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Professional Instructor Training and Life Coaching Testimonials
| Professional Instructor Training and Life Coaching Testimonials “Edie, I truly believe you are the best instructor I have ever seen teach and it is YOUR styling and attitude I would like to promote in my new studio. I’m not sure I can find that with anyone else. ” – Beatrix, Latin Dance Store, CaliforniaEdie, Just wanted to share my successes due to your training. Enrollment in my classes has increased, as well as my private lessons. My private lesson students are learning at an accelerated pace due to the techniques I learned from you. I am currently working with a couple that is even considering coming to see you in CO for 30 hours of private lessons after I leave the area. When he first started taking my group class, he had difficulty finding the beat. It has only been a few weeks, and he is determined to ‘get this’. He now moves to the music and is enjoying the very logical progression through the moves. His wife works in an office full of men. It has been fun to watch her as I teach her to move with confidence, as a girl….the smile on her husband’s face as she ‘turns her girl on’ is so rewarding! I am looking forward to my upcoming move, and finishing the next two belts with Baile con Sazon NC. THANK YOU! – Janet Gallaway “Thanks Edie Salsafreak. You played a major part in my growth as dancer. Always encouraging words.” “Edie, Thank you for all the awesome energy! Every time I see myself climbing this ladder of life, I think of YOU Edie….I would not be here if it wasn’t for your help, guidance, and the opportunities you gave me. I can NEVER thank you enough 🙂 xoxoxooxoxoxoxoxooxox!!!I am quickly becoming indispensable to my new employer, and a huge chunk of what i can do now i owe it all to you Edie! I wouldn’t even be in the same place in life if it werent for you.” The amount of new material is incredible I have been through the DBM twice in a six month period. The review of material presented from the first time I took the DBM was priceless. If you have not taken this course, you are missing out on a “golden” opportunity. I am reenergized and personally very satisfied with myself for taking the DBM twice. It was well worth the time to help keep me better informed and remind me on the plethora of ways to grow my business, where the students are, how to retain the students, and how to continuously make money. I love the idea that we are more than dance instructors and that we teach more than moves and patterns. We also teach personal development and life lessons. For me the financial information was most important. Thank you so much, Edie! This is exactly what I wanted. I loved every minute of it. If the class had been half as long I would have felt like I got my money’s worth. This is a great deal! I am extremely excited to implement all of your ideas in my swing dance classes and privates. Exactly what I needed. It’s so great getting this kind of information from someone who has been in the biz for so long. I really enjoyed all of the details about how you approach teaching classes, classroom management, privates, and marketing. I was surprised that I was able to stay awake at such an early hour and for so long. I am very serious when I tell you that that is extremely unusual for me (especially in work meetings). I loved the stories and the content. I like how specific you were about finances, training apprentices, and marketing, among other things. I liked all of the personal stuff – particularly about not being worried about competition, not badmouthing other people, and also having balance in your personal life. I am amazed to learn that I can not only teach dance and live but it sounds like I can actually make a good living. It was fascinating. I plan to take the course again. So helpful!
You saved me YEARS of trying to figure things out. After taking various classes locally and nationally over the past 6 years of dancing Salsa, I have never had such a thorough or more well thought out course presented to me. The way the concepts are linked together, everything made sense! It was an intense process thus far but has been totally worth the effort! I look forward to further training in the BBS system! The course was a steal at that price. So much information! I’m going to spend years digesting it all. Due to your vast experience in both the business realm and worldwide Salsa scene over many years, you have developed a truly remarkable dance specific business management course. The amount of information and wisdom that you impart during the DBM course is staggering. I have danced for quite a few years, but have always felt impaired at having an insufficient amount of business knowledge and marketing strategy required in order to turn my dance skills into a successful teaching career. After the DBM course, I feel empowered with the understanding and tools necessary to make this happen. I will be referring back to this course for years to come as I pioneer my dance future. Edie, through your stories, tips, lectures, and presentation manner, I found all the material concise and detailed. It was easy to follow and understand. You are very personable, entertaining, and approachable. Thank you for helping me feel close despite the distance that actually exists between us. There is just so much information. I will be digesting this information for years. I will need to study and take the time to review and really internalize what we have covered. The topics and quality of training are easily a 10 out of 5. You made it soooooo much more accessible. Even just offering information on where to go for help was worth the price of the entire class! For me, it was the bit about finding inspirational and influential people. A University course is where this would TRULY SHINE. There is just so much information. Each section could be a week. With more time, each topic can be given a deeper focus. In a college course, instead of talking about designing a website, actually design one. Come up with trademark ideas. Actually implement some of the marketing ideas that we brainstormed. SO much potential here. Had this actually existed when I was in college, I think it would have easily been my favorite course…Perhaps most practical to my life too… R.M. Tokyo, Japan FINALLY – A course that teaches a promoter how to promote successfully, a choreographer how to run a successful and profitable dance team, a performer how to make money performing locally and abroad and a studio owner how to run a profitablee studio. – J.H., Kansas City, KS Edie, thank you for a growth experience I will never forget. In six (6) days you changed my life forever. Dear Edie, James Quinn-Hawtin Certified Professional Trainer This has been an AMAZING journey for me Edie and of course this is just the beginning! I am HONORED to have the opportunity to be a part of something of this magnitude! Over time, it will impact me personally and of course my school in ways that I cannot even imagine!! I am loving it! –Cassandra Parrish Hi Edie….
From James Stowell – Owner, Avanti Ballroom, Colorado Springs, CO The DBM was a supreme wealth of information on every aspect of the dance business from development, administration, marketing, performances, congresses and event planning, travelling, coaching, training, etc. It is perhaps the most comprehensive Business Management seminar I’ve ever seen. The DBM principals can encompass not only the dance business for independent instructors and studio owners, but also apply to every other type of business. The DBM is a PhD in Business Management in a 24 hour format. Edie candidly shares from her long experience in the business, both the good and the bad. By doing so she advises us of the peaks and pitfalls of the dance business, and she helps prevent us from making similar mistakes or getting taken advantage of by promoters, etc. She is very personable and pleasant to deal with. I look forward to a very long relationship with Edie the Salsa Freak.
Edie – thank you so much for spending time on the phone with me this morning. God’s blessed you with an abundance of energy and forethought in this business. It’s a pleasure to know you. You mentioned sending me the BBS newsletter – apprentice info? thanks- Make it a great day! Debra Endres It felt good to be a part of teaching the white belt class at the Turnverein last night. Thank you for all your hard work and investment in us. I for one do appreciate you. You know this whole BBS thing is more than just training me how to teach Salsa…so much more. Thank you Edie! Jen Ancona, Certified Pro Red Belt Trainer
From Willie McIntosh “Edie, I haven’t been at my studio for 4 months and Salsa Classes are at a 53% increase in students – especially White Belts. The methods your DBM taught about leverage and looking for the right type of person to put in place has been a true relief and a boat load of fun from the student stand point! And what adds desert to this main course is that our Instructors at Baile con Sazón are all trained and certified Black Belt Instructors that are using 100% of the BBS teaching method taught from the Black Belt Dance System. My studio is on auto pilot while I fly to and from the United States opening up other branches of Baile con Sazón Academy’s. All I can say is knowledge isn’t power unless you apply it!!! Thanks Edie “The Salsa FREAK!!” Willie McIntosh From: James Quinn – Zouk Instructor, Brisbane, Australia Edie’s Dance Business Management course is a must for any dance school or dance school in-the-making. It outlines a smart, logical, efficient system – one based on several years peering behind the curtains of successful dance schools worldwide – for running a dance school. Best money I’ve ever spent on business education. From Divina De Rose – UK/ Italy Dance Instructor I knew this course would have taught me many things as I have heard about you from different salsa instructors in London, UK. But once on the course I felt so inspired as you were going through the different topics. And already after the first session my brain was so overcrowded with endless ideas and excitement that I could not sleep. And the excitement has raised session after session. I do intend to follow all your tips some of which I have started to put in practise already. Your DBM has definitely helped me to increase my confidence as well. A lack of confidence determined by the lack of knowledge. After your course I feel like I know exactly what to do. I am starting pretty much from zero. I have only taught a few private classes in my living room. And I am very excited at the challenge to create new salsa and kizomba group classes in a real studio that are different from what is currently offered in my area. I can only thank you and I am looking forward to updating you on my progress. Thank you very much for your remarkably precious teaching. Just thought I’d share something interesting with you. Went dancing last night here in my city. Really opened my eyes as to why we need the BBS and a structured syllabus. I danced with 10 different girls and each one did something completely different. Guys were struggling to lead these girls If it wasn’t for the blend of styles and techniques in the BBS I would have had a nightmare time. But I was able to keep a venezulean girl happy by dancing “cumbia” and then moved to another girl who only knew LA. I ended up getting compliments all night from the girls I danced with because I adapted to them but still led. It was awesome. Just thought I’d share this with you. George Hutchings – Certified BBS Instructor – Canada Just wanted to write and let you know what an exciting and excellent Purple belt training program I’ve had so far with Pete Swingle in Fresno! His energy, enthusiasm and genuine love of Salsa was totally amazing to be around! I came to Pete looking to sharpen my instruction skills (I run Salsa4kids.com, direct an early childhood World music and movement program, as well as teach Salsa to adults here in the Bay Area) and was looking to get new ideas to grow and round out my teaching capabilities – He’s done that and so much more! The way Pete has explained the BBS system to me has forever changed my style of teaching! His patience, expertise, versatility and unparalleled sense of musicality has made learning the BBS an accessible and creative experience all around! He is not only a stellar dancer, but a master teacher who is very focused on helping his students construct and maintain a solid foundation from which to build a lifetime of incredible teaching skills for youth and adults alike! I very much look forward to continuing training and collaborating with Pete and meeting you sometime soon (I hear you may be coming to Fresno next year!) I’ve been a fan of yours for many years and have always truly felt inspired by your work….. PS Do you follow Abraham Hicks? I have seen some of their quotes on your website – they are awesome… All the best, Kirah Camino, Oakland, CA Dear Edie, I’d attended two of your classes prior to this (DBM and White Belt Certification) next level of certification. I had my chair upright, seatbelt buckled and my tray table stowed in the locked and upright position and still I wasn’t prepared for the level of instruction and intensity of these courses. No one teaches the whys like you do Edie. In many, many, many seminars and classes that I’ve attended. They tell you what to do … but never the whys. You shared the whys, which in turn connected all of the dots. Being willing to recognize that I didn’t know what I didn’t know … made the it possible to see the connectedness. WOW! I’m preparing myself for the next belt now. I am convinced, “Clarity is the first lesson in learning”. You brought the clarity and I was more than able to learn!!! Thank-you for taking the time and devoting the energy to designing and developing this system. You and your team deserve the highest accolades. In the Navy we say Bravo Zulu when someone does something that deserves praise. BRAVO ZULU EDIE AND TEAM!!! – Art Davis, US Navy, Connecticut “It still astonishes me to understand how much training with Edie to receive my BBS Blue Belt has changed both my dancing technique and my presence while dancing. The first time dancing in Boston since returning from Denver, women smiled while dancing with me like they never had and exclaimed, “You’re not a Boston dancer! Where are you from?!” Little did they know I had received all my dance training but one week while dancing in Denver with Edie. That’s how much Edie changes and improves people’s dancing. It’s incredible!” So Rewarding and empowering… I don’t know who is happier, me or my students! Just finished night 1 on a BBS lesson @ the rec … they had a blast!! The look one of the lead’s face was priceless…he said, finally, I can dance confidently from the get go, instead of waiting half a song to get my moves “on”!! 🙂 The new information that I can give my students is so rewarding & empowering. Pure joy…in fact, sometimes. Thank YOU Edie!!” Hi Edie…. In addition, I just cannot say enough wonderful things about Willie. He is an absolute JOY to work with and has made this part of the journey so much fun! Though I am literally exhausted…..I can’t wait until tomorrow!! :-)I am SO THRILLED to be on this journey and can’t wait to move forward with the BBS!! I absolutely LOVED working on my purple belt and am so looking forward to the DBM and the other belts to come!! 🙂 I am really thrilled to be part of the BBS System and feel that my goals are now within reach! Thank you for having me as a part of the program and I am thrilled to have BCP be one of your test schools. I am so excited and honored to be part of all of this from the ground up – so to speak!! Thank you so much Edie for allowing me and Baila con Pasión to be a part of the BBS System. So many great things are right around the corner!! — _________________________________________________________________________ If you “did not” do the BBS and DBM, what would you do, how would you teach? I’ve struggled to find a good model for teaching Salsa before I knew about Edie’s Salsa Syllabus…I tried writing syllabus with other stellar instructors but it’s always the same struggle figuring out what “cool” pattern you are going to teach in your next class. Half the students would NOT remember the cool pattern and I didn’t know how to teach them how to remember patterns. They always get “deer in the headlight” syndrome on the dance floor. AND retention of students has always been a struggle….they are interested for a semester and then they don’t come back. I began teaching Edie’s Salsa syllabus 1 year ago and I’ve been able to offer Salsa Syllabus 101-102 for beginners and the 103-106 for intermediate/advanced; but again the retention consistency was always a factor! NOW with the BBS Model….I had 36 students and only 2 stated that they would not return to class. The progressive system of BBS with intrinsic and extrinsic reward IS my new retention tool! Now there is a way for students to grow progressively! My student were so excited to receive a BBS Salsa Certificate! They were taking pictures of their certificates and posting them to facebook! It was so AWESOME! I’ve taught without the BBS and the DBM and it was not as successful as my classes are now and will continue to be. Just the title alone in our course catalog “Black Belt Salsa” is attracting many students…I might have to put a cap on my class or offer a second section due to the large numbers! It’s so exciting! And they will continue to return! I know I love “showing off” my Belts with pride! It’s now working toward an accomplishment in a very different way! They don’t feel like they are throwing away their money to come to class and not be able to take anything away. Gratefully, Recent Blue Belt Graduate: I am so glad that I took time out to invest in myself by attending Edie’s “The Salsa Freak” Dance Business Management (DBM) and Black Belt Salsa (BBS) Program. Edie is best in the world! Not only did I learn how to instruct but also I learned how Salsa could have a breakthrough in your everyday life. I now have the skills, tools and knowledge to become the 1st Black Belt Salsa School in America. I am looking forward to teaching my student a syllabus that will get them on the dance floor the very first night and position them in the BEST SYSTEM IN THE WORLD. Edie, I have to say – even when my students initially “scrunch” their noses at the introduction of a “whole new way of doing things” … by the end of class, they pleasantly say, “Boy, that sure feels better!” ~ Music to my ears 😉 I LOVE IT! The BBS was exactly the medicine I needed! So, DBM here I come … I will check the website and see when it is offered again. The BBS program is the kind of salsa training that I’ve been wanting for quite some time! Most classes I’ve been to will teach basics and patterns, but the unique structure of the BBS program breaks down the components of popular moves to the point where you can “mix and match” the pieces to come up with moves on the fly. No longer am I remembering move after move, or pattern after pattern, now there’s a system in place that grants me the ability to be much more dynamic and in the moment on the dance floor. This system is gonna blow up, and considering the value I’ve already received from it, I would strongly recommend that EVERYONE pay attention to the future of this program and partake in it! Jacques Ho – BBS Graduate Going through the Black Belt Salsa system has been a godsend, both training through it as a student and then later as an instructor. Having this solid system made my dancing skyrocket in a short time, and now as an instructor, it’s given me a proven method and confidence with which to teach my own students. I can now guarantee to get my students out dancing on the first night with a solid foundation in place that will nurture them as dancers. And not only have I learned the skills to teach students, but it has also given me an invaluable network of dance professionals that I can rely on as I grow my business. The BBS Instructor Training System gave me a solid hands-on training along with clear, detailed explanations of the salsa syllabus 101-115. The hands-on training provided one-on-one experience to really learn, know, and be able to transfer that knowledge as an instructor to my students. I feel more “well-versed” in being able to teach the FOLLOW and the LEAD in addition to a “re-newed” confidence in having an explicitly detailed syllabus/curriculum that tells me what I need to teach each hour, each class, each week, etc…. The BBS system also keeps my students motivated to learn as it is sequential and progressive, so they CANNOT FAIL! It is so time consuming and so frustrating to figure out what “pattern” or “set of footwork” or “choreo” to teach for my class each week! NOW, after the BBS system training, I don’t have to “make up” a pattern or spend time finding “salsa joe smo” on you tube to learn a new pattern for my next class. The BBS system tells me EXACTLY what to teach each hour of class with the flexibility to explore new moves/new patterns as they present themselves. This BBS System is already creating waves here in Alamosa! It just might soon become the new “recruiting tool” for students to come to ASC! HA! My students are walking around as if they are the new “Bad Asses” on campus-I’ve never seen such confidence in them before! IT IS SO COOL, THAT I’M TEARING UP RIGHT NOW AS I’M WRITING THIS TO YOU! Thank you for training me to be the BEST TEACHER for them! I’m even walking around with a NEW ATTITUDE! LOL! Wow my students were in shock! They couldn’t believe that we were on Skype with “Edie the Salsa Freak”! I have never seen them smile as much as they did tonight and all of a sudden the tangerines were there, the blade is getting better, they know how to ask the girl to dance and they are now dancing full songs with the new BBS basic using 101 underarm turns and CBL….we practiced/learned the elbow, tailbone wink and the pizza! They had so much fun! There is a renewed energy to work harder now and get rid of old habits or lazy habits (that I was letting them get away with)! I had one student texting her friend in C Springs teasing him that SHE was in a BBS class and that he isn’t!!! She told him that he should come to our BBS school! Wow, they are already recruiting hot bodies for me!What you did for ME and for my students tonight cannot be measured! Edie, thank you for your time, research, feedback and energies!!! You are an amazing role model for showing us how to GET IT DONE! Black Belt Salsa (BBS_ is a fantastic system and I’m so glad that I attended Edie’s class! I learned more in the 4 days that I spent with Edie than I’ve learned in years of attending other Salsa classes. I now feel that I’m equipped to teach Salsa in a way that my students will enjoy and will have them ready to dance socially in no time. Not only that, but I feel that I will be more efficient with my time and space. Edie is a Salsa GENIUS! She’s patient, talented, caring, intuitive to her students needs, and full of life and energy. I am now a more confident lead since Edie taught me a brand new basic, and I am a lighter follower. My spins are going to be phenominal using Edie’s technique and she’s inspired me to work hard to perfect my technique. I taught my students one of Edie’s right turns with ladies styling and they LOVED it. The arm carress is a beautiful move! Not only did Edie teach me valuable lessons for Salsa, she also gave me valuable life skills that my husband and I will apply to our relationship for years to come! Thanks for everything, Edie! My husband and I are so grateful to you and all you taught us! Black Belt Salsa is the best class ever!!! – Tonya and Jo Outlaw – BBS Graduate Edie, Hi Edie! I recently attended the Instructor training at Palm Springs. First of all I would like to say that it was amazing! I learned so much and you are amazing at what you do! It was the best time and money investment I’ve ever made! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us 🙂Wow! It’s very hard just to pick one since a lot of information she covered was amazing and mind blowing. I really enjoyed learning about unique teaching methods. That is new information to me and I have yet to see a dance class taught this way in my city. I loved how Edie covered all aspects of teaching. For example, finding the one, breaking down the musicality of dance, how to teach, and the business portion as well. All the information and topics covered are essential to building a solid foundation. All information covered was “out of the box” and I loved it was not your typical overview of how dance “should” be taught. I believe the class was very well organized and gave enough time for each topic covered. Hi Edie, The report was so very detailed, and helpful, I could not stop reading it. I looked forward to reading each page. It read like a great book that you couldn’t put down :-). You are a true visionary! Thank you, – Melynda – Liza Lake Edie, you have helped me to re-align and focus my goals and dreams into what I truly want. You’re the best mentor a person could EVER have! – Maggie _____________________________________________________________________ Edie I cannot believe the amount of information you’ve given me. It’s mind-blowing. And I loved your report. I could not put it down. It’s like you saw right through me and forecast my future. I still can’t believe it – and we only spoke on the phone!! I have paid other “life coaches” literally thousands of dollars and they didn’t give me HALF the quality of information you have. Your insight, your wisdoms really set my path straight. I truly look forward to our next session. – John ____________________________________________________________________ Edie, I would like to thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and wisdom in the instructor class in Miami. I often think about that and how wonderful God is to have brought you here. I hope all is well with you. May God’s grace, love and peace be with you. Much Love,
Wow! Also got my lovely certificate, which I plan to frame and hang on my wall. Now I’m just waiting for my DVD’s so I can add to my dancer repertoire and improve my technique. Thanks. – Julie K.
Hey Edie, I’ve been a Salsadancer/instructor/choreographer for about six years; nevertheless, I learned a ton of new teaching methods and techniques in your instructor bootcamp as well as in your beginner bootcamp. I’ve already integrated some of your methodologies into my classes with amazing responses from the students. Any instructor who wishes to improve him/herselfor wishes to run a dance studio or danceteam more efficiently and successfully should attend your workshops at the earliest possible opportunity; it will change their whole outlook on dancing and teaching. Thank you for so openly sharing all of your knowledge and experience with me and withthe world. Alex Diaz, Bangalor, India Edie, Edie, I so admire you. You are such a gem, full of knowledge and boundless energy, not to mention the finest dancer and teacher around. Keep in touch and I’ll keep reading your posts. Best, Josie Powell Edie, With all respect, “Dear Edie, I just can’t thank you enough for your Life Coaching and Accountability Program. The most valuable part about it was the accountability. You have a way with words, actions, and beliefs that made me realize why my business was floundering. One word: Procrastination. I had too many things going on at once and I was going insane. You aligned my thoughts and my projects, and helped me GET THE RIGHT THINGS DONE. Finally. You saved me so much wasted time and money, I just can’t thank you enough. I’m happy to say that my business is fourishing again, and it’s all thanks to you Edie! I just can’t say enough about you Edie. You’re truly one-of-a-kind. Thank you. – Wishing to remain anonymous How are you Edie!! I hope you remember me, Irene Miguel from London (with my baby Liam) you have given me so much advice which I followed to the T’!!! I am very very interested in your training for business in Salsa..I would love to take your course or somehow some advice on how to make my teacher and training systems an international success, a worked wide ,,,,is there any way I could train with you?? where ? how? I truly admire you as a person, a business woman and a dance professional and appreciate very much every minute you have shared with me.A Year later… You are a big inspiration for me, even though we dance totally diferent styles, your entrepeneurial spirit, your decision power and the way you have and still handle your career is a big inspiration. Yours truly Edie, What can I say. I have never learned so much, in such a short period of time. The tips and tricks you taught us completely changed the way I think. The first thing I did was brainstorm with my staff about the changes we plan on implementing. You literally saved us tens of thousands of dollars, and countless hours. A million thanks. – Frank Russell, Los Angeles, CADear Edie, For the amount of information we get, YOU DON’T CHARGE ENOUGH!! Wow! This was one of the best courses I’ve ever taken! I learned so much. I know that now I have a complete arsenal of info that I will be implementing at my studio. l showed my boss your manual and it blew his mind. He plans on contacting you for more ideas. You’re not only beautiful, but you’re SMART too! (thought I’d throw that part in). – Rick Matthews This was my second course with you. (my first was the DBM in Miami, FL, 2008) and this blew me away. I’m so happy that I attended and had the opportunity to meet others with the same passion. I can see how much more you’ve added and the difference in focus on the physical trianing – Arthur Davis It was great how you got the group “comfy” very quickly. I learned many great tips again, great tips! – Shron Raffony The White Belt Course was “Excellent” because I am a visual learner and learn best from diagrams. Edie uses concrete examples that help students understand. The presentation was well-organized and very well done. She uses tape on the floor which helped us to know where we should “be” on the floor. She gave an excellent explanation of timing, and how to find both the “1” and the “2”. I felt that Edie’s emphasis on the student’s perspective was the most important part of the training because as a dancer, we sometimes tend to forget what it’s like when someone has never danced before. This was a totally humbling experience for me as a “female” learning the “lead” part. I am going to THANK EVERY GUY who dances with me from now on! They have a huge job! Jules Lange Edie this was an excellent class. It went by so quick – I didn’t event notice is was over! Very good material and very informative. All the information was vital and very pertinent. I don’t know how much more you could add to this! It was a LOT of material. Thank you. Juan Juarez This was a great class! Really solid methods of teaching that makes classes fun and effective. I really like how everything was broken down and how you made it easy to understand. I definitely recommend this course for Instructors. Victor F. Villa Thank you so very much again for the Training Bootcamp! I certainly had a blast! I certainly learned that you can’t expect them learn as much as you want them to learn. Each student has their own reasons for taking Salsa dancing, and at times, they are happy just at a certain level. What also stuck and a phrase I use now in teaching – “It is the man’s responsibility to make the woman FEEL good, and the woman’s responsibility to make the man LOOK good…” Awesome! I felt that your stories told was the most important part. They were a great help in understanding the business side as a dance instructor as well as the experiences that went on in getting to where you have become today. Another thing that I felt was most important – BLUE TAPE! I will attend another Instructors Training, in fact, I already have a few that are wanting to go to the next Instructors Training! – Alan Almirol Edie, … and as for recommending this to other instructors? OHHHHH YESSSSS, Everybody need to meet Edie the Salsa Freak – Cynthia Blais Edie, Edie, Dear Edie, Your empowering attitude, amazing energy and marketing ideas to penetrate the local market gave me the opportunity to live my dream and grow my studio members to new heights. You gave me good pointers from your experience working with other studios around the world; they really make a difference in making a studio work. Thank you so much for all your help! Jose Maldonado
Hi Edie my name is Junior Ryes. I took you instructor training program two years ago, it was the best investment I had made in a long time . Edie, I took your Instructor Training class 3 years ago …. I was able to grow my business (as a Zumba instructor) and improve my instructor skills considerably thanks to your experience and training! You have been an inspiration, not only in terms of your dancing, but also your business development and attitude in general. I have never known someone with your level of worldwide recognition who is so humble and approachable. It will be an honor to be able to work with you. Jennifer Jurgens jdjurgens@hotmail.com 011 52 155 2016 3547 (cell phone as dialed from the US) Hi Edie, Just wanted to thank you for all the time and dedication that you put into your “work”. I love learning and I enjoy learning from instructors that feel passionate about teaching, like you. This training was a true blessing for my husband and I. Not only did we get the training, but we also got the counseling. I’m sure your new idea of making a counseling DVD for couples would be a success. Couples can’t hear it from themselves that what they are doing is “wrong” or not the best way to handle conflict, they have to hear it from someone else. This training has instantly changed our lives and opened up a new door for us. There are so many new ideas that we have learned and will put into practice to have a successful business. The training was so much more worth than what we paid for it. We are so glad we came and look forward to continue joining you in many different boot camps and events. Happy New Year 2010!!! April & Hector Flores I’m still reeling from all the information we reviewed during the seminar in Palm Springs. It’s going to take me a few weeks to digest all of it. It was a very comprehensive course full of new ideas from both an instructional and managerial perspective. In addition, the course has helped me take action on ideas & plans that I’ve been putting off for quite some time. Things that I know will really help grow my business. You really helped motivate me! It was an honor and a pleasure to interact with you. I sensed you sincerely wished to guide our group to achieve great things and had the right information to back it up. Thank you for your wisdom and patience and I look forward to seeing you again in the future. Scott D. Franklin Edie, Thank you so much for the enlightenment given through your instructor’s training course. The information and knowledge that you provided to us was worth much more than what the course actually cost! I will definitely utilize all that you have shown me in my recently started dance company! Thank you! Baltimore Salsa Dance Co. Ms. Tabitha Hitchye-Darby www.baltimoresalsalessons.com My Background: Director and Salsa Instructor at, Latin Dance Kingston: http://LatinDanceKingston.GooglePages.com The Instructor Bootcamp has been an eye opener for me. It will save me thousands of dollars and has shown me the right way to run my business. The written material, the oral presentation, dance training, and information on various aspects of running the business are all very detailed and to the point. The whole class was very interactive. I not only learned a lot, but had lots of fun. I would recommend this course for every Salsa Instructor in the World, to those who runs a Salsa Business, to those who own a dance studios, and performance teams. Thank you Edie. Your biggest fan!!! Sumit. Hello Edie, What a wonderful experience your course was! It was a great learning experience and I will definitely utilize all of the knowledge that was given for my company and encourage other instructors to take your course as well! You covered a lot of what I hadn’t thought of, things that if I would have known before starting out that I would have done differently. I would definitely recommend this course to all of my fellow instructors! Hi Edie,My name is Ray Gonzalez, I am from Worcester Ma. I attended your Instructor training course in July at Salsa Lovers studio. I wanted to let you know that just one hour into your course I knew it was going to be so helpful to, not only to my business, but also to my outlook of my business. I returned home with a burning passion to implement so many new ideas. I want to thank you for being the amazing person you are. You shared, informed and lit up a few light bulbs in that room over the 2 days. The great part is that you did it with a down to earth, humble, humorous and straightforward approach. I can see now why you are so sought after. Thank you so much and I pray that you can continue to share your vast experience with many more aspiring dancers and business owner for years to come. You have made me a “Salsa Freak” die hard fan. Ray Gonzalez Edie…. – Lena Hi Edie, It was also great to meet other instructors & to have the opportunity to network with other dance studio owners all over the U.S. Looking forward to attending future Salsa Boot Camps with Edie!! Sean-christopher Atlanta, Ga www.dancing4fun.com Edie, I really enjoyed helping your students choose the right Edie DVD when you were busy, for them to take away and I did stress they must practice a little every day. I teach 4 classes a week in my local community & I teach the Edie WAY!! THE BEST AND ONLY WAY!!Have a great rest of the world trip…catch up with you soon! Yours forever in Salsa, From your Soul Sister Teresa x |
DVD Testimonials
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Motivational
| Motivational Testimonials
I just wanted to take a little time to let you know that the more time I spent with you and the more I witnessed you in action, the more it struck me that your unique qualities and utter fearlessness is what separates you from others. You are willing to do more, take risks, and be unconventional. I saw myself overcoming my own fear and benefiting from your experiences. I’ve decided that I’ve got nothing to lose. You have engraved in me the ability to embrace chaos and change, and the mental alchemy you can affect by thinking of any adversity as an opportunity for power.n – Kelvin Because Edie Is my homie, I am always available for her and her team. If you need anything just ask! Team be amazing leaders! You have a woman [Edie] that truly makes gold with whom ever she teaches. Hi Edie, Hi Edie, Hi Edie, It has been a long time since we have spoken, but I had to congratulate you on the Survival Guide. Since I am an older woman, and physician dancing with Salsa Karibe, I hear more than my fill of dance drama. I’ve never had the time to sit down and write an advice column for all of those that have come to me. I have sent your article to some of the more naïve dancers in our studio, men and women. Thanks for writing the truth. Edie, Have I ever said that I love you ? Keep doing your excellent work. Darth Vader974 Good Morning: I wanted to share a conversation I had with my husband after my lesson with you yesterday. He asked how my class went and here’s what I answered: “I go there feeling like I can’t do anything, and leave feeling that I am actually able to do so much!” YOU are responsible for this, and you are so much more than a dance instructor. Thank you for being in my life, instilling confidence in me when I can’t myself, and having faith in my capabilities when I doubt. Enjoy the cruise! My daughter…. my 15 year old, teenage, self-conscious, You and every other gentleman there, primarily Edie students, who danced Thank you for playing Bachata, too. =) You made me bubble over with happy. KR – Denver, CO Edie, I just want you to know how much I appreciate you as a salsa instructor, and more importantly, a person who is changing my life. I never could have imagined that someone could have made me realize things about myself, and about life itself more than you have in the short time that I have taken Salsa lessons from you. You are a truly amazing person {women} I cannot thank you enough for giving me a new outlook on life. And embarrassing to say,[ My balls back ]. I have been divorced for over 2 years and have been unable to be truly happy, let alone knowing about what women were about or want. You have given me hope, and my life back. I was wondering if I would ever find myself again. You have made that possible with your amazing way with people. Thank you so much for being more than just a Salsa instructor. Edie, Del Piero Thank you Edie always for your inspiration and positive eneergy. You have always been a driving force in my life, whenever I have desperately needed it. Edie, somehow the Universe has always brought you to me and you have propagated huge and wonderful changes in my life. I will be forever grateful to you for that . Thank you so uch from the bottom of my soul. And sincere, “Thank you” isn’t enough. Amy Tuarez “Lady of Salsa” Went to the Turnverein last night because Edie the Salsa freak was there, all I can say is WOW!!!! It’s a rare night that she comes out to dance but if you ever get the chance to watch her do her thing, Be There! She even made me look good when we danced, now that’s magic*!* As I understand it, the Turnverein will be closed next week unless they can get the floor repaired where she set it on Fire! We’ll see, she did some damage! We’re so lucky to have her here to teach us what she does so well. Thanks Edie info@doubleagaragedoor.com ____________________________________________________________________ Hey Edie! With the way that things have been so busy (and productively fun!), I haven’t really had a chance to say thank you for everything. Thank you for the Men’s Styling DVD, thank you for the free refresher w/ the spins workshop, but most importantly, thank you for contributing your time and support with our personal growth in Salsa. Considering how you’re one of the most sought-after salsa instructors in the world, I already feel like I won the lottery by living in the same city where you have monthly workshops, but I’m super appreciative for the way that my Salsa has skyrocketed because of your presence. I was surprised when you decided to give everyone a taste of the partner stealing at the end of yesterday’s workshop, I think it’s pretty amazing how people are noticing what we’re doing. The very BEST part is that all of this is taking place just because we’re having fun doing something that we really enjoy, and none of this would have happened if it weren’t for you. A guy can’t ask for much more than that! I had a great time the workshop yesterday, and I’m glad that I was able to contribute and make it a success! Look forward to talking with you soon. 🙂 Thanks, J. Ho I am a real person who owes you a great deal of thanks. I returned from Afghanistan almost a year ago. During that deployment you responded to a request from me to make available your products to us deployed. I was looking to purchase you sent all your DVDs for free. Thank you on behalf of the dozens of new Salsa dancers you helped me create. I hope to thank you in person one day with a big hug. – W. McCauslin HI EDIE. MY REAL FRIEND , THE SALSA QUEEN, MY IDOL!!, I CAN ONLY SEE YOU IN YOUTUBE.COM AND IN THE DVDS YOU SENT ME BACK IN 2000. YOU KNOW SOMETHING EDIE? I HAVE TRIED MY HARDEST TO FIND A DIED HARD SALSA DANCE PARTNER LIKE YOU HERE IN MY COUNTRY AND I HAVE NOT FOUND IT. THEY ARE JUST FEVER 4 SEVERAL DAYS AND THAT’S IT. I HAVE NOT BLOOD IN MY VEINS , I GOT SALSA!! AND MY DREAMS IS TO FIND A PARTNER WITH THE SAME INTENSITY, TALENT AND PASSION LIKE YOU. THE CLOSEST I WAS TO PERFORMANCE WITH YOU WAS BACK IN 2000 ITALY SALSA CONGRESS ….. I HAVE SO MUCH TO THANKS YOU EDIE, I STILL USE YOUR DVDS TO SHOW MY STUDENTS HOW A LADY MUST TO DANCE . I FELT EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE DANCING SOCIAL WITH YOU. YOU ARE THE GREATEST GIFT WHICH GOD HAVE BLESSED THE SALSA WORLD. Hi Edie,
I do love this. Just a few lines….. : I bet my T-shirt you don’t remember me at all, and that’s normal but let me say two words. I met you first time in LA, 2001 I arrived from France and you came to fetch me at LAX airport, you revealed me you’ve just got married with Al, I took a personal salsa bootcamp with you. Then we met again in France a few months later while you were teaching a “salsa lifts” workshop in Paris (at that time I got surprised by your “Matrix Move”)! For some reasons I stopped dancing salsa, but went on dancing Swing & ballroom; I had to come back to Reunion Island (where I am from) and only one day in 2009 I happen to watching a couple of You tube clips of yours that throwing “life” again in my salsa life… your musicality dancing on Salsa Pantera, your partnership with Peter Fige, your partnership with Nery Garcia dancing on a Willi Colon song… incredibly, those clips have given a second life to me for coming back dancing salsa. Since I saw those clips (thank to you, for your posts on Utube) I emphasize my musicality dancing first, giving less importance on stressful fancy moves, difficult to remind on the dance floor. Here’s your “never-aware” job you have done on me Edie! Cheers. =Erick. The Musicality workshop was a blast! Had couple of things I thought I’d share… First off, I really enjoyed watching you dance with Jim right before the two of you had demo’d the hijack – for some reason, watching you guys dance made it really sink in that a guy’s looks matter much less than we oftentimes think, as a strong presence and feeling the music makes women react in a much stronger way. That probably wasn’t even the intention that you two had when you danced for us, but it was something that I was able to take with me. 🙂 Second, I loved…loved loved LOVED…the end of the workshop where we practiced stealing partners! There’s no way we could have learned that and NOT gone out that night. Mark, Dmitry and and I hit the D-Note that night, and I kid you not – we spent the ENTIRE night stealing each other’s partners. I was about to say “you wouldn’t believe”, but I’m sure you know – how these women just lit up while we were taking over back and forth. We even pulled the turnstile interference (at which I was cracking up, just because we were able to pull it off)! I also saw Jim, and we pulled off the dip switch w/out a hitch (hey, that rhymed…). I actually had a gal come up in between a conversation that Mark and I were having – “Excuse me, I hate to interrupt your conversation…but would you dance with me?” Of course, we were the only guys doing this, as I almost never see partner stealing at the D-Note, and it’s always instructors when they do it. Mark and I also ran into each other at the Turnverein on Wednesday, where we practiced partner stealing a little more. I actually got feedback a woman, with whom I really enjoy dancing – she said that she’s been stolen before, and by someone who she considers to be one of the top dancers she knows – but he wasn’t even close to being as smooth as Mark and I were! **Fist bump** You get more props here, Edie. I can’t tell you how much fun we had doing this. Anyhoo! I’d like to purchase a copy of the men’s styling DVD, so if you could send me the discounted invoice, I’d love to pick it up! Let me know if you need any additional info from me. Thanks for doing what you do, as you’re definitely making my salsa game go through the roof. Now – before I tell you the rest of the story, I have to preface it by saying that I do not go dancing with the intention of meeting women. It’s certainly a nice perk to meet new people, but out of the 5 or 6 years I’ve been salsa dancing, I’ve only asked someone out once (and I knew her from high school). However…this particular weekend at La Rumba, I happened to meet someone new (one of the gals on whom I tested said hairbrush technique), and we happened to have noticeably strong rapport, so we decided to get together shortly thereafter. Well, the next get-together we had also went well, so I ended up pulling the same hairbrush move, with a slight modification. I pulled her in for an embrace with my right arm, brushed her hair with my left hand, and instead of just a chin nudge, I used my knuckle to raise her chin up slightly so that I could kiss her. She recognized the technique, but didn’t see the last part coming – and I must say, it was pretty slick. Hehehe… I’m not the kind of guy to kiss and tell, but you deserve props for that one. Thanks for the awesomeness that you share with us in your workshops. 😉 Let me know about the workshop DVD! Talk to you soon. Jacques Edie, Aloha, Sarah Hi Edie, Thanks for your visit to Kansas City and conducting the Bootcamp. I really enjoyed it and it was outstanding learning experience. I have gone through numerous salsa workshops/classes during my one year of dancing span and I found your approach unique and most beneficial, specially your repetition technique to bring all students on same page. As a result, I remember every thing you taught in the workshop and I can perform them confidently. I viewed all six DVDs I bought after Bootcamp and they make much more sense after taking the Bootcamp and I found them very comprehensive. I’m going to recommend your DVDs to all my friends in Detroit . Thanks again and look forward to see you at Miami Congress. Best Regards, Kaush Sing
PS – I met only two very beautiful Latin ladies in my life and guess what you are one of them. </ Dear and wonderful Edie; Over the years you have given so much to people. Tens of thousands ofpeople have benifited from your teaching, dancing, and caring for them. I am lucky to be one of them. Every time they think of you, they are sending you a valentine of thanks and love. You are one of the “good” people in this world. So take a couple of minutes and realize what a blessing you are to this planet.I love you and am looking forward to seeing in a couple of months Lou Dear Edie, Maggie A. Eusebio Hi Edie, Edie, I felt myself nodding to your response to Question 27 about Players🙂 I never really told myself out loud what they did to cover-up their infidelities (lie after lie and are good at it), but rather, could just “tell” by their behavior; Behavior that I should have categorized ages ago! Your response about players is one of the best on the internet because it is extremely precise that I was surprised that you were a woman! Most of the advice is usually given by men, so I applaud you for having your column! You’re like an answer to my prayers, thank you so much!!!! Take care. Emily Edie, I saw you at Steven’s last night. I briefly introduced myself to you in between one of your many impressive dances in the big room! I know you meet many people during your travels, so if you vaguely remember, Edie, Thanks for the musicality article. I have been expressing to my friends how feeling Love, Chris Hi Edie, I met you two years ago at Sydney Salsa Festival after I had been dancing Salsa for just 6 weeks. I made it back again this year, but at 57 found it hard to get asked to dance . Even though they had a 76 year old woman performing! I returned home despondent, thinking ” I’m not going to any more Salsa Festivals”…but then I remembered seeing your latestoffering in a newsletter- No Partner – No Problem! so now I am just going to get FABULOUS!- get up there on that dance floor and Dance by Myself…. till they BEG me to dance with them! Thank you for being my inspiration! Warm wishesJanet Hey Edie, Couple more stories for you that you might get a smile out of. The Pizza Story I went to get pizza after dancing one night. I had to wait 15 minutes for my pizza. So went in the alley behind the shop where no one could see me and practiced my Bachata (invisible partner) plus any salsa moves I was (and still am) trying to improve. I have done this every week for the past 6 months. Hey, beats waiting around, and I need the practice. So I’ve been REALLY exaggerating the hip movement (circle to the left, circle back to the right) so that it becomes more natural when I am not thinking about it. Then out comes the pizza dude to give me my pizza. I said, “How did you know I was here?” Straight faced, the guy says “powers of the surveillance video camera.” ALL this time the whole shop must have been CRACKING up laughing at me. Oh well. I’m still going to dance. Now that I have an audience, I will pay extra attention to my movements so I have more motivation. What else can I do while waiting? Last week I went to this LA style club (I dance Cuban so I do not usually go there) and I saw this tall beautiful girl standing by the side having a drink. I figure “what have I got to lose?” (My attitude when asking new girls to dance.) and asked. She said yes, so we started grooving away. She said she learned to dance in South America and asked where I learned. I said with a massive smile, “I am still learning!” So we’re dancing away and a guy friend of mine comes and playfully bumps me as usual. He is an AWESOME dancer. He has danced 16 years or so but in different styles to me. So I smile and laugh. So then I do this tricky flirty funny move (enchufa variation) We keep dancing and the music changes so we change the style. Anyway, here am I thinking how lucky I am to be dancing with this beautiful girl whom I have not met. My friend comes up again and playfully bumps me. He says that I “better be careful” and looks at my partner. The girl then says ‘you know my brother’. THEN IT HITS. THAT IS my friend’s sister. I felt like I had swallowed my WHOLE foot. Immediately I felt like I was dancing with this girl in front of her father sitting and watching with a loaded shotgun. I was like “I’ve got to keep my distance” all respectable-like because I did not want to disrespect my friend. I know he is a cool guy and all and probably would understand guys are just dancing with his sister but man, I did not want to cause discomfort or anything. That is my story of the night for sure.
2 steps back, 3 forward I write this for me as much as anyone. All of us have been frustrated at some point. We have been judging ourselves harshly and unfairly. Most of the time we cannot see the forest from the trees. I think the key is for us to all remember and ask ourselves in our down time: If you were to dance with you now and then you 6 months ago, how much better would it be now! There are MANY times we NEED to go backwards to improve our dancing. Sometimes bad habits creep in and really need EXTRA attention to be smoothed out. During that time, you may be frustrated as you are focusing on something requiring improving and feel that you are not progressing. NOTHING could be further from the truth. Imagine your favorite shirt. Beautiful. Looks good. Feels good. EVERYONE loves it. So you just want to put it on and race out the door. Not so fast, fashionista. How much better would that shirt look if you ironed it first? Now, you do not have to. You can still go out looking and feeling good. BUT imagine how much better you would look and feel with this perfectly prepared and ironed shirt. Wow! Plus, the process of preparing the shirt. Ironing it. Getting to know it intimately and making it your own through hard work makes wearing the shirt SUCH A BETTER AND DEEPER experience! It’s the same with your dancing. It is a process of wearing, preparing, wearing, preparing and so on. Everyone can choose how far he or she wants to go in the process. I hope that my passion for dancing and life continues so that I continue to iron out each wrinkle over time in my dancing so that my dancing will be as wrinkle free and as clean pressed as possible! * everything should be done in moderation though. Remember the key is YOUR enjoyment! Finally, a few key points for us all about frustration:
Dancing is the celebration of life! – You never know if a bus will hit you! If there was one way I would describe dancing, it is that dancing is truly the celebration of life. Dancing, a magic ritual of energy, danced before our time, during our time and way beyond out time. Dancing though is a way of communicating with our ancestors and predecessors which transcends limitations of time and proximity. Appreciate this. Appreciate the moment and your dancing will always be the best it can be. Yesterday was my new birthday. The 25th May 2007. I am one day old. The night before, I went out dancing as per usual. As usual, it was unusual. Every night is different, but all are fantastic! I awoke that morning, looking forward to riding to work and sharing my stories with everyone on Salsa forums. I thank you all for the help in my ‘improving my lead’ thread as your words and encouragement truly helped and I had many compliments about my VASTLY improved lead. The best compliment of all was that a beginning lady who does not dance much and is not asked much, I imagine because she is a bit bigger, danced EVERY step I knew. Even way beyond what she had been taught herself. What started as me thinking I was doing her a favor in a sense by getting her on the dance floor, turned into her doing me a favor by dancing with me, as she was a SUPERB follower. Her improvement is astounding and inspiring. Best of all, she has the best fashion sense ever. Every week she wears THE LARGEST SMILE ever! The night was electric and full of so much energy that on some big beats whilst I was in guapea, I found myself crouching to the floor and playing the rhythm on the wood and then springing back up keeping in time. It was such a brilliant night that I sent this email to my head instructor before I left for work: Dear Danza Loca, Last night I had the BEST night ever. Just FANTASTIC. I danced salsa all night, and even did a meringue. You probably know that already and have known about that for a long time. However, I and many of your students, are quite new to dancing, thus it is an AMAZING discovery for us! I just thought I would take the time to give a MASSIVE thanks to you and your wonderfully assembled team of brilliant instructors. You have successfully managed to assemble some WONDERFUL individuals whose synergy creates a tremendously positive and welcoming environment! Each of you is a positive character in your own right, with individual flourishes which add flavor to everyone’s experience. I truly believe that dancing is the celebration of life! Some of the other students and I were chatting about our great experiences and wonderful times dancing last night and it inspired me to write this thank you email as you and your team cannot get enough credit for the wonderful job that you do! Thanks again for letting me, and many others, appreciate life a little bit more. I look forward to many more great classes and experiences with you and your team. Sincerely Little did I know that may have very well been MY LAST COMMUNICATION WITH ANYONE WHILST I WAS ALIVE. Seriously, that thought chills me. As I rode to work on my bike, I was cycling straight along a road, close to the gutter. I do this about 30 metres before the bike path begins. All of a sudden, BOOM! I found myself waking up on the pavement some 5 metres away from the road and what was once my bicycle. I got up and was thinking ‘what happened’ and stumbled around. Then the pain hit me. I felt like collapsing but I didn’t as I was completely out of it and could not remember how to collapse. A bus driver pulled over and came up to me looking worse than me I imagine. Saying sorry and asking me if I was all right. I said “I do not know, I cannot move my arm.” about 3 times. Long story short, I ended up in the hospital with a suspected broken arm. I was planning my one-armed leading salsa classes at that stage 🙂 Otherwise I was fine. I was VERY LUCKY. I was thrown from the impact and my bike was destroyed, not me. The impact was so great that, my clip in pedals on my shoes which lock your feet into the pedals, were broken off. Literally the pedals broke off with the force I was thrown back with. As I sat there in the hospital (I had to stay for a while to be monitored because I had a concussion) and waited for my x-rays. I could not help but think ‘WOW, last night (dancing) was so fantastic! If I had to have a last night, dancing is a great way to do it! As comical as it sounds, it makes sense. LIVE LIFE. Don’t wait or hold back. You NEVER know. The girl you want to dance with, ASK! The class you are thinking of doing, GO! The x-ray was positive and no broken bones. It was a miracle, as the Doctor’s said, but I am home now. Bruised up, with my arm in a sling (pulled muscle apparently) some cuts, etc. MOST IMPORTANTLY, I am ALIVE! I’m hoping to go dancing soon; if for nothing else, than to watch. Remember the saying; life is NOT a dress rehearsal… thank you Dear Edie, |
Bootcamps
I felt confident and empowered. You know, the first time I ever went out salsa dancing on my own was after your boot camp last year. You’re a great teacher! Thank you for getting back to me and for the reservation. I will be counting the days. – J.C. – Philly
Dear Edie,
Traveling clear across the country from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Dallas, Texas, to come to your workshop was one of the best decisions that I have made in my Salsa career. Although I have been teaching for years, I try to attend classes because I can never stop learning if I expect to help my students to become great Salseros. I walked away from your class with a wealth of knowledge.
There is more to learn from you than new dance combinations. You taught me about sustaining the heart to teach through the years, and the commitment to the business of Salsa. I in my career, I have met hundreds of good dancers, and many good teachers, but only a handful of business owners committed to Salsa. I have never witness anyone who gives more of themselves to her students, and you absolutely excel in all three areas. You have my complete respect and I look forward to working with you in the future.
Tu Hermana en Salsa, abrazosos fuertes,
Christine
“Dear Edie, I remember reading on your website the statement that says “The Salsa FREAK Bootcamp will be your turning point. We will guarantee that you will be a better and more confident dancer, the next day, and the rest of your life.”
“Before our Bootcamp I wondered if that statement would apply to me, or if that was just marketing hype. I have been absolutely blown away and totally humbled by the changes since our Bootcamp six weeks ago. I can’t see a faster way to get the tools needed to advance dramatically in a short period of time. Women I’ve danced with over the last few months are asking me what happened; men are stopping me, asking how I learned. One couple stopped me the other night during a break and said, “My girlfriend and I want to dance like you and your wife. What are you doing?” It is a totally different world and you are the one who opened the door.”
“Dearest Edie, I just wanted to thank youfor the wonderful boot camp experience overthe weekend. Not only are you an amazing dancer, and performer, but you are an extraordinary teacher as well. You were patient, considerate and had a true desire to ensure that the student fully understands the concept and technique. That is what being a wonderful teacher is about. Again,thank you so much for the wonderful experience. You are a truly generous and a wonderful person. Take care and hope to seeyou soon! Khoa as in “Qua” – lity”
Hi Edie!
Like to let you know.. I got alot from your bootcamp here at Wash DC/Arlington last wkend (Apr 18) best money spent. I was that guys that sweated alot and was tired close to the end of the class. I wish I have not done 60 miles of cycling the day before so I could have taken more advantage of you being in the area. Nevertheless.. I came out of there with a good basic that I least I can bring to the floor, even if just to practice. Hope to see you in the area again!
Al Santos
Hi Edie:
This is Rahm.
I wanted to thank you for the awesome Salsa Bootcamp in Denver. You totally blew my mind.
rsaran_la
Hi Edie,
I attended your Salsa Bootcamp (both days) this past weekend in Arlington. I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful experience. My 40-year-old body hurts a little :), but I loved the experience and look forward to learning and dancing more Salsa. I also really appreciated what you shared about yourself and your comments at the end about dancing with your significant other – no one seems to talk about this in dance and they should. I’ve been married twice also and just recently broke up with a boyfriend I had high hopes for – so I think I could use some Salsa in my life.
Thanks again and good luck in your travels as you bless others.
Student
Edie,
After completing your “boot camp” I want to thank you for what a great job you did. My background has been more ballroom style than salsa and your camp helped answer a lot of questions I had in making the transition.
What impressed me most was your invitation to the students to ask you for a dance in the social setting. When I spotted you out there I waited till the song was over and grabbed you before you ever hit the carpet. If you were a Porche with six gears, I think I may have gotten to second gear, which is a start.
I have had instructors in the past that I avoid like the plague in social settings. That is because if I make a timing error they are going to jump on it. It is embarrassing and takes the fun out of the dance for me. You did not do that, so Thank you.
I am going to focus more on Salsa now by hiring a good instructor who specializes in Latin dances. I hope next time I see you there will be improvement and I will get you into third.
Good luck with all of your marketing ventures.
Mike
“Wow Edie” is right!
It’s been almost two weeks since your Bootcamp in Los Angeles and I am still feeling energised and inspired by it. I just wanted to thank you for your charisma and time, and to say that you are a great teacher!
I am a school teacher who recently had to quit my job due to some medical issues that I needed to deal with. I actually came up to you after the Bootcamp to let you know that I was recently diagnosed with MS and had trouble feeling my legs. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me after the class, and for sharing with me the names and websites that you recommended for health juices and a good diet.
I have come to really appreciate movement and my legs, since my scare with the change in sensation in my legs. And going to your Bootcamp not only helped me to relax, have fun and learn a lot about dancing, but it also made me learn a lot about myself. I was so touched by your stories about how you started dancing at 30 and how determined you were to keep working at it. You look great and you are truly an inspiration.
Since your workshop, I’ve been looking into ballet classes to strengthen my legs, and I feel more confident about continuing to dance and to enjoy it. I used to think that at 31 I was too old to learn to dance, and to do it well, but I wanted to thank you for changing my view of this. I only got to spend two days in your classes, but your words and energy will last with me for a long time. They have already changed the way that I do things, and I am grateful that I got the chance to learn from you. I love the way that you enjoy sharing all that you know with your students, and how it feels as if you want us to be great and you believe that we can be, in all aspects of our lives. It takes a very strong, courageous and selfless person to be able to teach in that way. Thank you so much Edie! You’re awesome!
Tasleem
You guys are always asking me to recommend a good Salsa DANCE teacher..well here is my recommendation! Edie is presenting her Bootcamp once again in Los Angeles. Take advantageof the pre-registrationprice..$ this is SUCH A DEAL!
It includes instruction, lunch, snacks and asyllabus. Here isthewebsite,I will be there for the Bootcamp, no matter how much I dance I always learn something new at these workshops.
http://www.Salsafreak.com/Bootcamp
Tell her I sent you!
-Margarita
Hi Edie,
Thanks for your visit to Kansas City and conducting the bootcamp. I really enjoyed it and it was outstanding learning experience. I have gone through numerous Salsa workshops / classes during my one year of dancing span and I found your approach unique and most benificial, especially your repetition technique to bring all students on same page. As a result, I remember every thing you taught in the workshop and I can perform them confidently.
I viewed all six DVDs I bought after bootcamp and they make much more sense after taking the bootcamp and I found them very comprehensive. I’m going to recommend your DVDs to all my friends in Detroit.
Thanks again and look forward to see you at the Miami Congress.
Best Regards,
Kaush Singh
Hi Edie,
I wanted to follow-up with you regarding your Salsa Bootcamp this past weekend in VA. Your energy and instruction about Salsa music and the dance is unparalleled. As I mentioned to you, I have never seen anyone interpret music the way you did and so easily incorporate itinto your dancing. It was a Blessing for me. I hope we will meet up againat a future Salsa event. I enjoyed working with you. Please let me know if you are in the area again and you need someone to work the DVD table.By the way, I am really enjoying your DVD’s that you gave me!
Your the Best,
Melynda
Hi Edie,
I took your Bootcamp about three yearsago and I LOVED it! I’ve been dancing ever since!! You’re the best, and a living inspiration!
Fondly,
Anna Olvera
I would definitely recommend your Salsa Bootcamps tomy friends, I can’t stop talking about it!!
I thinkit’s great that you incorporated God intothe day and glorified him!! I also liked the personalized stories, it makes me feel like I can become an amazing dancer too if I stay persistent! Loved the demonstrations during lunch time. Loved the variety of moves and material, I have a lot to practice!
The changing of partners, the way of learning, your sense of humour!!!
I never danced Salsa before (but there is definitely gonna be more Salsa in the future :-))) )and I don’t believe there is much to improve, in what you do! Your joy of dancing is contagious
I rate your Bootcamp a “10” – without being “friendly”!!I had no expectations and I went home completely enthusiastic
Hello Edie-
I justwanted to thank you for everything that you taught us at the Salsa Bootcamp this pastweekend. It was amazing! I learned so muchand I can’t wait to go out and try out thenew moves. You have inspired me so much tobecome a better dancer, especially that nowI can let loose as opposed to alwaysthinking of the counts in my head. So again,thank you for all that you taught, and Iwill see you in Palm Springs!
Thanks, Michelle
Mira Nena,
Thisis Mimi…La boriqua loca LOL………Iwanted to say bye to you yesterday but realized I had to run or I’ll miss my flight back to phoenix.
I hadso much FUN!!!!!! I learned somuch from you. I am so inspired by you. You are awesome! I really love your style and your teaching techniques. I would love to be your protégé, someday.
I’d have to admit something to you……………I really thought I can dance my assoff. I grow up dancing Salsa and watching my 14 aunts and uncles dance but I don’t remember being taught a STYLE or TECHNIQUE……..I’m not mad at them (LOL) but I so excited that I learned some from you. I’m going to teach them something we I go back to Puerto Rico .
YOUR ARE AMAZING!
Mimi AKA Millie
DearEdie ,
It was outstanding to meet you on the all-star Salsa cruise. You are outstanding. I havecome back home and I’m having more fun withmy dancing.. I learned so much from you. Ican’t wait to go to another bootcamp.
Andby the way, your DVD is fun and easy tofollow! I love it! You need to have abootcamp cruise!
Takecare, be safe, and keep dancing,
Candace Rodriguez
Edie, Yesterday I attended your styling Bootcamp. I had attended one last year but had only been dancing for 3 months, so I could only absorb about 15% of the material covered. I learned so much my head was spinning! Well, you did it again. I came home last night with so much more confidence, technical knowledge and, most of all, passion (yours isso contagious) for this wonderful dance. I also bought 2 more of your DVD’s and took a bunch of notes. Ihave already started working on holding my frame and using finger-egg hands in my morning aerobics class. After last year’s Bootcamp I used your spin- in- the-bathroom suggestion. It took a while but, like you promised, my brain finally worked it out. Men started telling me that I was turning somuch smoother, lighter and faster! Thank you!
You asked us for feedback. You are the best. I loved the way you flexed your agenda to work in the”connection” exercise. It made the room full of mostly strangers become a comfortable warm place. It was great to have the dress/shoe vendor on site. I would have bought metatarsal pads for my shoes had they been offered.
As for ways to improve: a cooler, larger room would have been more comfortable (I know, I know, it’s a Bootcamp!) There was one particular older man who felt he was a better teacher than you. I had to ask him to refrain from trying to coach me (incorrectly, I might add) and ask him to be quiet so I could hear you. Maybe you could instruct the men to stick to what you are teaching. I was also a little confused with the afternoon attire. I read the e-mail several times but thought that we could wear either a dress, skirt or pants. Since I didn’t have the briefs or fishnets I opted for pants, which I regretted. I know that you, being the profound professional that you are will appreciate this feedback. I adore you and look forward to having the opportunity to learn from you again in the future.
With Great Appreciation, Michelle
Michelle Simpson
It was wonderful and easy to get registered! The Beginners Bootcamp was awesome!! Edie – you have a wonderful way of making people feelspecial and good about themselves as well ashelping us improve our dance skills andteaching us new ones!
With your ability to get us to sit and be quiet itwould be great if you could come by and train my puppy / dog next time you’re in town! LOL
I do wishthere was a little more practice, but I also understand the need to get us to understandconcepts or why you teach something so thatmade up for practice time!!
I admit I’mnot good about the whole female sexuality thing and the fact that you could get me to try things is a miracle in itself and I thank you!
Edie,
Almost 300 people have gone to your [Bootcamp] page already [within 24 hoursof posting]. You are a “Salsa Freak and a Salsa Beast , you are simply the best. …. Everybody wants Edie . Wow what a feeling that must be. I know it is not easy being you. I love you!
http://www.edie.youaremighty.com/
Earl Rush
Wow, your Salsa Bootcamp in Portland was such an amazing experience.I think I enjoyed the Salsa philosophy and humor even more than the dance lessons. My favorite part of thebootcamp was near the very beginning, when you explained what Salsa is. You said the meaning of the words – often in Spanish – aren’t important. You started playing a Salsa song ,then imitated the various instruments, then began a conversation, an argument about a mother-in-law. That was so powerful, so well done! You really seemed inspired. If you ever put that on a CD or DVD, please let me know.
Thanks again for such a wonderful experience.David Blomstrom
Hi Edie,
I know you receive many emails, but I just wanted to let you know that my two teenage daughters and I attended your Bootcamp in Fort Lauderdale and we really enjoyed it. We are taking Cuban Salsa lessons here in West Palm Beach, FL, but now we really like your LA style too!. If you can, can you let us know if you know of any LA style Salsa classes that are being given in the area?. Words can’t really describe how much fun we had. You are an absolutely amazing person and I really admire you. You are an inspiration for me as the week before the Bootcamp I was feeling kind of depressed. I came away from the Bootcamp inspired to continue with my Salsa dancing and to have a positive, confident attitude no matter what. Thank you and I hope to attend your future Bootcamps. Great job!
Kelly Corrales
Victoria and Michelle Corrales
Lake Worth, Florida
Edie,
Really enjoyed the class, you do a great job of balancing the overwhelming information for the boys, keeping the girls interested, providing a positive environment for those who are at some point in time going to get frusterated and the high tens could be just the ticket out, telling stories to let the info sink in those fresh minds, and breaking down salsa into simple, yet advanced moves. I’ve been taking classes for 2 months total, I really love it and salsa gives me a great energy in my life. Also a divorced one, wasn’t interested in being with guys, but needed the human touch and positive energy. Its been great.
– Student
Edie,
I have been RAVING about your bootcamp course out here in New Hampshire. I appreciate your style of teaching and your charisma throughout the entire day with such a versatile group of people at different levels. You are truly appreciated as there are few of YOU in this dynamic world.
Francesca
Hi Edie!
My boyfriend and I dropped in on the first half hour or so of one of your beginner bootcamp classes a the Palm Springs Salsa Mambo Festival. (Wish we could have stayed longer, because you really are great, but our cha cha cha was pretty abysmal. Had to go to that class, haha.) Anyway, you were talking about “how to change a man.” Or rather, how you can’t actually do that, and how trying to emasculates men, etc. “I trust you, I respect you, I submit to you.” I’m sure that wasn’t the first time you gave that talk, and know what part I’m talking about.
Anyway, Philipp and I were absolutely dying during that lecture, because everything you said was absolutely true. We intentionally live by this philosophy. I’ve never heard anyone teach it so matter of factly. You should write a book! Everyone came to that bootcamp to learn salsa, but I hope they were listening, because you were throwing out pearls of wisdom. Life lessons with Edie. Relationships and life in general have an awful lot more in common with partnered dance than people usually think. I started dating Philipp because the way he leads told me something about the kind of man he is…he didn’t know it at the time, but the way I follow says a lot about how I am in a relationship. Trusting and respecting my partner. and allowing him to lead. Some people say “all the world’s a stage.” I say it’s a dance floor. Too bad more people don’t live the way they dance. Err, the way they’re supposed to dance.
Anyway, just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed your classes We also took 10 deadly sins, and I took ladies styling. And yes, he tells me I’m gorgeous. And I tell him he’s the man. Even when we’re just dancing in his living room. And we both remind each other to stand up straight. 🙂
Just wanted to say thanks, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing you again! (Philipp was the guy who won a free pass to the next festival, when that blonde chick tackled him during the “salsa,” “mambo”, “festival” game…not sure if we’re coming back in July or at New Year’s again…maybe both, lol!)
Kit and Philipp
Edie, “Thank you,,,”
After completing your “boot camp” I want to thank you for what a great job you did. My background has been more ballroom style than salsa and your camp helped answer a lot of questions I had in making the transition.
What impressed me most was your invitation to the students to ask you for a dance in the social setting. When I spotted you out there I waited till the song was over and grabbed you before you ever hit the carpet. If you were a Porches with six gears, I think I may have gotten to second gear, which is a start.
I have had instructors in the past that I avoid like the plague in social settings. That is because if I make a timing error they are going to jump on it. It is embarrassing and takes the fun out of the dance for me. You did not do that, so Thank you.
I am going to focus more on Salsa now by hiring a good instructor who specializes in Latin dances. I hope next time I see you there will be improvement and I will get you into third.
Good luck with all of your marketing ventures.
Mike
Please add a little bit of time for Q&A. The crowd is way too bad, it’s not likely to ask questions during class coz it will slow down the class. However, if we can have a 20-30min Q&A session at the end to ask question,we can share what we don’t understand orrecoup what we’d learned.
I would definitely recommend her Salsa FREAK Bootcamps to friends!!!
Wendy
hi Edie, mysister and I were at the Bootcamp for bothdays, i have to say that it was one of themost wonderful things I have ever done! Weboth had so much fun!!!, Everybody wasgreat. I do have to say that though Ienjoyed it so much, I think it might havebeen a little to crowded, or maybe the placewas to small, I saw some ladies getdiscouraged. they kept saying its way tomany people. But my sister and I did well,we are very happy, with what we know. Thankyou! it was awesome.
– Sandra
Hi Edie,
Really enjoyed the class, you do a great job of balancing the overwhelming information for the boys, keeping the girls interested, providing a positive environment for those who are at some point in time going to get frustrated and the high tens could be just the ticket out, telling stories to let the info sink in those fresh minds, and breaking down salsa into simple, yet advanced moves. I’ve been taking with Samatha Bravo about 4 months ago, for 2 months total, I really love it and salsa gives me a great energy in my life. Also a divorced one, wasn’t interested in being with guys, but needed the human touch and positive energy. Its been great. Thanks so much, had a great time this weekend… total immersion continues!
Carlyn
Edie,
You did such a wonderful job of not only teaching us but making it so much fun at the same time.
- I am at work listening to salsa music on youtube and the second song on the playlist was “la pantera mambo”, it made me smile and think about the dip we did where you bob the follow to the pink panther music. I went to the Monday night practice at Halo and saw 5 or 6 of the people from the class there, so that was really fun. Hopefully I will continue to see people I know from your bootcamp at the clubs. I will try and stay in touch, and can’t wait to see you again. Handsome Patrick
Blog by a Student…
SalsaFreak bootcamp day 1We arrived just before 9am on Saturday.
I got us lost on the way there (this street is probably a good idea… not ) and, as the bootcamp was supposed to start at 9, we ended up cutting it very close.Registration went really smooth thanks to Silvia from Salsa-Emocion.
In a previous life I have been involved with event organisation and I have to say, Silvia and Ibo did an amazing job organizing this weekend.
Rarely have I seen an event go this well. I’m sure there were some things that came up and had them running around but as participants we never noticed it.The bootcamp started with Edie introducing herself.
She told us how she started dancing Salsa (by accident, who would have thought) and then explained how the music is build up, using stories to make it more clear.
Aside from the fact that I though her stories were hilarious I did indeed learn more about the music which I’m sure will help me in the future.Edie also spend some time explaining something that I think is very important for a lot of beginners, finding the 1 (no, not the beautiful girl with long legs, the beat).
In my experience not enough attention is paid to this. Just take a look at social dancing videos on YouTube and you’ll see how many people are dancing off beat.
As I still have some trouble myself from time to time (ok, regularly) I found this very helpful.Finding the 1 didn’t seem to present any problems for most of other the people there which would have completely blown me away normally.
60 Beginners instantly getting it. Wow!As it turned out though, most of the people there weren’t beginners.
Out of 60 people there were 4 absolute beginners (they had never danced salsa before) and another 4-6 people that had been dancing less than a year.
All the other attendees had been dancing longer which made me wonder what they were doing at a beginner bootcamp.
I guess they wanted/needed to improve their basics or maybe they just wanted to take Edie‘s bootcamp to see what it is like.After the introduction we did the basic step for a while.
I liked the way Edie taught it a lot. The people that hadn’t done any salsa dancing before were doing a basic step before they even realized they were doing. I’m sure this helped bringing their anxiety level down.
When everybody had the basic down it was time for an inside turn followed by ‘he goes she goes’.Everything that we learned was first practiced without a partner.
And when I say practiced I really mean practiced!
It seemed like we would go on forever doing the same things.
In the 5 to 10 minutes that we spent on it I’ve practiced the lead for an inside turn more than I have in all my time dancing so far,This was probably also the most valuable lesson that I learned that weekend.
Dancing, like martial arts, is about repetition.
If you keep practicing a move after you’ve become fed up with it,
if you keep practicing after your arms and shoulders have become tired,
If you keep practicing after your arms and shoulders started hurting,
if you keep practicing after you’ve started wondering why you wanted to learn at all,
if after all of that you still practice some more then you will probably never have trouble doing the move again.Ok, so we didn’t go that far but my shoulder did start to get tired by the time we were done and it worked. If I think of an inside turn now my arm will automatically start leading the move.
While I was doing martial arts I’d never expected anything else but I guess I thought things would be different when it came to dancing.
Lesson learned, repetition pays off.We then practiced Cross Body Leads (thousands of them?) .
This was just more prove that repetition pays off as nobody, including the new people, had any trouble dancing them to music.With these basic elements under out belt we started combining things.
Everything went fine for a while but eventually 2 of the beginners started falling behind.
I’m not sure whether that was because of the amount of information they had gotten in such a short period of time or because they didn’t pay enough attention in the beginning.
I do hope they had a good time regardless.Edie, Silvia and Ibo definitely made it a fun filled day that helped correct a couple of mistakes I was making consistently.
Would I recommend the bootcamp to beginners? Definitely!
Although maybe not to people that have never danced at all unless I know they are willing to put in the effort._________________
SalsaFreak bootcamp day 2Posted by Walter de Rooij at 9:53 AM - Day 2 of the bootcamp started relaxed.We woke up early enough to enjoy a calm breakfast.
The workshop wouldn’t start until 9 and by 8:30 we had eaten, were all packed and ready to go.Then it hit me. Daylight savings time !
Saturday night the clocks had gone forward an hour so instead of having enough time we were suddenly very late.We rushed through check out, got the car, drove as fast as we could (the whole 3 blocks) and ran inside.
By the time we got through registration and had made it to the room it was clear that we’d missed a lot already and we needed to catch up desperately.Luckily we spent quite a bit of time spinning during the SalsaLife workshop so catching up was relatively easy for me.
Spin left, spin right, spin left, spin right… so far so good.
Double spin left… ok. Double right… still ok
Triple sp… oops, balance gone! At least I managed not to trip over my own feet and fall down so I still consider it a small success.It seemed I wasn’t the only one that was having problems and it seemed like there were more beginners than the day before. Or maybe there were just more men and women that weren’t too experienced at spinning yet.
As we kept on practicing everybody seemed to improve a bit more and after a while everybody could pull off at least semi decent double spins. Most people were even doing triples without too many problems.
That was when it was time for the ladies to practice spinning with a partner.
As there were 3 times as many women as there were men at this point the ladies made a big circle.
They alternated practicing their spins with a partner and alone.
Given the amount of spins they ended up doing I was happy not to be in their shoes.
I’m not sure I would have still been standing at the end of the morning.During lunch some of the men complained that the women weren’t making an effort and had to be pulled through the spin but at the same time I heard that some of the men didn’t prep the spin or even waited for the girls to be ready before starting the spin.
I think this might have been partially because of a language problem.
Some of the men on Sunday spoke little or no English and they didn’t ask for a translation.After lunch the Ladies Styling session started.
First Edie tweaked the women’s posture a bit. It’s amazing how much difference that makes.
After they were done they looked like completely different.As the afternoon progressed a some more men arrived but there were still a lot more women. The ratio was about 2:1
Luckily Edie had a solution for that.
While I was thinking that we would probably make a circle again she explained that the men would be dancing with 2 women at the same time. That would solve the problem.WHAT?!?!? The night before I had enough trouble trying to lead just 1 girl and now she expects me to lead 2 at the same time ? ? ?
For a second I thought she was kidding but no such luck. She was serious.
I tried to figure out how to sneak out quietly sneaking so I could hide in the hallway for the rest of the day but it was too late, 2 women were already standing next to me.
There was nothing left for me to do but dance.The first 30 seconds were awful.
It wasn’t that I was doing that poorly.
Edie was counting slowly and the girls knew what to do so as long as I moved along in the right direction I didn’t really have to lead. It’s hard to do things poorly in a situation like that.
However, I was so nervous I could barely move.
As I realized I was doing ok I started to relax and things got better.
Even though I messed up plenty of times and our dancing was more circular than linear for a large part of the afternoon I did learn a lot about leading and as my leading improved it got easier.
Both for me and the girls.I think I probably learned more about leading in a couple of hours on Sunday than I have in last 3 months together. It was a lot easier than it normally is.
I didn’t have to worry about music (at least not in the beginning) or about learning new moves.
All I had to do , once we started dancing to music, to make sure that my lead was clear so the girls would know what to do without running into each other.
As that was all I had to focus on it was much easier to see what I was doing right and wrong.
Especially because leading slightly different with one hand than the other showed completely different results instantaneously.So what did think of the bootcamp?
Edie is one of the best instructors I’ve seen so far.
She’s clear when explaining and always willing to explain something 1-1 during the breaks.
Her energy throughout the bootcamp was amazing.It was definitely a great experience and I wouldn’t hesitate recommending it to beginners.
Maybe it’s not for absolute beginners (people that have never danced before) if they are not willing to put in the extra work (that is definitely required if you haven’t danced before) but if they are willing to put in that extra little bit I think it will be a great experience for them as well.
That said, they will be part of a large group so they’ll definitely have to be willing to ask if they don’t understand something or they will fall behind.Do I feel it was it worth the money? Absolutely!
Even if Sunday hadn’t been free (men didn’t have to pay as they were needed to help the women) just learning as much as I did about my leading would have been well worth it.If you’re not sure whether you would like to take a bootcamp try to make it to a Ladies Styling Sunday to get a taste for it. Keep one thing in mind though, you may not have to pay an entrance fee but in return you will be expected to work hard.
After all, you get to go for free is because you’re there to help the ladies! - Posted by Walter de Rooij at 2:15 PM
Workshops
| Workshop Testimonials
Edie, Your Musicality workshop was incredible. I left with so much more confidence! From one of Edie’s students: I am not a dancer. I don’t have the body for it. I don’t have the coordination for it. I don’t have the grace for it. But circumstances landed me among Latinos who danced. One said to me that it was “algo de la sangre”.. something in the blood, and that I just didn’t have it. I tried anyway, but I lacked the basic belief that I would ever overcome the limitations that came with my body. After taking many classes and workshops and lessons, I still wasn’t much better at Salsa. I got better at Bachata, which raised my overall level of confidence, but I was still awkward at Salsa. Edie’s classes, though, changed my head. I started dancing while repeating Edie’s words in my head about how women should carry themselves. I was styling so poorly that I frequently smacked my partner in the face, got off-balance and leaned on him. But I said to myself, “I am as hot as Edie. I’m as hot as Edie. I’m as hot as Edie.” My new mantra. It made me stand taller. It made me look by partner in the eye. It made me try things I didn’t really know how to do yet. I thought my biggest problems were lack of balance, lack of coordination, lack of rhythm…. and they remain big problems, but the biggest problem was a basic belief that no one wanted to dance with me. So first… the mantra. I am as hot as Edie. I smiled as though I was as hot as Edie. I styled as though I was as hot as Edie. I stumbled… but tried to stumble as though I was as hot as Edie. I even danced Bachata as though I really knew what I was doing. I weathered the constant barrage of constructive criticism. Then a beautiful man and a beautiful, talented dancer danced with me and then…picked me up. Hit on me, asked for me number, called me, asked me out…. and I wasn’t pretending anymore. There was external, independent validation, and I became what I had been pretending to be. I am still a student at Salsa, but everything I believed about myself and my body was pre-Edie. Edie fixed my head. I love dancing. I’ve developed a bit of an addiction to it. Mostly I’m addicted to the feeling of joy and power and self-confidence that I have on the dance floor. People recognize me for my passion for Bachata. For sure it’s been an easier dance to improve at than Salsa has been. And it was with that level of confidence that I tackled Edie’s Spins workshop. Today is the day I learn to spin. Today is the day I learn to spin. I was as uncoordinated and graceless as I usually am. But Edie broke the spin down into tiny, manageable, non-overwhelming pieces. Quarter spins… half spins…. full spins to the right… full spins to the left…. double spins…. spotting… arm position… punching… foot position…. balance… and then I spun. The bubbling joy wasn’t containable. I was so excited and so joyful. At the end of the day Edie pulled me up as an example of a person who was light on her feet and could spin without her even feeling the weight of me under her hand. I was turning myself. I don’t mean to say that I am good. I am not bragging about my Salsa abilities. That is still laughable and still a far-off goal. But because of Edie, it’s possible that the least likely candidate can dance as well as she can. And because of Edie, whatever beauty was ever buried inside of me is now visible to me and to everyone else when I’m on the dance floor. It’s in my smile. It’s in my demeanor. It’s in how I carry myself. And it doesn’t go away when I walk off the floor. That’s the most amazing thing. It stays with me after I go home. That is a brand new side-effect. Edie sent me an email after the Spins workshop and said, “It’s like you’re a completely different person.” Several things conspired to change my perception, which changed my dancing. First, Bachata. The sensuality of Bachata and the safety and trust I have felt for my wonderful partners released my many, many inhibitions on the floor and probably, in my whole life. Second, Edie. If you think you can’t do this… if you think you’re not a dancer… if you think you don’t have the body for it…. if you think you are too uncoordinated to dance…. take workshops from Edie. She teaches men to treat women like Queens. She teaches women to treat men like Kings and to let them lead and let them be dominate. I didn’t think I’d like that as much as I do. I love it. I even want it. She pulls from men and women the best in themselves and challenges them to Bring It. Bring the sexy… bring the confidence… bring the strength… bring the dominance… bring the adoration and appreciation for your partner…. cherish your partners and make them look good. There are no better partners on the dance floor than those who have learned from Edie. She turns regular men into partners who pull the best from me. I can recognize them on the dance floor by their moves and the way they treat me. They are gentleman. She has made them into the strong men they always had buried inside of them the same way she turned me into the beautiful woman that was buried deep inside of me. Thanks, Edie. Female Salsa / Bachata student I’ve never been to a workshop in which the instructor also served as a personal morals and relationship “Adviser”. . yesterday I had the pleasure to attend one of the most fun and amazing workshops that and Carmen Perez-Ahmed put together at studio 65. Whether you are a begginer or a veteran dancer, you would’ve enjoyed taking this worshop with this wonderful lady know through-out the salsa-world as “Edie theSalsa Freak”. ( I personaly would preffer to call her by a well deserved name like Salsa Queen”) All of us left there with a different frame of mind, on top of the fact that we were all well entertained by her constant funny humor all through-out the workshop. This is an amazing lady whos’ full or energy and charisma, not to mention her passion for dancing. I highly recommend her work shops and tutoring videos, plus I certainly hope that she comes around again. A special thanks to Carmelo Parrilla who cooked the food provided and Thank you for provinding us with a great workshop with one of the best Salseras in the world. – S.A.R, , CA John, please tell her [Edie] how amazed I am at her completeness beyond dancing, I’m bringing my cousin with (Mika), who’s in CT for the confidence boost, Edie has the capacity to change lives beyond the dance itself. She is simply fantastic and a psychologist on two agile feet too…I must say, she is awesome…that’s why I’m investing and making an effort to fly down to take a second bite at this… I really do want to get it right with a big smile. Edie, See you soon. God bless. Hi Edie, Yes WOW! I am really honored to have taken this day to learn under you. You really are a pro. Great teacher. I had never danced with a man. You made the instructions clear. It was really hard work and I am sooooo sore! But what a pleasure. Felt so emotional/teary even.. after class. You taught the proper respect between men and women and that is priceless. The other people that I danced with were so much fun. I really laughed and had a great time too.
Good morning Edie, I just wanted to tell you again how wonderful your class was yesterday! I always have a great time and always learn something new whether it be on the dance floor or in some aspect in my life. I don’t know you very well but from reading your blogs and stories I know you are an amazing person. And your dream of infecting one person at a time to spread this great joy of dancing, you are infecting postive thoughts in the minds of so many and it is spreading like a wildfire. I have already told people about what I learned about life in your class. (Not the secret part;) ) If Thank you for speading the joy! On a side note- I used “IT” last night and it worked like a charm- it does every time 😉 Dear Edie, Your refund for my “missing your workshop” offer is very, characteristically generous of you, but I must respectfully decline the offer. Just one of your ‘mini’, 3-hour workshops is worth all of that put together and more. Most instructors charge more for 1-hour “intensives” than you do for your 3-hour packages. And they’re no where near your calibre of instructor. You are one of the hardest working and most inspirational instructors and individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. You’ve given me wonderful DVDs just for passing out flyers and you practically give your workshops away as it is. And you give us snacks! Even the prices you charge for privates is unbelievably generous given your background, experience and skill in dancing and teaching. I would be embarrassed to take you up on your kind offer. Besides, you’re not the goober who turned the light out before going downstairs, missed the last step and bit the dust, haa. I look forward to seeing you next week for privates if/when you can sqeeze me in. Thank you again Edie for your generous offer. God Bless, Karen Smith
Edie, Colleen and I teach 32 Fridays out of the year, we DJ our own Social Dance once per month, and we hold a large dance event weekend one or two times per year…all this while keeping our regular jobs as school teachers. We have come quite a long way since first meeting you in L.A. about 10 years ago. I will never forget where I got my roots in Salsa, and you are always the first person that comes to mind! You have touched the lives of so many people (certainly us) worldwide…probably more than anyone in the industry has. Edie, It was amazing – you are the best teacher ever I enjoyed the 2 days of boot camp enormously. I think that not only are you an amazing woman and an amazing dancer – you are also an amazing teacher. You combine the knowledge with the passion and harness them together with your fun personality to create an experience that is both educating and enjoyable. Thank you David Spitz Hi Edie, Edie, The classes were great especially because of your energy and love for Salsa. Really was great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I tried Salsa 10 years ago or so and did not follow through so Im not so discouraged as I knew exactly what im getting into. My last opinion from 10 years ago was that the time spent to learn how to be a good Salsa dancer is equal to the time spent to learn a complex career or complex sport. I havnt had time yet to review the cds that I purchased and am curious about how much I can learn from them. I would love to do a write up on your website talking about your Salsa boot camp and the distance I traveled to get there being so worth it. After I review the cds and have a opinion I would like to write a follow up on your website some time down the road as I review them. Thanks Pat Dear Edie, On another note, I took your styling class last year in CO Springs. And the secret you told us about the “it” factor? Well I have been practicing that ever since. And I have gotten so many compliments about how much fun I am to dance with. One older man in particular said he was so happy because he almost did not make it (to dance at Dnote) that night and after that dance, I think he would have died and went to Heaven! He was not the best dancer, but I’m telling you, you could see it in his eyes that I made his night and he was so happy! Thank you for all that you do and share. I hope to see you soon. Karen Y. Dear Edie I hope you had a wonderful wedding! We have already been watching your DVD’s and they aregreat. I just wanted to thank you for everything you gave to us that weekend. You teach from the heart and it is obvious. I see friends that took your classes that are feeling so much more confident and are using your information.. I personally really admired your teaching technique and was very aware of what you actually were giving to your students; it was a succes srecipe for life skills that included Salsa! J Anyway, I wanted you to know you were a special treat for all. Thank you for coming to Alaska. I hope you don’t quit and move on to something else. You have such a special talent that so many would benefit from! Sincerely Rita and Bill Bishop Hi Edie, I attended your Musicality class at Last years Brisbane Salsa Congress and would like to say that it was the best class I’ve ever attended. I’ve been lucky enough to be asked by my teacher to be her teaching assistant after only dancing for just over one year which I’m over the moon about!! I noticed on your website that you do instructor classes and have noticed that you have been invited back to next year’s congress that I’ll be attending with much enthusiasm. I was wondering if you weregoing to be offering any instructor classes or workshops before or after the congress? I hope all is going well with you and really hope that I can have another lesson with you at the congress! Cheers William Dear Edie, I had the pleasure of having your wonderful energy and red hot moves rub off on me in the Hamburg Salsa festival this summer. Thanx for alot of fun – I now entitle myself The Head Spin Queen of Stockholm 🙂 Hi Edie! Heather Edie, Dear Edie, Hello Edie, Hey Edie, Hello Edie, I just wanted to thank you forcoming to Pittsburgh, PA this pastweekend. You’re dancing was fun towatch and the way you broke downspinning helped me a lot. I haveactually taken to spinning in thebathroom each time I go (includingthe stalls in public restrooms). Itwas such a great suggestion! Ienjoyed your performances so muchand really appreciate youintroducing Pittsburgh Salseras toJoe Figueroa. He is an amazing leadand I know everyone enjoyed theopportunity to dance with him. We’restill buzzing about the weekend! Ihope to see you in Pittsburgh again! Thank you again! Hi [promoters Jeff and Colleen inPittsburgh)! I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the spooktacular weekend events! I hope it met your expectations, despite the usual turnout concerns. I really enjoyed myself, also and esp.the”Edie Experience”. What a pleasure to watch, and to learn from. Such keen insight, presence, wit and candor. To the point. She has the ability to speak to your soul. And her sense of humor? Honest and refreshing. Impeccable timing, as in her dance. The total package. And I can tell you, for sure, that I participated in the workshop because of her. Her interpretation of that music piece was an award-winning performance, worth every penny. It made my day. Made my week! I have to say, my memory is not so good. It takes me longer to “get it”. I do better with the short “snippets” , than when It comes time to put the whole routine together. Although, most of the people did not seem to have a problem. That’s just me. I dance to have fun. After 10 years, my style is not all that advanced, and certainly not disciplined. I’m going to work on my weaknesses. Also, I grew weary from all the”pops” or “hits”. And going to work sun @ 4:30a.m. didn’thelp,either. But I get the idea. Anynumber of guys think, as long asthey have their moves, the faster they dance, the better, totally ignoring the music. I appreciate any effort to change that, and to exaggerate the hits is an effective teaching method. You know how my “participation” has ebbed in recent times. Well, I have been newly inspired. I am going to try to get more involved, again. Although my schedule makes it a bit difficult. It’s just refreshing, you know. It does feel good, to get a different perspective, and to make new connections by sharing an experience like that. And to me, the experience is what is was about, more than anything else. I was not disappointed. I truly thank you, Carol I went to one of Edie’s musicality workshops and found it really helped my dancing by listening to the music even more and telling the story ofthe song/music through my dance. Dusseldorf Germany Blog: The workshops with Edie the Salsa freak where good. I think people who visit the workshops know now why she is one of the best Salsa teacher s and dancers in the world. Her explanations where crystal clear and there was really a connection with the audience is my opinion. German Blogg Site: Transation from German toEnglish: Dear Edie, It was really nice to see you again at the summer Salsa congress in Brussels. Thank you also for the opportunity to teach with you and the kind words you spoke about me during the seminar. I really appreciate what you are doing forthe Salsa-scene world-wide and hope to seedance and work with you on many moreoccasions. Thanks also even though i already told you for all the inspiring and usefull tips you explained and reviewed during the seminar outside . Me and my dance partner Lilly can’t wait for you to bring this out on DVD. A lot of things you talked about where things most people often already know deep down inside but tend to forget so its good to have a DVD that you can watch every 6-9 months to get everybody in your dance team or as teachers or dance partners back on focus and remembering the road your are walking and how blessed we all are with the gift of dance. If you need help with anything now or in the future know that you can always count on us!!!! Love, Randolph & Lilly Hi Edie, Thank you so much for the great boot camp. It was great to meet you. I heard about you a lot from Paul. I respect you that you are a great teacher as well as a great dancer with great sense of humor. I really liked your teaching style. I liked your ‘performance’ that telling a story of a song to show us the phrasings, paragraphs of the music. I liked very much the demonstration of how to recover from ‘fall’. Also, I liked the demonstration of how to ask other people to dance with me. I learned very good foundation about spins. Salsa turns/spins are different from Flamenco turns. I want to practice my spins. Also, I leaned about when and how for ladies to add styling stuff. This was very interesting. Iwant to try this styling stuff. I’m relatively new to Salsa and I learned alot from this workshop. Your workshop made me excited about Salsa more and more. I hope to see you again someday andsomewhere. I hope I will be better Salsa dancer by then. Take care. DearEdie, It was really nice to see you again at thesummer Salsa congress in Brussels. Thank youalso for the opportunity to teach with youand the kind words you spoke about me duringthe seminar. I really appreciate what you are doing forthe Salsa-scene world-wide and hope to seedance and work with you on many moreoccasions. Thanks also even though i already told youfor all the inspiring and useful tips youexplained and reviewed during the seminaroutside . Me and my dance partner Lillycan’t wait for you to bring this out on DVD.A lot of things you talked about wherethings most people often already know deepdown inside but tend to forget so its goodto have a DVD that you can watch every 6-9months to get everybody in your dance teamor as teachers or dance partners back onfocus and remembering the road your arewalking and how blessed we all are with thegift of dance. If you need help with anything now or in thefuture know that you can always count onus!!!! Love, Randolph & Lilly Edie, I only write to peoplewhen it’s really good. Your boot camp in Corkwas staggeringly good. Now, I’m a bit of arustic dancer, enthusiastic at what I do,and strive to be a good lead more Cuban thanL.A. but maybe I’ll work at the disciplineof the line a little more now! HOWEVER I also do sportscoach training for the horse based sports. Your sessions tickedevery box we look for in good sportscoaching sessions:
And many other thingsthat will hop back into my mind in the nextfew days. More stuff I admire ofyour approach and I delighted in as itssimilar to my approach in horse sport: Drawing on many areas oflearning, a bit of Landmark education, somepsychology, some learning theory, someacting and storytelling, great analogies,personalization, physical conditioning,motor skill and muscle memory , usingvariety of examples so everybody gets themessage High fives as aconclusion! Now a small story mightresonate with you: I had a group of riders who had a lot of cognitive knowledge but little physical interpretation of that knowledge so I brought them Salsa dancing. They got better directional balance, rhythm, communication, responsiveness to a partner, timing and clarity and strength of signals, (in fact Iuse almost exactly the same explanation of0-10 contact for riders with their horses) etc, etc As if that wasn’texciting enough I then took some gooddancers and my riders taught them to ride. They shone. Why? Because they were used to following instructions, their brains were connected to their bodies accurately, they were confident in using their bodies and balance in different ways, they got the concept of lead and follow, assert and accept. Finally I really hope we will meet on a dance floor somewhere and we can dance half a song and then you’ll give me alittle feedback (gently now. I have maleego!) I think you are on a fabulous mission. I wish you every success with changing people’s lives through Salsa. Salsa has changed my life In sports coach education we have a tenet that “sport coaches help people develop social skills through sport”I think you do the same through dance. Love, thanks and best wishes Alastair Sutherland Before our Bootcamp I wondered if that statement would apply to me, or if that was just marketing hype. I have been absolutely blown away and totally humbled by the changes since our Bootcamp six weeks ago. I can’t see a faster way to get the tools needed to advance dramatically in a short period of time. Women I’ve danced with over the last few months are asking me what happened; men are stopping me, asking how I learned. One couple stopped me the other night during a break and said, “My girlfriend and I want to dance like you and your wife. What are you doing?” It is a totally different world and you are the one who opened the door.” Dear Edie! Thank you for your wonderful letter and words you devoted to us. We have heard very many good words from people who attended the festival. They liked your workshops; they liked you,your friendliness, and your kindness. Best regards, Edie, I would like to thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and wisdom in the instructor class in Miami. I often think about that and how wonderful God is to havebrought you here. Much Love,
Things here in Bangalore have returned to normal, although I’m still riding this weekend’s high. In retrospect, I realized that the main reason I had such a great time was that I chose to feel good and feelhappy. That feeling of joy that I maintained throughout the event was like a magnet for other good things. I made some great connections, got a couple of invitations to other congresses and had a couple of the artists ask if we could work together on some routines! Alex
I thought I had caught the Salsa bug before I arrived at the NYC Salsa Sincerely, Hi Edie! You did it Edie, BRAVO!!! You really inspire the world of Salsa with your courage and beautiful dancing. Thanks, Anouk Maes Hey Edie, Now, I amnot an in-experienced Salsa dancer, I havehad nearly 2 years experience and I amcaptain of my university Salsa team(Cambridge, UK), but I do have confidenceissues and have battled with depression formany years. Afte rFriday I was close to leaving the resort andtraveling home but my friends persuaded meto stay. The next morning we all attendedyour ladies styling class and within fiveminutes I was in hysterics and feeling tentimes better! After that hour I was walking on cloud nine (of course with my shouldersback, chin up and a smile on my face). Ienjoyed your workshop so much I attended theone on Sunday as well. After these combinedhours I strutted, yes strutted, s-l-o-w-l-yonto the dance floor on Sunday night andended up dancing with some of the bestdancers in attendance. I had so much confidence and I realized it didn’t matterif I didn’t feel I was that good incomparison to others. As long as I washaving fun I would be fine! And boy did I have fun!!! I tried out all your shines,shook my booty like there was no tomorrow and above all felt fantastic! And I had themale attention of a porn star that night.Your workshops inspired me and I will notforget this. I am now adamant to come off myanti-depressants and I believe I can do sowith the confidence tips I have learnt fromyou! I feel so much happier already and Iwould like to thank you for making merealize running around with my head down andarms folded was not doing me and myconfidence any favours! Once again,many thanks Edie, you are an inspiration towomen all over the Salsa world! Take care,[a now, more confident female!!] I’m a highschool teacher, and I was especially impressed with your teaching presentation and class management skills :). You demonstrate, explain, give visual examples,and then we practice practice so our muscles begin to memorize as well as our brains. Great methods. Edie: You are a fantastic teacher! I am fairly reserved; but I got such a kick out of learning how to ask/without verbalizing a man to dance, falling, framing and working a room. I practiced in front of my family and then my cousin and her friends on Memorial Day. They couldn’t believe it was me being so theatrical; but they really enjoyed it :~). I read your online story and appreciate so much that you have given God the thanks and the glory. I told my cousin (without knowing any thing about your belief system) that I was sure you had a belief in God. Thank you for sharing your time and your talents with all of us. Hey Edie, a thousand greetings! How are you? I just wanted to say thank you for a wonderful weekend. Wow. I learnt loads and met some fantastic people. I can’t believe that 2 days can be so life changing…not only for my dancing skills (which need it!) but also for the way that you re-awakened the sexy confidence I used to have. This is something that, over the years I hadn’t even realized I’d stopped expressing or enjoying, . And I smile more. I was happy before, now I’m happy and smiling. What a difference that makes to the whole of life. You’re good. I am really enjoying No Partner no Problem and I love the tip about moving your ribcage to emphasise the move. You are a star! With love and best wishes, Katy Hi Edie, Hi Edie, ok…was on the fence on booking for evening only or day classes. the classes move so slow that i only learn 1 or 2 moves per hour and then it gets overwhelming but it’s also good to have something to do in the day, even if i don’t go to 4 hours of classes… I guess I’m a “lesson snob” cuz between you and Cristian Oviedo I have the 2 best male and female instructors in the world!!!!! -Damon Dear Edie: I just wanted to drop you a short note to say thank you so much for yesterday! You are amazing and wonderful and I got so much out of it although for a newbie like me it’s a bit overwhelming– but you truly are fabulous at what you do. Thank you so much for letting me a part of it. Love, Joanne I was quite impressed with how you walk around and watch individuals, but we had a lot of people there. Once again,your professionalism shows by you requesting our feedback. You are truly motivational and inspirational on so many levels, and it was fabulous to be a part of the weekend. Edie…youare so entertaining, i could hear you talk for hours! Really helped not only with my dancing but also self-confidence….! Iespecially liked the spin practice the first half of the day. This is the problem many women have is that we don’t practice our spins as much and we expect to do them perfectly in the club and that’s not thecase! I think Edie should teach a class on how toentertain students for instructors. I think she does a great job of teaching but at the same time entertaining. I’m not an instructor but i teach a bunch of my friends and i can never come up with things that would make them excited about the dance. Edie has the ability to bring that out in people, so i think she should teach a class that teaches people to entertain while teaching dance….. I liked theway you had the ladies switch out. I lovedboth days. After dancing 1 year, day one wasa great review, plus Edie’s talks weremotivational and educational regarding Salsa dance in general. As a High School teacher,I was so impressed with Edie’s teachingstyle AND class management skills:) I feel very good about what I spent and whatwas delivered. I LOVED both days. I’ve been dancing a year, so Day1 was great for me to review, and only very occasionally slow. Your comments about the music, motivational thoughts, and philosophical thoughts were especially appreciated. Organization was very good despite the largecrowd. Registration was a piece of cake. You are agreat entertainer besides a great dancer.The only problem this brings is that timeflies when learning Salsa with you. Thank you for your time and come morefrequently, we need you!!!!! The energy was good. Dancing etiquette teaching was good – you hardly ever get that. A lot of people commented on how much fun they were having and how well presented the material was. I loved learning how to dance and getting to dance with so many different people. I liked the intense continuous practice. I actually learned something. I thought the whole day was very organized. I haven’t been to anything like this before but I was blown away with all the information! I liked that you talked about femininity and reminded women how to walk and be sexy, etc. My mom never talked to me about this stuff. I liked the variety and amount of information presented, I can now practice till I’m blue in the face with all the information given. I was veryimpressed on how well you knew your countsand how much material you were able tocover. I have to say that I was definitely getting tired towards the end of the day but I would rather have it that way than not enough practice! I think the price was great considering how expensive privates are these days! $60 for recreational reasons is a lot of money for me but it was so worth it! I rate this a Perfect “10” – way better than I even imagined!! Dear Edie,I really like the way you teach – full with humor and the technique you show us is indetail and broken down into pieces, especially the spinning technique, I didn’t know it has so many elements. How nice of you to spend so much time to help us learn. I rated theclass an “11” out of 1-10!! I like your adding in flamenco style to Salsa. Next time please show us more Cuban styling Salsa. Iwould like to learn it. Edie has her own unique style that you can’t find in anyone else. Edie is nice to be having a test corner with the ladies to help them find out their weaknesses. Please come back every 3 months instead of every 6months. Hi guys, I have taken this workshop and highly recommend it. I won’t be able to attend the October workshop but she will be returning next year. I especially like this format because you get to go out to the clubs as agoup afterwards, so you have the support ofyour fellow students. This is a workshop forall levels. If you do sign up please tellher I sent you! Enjoy! Margarita Perez Hi Edie, I wasat the UK congress last weekend, and adding that i liked your workshops very much, is the first time i see you IRL (in real life) and i know now for myself that i not only like to see you dance but also like to have your classes. First cause of the humor you have but also cause you explain it very well and use helping methods (like a bar) which i believe makes us understand better what we are achieving. So thank you for that! Of course i also bought 3 DVD’s of you at the congress, which are very helpfull! fatima@pandora.be HiEdie, I’ve just wanted to tell you that after awonderful class of ladies’ styling with you at the Salsa festival in Hamburg, I bought your DVDs with ladies’ styling, and I must admit I’ve enjoyed them very much; they areas special as your class was, full of information – most of it has been always avoided by the other instructors but as you have showed, it changes completely the way a dance looks like, and apart of that, with humor. I only regret, that I couldn’t have been your regular student. Thank you for showing me the real charm of Salsa. Sylwia Edie, I saw you at the New York City Salsa Congress in September..you were fabulous. I took your class and loved it… You know what its like to love dancing I am dieing by not being in the studio right now. Please help me if you can. Thank you so much Dear Edie, We had a great time at your classes at the London Salsa event. I’m writing to say thank you for making it so enjoyable, dynamic and fun. We live in Ireland and are delighted that you are coming to Ireland. Many thanks. God bless, All i wanted to say is that, i went to the 4th Salsa congress in Israel and your classes and performances were the highlight of m ystaying there. Furthermore as far as i knowit was also for many others. I had to say that my only disappointment from the congress was that i didn’t attend all yourclasses. Thank you so much for coming hope that you will come next year. Sincerely yours liran. Hi Edie, You are the best ambassador Salsa has today, you inspire people where ever you go and you make it look so easy… My personal goals in Salsa is to travel regularly on the Salsa Circuit and the day that it happens, If I can inspire people half as much as what you do, I will be very happy man. Watching you and having you around always reminds me of why I choose Salsa as my full time career. Thanks again and I can’t wait to see you soon… Kindest regards Jaime Jesus Artistic Director Hello Edie , this is Salvatore, I am from South Italy and we met at the Uk congress. I hope you are very well and I just wanted to say that I can’t find the right words to describe the joy and the excitement that I felt by meeting you and having the great opportunity to dance with you.. You are very friendly and most of all so professional…For me, and for the majority I believe, you are the best. Your style?…oh my god!! its great.!!..I have already told you about the music that you have chosen for your workshops was absolutely amazing and it’s exactly what Ilisten at home…It’s good to match your music style too.. I want to thank you one more time and really looking forward to meeting you again, I am definitely going to book a Private Lesson around May next year close to the date of the West Coast Congress…Can’t wait…. Are you going to be at the first “Lion Salsa Congress” in Geneva (Switzerland)? May I take this opportunity to wish you all the best in your fantastic career and thank you for the amazing contribution to the Salsa community… A big hug from Salvo… Edie, When he started to do group shines I looked forevery way to get out the door and leave (actually hide). Most of the dancers in that group were very good and I was just a fatold guy trying to pretend that I belonged there. You were able to make me (all of us) comfortable with the steps even though heknew I was in over my head. He really made me perform at a level that I never thought Icould—-normally I would have run away from that type of challenge-you really gave me the confidence in myself that I could dance at that level with time and practice—-it felt good to know I made it through the workshop——it might not have looked pretty, but I didn’t run away fromit——thanks again Your one statement of learning to dance to themusic has opened an entire new world of Salsa to me—–I understand what needs to be done in the dance but how to do it is where all my focus will be. When we meet again you can start teaching me how to dancethe breaks. Thankyou also for taking time for a private lesson—it really helped me to begin to understand the basics. The next time we meet all I want to do is eat, sleep and drink Salsa with you–after another 20 hours of lessons I might be ready to try the LA scene!!! When you produce your next DVD titled — ” Salsa, Dancing the Breaks”–make sure I’m on the list to get the first edition——-your “advanced” Salsa dancers from Pittsburgh are waiting for its release— Thankyou again Edie —your weekend was the best dance experience I’ve ever had- Walk with God my friends, -John ALetter from the promoter of the UK SalsaCongress, 2004… DearPaul and Imogen… Theabsolute highlight of my weekend was meeting Edie,The Salsa FREAK!! My dance partner & I had had a hooky copy made of their Intermediate Moves DVD, so that we could practice it. We were both very impressed with their technical excellence and their humour and loving interaction. When I heard that they were starring at this year’sCongress (I only started dancing lastNovember, so had never even known theCongress existed!), I just knew I had to be there! Indeed, I was blessed to be able topay them privately for the hooky copy (asbefits honouring their copyright), and amazingly enough I actually got two dancesplus chatted with them a little, and wasblown away by their humility and approachability. And to think I nearly backed out of the Congress because the cost seemed steep (to a beginner like me) and it’s only the thought of meeting them that made me come, for which I am SO thankful, because the whole weekend was fantastic, the memories priceless, and I now have a new mission for my life inspired by this Congress. (see below) So thank you Paul for inviting them over, and please please do so again for next year! (Iwant to show them how much I have improvedover the year… 🙂 ). (As anaside, Edie’s Sunday morning partner class was the funniest thing I have ever attended, they had us all in stitches with their humorous instruction, but sadly norecordings were made of their class, orindeed many of the classes – I know it’sextra work, but would it be possible torecord all classes? I would so have loved tobuy that class!) P.S. My mission inspired by the Salsa Congress2004: Mission: To be able to live a life filled with love and dance & sensuality & helpfulness & kindness & generosity & exploration, and good health & good fitness & good looks, and an inner vitality and positivity, and great inventions & useful contributions to policy& process & structure wherever I am able,and good organization & good humour & good wisdom & good connectedness to the world, with all bills paid, all debts cleared, an excess of £1,000,000 in my UK bank accounts and an excess of R500,000 in my SA bank account and an excess of SF500,000 in my Swiss bank account, and an increasing passive income always in excess of £200,000p.a. and an income stream from me to my family members & selected friends, pastloves, & acquaintances & charities always inexcess of £100,000 p.a., and to teach othersby example how to live a life filled with love Monday27th September 2004, inspired by Salsa Congress 2004 in Bognor Regis, and meeting (and dancing with) Edie the Salsa Freak my dance hero — Colette Hi Edie, I really want to thank you for responding to my girlfriend Sonia’s questions. She has been really trying so hard to become a better dancer and I have also been working with her, but she was getting very frustrated.When you responded to her she let me knowright away and was very excited that you gotback her. In fact, we went out dancing lastnight and she danced very well. I told her it has a lot to do with her confidence level, not just ability. But, to make a long story short, she and I really appreciate the time you have took with her. This isyour new found cousin from Burlington, Vt. -John Anthony Espinoza. I just want to say that it was a pleasure to finally meet the both of you at the Boston Salsa Congress. You are an amazing couple !!!! Ienjoyed taking the workshop from you and Ilearned that there are so many things that I need to clean up in my routine. I definitely want to learn more about this new way of dancing “effortlessly”. [Millennium Style] Once again, Thank You for being who you are. May God continue to bless the both of you !!! Respectfully, Hi,Edie, I’m a new Salsera in Hong Kong. My fiancé got me into dancing Salsa and I just love it now. He would always ask me if he is the reason why I took it up. Of course, I say”Yes”. But I did tell him that in case he stops, I’m still going to do it : ) It wasalso from him that I learned about you andyour website. I can relate to the storiesthat other salseros/salseras have sent you. Since I am a beginner and a foreigner in HK(I’m Filipino), sometimes I don’t get asmany dances as I want when I go to clubs. I attend classes regularly and been told by my instructor that I’ve improved alot. Evenfellow classmates have made good comments. But at clubs, I still find myself sitting around alot. I decided to change that andbecame more brave in doing the asking ofother guys, thanks to some of the stories from your website and to your advice. I have more fun now and I can say my confidence on the dance floor has improved alot.
Anyway, I wanted to thank you because your dedication & passion for Salsa is an inspiration to people like me who live halfway around the world. I will be going to the Toronto Salsa Congress and I’m looking forward to going to your workshops.
Keep the faith and the great work! See you soon! First, I was just at the NY Salsa congress and had the pleasure of seeing you teach and move for the first time. Unfortunately, I was nursing a minor injury the first day of the Congress and couldn’t take your class (I was the lone guy watching from the sidelines on Friday night with a big smile on my face). Iwas totally impressed with everything about your class- most importantly, the fun and energy and love of Salsa you exude from every pore.
Second, I just last night watched your routine on video for the first time from the Puerto Rico congress. (I unfortunately missed your NY performance). I’m sure you receive this kind of praise constantly, but… O MY GOD. After watching 2 hours of other routines, yours pulled me in within the first 5 seconds. I watched most of it with my jaw wide open, making audible noises of amazement by myself along the way, and had goose bumps by the end. The crowd clearly was blown away, and responded with the kind of ovation you deserved. But I thought you’dbe pleased to know that someone watching on video had an equally powerful response. Dear Edie its been such an honour to meet you at the congress last month. Edie, I loved your lady styling classes not only I have learnt a lot but also I had fun and heyyour tips work indeed! The good energy that you send our when dancing isamazing, i have enjoyed so much watching you dancing with Orville, Vazquez and the rest of the boys, you are a great!! Not tomention your new show! I cannot find theright words to express how terrific you both were! Creative, technically perfect in eachmove you guys made, innovative as well as hilarious, in a nutshell FANTABULOUS!!! And a big thanks for keeping those smiles up that the Salsa scene is nowaday sfor some reasons lacking of . Love & Light! Debra Edie, I thought the whole weekend was fantastic, butfor me, you were the best! I really enjoy dancing Salsa and although I’m not very advanced yet, watching you and the other instructors makes me really look forward to learning more. Thank you for the inspiration.
Afterthe workshop, I rushed home to check outyour Salsaweb site and I was so inspired by Edie’s story that it brought tears to my eyes because I felt like I was reading my story! I consider myself a beginner and a Salsa a in progress. I believe it is important to havea willing partner who is dedicated and have fun at the same time. Thank you again for an exciting day of Salsa! Sincerely, Edie, I thought the whole weekend was fantastic, but for me, you were the best! I reallyenjoy dancing Salsa and although I’m notvery advanced yet, watching you and the other instructors makes me really look forward to learning more. Thank you for the inspiration.
“Dear Edie,
Edie, I wanted to say “thank you” for such a greatclass. I learned so much, and you made itso easy! Thanks a million! When can weschedule our next private?
“Edie,,
“Edie,
“Edie, Hello Edie. Dear Edie, Thank you so much for a great styling class last Sunday. My girlfriends and I had a fabulous time…but…we have a couple of questions. HOW DO YOU HAVE THAT MUCH ENERGY???? We admire your ability to teach and dance at the same time or as you say, “backwards and in high heels.” The second question is, what was the name of the song and artist that was played repeatedly? The title sounded like it might have been “Shake That Thing” and it had a Rasta sound with a Salsa beat. I told Jim Orr that he had to get that CD but, I couldn’t find out the exact artist. Thank you for any information that you could provide. We are looking forward to your next visit.. Yvonne Lau Hi Edie, this is Manny (the guy with the white shirt and pinkpok-a-dots shirt at thesocial). I just wanted to tell you that I had agreat time last weekend at the workshop and at the social. i learned alot even though I had tocut out early on sunday- around 3… I’ve onlybeen doing this for amonth and change but feel really good and comfortable doing it. Like everything else, I just haveto keep practicing. I look forward to dancing with you in the future. I bought your intermediate 1 and2 dvd’s. I’m glad you moved to ft. lauderdale, i’m over in the opposite coast, Ft.Myers. I’ve started attending the bts socials in the canadian club in hallandale. Maybe i’ll c u around. Take care, and again, thanks for everything. I’ll be at the congress parties this weekend in ORL. -Manny Hello Edie, Nice. I just didn’t wan tto disturb you with my only four years of dancing. So thank you once again. Your presence during the whole congress was an inspiration to many people. I hope to be in Hamburg this summer and I’ll see you again. Best regards, Dear Edie, My homepage is www.gabbay.org.uk. Check it out. There are bits I still haven’t put online, but you might find http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/~gabbay/tungus.htmlamusing. It relates to my own experience travelling and teaching, with academics in university — I’d be interested to know if the same kinds of things happen to visiting Salsa teachers. It was a pleasure meeting you. My going to your ladies styling class was coincidence: I couldn’t be bothered to plan what workshop to do next so I let fate guide my steps. And fate was smiling on me that day because I got to enjoy your wonderfully witty and wise performance. So I went along to the spins class and that too was witty and wise. (You looked absolutely regal up there on the balcony, with that dreadfully melodramatic picture of a horse behind you; did you notice? What a performance!!) But wait, you say. Lotsof teachers are wittyand wise and goodshowmen. So let me logically prove to you that I’m justified writing fan mail to you in particular. Actually, there are a a few examples but I’ll just mention one — it’s a comment you made which I think for me might even justify the cost of the entire congress. You were talking about the way the body learns, and that if you want to get good at spinning, practice the good side first, then the bad side, because then the good side informs the bad side and not the other way round. Now that’s an insight into body intelligence, not one into dance. It had not occurred to me *at all* and it will bevery useful for me in the future, I expect .Furthermore, it’s not an insight I had to deducefor myself from things you said; you’d already raised it to the correct level of abstraction and served it up to us packaged in a neat conceptual box. How useful. How elegant. Perhaps it’s because I’ma mathematician, but Ireally *appreciated*that. I should keep this short since I doubt you have much free time fore-mails. Thanks again and I do hope that one day there’ll be time fo rus to have a decent chat. I found your performances (sorry,classes) very touching. Jamie Hi Edie, Thank you, Hello Edie, Thanks for handing down your excellent knowledge to us and a great thanks for teaching me to be sexier on the floor!! Take care, Veronica Veintimilla-Trook hi edie… i whish you a very nice time !! big hug Subject: Scandinavian Salsa Congress in Gothenburg! “Dear Edie…” (which reminds me about your very nice column!), We would really love to see you back in Scandinavia soon again!!!! Hi Edie Thank you so much for being a part of the Sydney Salsa Congress. As we discussed, please find below a testimonial about your services! Edie has been an integral part of the Sydney Salsa Congress and the Australian Salsa Scene. For 3 years in a row, we have invited Edie to Sydney because she is not just a wonderful instructor and performer, but because she is also an excellent business partner. Edie is not just a Salsa artist, she is a fantastic business woman who understands how to provide excellent value for Salsa promoters. Every year, we have absolutely no hesitation in inviting Edie to our Congress because we know without a doubt, that she will deliver on the following things: 1) Fantastic Workshops – Edie’s workshops are always the most popular and year after year, she excels in keeping her workshops fresh, exciting and entertaining. Students absolutely love her! 2) Great Shows – Edie understands that a show is about entertaining people. Her costumes, choreography, theming and execution are always delightful to watch 3) Professionalism – Edie works hard when she is at a Congress. She always shows up on time, lets you know where she is, and you can trust that she will be wherever she needs to be. She also understands that promoters have paid her to be there for the consumers who part with their hard earned cash to connect with her. She is constantly on the dancefloor, constantly talking to people about Salsa and sharing her knowledge as an Instructor and a business woman. 4) MARKETING – Edie is a marketing machine for our event. Through her websites, and her travels to other Congresses, we know that Edie is constantly promoting the Sydney Salsa Congress, through her website, by handing out flyers all over the world, and talking about us! Her endorsement of our congress is absolutely priceless as she is so widely and internationally respected in the Salsa Community. Edie is much more than just a Top International Salsa Artist; when you engage her services, you also get an International Marketing Machine. Angela Lau |
Posture Braces
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Posture Brace Testimonials “I actually placed this [Posture Brace] order for one of my students. “Love this product. It’s my second one! Love Salsa too.” – Helene Mark – Florida Edie, Dear Edie, Edie, Dear Edie, Hi Edie, It is really wonderful of you to touch base with me on the posture brace. I very much appreciate that a lot. I happily got the brace delivered last week, thank you so much. (it arrived before the holiday weekend of the Royal Wedding here in the UK) i did slip it on to see what it feels like and yes, it works, but i feel it will take a little getting used to, as i need to wear it for the extended period as per your advice. Just wanted to share something with you. I stumbled upon your website a few years ago and saved the info, as i found it very useful. But recently, a few months back, a friend of mine noticed my poor posture and this triggered me to do something about it, so tried to look for your info, but i could not locate where i’d saved it. However, i recalled some details of your site, so Googled the words ‘Salsa’ Dance freak’ and ‘posture’ something like that and wow, i found you again and instantly recognized you as the highly accomplished and distinguished salsa teacher who advises on importance of correct posture and here we are. Thank you again for following up with me and your prompt, efficient service. Your informational Youtube Video, website and podcast have been saved in my online data back up archive for easy future reference and saved in email favourites + bookmarks. All i can say is thank you Edie, you are wonderful caring and charismatic person full of zest for life, which you imbue to others. – a rare trait these days. I can just tell this from your communications and your website. Thank you so much. Sri UK |
Private Lesson Students
| Private Lesson Students & Inspirational Testimonials Edie, Edie, Edie!!! Everything you have taught me finally came together! From not being concerned about her to my dancing everything. Of course it took a few dances and a few partners for it all to happen but I just felt so comfortable. I danced with all levels a comment from a beginer was “Are you an instructor?”. I started laughing inside my head. The advanced females were more than happy to dance with me when I approached them for a dance. While dancing with the advanced dancers I would glance at there face and they had glowing smiles. If I messed up it did not seem to bother them and like you said, they usually thought it was their fault!! Incredible Edie!!!!! I danced all night long and at the end of the night I was walking off the dance floor and was receiving looks from ladies I had not danced with. I don’t know if it was just me being so proud of myself but the looks and vibes from these ladies was almost desire towards me. I left last night with a feeling of great satisfaction of finally accomplishing not only how to dance but how to handle the insecurities which come with dancing. Thanks Edie!! We learn so much from you it’s difficult to process at times Hi Edie! I really loved the course. I feel so inspired! If you had finished the course on Saturday night I would have felt like I had already gotten my money’s worth. That’s how much I liked it. Since I live in Denver I would really like to come observe the BBS classes at some point and meet you. Are you usually there on Tuesdays? Can I show up on any Tuesday? My answers are below. Thanks again! Hi Edie- my name is Shannon Strain and I took salsa dancing with Janet Galloway in Manhattan Kansas. I have heard so much about you and we watch your black belt salsa videos to help our group continue to grow without Janet. We are in awe of your amazing dancing skills. I saw that you approved me to join your black belt salsa instructor’s group. I do not remember applying to be in your group nor do I feel worthy to be included in such a prestigious group! I have earned my very first instructor level while Janet was still here which surprised me very much. I hope to someday earn my place in your incredible club but I honestly feel I have work to do to earn that honor!! I wanted to be honest with you because we have never met ( though I hope to someday), &,knew my name would not ring a bell unless Janet filled you in. I would most certainty understand if you took my name off the list of your group. As I said, I know I am not good enough to knowingly throw my application for membership. You were very kind to put me through anyway but I feel I owe you the story of my current background. I LOVE salsa and will keep working on my skills and enjoying every bit of it! I really hope to meet you and enjoy watching you dance in person! Thank you for hearing me out. One of your true fans, Shannon Strain You are an incredible leader and person and you provided me with a place to grow, evolve, and heal that has become a significant part of my story. I will always be grateful for that. Profesora que gusto haberla encontrado por aquí. . Le envío saludos y mis mayores respetos, gracias por aceptarme! Tengo muy buenos recuerdos de las veces que la he encontrado. . Usted fue mi primera maestra 14 años atrás con sus vídeos yo aprendí a bailar con usted y Salomón. . Y el video de musicalidad ha sido de lo mejor que he visto en años. . Aun sigo aquí con mi escuela en tampa trabajando y haciendo salsa. . Solo quería agradecerle la ayuda que usted sin saberlo me ha dado. . Super agradecida de sus fundamentos. . Lindo día! Si usted tiene mucho que ver en mi desarrollo como bailarina y sin saberlo. . Yo le agradezco tanto Consideré importante decirle por que casi nadie reconoce el trabajo de ustedes los fundadores de este género..y para que vea la importancia y la trascendencia, el impacto que su dedicación ha hecho en nosotros. . I’m a true fan. . Miles de bendiciones siempre.abrazos! ! . Sonia Rivera Thanks Edie. I had a great time. It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun and definitely very well worth it. You are a fantastic teacher. I also really enjoyed getting to know you on a personal level. Good luck in all your endeavors, and I hope I get to dance with you again soon. Also, Happy New Year Just wanted to tell you something. Listening to the links you sent me, it’s one of those things about creating our own realities . . . At the beginning of last year I wasn’t improving at Salsa, would leave dance nights lonely and depressed. The one thing I really wanted was to get better. I knew I needed private lessons . . . but I didn’t vibe super well with any of the other instructors here, and they were all way out of my price range. But I saw those guys dancing, and I wanted to be that good . . . be even better. Imagined myself being that good and what it would be like, and wished that I could find someone that would work for me. And BAM. In appears Edie the Salsa Freak, best in the world, who’s a perfect fit for me to work with and I can afford. Mindblowing. Was wonderful working with you today! I’m so thankful for your instruction… You’ve helped with so much more than just “salsa,” and I am so thankful for all of that. Thank you so much for being there for me! Edie, Edie, I’m a better dancer, softer with people, losing the weight and you and the program give me 90% of what I need as a person. It’s impressive Edie, Thank you for all the support this past year for my dancing. I hope to continue to progress even more this year. I feel I e come a long way with you, but still have a long way to go. Dancing tonight at overstreet n sacoy was amazing, thanks be to your training and support! Thanks again !! Edie, Edie, Dear Edie, I checked the web-site and found this clip of you and Fabrizio from last year, I think it was the musicality demo you did on the Saturday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btMHiWMpWYc In my opinion, it is EXACTLY the kind of thing I’d like to achieve. My own issue(s) in trying to learn Salsa, are, I believe, a microcosm of the ‘difficulties’ (challenges J ) facing many around the planet trying to learn Salsa. Instructors all too often teach bewildering, long, complex patterns of cross body Salsa, then send their students out feeling confused and inadequate. Your Syllabus 101-106 DVDs are the most HONEST attempt to convey literally just that – a SYLLABUS, and to help to ‘de-code’ and simplify. I think (know J) you are great. A talented & lovely person! I look forward to meeting you in person again. I honestly believe that the seminar I’m coming to with you in Preston on [date] will release me from the shackles of insecurity regarding dancing Salsa, and I intend to leave your seminar a (fairly J) complete dancer! AND – I will repay the favour some day… Cheers Edie, I really enjoyed our lesson! I must say you have a very good reputation. And I will add, I was very impressed with your in depthoftechnique, style, and the way to approach a women. I will be getting your CD for sure, and plan on taking a workshop or two. Edie, Edie, All the best, Rebekah
Hey, Edie, Things here in Bangalore have returned to normal, although I’m still riding this weekend’s high. In retrospect, I realized that the main reason I had such a great time was that I chose to feel good and feel happy. That feeling of joy that I maintained throughout the event was like a magnet for other good things. I made some great connections, got a couple of invitations to other congresses and had a couple of the artists ask if we could work together on some routines! Alex Hi Edie! You did it Edie, BRAVO!!! You really inspire the world of Salsa with your courage and beautiful dancing. Thanks, Anouk Maes Dear Edie! Thank you for your wonderful letter and words you devoted to us. We have heard very many good words from people who attended the festival. Best regards, Edie, a couple of months ago and I just wanted to thank you because it worked wonders with my dancing style, and built my confidence a lot in such a short period of time. Everyone at the Salsa club I go to noticed the change and I recommended them the DVDs as well. Now I just bought the advanced DVD and the “Lifts and Tricks” DVD and can’t wait to watch them and study!!! If you ever have a bootcamp in Tallahassee, I will definitely want to participate. If not, I am planning to take your classes at the next year’s Salsa Conference in Miami. Again, thank you, from the bottom of my heart!!! I just attended your Bootcamp for beginners in Downey, CA last weekend. I flew in from Arizona and brought my mom and best friend from Maryland with me. I wanted to let you know that we had a blast and really learned alot. I’ve never had any formal dance training at all and have never, ever learned to dance with a partner. I used to enjoy going out to clubs when I was in my 20’s and early 30’s and dancing all night – but the club scene and the young crowd just isn’t my thing anymore (now that I’m the big 4-0!!) But I miss dancing so much! I took a class last year at a gym I belonged to at the time. It was a Salsa class. It wasn’t partner dancing – it was designed to be aerobics, but it was so much fun and it was the best aerobic workout I’d ever had. Then recently I was watching tv one night and came across a movie I hadn’t seen yet called Dirty Dancing Havana Nights. After watching that movie I went online and found your website and signed up for your Bootcamp. Sat. night at the Grenada, my friend, Z and I were noticing that everyone seemed to be there for one thing (mainly) – to dance. It didn’t matter if your were young, old, tall, short, fat, thin, black, white, Asian or Hispanic – everyone was dancing with everyone. It was the coolest thing. I thought – hurray! I can go out dancing again and not feel like an old lady hanging with a bunch of kids! Lastly, something that was really amazing and a huge compliment to you that I must pass along: I danced with at least half a dozen different men that night, a few from our class and some that I’d never met before. And even though I felt awkward and nervous, at least 3 of them said they couldn’t believe that that was my first day ever Salsa dancing. Everything I knew to do I had learned only hours before in your class. It was the best – I had so much fun – I can’t wait to take more lessons and get better and better and I’m so looking forward to Palm Springs in July!! Sincerely, CJ GrayHi Edie, We miss you a lot already in Cyprus ! You have no idea how much you have positively marked my teaching skills from the instructors seminar in Nicosia! I’m certain you have heard this countless number of times, and I must join the pack, you are the finest dancer and instructor I have ever seen. As I hope you may recall, I’ve been dancing for 11 years now, of all the dancers and instructors I have experienced, you are by far a leader in all aspects of Salsa dancing. I hope you never stop dancing; I want my grand children to experience the legend of Edie the Salsa Freak! Yes of course you may post my last e-mail in your student testimonial; I want the world to continue being reminded of your marvel! Ok, I want to share an experience I had at the Bootcamp. Edie teaches a technique: “How to Ask a Girl/Guy to Dance Without Looking Like an Idiot” which basically kinda “makes” the other person to dance with you before you even know what’s going on. Ok, so Edie demonstrates and I’m thinking: Ok, if I don’t want to dance there’s no technique in the world that will make me. Right!!!!! So fast forward 6 hours: I’m at the Salsa Social that night, and I’m thinking: “good opportunity to practice what I learned today”……OH-MY-GOD!!!!!!! there were these amazing dancers there that night and I was like: “Ok, so no dancing for me tonight, thank you!” I was totally intimidated…..anyway two guys asked me to dance (the traditional way) and I’m thinking “No way dude, am I gonna make a fool of myself”..so there I am and then this guy asks me to dance using “The Technique” (he was helping Edie out at the Bootcamp)….and before I knew it my hand is fully extended and I’m following this guy onto the dance floor and meanwhile I’m thinking: Ok, how did I get here????? So, I danced (and kept up by the way) 😉 and on the way back to my spot I’m thinking: “Ok, “The Technique” worked because I somehow knew the guy and knew him to be not only an excellent lead but a kind person as well……that explains it…. Not!!!!!! Another great dancer approached me with “the technique” (now I don’t know if he knew about it or it just worked out that way) but before I knew it my left arm took a life of its own and without my consent just totally agreed to dance with this dude!!!!!! Wow!!! The moral of this story? What Edie teaches works so pay attention….and her dance moves must work too…since I was able to keep up BOTH TIMES!! 🙂 I loved Everything about the Bootcamp! It was fun! I love the way you teach. Each styling is short and can be remembered and actually be applied during dancing. I just recently looked at all the printouts and am still studying them. I think it’s great that they are available. Edie – keep doing what you’re doing! You’re a great representative of this beautiful and magical dance called Salsa. I love the fun way you’re teaching, including some personal experience of yours as well as encouring woman to go out there and enjoy expressing themselves on the dancefloor in a fun and confidential way. I have several of your DVD’s, which are great and easy to follow. As you can tell, you have a big fan in LA! Britta I love your teaching style. I also like the way you rotate the lines so everyone has a chance to see you in action. Edie, I have been absolutely blown away and totally humbled by the changes since our bootcamp six weeks ago. I can’t see a faster way to get the tools needed to advance dramatically in a short period of time. Women I’ve danced with over the last few months are asking me what happened; men are stopping me, asking how I learned. One couple stopped me the other night during a break and said, “My girlfriend and I want to dance like you and your wife. What are you doing?” It is a totally different world and you are the one who opened the door. People are surprised to hear I’ve only been dancing Salsa for around a year; they generally assume I’ve been in the scene much longer. It’s obvious my partners are comfortable and enjoying themselves. Our bootcamp practice, attitude discussions, techniques and insights into what a woman really wants in a dance partner have dramatically altered my view. A few other guys have more patterns, more style, stronger footwork, are younger or better looking, but I have the secret weapons I learned from you. (I occasionally feel sorry for the other guys learning the hard way…) I’m much more confident and I know that I know the “right things” to make my partner comfortable. Women dance with me differently, and I’m surprised how many strangers are asking me to dance. My wife is also having a blast and the side effects of my improvements are getting her noticed as well. Since the bootcamp we are in a vicious cycle of positive improvement. Other men see us doing great stuff you taught me and assume she is also more advanced. The stronger leads ask to dance with her and she learns more, so both of us are having more fun and growing because when we are not dancing together, we are dancing with much better partners. It’s amazing how it is all feeding on itself. My improvements are already dramatic, but I still have months of work to fully integrate the additional homework you provided me during the camp. My spins are cleaner and I can finally see how doubles and triples are within reach. Like most guys I want more patterns, better technique and overall more tools available to express myself and make my partner look great. I also see those technical areas are nice, but that is not the core of dancing. Every night I go dancing I silently thank you because the responses from my partners are so positive. The bottom line is your bootcamps are one of the best-kept secrets in the Salsa world. Your ability to focus on the most important aspects of the dance and provide a foundation for growth is amazing and appreciated. I’m a dramatically better dancer today and will only get better thanks to you. Your site undersells the benefits of your camp. The world needs to know how amazing the results are, and you are too modest about the results available. If other guys really knew the power of working with you during a bootcamp, they would have you booked solid for the next few years. Over the next couple weeks I’m going to write up the total experience so other guys can get an idea of the power of the bootcamp. I’ll send that to you when I complete it. My only regrets are not doing it sooner and not scheduling my next session yet. One bootcamp was great , but I can’t wait to do another one. I was envious of the guy you told me about who did two days in a row; I’m sure he is in another world as well. Your coaching skills are excellent and I look forward to the next bootcamp. Sincerely, Don Baarns I liked the way Edie presented the material in a fun, relaxed, upbeat way: never dull or boring!!! The practice time was excellent: loved it. Many a times an instructor falls into the blah, blah, blah, and no action..not the case here…. She should be called: Edie, the Salsa Doctor!!!! Your workshop went from very professional to GREAT in the last year: very polished, yet informal. It is a great combination, and I really enjoyed myself. It is wonderful to see you looking so well and healthy. Reflecting on what you said, I realized that you are traveling to Europe a lot. If I am not mistaken, they like their women a bit “zaftig” (if I have the spelling right), and would try very hard to feed you if they think you might be too thin. You look great, so most of us would not realize your concern. You might declare yourself vegetarian! Well, maybe that’s a bad idea. Milk fat is the worst. I have become a grandmother twice this past year, and you really encouraged me to believe I can still dance. That is a real talent. Thank you so much for everything. Edie, Dear Edie, My name is Caroline and I’m 24 and from Germany. First of all I have to blame YOU for my addiction to Salsa. Well, not entirely, there’s still the music, the dance itself and the most fantastic people I got to know since I started dancing in April. But it’s all YOUR fault that I’m THAT addicted! For the first time I saw you at this year’s Hamburg Salsa Congress and I was simply impressed. Well, I was impressed with most of the guys there since this was my very first congress ever, BUT I was definitely most impressed with you. I couldn’t wait to see you perform again, which I finally did last month at the Wuppertal Congress and again you blew me away… Hell, what do I have to do to get any near to the way you dance?? In order to answer that question, I participated your two ladies’ styling workshops in Wuppertal and had the most fun. Yeah, sure, Johnny Vazquez and Super Mario are fun, too. But hey, they’re guys! 🙂 Not to speak of what I learned! To cut a long story short, I of course got me your ladies’ styling DVD and practiced… practiced… practiced… I do get a lot of compliments for only dancing half a year, but I still feel I’m ever so far away where I want to be. OK, just don’t get too impatient! I just started dancing. Yet, I can’t find any good Salsa-classes around that teach like you do… They’re all either bloody boring or too much ballroom-like (which looks great as well, but hey, I wanna DANCE! Maybe in a year or something… :-)) However, I do feel that your DVD really is helping me to improve more and more. Can’t get enough of watching it (at times, I can actually speak along with what you’re saying :-)) Anyway, I do have a question concerning your Bootcamps, which I’m dying to participate in. Do you also do them in Europe? I don’t really have the money to get a flight to the US plus accommodation plus the bootcamp… So, if you don’t do them over here, I probably won’t have the chance to participate before the year of 2010 or something… or maybe I’ll just rob some bank or blackmail my boss or something… Well, my boss is already wondering why it takes me so long to write that stupid letter to our English colleagues, so I should finish now. Oh, I mean, I don’t know if you need such thing, but in case you ever need some German/English or vice versa translations, feel free to contact me… I’m SO looking forward to seeing you again… (which will probably be not until next year in July in Hamburg *sobs*) and I’m DYING to learn more Salsa (Well, in Hamburg then :-(()!!! Love, Caroline DEAR EDIE, My name is Nery Antonio, and i am writing you this short letter to show my appreciation for the joy and happiness you have brought into my life as well as my friends around me. You have been an inspiration for my dance partner and I, for about 2 years now. You are great at what you do and when i met you in person this year at the Miami Salsa Congress; i also realized that your ‘persona’ and attitude is just amazing. I was introduced to you by my friend Henry who is your partner now. I am glad that the both of you have gotten together to demonstrate your outstanding talents as dancers. I was very honored to have danced with you at the Salsa Congress. As and admirer and student, you have made this ‘lil’ boy’s dream come true. But i wish you the best for the future, and i really cant wait to see you perform at the “Salsa Rueda Congress” with Henry. MY girlfriend, my best friend who is my dance partner (JUDY), and I will be there to cheer you both on! May God Bless you and This is my email: Antonio17252000@yahoo.com you are welcomed to write me at anytime Enclosed with this email I have attached a picture to see if you remember us bye now Nery Antonio Edie, I would love to dance with you again and have you teach me… you’re a great instructor and an awesome and amazing dancer. Anthony Hello Edie, I am impressed with everything I have heard about your classes and in particular your boot camp. However, I llive in Washington D.C.. Would you ever consider doing a tour or boot camp up around this region in the future for those that cannot make it to Miami/LA? Thanks, Jennifer Ocampo Edie, I received the e-mail where you announced Henry was going to be your new partner and couldn’t help but to notice how great you looked in your photo w/him. You share so much with your readers on your website as well as in your newsletters. I’m sure I’m not the only reader to have noticed how nice your looked in the photos. IF its not too much trouble, you may want to share with your readers through a link on your site some of the secrets to how you have toned your body to the great shape that its in now. I tell you, Edie, that flat stomach looks good and is inspiring! Continued success in all of your endeavors!!! Your newsletter is great and we love hearing about your travels and upcoming events. And one last note – the Salsa community worldwide is in debt to you for the creation of Salsaweb. I check it often for news of upcoming events around the world as well as before I go out of town. My friend from SC just called me today and asked me to look up a city in FL to see where she should go tonight since she didn’t have internet access. My other friend missed his flight to TN a couple of months ago and was stuck in Dallas and asked me to check Salsaweb to see where to go out that night as well. It’s amazing just how important Salsaweb is in the lives of dancers worldwide. Thanks a million for your significant contribution! Take care, Sordaka Atlanta, GA Edie, Edie, Hi, My name is Uriel Hernandez, I’m from Puerto Rico but actually living in Orlando Fl. Let me tell you that your story about how you begin to dance Salsa was amazing (and very funny too). Really I enjoy a lot your story and I’m so glad that the people count with Salsa instructor’s like you. Any person who dance or teach Salsa needs to have the spirit and passion for this music, after read your article I’m sure that you have all que qualities. I,m sorry for me because I would like you to be my Salsa instructor, take care. Uriel Hernandez
I just wanted to say thanks for everything. I had a really good time during the Bootcamp. I wish I could have taken another private lesson with you but things happened in LA which I had not planned for. Also, I had a really great time dancing with your friend Gabe. He’s a really nice guy. I was definitely impressed at Steven’s Steakhouse. I don’t think I’ve seen such good dancers before. I even got up the courage to dance with a few of those awesome dancers and even caught myself doing some somewhat decent double spins there. It’s funny but I think once I stopped thinking about what I was doing while I was dancing and just started dancing I started to dance that much better. I even started free styling more. It was really cool. Anyhow, I had a really awesome time and next time I’m in LA I hope to be able to take some private lessons with you. Elana Edie, BOOTCAMP… Again… I LOVED IT! I can’t thank you enough… Lisa and I are practicing this afternoon so I’m optimistic it will be clearer as I work thought it. Hi Edie. Haven’t seen U guys for a long time, just wanted to say hi and tell you that Your workshop and encouragement has made me a better dancer and person. (pic and profile in e-mail {You might remember me}salsero916@yahoo.com ) Thank You Two! Hi Edie, Everything just all came together — dancing on the beat, rhythm, styling. Well, better stop there. Could go on forever talking about Salsa. Anyway, will probably see you sometime this summer. Edie, Hi Edie I would love to get your ladies styling video. Also, we will work on getting you all Love, Bobbi Hi Edie, Just wanted to say thanks again to you. I learned so much and had a great, great time. The boot camp exceeded my expectations. Went out dancing last night — Thursday nights are big nights at Century Ballroom — and practiced my styling for the first time dancing with a partner. At first I felt uncomfortable adding the styling, but after a while I got used to it. Might have even styled too much. I don’t know how I looked, but I had a great time experimenting. I put the body roll in a couple of times in a couple of patterns, but it didn’t come out right. I might have even looked spastic. I was so embarrassed. I’ll have to practice that one more at home in private. My turns felt a lot better. I punched my turns, at least when I could. And one guy said, wow, Karen, that’s pretty good. I was so happy. Chris looked really good out there. She was more stylish with her arms and body movement than I’ve ever seen her before. And Bobbi looked really cute out there. I saw her arm styling that you showed us and it looked really nice, nice combination. I could go on and on about dancing, so I’ll let you go. Hi Edie, Dear Edie, Your friend always, John “salsero loco” Morey Hi Edie, I would like to thank both of you for your kindness and unselfishness. You are wonderful human beings. I had a great time at the boot camp. My expectations were met plus some!! I wanted to take your bootcamp because I wanted to know where do I stand as a dancer and I wanted to improve on my leading skills and other techniques. This boot camp was an eye opener for me. I learned so much!! I learned I have a lot of bad habits. I enjoyed your guidance and the way you pointed out what I was doing incorrectly. I enjoyed how you illustrated the moves being taught. I liked that you were very patient with me. That was a big plus of the boot camp. Dancing for hours after the class session was great and I am glad we had lots of time and space to practice what you taught. Now I need to find a dance partner, may I clone you? ;-)!! I really had a lot of fun just dancing with you Edie!!! Incredible dancer!! I expected to be critiqued and I got it. I expected to be drilled and I was. I expected it to be mentally challenging, it was and I was pooped by the end of the boot camp. I did get a mental and physical workout!! WHEW!! But it was well worth it!!! I recommend this boot camp to anyone that either wants to learn how to dance Salsa or wants to improve themselves as dancers. They know what they are talking about and they will guide you every step of the way. They know how to make the boot camp FUN!! Edie, thanks again for your patience, generosity, unselfishness and for your love of SALSA. I will see you again at the New Year’s Eve SALSA Extravaganza!! I am excited!! John “Salsero loco” Morey Dear Edie, Dear Edie, My name is Tara. I have read your articles (you’re an inspirational writer), and seen your instructional videos (which have helped immensely). I’ve seen you perform and recently even got to see you dance socially at the Miami Salsa Congress. Wow! Was that an event! It was my first congress, and besides the IHSC 2005 it was my first real professional Salsa experience. But this time was different. I had the oppurtunity to perform. A both frightning and exhilarating experience. Especially since i was pulled into the routine only 3 weeks before the show, and wasn’t “sure” of myself in the aspect. I’ve only been dancing for a little less that 2 years. My technique is not where I want it to be. But i’m working on it! 🙂 I did get my roots in Casino, as most people do down here in south florida. But my style has evolved and i’ve been learning a lot of LA and Mambo. However, instruction for those styles down here is limited, especially in LA. So anyways to the point. After the performance was over…and my relief that i did not fall or get dropped set in….i got a chance to dance and watch some great dancers, such as yourself. I just want you to know that I could have spent the whole weekend watching you dance. I did even stop by the get my picture with you. Your not only a great dancer but a genuine person too. It shows in everything you do. I really appreciate that. I also heard that you will be dancing with Henry Herrera. So hopefully you’ll be around the south florida area more. I guess my reason for this email- other than to profess my admiration- is to see if you will be teaching any workshops down here, or possibly be available for private lessons. If so that would be amazing! Either way, i look forward to seeing you more, seeing you perform, dance, read your writing, and learn from you as a dancer and a woman. Thank you for everything you do! See you around the Salsa world! Sincerely Tara (aka La gringita) Edie, Hope to see you at a class in London sometime. Dear Edie, I wanted to thank you for being so generous to me last weekend. I really appreciate all the “props” you gave me all weekend. You didn’t have to do that–YOU are the instructor, and should be the star of the evening. But you repeatedly gave me compliments in front of everyone else. It’s very rare that someone with your talent is also so incredibly humble, encouraging, and over-the-top generous with sharing your knowledge. I definately hope to see you guys again soon–in Pittsburgh, LA, or elsewhere! Thank you for giving the Pittsburgh salseros so much, and for being such With much gratitude, Ed Ribar Dear Edie, All you guys & girls out there, if you wanna be a better dancer, no matter what your level is, go to L.A., Edie will take care of the rest. Ladies, you have to do Edie’s styling class & guys, you have to take Al’s pop n’Salsa class. By all means guys should also should take lessons with Edie. When we went out dancing, i felt as if i was on a night out with some one i have known for a long time. Edie, thank you so much for the exciting Bootcamp. My best wishes to you. Kind regards, Ajit I attended your classes in Pontins here in the UK last December and they were absolutely fantastic. Hopefully you’ll make it back here again in the future. Hi Edie, Edie, Edie-people have noticed how motivated I am but more than that I actually did better in my ballroom lesson and last night when I danced! Dan even said he liked the fact I threw in some styling. It was the first time I tried it since our lessons last week. YOU ARE AN AMAZING TEACHER! The “wave” or as I call body roll–peoples faces are dumbfounded that I can do it cuz I had given up till Edie–I could write pages but I just really want you to know how good you have made me feel about becoming a better dancer. The fact that you believe I can do it and you have already influenced my dancing where people notice is such a credit to you. You have put a smile on my face and I cant wait to see how I am after months of lessons with you. I look forward to our lessons the week of July 2nd and I plan to get to know the flight attendants well because I WILL be flying to take lessons with you on a regular basis. Cant you feel the energy in this email???…this is how I have been since your lessons!! Stay as special as you are and with all GOD’s Blessings– Sheila 🙂 ps-Lory and I are meeting tomorrow to “do” your video and all the freedom moves you taught me. Edie, Hi Edie, I just wanted to drop you a little note to say “thank you very much” for an awesome Bootcamp last week. I learned SO much in SO little time. It was amazing! Even though I still have TONS to learn, my confidence level leaped exponentially. As I told you, after the first hour I felt like the way I had been dancing before was quite brutish. Thanks for drilling me on the nuances of the dance and smoothing me out. If only I could take a Bootcamp a week; I feel like I could turn pro in no time at all! “What’s up?” And I’ll catch up with you guys at one of your group Peace, KhoriDear Edie: Please, please, please…let me know when you plan to come back to the pacific northwest again. I would most certainly make it a point to take every single class you teach plus schedule more privates with you. Also… last month I read your column regarding our ability to love dancing and God as well. Edie, please don’t ever stop what you are doing. You are a blessing and a true ambassador for all of us who are God fearing and Salsa lovers as well. Thank you for time and patience. ps: I bought your video on Ladys Techniques and love the Freedom Concept. I have actually used it out in the clubs here. hehehehe….thanks! Hi Edie, just a quick note to say, had a really nice experience with my lesson on Sat. I can tell you are even a better instructor than I thought. I’ll set-up another private soon. Thanks again! James jamesg8@hotmail.com “Edie, there aren’t enough words to express just how much I enjoyed your private lesson and how much it has elevated dancing abilities. I’ve taken private lessons from several instructors and you are truly in a class of your own. Your ability to quickly and acutely break down and correct the fundamentals of Salsa is amazing. You exude compassion, energy, confidence and excitement. What’s most important is that you gave me the confidence to feel like I’m the best dancer in the land. Your lesson left me on such a high, I converted my garage into a makeshift dance studio. I’m hooked and I will always hear your voice of instruction, even when I’m practicing alone. Thank you, Edie, I can tell by your attitude that you are a good teacher and that you are going to be a great one in the very near future. From the stand point of the private lesson, I got what I had hoped to get out the lesson.
At this stage of my dancing, it is time to focus on the honing of my skills and attention on the little things that will make me a better lead. As my knowledge of leading becomes better, it will also make me a good teacher which will make me a better dancer. I hope the message regarding the need for teaching leading skills stays with you. You are in a position that will influence many people. Please emphasize to your fellow teachers and potential teachers how important it is to teach leading techniques from the early stages. I will cherish my private lesson that I had with you and hope to take another in the near future. If there is any thing I can do assist with your return to Seattle, please let me know. Thanks again and hopefully the year 2001 will see you grow insurmountably as an performer and teacher. Hi Edie, I took your level 3 Salsa, the cha cha workshop and watched the level 4 Salsa. I’ve been dancing Salsa for about 5 or 6 years now and have taken many lessons from all kinds of teachers but your precision in describing the footwork, arm movements and body positions was better than anyone else I’ve come across. I guess I often get a bit annoyed with the way many other teachers count (have you had teachers that count tap, two three four although they dance on the one!). Even [famous instructor] has a very strange way of counting on her video (she counts steps and not beats). I tried to get to see you in LA a few years ago when I was travelling around California on holiday with a friend but he wasn’t into the Salsa and didn’t fancy staying in LA (I guess it’s not quite the same as Yosemite). I’ll have to make sure I only travel with other Salsa addicts in the future! Ciao, Dave (Another Manchester Salsero) Hi Edie, >I’m from Paris and I saw you in the Salsa congress in Paris. Your show was wonderful !!! Your Salsa lesson in La Coupole too. Thank you very >much for your good advises. Before seeing your show, I was fond of Salsa, >now I’m Salsa addicted. cdelsol@noos.fr Dear Edie, My name is Shiran and i’m from Israel. Me and my friend, Noga, first saw you at the mediterranean Salsa congress in Eilat. wa were astounded by you and your dancing style, and even now, mounts after – the impretion is still intanse… We would like to come to your studio in order to learn, but after we visited your web-site we couldnt find any details about an intensive program for a couple of weeks. We would like to know if there is such a program for people who come abroad especialy to learn in your studio, and if Jenuary is a good time to arrive at the u.s. (it is very important for us, that you would teach us in person, at least part of the time). We will be glad if you could answer our e-mail as soon as possible in order we could make plans accordinly… thank you in advance, best of wishes, Shiran & Noga Edie, Your professionalism, charm, sense of humour and attention to detail were incredible. Your the best teacher I’ve ever encountered. And your a babe too! Best wishes and thankyou again Hey Edie!! I just want to say how great your workshop was at the pontin’s weekend. I’m busy trying to practice your acrobatic tricks every week now with my dance-parnter. ok, need to go again, take care,muchos besos Evelyne Hey, sweetie… I’m sorry about not writing you as soon as I got back, but I have been consumed in dancing since I got back. I have to congratulate you, thank you, and give you a big hug and a kiss… Ever since I got back, people have been telling me stuff like… “Hey, your leads have improved and I didn’t know they could get any better!” “What did you do? You’re dancing so much better!!!” Wow, I didn’t think you had made such an impact on me in such a little time. I’m definitely going to your workshops on the 6th, 7th, & 8th. Oct. Plus maybe we’ll get to dance together again, for fun. Anyway, I’ll try to do my best to do you proud, when I tell people I trained under you. By the way, now that I’m back on my turf, I find it a lot easier to do the moves you taught me. I guess it’s because I feel as if I am the Rogelio Moreno of Colorado. Don’t take it as if I am conceited… cause you and I know that I still have a ways to go to dance in the levels of such an eloquent dancer as is Rogelio. Thanx again luv, Anthony “The Salsakidd” Dear Edie, “Don’t be weak!” “Never start me with a basic!” That’s supposed to be a little funny, but not “Take me immediately into a cross body lead with a left turn, no thumbs, cross body lead with the waist, then another with a shoulder tap & show me who’s boss!” Through the dozens of private lessons and many group lessons I’ve had, only you stopped & showed me “Dip me like a dove landing on a soft pillow.” I came to you because I knew intuitively that something was wrong, that something wasn’t “Brush the top of my head when you turn me.” And you showed me exactly – “No icepicks – no thumbs!” So now that I know what it’s supposed to feel like, I can start to dance Salsa how I want to, and it’s going I’m pretty jazzed. Besides the real feel of what leading should be like, the most readily useful things you taught me were: – about forming little clumps of moves I like together to help me gain fluidity & not get stuck thinking about what to do next too much- about learning a move and variations on it to easily add – how to practice spinning myself – the Cuban motion issue (it’s a biggy!) The last two require many hours of practice on my own; the first two require some organization and some practice on my part. But I’m definitely on the road, whereas before I didn’t even know where the road was. And you’ve given me the basic tools to do what I want. The rest is up to me to flesh it all out, and it’s going to be lots of fun. I’ve already got a basic overall structure in place, and I’m starting to fill things in. When I see you again, I’ll lay it all out for you. I think you’ll get a kick out of it. The organization seems to reflect my personality a bit. – AC Hi Edie! Thank god u replied my mail… 🙂 First, I want to say that after i’ve seen you in the israeli Salsa congress I can surely say that i am your no’ 1 fan 🙂 you r amazing and definitely an inspiration to me. – Sagi Edie, No response required… I realize this is totally trivial stuff but I doubt anybody outside of you would ever appreciate it. It’s so interesting… I’m watching the [other instructor] beginners DVD… when he demonstrates a ladies outside turn for the first time it’s obvious he has a VERY selfish lead. He has his hand almost to his chest, while the lady is almost fully extended. Basically they are opposite… his is close to him and she is fully extended. He doesn’t come close to splitting the difference. It’s so obvious and clear to me because of you. There are so many little things you teach the guys which the other instructors never get. Additionally, you think about this stuff and because you learned as an adult, you see the world differently from those who learned “organically”. Your ability to analyze good and bad leads, combined with your experience dancing with so many men, provides insights few other instructors ever get. The guys get so caught up in the patterns that “how” we lead is overlooked. Guys don’t understand the importance of “the feel” of our lead. I have many women ask me if I’m an instructor… (I’m always surprised by that comment…). Part if it is my confidence that you helped instill and the other is the way I lead many things. It’s pretty regular that I have a gal say something to the effect of “your lead is very clear…” or “you are very easy to follow…” I realize these gals are often dancing with men who have never worked with someone like you, and their lead is selfish and somewhat sloppy. They may look decent (good footwork, body control) but the way they lead is underdeveloped. Note that I also watched the first [other instructor] video yesterday. I’m sure glad I didn’t pay for those… They show almost all the patterns at full speed, with very little breakdown. In the videos it’s basically full speed “monkey see, monkey do” mode. Those types of instructors frustrate me… I often need things broken down slowly and then I can speed them up… It’s not that I can’t won’t learn something from the videos, there is plenty to learn and as I continue to grow these will become more helpful. Some things I’ll see now but won’t be able to incorporate until I’m more advanced. Anyway… thanks for the videos… I love having all the material. I feel like a big sponge… and if I find one thing on each DVD, it’s a big win for me. I can tell by the way you talk sometimes that you don’t understand how good you are both performing and teaching. It’s so rare someone can perform so well and also teach it. Your skill sets are unique and I know they will serve you well as you move forward. Talk to you later. – a student Dear Edie, Just got back yesterday. It was all I hoped it would be & more. She has developed a keen analytical ability. She would sometimes dance with her eyes closed, really checking out my lead. I won’t be dancing the same again. For me, confidence isn’t an attitude I put on like a shirt from the closet. Belief isn’t so haphazard. Edie gave me the basis to have confidence; the reason to believe I’ve got something going on. Encouragement doesn’t go too far for me either, but the straight up – no chaser in-your-face experience she gave me really did the trick. So now I feel confident I’d make a good practice partner. …. And Edie, …..you’re the one who’s helped me the most in getting up & running with this. I’m grateful. Edie; Bootcamp was worth every penny! I went in only having taken group lessons in Salsa so that I could do a couple moves, but my Salsa dancing could pretty much be described as a holding pattern of the basic step wondering what to do next. By the end of Bootcamp, I had learned, by my count, about 17 different elements that could be mixed and matched, as well as a more aesthetically pleasing “holding pattern.” After that one intense evening, I feel I can now Salsa with some confidence and even look decent on the dance floor. My favorite aspects of Bootcamp were Edie’s patience and clarity of explanation, and the abundant time spent practicing moves again and again before being released to the madness of the Mayan dance floor. I highly recommend Bootcamp and am definitely doing it again in the near future. I’d hit a wall with my dancing. Privates had brought me to a certain level, but lack of real practice left my new-found skills unchallenged. You just can’t improve at Salsa unless you are dancing consistently. Often, students find the club environment somewhat overwhelming and a bit intimidating. However, Edie’s focused attention jumped started my Salsa neurons; the experience promoted new, tangible growth in my learning. A week later, I feel like a different dancer. If you’re serious, consider the “Boot Camp” a fantastic way to hone your skill and get acclimated to the Salsa dance scene. Thanks Edie!! Edie, Last nights lesson was awesome for Lisa and me. We filled in some holes in my fundamentals and we fine-tuned a bunch of things that were bothering me. Because I missed some fundamentals my current world of patterns is much smaller than it should be and you opened my eyes (again…). Lisa and I are both excited and now just have to find the time to practice. I suspect we are on the brink of making some major moves forward and I really can’t thank you enough. Don Edie, Dear Edie: Great Class today Saturday. You are the best instructor I have ever had. Edie… I spent the entire day sitting in front of my computer reading articles and things on your webside! Before I go on forgive my english if I mistake sometimes (I am from Israel) . Anyway..I thought to myself :”WOW…this couple is absolutely unblievable!!” You are so inspiring!! I ve seen you the first time at the focus club in Israel (Lior’s place..he is a good friend of mine) I didnt realize it was you..you were sitting there quietly watching everybody. And the second time was less than 2 weeks ago at the NYSC…and all I can think off now when I am back home was the warm and friendly genuine impression you made on me. You were sitting eating at your booth and I came up and told you that you were the greatest performers I ve ever Anyway..all I want you to know is that my dream of all time is to be able to dance all my life ..having my studio one day..teaching in the world…having my own team and this is something I deeply belive is gonna happen. I want you to know that after xmas I am moving to NYC just to be able to take classes with the greatest dancers in the world and after reading on you and seing you on stage , I know I ll have to step in your studio…I ve heard you give the best classes ! I am sure you do…you have such a great energy! I hope you will help my dream come true!! I will listen to any little advice you have to get me started ! Thank you for being here. Maya April 15, 2004 You guys are just too cool and too nice to be true! I’ve worked with a number of visiting celebrities in Korea, mostly musicians, and few were even 10 as down-to-earth and accessible as you. Your friendliness and accessibility definitely enhanced the workshop atmosphere, and build goodwill in the Salsa community. Most of the instructors and dancers in Seoul are also very friendly. Hopefully, your positive example will continue to influence the worldwide Salsa community. Thank you! We were all amazed by your seemingly effortless and expressive performances. You performed some of the same amazing moves and combinations you showed us during the 1st Korea Salsa Congress and a plethora of new moves and combinations, never seen before in Korea. Quite honestly, most of us were still trying to figure out “The M & M” we first saw at the Salsa Congress. And, you didn’t leave a single beat unexpressed. Many of us were probably thinking, “How did they do that? Wow, if I could only dance like that one day.” And amazingly, in the course of several days you made it seem possible. From the beginning of your workshop, you shared so openly: you didn’t hold back one single iota of your routines, knowledge or expertise. Furthermore, you prepared or came up with such clear and thorough breakdowns and explanations, I hope your awesome example of openness and generosity will start changing attitudes about sharing. Unfortunately, some instructors, in an effort to maximize their earnings, refuse to share with students the moves students are most interested in, on demand. Instead, the student is advised to enroll in a different class than the one they are currently enrolled to learn that particular move. What the instructors they fail to realize is that in the long-term they are hurting their businesses by disappointing the student and building bad will. And, dancers who bring new moves to a club are often hesitant to share their discoveries – if not in word, then through non-verbal communication – wanting to enjoy their seemingly singular moves for eternity. Or even if they are willing to share, other dancers may be too proud, competitive, or afraid of embarrassment to ask how they are done. Eventually, however, some brave, frustrated dancer finds the courage to ask, and the move begins to spread. I believe these attitudes toward teaching, sharing, and asking for help create unnecessary competition animosity and stress, when Salsa can best serve a unifying rather than a dividing force. On a personal level, I have already shared several of the patterns I learned during the workshop with the members of my Latin dance club, “Latin Soguro (Latin Inside)”, including: (Please, excuse the awkward descriptions.) (1) The “Turn Around on “6”, Two-Arm Overhead Pull-over, Copa Wave Combination”, (2) The “Spot Turn, Shoulder Turn, Squatting Floor Slap on “1”, Touch Spins”, and (3) The “CB Wave, Double (L to R Hand) Turn and Stop, Triple Man’s Hip Pivot, Lady’s Left Hand Flick to Man’s Right Hand Catch”. And the moves were used in their recent “New Member Performance”. Net, it was much more fulfilling to give than to receive – especially when the recipients appreciated what was given. Thank you! During the workshops it also became clearer to me just how hard you must work and what kind of sacrifices you must make to perform and teach at such a high level. It’s obvious you spent countless hours preparing your routines, workshops, and materials before a trip. And, from the time you hit the ground, at Incheon International Airport, you were on the go. And, you never seemed to slow down, smoothly changing gears from performers to instructors, and then back again. Moreover, your enthusiasm and energy only seemed to build throughout your visit. In addition to the excellent Korean barbeque, between performances, the workshop, group lessons, private lessons, instructor training and promotions, I hope you actually found a few moments to enjoy more of the culture. I was really deeply touched by both of you at the closing party. Both of you couldn’t have been anything more than exhausted, after another full day! I certainly was. And Edie, when I wanted to say goodbye I found you seated on the floor, in a corner, away from the crowd, catching your breath, obviously exhausted. But when you saw me, you immediately forgot about your own physical state and found the energy to wish me a warm and sincere farewell. Your examples of professionalism and work ethic were so inspiring and instructional, and will be of great help as I plan to devote myself to teaching martial arts upon my return to the states. Thank you! Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how much I appreciated and learned from the two of you about the importance of having and exhibiting a good sense-of-humor and showmanship. Simply put, you thoroughly understand how to make people laugh, feel good, and respond, through your actions and words. Your costumes, make-up and other wardrobe were awesome. Your jokes and gags were hilarious, even to non-English speakers. And, I think they’re even starting to understand what you mean about dancing on the “Booyah!” Edie, you did a tremendous job of picking up the most important Korean phrases relevant to teaching. If you would like, before your next visit, I can prepare a useful expression and pronunciation tape so you can “wow the crowd” even more. Edie, thank you for sharing this gift with us! And speaking of gifts, thank you both so much for the great CD, “Breakthrough”, by La Palabra Orquesta. I just received it. Actually, I am listening to it right now. All the best, and I look forward to our next encounter. Hopefully, we’ll meet at the 2004 Korea Salsa Congress, and I hope to attend your “Salsa Bootcamp” in Los Angeles, in early October! Love, Happiness, Peace and Blessings, Maceo Good Morning Edie! Your professionalism; the organized class syllabuses; your articles and inviting us to review them; your tips on techniques and the way you teach them; and most of all your generous patience, are all brilliant. At times, the class even feels a bit like a self-improvement workshop, but how could that possibly be a problem? You are so spiritual and so in touch with your life experiences that every bit of prep-talk and the anecdotes you share help me personally to move beyond my hang-ups about my ability, my body, by demeanor, etc., consequently pushing me forward. (It would a total loss to take that aspect of your teaching for granted!) I specially liked last session since we went through lots of repetitions. I also liked the fact that we had to perform while you watched us. It motivated us towards having to learn and remember. Moreover, ever since I’ve taken Salsa classes, I have always wondered why on earth don’t the teachers let the girls learn how to lead since it will help us understand the men’s burden? Needless to say that you have fulfilled that dream too!! May you always be blessed with great health and that positive energy!!! Bon Voyage and have a wonderful time! Sincerely, Scarlet Hi Edie, My name is [studio owner] I own a dance studio in [city]. I met you at last year’s West Coast Salsa Congress in LA. I think you are an amazing lady and your credentials and experience and knowledge and business sense are quite impressive. I am planning to attend this year’s and would like to take the instructor training workshop. Hi Paul/Imogen/Salsa UK. The vibes last night were second to none, you could smell the success at the club last night with so many special guests in attendance. I am glad that I was able to share that success and be associated with Salsa UK. Dear Edie I just wanted to thank you both for taking the time to come to our UK Salsa Congress 2004 at Bognor Regis last weekend – it was the highlight of my weekend, meeting you both, attending your classes. I was on such a high leaving the weekend, I went to the Ion bar, a funky Salsa club in Ladbrook Grove, London, the following night (even though my legs could hardly function after such an energetic and exhausting weekend), and some of the people to whom I mentioned I had been to this Salsa Congress were surprisingly dismissive of it, saying that there are too many happening to attend them all. I realise I am still very much a novice (having only been dancing for 11 months usually once a week), but to me it seemed this weekend just gone had such an array of Salsa stars that it would be ludicrous to miss it! (And, yes, I am just about to write to Paul and tell him, plus let him know that it was you two who were the reason I came to the Congress in the first place!). My dance partner, Desmond Bobb, and I were very pleased to meet you both in person, so that we could pay you for our hooky copy of your Intermediate Moves DVD – we both were so inspired by seeing it (and yes, the first viewing made us go, gosh, we’re never going to be able to copy that, but, after much pausing, re-winding, step-by-step note-taking and many practices, we finally managed to execute most of the moves passably, so that we realised they weren’t impossible! [even if the stylishness was all your own and ours a long way to go…]) from borrowing a friend’s DVD, that we had a copy made so that we could practice it. [We even had wanted to cheekily show you the Cuban over this weekend, but it never transpired!] We both felt very bad not having ordered the original version from you, so it was both a relief and a pleasure to finally be able to pay you for it in person, with much thanks and gratitude for the time and effort you put into making it, not to mention the humour and the clarity of your teaching! It’s observations like that (plus watching you both entertain us greatly with that fantastic partner work class on Sunday morning, when we all sat down and listened and watched – by far the funniest and most inspiring class I have ever attended, I really wish that had been taped!) that make me in awe of the love you both share for each other, and that you have created a harmonious, humorous and loving marriage which has lasted (something which I have not yet managed to conquer, hence I have so much respect for you both for being the kind of people who have achieved it and maintained it for years, especially when considering that you work together!). So, Edie, it’s your talent, your humour, your love and respect for each other, and your humility with your fans that has wowed me, and when I heard you were going to be starring at this Congress, I knew I just had to be there, and I’m grateful to you for that, because the whole weekend, of classes, shows, singing with our chalet foursome late into the night, the amazing costumes, the incredible talent (the lovely legs!) and the buzz from all these happy dancing people has created a memory that left me zinging, and wanting to attend every year until I die, or am no longer able to stand! I especially wanted to thank you Edie for all those tips and wisdom you shared on Sunday’s Ladies’ Styling Class. I’ve now started to practice the sexy walking bit, and the huge grin when concentrating really hard!! The compliment about my following thrilled me no end, so I’m now going to order your Beginner’s starter kit (even though I always push myself to try the more complicated dancers in our class, and even two weeks ago led as a man in an advanced routine), because I realise I need to consolidate the basics, before I can add the styling that so impresses me and I yearn to exhibit! I’m sorry if this all sounds a bit disjointed and crazy – when it all came tumbling out in my head this morning, it sounded much cooler than this is! If you want a little glimpse of my craziness, I have attached some photos of three of the loves in my life : my pythons Samba (the female reticulated python, the largest one), Jed (the male African rock python, the second largest one) and Tommy (the male African Royal python, the littlest one). They are all twelve years old, and I love them dearly. Also, if it’s not too embarrassing for you, I have appended my new mission, inspired by this weekend and by meeting you both. I love the innovation and inspiration with which you charm us all, and they do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Strangely, on Saturday night, when I was quickly painting my stubby nails white (to match my white dress and to cover up the black nail I acquired from a mis-hit hammer when laying a wooden floor three weeks ago), my to-be dance partner Darren Alexander suggested I should paint his nails white for the evening also, just for fun! That’s the sort of irreverent impulse I thoroughly enjoy, and I can’t wait to buy all of your DVDs to see just what else you do and can inspire us to modify and grow from! As Jacqueline Bryden (Des’s new girlfriend and Darren’s old dance troupe member) remarked, it’s heartening to see how your faith in God allows each of you to remove all worries before dancing and to express your inner child uninhibitedly and full of fun! Looking forward immensely to the next time you lovely couple return to the UK, a heart-ful fan, Colette P.S. The title refers to clothing colours Sunday night…! P.P.S. I wrote this on Tuesday 28th September 2004, still on a high from the weekend, but was waiting to find a scanned-in picture of my middle snake, Jed, but can’t find one so am sending this anyway, before it becomes too out-of-date, and will forward a picture of Jed when I have scanned a new one in! Thanks once again for being my dance heroes and such great guys! Mission: To be able to live a life filled with love and dance & sensuality & helpfulness & kindness & generosity & exploration, and good health & good fitness & good looks, and an inner vitality and positivity, and great inventions & useful contributions to policy & process & structure wherever I am able, and good organisation & good humour & good wisdom & good connectedness to the world, with all bills paid, all debts cleared, an excess of £1,000,000 in my UK bank accounts and an excess of R500,000 in my SA bank account and an excess of SF500,000 in my Swiss bank account, and an increasing passive income always in excess of £200,000 p.a. and an income stream from me to my family members & selected friends, past loves, & acquaintances & charities always in excess of £100,000 p.a., and to teach others by Monday 27th September 2004 inspired by Salsa Congress 2004 in Bognor Regis, and meeting (and dancing with) Edie the Salsa Freak my dance hero — Dear Edie: Your Salsa bootcamp was remarkable yet tiring. My boyfriend and I, nevertheless, took a lot of moves, inspiration, and motivation home with us…at least that’s what I thought at the time of departure. My boyfriend went home very frustrated and his emotions transcended over to me. There was nothing I could do or say to ease his emotions. I knew that he wanted to become a better dancer but all I could tell him was about your “Beginner’s Curve”. This made sense. He was feeling “beginner’s frustration”. Just how you explained it in class. I went to bed last night feeling that the only reason why my boyfriend wanted to learn was because he knew that it would make me happy but not because he actually wanted to learn for himself…..and actually enjoy it while learning. This morning, however, it was a different story. He called me and said he was watching your Hip Hop DVD at work. He loves it and he’s already motivated enough to go to Home Depot to buy wooden tile to tape out in his background. I feel better and relieved. <<Sigh with a big breath>>. Thank you Edie for being an inspiration to all those around you. Please let me know how I can purchase the Salsa 101 videos. Thank you. Best, – Wishing to remain Anonymous Hi Edie, I don’t know you but just wanted to send a message to say thanks for the newsletter and to share that everything I’ve heard about you (your rise to the top in Salsa, your ability to recreate your life, your positivity…), it’s admirable and inspiring! You’re obviously an empowered go-getter and women are lucky to have you as a teacher! Allie Nina’s Comment: “Edie i’m sooooooooooooo glad i got to attend the Salsa festival at palm springs 🙂 i would say that was my best Salsa exprience ever! and thats all thanks to you! you are one of the most amazing people i have ever met……. you are a great exciting inspiring person…….you have taught me soooooooo much more in those 4 short days then anyone in my 8 month Salsa experience! anyone would be more than lucky to be your student and i hope that sometime in the near future i’ll be at least half as good as you are…….jesus has given you an amazing talent and i’m glad you share it with others 🙂 i cant wait for next year to come again! i hope to hear from you! and thanks so much again 🙂 p.s. you are my inspiration :)” Edie- Thanks for responding! I have 10+ years of ballet training….and keeping my toes pointed straight is an issue for me and probably a good cause of my dilemna. I am working on this as diligently as possible. (Salsa is much more fun than ballet). I had sent this before I went to the Palm Springs Salsa Congress end July weekend….I took all your classes and they were great!!! You were an absolute kick, a great teacher and a joy to watch dance. In one of your classes you talked about the hottie: JJ who you taught at 8am one morning….well, that night I danced with him (he WAS adorable!)….he tried a new move on me that I had never done….poor guy, I think my fingers went up his nose by mistake. BTW, I have a Salsa friend in Melbourne, Australia who also raves about you…he was so proud of himself that he asked you to dance at one of the Australian Congresses. Good Luck to you with your dancing and in life. I hope I have the chance to take another one of your classes in person. Lori Zorn Dear Edie!!
Just wanted to say that you are a WONDERFUL person. I was at the Arhem congress and had a great time, although I am always impressed by so many great dancers together! Please DO move to Europe, and Holland is a great place to live, with an open culture and LOTS of Salsa. The Salsa scene is growing so fast (and it is already HUGE as you know), and people are so hungry for more, they want to learn as much as possible. You being around here would be a blast!
Take care, and see you at one of Holland’s parties! Bas Smeets Dear Edie, Hello. I’m allways reading Your articles, and what is you writing it so true, about the lead, the style, the life on the dance floor. You making me feel that i’m not alone. Thank you. Are You Coming to the congress in Israel? please come. Anna. Subject: thanks for helping Midge Hi, Edie, My dance partner, Midge Shigemura, took a private lesson with you yesterday (Saturday 7/9/06) at the Orland Salsa Congress. I just wanted to thank you for the helpful techniques you provided to Midge, and for the positive approach you used. Midge has been in group classes where the instructor called her “klunky” in front of the other students, and she has taken private lessons where she has gotten inadequate, dismissive, or inconsistent instructions — so she sometimes suffers from a crisis of confidence in her own abilities. Despite that, she is a good dancer who can spin 15 or 20 times and can follow almost any lead. You pointed her to a way to improve her dancing style and appearance, and that’s what she was looking for. Again, many thanks! Skate “Edie, I learned more from you in TWO HOURS Sent: Friday, April 07, 2006 9:30 AM To: wowedie@yahoo.com Subject: Re: Salsa FREAK April 2006 Newsletter!!! Edie, You are a blessing to the Salsa world. May God continue to bless and keep you. In Him, A Fan |