CHECK OUT the new range of ‘Unlimited’ cardio dance classes !
		About Us Latinlover was born in 2001 created by two fresh on the scene Latin dance enthusiasts running on inspiration, magic and a vision to share an adoration for Latin music and dance, spurred on by a flow of emotions from time spent in Latin music capital of Cuba. Whilst planning the idea of the Latinlover website did they discover such an untapped Latin scene within Melbourne tucked away needing to be exposed. The couple had no idea the site would deliver such an abundance of ongoing pleasure and service to so many homes and to the Latin dance and music industry, and community. To give you a better understanding the access to information prior to 2001, if you were wanting to learn how to salsa dance the was no central information websites for new comers or anyone to come to. Today with a click of a button, while at work or on a break Latinlover can have you dancing every night of the week! Over the 8 year journey Latinlover has become synonymous with Melbournians as the place to begin to locating Latin dance classes, Community and Club Events, Venues and live music. The colourful e-newsletter sent out FREE to subscribers boasts even more. Latinlover.com.au is accessed by over 60,000 visitors month and 7,500 subscribers seeking information on dance classes, bands and events and for some not so proactive being a subscriber of our community is about belonging. Today Latinlover is independently managed and produced by Julie Sultana more well known as “Julie de Cuba”, given to her by Cuban friends admiring her dancing ‘Shakira’ hips, ‘Ochun’ spirit for life and dance just like a Cubana! A little more … Julie De Cuba Dancing for me started when I was so high at home dancing infront of the TV to ‘Young Talent Time’ and singing along to music by ‘Madonna, Psuedo Echo’, not until my late teens did things get a little more serious I was introduced to ballroom dance at Jamm Dance Studio, Templestowe under of the instruction of Mark Wilson also a judge on 2007 ‘Dancing with stars’. I trained in New Vogue, along with Latin with Fabio Isak ‘Dance Connection’. In 2000 I studied at Street Latin at ‘Back to Back’ dance studio with Fabio Robles. At this time Mr Robles has just returned from Cuba and was teaching these arm combinations and I refused to believe people were getting themselves into knots on the dance floor. If you dance Cuban Salsa you’ll get the gist of what I mean. So curiosity got the better of me and in 2001 I took off to Cuba for the first time under the guidance of Cuban Dance Academy, and only in Cuba did everything fall into place and my new life begin. As a group of 11 students we studied dance with teachers from the Cuban National Ballet School . We were partnered up with local Cuban students studying at the school and learnt the ‘fundamentals, of ‘Son’ “Cha Cha Cha’ ‘Rumba’ ‘Salsa’ ‘Rueda or Casino’. In class each step was broken down and explained the folkloric connection, for example a particular step in ‘Pilon’ was danced by the ‘Slaves’ while grinding coffee beans, and the ‘Rumba’ was a mating dance the male the ‘rooster’ and for the woman to tease and protect. Certain songs we hear on the dance floor make reference to Afro Cuban religion so if you have an opportunity to learn more about this and the ‘Yorullas’ it can strike a cord with your own inner spirituality and that is a wow factor! I learnt that the beautiful people in Cuba and many other countries across Latin America look to Latin Music and Dance as a salvation from their daily struggles. For Cubanos sharing a glass of local rum with friends and dancing a romantic ‘salsa’ or a ‘rumba’ recharges their tired spirits, bringing friends together and leaves hope for an easier day ahead. I have returned to CUBA three times and hope to again. In 2002, I travelled some to simply Salsa in as many countries as possible. New York City, to experience Salsa and the NY city bars, bands and clubs, Miami, Puerto Rico, the home of Ricky Martin & Jennifer Lopez, Dominican Republic, to dance ‘Bachata’ which has only just arrived into Australia, Cuba once more & Malta, which has its own little ‘Fuego’ club. In 2006, I travelled to Rio De Janiero and took part in dance classes at a local school in ‘Forro’ ‘Zouk’ and ‘Axe’. We are in Brazil the home of Samba but for some reason Samba was not taught in these academic schools I already knew how to Samba self taught so it was off to the CARANAVAL after that! YES I did I dance on the runway at the Carnaval 2006 Rio De Janiero and its as surreal as you can imagine. Crazy as it is was walking the along the canal alongside the Runway past poor people peanut vendor after peanut vendor for 20 minutes, it was like well why can’t you come to the party too it almost felt so wrong to be displaying opportunity while so many people begged. Then the Runway another 30minute waiting your turn behind you float then you were on. Dancing to the Samba Gafiera remembering your routine and to sing because you loose point s for the team if your caught not singing for another 20 minutes under bright spot lights, crowds of happy faces and clicking camera lights everyone singing. Yes at the end it was to walking the street lined vendors again. My next carnival experience will have to been in Salvator de Bahia where locals and tourists all party together and money does not separate communities. I still love the Melbourne Latin dance scene. I have seen it grow and change and come under a lot of scrutiny of it not being the same as overseas and that is because so many races making up the dance community all coming with their own social mix and we have different social standards on how we want things to be, we don’t have hardship enough to allow us to appreciate what we do have, I truelly believe we would feel more united if hardship was there as we concentrate on having a good time rather than a better time and this just opens up into another conversation. All Latin dance and music scenes have the same challenges and politics and therefore we need t practise being humble and grateful we have music good live music in Melbourne, value the musicians or the Dj working so hard to deliver it all to you, leave you inhibitions at the office dancing is a gift, an heart a religion of self expression not a competition – the only competition is with yourself to dance more. Julie De Cuba. Nino I started to learn to dance Salsa in October 1999, and it took me over 6 months of going to lessons week after week before I discovered the joy of being able to lead a lady in a dance. After 12 months I developed my style, expanding my moves and really enjoying my dancing. The opportunity arose to go on a cultural exchange trip to Cuba to learn to dance the Afro-Cuban Style. I jumped at the opportunity, and in October 2001, with 11 other dancers, experienced dancing in Cuba. WOW!!! The Cubans have a real passion for life and a love of other people. Their dancing was an expression of this passion, and it rubbed off on me. My life, and my dancing altered after Cuba. I wanted everyone to have the same extraordinary experience. On returning to Melbourne and sharing about my experience, I soon discovered others who shared the same passion for dancing. I started to discover there was so much more to Latin music in Melbourne, and I felt I only knew one corner of it. There was a need to bring all the Latin music to one place, and give people the opportunity to explore and try different styles and rhythms. Dance like nobody is watching. Nino. Back to top				u: p: Remember Me Sign Up Forgot your password [Click Image] Candela Dance [Click Image] NEW! Dance Connection [Click Image] Cuban Dance Academy Cuban Salsa & More [Click Image] [Click Image] [Click Image] Bailando - Richmond [Click Image] [Click Image] NEW! Forever Salsa [Click Image] Come to Copacabana International! [Click Image] Richmond VIC [Click Image] NEW! Forever Salsa [Click Image] City Studio [Click Image] Ooh la la Dance
		Copyright© 2004 latinlover.com.au. Website by KDG (27032004). Tech Support