About Encuentro Latino.

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Why form Encuentro Latino?

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Lossie and Gareth’s passion for Salsa brought them in contact with some of the Stateside, Manchester and London based practitioners. They were greatly excited by what the students, exposed to that quality of teaching, had achieved and recognised the incredible potential of salsa to enrich and invigorate people’s lives.

Encuentro Latino was launched at the beginning of 2003, formed primarily out of a desire to give their existing students a better service and broaden the participation and popularity of salsa in the region.

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Why choose us?

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We feel that Salsa is an incredibly inclusive dance style that utilises and develops the natural sense of rhythm inherent in ALL of us.

We believe that when working with Encuentro Latino the classes are your passport to the buzz and excitement of the Salsa dance scene in York.

We have carefully considered the structuring of our lessons to ensure that all levels of experience are catered for.

We wish to give our students a vocabulary and sense of shared understanding that will allow them to improvise freely and with confidence in a club environment.

We encourage a relaxed and supportive atmosphere in class and are committed to developing the social aspect.

We are the only professionally trained & qualified Salsa / Mambo instructors in York & the only teachers performing Salsa in York professionally.

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Laucinda Roberts - Director

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Aka Lossie was trained at the London Studio Centre where she studied Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary Dance, Music and Theatre.

It was during this time that she performed in the West End and toured with a Theatre Company. She has been teaching, performing and choreographing dance for 25 years with a wide variety of people.

She started teaching and performing Salsa in March 2000 & is UKA Licentiate qualified.

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Gareth Roberts - Director

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In London Gareth studied Flamenco at the Greenwhich Dance Agency and was asked to be an apprentice with the professional company housed there; but he decided it would be useful to gain a formal dance training before specialising.

He received a BA Honours Degree in Dance covering a variety of dance related topics including choreography, anatomy, contact improvisation, stage production and dance in the community.

He performed in various shows including the Edinburgh Festival. He then went on to train at The Northern School of Contemporary Dance where his studies included, Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz and Contemporary Music.

He started teaching and performing Salsa in September 2002 & is UKA Licentiate qualified.

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Our Salsa / Mambo training :

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In 2002 / early 2003, we invested in our training by working privately with instructors / dancers such as top U.K Mambo Instructors Emma Moore and Mushi Noor from Salsology in Manchester.

In June 2003 we received a grant from the Arts Council Of England to train with the most sought after Mambo / Salsa Instructor / Performer in the world, Mr. Frankie Martinez. Frankie runs the Abakua Latin Dance Company and is based in New York. He travelled to the U.K to train us in all aspects of Mambo through to Cuban Body Isolations, spinning and performance.

In October 2004 we were invited to stay in New York with Frankie Martinez. We took various styling, foot work, body work, turn pattern and cha cha classes with either Frankie or several members of his company 'Abakua'. Pictured from left to right, front row: Gareth and Erica, and on the back row: Carmen, Frankie, Lossie and Johnny.

April 06' Continuing to expand our knowledge of Afro Body Movement we took some private 'Rumba' training with Osbanis from Cuba.

June 06' - June 07' training / performances with the Salsology Dance company, Manchester. Directed & choreographed by Emma Moore & Mushi Noor.

We have also taken many Master Classes with Juan Matos, Yamulee, Santo Rico & Victor & Burju.

We continue to work with pioneering and innovative instructors from around the world and are always striving to obtain the best techniques and methodologies.

Together we are becoming sought after on the national Congress scene & will be making our 8th international appearance teaching in May 2012 at the Mambocity 5Star International Salsa Congress in London!

We both hold U.K.A Licentiate qualifications (see biographies for details of other dance qualifications & training).

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Extended Team

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Steve Carter

Steve enrolled for Ballet, Tap and Modern dance at the age of 8 and won medals for his ballet and modern performances at open level on the regional dance festival circuit before he saw the opportunity to avoid the derision of his schoolmates and quit at the age of 11.

He turned his energy towards music, eventually joining a young Essex band as drummer and playing drum kit on several demos and many live gigs over a five year period, though he continued to be first on the dance floor at any social night!

After his move to York he signed up for salsa classes with Encuentro Latino and quickly picked up the basics. His foundations in movement and in turning fused with his intimate intuitive understanding of rhythm to produce a dancer with solid timing and a clear lead, not afraid to 'play' with the music and occasionally break the rules.

In 2005 he began teaching taster sessions in rural Yorkshire as part of a Rural Arts initiative, and out of that came requests for Steve to give more regular classes at various locations in York's surroundings.

Steve has taught regular classes at the Regen Centre, Riccall; at the University of York; and at the Eliot School of Dance, Pocklington. He is currently on the Thursday night teaching team.

Steve is currently interested in latin percussion and in developing rhythmic understanding in the salsa scene in order to encourage dancers to move with greater flavor and to express themselves more to the music. He is also co-director of Salsa band 'Mambo Con Rumbo'.

Contact details : steve@oldyorksalsa.com / Tel: 07789 376676

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Sarah Hough

Sarah started dancing Latin and Ballroom at the age of 6. She competed untill she was 17 all over the UK at UKA dance competitions, took medal tests twice a year and is now at Gold Bar level for both Latin and Ballroom. Sarah also performed twice at the Strictly Come Dancing Tour at Hull New Theatre at the age 17.

Sarah has been training with Encuentro Latino since 2008. She has performed in both the Samba & Salsa company, has demonstrated in Bachata classes and is part of the Salsa teaching team on a Thursday night.

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Phil Long & Krystyna Demkowitz

If you've not worked with these guys yet you're missing out. Bringing out the best in everyone their rapidly expanding Salsa scene in Pickering is testament to that! They have been training with Encuentro Latino for 10 years & have performed in the Encuentro Latino Student group. You can check out their classes on Tuesday nights in Pickering by calling 01751 476661. They teach Beginners to Intermediates.

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Roxanne Brearley

Young & gifted, Roxy has won a number of Street dance & Belly dance competitions in her teens & has danced from a very young age. She performs regularly as a professional member of the Encuentro Latino Salsa dance company. She also performed in the Encuentro Latino Samba company, student group & has taught Salsa in Thirsk & in various accademic establishments & for North Yorkshire County Council.

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Chris Vincent

Chris has been training with Encuentro Latino for 5 years. His natural flair & ability has quickly taken him to performing professionlly as Gareth's understudy with Laucinda. He continues to train & perform with the professional company & has also performed in the student group.

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Becky Smith

Becky originally trained in Ballet & tap at a young age before concentrating on her academic studies & eventually moving into performance & musical theatre.

Initially she trained in New York Cross body Salsa On1 before she moved to York. Since then she has been training with professionals Joel & Sarah Chapman at The Rock Academy of Dance in Ballroom & Latin & has received tuition from Strictly Come Dancing professionals Nicole & Matthew Cutler.

Her current Salsa training is in New York Cross body On2, with Laucinda & Gareth. She taught Beginners for 3 years both independently & for Encuentro Latino & performed in the Encuentro Latino student group. After some professional demonstrations with Gareth her focus is now on her training with the professional Encuentro Latino dance company for choreographed performances.

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Ben Dove

Ben has been training with Encuentro Latino for 6 years. He started teaching Salsa at York University along with Amy Milka to both Beginners & Improvers. Ben has taught Beginners for Encuentro Latino & has also performed in the Encuentro Latino Student group. His latest focus is the professional company show.

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Lucja Jakz Alvez

Having trained in Ballroom dance in Poland & then spent a great deal of time studying Samba in Brazil, Lucja is a valuable member of the Encuentro Latino professional Samba company.

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Marggiori Ariza Navarro

Our latest Samba performer is a real fire cracker & major asset to the company! A dance teacher / performer from Peru, with training in many Latin dances from Latin American Folklore and club dances to many other dance genres including Belly Dancing.

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Amy Milka

Amy has been training with Encuentro Latino for 10 years & after several years of building Salsa classes at York University, she is now part of our teaching team on a Thursday night. Amy has also performed in the student group.

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Keon West

Keon joined our Thursday night teaching team in March 2011, having taught & performed in his home country of Jamaica, around the USA & for Giles & Rosa of the Ignite Salsa Dance Company in Oxford. We are thrilled to have him on board!

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Other notable teaching / performing credits :

• Brussels Salsa Congress 07'
• Latin Motion 07'
• Winter Gardens, Blackpool (British SalsaFest) 06' & 07'
• UK International Congress 06'
• Salsology, Manchester 06' / 07'
• Arts Council England
• Rural Arts North Yorkshire
• World of Music & Dance, Whitby Music Port
• The Great British Salsa Experience (International Salsa Congress) 08' 09' & 10'

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