“This step is called around the world, says Victor as he demonstrates the move by dancing around Katia. “She’s the world, he says, which brings a smile to every girl’s face as her partner circles her.
“You like that? he asks the group of dancers teasingly.
I stumbled in halfway through the workshop that was taking place in La Piste, a small dance studio in a high-rise overlooking crowded Cairo. One wall of the studio is all glass, so enjoys a view of a nearby sports club.
With no prior experience in Salsa dancing, I decided not to involve myself it what could be a sticky situation. Instead I acted like a fly-on-the-wall and watched the local Salsa community twist and turn with a mixture of eloquence and sensuality.
The workshop was led by Canadian dancing duo Katia and Victor, who won the International Salsa Competition in Las Vegas in 2005. The duo is in Egypt to perform for two nights at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, but first gave this workshop in Cairo and will host another in Alexandria.
Victor Alex Contreras is originally from Chile, which is apparent from his Latin good looks and accent. Katia Morales’s exotic looks stem from her Mexican-British background. The former ballerina’s small frame moves gracefully.
Contrary to Katia, who has always been a dancer, Victor only started doing Salsa five years ago. “It is something social, easy and commercial. Everyone can learn it, appreciate it, dance it and show it to their friends, he says.
Salsa is a partner dance that is a fusion of informal styles with Caribbean, North American and Latin American roots. There are also African influences in both the music and the dance.
“Salsa comes from various backgrounds so culturally it is something that attracts people from anywhere, explains Katia who was impressed with the skills of Cairo’s Salsa dancers. “They are having a Salsa blast and they are very good, adds Victor.
After performing professionally for many years, the couple decided to start teaching the dance; or as Katia puts it, “Spreading the passion. In downtown Montréal, they established an independent Latin dance school called Como Mango.
Victor explained that their philosophy is to walk their students through the dance step-by-step, break it down and giving them all the time they need. “Dancing is something emotional that comes out in the physical movements. So you need to be comfortable inside you to learn better. You need to feel good to do better, he says.
Happenstance brought them to Egypt. An Egyptian girl in one of their classes brought her mother to see Victor and Katia during her visit to Montréal. The student’s mother just happened to be Colette Frège Haggar, the owner of Tamarin Center in Alexandria, and the head of the arts school unit at Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
“They where very good so I invited them.Salsa is becoming extremely popular so we wanted to add it to the summer dance festival, she said.
The dance festival organized by the Arts Center, headed by Maestro Sherif Mohie El Din, is held every night this summer showing folklore, jazz, ballet and modern dance from all over the world.
Don’t miss Victor and Katia’s live performance at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina on August 4 & 5 at 9 pm. For more information call (03) 483 9999 ext. 1965.
