The Party Starts

Thursday's Canada Salsa Congress Pre-Party at 6 Lounge put the word Canada into salsa!

From world class Toronto DJs - Julio Cezar, MAS, Nilson and GIO to the performers, to many of the dancers, Toronto's Salsa scene can take it to the world - anytime - anywhere.

6 Degrees lounge has become a worthy successor to the late lamented Berlin through its fresh look, friendly staff and vast wood floors - upstairs and down, front and back.

The party was rolling at 10:00pm. as the patrons and the week-end performers converged to get their long week-end started. People in the crowd included world salsa champions Oliver & Luda; England's Super Mario, the Million Moves Man; Al 'Liquid Silver' & Karla Espinoza; the Caribbean Soul gang; Carmalina Brown, Mambo Tribe's Stephanie, Pawel & Dora, Roland & Gorete; rumberos' Bong; Latin Energy's Oscar, and more!

The show did not disappoint. The past five years' worth of shows, student groups and competitions in Toronto have built a pasionate depth of talent that can put on a global level show - anywhere and entertain anyone.

Toronto performers were the bulk of the show, with one troupe from Montreal and the Sabor Dance Company from Bermuda. From Montreal's Edson & Stephanie, to Toronto's City Dance Corps' Ladies, Mambo Tribe's Aqui Asi, the crowd was rapt.

Toronto's teen wonders Pablo & Rosita grabbed the place with their presence and energy and held them for three or four minutes of salsa that would give even Latin Energy a run for their money.

ifreestyle.ca's Student group put the sexy and sensuel into what can be a very cool On2.

Teenage urban and latin and salsa troupe Rhythmic Fire put an urban edge to salsa with their performance that mixed a little bit of West Side Story with a little Salsa!

The performers gave people a taste of the African roots of salsa to Flamenco accents to down and urban Salsa.

After the show, DJ MAS began spinning tunes that kept them moving until the wee hours of the morning.