Ilias - École de Danse Salsa Baila Productions

20 years of joy, laughter, and of course, Salsa! I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the entire Baila Productions team, both past and present. Without your dedication and passion for teaching, our school would not be what it is today. Your contribution is invaluable, and it is because of you that Baila Productions continues to shine even brighter. Lastly, I want to extend a huge thank you to you, dear students. Thank you for trusting us. Thank you to those who have been with us for so many years. Your loyalty gives us the energy to continue sharing this passion with you.

Salsa: A Dance of Passion and Culture Salsa, a rhythmic and passionate dance, is much more than just a series of choreographed movements. It reflects the culture, history, and spirit of the people who shaped it. Originating from the Caribbean, particularly Cuba and Puerto Rico, salsa is now practiced and celebrated worldwide. Origins and Evolution The term "salsa," which means "sauce" in Spanish, evokes the rich and spicy blend of musical influences that nourished it. Salsa draws its roots from various musical styles, including Cuban son, mambo, guaracha, rumba, and even jazz. This blend of African and European rhythms evolved over time, creating a dynamic dance that has captivated millions. Modern salsa truly took shape in the 1960s and 1970s in New York City, where Latin American immigrants fused their musical traditions with local influences. It was in this cosmopolitan metropolis that salsa became a sensation, with bands like the Fania All-Stars popularizing this style worldwide. The Dance Itself Salsa is primarily a partner dance, where the interaction between the dancers is crucial. It is characterized by fast footwork, turns, aerial figures (in some variations), and an intimate connection between the dancers. The leader guides the movements, while the follower gracefully and fluidly follows, creating perfect harmony on the dance floor. Salsa comes in several styles, each with its unique characteristics: Cuban Salsa (Casino): This style is often danced in a circle, with circular movements and a strong influence from Afro-Cuban dances. Puerto Rican Salsa (Salsa on the Line): This style is danced in a straight line, with more linear and often more technical movements. Colombian Salsa (Cali Style): Characterized by fast footwork and a very energetic style, it is particularly popular in Colombia. Salsa [...]

Here’s what i say to my students and i'm sharing it with you: If your intention is to spend a great evening with your partner/wife/gf and not switch partners then it's all good! Now, if you wanna dance with others at some point, i recommend switching partners because you acquire a very important skill : adaptation. The struggle is real  at first but it gets easier over time… the wonderful thing is everyone is different so by dancing with many partners your lead or follow will become way more clearer and smoother … so i encourage you to continue and tolerate the discomfort ;)

Open letter to our Prime Minister Hello Mr. François Legault, My name is Ilias Benz and I am a teacher, owner and director of a Salsa and Latin dance school.  I am out of breath, out of patience, out of hope and especially out of financial resources. Before I begin, I would like to mention that I am double vaccinated and have followed all the rules since the beginning of the pandemic. My business has been greatly affected a little more with each new wave and new measures.  I have not been able to pay myself a salary for two years now. At the beginning, I had some confidence in your decisions, I was a good player and I was hopeful that better days were around the corner. (The time of rainbows on the windows after having reimbursed clients thousands of dollars...) But this confidence has slowly eroded following your often incomprehensible and contradictory interventions. First of all, I would like to know what your plan is for the future, apart from the repeated confinements and business closures. I am now wondering if I should change fields or continue to lose money every day... But for how much longer? I know it's serious situation, but when the measures are no longer sustainable, maybe we should think about a new approach, right? As Einstein said: "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result" At least, your paternalistic speech should be stopped. I believe that people are responsible enough, that they have done more than their best and that they have had enough.   Everyone has made the necessary efforts, but those whose business is closed at a loss, dance, [...]

( Translated from the letter below ) CONSUMER CHOICE RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE Congratulations Baila Productions Laval Salsa School Consumers and businesses in your area have chosen your company as the recipient of the 2021 Consumer Choice Award in the category: Dance School - Laval. We are delighted to be able to share this news with you today and to offer you the opportunity to learn more about the Consumer Choice Award. To earn this award, you stood out from all the other businesses in your category, which is something you should be very proud of. You are recognized as a valued member of your community without having exerted any influence. You can now say that you have been chosen as the top rated business in your category. To ensure that you have been chosen fairly and impartially, the Consumer Choice selection process uses data from a variety of reliable sources to produce accurate research results. You can be confident that you have been chosen on your own merit and your company's reputation in your community. Consumers are always looking for the best businesses in their area. In addition to claiming that you are the best, you will now be able to market that fact by using the Consumer Choice logo and take advantage of the various marketing programs available exclusively to winners of this award. The recognized and prestigious symbol that is the Consumer Choice logo will allow your current and future customers to quickly identify you as a trusted company. This is the greatest advantage you have over your competitors. Enclosed you will find the contact information of our business development manager in your area who will contact you. She will tell you more [...]

The following was written by Laurent Duperval one of our awesome Salsa students “We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once.” —Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche I was petrified. If you had been there you would have had difficulty distinguishing me from the wall. I admit it was my fault. I thought it was from 8 to 11 PM but it was from 7 to 10 PM. I showed up at nine. Everyone seemed to know each other and they were all way out of my league. Finally, after 30 minutes, I mustered enough courage to ask someone to dance. To my surprise—and relief—she said “yes” with a smile. I was probably terrible. After another 20 minutes of hesitation, I gathered enough courage to ask someone else to dance. She said yes. I was still terrible. Then it was over. That, in a nutshell, was my first experience at a Baila Productions dance. Almost two years later, I have managed to become more comfortable on the dance floor. Yet, every time I go to a new club, I feel like the very first time I went to a Baila dance. Truth be told, I sometimes don’t go to a club unless people I know will be there already. My confidence in asking strangers to dance isn’t all that it could be. I still keep this experience close to my heart every time I go to a dance and it guides my behavior. In fact, like Asimov’s robot, I live by three rules. Rule number 1: I always dance with at least one new person at every dance. I make a special effort to identify women that I’ve never seen before, especially [...]