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about us |
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In October of 2003, one dedicated and talented individual had a vision — to create a Salsa team designed for her students as an opportunity for them to meet other dancers, have fun, and improve their skills. Samantha Likely did just that. Starting with only eight members, she put together a routine, unlike any other. After working with these talented and devoted dancers for just a few short months, Salsa Mecca Dance Company performed their first routine, “Stomp,” in February of 2004, and the results have been astounding. Since then, Salsa Mecca has performed all over Alberta, and has recently been invited to represent Calgary’s Salsa scene all over Canada.
In May of 2006, feeding off the overwhelming interest for Salsa Mecca and for Salsa in general, Samantha turned her attention to opening a Salsa school in Calgary, where anyone and everyone is welcome to experience the passion and life of one of the most popular dances in the world! Her concept is simple: to offer the most complete instruction possible all in one class, with focus on style, technique, and hot moves! For more information, check out our Classes page. |
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instructors |
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Samantha Likely
Director
Having studied Ballet and Jazz for years
as a child, Samantha was due for a change when her brother
suggested she take a ballroom dance class in 1999 for his
upcoming wedding. She signed up for a class at the U of C
Ballroom Dance Club, and was instantly hooked! She began taking
as many classes as possible, and in 2000, discovered “The
Studio School of Dance.” Through them, she joined her
first performance team, a competitive team for International
style Latin, and went on to compete with the team a few months
later, taking 1st place. Spurred on by their victory, the
team decided to celebrate at Don Quijotes, the local Latin
bar, where she was first exposed to Salsa. Within minutes,
she was captivated! More addicted than ever, she began volunteering
endless hours to “The Studio” as a teacher assistance
to improve her dancing, and to observe the teaching styles
of as many instructors as possible, as she once day hoped
to become a teacher herself. Soon after that, she was offered
a receptionist position at “The Studio”, and within
the span of a year, she had worked her way up to become both
The Studio’s manager, and a full-time instructor. Gaining
a reputation for her unique style of Salsa, Samantha was also
invited to join the Salsa Rica Dance Company in fall of 2002,
and has traveled, performed, and competed with them for 2
years all over the world. Their many achievements include
performing at the 2003 LA Salsa Congress, the largest Salsa
Congress in the world, and competing in the 2002 WSF World
Salsa Championships, placing 1st in the world in the team
division! In the fall on 2003, Samantha started Salsa Mecca
Dance Company, and is proud to dance with the outstanding
salseros that make up this dedicated team.
Contact Samantha Likely: samantha.likely@salsamecca.com |
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Alicia Green
Instructor
Music has always been a part of Alicia's life. She began taking piano lessons at the age of four, and from then on was constantly involved in some sort of musical activity – playing and singing in choirs, music festivals, talent competitions, even figure-skating. When she joined a new friend for an introductory salsa lesson at a local nightclub in January 2003, she became truly obsessed. Since then, Alicia has been dancing salsa "as much as possible", frequenting the local nightclubs and events, and learning as much as possible from anyone and everyone willing to teach her! Alicia's education has also included hip hop, ballet, international style latin and standard, west coast swing, and more. She has competed and performed in many prestigious shows and competitions in Calgary, and has recently joined the Salsa Mecca Performance Troupe with plans to perform all over Canada in the near future. Alicia became a teacher assistant in 2005 with The Studio School of Dance and the University of Calgary Student Dance Club, and discovered her love of teaching. She was invited to teach for the U of C Student Dance Club in the fall of 2005, and has since helped the club with countless volunteer hours promoting, organizing parties, and developing the current syllabus.
In her spare time (of which she has increasingly less!) since May 2006, Alicia has been facilitating the Calgary Salsa Forum in an effort to unite Calgary's salseros and provide an unbiased, free venue for all to discuss, advertise, and meet new friends. Alicia became SalsaMecca's newest instructor in the fall of 2006, and plans to spread her love of dance to as many people as possible in the coming years.
Contact Alicia Green: alicia@salsamecca.com |
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the troupe |
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Stay tuned for information on the Salsa Mecca performance team. |
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