Jennifer
is the organizer of the annual Canada
Salsa Congress, an international salsa festival that takes place in Toronto
every October. This 4-day extravaganza is the largest salsa event in Canada and
features nightly performances by dance companies from all over the world and
daily salsa workshops given by world-renowned instructors. This year marks the
10 year anniversary of the Canada Salsa Congress and will take place October 4-8, 2012 at the Westin Harbour
Castle Hotel.
Jennifer
is also co-founder of Discover Dance Canada, an organization which teaches
Latin Dance to elementary and high school students. This program was born with the mission to
build confidence, self-esteem and cultural awareness in children and teens
through Latin Dance in the school curriculum.
Jennifer
has been involved in dance and the performing arts her entire life and has
extensive training in gymnastics, ballet, flamenco, Argentine tango and, of
course, salsa. To keep progressive, she continues to travel extensively to
learn from the world’s best dancers and instructors, and has attended dozens of
salsa congresses in Puerto Rico, Los Angeles, New York, Colombia, Ecuador, Miami,
Zurich, Amsterdam, Washington, Boston, Detroit, Ottawa and Montreal. Jennifer
also teaches salsa workshops internationally and has taught in Puerto Rico, Holland,
Ecuador, Washington, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Detroit, Montreal and Ottawa.
Find out what Jennifer had to say in this week's shout out...
Nikki:
Do you remember the first time you started dancing?
Jennifer: I first started dancing with my
sister and cousins when I was really young - 4 or 5 years old. I then did
gymnastics for 10 years then ballet for 10 years. The first time I ever
danced Salsa was on vacation in the Dominican Republic - and that got me
hooked to a lifetime career of teaching Latin Dance.
Nikki: Do you remember the first song you choreographed to? (Or your
earliest memory)
earliest memory)
Jennifer: Actually first song I remember
choreographing to was Help Me Rhonda by the Beach Boys with my cousin when I was
probably 6 years old. First salsa song I remember choreographing to for a
group routine was Ran Kan Kan in 1999.
Nikki: Your personal advice for dancers when it comes to free
styling/Improv?
styling/Improv?
Jennifer: I think the best advice I can
give to other dancers for free styling is to let your love and enjoyment of the
dance show in your free styling. Let your inhibitions go and remember why
dancing brings you joy and that no one is judging you more harshly than you
judge yourself so have fun!
Nikki: Getting in the zone to choreograph, what does it take for you?
Jennifer: I need a song that I really
like and I usually prefer to choreograph with another person so that we can
bounce ideas off one another.
Nikki: Who are some of your biggest influences in the Dance industry?
Jennifer: In the Dance industry, Alvin
Ailey and their amazing choreographies and in the Salsa industry - Tito Ortos
and Tamara Livolsi and Billy Fajardo and Katie Marlowe for their
professionalism and integrity and creativity.
Nikki:
Name a Toronto Choreographer you enjoy working with and why?
Jennifer: I love choreographing with
Angelo De Torres who works for Steps Dance Studio because we magically are able
to choreograph really quickly and painlessly together.
Nikki: Are you currently working on any projects?
Jennifer: Working
on organizing the 10 year anniversary of the Canada Salsa Congress coming up
this October as well as teaching more workshops in elementary and high schools
through Discover Dance Canada
Nikki: Qualities you think Toronto Dancers possess?Jennifer: I think Toronto dancers have a great ability to use and reference techniques and movements from all different genres of dance because we are such a culturally diverse city.
THANK YOU JENNIFER FOR SHARING YOUR LOVE & PASSION WITH T.D.O.T. XO
CHECK OUT THE TRAILER FOR THE UPCOMING CANADA SALSA CONGRESS...
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