Flooding in Colombia brings destruction and disease

Más de 20 muertos, 30.000 damnificados, 300 casas destruidas, decenas de carreteras y puentes inservibles y centenares de hectáreas de cultivos anegadas, dejaron las fuertes lluvias caídas esta semana en Colombia, informaron las autoridades.

Los departamentos de Santander y Norte de Santander, en el nordeste, y el Tolima, oeste, son los más afectados por los torrenciales aguaceros, que se iniciaron el pasado martes 8.

El Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales (Ideam, estatal) advirtió que las lluvias se prolongarán durante los próximos días.

La mayoría de víctimas mortales se registraron en Bucaramanga, Girón, Lebrija, Betulia y San Vicente de Chucurí, en el departamento de Santander, donde algunos ríos, como el Frío, el Oro y e Sogamoso, se salieron de su cauce y destruyeron barrios ribereños.

Algunos sectores de Bucaramanga y de sus municipios vecinos fueron declarados por las autoridades como zona de desastre.

El gobernador de Santander, Hugo Aguilar Naranjo, dijo que varios de los municipios de su territorio están incomunicados debido a que decenas de deslizamientos cortaron las carreteras.

Los ministros del Interior, Sabas Pretelt, y de Protección Social, Diego Palacio, así como el director de la Oficina de Atención de Emergencias, Eduardo José González, visitarán este domingo las zonas afectadas.

Los altos cargos evaluarán los daños y las necesidades más sentidas para iniciar los envíos de ayuda oficial a los afectados.

"Estamos invitando a las autoridades para que incrementemos las medidas que impidan la construcción de asentamientos humanos en zonas de riesgo", dijo el ministro del Interior.

Las fuertes lluvias en Colombia y Venezuela, según el Ideam, se originan por la presencia de un frente frío sobre el Caribe.

La entidad advirtió sobre los riesgos de más deslizamientos en zonas de ladera y desbordamiento de algunos ríos. (EFE)

Dramatic rescue captured by amateur video

Photo Blog of the Floods of Colombia

Flooding in Colombia brings destruction and disease

By Marta Lucía Moreno Carreño
The floods damage everything in the village. Septic tanks overflow, contaminating the water that runs through the streets like rivers, and bringing diseases like diarrhoea, colds and dengue fever.
The water brings with it other dangers too, including snakes looking for a dry place to escape from the flood.
"I've lost count of how many I've killed in my house. I don't wait to see if they are poisonous or not, I kill them all," says Miguel, a young man whose modest dream is to get a temporary job in the oil wells near Barrancabermeja.

© UNICEF/Colombia/2008/Duran

In addition to the diseases brought by the floods, children run the risk of poisonous snake attacks when the reptiles enter homes looking for dry places.

A forgotten village
Puerto Casabe is mainly a port for fishermen and boatmen, and many of its residents used to make their living ferrying people from one side of the river to the other. But that was before the bridge between Barrancabermejo and Yondó was built. Today it is a vereda – a small community – whose poverty clashes with the wealth of the oil wells surrounding it.
"The river is life and beauty, and when it's not angry it gives us many fish," says Luz Mary, a fisherwoman from the village. "When everything floods, the gas and electricity go off, and we have to go looking for soggy firewood so we can cook.  Afterwards we're left with the headaches, the itchiness, the colds."

© UNICEF/Colombia/2008/Duran

A young mother carries her son through the flooded streets.

Preventing illness
UNICEF is working to help treat and prevent illnesses among those affected by the flooding. In partnership with the University of Santander, UNICEF has provided humanitarian assistance in health, nutrition and hygiene practices to 4,000 children affected by the emergency throughout the Magdalena Medio region.
Nurses from the Industrial University of Santander are teaching health practices, which is especially appreciated by the villagers. These days, the nurses are among the few people that return to see how they are doing, and they are grateful for the moral support, and for the information the nurses provide about caring for their health and their children, and about hygiene measures they can take in emergency situations.
UNICEF is also distributing water filters and mosquito nets impregnated with repellent to prevent the spread of further disease.



PUERTO CASABE, Colombia, 17 December 2008 – In Puerto Casabe there are 60 families, 98 children, 100 adults and a lot of water. Every year, the majestic Magdalena river floods their wood and brick homes.

Grand Christmas Latin Dance Party/Tremendo Rumbón Navideño: A GOOD CAUSE TO SALSA

As many of you know, in conjuction with our regular Noches Calenas/Cali Nights, we are raising funds for two GOOD CAUSES to Salsa, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Locally, and for selected charities and projects in Latin and Central America Globally.

At  our December 19th, GRAND CHRISTMAS LATIN DANCE PARTY,  we will be  accepting donations for the International Red Cross of Colombia, to aid the victims and persons affected by the recent floods in many regions of Colombia. You can donate on line, or bring your cash, cheque or money order donations to the party. (Please, make cheques and money orders payable to Comité Internacional de la Cruz Roja Colombiana)

As always during our regular Cali Nights, we will continue to collect non perishable food items and cash donations for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, and for this event only, we chose another GOOD CAUSE to Salsa locally: the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau.

Bring your donation of a WRAPPED gift item for the Christmas Bureau, or GENTLY USED coats for children at any time between 1PM and 1AM to the location of the event, 728 Kingsway, Vancouver BC (Hungarian Hall). Please attach a note to your wrapped gift indicating if the gift is for a boy, a girl, and what age group is it intended for. Please do not forget the often over looked pre-teens and teenagers when choosing your gift, or the coats.



As our thanks for your donation, and support of our GOOD CAUSES to SALSA, we are offering free admission for either the day, or night event, when you bring a gift, a coat, or a minimum donation of $10.00 to either of our GOOD CAUSES.

We are offering free admission to children (up to 12years and their accompanying adults (one adult per two children) for our day event, 1PM to 7PM, as well as a complementary Baby Steps to Salsa lesson and mini dance for children between 1:30 and 2:30PM and a complimentary (with cover)beginner salsa lesson from 2:30 to 3:30PM.

In addition, we have a limited number of FREE day passes available for youth and teenagers (12-19 years old). If you know anyone, or work for an organization that could use those tickets, please send an e-mail to GitanaGitana@live.com or call 778-397-1339 as soon as possible.

For more info on the event, please check our event page or find us on facebook.

Listen to G.J. DJs Playlist

Salsa Calendar for A Good Cause

We are very lucky in and around Vancouver, as we have a vibrant, diverse and very lively Salsa/Latin Dance community. Those addicted to Salsa as much as this blogger (affectionately and self indulgently calling herself La Reina Gitana del Palacio)  can almost at any given weekday and every day or night of a  weekend enjoy almost any variety of Latin Dance in a variety of great venues.

We have world class instructors, performers, salsa festivals and events.

To celebrate and commemorate our Latin Dance Community, AND to raise funds for a Good Cause, in collaboration with ImaGINAtion Photo Arts, we are planning to create and release a

Salsa in Vancouver, 2011 Calendar

Performers, Instructors, Salsa Dancers, Professionals, Volunteers, Event Organizers, Salsa Addicts are welcome to submit their bio and/or promotional material and information for your regular ongoing events to be  included in the Calendar. Don't miss your chance to be Ms. or Mr. Salsero or Salsera of  of the Month!

Take this as an opportunity for shameless self promotion, advertising, a pat on the back, giving back to the community, or whatever gets your Mo-Jo flowing.

Submission deadline is November 30th, 2010. Calendars will be available for sale online mid December 2010 to February 2011, and will be available at various vendors, services and Salsa Events all around the Greater Vancouver Area. 100 percent of proceeds will go to our Good Causes: The Greater  Vancouver Food Bank locally, and Casita Belen of Colombia globally.

For more information, rules, and submissions, send an e-mail to La Gitana at GitanaGitana@live.com
or call: 778-397-1339

Organic Oranges and Hothouse Apples: Its all Good for You!

It has been said, that all ballroom dances are "elevated folk dances":  Minuet, Quadrille, Polonaise, Pas de Gras, Mazurka, are all folk dances  that first crossed over,( after being regulated, sterilized and "civilized" ( to  be danced in aristocratic and upper class balls of Europe. Over time,with the development of Dance Sport and with the emergence of new dance styles from swing to rock and roll to Hip Hop and Jumpstyle, "nightclub dancing" and so on,  the boundaries between ballroom dance and "social dance" have blurred.
Modern International Ballroom and International Latin Ballroom dances are less restricted and allow more individual interpretation and expression.

In the meantime, especially in Europe, traditional folk dancing has became nearly extinct at "mainstream" dances and parties: with the exception of rural areas, it is more likely to see ballroom and social dancing at weddings, festivals and parties, than traditional folk dancing.

In Latin America, the trend sometimes developed in reverse:  most of the Latin dances now danced in the ballrooms, at clubs, and social dancing events were "invented" in Cuba, where African Rhythms, the sounds and movements of Carnival were incorporated with the Spanish Guitars and ballroom dance elements. In fact, most Latin Dance styles known today, Salsa, Cha Cha, Son, Danzon, even Tango have their origins in Cuba. 

When the first radio waves in 1909 hit America with the sounds of music played by the first Cuban Big Bands and Orchestras, musicians in the U.S. took note, (literally) and Latin Jazz emerged. With the U.S. soldiers positioned in Cuba getting "infected" with the rhythms and sounds, and, during the prohibition area, Americans partying in large numbers in Cuba, where alcohol was legal,  Latin Dance and Music crossed over to the mainland, where it quickly spread to Puerto Rico, Colombia, and eventually, all the way south of the Latin American continent, becoming an integral part of the Latin American Culture.

Simultaneously being incorporated into street and "folk" dancing, while being refined and regulated, Latin Rhythms now are part of the International Latin  and Dance Sport divisions and they are completely integrated into Latin Culture. To complete the circle, Latin Dance, ballroom, or "ethnic",  crossed back over the oceans again to become a very popular in Europe and in Asia: no matter where you are, chances are you will find a  Latin Dance event any weekend anywhere: L.A. Cuban, Miami, Colombian....your choice and it is sometimes a very hard choice too!
The following videos demonstrate the closing and widening of gap between "Ballroom" and "Street" Latin Dance.

Competitors in an International Latin Ballroom Competition dance to Cuban rhythms by Celia Cruz, "Queen of Salsa"





Various couples dance "street salsa" in Cuba





It is like comparing apples with oranges, isn't?


Another  excellent example of this migration is Colombian, Cali Style Salsa: originating in Cuba, Salsa was "imported" to Colombia by way of New York by Puerto Ricans,  Cali style salsa incorporates acrobatic elements of  North American, especially L.A. Style salsa, with the distinctively intricate and super fast footwork. Colombian, and especially Cali Style Salsa (Salsa  Calena)  has become such an integral part of Colombian culture, that it was recently declared to be  "National Cultural Treasure" of Colombia.
In turn, graduates and professional Salsa dancers of Cali Ballets and Academies of Salsa  are consistently winning international Salsa competitions world wide and the style is being incorporated more and more into "mainstream" L.A. style and European Style Salsa.


A good example of L.A. Style Salsa: this couple dances still very different;y from the "International Ballroom Style", but it is easy to see the way they incorporate certain elements of  Dance Sport acrobatics, and Ballroom into their routine.




In contrast, "pure" Salsa Calena is focused so much on the footwork and styling that there is no partner required at all!




And here is an example of Salsa Calena that seems to be the winning combination at international salsa championships world wide: L.A. Style showmanship and drama, Dance Sport style acrobatics, and the same intricate, intense, highly technical footwork that made Cali famous:



At the end...how can one even begin to compare these styles? What is better? Organic oranges that ripened on the tree, but might not look so perfect on the outside? Or hothouse apples force ripened in a warehouse, beautiful and appealing to the eye but without real "sabor" or taste? Depends where you are, what is the season and what your taste is in fruits, I say.

Many would argue,  that when it comes to dance as a sport or performance, there is no such thing as an "unbiased" or "purely objective" judgement, and I agree. Weather watching, learning, judging, or critiquing, everyone experiences dance on a deeply personal, biased and subjective way, and this is great: Dance, let it be ballroom, folk, primitive, or eloquent, moves all of us on an instinctive level, and not only allows us to express emotions, but it is naturally a highly personal and emotional experience.

So, enjoy your oranges, apples, bananas, strawberries, and all the fruits that are available in your area, hothouse or straight off the tree: ITS ALL GOOD FOR YOU! Enjoy!

Noche Calena/Cali Night In Vancouver: A WIN, WIN, WIN, WIN Situation!

Noche Calena/Cali Night in Vancouver, a GOOD Cause to Salsa is fast approaching, and it is not only a WIN-WIN, but a WIN-WIN-WIN-WIN Situation for all!

Who WINs?

Victims/Survivors of Hurricane Karl in Mexico: We are accepting donations on line and at the event on behalf of the Mexican Community and organizers of various fundraiser events for this cause.

Who Else Wins? YOU WIN!

Thanks to our sponsors, YOU can win one of the door prizes when participating in the Fifty/Fifty Raffle!

A Gift Basket of Beauty Products Valued at $100.00 as part of the fifty/fifty raffle

A Gift Basket of $50.00 as a gift for trying Mary Kay Products

A FREE mini-make up/touch up provided by a Mary Kay Representative on location

A Gift Certificate for Dinner for Two at Zachary's on Robson

Plus: Get a Complimentary Chef's Appetizer: just mention Noche Calena: A GOOD Cause to Salsa!

A $50.00 Gift Card from Eccotique Spas and Salons

A  gift certificate ($80.00 value)   valid for one person to take any  *beginner level* 6 week course including Salsa Level 1, Bachata Level 1, Cha Cha Cha and Merengue  with Ronald Martinez of the Martinez Dance Company.  

A $50.00 Dollar Gift Certificate for Latin Dance Lessons with Alberto and Teresa of  Hot Salsa Dance Zone

A choice of one full hour of private lesson of golf's short game for beginners on the course (Par 3) including green fee or The Full Swing at the driving range for intermediates including pratice balls donated by Fabio Molina Golf Academy

Complimentary V.I.P. Table for TEN  ($100.00 Value)

for our next Noche Calena/Cali Night in Vancouver on

November 12th, 2010.  

Participate and you can win

FIFTY PERCENT OF PROCEEDS OF THE  FIFTY/FIFTY DRAW!

(with the other fifty percent to go to our Good Causes: The Vancouver Food Bank, and Casita Belen)

  We would also like to thank the following sponsors/supporters for getting "the WORD out there":

and SOMOSEVENT Latino Themed Events

Hector Morales of Hectorplus Webdesign

 MUNDO FLAMENCO cada Lunes 10:30 AM a 11:00 AM
TANGO ROMANTICO cada Lunes 11:00 AM a 12:00 M
CFRO 102.7 FM Coop Radio
Joaquin Ernesto
Productor/Conductor

Our circle of Friends and Family in Canada and in Colombia:

We literally could not have done without you and your support!

a Huge Thank You

to all Latin Music and Dance Lovers and Patrons of past, present and future events!

And last, but not least.....

Thank you to our  biggest supporter, benefactor, the One who came through when no one else would, whom wishes to remain anonymous, desires no credit, but deserves all, and without whom, this would not be possible!

Eggbeater and Ripped Parrots: Merengue!

Merengue is the Spanish word for meringue, and there are theories that the dance got its name because of the circular, rapid motion of dancers around the dance floor, that resembles an eggbeater making its rounds in a bowl of egg white. Other speculations include the myth that a famous war hero invited to a dance was forced to step this way because of his war injuries, and other dancers followed his example either out of politeness, or because they thought this was the "new" way to dance. Merengue is the national dance of the Dominican Republic, where merengue tipico (typical merengue) is often called perico ripiao, which literally means: ripped parrot, and it is believed that this style, with its often highly sexualized movements originated in a bordello, by the same name. Why would a bordello be called the Ripped Parrot, I don't know, and don't dare to even contemplate.

If Marijuana is the gateway to hard drug addictions, Merengue is the "Weed" of Latin Dances: Most of us who were not born in Latin America were introduced to and got addicted to  Latin Dancing by learning Merengue first, perhaps because its simplified version, "one-two, one-two, left-right, left-right" is easy to learn. In fact, I always tell to students, and heard other instructors do the same, that "if you can walk, you can dance merengue". Students eventually learn to twist and turn each other into quite intricate patterns and pretzel like contractions, but for a lot of dancers even at the more advanced level, the foot work and rhythm remains rather uncomplicated.

Like most dances of Latin America,  the styles of Merengue danced from region to region, from bario to bario, from one family to the next are diverse, unique and highly personal. There are many "subtipes", either origins or derivatives of Merengue: from the Dominican bottle dance to Merengue Parease, (Parean Merengue) danced in Brazil, to Merengue Ripiao, which is very closely related to Punta and Reggeaton dances. Merengue is very popular in both Latin, Central and North America, in fact, at times Merengue is even more popular than Salsa on the airways.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with sticking to the basics, but for the more adventurous,  here is a sample of different merengue music and dance styles:

Haitian Merengue:



Merengue Paerese (Parean Merengue from Brazil)





This video is a tribute to Merengue: Viva El Merengue featuring the best, most well known singers of the genre:






Michael Jackson's Billie Jean Merengue Remix



And Carrie, the Merengue dancing dog!




Here is Dominican Merengue dancing on a bottle:




And here is Perico Ripiao as it is played and danced on a balcony somewhere in the Dominican Republic

In the Footsteps of Karl

Terms of Use

 

Last week, Hurricane Karl hit the coast of Veracruz state as a Category Three hurricane, leaving 18 dead, more than 40,000 displaced by the flooding of rivers and ditches, an undetermined number missing and thousands displaced across Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas.

Although Hurricane Karl has dissapiated over Mexico, tropical rain is still causing raising water levels and floods through many parts of the affected region and there is danger of further landslides.

Karl was the worst storm to hit Veracruz in over 50 years, affecting as many as 500,000 people. A city official said there had not been a storm like it since Hurricane Janet in 1955.

These are some of the photos of the devastation and conditions in the region, some received by members of the local Latin Community, directly from friends and family members from the region.

With the local Latin Community sprang to action, there are several fundraising efforts under way, and we will post information on them as they become available.

	Saturday, October 9 · 5:00pm - 8:00pm:  Cantando Por Veracruz
Location	Taqueria DOÑA CATA'S 5076 Victoria drive Vancouver, BC
Created By	FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TROVA EN VANCOUVER 2010.
More Info	Comparta con nosotros musica,canto y solidaridad con los damnificados por las tormentas tropicales en Veracruz.

Join the facebook event, invite your friends, spread the news. (Click Here)

Noches Calenas, October 15th, November 12th:  Fundraiser Event
(728 Kingsway, from 7PM to 2AM both nights)


In addition to our  two existing GOOD CAUSES TO SALSA (Vancouver Food Bank and Casita Belen), we are going to accept cash donations for the Hurricane Karl Fund and partial proceeds of our fifty/fifty raffle with door prices will go toward the local relief fund established for this cause.

You may also donate online on this site, by paypal: find the donate button in the side bar, chose the amount you wish to donate, and include HURRICANE KARL FUND in your address line when making a donation.

I will keep you posted as new events and ways to participate, donate, volunteer and get involved will become available.

Dances of Latin America: La Punta!

Punta is a Garifuna music and dance style performed at celebrations and festive occasions. Contemporary punta, including Belizean punta rock, arose in the last thirty years of the twentieth century in Belize, Honduras and Guatemala.^[1] It also has a following in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Southern Mexico and the United States. It is a circle dance in duple rhythm: one couple dances in the middle of the circle a while the other participants sing and clap their hands. Punta uses the call and response patterns in songs. Lyrics may be in Garifuna, Kriol, English or Spanish.^{[2] (wikipedia)}





As any tipical Latin American music and dance, La Punta is an excellent example of "evolution of dance". Even in its "modern" form as it is  danced on the street, at fiestas, and in the discoteques of Latin America, Punta is like a bit of Zouk, African Tribal Dance, Merengue, Soca and Reggaton and  perhaps this versatility is what explains its popularity: almost any body can dance the Punta, but there is always room for improvement and showing of personal skills and style.  From absolute beginners to Punta Masters, La Punta has something to offer to everyone.

V.I.P. Tables at Cali Night

There are only three weeks left to the next  Noche Calena: Cali Night  event on October 15h, 2010 at the Hungarian Cultural Center, 728 Kingsway. (Hungarian Cultural Center)

Although V.I.P. Table or Bottle Service is very popular in Cali's Salsa Discoteques, for the benefit of those who never had the opportunity or desire to experience this service first hand, I would like to explain what exactly does a V.I.P. Table Reservation get you, should you, and why should you get one for your party.

Of course, there will be unreserved tables available where you can sit in between dances (we know, you will not be sitting much this night) and you do not NEED to buy V.I.P. Table Service for any number of people who wish to sit together at an unreserved table.


You do not NEED  so why would You WANT  V.I.P Table Service?!  If you have five or more  people in your party, or you can "hook up" with friends and come togehter, V.I.P Table Service is not only convenient, but in fact, will save you money. At the Palacio, a V.I.P. Table will cost $100.00 per table. This includes cover charge,  Reserved Seating, V.I.P. Host Service (no standing in line for YOU!), one pitcher of either cranberry or orange juice, one pitcher of iced water,  and EITHER two 750.00ml bottles of vine (one red, one white), or one (750ml) bottle of   Canadian Bird (Grey Goose)  or Fidel Castro (Baccardi) or Tequila of your choice as well as table service all through the night for a minimum of five, and a maximum of ten people in your party is included. You will not miss out on even one good song during the night standing in line at the bar while everyone else is dancing.  (Service charges. i.e. tips for your server,  are not included). 

There is no minimum number of people that can reserve a V.I.P. Table, but the $100.00 Table Fee covers a maximum of ten people. If there are more people in your party, by any means, they can share your table and bottle but they will have to pay their own cover.

Warning!:  the demand for V.I.P. tables is very high! . Please keep in mind, that there are only a LIMITED number of tables  available for this purpose: we want to make everyone feel welcome, and have a table to sit at, and V.I.P. table would not be special, if it was not exclusive!


Reserve your VIP Table Service: by calling 778-397-1339, by e-mail gitanagitana@hotmail.com
 or send a private message on our Facebook Page, El Palacio De La Musica Latina.

To reserve a table in advance, we will require a fifty percent deposit no later than October 9th, 2010. You may pay by cash, money order or pay pal, contact 778-397-1339 or send an e-mail to gitanagitana@live.com for details. Pre reserved V.I.P. tables will be held until 10PM(in other words, you and your party must arrive before 10PM, or else, we reserve th e right to "bump" you; you will not have to pay cover charge to come in, but you and your party will not get the reserved table, bottle service, or the other perks. If you do not show up at all, we will miss you dearly, you will miss all the fun, and your reservation deposit will not be refunded.

Free Passes for Cali Night, plus WIN a V.I.P. Pass ($100;00 value)

Simply e-mail  gitanagitana@live.com with your name, phone number and a valid e-mail address to receive a printable pass for free entry at the next Cali Night in Vancouver, on October 17th, 2010.

Pass is valid for entry before 10PM and is subject to availability.

Plus: Win a free V.I.P. pass ($100.00 value), that includes cover charge for five people, (regular cover is $10.00 per person), V.I.P. table, (reserved table) with waiter service and priority service at the bar. One bottle of red and one bottle of white vine, or one bottle (450ml) of either Rum, Whiskey or Vodka per five people.



How do you enter? First, send your information by e-mail and receive your personalized pass. Have our pass validated at the door and drop it into the draw box. During the Hora Loca, (Crazy Hour) sometimes between 12:00AM and 1AM, we will draw one lucky entry from the box to win one V.I.P. pass. You have to be at the event to win: if the person whose pass was drawn is not there, another will be drawn.

That is it! Good luck, and see you at the palace at the next Cali Night event on October 15th, 2010!

Noche Caleña: Cali Night In Vancouver: Authentic Latin Dance for Smart Salseros, A Reference for The Rest of Us

Authentic Latin Dance for Smart Salseros, a Reference for the Rest of Us.

Part 2.

The first ever

Noche Caleña: Cali Night In Vancouver on September 17th, 2010 at theHungarian Cultural Center, 728 Kingsway (@ Fraser) is fast approaching, but it is never too early or too late to get familiar with the variousColombian and Cali Styles that will be seen, danced, and showcased, (some for the first time ever) in Vancouver, British Columbia. Pachanga