SalsaTO - 2011 Toronto Dance Salsa Amateur Competition

Toronto Dance Salsa Competition
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2011 TDS Competition June Finalists!

2011 TDS Competition Finals - Shows!

2011 TDS Competition Finals - People!

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Toronto Dance Salsa Competition Albums - Past Fun

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Very challenging lighting - low lighting levels & three different types of stage and floor lighting - limit the quality of the imagery. These are not studio quality photographs.
26 June 2011
It was Lucky Five for the Fifth Toronto Dance Salsa Competition at the Six Degrees nightclub.

Couple number five - the number randomly drawn about thirty minutes before the competition - won!

Complete news to come very shortly.

Third Place Nina & Branco; Second Place Ileana & Martin; Sanaz & Khemara;

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening was MC/Instructor/choreographer/performer Tracie's sultry TDS MC Tracie's Bob Fossie Send Up!.

29 May 2011
When the dust settled, the number was five.

It was Five finalists for the Fifth Toronto Dance Salsa Competition at the Six Degrees nightclub.

And new for 2011 it was Emcee Tracie, the TDS choreographer keeping the evening moving.

The eight intrepid couples for 2011 were: Nina & Branco; Alexandra & Yuri; Ileana & Martin; Anny & Tony; Stephanie & John; Sanaz & Khemara; Sandra & Vignesh; Monique & Joseph.

There must be something in the water in Cuba, as several competitors' first exposure to latin dance was in Cuba. Others were dragged into or accidentally stumbled into salsa clubs by friends or on their own. Once in, they got hooked.

Keeping the audience entertained while judges tally scores is important, and Christine brought the house down with her five reasons why you know are addicted to salsa.

You know that you are addicted to salsa when: The number of pairs of dance shoes equals the number of dresses in your closet; Most new clothing purhases must be salsa club worthy; You are on a first name basis with over 20 people and have no idea who they are or what they do in 'real life;' You see your dancing friends more than your family.

A critical component of any competition is the judging panel and for the 2011 Toronto Dance Salsa Competition they included: United Salseros' Teddy and Rene; Angus Dirnbeck; Latin Groove Productions' Oscar; and Steps Dance Studio's Jennifer who is a judge for the World Salsa Championships and the World Latin Cup Championships.

What may have made it easier or harder for 2011 was all of the competitors dancing to the same song, using very similar turn patterns and what appeared to be one common trick.

The judges carefully evaluated the competitors on how they worked the music or musicality, timing not only to the beat, but were the turns and turn patterns finished on time, not late or early; technical aspects as in how cleanly and smoothly the turn patterns were executed, lead and follow; showmanship as in how the couple engaged the audience and 'brought' the audience into their routine.

While the scores were being tallied, the audience was treated to a variety of performances including two TDS women's choreography groups; LatinGrooveProductions' Sergio & Christina; United Salseros' Sumeet & Crystal; Tango with TDS Sandra & Daniel; and TDS' Jessica & Oliver.

The five couples advancing to the Sunday 26 June Finals are: Anny & Tony; Ileana & Martin; Nina & Branco; Sandra & Vignesh; Sanaz & Khemara.

Get your tickets now as the Final Five have about one month to finish choreographing their routine to their own music.

Toronto Dance Salsa may be Canada's largest salsa and dance school with some 5000 students and 45 classes per week.

Short videos coming to Facebook. SalsaTO Ca gets you there.

SalsaTO.ca's Resources

Preparing for A Salsa Competition

Competition Judges - Jennifer Aucoin's Insider View