NEW & IMPROVED Upcoming Cuban Festivals Around the US

For those of you who have the dancing traveling bug (with so many people sick after the SF Reuda festival, no pun intended), there are several dance festivals coming up this year. I brought back a stack of flyers for various festivals around the west and east coast and learned of a few more this week. So here they are, I'm sure I am missing a few in the east coast:

Vancouver BC: March 7th-11th

Vancouver International Salsa-festival (VIS) 2013 Goes Cuban

This is gonna be huge! I've been to the Vancouver BC Cuban scene, it is awesome! Lovely people to dance with, excellent teachers and the Northwest always goes to their event (Rum banana, Portland Casineros, Eugene Casineros, Seattle Casineros, Bellingham Casineros, Tri-city “Salsa con Rumba” Casineros from Eastern WA, Portland Casineros, Boeing Casineros, Victoria Island Casineros). That's a lot of fun people to dance with. There will be four genres of dances taught and performed at this event. Salsa, Bachata, Cuban & Kizombe(a dance from Angola, Africa looks like tango and bachata combined). They are bringing the best artist from NYC, Paris, Milan and Oregon to the festival for the Cuban piece. For more info. Go to: http://salsafestival.ca/

Portland OR/Vancouver WA: April 11th-14th 2013

Rose City Salsa & Timba Festival

This festival brings both the LA On-1, On-2 and On-Timba crowds together. Wilfredo will be one of the highlighted guest instructors. For more info, go to www.rosecitysalsafestival.com

Atlanta, GA: June 7th-9th 2013

SalsAtlanta 10.3 3-Day Cuban Party

3 full days of workshops, 4 nights of party; 3 DJ Spinning non-stop Cuban music

Featuring band: Havana D'Primera

For more info go to www.SalsAtlanta10.com

Las Vegas, NV: August 2nd-4th 2013

Las Vegas Salsa Rueda Festival

3 Days and nightsdance parties, Cuban dance workshops, pool parties, mega-ruedas, performances, Vegas Strip Flashmobs Featuring Timba band – Will Campa Y Su Orquestra

All-Star guest instructors: Yanek Revilla and Karelia Despaign from Cuba

For More info, go to www.salsaruedafestivalvegas.com

Palm Springs, CA: August 22nd-26th 2013

Palm Springs Salsa Casino Congress

Salsa, Bachata, Rueda and More!

This festival brings three dancing commuities to one event. Pool parties, performances and live salsa music. For more info, go to http://www.peoplewhodance.net/summer/salsa/index.php

Cancun, Mexico: September 12th-15th, 2013

Salsa Casino Mayan Congress hosted by CMV Con Ritmo

This is one event my casino friends all over the US told me was the best by far, for location, the quality of Cuban dance instructors and who they brought as the featured band. They had Havana D'Primera their first congress! Last year, they had Elito Reve Y Su Charangon! This year promises to be as exciting! For for info, go to: http://www.cmvconritmo.com/

Lastly! Drum roll please! Trrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Havana, Cuba: November 24th-29th, 2013
Baila En Cuba

5 days intensive-workshops for beginners to advance and master class, 5 levels, 22 hours classes in 10 rooms with live percussion & music, top instructors all from ISA (Instituto Superior de Arte), 6 nights with shows, parties and concerts of the top bands from Cuba, personal Cuban dance-partners possible.

Check out who they have for featured bands playing. This is gonna blow you away: Los Van Van, Adalberto Álvarez, Manolito y su Trabuco, Charanga Habanera, Elito Revé y su Charangón, Paulito FG, Pupy y Los Que Son Son, NG la Banda, Bamboleo, Azucar Negra and many more. I had a friend from Seattle who went to this last year. She said it was incredible, awesome, fantastic...superlatives kept on describing her experience. For more info, go to: http://www.baila-en-cuba.de/en/index.html