Workshop Testimonials
 

Hi Edie, I wanted to follow-up with you regarding your Salsa Bootcamp this past weekend in VA. Your energy and instruction about Salsa music and the dance is unparalleled. As I mentioned to you, I have never seen anyone interpret music the way you did and so easily incorporate it into your dancing. It was a Blessing for me. I hope we will meet up again at a future Salsa event. I enjoyed working with you. Please let me know if you are in the area again and you need someone to work the DVD table. By the way, I am really enjoying your DVD's that you gave me! Your the Best, Melynda Dear Edie, I had such a wonderful weekend at your bootcamp at the Amore Studio. I am Latin and grew up with Latin music and I always loved to dance. Unfortunately no one ever showed me how to anything special. I always craved for someone to show me and I was never able to go to a club because of my strict protective father. As life usually goes, time passes and we put our wishes and hopes to the side. I went to school got married to a Latin man who liked to dance but was also never shown how to so we just did our basics (the blind leading the blind). I now have three kids but my passion for dancing has never diminished. I got hooked on Zumba because it brought dancing and working out (two things I enjoy) together. But then I took your bootcamp and I was lifted to another level. I will have to admit I had a problem hearing from strangers "you are beautiful". Teaching Zumba has opened me up but I still have to work on my confidence. I also enjoyed how you opened up to us and told us about yourself. I do have to apologized that I did get up and walk a way for a breather while you were talking. I going through a REALLY hard time in my marriage and life so I did not want to break down. Thank God (I truly mean that) for dancing and music. It lifts my spirits and lets me forget all my troubles and worries. It gives me a high that I wish I could always have. It was sad for me to have the bootcamp end. But I did bring home a stack of your DVD's so I feel like I brought a piece of you home to help me improve and boy do I need to practice. I also need to learn to relax. After you told me I was too tense I realized that I was trying too hard and getting frustrated at myself. I started taking deep breathes and it seemed to work. I just have waited so many years for this that I want to learn it NOW. I am finally learning how to dance!!!! I don't know what to call what I was doing before. I believe that things happen for a reason and people are brought into our lives for a purpose whether it is to deliver a message, get us through a hard time, or even point us into the right direction.  I am grateful for this past weekend and I thank you for helping me on so many levels. Best wishes to you and I hope to take a class with you again. I would like to get more information about selling the posture braces. I didn't catch up with you at the end of bootcamp for the info because financially I don't know if I can do it right now but at least if I have the information I can jump at it when I straighten out my life. I am so sorry this is so long but I have a suggestion for you. The posture brace is made for adults. How about targeting children too. I would have my two daughters (ages 10 & 11) wear them. I would prefer to start them now. My 11 year old is really petite and thin so there isn't enough velcro space to make it smaller for her. Many girls take dance classes and you know there are tons of dance studios out there. Just something to think about. Your new fan, Ann Marie Cotto Hi Edie, Thanks for your visit to Kansas City and conducting the bootcamp.  I really enjoyed it and it was outstanding learning experience.  I have gone through numerous salsa workshops/classes during my one year of dancing span and I found your approach unique and most benificial, specially your repetition technique to bring all students on same page.  As a result, I remember every thing you taught in the workshop and I can perform them confidently. I viewed all six DVDs I bought after bootcamp and they make much more sense after taking the bootcamp and I found them very comprehansive.  I'm going to recommend your DVDs to all my friends in Detroit.  Thanks again and look forward to see you at Miami Congress.  Best Regards, Kaush Singh   Dear Edie, It was really nice to see you again at the summer salsa congress in Brussels. Thank you also for the opportunity to teach with you and the kind words you spoke about me during the seminar. I really appreciate what you are doing for the salsa-scene world-wide and hope to see dance and work with you on many more occasions. Thanks also even though i already told you for all the inspiring and usefull tips you explained and reviewed during the seminar outside . Me and my dance partner Lilly can't wait for you to bring this out on DVD. A lot of things you talked about where things most people often already know deep down inside but tend to forget so its good to have a DVD that you can watch every 6-9 months to get everybody in your dance team or as teachers or dance partners back on focus and remembering the road your are walking and how blessed we all are with the gift of dance. If you need help with anything now or in the future know that you can always count on us!!!! Love, Randolph & Lilly Hi Edie, Thank you so much for the great boot camp. It was great to meet you. I heard about you a lot from Paul. I respect you that you are a great teacher as well as a great dancer with great sense of humor. I really liked your teaching style. I liked your ‘performance’ that telling a story of a song to show us the phrasings, paragraphs of the music. I liked very much the demonstration of how to recover from ‘fall’. Also, I liked the demonstration of how to ask other people to dance with me. I learned very good foundation about spins. Salsa turns/spins are different from Flamenco turns. I want to practice my spins. Also, I leaned about when and how for ladies to add styling stuff. This was very interesting. I want to try this styling stuff. I’m relatively new to Salsa and I learned a lot from this workshop. Your workshop made me excited about salsa more and more. I hope to see you again someday and somewhere. I hope I will be better salsa dancer by then. Take care. Chizuko Swanson from Phoenix AZ  :-) Paul's friend Dear Edie, It was really nice to see you again at the summer salsa congress in Brussels. Thank you also for the opportunity to teach with you and the kind words you spoke about me during the seminar. I really appreciate what you are doing for the salsa-scene world-wide and hope to see dance and work with you on many more occasions. Thanks also even though i already told you for all the inspiring and useful tips you explained and reviewed during the seminar outside . Me and my dance partner Lilly can't wait for you to bring this out on DVD. A lot of things you talked about where things most people often already know deep down inside but tend to forget so its good to have a DVD that you can watch every 6-9 months to get everybody in your dance team or as teachers or dance partners back on focus and remembering the road your are walking and how blessed we all are with the gift of dance. If you need help with anything now or in the future know that you can always count on us!!!! Love, Randolph & Lilly   Hey Edie, I've been a  Salsa dancer/instructor/choreographer for about six years; nevertheless, I learned a ton of new teaching methods and techniques in your instructor bootcamp as well as in your beginner bootcamp. I've already integrated some of your methodologies into my classes with amazing responses from the students. Any instructor who wishes to improve him/herself or wishes to run a dance studio or dance team more efficiently and successfully should attend your workshops at the earliest possible opportunity; it will change their whole outlook on dancing and teaching. Thank you for so openly sharing all of your knowledge and experience with me and with the world. Alex Diaz Edie, I only write to people when it’s really good. Your boot camp in Cork was staggeringly good. Now, I’m a bit of a rustic dancer, enthusiastic at what I do, and strive to be a good lead more Cuban than L.A. but maybe I’ll work at the discipline of the line a little more now! HOWEVER I also do sports coach training for the horse based sports. Your sessions ticked every box we look for in good sports coaching sessions: Personality Sense of humour Sharing something of self Fabulous enthusiasm and high energy Putting sport in a broader context Exceptional planning and timekeeping Technically correct and at the right challenge level for the group Getting participants working together for peer to peer learning Outstanding group management Progressive introduction to physical proximity Breaking down skills then rebuilding them to a fluent performance Techniques required in social dancing, speed fluency, etc Attention to correct technique Working with people first as people and then as sports participants Dealing with emergency procedures Encouraging people to be expressive and show themselves Creating a positive and inclusive learning environment Observing the weaker participants and pairing with more experienced Celebrating success however small And many other things that will hop back into my mind in the next few days. More stuff I admire of your approach and I delighted in as its similar to my approach in horse sport: Drawing on many areas of learning, a bit of Landmark education, some psychology, some learning theory, some acting and storytelling, great analogies, personalization, physical conditioning, motor skill and muscle memory , using variety of examples so everybody gets the message High fives as a conclusion! Now a small story might resonate with you: I had a group of riders who had a lot of cognitive knowledge but little physical interpretation of that knowledge so I brought them  Salsa dancing. They got better directional balance, rhythm, communication, responsiveness to a partner, timing and clarity and strength of signals, (in fact I use almost exactly the same explanation of 0-10 contact for riders with their horses) etc, etc As if that wasn’t exciting enough I then took some good dancers and my riders taught them to ride. They shone. Why? Because they were used to following instructions, their brains were connected to their bodies accurately, they were confident in using their bodies and balance in different ways, they got the concept of lead and follow, assert and accept. Finally I really hope we will meet on a dance floor somewhere and we can dance half a song and then you’ll give me a little feedback (gently now. I have male ego!) I think you are on a fabulous mission. I wish you every success with changing people’s lives through  Salsa.  Salsa has changed my life In sports coach education we have a tenet that “sport coaches help people develop social skills through sport” I think you do the same through dance. Love, thanks and best wishes Alastair Sutherland Edie, Almost 300 people have gone to your [Bootcamp] page already [within 24 hours of posting]. You are a "Salsa Freak and a Salsa Beast , you are simply the best.   .... Everybody wants Edie . Wow what a feeling that must be. I know it is not easy being you. I love you! http://www.edie.youaremighty.com/ Earl Rush Dear Edie! Thank you for your wonderful letter and words you devoted to us. It is very nice to hear that the festival was great and that you had a great time. We have heard very many good words from people who attended the festival.  They liked your workshops; they liked you, your friendliness, and your kindness. Best regards, Juta Edie, I am sure many people feel the same way after your workshops...they just don't or can't express it like I can. Colleen and I teach 32 Fridays out of the year, we DJ our own Social Dance once per month, and we hold a large dance event weekend one or two times per year...all this while keeping our regular jobs as school teachers. We have come quite a long way since first meeting you in L.A. about10 years ago. I will never forget where I got my roots in  Salsa, and you are always the first person that comes to mind!  You have touched the lives of so many people (certainly us) worldwide...probably more than anyone in the industry has. Jeff and Colleen Shirey   Hi Edie, I took your Bootcamp about three years ago and I LOVED it!  I’ve been dancing ever since!!   You’re the best, and a living inspiration! Fondly, Anna Olvera Edie, I would like to thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and wisdom in the instructor class in Miami. I often think about that and how wonderful God is to have brought you here. I would like to share with you something that I have been working on for some time and wondering if this would be of interest to you or many of the people that you know. I have an online traveling website www.your Salsatravels.com where salseros and book their travel. I believe that this could be the Microsoft of the traveling industry. I am really excited about this because I believe that it could change the way some of the  Salsa promoters handle travel when planning their events. Well, tell me if you see what I see. For the company business, go to www. Salsatravelbiz.com and go to company presentation. I hope all is well with you. May God's grace, love and peace be with you. Much Love, Carmen   Hey, Edie, Things here in Bangalore have returned to normal, although I'm still riding this weekend's high. In retrospect, I realized that the main reason I had such a great time was that I chose to feel good and feel happy. That feeling of joy that I maintained throughout the event was like a magnet for other good things. I made some great connections, got a couple of invitations to other congresses and had a couple of the artists ask if we could work together on some routines! Alex   I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your boot camp workshop. I am a perpetual student of physical fitness and can appreciate how difficult it is to teach people how to move. I was very impressed with your teaching style and look forward to learning from you again some day. I though I had caught the  Salsa bug before I arrived at the NYC  Salsa congress, but after meeting you, and learning from you, I really am addicted now! Sincerely, Freddys X. Garcia   Hi Edie! You did it Edie, BRAVO!!! You really inspire the world of  Salsa with your courage and beautiful dancing. I saw one of your DVD’s. They are super—but I have to really practice the spinning. I started  Salsa four months ago, and I’m already on a high level. But now I have to learn to dance beautifully as a real lady with nice lady moves. Your DVD’s are helping me on my to that dream. Thanks, Anouk Maes   Hey Edie, Firstly I would like to give you my heartfelt thanks. This years  Salsa-UK congress was the first congress I have ever attended. I arrived on Friday, got dressed up, went to Centre Stage and was immediately intimidated by the amazing dancers performing everywhere. I ended up standing around the dancefloor on the verge of tears and only had 2 dances the whole evening. Now, I am not an in-experienced  Salsa dancer, I have had nearly 2 years experience and I am captain of my university  Salsa team (Cambridge, UK), but I do have confidence issues and have battled with depression for many years. After Friday I was close to leaving the resort and traveling home but my friends persuaded me to stay. The next morning we all attended your ladies styling class and within five minutes I was in hysterics and feeling ten times better! After that hour I was walking on cloud nine (of course with my shoulders back, chin up and a smile on my face). I enjoyed your workshop so much I attended the one on Sunday as well. After these combined hours I strutted, yes strutted, s-l-o-w-l-y onto the dance floor on Sunday night and ended up dancing with some of the best dancers in attendance. I had so much confidence and I realized it didn't matter if I didn't feel I was that good in comparison to others. As long as I was having fun I would be fine! And boy did I have fun!!! I tried out all your shines, shook my booty like there was no tomorrow and above all felt fantastic! And I had the male attention of a porn star that night. Your workshops inspired me and I will not forget this. I am now adamant to come off my anti-depressants and I believe I can do so with the confidence tips I have learnt from you! I feel so much happier already and I would like to thank you for making me realize running around with my head down and arms folded was not doing me and my confidence any favours! Once again, many thanks Edie, you are an inspiration to women all over the  Salsa world! Take care, [a now, more confident female!!] I'm a high school teacher, and I was especially impressed with your teaching presentation and class management skills :). You demonstrate, explain, give visual examples, and then we practice practice so our muscles begin to memorize as well as our brains. Great methods. I was quite impressed with how you walk around and watch individuals, but we had a lot of people there. Once again, your professionalism shows by you requesting our feedback. You are truly motivational and inspirational on so many levels, and it was fabulous to be a part of the weekend. Edie...you are so entertaining, i could hear you talk for hours! Really helped not only with my dancing but also self-confidence....!  I especially liked the spin practice the first half of the day. This is the problem many women have is that we don't practice our spins as much and we expect to do them perfectly in the club and that's not the case! I think Edie should teach a class on how to entertain students for instructors. I think she does a great job of teaching but at the same time entertaining. I'm not an instructor but i teach a bunch of my friends and i can never come up with things that would make them excited about the dance. Edie has the ability to bring that out in people, so i think she should teach a class that teaches people to entertain while teaching dance..... I liked the way you had the ladies switch out. It gave me a chance to dance with a variety of people allowing me to adjust on the fly.   Everything was professional. By the way I felt Edie went out of her way to keep everything positive and fun. A true teacher. I loved both days. After dancing 1 year, day one was a great review, plus Edie's talks were motivational and educational regarding  Salsa dance in general.  As a High School teacher, I was so impressed with Edie's teaching style AND class management skills:)      I feel very good about what I spent and what was delivered. Thanks so much what you, Edie, bring to the world of  Salsa dancing. Your energy and enthusiasm is so contagious, and I noticed I was more excited about dance again. Even sending out this survey is another example of your professional approach. You truly are motivational on so many levels: teacher, dancer, and person. It was wonderful and easy to get registered!  The Beginners Bootcamp was awesome!! Edie - you have a wonderful way of making people feel special and good about themselves as well as helping us improve our dance skills and teaching us new ones!   With your ability to get us to sit and be quiet it would be great if you could come by and train my puppy/dog next time you're in town! LOL I do wish there was a little more practice, but I also understand the need to get us to understand concepts or why you teach something so that made up for practice time!! I admit I'm not good about the whole female sexuality thing and the fact that you could get me to try things is a miracle in itself and I thank you! Dear Edie , It was outstanding to meet you on the all-star  Salsa cruise. You are outstanding. I have come back home and I’m having more fun with my dancing.. I learned so much from you. I can't wait to go to another bootcamp. And by the way, your DVD is fun and easy to follow! I love it! You need to have a bootcamp cruise! Take care, be safe, and keep dancing, Candace Rodriguez I LOVED both days. I've been dancing a year, so Day 1 was great for me to review, and only very occasionally slow. Your comments about the music, motivational thoughts, and philosophical thoughts were especially appreciated. Organization was very good despite the large crowd. Registration was a piece of cake. You are a great entertainer besides a great dancer. The only problem this brings is that time flies when learning  Salsa with you. Thank you for your time and come more frequently, we need you!!!!! The energy was good. Dancing etiquette teaching was good - you hardly ever get that. A lot of people commented on how much fun they were having and how well presented the material was. I loved learning how to dance and getting to dance with so many different people. The second day, I loved feeling "sexy." It was so much fun and very unlike anything I have ever done. I liked the intense continuous practice. I actually learned something. I thought the whole day was very organized. I haven't been to anything like this before but I was blown away with all the information! I liked that you talked about femininity and reminded women how to walk and be sexy, etc. My mom never talked to me about this stuff. I liked the variety and amount of information presented, I can now practice till I'm blue in the face with all the information given. I was very impressed on how well you knew your counts and how much material you were able to cover. I didn't really know what to expect in the first place and was thoroughly impressed with your energy and knowledge about  Salsa and dancing. I have to say that I was definitely getting tired towards the end of the day but I would rather have it that way than not enough practice! I think the price was great considering how expensive privates are these days! $60 for recreational reasons is a lot of money for me but it was so worth it!   I rates this a Perfect "10" - way better than I even imagined!! I would definitely recommend your  Salsa Bootcamps to my friends, I can't stop talking about it!! I think it's great that you incorporated God into the day and glorified him!! I also liked the personalized stories, it makes me feel like I can become an amazing dancer too if I stay persistent!  Loved the demonstrations during lunch time. Loved the variety of moves and material, I have a lot to practice! The changing of partners, the way of learning, your sense of humour!!! I never danced  Salsa before (but there is definitely gonna be more  Salsa in the future :-))) ) and I don't believe there is much to improve, in what you do! Your joy of dancing is contagious   I rate your Bootcamp a "10" - without being "friendly"!! I had no expectations and I went home completely enthusiastic Hello Edie- I just wanted to thank you for everything that you taught us at the  Salsa Bootcamp this past weekend. It was amazing! I learned so much and I can't wait to go out and try out the new moves. You have inspired me so much to become a better dancer, especially that now I can let loose as opposed to always thinking of the counts in my head. So again, thank you for all that you taught, and I will see you in Palm Springs! Thanks, Michelle  hi Edie, my sister and I were at the Bootcamp for both days, i have to say that it was one of the most wonderful things I have ever done! We both had so much fun!!!, Everybody was great. I do have to say that though I enjoyed it so much, I think it might have been a little to crowded, or maybe the place was to small, I saw some ladies get discouraged. they kept saying its way to many people. But my sister and I did well, we are very happy, with what we know. Thank you! it was awesome. - Sandra Mira Nena,  This is Mimi…La boriqua loca  LOL………I wanted to say bye to you yesterday but realized I had to run or  I’ll miss my flight back to phoenix. I had so much FUN!!!!!!   I learned so much from you. I am so inspired by you.  You are awesome!  I really love your style and your teaching techniques.  I would love to be your protégé, someday.  I’d have to admit something to you……………I really thought I can dance my ass off. I grow up dancing  Salsa and watching my 14 aunts and uncles dance but I don’t remember being taught a STYLE or TECHNIQUE……..I’m not mad at them (LOL) but I so excited that I learned some from you.  I’m going to teach them something we I go back to Puerto  Rico . YOUR ARE AMAZING! Mimi  AKA Millie Edie, Yesterday I attended your styling Bootcamp. I had attended one last year but had only been dancing for 3 months, so I could only absorb about 15% of the material covered. I learned so much my head was spinning! Well, you did it again. I came home last night with so much more confidence, technical knowledge and, most of all, passion (yours is so contagious) for this wonderful dance. I also bought 2 more of your DVD's and took a bunch of notes. I have already started working on holding my frame and using finger-egg hands in my morning aerobics class. After last year's Bootcamp I used your spin- in- the- bathroom suggestion. It took awhile but, like you promised, my brain finally worked it out. Men started telling me that I was turning so much smoother, lighter and faster! Thank you! You asked us for feedback. You are the best. I loved the way you flexed your agenda to work in the "connection" exercise. It made the room full of mostly strangers become a comfortable warm place. It was great to have the dress/shoe vendor on site. I would have bought metatarsal pads for my shoes had they been offered. As for ways to improve: a cooler, larger room would have been more comfortable (I know, I know, it's a Bootcamp!) There was one particular older man who felt he was a better teacher than you. I had to ask him to refrain from trying to coach me (incorrectly, I might add) and ask him to be quiet so I could hear you. Maybe you could instruct the men to stick to what you are teaching. I was also a little confused with the afternoon attire. I read the e-mail several times but thought that we could wear either a dress, skirt or pants. Since I didn't have the briefs or fishnets I opted for pants, which I regretted. I know that you, being the profound professional that you are will appreciate this feedback. I adore you and look forward to having the opportunity to learn from you again in the future. With Great Appreciation, Michelle Michelle Simpson Dear Edie, I really like the way you teach - full with humor and the technique you show us is in detail and broken down into pieces, especially the spinning technique, I didn't know it has so many elements.   How nice of you to spend so much time to help us learn. I rated the class an "11" out of 1-10!! I like your adding in flamenco style to  Salsa. Next time please show us more Cuban styling  Salsa. I would like to learn it. Edie has her own unique style that you can't find in anyone else. Edie is nice to be having a test corner with the ladies to help them find out their weaknesses. Please come back every 3 months instead of every 6 months. Please add a little bit of time for Q&A. The crowd is way too bad, it's not likely to ask questions during class coz it will slow down the class. However, if we can have a 20-30 min Q&A session at the end to ask question, we can share what we don't understand or recoup what we'd learned. I would definitely recommend her  Salsa FREAK Bootcamps to friends!!!  Wendy Hi guys, I have taken this workshop and highly recommend it. I won't be able to attend the October workshop but she will be returning next year. I especially like this format because you get to go out to the clubs as a goup afterwards, so you have the support of your fellow students. This is a workshop for all levels. If you do sign up please tell her I sent you! Enjoy!  Margarita Perez Hi Edie, I was at the UK congress last weekend, and adding that i liked your workshops very much, is the first time i see you IRL (in real life) and i know now for myself that i not only like to see you dance but also like to have your classes. First cause of the humor you have but also cause you explain it very well and use helping methods (like a bar) which i believe makes us understand better what we are achieving. So thank you for that! Off course i also bought 3 DVD's of you at the congress, which are very helpfull! fatima@pandora.be Hi Edie, I've just wanted to tell you that after a wonderful class of ladies' styling with you at the  Salsa festival in Hamburg, I bought your DVDs with ladies' styling, and I must admit I've enjoyed them very much; they are as special as your class was, full of information - most of it has been always avoided by the other instructors but as you have showed, it changes completely the way a dance looks like, and apart of that, with humor. I only regret, that I couldn't have been your regular student. Thank you for showing me the real charm of  Salsa. Sylwia Edie, I saw you at the New York City  Salsa Congress in September..you were fabulous. I took your class and loved it... You know what its like to love dancing I am dieing by not being in the studio right now. Please help me if you can. Thank you so much Sincerely Yours Andrea Flores Dear Edie, We had a great time at your classes at the London  Salsa event. I'm writing to say thank you for making it so enjoyable, dynamic and fun. We live in Ireland and are delighted that you are coming to Ireland. Many thanks. God bless, Elaine and Niall. All i wanted to say is that, i went to the 4th  Salsa congress in Israel and your classes and performances were the highlight of my staying there.  Furthermore as far as i know it was also for many others. I had to say that my only disappointment from the congress was that i didn't attend all your classes. thank you so much for coming hope that you will come next year. sincerely yours liran. Hi Edie, Just wanted to drop an email to thank you once again for being so easy to work with and for being such a great person... The hardest thing to do when you are the greatest dancer instructor in the world is to remain humble but you are a great example of how you can be the best and still remain humble, friendly and become a great role model for everyone in  Salsa. You are the best ambassador  Salsa has today, you inspire people where ever you go and you make it look so easy... My personal goals in  Salsa is to travel regularly on the  Salsa Circuit and the day that it happens, If I can inspire people half as much as what you do, I will be very happy man. Watching you and having you around always reminds me of why I choose  Salsa as my full time career. Thanks again and I can't wait to see you soon... Kindest regards Jaime Jesus Artistic Director LDA  Latin Dance Australia Hello Edie , this is Salvatore, I am from South Italy and we met at the Uk congress. I hope you are very well and I just wanted to say that I can't find the right words to describe the joy and the excitement that I felt by meeting you and having the great opportunity to dance with you.. You are very friendly and most of all so professional...For me, and for the majority I believe, you are the best. Your style?...oh my god!! its great.!!..I have already told you about the music that you have chosen for your workshops was absolutely amazing and it's exactly what I listen at home...It's good to match your music style too.. I want to thank you one more time and really looking forward to meeting you again, I am definitely going to book a Bootcamp around May next year close to the date of the West Coast Congress...Can't wait.... Are you going to be at the first "Lion  Salsa Congress" in Geneva (Switzerland)? May I take this opportunity to wish you all the best in your fantastic career and thank you for the amazing contribution to the  Salsa community... A big hug from Salvo... Edie, Thank you for doing the weekend workshops in Pittsburgh. I've never had the opportunity to be involved in anything like that before. You both gave Pittsburgh a taste of the real  Salsa world---the next time we meet in LA I have hours of questions that need answering. We in Pittsburgh are no where near as exciting as most of the places you teach, but we really appreciated your sharing of your minds and hearts with us.   When he started to do group shines I looked for every way to get out the door and leave (actually hide). Most of the dancers in that group were very good and I was just a fat old guy trying to pretend that I belonged there. You were able to make me (all of us) comfortable with the steps even though he knew I was in over my head. He really made me perform at a level that I never thought I could----normally I would have run away from that type of challenge-you really gave me the confidence in myself that I could dance at that level with time and practice----it felt good to know I made it through the workshop------it might not have looked pretty, but I didn't run away from it------thanks again  Your one statement of learning to dance to the music has opened an entire new world of  Salsa to me-----I understand what needs to be done in the dance but how to do it is where all my focus will be. When we meet again you can start teaching me how to dance the breaks. Thank you also for taking time for a private lesson---it really helped me to begin to understand the basics. The next time we meet all I want to do is eat, sleep and drink  Salsa with you--after another 20 hours of lessons I might be ready to try the LA scene !!! When you produce your next DVD titled -- "  Salsa, Dancing the Breaks"--make sure I'm on the list to get the first edition-------your "advanced"  Salsa dancers from Pittsburgh are waiting for its release--- Thank you again Edie ---your weekend was the best dance experience I've ever had- Walk with God my friends, - John A Letter from the promoter of the UK  Salsa Congress, 2004... Dear Paul and Imogen... ... It was great to be in a position to choose from so many different classes, and, even though the legs got very tired by the end of the weekend, I think you planned the options just right, because each class we attended was fun and instructional and energy-creating. Somehow we managed to dance until 5am (after a night of chalet singing til 4am, 4hours' sleep and a day of classes), then get up after 3 hours's sleep and do it all again! The absolute highlight of my weekend was meeting  Edie Espinoza! My dance partner & I had had a hooky copy made of their Intermediate Moves DVD, so that we could practice it. We were both very impressed with their technical excellence and their humour and loving interaction. When I heard that they were starring at this year's Congress (I only started dancing last November, so had never even known the Congress existed!), I just knew I had to be there! Indeed, I was blessed to be able to pay them privately for the hooky copy (as befits honouring their copyright), and amazingly enough I actually got two dances plus chatted with them a little, and was blown away by their humility and approachability. And to think I nearly backed out of the Congress because the cost seemed steep (to a beginner like me) and it's only the thought of meeting them that made me come, for which I am SO thankful, because the whole weekend was fantastic, the memories priceless, and I now have a new mission for my life inspired by this Congress. (see below) So thank you Paul for inviting them over, and please please do so again for next year! (I want to show them how much I have improved over the year... :-) ). (As an aside, Edie's Sunday morning partner class was the funniest thing I have ever attended, they had us all in stitches with their humorous instruction, but sadly no recordings were made of their class, or indeed many of the classes - I know it's extra work, but would it be possible to record all classes? I would so have loved to buy that class!) P.S. My mission inspired by the  Salsa Congress 2004: Mission: To be able to live a life filled with love and dance & sensuality & helpfulness & kindness & generosity & exploration, and good health & good fitness & good looks, and an inner vitality and positivity, and great inventions & useful contributions to policy & process & structure wherever I am able, and good organization & good humour & good wisdom & good connectedness to the world, with all bills paid, all debts cleared, an excess of £1,000,000 in my UK bank accounts and an excess of R500,000 in my SA bank account and an excess of SF500,000 in my Swiss bank account, and an increasing passive income always in excess of £200,000 p.a. and an income stream from me to my family members & selected friends, past loves, & acquaintances & charities always in excess of £100,000 p.a., and to teach others by example how to live a life filled with love Monday 27th September 2004, inspired by  Salsa Congress 2004 in Bognor Regis, and meeting (and dancing with)  Edie the  Salsa Freak my dance heroes  -- Colette Hi Edie, I really want to thank you for responding to my girlfriend Sonia's questions. She has been really trying so hard to become a better dancer and I have also been working with her, but she was getting very frustrated. When you responded to her she let me know right away and was very excited that you got back her. In fact, we went out dancing last night and she danced very well. I told her it has a lot to do with her confidence level, not just ability. But, to make a long story short, she and I really appreciate the time you have took with her. - Miles This is your new found cousin from Burlington, Vt. - John Anthony Espinoza.   I just want to say that it was a pleasure to finally meet the both of you at the Boston  Salsa Congress. You are an amazing couple !!!!  I enjoyed taking the workshop from you and I learned that there are so many things that I need to clean up in my routine. I definitely want to learn more about this new way of dancing "effortlessly". [Millennium Style] Once again, Thank You for being who you are. May God continue to bless the both of you !!!  Respectfully, John Anthony Hi, Edie,  I'm a new Salsera in Hong Kong. My fiancé got me into dancing  Salsa and I just love it now. He would always ask me if he is the reason why I took it up. Of course, I say "Yes". But I did tell him that in case he stops, I'm still going to do it : ) It was also from him that I learned about you and your website. I can relate to the stories that other salseros/salseras have sent you. Since I am a beginner and a foreigner in HK (I'm Filipino), sometimes I don't get as many dances as I want when I go to clubs. I attend classes regularly and been told by my instructor that I've improved alot. Even fellow classmates have made good comments. But at clubs, I still find myself sitting around alot. I decided to change that and became more brave in doing the asking of other guys, thanks to some of the stories from your website and to your advice. I have more fun now and I can say my confidence on the dance floor has improved alot. Anyway, I wanted to thank you because your dedication & passion for  Salsa is an inspiration to people like me who live halfway around the world. I will be going to the Toronto  Salsa Congress and I'm looking forward to going to your workshops. Keep the faith and the great work!   See you soon! Vicky First, I was just at the NY  Salsa congress and had the pleasure of seeing you teach and move for the first time. Unfortunately, I was nursing a minor injury the first day of the Congress and couldn't take your class (I was the lone guy watching from the sidelines on Friday night with a big smile on my face). I was totally impressed with everything about your class- most importantly, the fun and energy and love of  Salsa you exude from every pore. Second, I just last night watched your routine on video for the first time from the Puerto Rico congress. (I unfortunately missed your NY performance). I'm sure you receive this kind of praise constantly, but... O MY GOD. After watching 2 hours of other routines, yours pulled me in within the first 5 seconds. I watched most of it with my jaw wide open, making audible noises of amazement by myself along the way, and had goose bumps by the end. The crowd clearly was blown away, and responded with the kind of ovation you deserved. But I thought you'd be pleased to know that someone watching on video had an equally powerful response. P.J. Simmons Dear Edie its been such an honour to meet you at the congress last month. Edie, I loved your lady styling classes not only I have learnt a lot but also I had fun and hey your tips work indeed!  the good energy that you send our when dancing is amazing, i have enjoyed so much watching you dancing with Orville, Vazquez and the rest of the boys, you are a great!! Not to mention your new show! I cannot find the right words to express how terrific you both were! Creative, technically perfect in each move you guys made, innovative as well as hilarious, in a nutshell FANTABULOUS!!! And a big thanks for keeping those smiles up that the  Salsa scene is nowadaysfor some reasons lacking of . Love&Light! Debra Edie, I just wanted to thank you for coming to London and giving us you time. I loved watching you dance, and have added some of your moves to my dancing! I thought the whole weekend was fantastic, but for me, you were the best! I really enjoy dancing  Salsa and although I'm not very advanced yet, watching you and the other instructors makes me really look forward to learning more. Thank you for the inspiration. Claire.   "Dear Edie, Thank you so much for a terrific workshop! Juan (Cultural Explosion) was right - I would learn more in that one workshop than I would in several lessons. Edie, thank you for showing me to "express myself" and not be afraid to show my diva side. (She still is hiding but with a little bit more work - my inner self shall emerge!) Your dance partner was terrific in his interesting ways of teaching with patience and humor! After the workshop, I rushed home to check out your  Salsaweb site and I was so inspired by Edie's story that it brought tears to my eyes because I felt like I was reading my story! I consider myself a beginner and a  Salsa diva in progress. I believe it is important to have a willing partner who is dedicated and have fun at the same time. Thank you again for an exciting day of  Salsa! Sincerely, Wilma Velazquez" Edie, I just wanted to thank you for coming to London and giving us you time. I loved watching you dance, and have added some of your moves to my dancing! I thought the whole weekend was fantastic, but for me, you were the best! I really enjoy dancing  Salsa and although I'm not very advanced yet, watching you and the other instructors makes me really look forward to learning more. Thank you for the inspiration. Claire.   "Dear Edie, Thank you so much for the workshop!  It really inspired us to get better.  I loved the way Edie broke down every move to the tee.  She's an excellent instructor and made learning  Salsa fun!  I feel more confident than ever now.  Thanks again.  Bob Greene"   "Edie, I wanted to say "thank you" for such a great class.  I learned so much, and you made it so easy!  Thanks a million!  When can we schedule our next private?   Private Student" "Edie,, By far, you are an incredible instructor.  That was one of the best workshops I've ever been to.  We're really looking forward to having you come back.  - Swing Instructor " "Edie, I feel so much better about my body and my "self" now.  This was not just a Lady's Styling class, this was a "self esteem" class!  Loved it!  - Lady's Styling Student" "Edie, You're so thorough.  I really feel like I learn a lot from you... - Lady's Styling Student" Hello Edie. There was many of us, but I was the female that traveled 2 hours for the workshop and did not stay for the club (Cozumel) because I missed my 9 month old son, Milan Angel. I wanted to compliment you and thank you for the wonderful workshop that you held. Both myself and my sister had a great time and learned quite a few moves. I don't get out often with full-time school and my baby, but  Salsa is one past-time that I allow myself to enjoy and hope one day to encounter one who feels as passionate for it as I do.  Once again "thank you". I regret that I was unable to make any of your club appearances, but perhaps I will get the chance again in the future. Right now I am too attached to my handsome little man at home!! :-> Cuidate! Maria   "Dear Edie, I remember reading on your web site the statement that says " Salsafreak Bootcamp will be your turning point. We will guarantee that you will be a better and more confident dancer, the next day, and the rest of your life.” "Before our Bootcamp I wondered if that statement would apply to me, or if that was just marketing hype. I have been absolutely blown away and totally humbled by the changes since our Bootcamp six weeks ago. I can’t see a faster way to get the tools needed to advance dramatically in a short period of time. Women I’ve danced with over the last few months are asking me what happened; men are stopping me, asking how I learned. One couple stopped me the other night during a break and said, “My girlfriend and I want to dance like you and your wife. What are you doing?” It is a totally different world and you are the one who opened the door." "Dearest Edie, I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful boot camp experience over the weekend. Not only are you an amazing dancer, and performer, but you are an extraordinary teacher as well. You were patient, considerate and had a true desire to ensure that the student fully understands the concept and technique. That is what being a wonderful teacher is about. Again, thank you so much for the wonderful experience. You are a truly generous and a wonderful person. Take care and hope to see you soon! Khoa as in "Qua" - lity" "Wow Edie" is right! It's been almost two weeks since your Bootcamp in Los Angeles and I am still feeling energised and inspired by it.  I just wanted to thank you for your charisma and time, and to say that you are a great teacher!  I am a school teacher who recently had to quit my job due to some medical issues that I needed to deal with.  I actually came up to you after the Bootcamp to let you know that I was recently diagnosed with MS and had trouble feeling my legs.  Thanks for taking the time to talk to me after the class, and for sharing with me the names and websites that you recommended for health juices and a good diet.  I have come to really appreciate movement and my legs, since my scare with the change in sensation in my legs.  And going to your Bootcamp not only helped me to relax, have fun and learn a lot about dancing, but it also made me learn a lot about myself.  I was so touched by your stories about how you started dancing at 30 and how determined you were to keep working at it.  You look great and you are truly an inspiration.  Since your workshop, I've been looking into ballet classes to strengthen my legs, and I feel more confident about continuing to dance and to enjoy it.  I used to think that at 31 I was too old to learn to dance, and to do it well, but I wanted to thank you for changing my view of this.  I only got to spend two days in your classes, but your words and energy will last with me for a long time.  They have already changed the way that I do things, and I am grateful that I got the chance to learn from you.  I love the way that you enjoy sharing all that you know with your students, and how it feels as if you want us to be great and you believe that we can be, in all aspects of our lives.  It takes a very strong, courageous and selfless person to be able to teach in that way.  Thank you so much Edie! You're awesome! Tasleem Hi Edie, I know you receive many emails, but I just wanted to let you know that my two teenage daughters and I attended your Bootcamp in Fort Lauderdale and we really enjoyed it.  We are taking Cuban  Salsa lessons here in West Palm Beach, FL, but now we really like your LA style too!.  If you can, can you let us know if you know of any LA style  Salsa classes that are being given in the area?.  Words can’t really describe how much fun we had.  You are an absolutely amazing person and I really admire you.  You are an inspiration for me as the week before the Bootcamp I was feeling kind of depressed.  I came away from the Bootcamp inspired to continue with my  Salsa dancing and to have a positive, confident attitude no matter what. Thank you and I hope to attend your future Bootcamps.  Great job! Kelly Corrales Victoria and Michelle Corrales Lake Worth, Florida Dear Edie, Thank you so much for a great styling class last Sunday.  My girlfriends and I had a fabulous time...but...we have a couple of questions.  HOW DO YOU HAVE THAT MUCH ENERGY????  We admire your ability to teach and dance at the same time or as you say, "backwards and in high heels."  The second question is, what was the name of the song and artist that was played repeatedly?  The title sounded like it might have been "Shake That Thing" and it had a Rasta sound with a  Salsa beat.  I told Jim Orr that he had to get that CD but, I couldn't find out the exact artist.  Thank you for any information that you could provide. We are looking forward to your next visit..  Yvonne Lau Hi Edie, this is Manny (the guy with the white shirt and pink pok-a-dots shirt at the social). I just wanted to tell you that I had a great time last weekend at the workshop and at the social.  i learned a lot even though I had to cut out early on sunday - around 3... I've only been doing this for a month and change but feel really good and comfortable doing it. Like everything else, I just have to keep practicing.  I look forward to dancing with you in the future.  I bought your intermediate 1 and 2 dvd's.  I'm glad you moved to ft. lauderdale, i'm over in the opposite coast, Ft. Myers.  I've started attending the bts socials in the canadian club in hallandale. Maybe i'll c u around. Take care, and again, thanks for everything.  I'll be at the congress parties this weekend in ORL. -Manny http://www.myspace.com/dimelo77 Hello Edie, I was at the Göteborg  Salsa congress this weekend and I just wanted to thank you for being there. It's amazing to see you great dancers just out there dancing and being with all of us regular people. I especially remember one moment in the beginning of Saturday night when you stood there alone looking at the dance floor and I even THINK that if I had asked you to dance, you would have accepted. Nice. I just didn't want to disturb you with my only four years of dancing. So thank you once again. Your presence during the whole congress was an inspiration to many people. I hope to be in Hamburg this summer and I'll see you again. Best regards, Malte Lewan Dear Edie, This is Jamie. We met at Innsbruck and at the Britfest. I told you how impressive a teacher and showman you were, and tried to buy you a fruit juice. My homepage is www.gabbay.org.uk. Check it out. There are bits I still haven't put online, but you might find http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/~gabbay/tungus.html amusing. It relates to my own experience travelling and teaching, with academics in university --- I'd be interested to know if the same kinds of things happen to visiting  Salsa teachers. It was a pleasure meeting you. My going to your ladies styling class was coincidence: I couldn't be bothered to plan what workshop to do next so I let fate guide my steps. And fate was smiling on me that day because I got to enjoy your wonderfully witty and wise performance. So I went along to the spins class and that too was witty and wise. (You looked absolutely regal up there on the balcony, with that dreadfully melodramatic picture of a horse behind you; did you notice? What a performance!!) But wait, you say. Lots of teachers are witty and wise and good showmen. So let me logically prove to you that I'm justified writing fan mail to you in particular. Actually, there are a a few examples but I'll just mention one --- it's a comment you made which I think for me might even justify the cost of the entire congress. You were talking about the way the body learns, and that if you want to get good at spinning, practice the good side first, then the bad side, because then the good side informs the bad side and not the other way round. Now that's an insight into body intelligence, not one into dance. It had not occurred to me *at all* and it will be very useful for me in the future, I expect. Furthermore, it's not an insight I had to deduce for myself from things you said; you'd already raised it to the correct level of abstraction and served it up to us packaged in a neat conceptual box. How useful. How elegant. Perhaps it's because I'm a mathematician, but I really *appreciated* that. I should keep this short since I doubt you have much free time for e-mails. Thanks again and I do hope that one day there'll be time for us to have a decent chat. I found your performances (sorry, classes) very touching. Jamie Hi Edie, I wanted to congratulate you on all your success!!! I used to love going out  Salsa dancing years ago when you were a regular in the LA  Salsa scene. I always enjoyed watching you dance from the sidelines. I stopped dancing (all the while missing it terribly) for about 4 years. I’m now back and excited to see how your hard work and dedication has taken you everywhere (literally) but I must say I do miss seeing you at the clubs. May God continue to bless you Edie! Thanks for being such a great role model and an inspiration for all of us aspiring  Salsa dancers! I really look forward to learning from you. Thank you, Erika Olmedo You guys are always asking me to recommend a good  Salsa DANCE teacher..well here is my recommendation!  Edie is presenting her Bootcamp once again in Los Angeles.  Take advantage of the pre registration price ..$55.00 this is SUCH A DEAL! It includes instruction, lunch, snacks and a syllabus.  Here is the website, I will be there for the Bootcamp,  no matter how much I dance I always learn something new at these workshops. http://www. Salsafreak.com/Bootcamp/beginner_la.htm Tell her I sent you! - Margarita Hello Edie, I attended your workshop yesterday in Ft. Lauderdale w/my dance partner and I must say we both enjoyed the workshop very much. I was the one latina wearing the black t-shirt and greysweat capris sitting at table next to mirror, the one who jokingly flexed my bicept as you used me to demonstrate how to caress a man's arm (as if you would remember LOL).We traveled all the way from Melbourne, FL for your workshop and it was well worth the trip!!  I was wondering if perhaps you would consider holding one in the Orlando area, which is much closer to us than Ft. Lauderdale. Many of the ladies from our dance studio would be willing to attend. Thanks for handing down your excellent knowledge to us and a great thanks for teaching me to be sexier on the floor!! Take care, Veronica Veintimilla-Trook hi edie... it's