Vazquez Family Review
By Russell Longo
Francisco...
Boy, we are some lucky folks in Los Angeles. We’ve got great weather; beach, mountains and desert all within driving distance; the glamour that is Hollywood; some of the best salsa clubs; and…we’ve got Francisco Vazquez.
Energetic, flashy, addicting to watch, Francisco epitomizes Los Angeles salsa. He exudes raw talent in every moving limb as he commands the dance floor like a salsa general. He’ll launch his partner into a feverish episode of spins, dips, and slinky body movements, and then shut that door to move the dance into a softer, more sensual display- all during the same song!
Now I wasn’t in the best of moods the night I came to Khoury’s in Long Beach for some mid-week entertainment at the site of Francisco’s newest class. In fact, I kept asking myself – "what are you expecting to draw from all this? Are the classes, the practice, the sleep deprivation ( oh, do I love my sleep) worth it?" No doubt about it, I had a bad case of the "Beginner’s Blues". Hey, don’t lie! We’ve all been there.
Francisco was teaching, as he does every Tuesday night at Khoury’s. I caught maybe five minutes of the class as I peeked around the bar and dining area looking for Edie, the Salsa Freak herself. There she was, as always, working! Typing away on her laptop computer. Another SalsaWeb article in the works.
I added what little assistance I could to help finish up her article so we can dance! You see, bad mood and all, the music and dancing had started to loosen my ill spirits. Five minutes prior, I would have just as easily driven right back home. Now, however, I wanted to move!
But first I would be treated to an infusion of motivation and enthusiasm provided for my spirit, courtesy of Francisco. After class, he grabbed several partners, one at a time, and went out to play. And he works and plays hard! With clean, crisp moves, and fun-loving display of emotion, Francisco’s dancing certainly showcases his experience. Give him the floor and he’ll reward you with a display of dance that will lift your mood, and feet to start dancing.
Bad mood, ill spirits - be gone! I owe Francisco a debt of gratitude and appreciation for inspiring me that night to my first Salsa fix (one long year after starting to dance Salsa). And wouldn’t you know it, La Salsa Freak , Edie Lewis, was my partner. How appropriate indeed.
You can’t observe the LA Salsa scene too long without seeing Francisco influence in the dancing of much younger Salseros. They won’t deny it, nor will your own eyes and mind. I would highly recommend taking classes Luis and Joby, his brother and sister-in-law respectively, if you are a beginner and intermediate. Definitely don’t deny yourself the pleasure, however, of being taught by Francisco, truly one of the great Salseros in the world of Salsa. You’re in for a treat!
Joby And Luis...
I can’t say enough good things about Joby and Luis. When I decided to finally give my dancing the attention my interest level demanded, choosing instructors wasn’t a decision I took lightly. My personal time is a limited resource, and I needed to spend it wisely. Fortunately, I had several good references, one from the Salsa Freak herself, that compelled me to consider Joby and Luis as my primary instructors. Her recommendation proved solid; Joby and Luis certainly live up to their teaching reputation.In true Vazquez brother form, Luis’s dancing serves up a picture of possibilities for the man just learning this addictive dance; he’s smooth, confident, technical, and flashy. Luis takes the song and makes it his, and carries his partner through an exciting dance experience. I’ve seen more than a few women finish a sequence of moves with him in class with big smiles across their faces. Edie once told me Joby’s favorite partner is her husband Luis. I can believe it!
Joby needs no introduction in the Los Angeles scene, in her own right. I’ve taken more private classes with Joby than with any other instructor, so I feel well qualified to offer my recommendation of her instruction. Beautiful, intelligent, sexy, fantastically talented - the adjectives could run on for another sentence or two. Add the commanding lead of Luis with the striking feminine styling of Joby, and you’re in for one hell of a show. Pure visual dynamite.
Joby and Luis teach both beginner and intermediate classes, beginning with a warm up session of solo (shine) moves, followed by at least one, usually two, partnering techniques. Their classes are usually filled to the brim, so there’s ample opportunity to meet other students; you’ll most certainly encounter lots of these familiar faces when you hit the clubs. Because the moves they teach run parallel with nearly all the popular instructors in Los Angeles, men can confidently lead most women through the techniques they learn with few unpleasant surprises. Likewise, women will learn what to expect from the male dancers leading them.
When you’re ready to accelerate your learning, take a private with Luis or Joby. I found both to be very patient, yet technical. You’re going to learn. Joby was great about working out the small kinks in my dancing, often forcing me to repeat the same steps over until I was confident in my lead. This was very important to me, an aspect I required from my learning experience. If your instructor can’t be honest with your performance, you won’t improve as you should. Joby took care to make sure I knew where I needed to improve, and it’s made a tremendous difference