Mauricio Reyes

Roger's getting some really good teachers down to Cardiff. Next Friday, 5th October, it's Mauricio Reyes of LatinMotion. Deservedly popular, Mauricio is one of the best XBL-style teachers around and a nice guy. More details: http://www.facebook.com/events/283487585098360/

No Revs next week

Andy's away so there's no Revolución de Cuba next week, but there is Roger's monthly party on Friday 31st with Wilson Castro (see below). Peppermint on Tuesdays is also off for two weeks.

There's also free salsa with a 5-piece live band (the core of Timbatierra, I assume) this Sunday from 7.30 in the other Revolución de Cuba in the Friary.

Salsa dance day on Saturday

Andy's running a salsa dance day in the Glanfa at the Wales Millennium Centre from 4.30-7.30. Starts with an hour's (free but ticketed) class and then there's two hours of free dancing.

Bachata Liscious and more

Roger's Monday night workshops are great. Once a month (ish) Andy runs 'Bachata Liscious'. My bachata is getting sloppy so I decide to do the beginners: really useful as I got individual feedback which has helped me eliminate some major style errors.

The improvers' class featured some Dominican style steps: more complex and less sleazy than Italian style, and gives a very flowing feel. I had wondered why the bachata they dance in Paris looks so much better than what I and most people in Cardiff dance - it's because it's Dominican style.

Monday is Charlotte's next chachachá class, highly recommended. Then on Friday 31st it's a salsa and bachata night with Wilson Castro. September 7th Timbatierra from Bristol are playing live, with Charlotte teaching a 'fun rueda' class.

Chachacha with Charlotte

Roger is organising regular Monday night workshops on different dances (eg bachata, lambada zouk, Cuban salsa). Last night's was on Latin chachacha with Charlotte, who's back teaching again after a two year break. I was a bit ambivalent about chachacha - done badly it can look a bit stiff and formulaic. A while ago I went to a Cuban chachacha class which was contratiempo, and I couldn't get my head around that at all. But I saw a couple dancing chachacha in Paris a couple of years ago and they made it look like a seriously stylish street dance with loads of hip movement and attitude. What Charlotte was teaching was on2 Latin chachacha and she put a lot of emphasis on technique: how to step to get the right hip movement, keeping it smooth and grounded. It was the best workshop I've been to for a long time and I learnt loads. Everyone else in the class was impressed too. Looking forward to the next one.

Moe Flex

Sorry, no time to post regularly at the moment. Just to point out that funky Cuban-style teacher Moe Flex is at Revolución de Cuba tomorrow (Friday). Highly recommended.

More salsa

There's now a second branch of Revolucion de Cuba in Cardiif, in the Friary opposite Live Lounge, and there's free dancing there from 8 every Wednesday night. Also Palenke are playing live this Friday in the other Revolucion de Cuba - off Womanby Street.

Revolución de Cuba

Wow, Revolucion de Cuba is a great venue. It's been expensively decked out as a marketing man's idea of a pre-revolutionary Havana bar. It has a nice atmosphere, good lighting, a great wooden floor and a good sound system.

The classes are pretty busy and the dancing after the classes is good. Numbers for the free dancing could be better, but there are always some really nice dancers there. I had a lovely dance last night with a recent arrival to Cardiff who's amazingly expressive and fun to dance with.

The music mixes LA/NY and Cuban style, plus some bachata and a bit of lambada/zouk (but not too much). If you're a Cuban-style dancer, that's no problem - go to Sabina's class in La Tasca first and then come on afterwards, Revolucion is open until at least midnight. There is occasionally some rueda.

Quick final point: after 10pm it's free to get in for the dancing, but please buy a drink or two at the bar - it helps to secure the future of the venue.