The SalsaMania(UK) Team
Ania
Ania is a co-founder of SalsaMania, which opened it's doors at the Polish Community centre in June 2007.
Ania has a background in Polish traditional dancing, and has been dancing with Karolinka, Polish Song and Dance Company, since 1986. She stumbled, quite literally, across Salsa one day in 2000 and was swept away by the music and nature of the dance, and has never looked back!
With a diploma in teaching Polish Dance, which she gained in 1990, Salsa was a challenge she could not resist, and was teaching Salsa to beginners within two years of learning. She was competing in amateur competitions within 18 months of starting dancing Salsa, and with her Salsa partner at the time, was placed 4th in the 2001 UKA British Salsa Championship, and 3rd in the 2002 British Salsa Championship, in addition to winning 1st place on three other occasions at local Salsa competitions over the years.
Ania brings a great deal of her Polish dancing experience to her Salsa dancing, in particular in her spinning! She is an upright and elegant dancer, and emphasizes posture, styling and grace for the ladies in her teaching. Ania attends Salsa Holidays, Congresses and weekenders regularly every year to expand and deepen her knowledge of salsa with an aim to passing on what she has learned to her students.
Jim Palmer
*Jim is currently recovering from his motorbike accident and hopes to be back at SalsaMania soon! In the meantime, we have Edwin covering Level 2 and 3 classes this term! *
Jim has been involved in the performance and entertainments arena since 1992.
A teacher and dancer well regarded for his fluidity of movement, connective style and musical interpretation, Jim was studying vocals and percussion at university when he first encountered salsa and toured the UK playing for a thirty-piece Batucada/Samba ensemble. His physical training over the years focused on rhythmic and broken-rhythmic disciplines, having fenced Epee at national level and trained in Chinese and Israeli martial arts.
To those who know him, it is of no surprise to see how completely he has thrown himself at Latin dance in the last few years. Jim's dedication is self-evident in the vibrant and engaging way he approaches teaching, "It's about fun! Rewarding people of all abilities with first-class leading and following techniques, versatile moves and the mentality to put them together in sensual and musical ways."
Jim joined the teaching team at SalsaMania in January 2009, and in addition to teaching the Improver 1 level, he will now also be teaching the Improver 2/ Intermediate class.
DJ Mark
Mark came to SalsaMania as a student in December 2007. He took to Salsa straight away, and it wasn't long before he admitted that in addition to his work as a brass instrument teacher, he was also a DJ! Well, we took advantage of him straight away, and Mark has been the resident SalsaMania DJ since February 2008.
With a flair for timing from his musical background, Mark sometimes also assists Ania in the teaching of beginners, as well as providing the music for SalsaMania.
Max
Max is co-founder of SalsaMania, and had a dancing partnership with Ania for nearly five years. After 2 1/2 years with SalsaMania, Max left in December 2009 to focus on developing his Salsa business in Hampshire with his partner Silvia. Max's links to SalsaMania remain strong and he will be back to SalsaMania occasionally in 2010 as a guest teacher!
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