Mina QUEEN SALSA - from the very early 1990’s to the present day
Mina has dancing in her blood. She began her dancing career in Istanbul, Turkey at the tender age of three. Starting with Turkish Folkloric dance, including Belly dancing, she continued over the years with Modern dance, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Ballet and various Latin dances including Cha Cha Cha , Samba, Lambada, Mambo, Merengue, Cumbia, Boogaloo, Pachanga and, of course, SALSA.
She remembers the UK Salsa scene in the very early 1990’s when she first started dancing and teaching Salsa. Basically, it was very small. Of course, Salsa was being played and danced to, in one form or another, by many people around the world, and for many years, especially in the Americas, but not as we know it now, and especially not in the UK.
Towards the end of 1990, while living in St. Albans, she began travelling to London regularly to meet friends and to go dancing. London was more interesting for her and had more places to choose from, especially for Latin music.
One of the few places she found, at the time, where Latin music was played and danced to, was a small bar in Covent Garden called Bar Sol - promoted and run by manager Felipe Rojas and DJ Daniel. She danced there periodically on a Sunday and, in early 1991, eventually met someone called Elder Sanchez who also danced there from time to time.
After a few attempts, Elder eventually persuaded Mina to become his first ever ‘dance / teaching’ partner in the UK. In the summer of 1991, they held their first ever Salsa class at the Chancery Lane Community Centre in Holborn, London. Things soon began to take off and, realizing they would need bigger premises with a less business orientated location, they moved to La Finca (now known as ‘Clockworks’). They also taught at Bar Rumba (Shaftsbury Avenue – 1992) and later on at Villa Stefanos (Holborn – 1993/4), the Urdang Dance Academy (Covent Garden – 1993/4) and La Plaza [Salsa Palladium] (Leicester Square – 1993/4).
After a few attempts, Elder eventually persuaded Mina to become his first ever ‘dance / teaching’ partner in the UK. In the summer of 1991, they held their first ever Salsa class at the Chancery Lane Community Centre in Holborn, London. Things soon began to take off and, realizing they would need bigger premises, with a less business orientated location, they moved to La Finca (now known as ‘Clockworks’). They also taught at Bar Rumba (Shaftsbury Avenue – 1992) and later on at Villa Stefanos (Holborn – 1993/4), the Urdang Dance Academy (Covent Garden – 1993/4) and La Plaza [Salsa Palladium] (Leicester Square – 1993/4).
***************************************************** Right - Mina and Elder demonstrating a new move to some of their students in 1991. Oooh madam...very fancy! *****************************************************
Some of the few places around at the time to dance Salsa were Bar Sol (Covent Garden), Bar Salsa (Charing X Road), Bar Rumba (Shaftsbury Avenue), La Finca (Pentonville Road), La Plaza - later called
Salsa Palladium, now closed (Leicester Square), Salsa Fusion (Leicester Square – now at Great Portland Street), Mambo Inn – later called The Loughborough Hotel, now closed (Brixton), Ronnie Scotts and Bahia - later called Club Soneros, now closed (Vauxhall). Basically, Central London was the principal place for Salsa.
Above - Mina and Elder with some of their students, London 1991.
She can’t be absolutely certain about anyone else, but knows for sure that the only people she knew of, at that time, that were teaching the kind of Salsa that we’re all familiar with today, were Nelson Batista, Ramiro Zapata, Ellie Galvani, Elder Sanchez and herself. Later on in 1992, she met Elder’s friend Julian (now known as teacher / DJ Julian the Duke), who would dance from time to time at La Finca and, in 1993/94, Homero Gonzales and Jose Polanco Alvarez.
By the end of 1994, more people had started to dance, teach and promote Salsa in more places such as Bar Madrid (Oxford Street) and Havana (Hanover Square), etc, but by now, it was becoming more difficult to keep track of all the players and all the places.
Mina and Elder stopped working together in 1994. Since then, she’s been teaching her own eclectic mix of Colombian, Cuban and Puerto Rican style Salsa at places such as: Bar Sol (Covent Garden), Sports Bar (Oxford Street), Jealous Health Club (Ealing), Cine Bar (Rayners Lane), Turnmills – Salsa University (Farringdon), Lorenzo’s Bar / Restaurant (Finchley Central) and GKII Bar / Restaurant (North Finchley). She also guest teaches periodically for promoters such as: Salsa Siempre, Alka Salsa and Salsa Fusion.
Mina has never stopped, and is currently teaching at various venues in Finchley, Barnet South and Manor House (North London), and in Brixton and Streatham (South London), and also runs periodic (Friday or Saturday) Salsa parties at various venues in North London.
For more information about Mina QUEEN SALSA’s weekly classes and party events, click here (for classes) or here (for party events).
Article written by Stephen Elliott (general dogsbody at QUEEN SALSA headquarters)
