BermudaSalsa brings Latin flavour to Bermuda

Next week the summer sun won’t be the only thing heating up this island.

Year after year the BermudaSalsa.com Group stages Broadway-style ­Latin dance and music showcases through its ­production company SalsaMania Productions. Held at the Fairmont Southampton's Mid-Ocean Amphitheater, these exciting Latin dance showcases feature some of the best dancers and musicians in the world and embrace an extremely broad range of dance and music traditions. Mambo Nights and other special events span the entire week, with pre- and post-production activities for everyone. Performers ­include groups from Toronto, Montreal, New York, New Jersey and, of course, Bermuda.

“This is our fifth year of Mambo Nights,” said ­Teresa Whitter, BermudaSalsa.com operations manager.

“We’re hoping this year to be a journey from the origins of salsa to the ­fusions you get today.”

­Social dancing

Each Mambo Nights weekend, in addition to the large performance evenings, features dance and music instruction, ­special pre- and post-production performances, ­social dancing and many other added activities, which include beach ­parties, island tours for ­visitors and specialty ­dining. This is what makes Mambo Nights so special.

“Unlike a lot of other ­Latin dance events, this will be small enough to get to know the dancers,” Ms Whitter said. “It’s a week long and there are parties and workshops for anyone. Just come out and dance!”

The week kicks off with two social events. The first is on Wednesday, August 11, at Latin restaurant on ­Victoria Street. Latin Night is a free event from 8:30pm until midnight. Then on Thursday is the Mambo Nights Pre-Party at the Lido Complex. Willy Torres and Ariacne Durran are Grammy winners who will be performing live Latin music that evening, along with performances by local and international dancers and social dancing as well. Tickets are available for this event, which runs 9pm until 1am.

The Mambo Nights Showcase happens on Friday night, August 13, with Latin Beat: The Evolution of Mambo (Part 1).

Instructional classes run throughout the day on ­Saturday at the Whaler Inn Beach Terrace. There are seven classes in all, from 10am until 4pm. That night features Part 2 of The ­Evolution of Mambo.

Workshop

A final workshop will be offered on Sunday afternoon, followed by a free Moonlight Beach Party at the Whaler Inn Beach, from 6:30pm until midnight.

Then everyone comes together for a night of dancing at the free Waterfront Party at Bone Fish Grill and Bar in Dockyard on Monday evening, starting at 8:30pm.

Finally the week wraps up on Tuesday, August 17, with a free farewell party at Grotto Bay Beach Resort, also from 8:30pm until midnight.

The BermudaSalsa.com Group consists of three separate but cohesive entities (BermudaSalsa.com, Sabor Dance School and SalsaMania Productions) that work together to ­support a complete Latin entertainment platform. The group's mission is to provide a holistic experience in Latin food, beverage, music and dance.

Tickets and passes for Mambo Nights are available for purchase online at bdatix.com. Full Event Passes will be available only from bdatix.com, ­Sabor Dance School and SalsaMania Productions. The cost is $90 for both shows (Friday and Saturday), $80 for Saturday workshop pass and $160 for a full weekend pass, which ­includes both shows and all classes.  Or if you’d rather purchase regular tickets for individual events, the cost is $55 for EITHER Friday or Saturday show, and $20 per workshop.