Spicy Salsa

The Brighton Salsa Festival provides the Latin rhythms for one wild weekend

Latin fever is coming to Brighton in the form of the Brighton Salsa Festival, bringing Latin passion and heat to the heart of Sussex, where 100’s of dancers and artists from all over the world will converge for a weekend of Latin passion, fun and sexy, sexy salsa.

But what if you’re a complete beginner, or can’t dance? Not to worry; there will be workshops in Afro-Latin dances throughout the weekend. You can learn tango with Carola, bachata with Simon Lord Bachata, kizomba with Patrick Toffa (2nd World Kizomba Champion), Cuban rueda with Nikola Medic (World Rueda Champion), and salsa with the six times World Salsa Champions all the way from Cali, Colombia, Jhon and Yudi. Plus there will be over 50 international artists along with Sussex’s best dance schools, who are supporting the event.

The festival culminates in a live concert at the Sallis Benney Theatre on Saturday 30 June by the New York legend Jose Mangual Jr and an 11 piece orchestra (think Buena Vista Social Club), who will be performing a unique homage to Hector Lavoe and Jimmy Sabater Jr, two of the greatest salsa legends with whom he worked and shared the stage for many years. This is an unmissable star studded night featuring cabaret shows by Jhon Vazquez and Yudi Aguilar plus Lazaro Lopez from Cuba. For the aficionados there will be dancing till 4am with world famous DJs like Julian the Duke, Eric the Saint, Mr Bongo and many more.

For those who would like to take it at a leisurely, Caribbean pace, there will be music and percussion workshops with Jose Mangual Jr and Wilmer Sifontes; films starring Celia Cruz; talks by Izzy Sanabria (the New York creator of the salsa concept); distinguished authors like Jim McCarthy (Voices of Latin Rock) and Sue Steward (British journalist/writer) and exhibitions of art and photography.

Brighton Salsa Festival,
Friday 29 June – Sunday 1 July
The Sallis Benney Theatre and University of Brighton Gallery Complex 58 – 67 Grand Parade, Brighton, 07780 803560, www.brightonsalsafestival.com