudier la danse à Louise Lapierre et à l'École Supérieure de « Les Grands Ballets Canadiens » à Montréal et est également allé étudier au Broadway Dance Center à New York.

Congrès de Salsa de Marseille, Montréal, Boston, Chicago, Calgary entre autres, sont des évènements où Carlos Alejandro Martinez a participé et continue de le faire que ce soit en prestation, en compétition ou pour instruire. Avec un bagage de plus de huit ans d'expérience, le directeur, Carlos Alejandro Martinez décide de fonder la Compagnie de Danse Alejandro en janvier 2011, ayant ainsi une idéologie centrée sur le bien-être de l'étudiant qui veut se divertir et aussi acquérir une technique solide avec un enseignement enrichi et plein d'énergie. La Compagnie de Danse Alejandro vous invite à toutes et à tous à surpasser vos défits que ce soit dans un contexte social, physique et même professionel.

Audrey Gaussiran is a young outstanding professional dancer from Montreal. She has an extended formation in many styles such as latin dances, tap, flamenco, jazz, modern, etc. She has studied at the Dance Conservatory of Montreal and has traveled to Brazil, Cuba and New York to perfect her art.

Top 70 of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, her professional dance experience includes: the ongoing musical Sherazade, Crocodile Rock in Atlantic City, La Traviata at the NAC, and more. Currently working as a performer, choreographer and teacher, she is passionate about dancing in all its forms.

Audrey's Angels is an extraordinary ladies dance troupe directed by Audrey Gaussiran.

Cadence Dance Academy is a Toronto based Salsa dance school, known for their creativity, explosiveness, charisma, and unique style. They believe that all variations of dance can be classified as art in motion. Cadence strongly believes in using the body to express oneself by interpreting music and conveying its emotions and intentions to their audience during each and every performance.

Cadence Dance Academy has performed in many parts of the world such as Europe, Asia, and North America and is professionally trained in Salsa, Afro-Cuban, Cha-Cha, Bachata and many other genres of dance. They plan to continue spreading and sharing their knowledge and love for dance as it was done for them.

Caroline Paré fait ses débuts en danses internationales avec le réputé instructeur Gil Sanchez Peralta.

Elle a fondé sa propre école d’enseignement : Les Productions de Danse Caroline Paré. Reconnue dans son milieu, elle forme et enseigne des cours de perfectionnement à de nombreux instructeurs en danses latines du Québec et d’ailleurs.

Aujourd’hui, Caroline Paré poursuit sa mission : partager son amour pour cette culture à travers la musique et la danse. Accompagnée de précieux collaborateurs tout aussi passionnés, elle se permet de rêver que ces formes d’art touchent le cœur et l’âme de plus en plus de personnes.

Marie Josee Strazzero, originally Italian but born in Montreal, Canada, began dancing at 4 years old. She embraced the art of dance and has a multidisciplinary background in classical ballet, ballet jazz, contemporary dance, tap dance and latin dance.

At the early age of 10, Marie Josee begins dancing professionally. She obtains a bursary to study dance at Louise Lapierre and at L’Ecole Superieure of "Les Grands Ballets Canadiens" in Montreal and also went to study at Broadway Dance Center in New York City.

"Alana Hock is an effervescent larger-than-life young woman with a wicked sense of humour and the patience of a saint." – National Post

This Ottawa native has studied Jazz, Tap & Swing in New York, Sweden, Mexico and Tokyo with some of the world's finest. Ever in demand, she has taught dance for over 20 years, and has had the honor of assisting, numerous times, the 94-year-old "Ambassador of Lindy Hop", Frankie Manning. As a performer she has been featured at the CNE, Toronto's Harbour Front, as well as on CBC, YTV, and CityTV. Alana's warmth, support, and hundred-kilowatt smile set her apart. She'll motivate and inspire you to go as high as you dare.

Based in Gatineau, GoSalsa-Latin Dance School is an adventure that began over 8 years ago. It is now directed by Komlanvi Dodjro and Claudine Martel who are well known for their enthusiastic and humorous approach to teaching. The school's goal is to spread the contamination, and change people's lives through the passion of Salsa. GoSalsa is also the organizer of the Gatineau Annual Salsafair, where their team" is excited to showcase their offbeat style by blending their Jazz and Afro-Cuban background in their latest routine choreographed by Komlanvi y Claudine.

Claudine et Komlanvi sont maintenant synonymes de GoSalsa, l'école de danse latine reconnue en Outaouais pour des classes amusantes, progressives et rassemblant techniques et conseils pratiques pour développer des danseurs social recherchés. Afin de parfaire leurs techniques, ils se déplacent régulièrement à Toronto, Montréal, Cuba et ailleurs pour leur croissance professionnelle.

C'est en mixant humour et professionnalisme que ces deux passionnés contaminent les gens avec leur passion partout où ils passent!

Oscar Naranjo started Latin Groove Productions with a vision of a sharing his passion and love for latin dance. Latin Groove is new, fresh, an exuberant dance troupe using a fusion of different rhythms and movements. We thrive on high energy and quality performances! Our dancers come from various dance backgrounds and come together to deliver the spirit, the groove and the rhythm of dance.

Los Salsomanos is a highly energetic, attractive and talented team. The team members compliment each other with their unique and individual strengths and skills. This team demonstrates their true passion for salsa with their vibrant style, elegance, and most importantly flavour. For the past year we have been working hard on their new Columbian Salsa routines, bringing the highest level of Latin dance entertainment to Canada.

Lucky Sipin: In 2000, Lucky discovered salsa. He re-invented himself through self-studying the art of mambo for styles and turn patterns in 2003. He also adapted to the fast footwork of Manuel Dos Santos. Lucky has been dancing professionally since 2004. His extensive martial arts background with the influence of his hip-hop background has helped him quickly understand body movements and isolations and add a unique flavour to the dance of salsa.

Manuel Dos Santos has been dancing for over 15 years. Although his repertoire includes hip-hop, Capoeira and Latin Ballroom, his passion is definitely Salsa and Kizomba. While growing up in Angola he learned how to dance Kizomba and other African rhythms such as Semba, Kuduro and Rebita (known as the Angolan Rueda). He has later on started dancing salsa and trained under Mas Mambo and Gabriel "Matanza" Mambi, who is his mentor.

He has performed on stages worldwide including Japan, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Bermuda and in several American and Canadian cities. Manuel's vision is to create dance awareness. At D Santos Dance & Kizomba Schools Dance is not just Dance, it is a Form of Expression, an Art, a Passion, and a LifeStyle.

Le studio de danse Movimiento est installé depuis 2010 à Ville Saint-Laurent, Montréal; une école de danse qui se spécialise dans l'enseignement des danses latines, du tango argentin et du ballet classique. Avec ses professeurs Ricardo Yañez qui a plus de 12 ans d'expérience en enseignement, qui a participé dans plusieurs compétitions et émission télévisées et Kassandra Rekatsinas qui a une formation de danse classique et latine et qui est professeure certifiée dans la méthode Cecchetti de ballet, Movimiento vous offre des cours de danses axés sur la technique et le style des mouvements autant pour adultes que pour enfants.

New Skin, an All-Female Pro Performance Group from Toronto, Canada, was conceptualized in late 2009 by Nadia Vargola and Mira Schwartzburg for the purpose of establishing a fierce, yet feminine presence of a women-based performance team that would engage, inspire and continuously raise the bar in the Latin dance community at home and world-wide.

Les troupes de danses de Salsa Attitude ont performée sur les scènes des plus prestigieux évènements Salsa dans la Province et au Canada : Toronto, Ottawa, Gatineau, Montréal, Drummondville et Québec. Reconnue pour ses lignes et formations dans leurs chorégraphies, Salsa Attitude a été aussi invitée à participer à difféentes célébrations importantes dans la ville de Québec : 400ième de la Ville de Québec en 2008, Fête Nationale sur les Plaines d'Abraham en Juin 2011, Belle & Bum en Octobre 2011. Salsa Attitude est l'organisateur du Festival Salsa de Québec qui sera a sa 5ième édition du 26 au 30 Septembre 2012. www.festivalsalsaquebec.com

Salsafanatics have been teaching and promoting salsa in Ottawa since 1999. Our dance school currently teaches beginner to advanced salsa and specialty classes in choreography, cha cha, ON 2 and styling.

Our troupe has travelled, performed and taught at congresses all over Canada and as far away as Australia. We strive to keep up with the trends in salsa, and bring the latest moves and styles to our students. Salsafanatics regularly perform at events in our capital, promoting this style of dance by organizing special events and parties in unique venues in Ottawa.

In 1998, Salsa Fever Dance Studio was founded under the direction of Oscar de Leon who had won several salsa competitions in Ottawa at the time. Two years later the best students were selected and became members of the very first Salsa Fever Group. Since then the group has performed in numerous salsa events and congresses. Dancers and choreographies have been changing, but the harmony and the energy that the group projects to the audience has always been Salsa Fever's best attribute.

The SalsaOlé semi-pro Dance Team is well known in the National Capital Region as well as in Quebec City, Montreal, Laval and Toronto. The dance team showcases unique choreographies combining creativity, musicality, technicality and dynamism with a touch of flamenco.

Since January 2006, the qualified and experienced instructors at SalsaOlé have offered classes for children, teenagers and adults of all levels. The School is located in Hull sector of Gatineau.

David Ward & Maria Ford dance, teach, choreograph and compete in West Coast Swing. They have taken many First-place and other podiums at dance conventions in the United States and Canada. Maria has danced since she could walk, while David was wooed away from sports by his university Swing Dance club. They are versatile dancers: Maria has training and medals in modern jazz, tap, Hustle, Blues and Lindy Hop dancing and she is currently training in Latin style. David is a champion Lindy Hopper with additional awards in Blues and Balboa dancing. They live and teach in Ottawa, Canada.

Ça fait 16 ans que Moris & Sonia forment un duo de danseurs grandement acclamé et respecté. Ils ont brûlé les planches de nombreuses scènes Nord-américaines et éuropéennes.

Au cours de leur carrière de danseurs, Moris et Sonia ont été finalistes dans quatre des plus grandes compétitions de Salsa du Monde : La compétition du « Club Mayan » tenue à Los Angeles, La « Berlin competition » à Toronto, le championnat Mondial de Salsa à Las Vegas et le « World Salsa Open à Puerto Rico ». Ils sont les organisateurs et hôtes de la Convention de Salsa de Montréal.

La troupe professionnelle Toca Danse est née pour le plaisir et l'amour de la danse. Cette troupe regroupe des passionnées de la danse dans le but de partager leurs connaissances et de se développer en tant que danseur.

Toca Danse s'est distinguée au congrès de salsa du Canada, à Toronto, au festival de salsa de Québec et dans plusieurs autres événement d'envergure.

Précurseur dans le monde du zouk Caraibéen, la Production Twins cherche à faire connaître les racines du Zouk, une danse sensuelle, chargée d'histoire et toute droite sortie de la Martinique et de la Guadeloupe. D'origines très différentes, une Québécoise et un Martiniquais forment une équipe dynamique qui pratique de nombreux styles de danse. Du zouk au hip hop, en passant par la salsa, le ballet et le contemporain, Anne-Marie et Xavier sont des mordus qui se font un plaisir de partager leur passion pour la danse.

Refusant de se conformer au moule en vigueur, tentant toujours de pousser plus loin sa démarche artistique, l'école Baila Productions se démarque par son originalité, tant au niveau de la danse qu'au niveau musical.

Teddy Olaso est l'un des fondateurs et directeurs de UnitedSalseros qui est la compagnie de danse la plus réputée pour son instruction à Toronto. Ayant une formation en Arts-Matiaux, Teddy a une connaissance approfondie de l'éducation somatique, qui lui permet de produire des résultats positifs et mesurables indépendamment de l'aptitude de l'élève et de son expérience.

Teddy a aussi suivi des ateliers, enseigné et collaboré avec des professionnels de la salsa et d'autres professionnels de la danse, instructeurs et chorégraphes, allant du Hip-Hop, Afro Cubain, danses orientales et contemporaines.

Créatif et inventif Edson Vallon vous exécute des belles figures incroyables et complexes. C'est un prodige tel un illuminé. Edson est un Champion de danse et un grand chorégraphe. Il dirige actuellement Vuelta Nueva connue sous l'ancien nom de Saltimambo, une des troupes de danse les plus populaires du Canada. Saltimambo a voyagé de Congrès en Festivals au Canada, aux USA, en France et dans les Caraïbes pour enseigner et pour donner des spectacles. Saltimambo est reconnue pour ses chorégraphies complexes, ses excellentes sélections musicales et ses costumes élégants.

DJ Chris Feist has been DJing in the Ottawa area for 3 years. Trained in classical piano from the age of 3, Chris combines his love of dance with his background in music to create a sound driven by variety and designed for the dancer. Filled with melody and underpinned by the clave, Chris brings a mix full of sabor guaranteed to leave you with happy feet and a smile on you face!."

DJ dVo has been passionately spinning salsa music well over 5 years. He is Ottawa's most active salsa DJ and is considered one of the fastest growing talents. With a strong background in music and as a salsa dancer, he has developed a unique but exploratory sense to salsa rhythms and musicality. This is evident through his ability to read the crowd and to build the momentum on the dance floor with his music selections.

Dj El Maestro, Né à Rabat au Maroc, Tarik Missali alias El Maestro est un Dj remarquable. Grace à son goût distingué pour la musique latine, il a su se démarquer dans le monde de l'animation. Il a fait vibrer plusieurs pistes de dance à travers le Québec et le Maroc avec sa collection épicée de Guaguanco, Mambos, Boogaloo, Guarachas, Chachacha et Latin jazz. Son penchant pour les rythmes classiques des années 60s et 70s, fait de lui un nostalgique toujours en quête de musique et de perfection. Si vous le croisez derrière