HKRC Salsa Festival August 10, 2019

Saturday's venue at the Hawaii Kai Retirement Community was billed as a Spotlight Management Event featuring Hot Salsa mini-lesson, Salsa Performance by IBDI dance instructors, and dancing to Salsa music. Well with the array of dance music being played and danced to, it might as well be called "A Hot Tropical Night of Latin Dancing". Salsa was just the main feature. Dance instructors Dean and Suzy  made it a full night of Latin dancing which included Salsa, Cha Cha, Rumba, Mambo,  Merengue, and Bachata. 

Cha Cha Demo by Dean and Suzy

When my sweetie and I got to the Ice Cream Parlor that is located in the HKRC Phase 2 building, Dean and Suzy were performing a demo of the Cha Cha to a small group of guests. A little after the start time of 3:30 PM, more guests came into the ice cream parlor and the Salsa lesson started shortly with introductions and a short description about the mini-lesson by Dean.

A Line Dance for footwork and timing to music followed.

The mini-lesson was taught pretty much the way it's taught at IBDI dance classes on Monday nights at the Ala Wai Palladium.....timing to music, footwork, body and arm movements. Then lastly partner dancing to music. Nearly all of the participants got the hang of the dance doing the Salsa with a partner. 

After the mini-lesson, Dean and Suzy danced the Salsa to music as the students watched. No doubt, Salsa have a lot of fancy and intricate movements and I saw that the students picked up some of those movements demonstrated by the instructors by the way they
danced with a partner.

It was a good mix of Latin dancing nearing the end of the festival with the Cha Cha, Rumba, Merengue, Mambo, and Bachata. That kept nearly all the dancers on the floor till closing time at 5 PM.

Suzy Wins a Door Prize

There were a couple breaks taken for Door Prizes, and recognizing and singing "Happy Birthday" to IBDI member Ron, and HKRC employee Celene.

Happy Birthday to Ron and Celene with IBDI Prez Diana

IBDI hosts a social dance each month on the first Sunday at the HKRC but this past Saturday was the first time it held a dance mini-lesson and performance there.  I thought the festival went pretty good and watching the way the students were dancing the Salsa, I'd say that Dean and Suzy did good in teaching and demonstrating the dance.

Mahalo to Lisa K. (HKRC Resident Experience Coordinator) and IBDI President Diana Vo  for coordinating the dance program, to Arnold Lee for bringing, setting up,  breaking down, and hauling away the music equipment, to IBDI Volunteers Arthur, Kathy, and Akira for their assistance,  and to Dean and Suzy for teaching and demonstrating the Salsa, and Cha Cha and leading the other Latin dances.

IBDI Dance Instructors Dean & Suzy

Mahalo, also to photographer Mr. Sukardi for sharing some of the his photos of the Festival posted here. 

Dat's all fo' now and Happy Dancing!