A Surprise West Coast Swing Demo by World Champions Jordan and Tatiana (NYC)
Ivonne with WCS Champions Jordan Frisbee and Tatiana Mollman It’s been over a decade since I first moved to New York, and while I might not agree with the many New Yorkers who claim that NYC is the ‘Center of the Universe’, I will say that it is definitely a place where having exceptional experiences and meeting extraordinary ...
RIP Moira
Just heard last night about the tragic loss of one of my favorite salseras in the NY dance scene. As some of you may already know, participation in NY’s dance community exposes you to an incredibly diverse group of characters and personalities. You will find individuals who can and will, surprisingly impact your life in simple or profound ways, ...
Mapes24 Spotlight: Performance Costumes (Updated 7/7/15)
This will be an ongoing photo series that focuses on one pivotal aspect of a performance that can help elevate a creative vision into the realization of something truly memorable. From first hand experience, the costumes can be one of the biggest headaches to a performer as they require significant investments of time, creativity and finance. ...
After a Nine Year Search, I’ve Finally Found the Best Korean BBQ in New York City at Kang Hodong Baekjeong (NYC)
I find that a night out for some Korean food can be a hard sell to a lot of my western friends, as many find the fare to be either too spicy, or lacking in heartiness, due to the abundance of vegetables used in the cuisine. Back home in L.A., I’m usually able to convert the doubters by ...
Photos and Performance Videos from La Fuerza & D’Cor’s Utopia Latin Dance Social (NYC)
After our last anniversary event, I quickly came to the realization that I had taken on about two jobs too many as I was running around like a headless chicken for most of the night (I had to perform in two numbers, and was in charge of all the media for the event). Live and learn, right? ...
Please Come Join Us for an Incredible Night of Bachata and Salsa Dancing at Utopia 2 by La Fuerza and D’Cor Dance Companies (NYC)
On behalf of La Fuerza Dance Co & D’COR Dance Co, I’d like to invite everyone to an awesome night of dancing at UTOPIA (in NYC), which will be held on Friday, June 12th from 9pm to 4am. Utopia is a fundraiser that Fausto Felix and Maria Ramos have collaborated on for their company dancers. “Each company ...
Photos and Performance Videos from La Fuerza Dance Co’s 1st Year Anniversary Party
Although this post is a bit late, I still wanted to have an entry regarding this event, as this blog serves as a record of the significant moments that have colored my New York experience. A huge shout out goes to Fausto Felix, who continues to make his artistic mark in the scene, and to ...
Where to Dance Salsa and Bachata in Los Angeles (CA)
For anyone wanting to go out dancing while visiting LA, here’s a quick little reference chart that I put together that includes a list of my favorite weekly events. I’ve included the schedules for the ‘Big 3’ (GranadaLA, PCH Club & Steven’s Steakhouse) as these are probably the most well known, and promoted venues. I ...
Performance Videos (salsa & bachata) from Nueva Ola’s First Brooklyn Bash Social (NYC)
Anyone who’s known me for a while knows that I’m not particularly fond of heading out to Brooklyn. Don’t get me wrong, it has nothing to do with the borough itself, or with the masses of hipsters roaming its streets. The simple fact is that even though both are a part of NYC, traveling from ...
Photos of the Hottest Cars from the 2015 New York International Auto Show
Having grown up during the emergence of the ‘rice rocket era’ in Southern California, I’m sure it’s not hard to imagine why so many imports have found their way onto my list of hottest rides. Though there were a lot of beautiful cars presented during this year’s NY International Auto Show, here are photos of the rides ...
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