A little about SalsaBoston and our History

SalsaBoston was founded about 8 years ago by Olaf Bleck, then an MIT grad student turned Salsero. A few years later he found himself thoroughly in the thick of the promotions circles, and attended the 1st Salsaweb convention in Washington, DC. "It was an unforgetable experience!," he said. While there, he got to know Edie Lewis "The Salsa Freak", Ben Rappoport, Salsaweb founder, and Ricardo Loaiza, organizer of the event. With Ricardo, Ben, and Edie, he helped organize the 2nd Salsaweb convention in Toronto, in 2001. Additionally, he worked with Albert Torres and David Melendez to introduce New England Salseros to a number major congresses including LA and New York.

In the fall of 2001, formerly LA/now New Orleans Salsero Troy Anthony, called Olaf about doing a workshop in Boston, and the Boston Congress was held just 6 weeks later. Dubbed the mini-congress at the time, it was a successful community effort which exemplified the spirit and energy of the Salsaweb congresses, avoiding the major commercial and financial undertakings that many other congresses were becoming. "We just wanted to throw a good party and grow our community," Olaf later said.

The following year, the Boston Salsa Congress™ was expanded, and Kelly Silfies joined the organizing team for the 2nd; the 3rd Annual event was done in conjuction with the MIT Casino Rueda group. While the Boston Congress was a small event compared to others in major US cities, the focus continued to be on building the Boston/New England Salsa community and to grow the congress in conjunction with the growing popularity of Salsa in the area. By 2004, at least six dance/performance companies had started and represented Boston in LA that year.

In 2004, the community demanded a bigger/better Congress, especially with the Boston International Salsa Congress having been orchistrated at the Airport Hilton by David Melendez and by April Genovese, a New York/long time Boston instructor and strong critic of the previous Boston Congresses.

But... The Boston Salsa Congress™ committee responded to the community by committing to make the 4th Annual event the best and biggest ever. With Troy Anthony formally appointed the Artistic Director, and Boston DJ/Salsero/Promoter Hernan Choque joining the committee as a co-organizer, and the completion of the beautiful new Springstep ballroom and dance center, Boston's best-ever-to-be congress was launched! And indeed it was. Many attendees, including well seasoned congress veterans deemed it, "One of the best congress ever." That's good enough for us.

The Fifth Annual Boston Salsa Congress™ looks to be even an improvement on that. The event is held exclusively at Springstep, one month earlier when the weather in Boston still promises to be excellent. The performance and instructor list is expanded, and many other improvements are planned.

We hope to see you September 16!

We'll be the ones running around, but please say "hi!"

Olaf	Troy	Hernan	Kelly	Wanda	Holly