Salsa is one of the fastest spreading Latin dance forms in India. Everybody has heard about it. Everybody wants to do it! Salsa in Spanish means sauce, a rather spicy sauce. It also hints at a “mixture” of ingredients which had made it spicy. Salsa is more than just a dance form. Some say that it a magic drug which improves the quality of your life. Lets just say that it is subject to interpretation and it is a very accommodating dance form,which generously imbibes into itself, the styling from a lot of dance forms across the world.

Having said that, let me introduce to John Anthony, Founder & CEO and his Latino Rhythms Dance Academy based in Bangalore, India that specializes in Salsa and other dance forms like Jive, Bachata, Rueda de Casino and Cha-Cha. He has made a business establishment out of what he loves the most, dance!

Latino Rhythms Dance Academy was founded in 2005 and has seen close to 1500 students in the past 4 years. John admits that it is no easy task to build a dance school right from the scratch when the odds against them. Now that Latino Rhythms is comfortably established, he has big plans for his dance school and his students. By 2012, he wants to see his students perform at the International Salsa Congress that happen all over the world. He also plans to tie-up with various well established Latin dance school in the US for mutually beneficial exchange programs. Yes! He is very ambitious but already has chartered plans to achieve his goals for the dance school. And most of us know that without passion and ambition, nothing much can be achieved.

This was what John Anthony had to tell  India Startup Diary:

1. How did you get interested in dancing? Did you at that point in time see that you will be having a dance school in the future?

   Ans : I started as just a stress buster, never ever dreamt that I would have a school

2. What is your dance philosophy?

   Ans :When you have feet to walk , you can definitely dance.

3. How did Latino Rhythms come into being and how big is your school right now?

   Ans : The idea sprung when I choreographed a routine for my colleagues in an office party which went on to become a big hit. My confidence grew and I started teaching people who were not my colleagues. From then, there was no stopping.

4. India is still young when it comes to Latin dance forms. Whom did you train under?

   Ans: I started learning Jive under Prithvi and Ree from Rock Around the Clock Dance Academy. I was later drawn to Salsa and was under Richard Tholoor from Lourd Vijay’s Dance Studio. Dancing beyond a point is how you interpret the music and improvise on what you have learnt. I am mostly self taught and I have learnt most of my techniques and styling by watching a lot of dance videos.

5. Who is your target segment?

   Ans :Corporates and students. We are working on a lot of programs for college students, host parties at popular clubs, provide student discounts,conduct workshops and so on.

6. How is it going so far and where do you see yourself and Latino Rhythms in 2 years time? Ans: So far, so good, Latino Rhythms in the next 2 years for sure, will be one of the best dance academies in India. In the future, we would not only concentrate on Latin dance forms but also on other dance forms and fitness activities like Bollywood, Hip Hop , Belly Dancing, Ballet, Yoga, Kick Boxing, Aerobics and so on.

7. What are the challenges that you face currently and how do you plan to overcome them?

   Ans:Its always a challenge to get more youngsters involved in dance , especially Salsa because it takes a little longer to learn and needs a whole lot of patience.

8. Finally, what do you have to tell to a person who wants to dance ?

   Ans : Just dance no matter what, don’t ever be bothered about who is watching you. Just take on the floor and enjoy. Some have a natural rhythm and learn faster and some are little slower in learning but eventually everyone does learn. Dance is not rocket science so learn it. Salsa is not just a dance form , but it also something that can help you with a lot of things like  improving your concentration skills, being confident, basic discipline, widening your thought process and kill the stress..

    

   Contact details:

   email jalatino@gmail.com,

   phone: +91 98454 33370

   website : www.latinorhythms.in

Author’s note : Watch out next week for Part 3 of 4 of this series!

Dancing…

Dancing, everybody loves dancing. Some of us are natural dancers, some of us are trained dancers, some of us are dressing-room-mirror dancers and some of us can only dance after five shots of tequila. Then there are some who stand out. They are the ones who have turned their love for dancing into world class dancing business establishments. They are young, energetic, vivacious dancers who are also smart business people. There are a less than a handful in India and they are the ‘League of the Extraordinary Dancing Entrepreneurs’.

Having said that, Mumbai based Karma Salsa guru Kaytee Namgyal and his Salsa India dance school has to be introduced. Many are ready to swear by his unique ‘Karma-Salsa’. Salsa India has seen more than 5000 enthusiastic students falling in love with Salsa, several of whom, after having learnt from Kaytee, have taken up Salsa as their profession. So what is Karma Salsa? ‘Karma’ is Kaytee’s real name. Karma-Salsa as Kaytee describes with passion, is all about musicality, body movement and dancing through one’s body, mind and soul, in a dancer’s interpretation and representation of the instruments being played and feel of the music. Dancing is as individualistic as the dancer’s personality, so is Karma-Salsa synonymous with Kaytee’s panache and energetic yet fluid style.

This is what Kaytee Namgyal, Founder and Director of Salsa India had to tell about what he does about his love of dancing.

1. How did your affair with Salsa begin and how did Salsa India come into being?

ANS: Salsa began in the year 2000 when I was visiting my cousins in Tokyo. I fell in love with the music when I was at a Salsa Bar in Tokyo. It was the music that drove me to Salsa. Salsa India started when I came back to India and decided to spread my love for Salsa across India.

 2. When you started out, India would not have had anyone teaching Salsa. From where did you learn and from whom did you learn?

ANS: I had my professional training in LA and NY. I trained with Luis Vasquez, Eddie Torres, Frankie Martinez and many others from around the world. After learning with some of the biggest names in the world I started experimenting with my own styles and here I am with Karma Salsa- an unique style.

3 Who is the team behind ‘Force Kaytee’?

ANS: All my faculty at Salsa India. They are the reason why Salsa India is still strong and on top. I give full credit to my heart whose decision I don’t question.

 4. Is Salsa the only dance form that you teach?

ANS: I teach Mambo, Street Cha Cha, Zouk Love, Kizomba, K-Style Bachata, Hip Hop Salsa, Disco,Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary and Meringue besides Salsa

5.How is the salsa scene in India and how different is your school from the other dance schools in India?

 ANS: Salsa Scene in India is growing at a fast pace and it still has to go a long way. At Salsa India musicality and technique are the most important. I emphasize on music as the core to dancing and style as well. For me its all about “Different Music, Different Style”. A dancer needs to be versatile. I teach people about the way of life through music.

6. What is your revenue model?

ANS: Work on getting results, rest will all follow. My model in business is to make my customers happy and stay away from their personal life.

7. Who is your target segment?

ANS: Everyone whose minds are open to learning new things.

8. Tell us about the challenges that your dance school faces on a day to day basis and what are risks involved in the dancing business.

ANS: The challenge is to see that every student of mine gets good. My mission is to make every student of mine good at what they have come for. Risks in the dancing business is your health, need to update to be on top from time and again and so on.

9. How is it going so far and where do you see yourself and Salsa India in 2 years time?

ANS: Salsa India is doing very well with centers in Delhi, DLF, Kolkata, Bombay, Pune and Bangalore. Salsa India is the only company in India who gets invited to at least two International Salsa Congresses world wide to teach and perform. In two years from now Salsa India will have its branch in Europe as well.

10. Your dance clothing line that was launched recently, was in the papers. Tell us more about it.

ANS: Since I am into fashion and I tailor make most of my clothes I thought why not spread that love to others too. Since people always ask me where I buy my clothes I thought why not make my clothes available to others so here I am, venturing into another aspect of live. Following my heart again.

11. Finally, what do you have to tell to a person who wants to dance?

ANS: Dance to express and not to impress. Dance from the heart. any one can be a good dancer, its just a matter of time.

Contact details:

www.salsa-india.com
info@salsa-india.com
MUMBAI-PUNE:+91-98203-62629, +91-98333-SALSA(72572)
DELHI:+91-98112-22186, +91-97111-SALSA(72572)
KOLKATA: +91-99038-28223
BANGALORE: +91-97428- SALSA (72572)

Author’s note : Watch out next week for another exciting Extraordinary Dancing Entrepreneur No.2