And, frankly, I do look like I've been in the tropics after a fierce night's dancing. But not in a good way. I'm not one of those women who looks ….untouched….by salsa. I always look like I've been screeching around a dance floor for three hours. I know I have been, but once, just once, I'd like to screech around a dance floor for three hours and leave looking exactly the same as when I arrived. Other people do it, I see them all the time. Naming no names, but they can walk in the door all beautiful Audrey-Hepburn-esq, with smooth, sleek hair, glowing skin, perfect, subtle make-up. Dance solidly for three hours, and then leave, without a bead of sweat troubling their perfect brow, or a hair out of place. Whereas I, I, I…always look like Courtney Love after a really, really heavy night. And I haven't had one, I've just been dancing.

Anyway, I digress – lets get back to the important business of what exactly Salsa Chillout are up to next. And they are up to something rather special actually.

They are in The Fling. Yes, they are.

You want to know what The Fling is…well, it is a unique cultural entertainment taking place in Chelmsford's Central Park on July 5 th . And by unique I mean, there's loads of diverse stuff going on…including a Storytellers tent, a Massage Tent…..a Music Tent, an Exotic Dance Tent hosted by Salsa Chillout, and a Sandy Beach Tent. I like the sound of that one, you can run between the Exotic Dance Tent and the Sandy Beach Tent and pretend you are at an Exotic Beach party. And there's a food and drink tent too, so you can grab a cocktail, stand on the beach, and dance salsa. All in the middle of Chelmsford on a Saturday evening.

And it's got all the usual Salsa Chillout ingredients – class, fun and variety!. There's salsa and cha cha, plus Tango from Caro, The-Regular-last-Friday-of-the-month Tango teacher. There is also – and I'd like to use this opportunity to Trail Ahead, as they say – a show from up and coming four piece dance group, Mombata, who will also be guest teachers and performers at Marconi in Chelmsford on 19 th July.

Now, that is a Lot of Salsa stuff. And it's at an event that puts salsa right in the heart of the local community. As it should be.

Anyway, before I speed on to my little chat with Salsa Sensation's Steve Eden, guest teacher at Marconi on June 22 nd , another in my short series:

The Salsa Chillout Pocket History of different kinds of dance.

And because Steve taught Casino de La Rueda, this month it is…..

The Salsa Chillout Pocket History of Rueda

where dancers got together and created new styles. And Rueda was one of them. Under Castro's regime, Rueda went underground and eventually resurfaced in the streets and in people's homes. It spread to Miami in the 1990s and is now popular all over the world.

The End

So then, I grabbed Steve after a marathon La Rueda class which managed to cater to beginners and the more advanced Rueda dancers and keep them all interested and motivated. Which is no mean achievement.

I do love La Rueda – it can look absolutely fantastic with all those people moving in unison to those vibrant Cuban rhythms. It doesn't always look like that, though, but it always looks fun, and in my opinion, the possibilities of people bumping into each other, tripping each other up, and clapping a beat too late like Corporal Jones in Dads Army is a recipe for a great night out. N.B. I have done all of those things. In fact, I did them tonight.

So, what drew Steve Eden to Salsa?

“I started salsa in 1999,” he explained, “when I saw it danced in a club called Ministry in London. It wasn't a salsa night, but Ministry used to play different kinds of music.

“This music comes on and then I saw this couple dancing, and that was it!”

He continued, “there were 17 of us guys out, and one of them, Nad, said, “That's salsa, I can do that.” – We had known him for six years and none of us knew that!”

“He said, “next time a salsa track comes on I'll dance it. And he did – he danced with the girl who we'd watched dancing earlier. And we were gobsmacked.!

“So, I went to where he learned to dance, a place called F1. After three lessons Leon Williams asked if I wanted to teach for his company. I had been a dancer and performer in R and B and Hip Hop, and he knew me from that.

“With those two forms of music, the breaks, the beats, the bars etc are the same.”

But, what was it about the music that got Steve so hooked so quickly?

“Salsa music is very vibrant and very catchy,” he explained, “and also, in the salsa scene it is really easy to get on with everybody, and I liked that.”

So, the rest is history – Salsa Sensation and now Dance Junction – the only dance venue of its kind in Europe.

And the appeal of Rueda?

Said Steve,” It's a lot of fun. Everyone dances together which means new people don't feel intimidated. And you can be a bit cheeky with it…”

Say, no more

Ainda ma, and away we go…!

Copyright Chris Penhall 2008

PS Did you miss this Congress interview with Terry and Yolande?