I've always wanted to go check out the Kadts Dance Studio in the west end
part of town so on Saturday 3/29 I did. "Salsa, in the west end?
You don't say?" Yeah, I do say.
T.James, the owner of the studio, has been teaching and dancing competitive
ballroom since '96. He just moved into this new warehouse space at 680
Murphy Ave., Suite C-40 .
As the big guy at Eddie Murphy's house party in the movie "Trading Places"
said; "it was a stone groove, my broth-ah!" That Saturday was the inception
of a regular salsa dance the fourth Saturday of every month at the new location.
The crowd was a mostly black crowd, and the scene was more mature than we're
used to seeing out at the clubs. There weren't many very good salsa dancers
there. But it was never a rhythm problem, you can be sure of that. The available
dancers were just limited in their salsa repertoire and very "ballroom taught".
The instructor got the party rolling with a rueda lesson. For so many people
who'd never done rueda before, T.James had us "dile que no"--ing on queue
in no time flat.
The d.j. played salsa and, to this reviewer's delight, mixed in some R&B
providing great music for those skilled at dances like the Hustle and Chicago
Stepping. In fact, there was a large contingency present from the stepping
class at Audi Lopez's "Mezcolanza" studio and they were easily coaxed into
giving a demonstration. They were smooth as the floor we were dancing on!
Admission is five bucks, some snacks and soda are provided, available parking
is a non-issue, and the atmosphere is appropriate enough for children (saving
you money on a baby sitter!). I could dig this as a once-a-month warm up
before heading out for the "real" salsa scene.
See ya' out!
Nanette
Dance
videos::. here. 