Azúcar, formerly Azúcar y Crema, is an all-female Latin band from the Bay Area. Check out Peter's concert report and photo gallery.

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2013 - The 5th Annual Salsa Rueda Festival in S.F.

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Timbaversity Guest Stars - Isaias Rojas, Ned Sublette, and Roberto Borrell
Lectures, Q & A sessions, and Multi-Media Demos on Cuban Music and Dance
15 min breaks between dance workshops.
5 LIVE CUBAN BANDS!!
17 hours of Beginners Bootcamp!! -- Beginners Mixer/Social Room
DJ Room with Timba, Salsa, Cubaton, Bachata, Reggaton, Kizomba and more
Instructors/Performers Track -- After Party room w/ all star Salsa Timba DJ's till 5 a.m.

DANCE INSTRUCTORS-2013
Isaias Rojas* (Havana, Cuba)  -- Yeni Molinet (Havana - Italy)  -- Roberto Borrell (Havana-Bay Area) -- Kati Hernandez (Havana-Los Angeles) -- Yismari Ramos Tellez (Havana - Bay Area) -- René Dennis Thompson (Havana - Minneapolis) -- Temistocles Betancourt (Havana - Bay Area) -- Duane Wrenn (Detroit) -- Julian Meija (Atlanta)  -- Ramon Ramos Alayo (Santiago de Cuba - Bay Area) -- Luis "El Indio" Martinez (Havana - Mexico City)  -- Sandra Moro Sleeper (Austin) -- Royland Lobato ( Guantanamo - Bay Area) -- Susana Arenas Pedroso (Havana - Bay Area) -- El Salsaron Cubano (Havana) -- Mike & Simona (Corvallis) -- Chris Rogicki & Evelyn Ramirez (New York City) -- Rick Washington (Bay Area) -- Yussef Breffe (Havana-Bay Area) -- Greisy Prieto & Javier Rosillo (Venezuela) -- Leslie Vazquez & Reinier Fernandez (Havana-Mexico City) -- Amanda & Adrian (D.C.) -- Victoria-Hadar Harel (New York City) -- Tania de La Pena (Los Angeles) -- Wilfredo Guilbiac Rodriguez (Havana - San Diego) -- Nick and Serena (The Bay Area)

2013 Dance Performances
Salsa Vale Todo (SF/Bay Area) -- Rumbanana (Corvallis, OR) -- Las Que Son Son (The Bay Area, CA) -- SALSAtlanta (Atlanta, GA) -- Rueda Vale Todo (SF/Bay Area) -- Fuakata (New York, NY) -- Yeni Molinet (Havana - Italy) -- D.C. Casineros (Washington D.C.) -- CMV con Ritmo (Mexico City, Mexico) -- Ladies of Salsatlanta (Atlanta, GA) -- CMV Kids (Mexico City, Mexico) -- Grupo Experimental Nago (Bay Area) -- Dale Tumbao (Eugene, OR) -- Timba Casino (Mexico City, Mexico) -- Danzarte Maracaibo (Venezuela) -- Fuego Latino (Watsonville, CA) -- Street to Stage (Minneapolis, MN) -- Salsa con Rumba (Mexico - Washington) -- Arenas Dance Company (Bay Area) -- Nick and Serena (SF/Bay Area) -- Las Puras (The Bay Area, CA) -- Rueda Rockets (Moffet Field, CA) -- Bruno and Ann (Minneapolis, MN) -- Dance in Time (D.C.) -- My Salsa Performance Group (Atlanta, GA) -- Cubata (San Diego, CA) -- Soulclectic Roots Dance Company (L.A., CA) -- Sarah Herrera & Adetola Williams (Bay Area)

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We haven't had a habit of posting much in the way of dance videos here, but I love this one and couldn't resist. Some day when I grow up, I hope to dance in some sort of approximation of what Yanet Fuentes does. I'm not one to have idols, but Yanet is my dance idol! Here she is dancing to Van Van's "De La Habana a Matanzas" (Mayito version) with Yoannis Tamayo, another of my favorite Cuban dancers. They give a wonderful, improvised demonstration of what Cuban dancing is all about. They do a mix of rumba, afro-cuban dances and casino and are obviously just playing and having a great time. This is what the music is all about, enjoy!

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TIMBA.com wishes you a happy and prosperous 2013, and as we prepare for the new year, we also wanted to take the opportunity to remember some key moments from this year:

TIMBA.com les desea un feliz y próspero año 2013, y mientras nos prparamos para el nuevo año, hemos quierido aprovechar la oportunidad para recordar algunos momentos importantes de este año: 

Music Industry Awards/ Premios de la industria musical:  

In Cuba's  CUBADISCO  2012,  Acabaito de Nacer (David Calzado y su Charanga Habanera) won the award for Best Album of Current Popular Dance Music.   It is worth mentioning that a band based in the United States, Timbalive, was also nominated in that category.  We believe that this is the first time that a band in the US has received that distinction. 

En Cuba, CUBADISCO 2012, Acabaito de Nacer (David Calzado y su Charanga Habanera) ganó el premio al Mejor Álbum de Musica Popular Bailable Actual.   Vale la pena mencionar que un grupo en los Estados Unidos, Timbalive, también fue nominado en esa categoria.  Creemos que esta es la primera vez que un grupo un ls EE.UU. ha recibido esta distinción.  

Also, Mis 22 Años (NG La Banda)  received a Special Prize along  with 30 Años de Son 14 (Son 14.)

Asimismo, Mis 22 Años (NG La Banda) recibió un Premio Especial junto con 30 Años de Son 14 (Son 14) 

In the United States, La Maquinaria (Juan Formell y Los Van Van)  received a nomination for Best Contemporary Tropical Album in the XIII Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards.   Although this was not necessarily the best Timba recording to come out during this period, we were glad to see that a Timba recording from anyone did finally receive recognition from the Academy.   The Academy also created a new category, Best Tropical Fusion, that will be worth watching in the future.  

En los Estados Unidos, La Maquinaria (Juan Formell y Los Van Van) recibió una nominación al Mejor Álbum Tropical Contemporáneo en La XIII Entrega Anual del Latin GRAMMY.  Aunque esto no era necesariamente la mejor grabación Timba para ser lanzado durante este periodo, nos alegramos de ver que una grabación Timba de cualquier grupo hizó finalmente recibir el reconocimiento de la Academia.  La Academia también ha creado una nueva categoría, Mejor Álbum de Fusión Tropical, que ser digno de ver en el futuro. 

Milestones/Hitos:   

Juan Formell celebrated his 70th birthday this year.  Congratulations Juan, and thanks for all the joy that you have brought us during several decades of wonderful music.    Also, the late Celia Cruz was selected by popular vote in the United States to be recognized with a special portrait in the Smithsonian Institution.   For fans in North America, the most important news of the year may be that 2012 saw a significant increase in tours by bands from Cuba.  Hopefully this trend will continue. 

Juan Formell celebró su cumpleaños número 70 este año.  Felicidades Juan, y gracias por toda la alegría que nos ha llevado durante varias décadas de música maravillosa.  Además, la fallecida Celia Cruz fue seleccionado por votación popular en los Estados Unidos para ser reconocido con un retrato especial en la Smithsonian Institution. Para los fans en  América del Norte, la noticia más importante del año puede ser que el 2012 se registró un aumento significativo en giras con grupos de Cuba.  Esperemos que esta tendencia va a continuar. 

Most Exciting Band of 2012/Grupo más excitante de 2012: 

TIMBA.com doesn't have an official "Best Band" award, but if we did, it would be difficult to deny Alexander Abreu and Havana d'Primera the honors for 2012.  They sent audiences into a frenzy wherever we saw them play.  

TIMBA.com no tiene un premio de "Mejor Grupo", pero si lo hiciériamos, sería dificil negar Alexander Abreu y Havana D'Primera los honores en 2012.  Enviaron a un público en un frenesi donde  los vimos tocar.  

GRAMMY NOMINATION
Nominated for Best Tropical Latin Album (Mejor Álbum Tropical)  in the upcoming 55th Grammy Awards, CUBANO SOY by Raúl Lara y sus Soneros, is a wonderful tradional Son and Rumba project from a Cuban expat living in Sweden, which practically has its own colony of Cuban musicians now. Raúl studied extensively with José Luis Quintana (Changuito) when he was younger.  He has played with several groups, but Cubano Soy is his debut release as a solo artist.  Raúl's website, which includes some sound clips, is here.  

In Memoriam:

Luis Abreu, Sara González, Paquito Hechavarria, Gregorio "El Goyo" Hernandez

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