Come cut a rug at the Roots & Rhythms Dance Stage with interactive Dance Workshops and inspiring Dance Demonstrations from some of BC’s finest!

 

 

 

Dance Stage Workshops:

Dance Fusion Workshop with Slava Doval

Dance Fusion or FestiDance is for ALL AGES and ALL LEVELS. Come join Slava for a unique and energizing dance experience. This festive class will fuse elements of Urban Street styles with Folky roots, we will move and groove to Balkan Beats, Latin Funk, Bhangra Bop and Afro Pop! Not to be missed. Learn some sweet new moves to take to the dance floor for the festival head liners.

Bio for Slava Doval

Slava Doval is a passionate dance performer and teacher who infuses her globally minded movements with grace and presence while exploring the common thread in dances from around the world. She’s currently busy teaching, creating choreography, artistic direction and costumes for Slava’s DanceFusion, a holistic dance school for all ages in Nelson, BC.  Her style is a fusion of old world roots and new times sensibility, blending culture, movement and community to create an expression of joy, presence, discipline and grace. Her unique dance style is an organic blend of her Slovak roots, Contemporary technique, Folklorico, Afro-Latin, Balkan, Bollywood, Cumbia, Urban Street styles and more. She believes dance and music can unite us all in these changing times.   Slava has brought her joyful dance  last year to Salmon Arm Roots and Blues with the Adham Shaikh Outworld Orkestra, and this year is excited to share her unique styles at the festival with teaching.

 

Hip Hop Workshop with Brandon Brown

Join Casanova and explore the fundamentals of various urban dance styles, including popping, animation, breakdancing, and waving.   After learning some new movement styles, we will get down and funky with a choreographed routine and perhaps even a dance battle!

Bio for Brandon Brown (Casanova)

Casanova has been dancing to the funky grooves since 2004.  From the back of all night “rave” parties to the hardwood of world class dance studios, he’s trained in nearly every major city on the west coast of Canada and the United States. Casanova has most recently entered the B-boy community in Vancouver.  From foundations to all out freestyle flow and choreography, he’s ready to share his intimate knowledge of the language of dance.

I believe that expression is key to a happy and fulfilling life as a human being.  Unfortunately for many of us, screaming at people when we’re upset isn’t the best way to get a point across and will usually cause people to move away from our selves instead of towards.  This is, at least for me, where dance has come in.  It is my answer to all those things that I perceive to be wrong in the world.  It is my answer to all those things which cause me frustration and suffering.

 

Jive Workshop with Samantha Sambrielaz and Jaime

Jive has been a popular dance since the 50’s with many variations branching from this original and truly  “American Dance”.  An energetic dance with quick feet and sharp turns that enhance the fun and spirited sensation of the music!  This workshop will get you started in some very basic Jive steps that you can take with you from the Festival and dance you right through till next year!

Bio for Samantha Sambrielaz

Samantha started Latin and ballroom dancing at the age of 15, beginning with  group lessons, then becoming more serious with private lessons and competitions. She was trained as an instructor by Warren Eaton, the founder of Latinesque, and now continues his legacy at the studio in Kelowna.  Classes are fun and Samantha, keeps everyone smiling with her own flare, no matter what the challenge.  Dance training is ongoing for Samantha as she continues participating in competitions.

 

Bachata Workshop with Jaime and Samantha Sambrielaz

Bachata grew out of the dance styles of bolero and meringue and originated in the countryside and rural neighbourhoods of the Donimican Republic. The music is marked by the bright sound of a cleanly plucked guitar. As a music of the underclass, bachata was banned from mainstream radio for decades because of its tough, streetwise subject matter AND dance movements!  Bachata records never appeared on official charts until the 1990s, when mainstream musicians began to experiment with the style, and bachata was rehabilitated. The music of bachata is played by modern artists such as Prince Royce and subsequently has made the dance style as popular today as salsa and meringue.  Be sure to grab a special partner to get close to…….see how during the Perfomance Showcase of Instructors at 11am both Saturday and Sunday at the Roots n Rhythms Dance Stage.

Bio for Jaime

Jaime (hi-me) started dancing at a very young age with his sisters guidance in their living room. Only three years ago, he began formal training and has been unstoppable since.  Jaime brings his true passion to the dance floor with every song and makes anyone he dances with feel like a professional!

 

Hoola Hoop Fusion Workshop with Mira Verve

Hula Hooping 4 Guys n’ Gals:  Aside from the traditional hoop dancing of Native cultures, hula hooping got its start in the 70’s; from then on Hula Hooping soon became an International fad and has recently found a resurgence in festival culture.

In this workshop you will learn, to spin the hoop from head to toe and how to do jumps as well as tosses with the hoop. Hooping is so playful, it’s hard to believe all the cardio and isometrics you will accomplish by engaging in it.
The soundtrack will be a compilation of Electro Swing hits, which will leave you feeling like the solar system… spin spin spin!
Hula Hoops will be provided, all levels welcome.

Mira Verve bio 

Mira is an impassioned dancer and choreographer, with an eclectic dance style.
Dancing from the age of 3, she’s studied everything from Ballet, Jazz, West African, Latin, to Tribal Fusion and Hula Hoop Dance…..Defining her as a world fusion dancer.

Over the past four years she has worked with Geotropic Communications, as dance director for the Labyrinth stage at Shambhala Music Festival.  Each year she Choreographed the “Opening Ceremony”, a well renowned dance theatre collaboration, which allowed her to work with many talented soloists, troupes and ensembles.

Throughout festivals she coordinates performances and workshops, whilst performing and teaching herself.

Festivals are the perfect environment for art and Mira is always looking forward to her next dance adventure.

~music is the mother of all art forms  ~  dance is her eldest daughter

Yoga Workshop with Reanna Costa:

Start your Roots and Blues day with a fresh breath of Hatha Flow.  Connect back to the basics by warming your body up slowly, moving with breath through a variety of asanas (poses) designed to stretch and strengthen.  You will leave this workshop feeling energized, clear headed, and feeling GREAT! Suitable for all levels and a great class to participate in whether it is your first time or you are a seasoned Yogi!

Bio for Reanna Costa

Reanna is a Yoga graduate from Prana Yoga College and studied under Shakti Mhi in 2006 and is currently working from her studio here in Salmon Arm.  It was then that Reanna discovered that yoga was not just a hobby or exercise routine but a lifestyle.  Reanna’s commitment to this new lifestyle is an ongoing journey of workshops and education which has included teachings with Karuna Erickson, Bernie Clarke, Yogi Vishvketu and Mark Stephens.
Reanna’s classes have an emphasis on the breath, flowing through the body and finding that union between mind-body-spirit that is Yoga.  She stays true to the true roots of Yoga, and by honoring it’s tradition creating a ‘work-in’ rather than a “work-out”.   Reanna is currently working from her Salmon Arm Studio ~ breatheyogastudio@outlook.com

 

Salsa Workshop with Marlene Woodroff

Salsa is an exciting, sexy, flirtatious dance where inhibitions are lost as bodies move together to fast paced, hot latin rhythms.  Perhaps that is why it grown to become one of the most popular dances.  With roots in Cuba and Puerto Rico it is rich in cultural history and has a very unique music style which makes you feel you are on a hot tropical beach!!

 

Bio for Marlene Woodroff

Marlene began studying dance in 1988 which included jazz, hip hop, lyrical and ballet. In 2004, she joined Latinesque and added ballroom and Latin to her repertoire as well as entering competitions and performing at events both in group and solo routines.  Her achievements include showcase performances at the Calgary Open and Grand Ball in Vancouver competing in all the ballroom and latin dance styles, earning many first place awards. In 2010 when Marlene was invited to teach at the Latinesque studio her path changed direction and she was able to blend her knowledge of dance with her former academic teaching experience thus translating to others the joy of dance.

 

 

 

African Dance Workshops with Jacky Essombe

Jacky Essombe

As a dance instructor and workshop presenter, she gives more than just a dance lesson; she offers the experience of openness to the self through movement and body awareness, and a true cultural experience. Over the last eight years, Jacky has been presenting the African Healing Dance Workshop for Women throughout BC, as well as helping people with all body shapes and fitness experience reach their fitness goals with her increasingly popular Afro’Robics and Soukouss classes.  More information on Jacky Essombe click here.