Throughout our entire tour of Europe, we kept hearing the name "Pedro Gomez".

"New York Style, Pedro Gomez", "Puerto Rican Style, Pedro Gomez great dancer", "Excellent Instuctor Pedro Gomez", "Meistro Instructor, Pedro Gomez", "Pedro Gomez this", "Pedro Gomez that"....

By the time we got to Rome, we just HAD to find out who this modern-day "Legendary Salsero" was. It's amazing that in this day and age, with the advent of computers and the internet, a single man can have such an incredible reputation, with no Email account!

"But Edie, I know, I know, I've GOT to get myself online one of these days!"
- Pedro Gomez 
(Update: Pedro FINALLY got email a couple months after this article was written - talk about PRESSURE from the FREAK!!!)

There is an incredibly high demand for Pedro's expert Salsa instruction. Pedro's workshop schedule is booked solid up to three months in advance. We first heard of Pedro Gomez, when we arrived in London, and then over and over again in Stockholm, Denmark, Germany, and more so in Rome, Italy, a place Pedro calls Home.

"Why Rome?" I asked the tall, dark, and handsome Puerto-Rican raised Cuban. "Because the Salsa scene is enormous here, and there are a lot of people who are looking for an elegant style of dancing. Rome is one of the largest cities in Europe, with a higher concentration of people.  As in any other city, Salseros want to look good dancing. They're very dedicated and eager to learn. I help them with style, patterns and footwork. My students learn very quickly."

Usually, when an instructor says "My students learn very quickly", it does not mean they learn quickly. I know for a fact, that it TRULY means, that the instructor is very thorough and knows exactly what he/she is doing.

When we arrived at Pedro's home, we were picked up by two Italien Salseros, Walter, and Frankino. We started practicing with them, dinking around with various moves, trading moves and footwork. When I danced with them, I could feel that their style was very much "New York" style. I danced on two with Walter, and on one with Frankino. Both were very good dancers, who have taken lessons with Pedro.

We actually did not get to meet Pedro until a day later, when he got back from a workshop in Florence. I was rather surprised that he would let in a group of five perfect strangers from Los Angeles into his home to spend the night without even knowing them first. "Any Salsero who needs help or a place to stay, is always welcome in my home."

Pedro's heart is bigger than Rome itself. The more time we spent with him, the more I realized why this man is so successful. His heart is in the right place, and he sincerely cares about people. He doesn't like to show off, do performances, and much less compete (he has never competed). He simply loves to teach.

Pedro was born in Cuba. When he was ten years old, he left for Miami, then was raised the rest of his life in Puerto Rico, where he joined the military and left for Germany. He served in the U.S. Civil Service for about four years from 1992-1996, until he decided to quit his "day job" and become a full-time instructor.

When I asked Pedro if it was a difficult transition, he said, "It was scary at first. It was a new thing. It took about three months to get off the ground. What made it easier was that people had already heard about me because I taught part-time already. They spoke to me, they already knew of me because of my workshops in Rome. This Salsa style, they're dancing now, they call it "Puerto Rican style".

I was the person who introduced this style to Europe here back in 1994.  I'd like to call it Latin Salsa Hustle, because of its likeness to Hustle, but the accepted name is now "Puerto Rican" style, as opposed to the Cuban style so prevalent around here. Since "Salsa" can be danced any way, the word "Salsa" itself is a mixture. People are interested in new and different ways of dancing Salsa. I brought this particular style of Salsa to Rome. I wanted to show the Europeans how well it could be danced that's one of the reasons why I brought Eddie Torres (New York) , Miguelito Rodriguez and Nancy (Puerto Rico), and Quetsy and Carlos (New York) out here over the years.

Myself, along with many of my students have carried this style on to other parts of Europe and Africa. Says Pedro, "People sometimes just don't know how to keep their students interested when conducting a class. I try to get the people to have "fun" in class. I teach anything that's asked of me, the "one", the "two", the "three", the "four..."

In his humbleness, he told me, "I'm not a good dancer, but I AM a goodteacher. In fact, I'm kind of shy. If I'm in a position where people are watching me on the dance floor, I know I'll  make a mistake or something. I get all embarrassed. I don't like to put on any shows. I just love to dance, and love to help others enjoy the same feeling."

Well, his telling me on several occasions that he's "not a good dancer" got me curious. So I asked him to dance after one of our performances at a club near Rome. He placed me into one of the most smooth-as-silk New York style leads, that I've ever felt. I got my "fix" dancing with him within the first 20 seconds. THAT'S how good it felt. His timing, the way he placed my arms and body on the floor had my head spinning within seconds. He has a powerful, yet soft lead that is very technically precise. I know EXACTLY where he wants me the entire time. He had excellent control over my body every second of the songs we danced. I just loved dancing with him. That night, two couples asked for private lessons from him the next day.

Now I know why he is in such high demand.  This guy is good. Let me put it this way. There are good dancers at a certain level.
There are great dancers at a higher level,
then there's a gap,
then, there's Pedro.

When he dances with his very beautiful partner Valeria Timpanaro, they become one person on the dance floor, connecting and separating with some of the most stunning lines I've seen. His sharp, yet elegant patterns compliment her beauty. It's breathtaking watching them together, and watching them dance. They've been dancing together for the past four years. They are both very tall, and make a stunning couple. "Sometimes I take Valeria when I teach. Advanced classes require a partner. " When they walk into a room, all eyes seem to be watching them, anticipating their first dance together. When they started, I could tell many men were trying to catch a few turn patterns here and there, and barely blinked the entire time for fear of missing something.

I asked Pedro if he thought a trained dance background was beneficial in learning to Salsa. He said, "You don't need a dance background to dance Salsa. However, it's easier to dance with people who do have dance backgrounds. They learn faster. With dance training, instructors teach you 'how' to move, they teach you how to 'be'. Salsa, to me, is a people's dance...a dance for everybody. You don't need technical dance training to be good."

Pedro's talent in teaching Salsa has taken him to such exotic places as North and South Africa, and throughout most of Europe, including Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, Germany, France, and Switzerland. Next year, he will be teaching in Poland with David, whom I met earlier this month, and spoke of in Denmark section of the 1998 Salsaweb Euro-Tour.

He plans on holding the First Annual European Cultural Salsa Festival next year (May-June, 1998) in Rimini, Italy. Salseros may stay at one of three beautiful hotels he has already reserved for that time. He told me he's been a part of cruise ship tours through the Mediterranian, Salsa trains from country to country all over Europe, and many, many Salsa Festivals, with attendance reaching over a million people over a two-month period. (The Fiesta, in Rome, from June 28th-Sept 6th)

"Home Base" for Pedro is a dance studio called Salsa Meeting VIP
Via Bandinelli 130 Ciampino, Roma, Italy 0011.39.6.798.47.682.    or             0011.39.338.81.57.262

He has on the average about 250 regular students, and has classes on Monday through Wednesday. Thursdays are his day off, and the rest of the weekends he teaches workshops anywhere from Rome to as far off as Africa. As for what he plans on doing in the future, Pedro tells me, "I want to continue teaching dance until his body says No more.

In various articles I've written for Salsaweb Magazine, I've often said the words. "When in Rome, do as the Romans". However, this time, I an IN Rome, and now, that phrase has taken on a whole new meaning if you want to learn how to Salsa like a Roman.

Bottom line, when in Europe look for classes with Pedro Gomez, who is, in my opinion, one of Europe's Finest Salsa Instructors and Dancers

More Information:
Studio:
Meeting Latino Salsa VIP
Villa Bandinelli 130
Ciampino, Roma
Italy

Contact Info:
0011.39.6.798.47.682
0011.39.338.81.57.262

Class Schedule:
Mondays:
8-9 Intermediate
9-11 Advanced on "two".

Tuesday
7-9 Advanced on "one"
9-11 Intermediate

Wednesdays
8-9 Intermediate
9-11 Beginners

Thursdays
Off

Fridays
Teach Workshops

Also available for Privates