Welcome to Salsabor Dance Company!
Salsabor has a team of fantastic instructors who are trained and specialised in
Salsa and Latin dancing. Their dancing is as charismatic as their teaching. This
team is fun, and their teaching technique is unique and makes learning easy! To
find out for yourself, come along to one of our classes and experience the Salsabor
style! You will not be disappointed.
Our team of instructors are also available for privates, small group classes, group
classes at your work during your lunch break, and, small to large events (weddings).
They are trained and experienced in all these types of instruction.
Contact Raquel to organise your next Salsa or Latin dance experience.
Raquel Paez
Raquel was born in Ecuador. Although she is an Aussie, her Latin American roots have always played an important role in her life, as does her family. She grew up speaking Spanish at home and always listening to traditional Andean and Latin American music. Until 2007, Raquel worked full time in the IT industry in Australia and then in London. In 2007, she taught salsa in London for the Latin Dance Collective Team, one of Europe's biggest salsa promotion companies.
Raquel's passion for salsa has also given her the inspiration to create beautiful salsa performance choreographies. Her performance in 2006 gave the Salsabor Performance Team the opportunity to represent Australia at the Los Angeles West Coast Salsa Congress 2006.
Raquel began her official dance training in Los Angeles in 2003, and has since furthered her training in New York, South America, London and Europe. She believes that to maintain her teaching fresh and up to date, she must continue to learn and gain influence from around the world.
Raquel’s favourite dance style is Salsa/Mambo and Cha Cha On2, which she believes makes you bilingual on the dance floor, and makes dancing much more fun and enjoyable. Since Term 2, 2008 she has started to teach On2, and hopes that more people will catch on to this great dance style. Raquel looks up to dancers and groups such as Eddie Torres (NY), Santo Rico (NY), Salsa Mania (San Francisco), and Juan Matos’ Fogarate Dance Project.
Qualifications/ Salsa Achievements- Salsa Brava Productions Teachers Training Qualification
- Instruction from Al 'Liquid Silver' Espinoza and Edie 'The Salsa Freak'
- Instruction from Miriam Castro
- Diploma in Marketing and Product Development
- Choreographed and Performed at Sydney Latin Fiesta 2004
- Choreographed and Performed at Sydney Salsa Congress 2005, 2008
- Choreographed for the Sydney Latin Dance Corroborree 2005
- Choreographed for the Los Angeles West Coast Salsa Congress 2006
- Choreographed and Performed at Floriade 2004
- Choreographed and Performed for various Latin Events in Canberra including Latin Fusion parties and Toast nightclub, Monkey Bar to name a few.
- Choreographed and Performed for the Canberra Multicultural Festival 2008
- Choreographed and Performed for ‘Passion on the Lake’ – Weereewa Festival 2008
- Choreographed and Performed for Latin Heat 2007
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Andrea Paez
Andrea was born in Ecuador and grew up surrounded by the Latino sounds of salsa, folkloric, cha cha, cumbia, just to name a few. Like most South Americans she started dancing the minute she could walk.
While living in Europe for a year she decided to attend a salsa class and it was then that she discovered that Latin dancing took more than moving her hips. In 2005 she took up classes with Salsabor and has not looked back. She has also attended different dance classes including hip hop, funk and jazz.
Andrea is very passionate about Latin music and dance and is always learning to bring the very best to her students.
She is an official member of the Salsabor Performance Group and has performed at many prestigious national and international salsa events including:
- Sydney Latin Dance Corroborree, 2005
- Westfield Belconnen Floorshows, 2005
- Latin Fusion II, 2005
- Los Angeles West Coast Salsa Congress, 2006
- Sydney Salsa Congress, 2006
- University of Canberra - Multicultural Night, 2006
- Canberra Multicultural Festival, 2006 & 2008
- Tropicana 4, 2007
- Belconnen Markets - Dancing in the Piazza, 2007
- Canberra Theatre - Pumps for Patch, 2007
- STOMP 10, 2007
- Sydney Salsa Congress, 2008
- Passion on the Lake - Weereewa Festival, 2008
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Cromwel Flores
Cromwel was born in the Philippines and grew up in Singapore, before his family moved to Australia in 1990. He finished high school in Melbourne, before completing a double degree (Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Engineering) at Monash University.
He moved here to Canberra in order to work at the IP Australia as an Examiner of Patents.
Cromwel was first flirted with salsa in university, when he was dragged along to a couple of lessons with friends, in order to balance out the gender ratio. Surprisingly, he enjoyed it but due to other commitments stopped once the 8 week course finished.
Fast forward to 2 years later: After bragging to a girl that he could dance salsa, she asked him to come with her to the Sydney Salsa Congress in 2006. While there, he discovered that he was only barely scratching the surface when it came to knowing how to dance. Competitive by nature, Cromwel was inspired to improve his dancing skills. At the congress, he also met Salsabor instructor Ben Brilliante during a workshop and after seeing the Salabor Team perform, decided to try their classes once he got back to Canberra.
Being described as a natural dancer with a good memory, Cromwel rapidly absorbed all the techniques that were being taught. Coupled with spending many hours social dancing every week, Cromwel quickly improved while becoming a regular sight on the salsa social scene.
After 1.5 years of being trained by Salsabor and joining the Salsabor Performance group, Cromwel has been invited to join the team of instructors at Salsabor.
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Peter Sbirakos
Peter was born in Melbourne but moved with his family to Canberra back in the mid 70s. He didn't have much choice in the matter since he was only a toddler and now he can truly call himself a Mel-Canberran!
Peter has an active interest in physical fitness with qualifications in strength and conditioning, sports coaching as well as holding a Sandan (3rd degree) black belt in the art of karate. Peter has written and published extensive articles in sports coaching, and regularly tailors training programs for friends who are looking to get that little bit fitter.
In 1991 Peter traveled to Tokyo, Japan to train with the then Natianal Japanese Coach, Sensei Sadaharu Fujimoto (9th Dan) and what an incredible experience it was to see genuine karate from its land of origin. Peter's main teacher and coach in karate however, has been Sensei Ivan Mehkek (6th Dan) from Canberra.
In 2003, Peter was appointed captain and head coach of the ACT Karate Team, a post he held till 2006. In that time, under Peter's coaching guidance, the ACT Team won the bronze medal in the National Australian Championships after being for many years in the sport karate wilderness. Pete's competitive martial arts career spans from 2000 through to 2006 culminating in a bumper 2006 year when he finally retired from sport karate at the ripe old age of 39. In 2006, Peter won a gold and silver medal at the World Championships, Gold and Silver in the National Australian Championships as well as taking out the ACT State Titles.
Peter took up salsa in early 2006 on the encouragement of a good friend, Benjamin Brilliante and former Salsabor Dance Instructor however, he stopped after 6 months due to his commitments in sport karate. In 2007, he returned to salsa with a vengeance and now says "its great, you don't get kicked and punched in dance!". And after nearly 2 yrs of training with the Salsabor Dance school as well as being part of the Salsabor performance team, Peter has been invited to be part of the team of Salsabor Instructors.
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Jason Tabiolo
Jason was born in the Philippines and moved to Australia when he was 5 years old.
Half way through high school he realised he had a strong interest in dance. Since the tender age of 17, Jason has been undergoing dance training in Contemporary in Bega taking part in the “Fling Project’, then was advised to further his training in Canberra, at the Australian National Choreographic Centre.
Amongst Jason’s list of dance projects, includes: Quantum leap project:- out of bonds, Eternity, Live Add 3, Recovery Tour, and Armidale Australian Dance Festival.
Jason’s passion for dance saw him taking up hip hop/ break dance in 2004, under the dance company Kulture break in the ACT. This led him into performing and also teaching for them. In 2005, he was also asked to teach for Dynamic Studios.
During the early years of his dance career, Jason studied jazz and ballet which helped him with his strength and core in dance. It wasn’t until Salsabor’s own Cromwel Flores introduced him to Latin dancing.
Jason’s latest training in his field is from Los Angeles’ Millennium Dance Complex, under the guidance of some of the best and most well known dancers such as Shane Sparks, David Moore, Shaun Evaristo,
J.R Taylor just to name a few.
Jason now brings all of his experience and talent to his students, teaching them the latest technique, moves and routines straight from the entertainment industry, in various dance genres which builds strengths in the style of all his dancers.
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Salsabor has years of experience in putting together some fantastic shows. Currently
the team of performers is at its biggest number yet, 10 talented dancers. If you
are holding any type of event, Salsabor can make it a memorable experience. We cater
to small or large events including - weddings, birthday parties and corporate events.
The Salsabor Dance Company performance group are specialists in all that is suave,
elegance and style.
You can hire any number of the team out, and they can do anything from teach large
groups the sexy salsa, fast merengue, cha-cha and/or perform to entertain the crowd.
Plus we can also choreograph your next wedding dance, to the sultry Latin beats.
Salsabor's team of fantastic instructors are trained and specialise in Salsa and
Latin dance. Their dancing is as charismatic as their teaching. This team is fun,
and their teaching technique is unique and makes learning easy!
For a quote for your next event, please email
raquel@salsabor.com.au
The Salsabor Performance Team has performed at the following national and international
prestigious events:
- Sydney Latin Fiesta 2004
- Latin Dance Corroborree 2005 (Sydney)
- Red Cross Charity event at Parliament House 2005
- Sydney Salsa Congress 2006, 2007 & 2008
- West Coast Salsa Congress 2006 (Los Angeles)