ProgramWSF 2011 DJs
DJ Mauri
DJ Mauri is recognized as one of the leading and most requested salsa DJs in Europe’s enormous salsa community. His DJ-career began in 1996, when he was requested to substitute for the resident DJ of a small café in Amsterdam. Since then, his DJ career has sky rocketed to include being the head DJ of some of the biggest-salsa parties in Holland, the resident DJ of various congresses across Europe, and the compilation of various salsa CD's.
Based out of Amsterdam, DJ Mauri is the Resident DJ of two of the biggest monthly salsa parties in Holland; The Salsa Lounge in Amsterdam and The Salsaventura Show Party in The Hague. He is often asked to oversee parties and concerts when prominent salsa artists are visiting Holland and has DJ-ed next to bands such as Los Van Van, Manolito y Su Trabuco, Jimmy Bosch, Eddie Palmieri, El Gran Combo, Los Soneros del Barrio and many others. He has successfully managed the appearance of legendary bands like El Gran Combo for concerts in Amsterdam and Greece.
DJ Mauri's style varies from New York Salsa-Dura to Cuban Music and 50's and 60's Mambo but he is equally comfortable playing other genres. His signature is his amazing ability to read the crowd, knowing when to play the right salsa grooves and when to switch it up to other genres to keep the crowd pleased and entertained. He is a favourite among event organizers, dancers and music-lovers for his talents as a DJ, his integrity with his work and his sociability.
DJ El Malo
Stefano Amato, alias DJ El Malo, was born in Zurich in 1975. Already as a child, besides soccer, he developed a great passion for music. After an instructive trip across Cuba, the native Italian was sure: his future DJ career would consist of Salsa beats.
From his former experiences as a House-DJ he got the indispensable beat feeling, from his HipHop and R&B trips he got the great mixing technique and from his passion to the Latin way of life he got the needed faith in the music. When DJ'ing, he provides an unrivalled mix of Fania classics.
In less than five years he became one of the most known and best Salsa DJ's, invited to important international Salsa Congresses all over the world. Moreover, he was honored several times for his work in the World of Latin Music - like in 2005, at the West Coast Salsa Congress in Los Angeles. He has also launched two great Salsa Compilations with the label "Latin Touch".
DJ Sezar
Sezar started to spin vinyls at the early age of 16. He began with hiphop and R'n'B, and then developed a great passion for trance, house and clubbing, then jazz house and Latin house and finally, around 2003, after a break of 6 years, for salsa.
Listening to salsa gradually became an addiction, which brought about a complete change in his life. Sezar now plays congas and bongos, has danced for many years and travelled to most European and American salsa congresses, stayed periodically in New York and collected music all around the world.
He has been playing at salsa congresses and in clubs in Norway and Sweden for about 5 years, but only started to work abroad in 2009. With his career beginning to take off, what was once a pleasurable hobby, is now keeping him away from his own company in the construction business and becoming a full-time job.
DJ Sezar mostly plays salsa mambo, from time to time giving the dancers something surprisingly different. His enjoyable, varied sets will keep you going and going. Every event he has played at has been remarkable, making him more and more requested by all audiences.
Sławek 'Mala Suerte' Leszczyński
Sławek was introduced to salsa in late 2002 and that's when he started to collect songs that he felt were the most enjoyable for salsa dancers. Over the years his collection grew but he only used it for personal purposes. It all changed in 2006 when he was asked to DJ at a new salsa party and reluctantly agreed. From that moment he started to spend more and more time searching for new music and sifting through his collection for the best songs. This time-consuming task was partially eased by his exceptional memory for catchy tunes and for the names of salsa artists.
At the beginning of his career as a DJ, Sławek spinned in small clubs with poor DJ equipment and bad audio systems. Undaunted by his initial difficulties, he adopted the humorous nickname Mala Suerte (Spanish for "bad luck").
Guided by his musical taste as a dancer, he tries to deliver tunes that are highly danceable but not too familiar. He specialises in heavy Puerto Rican and New York salsa, especially from the golden age of salsa music in the 1960s and 1970s, but he doesn't ignore salsa bands that have emerged over the last couple of years.
His taste in salsa music, as well as his knowledge, have evolved over time. Initially collecting albums of well-known salsa artists such as Ray Barretto, Willie Rosario, Tito Puente, Ismael Rivera, Bobby Valentin, Cheo Feliciano, he then broadened his horizons to less-known artists, such as Impacto Crea, Johnny Zamot, Chivirico Davila, Federico and Alfredo Linares. Today, Slawek own albums of hundreds of bands known only to a handful of salsa vieja collectors in the world.
You will definitely enjoy the nostalgic guajiras, rhythmic guaguancos and fast-paced, energetic, percussion heavy descargas he carefully selected.
DJ The Joker is Wild
DJ The Joker is Wild from Latvia has been DJing weekly in Riga since 2006. He has also appeared as guest DJ at salsa events in Lithuania (Vilnius, Kaunas) and Estonia (Tallinn). He produces salsa events in Riga with international guest dancers and DJs. His experience includes DJing at Riga Salsa Festival 2010, 2011, Tallinn Salsa Festival 2011, Salsa Spring Break (Warsaw) 2011. He has DJed with international Djs inlcuding Mauri, Lubi, Steve Mambo Criminal (Brussels), Dj-Latinmaster Holland, Weedska (Lithuania), Rain (Estonia), Guy Raphael (US/Estonia).
DJ TRESORman
Born in a small town near Warsaw. At first, he was fascinated mainly by electronic music from the break of 80's and 90's. Starting his career as a DJ, he mixed the music of such artists as Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, New Order, Ultravox or OMD. In high school, he and his colleagues were the originators and organisers of a rave, techno and house event at the Firana Cabana club. He owes his nickname, DJ TRESORman, to his extensive collection of records with electro, techno, minimal and house music released by TRESOR, a renowned Berlin-based record company.
He started his adventure with salsa in the first half of 2005, at Arek Domagała's dance classes, and continued intensive dance education at Salsa Factory, a Warsaw-based school of salsa. Since 2005, Artur's music interests have changed and he started to collect albums with Latin American music.
DJ TRESORman presently cooperates with Salsa Factory, Torres Salsa Group, eSalsa.net and Salsa Libre providing music support at Latino events in Poland. His DJ sets are characterised by excellent mixing technique, sense of climate on the dance floor, great contact with the audience and spontaneity. He hates monotony and likes to surprise. The circle of his steady "patients" keeps increasing.
DJ Habanero
Hector Del Rio Torres is one of Poland's few DJs specializing in Cuban music. He was born in Havana to a pair of dancers, soloists of the famous Danza Nacional de Cuba, currently coaches and dance teachers. "Hecti", as he is affectionately called by his Polish friends, grew up surrounded by the sounds of Afrocuban drums, and often watched his parents rehearse and perform. Over time, he began to perform himself with various youth dance groups directed by his parents.
Hector is a qualified sound engineer. His ultimate dream is to work at the recording studio where he completed his apprenticeship during the recording sessions for Los Van Van's "Chapeando".
Hector in his own words: "I have a deep love and appreciation for the roots of Afrocuban culture, having been born and bred into it. It is part of my soul and of my body. Today, the world of sounds that built my childhood resonates in Salsa music. I am happy to share this flavour and positive energy with anyone willing to experience it."
DJ Marash
Marek Rewicki (a.k.a. Marash or Marek 45°) began his music and dance training at the tender age of 8. He took his first jive, samba, walz and tango steps at the "Akcent" ballroom dance club, transferring, after 7 years, to Warsaw's "Syrena" dance club. He endured 9 years of arduous training until an injury forced him to take several years off dancing. Nevertheless, his passion never faded. He began training again, at the "Riviera" dance school, and, after appearing on stage a couple of times, discovered his penchant for performance. In August 2007 he signed up for a Salsa course in the Montuno Ayé school in Warsaw, where he studied under Ola Leszczewicz, Kasia Lorkowska and Gosia Poręba. He soon began to learn Kizomba, thus becoming one of the first Kizomba dancers in Poland. He perfected his technique and style with Ola Leszczewicz, Kwenda Lima, Iris de Brito, Paula Loureiro & Ricardo Sousa (Afrolatin Connection), Ze Barbosa, Avelino Chantre, Helio Santos and one of the greatest world authorities in the field of Angolan culture of music and dance, Mestre Petchu. He also participated in numerous dance workshops, including Africa Dancar (a festival of Arfican dances) and International Warsaw Salsa Festival. In 2008 he was invited to join Montuno Ayé's instructor team as a Kizomba and African dance teacher. He also began to DJ during Kizomba parties in the Alfa student club and in Salsa Libre Dance Studio. As a dancer, he's known for his excellent leading technique and creativity, both when social dancing and giving classes.
DJ Crashu
Crashu is a producer and a dj. His fist goa-trance compositions were presented at "Radiostacja" – a nationwide broadcasting station in Poland. In 2000, some of his tunes were presented on CD distributed with a magazine devoted to club music. One of his tracks was also published on one of the first Polish drum and bass compilations. In 2002 he started to play in clubs.
His new passion - dancing, led him to a salsa and kizomba school. That was where he first heard Latin and Afro music. Inspired by parties in Lisbon, he started to mix Kizomba and add his own remixes to the sets. He has played at parties at Montuno Ayé dance school, Salsa Libre dance school, Warsaw Kizomba Festival, Warsaw Salsa Festival, Bachaturo festival and at Radio Kampus.
DJ Melena
Lena Magalinskaya alias DJ Melena (a.k.a Mega’n’Sheep), is the major bachata/kizomba event manager and DJ at regular Latin parties in Minsk.
In February 2011 Lena organized the 1st Belarusian bachata festival in order to promote bachata and introduce kizomba in Belarus, and from that time on she actively supports the development of bachata/kizomba movement by inviting European instructors for conducting seminars and organizing Afro-Latin parties.
Lena has performed at Afro-Latin parties, at dancing schools in Minsk, at the 1st Belarusian bachata festival, Salsa pa-susiedsku festival, Russian bachata festival, etc.
