Bachata Dance Bootcamp w/ Edwin & Dakota
East Bay - Match 10, 2018
March 10th
Two Events w/ Edwin & Dakota
Bachata Bootcamp @ Allegro - 11am-2pm
Berkeley Bachata Salsa Social
@ The Beat - 8pm to 2am
BACHATA BOOTCAMP - MARCH 10TH @ ALLEGRO - 11am until 2pm

EDWIN FERRERAS, AN AWARDED AMBASSADOR OF DOMINICAN ARTS AND MUSIC BY THE INTERNATIONAL DOMINICAN ARTS AND CULTURE, along with his partner Dakota, will be the in the Bay Area March 10th

Bootcamp is held at Allegro Ballroom - 11am until 2pm
Online Cost: $50
Door Cost: $60

11am to 1pm (2hours)- RHYTHM & ROOTS (Multimedia Presentation + Musicality Intensive) A 2-hour Intensive covering History, Roots and Culture via powerpoint presentation. Features a timeline of Danzon-Bolero-Son-Bachata with Merengue influences. Followed by Musicality featuring live instruments: guira & bongo, and a guided practice on shines and footwork. (All levels welcomed)

1pm to 2pm (1 hour)- 1-Hour Workshop: BACHATA REGIONAL STYLES (Covering regions: San Pedro, Villa Mella, Bonao, Santo Domingo, ending in the modernization of Bachata in New York as it progresses through the rest of Western world. (Partnering only)

REGISTRANTS OF THE 3-HOUR BOOTCAMP WILL HAVE FREE ACCESS TO THE 1.5 WORKSHOP AND SOCIAL DANCING TO BERKELEY BACHATA SOCIAL (at The Beat), a $20 value
WHO IS EDWIN & DAKOTA?

Edwin M. Ferreras is a New York based, Dominican-born dancer, instructor, and director of LFX Dancers. Edwin has performed and taught in dance congresses around the world including; Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, and Russia. He has also shared his passion for dance throughout the United States. Edwin teaches connection, musicality, leading and following techniques, as well as elements of Bachata music and dance, including roots and culture. His firm knowledge and understanding of music allows him to interpret and connect to it seamlessly. His focus on the sounds and detail of the instruments help him teach students to listen, feel, and create, as apposed to memorizing numbers, steps, and patterns. Edwin's content and ability to connect to students facilitates their learning and encourages them to express themselves in their own unique way. Edwin started dancing when he was a toddler at family functions and parties. By the age of 18 he entered the hip hop culture and dove into the world of breakdancing. He joined KR3Ts, under the instruction of Violeta Galagarza, where he learned about street dance. In 2007, while earning his BFA in Music and Dance Education in New York, Edwin founded a dance team. Leveraging his dance and music expertise, Edwin desired to put together a special team of dancers to fulfill their potential within the group’s now trademark “FUSION” style. This vision gave rise to LFX Dancers. In 2008, LFX had evolved from a college based team into a NYC-based teaching group. By 2013 LFX was incorporated as a dance company, offering dance performance and teaching services in the US and around the world. In addition to his work with LFX, Edwin has been teaching for the past 11 years and has been a key player in the development of the bachata scene in New York. He taught the first bachata classes, held at Piel Canela Dance School and at New York's first bachata party, Bachateame Mama. For the past six years, Edwin has served as the lead Bachata instructor at Joel Salsa Dance School. In 2015, Edwin met and began dancing with multitalented artist, Dakota Romero. In 2016 she became his dance partner and teaching assistant, traveling together to work in national and international events. Dakota is a professional artist; singer, dancer and actor. Her extensive training in music and dance started when she was a child. She has an impressive resume and her ability to learn quickly and effectively has made her a fitting counterpart to Edwin's work in the Latin dance community. Thus began their partnership, which has been captivating the world of dance. As a musician and choreographer, Edwin has had the opportunity to work with various artists including Luis Vargas, Kiko Rodriguez, and Luis Miguel del Amargue, to name a few. Edwin was featured on Telemundo in a news segment called Fiebre de la Bachata. As a scholar, he continues to research the deep roots of early Afro-Latin dances (Bachata, Bolero, Son, and Merengue) to further his growth as an ambassador and advocate for social dances and their authenticity. Dakota Romero is a multicultural, Los Angeles native Singer, Dancer, and Actor. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Dakota studied ballet as a child. She appeared in her first production, Hansel & Gretel (ballet), sparking her love for theater. She later performed in musicals such as Godspell (at the Alex Theater), and The Wiz of Oz (as Dorothy), to name a few. In high school, Dakota studied dance at world renowned dance studios such as The Millenium Complex, Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio, and EDGE Performing Arts Center. She took classes from Los Angeles' most influential choreographers including Jayson Wright, Marty Kudelka, and Dante. During class, Dakota was scouted and hired by the producers of Sesame Street, casting her in a Cartoon Network hip hop music video. Dakota has always loved exploring and learning new styles of dance. She has dabbled in Belly Dance, Swing, and Flamenco, where she studied under the late legendary Maestro Teo Morca. After completing a 14 city arena concert tour in Europe, and while earning her BFA in Music, Dakota spent the summer in Paris, where she was introduced to, and fell in love with, Bachata. Upon returning to the states newly inspired, Dakota continued to pursue her passion for latin dance, a seed that was planted in her as a young girl, by her grandmother. Coincidentally, just before moving to New York, Dakota met Edwin Ferreras at a workshop in New Mexico, and the two have been dancing together ever since. Dakota quickly found a home within NYC's latin fusion dance team LFX Dancers, and became Edwin's dance partner and teaching assistant. Together they have been performing and teaching Merengue, Bachata, and Bolero around the world