Social Latin dances warm up Arkhangelsk and Tromsø

“Create, Dance, Live” is the name of Russian-Norwegian project held by Russian youth organization Creative Lab – Rainbow Life and Tromsø Salsa Club. In February 4-9 Norwegian instructors Geir Tuseth, Oxana Barysheva and Marcel Pogorzelski came to Arkhangelsk to share their skills in Bachata and Salsa.

Despite that names of these dances sound a little unfamiliar in the North, participants of masterclasses and dance shows of all ages proved that these dances are popular and totally justify their fame as social dances. Social dances have a main aim to bring people together, make them feel both music and body movements. Another idea brought to learners by their instructors that Salsa and Bachata are open to everybody despite age, physical condition and gender. Different languages spoken during workshops never hindered the process of learning (and dancing, of course!) because the body language is comprehensible to everyone.

During five days ladies and men had chance to visit free lessons for beginners as well as experienced dancers and on Sunday evening everybody was invited to Show Party where newcomers could dance with profis on the same floor, and have a look at fiery show by Norwegian instructors. More than hundred people took part in the festival and the fact that about a dozen people decided to continue Latina studies on a regular basis shows inevitable success of the project.

Next part of project is Latin Week in Tromsø in March 2014. Andrey Melekhov, leader of Rainbow Life club and some more instructors from this studio will give masterclasses in Reggaeton, Salsa Rueda, Kizomba, Tarraxinha, Zouk, Cha Cha Cha, and Bachata and exchange experience with Norwegian Latina teachers. Dance week will end by Latin Party with a joint Russian-Norwegian dance show.

Written by Anna Petrova,
The Norwegian Barents Secretariat, Arkhangelsk