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Hola! Salsa is here

From photographer to salsa dancer, Kaytee Namgyal has come a long way

DANCE WITH ME Kaytee Namgyal makes his moves

Salsa is hot, the dance we mean, and Salsero Kaytee Namgyal is looking at hotting up the city some more this summer with the introduction of his salsa school. Kaytee, a salsero, as male salsa dancers are often called, had his first encounter with the dance on a visit to Japan about five years ago. He was seduced by the dance right away and the rest, as they say, is history. Today, Kaytee has made it his mission to spread the dance and currently has six branches in Delhi and two in Mumbai. And it's precisely this mission that brings him to our city.

Kaytee is certain that a Latin dance school will do well here. "People in Hyderabad are ready for newer activities and I know they will take to Salsa too." His school will be run by two of his protegees and Kaytee himself will oversee the entire operations. If you're wondering why he chose to set up base in Hyderabad after Delhi and Mumbai, well here's why — "I'm looking at setting up schools where people are receptive and ready. The idea is to set up a community, so in essence, it works as a community building exercise as well. Salsa teaches you to be more confident and to be a better person. I want to spread the word of Salsa to everyone and get them to embrace the dance." Kaytee is also in the process of setting up schools in Indore and Chandigarh.

Kaytee doesn't hesitate to tell you that his life revolves around Salsa. But the love for the dance developed long after he had graduated from Delhi University and was working hard to establish himself as a photographer. A series of workshops and training sessions under the best names in the U.S. and he was on his way to teaching in India. Kaytee is also a part of the World Salsa Congress that makes him the point person for any salsa or Latin American dance activity in India. He is currently busy organising the Salsa India festival 2006 to be held in Delhi later this month. The three-day event will include competitions, performances and even classes by some of the best Salseros and Salseras from across the world. After the Salsa India festival, he has been invited to conduct workshops and perform in Kuwait, Bahrain and Thailand. He is also clear on his stand of participating in contests. "When you compete, you don't dance for the love of it. A certain sense of malice comes in," he grins.

The school, Salsa India, Dance Company, will commence classes in Hyderabad from the first week of May. For further details contact Aradhana on 9247585932.

RENUKA VIJAY KUMAR

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