Profiles

Neill Slade - Director & Founder of StrictlySalsa.uk.com
Neill is a fully qualified UKA salsa instructor, who reached the highest level in this qualification. He started very late in dance, breaking all the rules, astonishing many of his teachers, and has become professionally trained in Russian English Ballet, American Tap, and Street Jazz. Neill says " Nobody tells the Bumble Bee that it is impossible to fly!” so he gets on and flies!!
Neill states that his primary aim is not to make a profit from StrictlySalsa.uk.com - it is to bring the best in live music and teaching to the students, by investing monies taken from the club, courses and live band nights.

Principle Teacher - All Levels from Absolute Beginners to Very Advanced. Majoring in dance posture, spinning, styling & expression, positioning, connection, and musicality.
Neill teaches on the one. His styling is a mix of latin professional and jazz. He believes movement, connection and musicality are far more important than moves! He appreciates all styles of salsa and encourage these without prejudice.

Lorenzo Lewis
DJ and Teacher - every Monday at 8.30pm and DJ from 9.30pm

Stanners
DJ and Salsa Teacher - every Thursday at 8.30pm and DJ from 9.30pm.

Stanners started Salsa dancing 1996. Although he had already been doing other forms of dance for 18 years when he started salsa he found that the major challenge was dancing with a partner having been used to dancing alone.
He fell into teaching by accident. Stanners started by helping ladies that were struggling, helping them improve their dancing. Being extremely sincere and having a passion for salsa he really wants to help people with their dancing so that they actually dance to the music and not just carry out a series of moves. He helps his students achieve this through his understanding of the music and the dance.
Salsa music was not a problem as he was into Latin music, particularly Brazilian music eg Bossa Nova Stanners is a progressive DJ. He plays music that people can relate to, music that works for them, rather than to his own personal taste. His selection of music is vast, and he chooses his music with an educated choice. He says he plays simply "to the crowd"

Colin Wess
Salsa Teacher

Colin has been teaching Salsa and "La Rueda" for about 4 years in the home counties. His classes are noisy, fast and fun with much attention payed to detail on timing, lead and footwork. Students are encouraged to learn to lead, follow and call the "La Rueda" moves. Colin has produced a DVD of La Rueda moves which is available from the club.
Private lessons are also available in Colin's dance studio which is equipped with mirrors and video.
Colin loves to "jam" along with the Salsa tracks and will often bring Conga drums, cow bells and clave to the classes.

Rob Thoms
Salsa Teacher

Moe Flex
Resident Guest Teacher - Mondays at 8.30pm

The man with biggest smile in salsa and one of the most exciting, inspiring and entertaining characters on the international Latin dance scene. Moe can always be found at the heart of the party, pulsating through all the major salsa nights, weekenders and congresses tearing up the floor and calling the best Rueda there is. Moe’s boundless enthusiasm for dance is impossible to escape, and with his larger than life, "all good" personality, he is one of the most captivating teachers and performers on the circuit: the next time you hear "Oye!" you’ll know who’s here…

Inaki Fernandez
Resident Guest Teacher - Thursdays at 8.30pm

Robert Charlemagne
Guest Teacher

Robert Charlemagne Started teaching in 1992, combining his knowledge from a professional contemporary, jazz background with a mix of New York, Cuban and L.A. style to create a funky fresh new look to Salsa. First teachers were Xiomra and Nelson Batista, and many other teachers around the world after. Starting out with a class of five pupils at the University College of London as a paid teacher working one day a week, classes soon grew and word spread’ In 1993, Robert entered the UK Salsa competition and came second two years in a row.

He then went on to enter the European Salsa Competition in Copenhagen, representing the UK. This is where he realized there is more to Salsa dancing then just moves, and that the way moves wear executed meant a whole lot more. Returning to London a complete Salsa junkie, armed with new moves picked up from experienced dancers and dance teachers from all over the world, Robert became a unique Salsa teacher. Robert has traveled to Greece, Hong Kong, Oslo, France, Gambia, Washington, Bangkok, Holland, Italy and Sweden, (to name a few), teaching workshops around the world.

1994 Represented the UK as a judge in the Rome Salsa Dance Competition 1998 & 1999 Represented the UK at the European Salsa Festival in Holland 1999 Represented the UK in the Washington Salsa Festival, and many others. In 1998 became a member of the United Kingdom Alliance ( U.K.A.) Salsa Division. Robert is now considered one of the leading Salsa teachers in the UK, and September 1999 won an award for best teacher in the UK

Super Mario
Special Guest Teacher

For many years now, ‘Super Mario’ has been a household name on the international Salsa scene, recognised and respected by students and fellow professionals for his amazing lead, unlimited database of fantastic moves/combinations and his teaching ability. His classes and workshops have always been extremely popular both in the UK and in countries as far as Australia, Japan and the USA, specialising on technique but always maintaining an element of fun.

Mario was born in India but moved to the UK as a teenager. In 1998, a friend took him to a salsa club where the teacher immediately saw his potential. Mario was hooked straight away and has never looked back since. Still based in London and travelling to teach nearly every weekend of the year, Mario specialises in cross body style, dancing on the ‘1’ or the ‘2’ and focusing mainly on moves and combinations, with special emphasis on leading techniques. His natural talent for both producing and executing so many imaginative moves led to an invitation to teach at the first congress that he ever attended. His big break came soon after, when asked to give workshops at the biggest salsa congress in the world in Toronto, Canada.

Mario has earned himself the title; ‘Million Moves Man’ through his ability to create any number of unique combinations, that are lead with expertise and are always comfortable to follow.His amazing presence on the dance floor sets him apart as a social dancer and his outgoing, energetic personality has also been instrumental in getting him known in the Salsa World.

British Salsa Congress Award, 2003: Contribution to promoting Salsa in the UK.
LA Congress Award, 2004: Contribution to Salsa music as a dancer and instructor.
Israeli Congress Award, 2004: Contribution to promoting Salsa in Israel.
UK Congress Award: Students voted Mario as ‘Best UK Teacher’ for 3 years in a row, for 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Super Mario has taught in more than 35 countries

Leon Rose
Guest Teacher

Leon Rose is one of the freshest innovators in the international Salsa scene. His inspirational style generates enthusiasm and commitment to the art of Salsa dancing as demonstrated when he won the 2000 UK Bacardi Salsa, 2001 Salsa Club championship and 2003 Aji con mango competitions. He was born and educated in London and comes from a Caribbean background where he learnt to appreciate a wide variety of good music from an early age.
During these years, Leon attended The Anna Scher Theatre School, which led to many appearances on stage, popular children's shows, including 'Grange Hill' to several televised dramas, one alongside Dame Judy Dench.
He has performed on television and stage, from appearances with Enrique Iglesias on Top of the Pops (BBC), The Des O'Connor Show to The Royal Albert Hall in aid of Princess Diana Landmine Fund, Hackney Empire and various prestigious venues around the UK and the rest of the world.
As a choreographer and Salsa instructor Leon enjoys every aspect of dancing from encouraging the novice to working with the advanced and inspiring the best.
Leon teaches worldwide from a far field as Australia to Morocco to Puerto Rico. His natural exuberance and Salsa spirit ensures that to see him in action - Salsa is Life!

Colleen Daniels
Guest Teacher - Ladies Styling

Colleen Daniels possesses a truly unique blend of style, technique and sheer charisma on the dance floor. She is known as much for her totally infectious personality as much as her outstanding ability as a dancer.

Since emerging from a highly successful career on the Street dance scene in 2000 Colleen has become a highly respected international salsa performer, instructor and choreographer. She is probably best known as a specialist ladies styling instructor and runs regular workshops all over the UK.

She has taught with many of the UK's top professionals including Tamambo, Leon Rose and Marchant Birch. She also recently performed as a principle dancer in Iris de Brito's musical 'Elbarrio' and in very well received shows with Patrick Marinho and Miriam Oppel.

There is no doubt that Colleen Daniels aka 'queen of chic' is very much a star in the making!

William Nippress
Marketing & Charity Events Co-ordinator

Nicki Gray
Advertising, Promotions and Events Co-ordinator & Webmaster

Nikki Wright
Web Advertising Co-ordinator

Yvonne Bray
Club Photographer

Kevin Clark
Web Designer - Contact email