A much waited performance in Panama is almost here! From professional championships to performing on stage, the tango dancer Carmen Tarsi has always given the public an astonishing tango experience.

Now she will be working her magic on a stage in Panama!
Tango has always been a sensual but elegant dance that always leaves people amazed and wide-eyed.

Every twist, turn and dip that is done by a dancer is sure to get you excited and wondering how they did that. The professional dancer Carmen Tarsi practices day in and day out to always give us a show that we will never forget! All citizens and visitors of Panama can come together to enjoy a night of Tango Passion de Carmen Tarsi! She will reveal to us exactly what this sensual dance is all about.

Many dancers and tango fanatics around Panama City and other countries will be present at this affair. You can also be part of this spectacle by attending the Tango Passion de Carmen Tarsi February 4, 2010 at the Teatro Anayansi, ATLAPA Convention Center at 8:00PM. The tickets are starting at $38.85 for balcony 2, $59.85 for balcony 1, $91.35 for rows X to DD, $117.60 for rows O to W, and $143.85 for rows A to N. You definitely don’t want to miss out on this fascinating performance. So come join us and the dancer Carmen Tarsi for a night of Tango Passion in Panama!

Salsa music is one of the popular types of music in Panama, like its name implies (literally: sauce) is a mixture of flavors made for dancing. Descendant from Cuban music, salsa encompasses many different rhythms, like mambo, chachachá, son and even rumba. Being a tropical rhythm, Panama has engraved its name in the history of Salsa music and it’s one of most mentioned venues after Cuba and Puerto Rico. Famous singer Ruben Blades and composer Omar Alfanno are Panamanians.

Many songs internationally acclaimed also mention this country, as homage. Salsa dancing is practically requirement for club goers, most clubs will play a long Salsa mix for couples to dance. The change of rhythm and style is an aid for meeting partners, because it’s danced in close proximity. This is a perfect chance to be a little intimate and overcome the touch barrier. For the skilled tourist, there are plenty of places where to show off their best moves. For the novice or those interested in learning, there are many dancing schools in Panama with affordable prices and flexible schedules.

There are many reasons why you should join a Panama dancing academy. You’ll need the training for when you meet a guy/girl from Panama. Take this example for instance: You are in a dance club in Panama, and you see someone of the opposite sex that interests you. But the problem is that there is a language barrier. You speak English and he/she doesn’t. So, how are you supposed to communicate? Well, one of the most expressive ways of communication is through song and dance! When you are strutting your stuff on the dance floor, you don’t have to talk, so that automatically solves the language problem!

Learning how to Latin dance from a dancing academy allows you to get to know your partner while having fun. I say this because a lot of tourists that arrive in Panama don’t speak Spanish. So when they meet a person from Panama, it is difficult to find out what that person likes to do for fun. Well, one thing you must know about Panamanians is that they love to dance. So taking that someone from Panama to a night club is a good idea! But if you don’t know which dancing academy to go to learn to Latin dance, then don’t worry! There are many schools that you can go to in Panama that can help you with that problem like: Alina’s Dance Academy, Panama Hot Salsa dancing academy, Academia Artiste and many more. These dance schools from Panama will teach you how to move your body like a pro! Learn to dance Salsa, merengue, bachata, rumba, chachachá, tango, típico (tradicional dance from Panama), and many others at a dancing academy!

So if you are new to Panama and you want to make some new friends, then I suggest you start learning the Latin dance moves that bring many people from different countries together at a dancing academy! And once you got your Latin rhythm, you can hit the clubs in Panama!

Are you looking for belly dance summer classes? Here in Panama City, you have multiple options.

Academia de Danzas Arabes Ruh has a class focus on dance technique, artistic expression, esthetic, and femininity. Any Chen will be teaching this class. Registration fee is $5 and monthly payment is $30. For more information you can call Miss Chen at: 6792-7874, or email her at anyccf@yahoo.com.

Leyla Salam is also offering summer classes. Beginner classes start on February 20 and Intermediate classes on January 19. Starting April 1, Leyla Salam will be teaching a new class: Stage Performance, especially for those belly dancers who want to improve their performance on stage. Special elements workshops will be hold. On February 6 is an outdoor class with cane and swords and on February 27 is a zills class. Auditions for their annual show are on March 13. For more information you can call: 6683-1497 or 6491-6579

Bellydance & Yoga in Casco Viejo are ongoing now. Every Monday and Wednesday at FRITARTE, Av. Central San Felipe, is belly dance classes with Claudia Castillo. They are from 6:30pm to 7:45pm. You can pay $5 per class or $35 for 8 classes per month. You can email Miss Castillo at: ccastillo_pty@yahoo.com.

Toning your body has never been as fun as with belly dance classes. Enroll now and enjoy bellydance summer classes in Panama!

Congratulations to all the dancers!

The belly dance show Apocalipsis was a great success! Leyla Salam interpretation of the end of time through belly dance was very innovative and interesting. They captured the audience from the opening to the last dance. Aryadh, Malak Farrah, Dana, and Afet of the Desert took the leading roles as the four horsemen. They represented sickness, violence, war, and hope, a reflection of the times we are living.

Something very shocking was the sketch of violence. Roseta Bordane and Randy Dominquez interpretation of violence against women was spine chilling. And everyone felt her pain.

There was a belly dance school that came all the way from San Jose, Costa Rica, to be part of this event. The group Noura gave the tribal belly dance touch of the night. And they were representing darkness. They incorporated sword dancing and Isis wings to their dances.

Also, the school Alondra danced in Apocalipsis as souls in hell. The dancers were so flawless and they looked to be reaching out from the fire.

The Leyla Salam troupe was amazing interpreting the different emotions need it to give Apocalipsis the mysticism it had. For some of the girls, it was their first time in belly dance and dancing in front of an audience.

Next year, a new belly dance show will be put on scene with a complete different concept from Apocalipsis. I think the name says it all: Aqua! Auditions will be in March 2010.

Tangolates is an innovative fusion of the Pilates methods with fun and dynamic Tango choreographies. The cardio element found in Tangolates is what differences it from Pilates.

With Tangolates you will learn to control your whole body using a combination of accessories like de T-DiTella, reformers, box, etc, while working in couples. Also, you can acquire flexibility, great balance, good posture, and improve coordination. And of course, you lose weight in an efficient way.

Tangolates is a creation of Tamara Di Tella in 2004, who found her inspiration in Parkinson patients. She noticed that people with neurological disorders do not lose the capacity to move, but how they imagine the movement. She watched an instructor working with patients using reformers, machines used in Pilates. On her own, she added rhythms like Tango, which improved the mood of the patients, and Tangolates was born!

Now Panama dancers have the opportunity to try Tangolates. The studio Tamara Di Tella is located in Costa del Este, and they are open Monday through Saturday. Take a step forward into a better you!

Come witness an amazing modern dance competition at the University of Panama in Curundu. Danza Activa 2009 (which has been organized by Neysi de Sturlesi and Hannia Alfu from K-dance Productions) is the first competitive event in Panama that involves schools, companies and dance groups. The competition will be held on October 24, 2009 at 9am & October 26 at 7pm. Watch talented individuals of all ages strut their stuff by performing your favorite dances on stage such as Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Salsa, Belly Dance, Break Dance, Folklore and much more! You will get to see trios, groups, duos, solos, you name it! This is your chance to view the new dance moves that are being performed at shows and on the streets of Panama.

Learn how to Belly Dance, move to a hip hop rhythm and many others. Join the modern dance workshop on October 24th. Anyone who is ready to wiggle their hips to popular rhythms and dances can register at the University of Panama the same day of the workshop. Tickets to see the competition are now available at Super Deportes in Albrook Mall, Super Centro El Dorado and Multiplaza in Panama City. They will be sold at $10.00 and if you are interested in the modern dance workshop you can attend for only $30.00. For more information, go to www.glintsartspanama.ning.com. Don’t miss out on this chance to get to know the Panamanian culture through music and dances. We`ll see you there!

Belly dance and other dances can work for weight loss success. In fact, you can burn as many calories belly dancing as you can walking, swimming or riding a bike. That means you can burn from 200 to 500 calories for an hour of belly dance depending of the intensity of your moves. With a healthy diet and constant work on your belly dance technique you can really shape up your abs while having fun. Bottom line: The more you move the more calories you’ll burn.

And here is an opportunity for you to start a belly dance fitness program. Once again Projeccion Leyla Salam and Sandybell Start Your Fitness Right Studio bring you the BellyDance Cardioton. In this third version you will find out how to incorporate belly dance into your cardio routine and you will be learning the folkloric dance step Saidi Jump Jump. Saidi is a traditional dance rhythm from the south of Egypt.

The Belly Dance Cardioton will take place on Saturday May 30th at Power Club of 12 of October Avenue. For more information you can call 6683/1497, 6794/0498.

Next week we will be posting pictures of the cardioton, don’t miss it!

 Eleonora Dall´asta was born in Italy.  She was dancing ballet at the age of eight at the “Academy of Ballet Bertolla” in Parma, where she took her first ballet class.  Eleonora began her training in aerial silks in 2002 with Adriana Alvez.  Since then she has been learning and training her circus skills in different places such as: “La Taruma” Peru, “ESAC” Belgium, and “Escuela de Circo CARAMPA” Spain.  In 2005 she joined The Circus Space in London, where she specialized in tight wire.  Eleonora performed in many contemporary circus and dance shows in places like: England, Costa Rica, Denmark, Spain and Panama.

Today Eleonora lives in Panama City, Panama. Eleonora is co founder of the Panamanian circus company La Tribu Performance. La Tribu Performance is a group structured by different young artists that are professionals in different parts of art in general.  Their shows are characterized by the integration of physical theater, dances, movement, music and contemporary circus techniques.

Eleonora is about to start her own aerial dance workshop in the beautiful Panama City. The workshop is for beginners at aerial dance.  You will learn many of the basic teachings of aerial dance such as: how to go up, learn basic falls, different knots, classic dances postures with aerial silks, etc. 

Eleonora counts with a safe procedure to guaranty you won’t get hurt and a vast diversity of classic music for her teachings of aerial dance.

In this aerial dance workshop, you will learn how to warm up your body; you will gain flexibility and physical fitness.  The aerial dance workshop will be on Saturdays and Sundays, starting on May 23rth to May 31rst, from 14:00 until 17.00.  The cost will be of: $150.00 for the whole workshop (pay must be the first day of classes).

The aerial workshop will be taking place at La Casona which is located in Plaza Herrera, Casco Viejo. The space is limited!  Learn the basic techniques of aerial dance. You don´t need any previous experience on circus training or aerial dance.

Don´t miss the chance to have fun working out with Eleonora Da´ llasta in Panama City!

Breakdance, breaking, b-boying is a street dance style that evolved as part of the hip hop movement among African American and Puerto Rican youths in Manhattan and the South Bronx of New York City during the early 1970s. It is normally danced to electro or hip hop music, often remixed to prolong the breaks, and is a well-known hip hop dance style. Breakdancing involves the elements of toprock, downrock, freezes, and power moves.

Breakdancing may have begun as a building, productive, and a constructive youth culture alternative to the violence of urban street gangs. Today, breakdancing culture is a remarkable discipline somewhere between those of dancers and athletes. Since acceptance and involvement centers on dance skills, breakdancing culture is often free of the common race and gender boundaries of a subculture and has been accepted worldwide.

The past Sunday 5 of April the super event Back 2 Da Scene was carried out in the gymnasium Yuyin Luzcando de Bethania, from 11:00 a.m. This event gets together the best dancers of break dances from Panama and the other provinces of the country. Competitions of 3 versus 3 were carried out, in which 3 of the best dancers of each enrolled group participated; also mini competitions of 1 versus 1 were realized maintaining active the attending public.

There was participation of MC’s/Rappers that animated live to the public with their rhymes. In short, the event filled the expectations of the public who attended hoping that these events repeat more often since it had a very good welcome by the fanatics of this dances.