Our ObsessionSalsa Team

 
Salsa is a passionate dance and the best dancers are those with the most passion. With non-stop energy and boundless inspiration, Louis and Nina have gained a reputation over many years for being funky, sexy and full of fun.
Their teaching style is all about being approachable, inclusive and entertaining. While style, clarity and precision are of the utmost importance, their classes are taught with a light touch and above all, a sense of fun.


Louis and Nina make every effort to ensure everyone is made to feel welcome and comfortable, from beginner to expert. 
Their Party Nights are lengendary. They take pride in presenting an elaborate show with all the elements intertwined with funky fun. Live Band, DJ, Tuition for all levels – an exciting, fabulous display and unique showcase of their talent , not just as dancers - as amazing entertainers. The atmosphere is electric and always full of passion.  Every venue has always embraced the ObsessionSalsa experience and benefited greatly from the profits.
They are VERY different: The only Vietnamiese/Finnish Couple dancing and teaching salsa in Ireland, if not in Europe and the whole world! A true Ying Yang!

DJ Captain (DJ Manager)

Our DJ Captain, Yoskel Hernandez, is a native of Cuba. He has been working as DJ since 1995. Throughout the years Captain has played in number of places, in Cuba - The Cecily, The Peacock, The Gold, The Cecily -  and in Havana Cuba – Romano and  Macumba... In Europe he has been working in number of clubs, such as Floridita in Madrid and London. In Dublin he has DJ:d in Q-bar, Floridita, La Vie and Odeon.

Live Band - Son Salsa

The band (formerly known as Cuarteto Floridita) has spent the last year playing regularly in Floridita in Dublin City, Ireland. This Cuban Salsa band of just four highly professional musicians are: Frailan Moran, Evelio Galan, Jose C. Anselmo and Danilo Karell. About the band members:

Frailan Moran Mendive, a native of Cuba, is a percussionist and music teacher who obtained his degree and subsequently taught at the National School of Music, Havana, Cuba. While studying, Frailan played with numerous groups in Cuba, including that of flautist Orlando Canto, formerly of Los Van Van. Frailan is currently teaching percussion in the Music Centre at Kylemore College, Ballyfermot VEC. He gigs on a regular basis and is involved in numerous music projects including Havana Son, Cuba – Nica, Cuarteto Floridita (now Son Salsa).

Evelio Galan (THE GOLDEN VOICE) was born in Havana, Cuba and began his professional music career playing with the world famous percussionist Tata Guines and his band. Evelio then went on to tour both nationally and internationally with Orquestra Juvenia 2000. In 1986 he joined the great Orquestra Riverside singing alongside one of the most renowned Cuban singers at that time, Tito Gomez. Evelio has also shared the stage with many renowned musicians who were part of the group Farandula Cubana. He is involved in numerous music projects here in Ireland and has just completed a coast to coast tour of the United States with Juan de Marcos and Afro - Cuban Allstars.

Jose Carlos Anselmo Flores was born in the town of Seville. He began studying piano at the age of 11, and bass guitar as a self student at 16. Since then he has been involved in different latin projects, including Santiago Espinosa`s Ensemble, a 10-piece band blending cuban rhythms with the flamenco roots of the south of Spain. Since coming to Ireland, he has been playing bass with the musicians involved in the Floridi ta Ensemble (now Son Salsa).

Danilo Karell was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba and began studying piano at the age of eight. Danilo began his studies with a private teacher but later enrolled in the Alejandro Garcia Caturla conservatory. While at the conservatory, he had the honour of studying alongside Paquito de Rivera, Rafael Lay, Dagoberto Gonzalez and Enrique Pessino who were his classmates for a number of years! Danilo has played with many groups including Raices Latinas, La Monumental, Los Chuquis, Los Filin during his professional career. He has also shared the stage with Arturo Sandoval, Irakere, Omara Portuondo, Elena Burke, Rumbavana, Roberto Faz Ensemble... Danilo recorded an album in Cuba with Los Filin and four albums here in Ireland with Salsa Brava, Alma Latina, Ery y su Suerte Loca, and Grupo Saoco. After finishing a one-year contract playing in Floridita Dublin, he has played in several places in Dublin and done a short European tour.

Live Band - Latin Express

The band was formed in 1995. Coming from the Salsa´s origin themselves, the band brings its own music, rhythms and songs. Based on the traditional Cuban rhythms, the hot, creative New Salsa Style of "Latin Express" is a mixture of Jazz and other elements of Black and Latin music.

One of the great strengths of Latin Express is their ability to adapt and develop very quickly. Its music, for example, has a broad musical vocabulary, incorporating Afro-Caribbean rhythms, the frenzy of Brazilian batucada and lambada, the pyrotechnics of bebop jazz, Spanish balladering vocal styles, big band horn arrangements, Havanero percussive motifs, as well as elements of black American R&B and psychedelic white rock. Naturally such diversity can be daunting for the uninitiated. But there is one quick, easy and foolproof way of learning all you need to know about Latin Express and its Salsa music - dance to it. Latin Express have played many Irish nights its red hot sizzling Salsa and in many different venues.