Mambo Festival Munich

We just got back from spending the weekend in Munich for the Mambo Festival Munich. This is still quite a small festival, but well worth the trip. There are loads of good dancers local to Munich and you will meet people travelling from Stuttgart, Hannover, Leipzig and Karlsruhe, as well as from Switzerland and Austria.

The DJs were good (except for one who I won't mention by name) and the venues were all perfect in size with great floors. They have a minimal show program, which is good if you want to focus on dancing. Our friends Willy and Sissy from Leipzig were there teaching amazing tricks, as well as our favourite German mambo dancers Mitchell & Monica with some of the dancers from Tambó Dance Project. Mouaze was awesome as always, and the ladies from Salsa and Soul gave a beautiful and elegant show.

The whole festival is well organised and has a friendly vibe. I highly recommend it if you are just looking for a good dance experience.

Dance Salsa in Dresden Germany

Several years ago I moved to Dresden to live and work. I packed up everything from my life in Brisbane Australia, and found a room in a large share house in the center of Dresden's Neustadt. When I went looking for salsa places I found a lot of old information about clubs that had closed down. Basically the only regular club in Dresden is Bailamor. They have two rooms, with the Cuban style dancers in the back and the linear style dancers in the front room. Unfortunately it is a little small. There is a once a month party at Emmers, a little out of Neustadt. This place is much bigger and has a great floor for dancing. The school Salsa Sandana now have their own studio and they have regular social dance nights every week. It is another nice dance floor and really friendly people. Over the years I lived there the scene was growing and improving all the time. The great thing about Dresden is that the Saxon people are very friendly and welcoming. It is easy to get involved in the scene and make friends.

Dancing Salsa Saved My Life

You may laugh, you may want to steal my lunch money, or give me a wedgie, but it is true.

I was lost, I thought that science, technology, coding and the politics of consumption were the most interesting things you could talk about at a dinner party. I had lived through a string of moderately successful relationships, and I thought that was the meaning of life.

Then I discovered salsa. To be honest, at first I just went along for a girl I met in my Spanish language group. I soon discovered a weird society where you could wander the world, going out and instantly meet people (girls) without getting drunk and trying to convince them that computer science was fun. All you had to do was invest some money and time in a new skill set (dancing) and buy some deoderant.

That is how I become a devotee to the world of dancing salsa. It keeps me fit, and sober, and I have become so used to holding beautiful women in my arms that I feel like a rockstar.

No one ever told me about this world when I was a teenager, I wish they did, I would not have wasted so much time trying to be like Jon Bon Jovi. So that is why I am telling you now:

"Guys, go and learn to dance salsa, it will make your life immeasursably better!"

Salsa Gala Berlin

Salsa Gala Berlin

This is one of my personal favourite festivals in Europe. It is well organized, the venue has a nice dance floor and the DJs are always great. You will find a mixture of on1 and on2 dancers, and the parties will go for hours, no stopping at midnight or anything stupid like that.

If you haven't visited Berlin before or if you just want to get out and enjoy a good salsa festival this summer in Europe then come along. The festival is easy to get to from anywhere in Europe and you will have a great time.

Berlin has a lot of great dancers, and they are all, by and large, friendly people. A tip for the guys, the Berlin girls are gorgeous !!!!, and for the ladies, the guys are not bad either :-)

Berlin Mambo Scene

The Berlin mambo scene has been a little cool over the winter. Coming out dancing is hard when you can't feel your feet. The German winters are harsh.

This summer we are going to dance our feet off, to latin jazz, salsa dura, mambo pachanga and guaguanco.

These are the links for the places to dance over the summer.

Salsa Gala Berlin 
A great festival for the start of summer, well organised, great shows friendly dancers. I love this festival !

Havana Club
Bachata, RnB, Salsa, Zouk Eveything

Soda Club
Cuban timba and salsa

La Mambita
Every Sunday you can enjoy an evening of dancing to latin jazz and salsa