Salsa City Forum » News and Chat » How good is Salsa in Cardiff?

Hi Wizzy,

Thanks for your comments on getting Henry/Suzanna etc to Cardiff. This is something that I have been trying to organise for a while now. The main problem is getting a suitable venue on a Saturday night with good air conditioning large open dance floor and parking etc, that aren't going to charge us £500+ for the night.

The second problem as el diablito mentioned is that of cost, would South Wales be happy to pay upto £10 for a night out?

So if anybody can give me a suitable suggestion for a good venue (although be prepared for a lot of "tried it already" in response!), I'll give South Wales Salsa a party to remember! :)

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Again I'd like to to give my wholehearted agreement to el Diablito's post. The points raised are one's that I wanted to add to my previous post but I was ranting to much already! ;)

Wizzy, I’m with you in your response to ‘Female Dancer’ (though I might not have put it in quite those terms). Andy is the only teacher in Cardiff who is really capable of teaching at advanced level, and to suggest that he lacks professionalism is ridiculous. The business about qualifications is irrelevant as Stevie has pointed out.

I do think that in Cardiff we’re a bit too tight to pay for decent teachers. Three quid for a night’s dancing and a good class is ridiculously cheap compared to what you’d pay in London. While I’d really like to see some guest teachers (Angus from Plymouth, and Dean Maynard, are two others who I think have the right approach) I have my doubts as to whether it would be viable on a Saturday night.

You've gotta hand it to chippy... despite his excitement and sometimes the lack of control when irritated, he has started an interesting debate and one which has a real focus on Cardiff / South Wales.

I can see that he and I will probably agree to differ over some points but in answer to the fitness & gym references regarding the reconciling of the smoking / drinking thing and also it's acceptability and relevance to Salsa I would simply say this...

When you go out for a night of Salsa chippy do you see Salsa as an activity best suited to a local sport centre or do you see it as a nightclub activity?

Because if you're talking solely about classes and teaching then your point may be valid, but if your talking about the social aspect as well, then there are others who will almost certainly have a different point of view to you.

They will take from Latin culture what it is that suits them and you shouldn't set your self up as their spokesmen!

I for instance often drink genuine Cuban rum whilst I'm out immersing myself in Latin culture and do consider it to be integral to my Salsa night out. And although I wouldn't class myself as a smoker (I never buy cigarettes) I will occasionally when in the mood, smoke a genuine Cuban cigar, especially if offered by a Latin friend such as Erique Perez, Henry Vina etc.

The music however... is sh*t*

Hi foiks, I had a great nights dancing in Bath on Saturday night, it was my first time over there. The floor was fantastic, loads of space, great music... It certainly puts Cardiff venues into perspective. Well worth the 1 1/2 hours drive over there.
P.S. To my traveling companions, guess what (she who is to be obeyed) found in the back of the car this morning? Beer bottles and nuts!! Thanks guys... I think I'm grounded :(

Oh dear, Bob!
I definitely took my rubbish with me! Nuts and salsa - the 2 seem to go hand in hand!
On a more serious note I also enjoyed the night in Bath - the room was great and, even better, the music!! Not 1 bad record - no mixes disguising themselves as salsa tracks. The dancing was great but I must say that I do feel dancers in Cardiff are on a par with those I saw - loads of people having fun with a few real gems! Nobody topped Magic Mover Mal!

Just thought I’d throw my two cents in :) Seems to be a hip happenin thread. (I haven’t read all the messages in this thread it’s 1am and I’m pooped from Andy’s Salsa class.) I think andy has done a wonderful job in teaching Salsa and I for one have certainly taken more of an interest over the past 12 weeks or so because of him. I started out salsa in newport and After 20 weeks I just got bored I hardly learnt more than 8 moves (and they were taught more like a fixed routine that didn’t show any concept of leading). Then I moved to cardiff and started Salsa at the Toad (Wasn’t regular). I then gave up for a while and concentrated on my modern jive a bit more for a year or so.

When I restarted Salsa I can’t remember if it was at Newport (Riverfront) or The Wharf... Anyway that was the first time I was taught by Andy himself and started to enjoy it a lot more. Since then I’m doing the Advanced class at Toad (Even tho I struggle a little... But hey I can do all the moves that are a prerequisit), The Wharf and the Newport Class... All credit has to go to Andy, he does a FANTASTIC JOB, its not boring, throws in some jokes keeps your attension.

The Newport class is just doing fab too, I was almost turned away last week because it was full (Only because I arrived late dam traffic). Only thing I’d prefer about the class at Newport is if there was a rotation going on, would be nice to get to know the ppl since they don’t venture out to cardiff and there’s no freestyle time.

So well done Andy. :)

With regards to the venue stuff, hmmm what kinda size you looking for. You could try the Coal Exchange in Cardiff bay (Mount Stuart Sq, dunno how much it costs)... Or there’s the Electricity Club In pontcanna which I believe is about 200 Pounds but I’m not sure. That has a stage and a large dance floor (2nd biggest I’ve seen in cardiff anyway, first is coal exchange). If all fails get everyone dancing in the Oval basin in Mermaid Quay, big wooden floor with holes :))

In terms of price of charging people I don’t know I pay between 5-12 pounds for freestyle nights of modern jive in cardiff. Last time it was around 12 pounds because we had a cabiret act from Strictly Come dancing, Darren and lillia.

Anyway I’ve probably gone off topic a bit... And I’ve spent nearly 30 mins writing this message... Keep up the Fantastic Work Andy... Its going well... Are there any social things that we could all organise one day? (non salsa type stuff) I don’t seem to dance so much at freestyle at the moment yet because I’m still learning, and always find it difficult to ask people to dance (specially if they are good) but it would be good to get together and do something? Maybe all organise a mass Bowling thing at hollywood bowl on a Sunday afternoon before the wharf?

Aargh! I'm even worse at bowling than I am at dancing, if that's possible :-)

Yeah yeah, I bet you're really good... :) I'll have to have a dance with you when I'm at the toad next time... I'm the asian person with glasses heheheh :) (Maybe I have already danced with you). (www.ukcb.com/members/blaster) Which class do you do?

Woohoo I'm now a member :)

Bowling before Dancing! Now that sounds like a good idea. I agree with your post Bobby, it would be nice for people to have a chance to socialise a bit in a non salsa environment and would probably make the salsa lessons all the more fun as we would then all be dancing as friends rather than strangers - which would then make some of the more ‘complicated moves’ less intimidating for us learners. I’m up for ‘a bit of 10 pin’, but will have to be in a few weeks time as diary fills up fast!

Will keep watching the thread with interest.