And Salsa Chillout have enough dancing and entertainment and STUFF going on to cool down even the hottest, sweatiest case of Spring Fever you could ever find in England. Oh, yes.

Do you want to know? Do you? Well, then.

2008 is so very special, Terry and Yolande have decided to give you - YES, YOU! - another day. And not any old day, no. The 29 th February to be exact. And that gives you, dear ladies, carte blanche to propose to ANY MAN YOU WANT TO without fear of embarrassment – because you can blame it on the day. Don't blame it on the sunshine, don't blame it on the moonlight, don't blame it on the good time, blame it on the 29 th February.

I am currently trying to track down George Clooney's home phone number (which is proving harder than I first thought. No idea why). But if unsuccessful, I shall certainly be at Salsa Chillout's special salsa for a fiver at Marconi on the 29 th . If I am, watch out – I am quite speedy for such a petite person…

Following swiftly on – the regular and very popular La Rueda for a fiver at The Wooden Hut, Stanford Le Hope on Friday 14 th March with Salsa Sensation's very own Steve Eden!!!!!! I highly recommend the dos hokey arriba e cokey move. Still trying to master it but I'm getting there. I really think I am…

And following even more swiftly after that. Actually, the day after - which is pretty swift - is This Month's Star Attraction!!!!! Miguel Rico and Mayana on Saturday 15 th March at Marconi in Chelmsford . This couple last appeared for Salsa Chillout at Planet Salsa in March 2007, and were a great hit. Their reputation has continued to grow and they are one of the most sought after teaching and performing acts in the UK and Europe . A real treat in store, I feel. So come along and get a little Puerto Rican magic. And that's really quite rare in Chelmsford .

Now, before I move onto the STAR INTERVIEW with Adriana of Palenke (I think Palenke are wonderful, I was quite star struck!), as well as all our lovely weekly classes and special club nights, Salsa Chillout spread their wings to secret places and take salsa to all sorts of people that we don't know about. Well, we do now….in February, not only did our Sharon travel Over The River to teach some youngsters and their outdoor pursuits leaders some salsa moves, but our Terry ended up introducing some top-secret V.I.Ps – possibly people with titles before AND after their names – to a little bit of Salsa, Chillout Style. He hasn't let it go to his head, but remember to bow and exit the room backwards next time you see him.

One more thing before I move on. A public announcement. Beware the Ides of March. I was told by this bloke, said he was a soothsayer, (I thought he was trying to get me to change my gas supplier – but no, as it turns out) said he was looking for someone called Julius, or Ceaser, or something. Anyway, I have no idea when it is. But if you see Julius, or you bump into Ceaser could you let them now. And watch your back!

So, then, Palenke. As always, a great night out. There's nothing like dancing to live music – you can get a real connection and lose yourself in it so quickly because the performers and the dancers feed off each other's energy. Palenke were the first live salsa band I ever saw, and they never, ever fail to deliver a top night out.

Palenke are a very well-established band – 20 years to be exact; and lead singer Adriana has been with them for fourteen of those. So, I wanted to know – what was it like to fly in from South America and join an already up and running group?

“Palenke brought me to England from Columbia in 1994,” said Adriana. “I didn't know anyone and I didn't speak any English – I didn't know whether I was north, south or centre!!

“I arrived on Wednesday and started singing on Friday, and began gigging for seven days a week for four years.”

But getting used to the UK was more difficult than you may imagine.

“It took a while to understand the culture,” she continued. “I was locked inside a Latin bubble – eating Latin food, talking the same language, performing to Latin people. I eventually acclimatised to the culture, but not the weather!”

The profile of salsa has risen hugely since the early 1990's when Adriana joined the group and so the kind of audience Palenke performs to has changed.

Explained Adriana, “80% of our clients are now English. It has evolved – before there were always a lot of salsa clubs to perform in which kept us part of the Latin bubble for a while. Now, there are less venues and we do more festivals and corporate work and things like that. So, more of our clients are English and European, who really appreciate us!

The Latins like us, but we are not so unique to them. Like the English eating fish and chips!”

“So, we are taking our music to a wider audience than just salsa – it is good for the music, too, as it brings new people into it.”

Now, as I said, I think there is nothing better than dancing to a live band. But what is like performing to a live audience?

“It's amazing,” said Adriana. “I could do it forever! We are so lucky that people welcome us so much. People really appreciate our new album, which makes it even easier to perform as we know people appreciate it.

“I am very down to earth and humble. When people dance when we're performing I am grateful and humble.”

She continued, “In Columbia I worked in a bank, and now I'm here doing what I'm doing. I am very grateful.

“Palenke is the love of my life – Lisandro is the composer and arranger of most of the songs, and Fernando (Kinacho) is the sound engineer. It works perfectly, and I am in the middle.”

And strange though it may sound, Adriana sees Palenke as very much British.

“We're taking the album to Germany and going to Canada and Dubai amongst other places, but our roots are in the UK more than anywhere else.”

And a big thank you from a live performer,

“Thank you to all the fans and people who have supported Latin music and live bands and musicians.”

And I for one, will never pass up the opportunity to dance when Palenke are performing. Top notch!

Copyright Chris Penhall 2008