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Forgive me for not posting more regularily – life sometimes gets busy… 

This past June, Baila Boogaloo Dance Co. (I am an instructor and pro team member) presented it’s second major showcase production, Baila Fantasia.

Check out the amazing photos of our event by Bedlington Photography here: http://pictage.com/1076593.

Here’s a video of one of the numbers called Viva Chango: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G2x6z5_U_o.

To keep updated on all my salsa news check out my FB group: http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/166995496115/

It’s been a  busy past few months workwise with tons of events and stories to cover including the Beaches Interntional Jazz Festival, SYTYCD, Jack Layton’s new cancer diagnoses and  untimely death on Aug. 22, Cirque du Soleil’s TOTEM, the provincial election, TIFF, the city’s Core Services Review, the groundbreaking for Emily’s House - a new children’s hospice in Riverdale, the Ford brothers’ attempts to derail the existing plans for the port lands, and the list goes on and on. I love my job.  Never a dull day.   

Must jet for now.

Thanks for visit my blog.

Check out my feature article:

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/932588–suspension-yoga-comes-to-toronto

A new year has begun and with that comes the roster of salsa and Latin dance lessons I’m teaching for the Winter 2011 term. Here’s what I’m up to:

~ Mondays: Latin Social (8 weeks starting Jan. 17, 7:15 to 8:15 p.m.) at the Ryerson Athletic Centre, inside The Quad at Church and Gould streets

~ Wednesdays: quasi-nite off for now – I’ll be teaching a private beginner salsa class (8 weeks starting Feb. 9, 7:45 to 8:45 p.m.) at a condo rec. centre near Yonge and Queen’s Quay

~ Thursdays: Salsa I (8 weeks starting Jan. 20, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.) at the Ryerson Athletic Centre, inside The Quad at Church and Gould streets

~Fridays: Beginner Salsa (12 weeks starting Jan. 21, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.), for the Baila Boogaloo Dance Co., 1610 Bloor St. W. between Dundas and Keele streets

~Sundays: Level I Nightclub Salsa (8 weeks starting Jan. 16 , 2 to 3 p.m.), for Toronto Salsa Passion, The Adelaide Club @ First Canadian Place (King and Bay)

So yes, aside from my f/t job as a newspaper reporter, dancing takes up a lot of my free time (not to mention the rehearsals) + I love it.

For information about group/private lessons, choreographies or performances, contact me at lavoiejoanna@hotmail.com or call 416-898-1582.

See you on the dance floor.

PS- Kudos to Bedlington Photography for snapping such a wicked PIC of yours truly performing this past August at the CNE. Check out more of their work at http://www.bedlingtonphotography.com/

I’m also in the process of collecting everyone’s phone numbers as my old skool cell that recently crapped out did not have a SIM card…Weeks later I’m still out of touch with far too many of you so please — dear friends and contacts — do send me your phone numbers. My BB pin is 22F3ACBE, by the way.

One of the easiest ways to keep in touch with me is through Facebook, especially if you’d like to know what I’m up to in terms of dance lessons, etc.

My group: Joanna Lavoie: salsa+Latin dance instructor/performer/choreographer: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=166995496115

Drop me a line anytime.

J.

With my career as a journalist, I’ve been working long hours covering three city wards for the upcoming municipal election + my regular Beach-Riverdale/downtown crime reporter duties. Things always ramp up again in September as everyone’s back to work and school after the summer break = always lots on the go.

And then there’s DANCE: the other 1/3 of my life.  All of the lessons I’m teaching this term are now back in session.

Monday ~ Latin Social class 7:15 p.m. at Ryerson University (RAC).

Tuesday ~ I just wrapped a private 8-week salsa I session at a downtown condo. For now, it’s just practicing with my Baila Boogaloo Dance Co. pro team for the insane holiday booking season.

Wednesday is my day off ~ for now ~ I’m back on Oct. 20th to teach the last few lessons of a Level I session for Toronto Salsa Passion.

Thursday ~ Level I salsa lessons at Ryerson University (RAC) 6:30 p.m. + practice afterwards with the Baila Boogaloo Dance Co.

Friday ~ night off as well but helping out with Baila Boogaloo’s salsa classes at 7:30 p.m.

Weekends ~ performances + special workshops. 

So yes, there’s a lot on the go.

The most exciting news is that the Baila Boogaloo pro team has been invited to perform at the Hawaii Salsa Dance Festival in March 2011. Yay!! http://www.hawaiisalsafestival.com/baila/

Can’t forget the final (and most important) 1/3. Somewhere in all of this “busyness of life” I always make time to hang out with my most excellent hubby, Peter, siamese kitty, Simon, and new family member, Titan, the English bull terrier, and friends and family.

Talk to you soon + Keep in touch, J.

So yes, being a working member of the media during the G20 Summit — a two-day conference the federal government spent $1B on to protect the leaders of the ”free” world’s 20 richest and most powerful nations from ??? –  was quite the experience.

Despite the heavy police presence throughout the downtown core, several police cruisers got torched and dozens of downtown buildings were vandalised. An estimated 1,000 people were also arrested over the course of the weekend. It was an experience  Toronto has ever before seen and hopes to never again see!

Somewhere in the midst of all the craziness leaders got together to discuss some important stuff too inside the highly fortified Toronto Convention Centre.

Here’s a roundup of some of the many articles I’ve written about the G20:

Nine more people arrested in connection with G20: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/850112–nine-more-people-arrested-in-connection-with-g20

Police release more G20 ‘persons of interest’ photos: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/847993–police-release-more-g20-persons-of-interest-photos

Cameras start coming down:                                       http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/845473–cameras-start-coming-down

British man arrested:                                                           http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/845470–british-man-arrested

NDP leader sounds off on summit outcomes: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/844142–ndp-leader-sounds-off-on-summit-outcomes

Post-G20 town hall Thursday night:                 http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/843877–post-g20-town-hall-thursday-night

Lost and found Summit items may be returned: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/843787–lost-and-found-summit-items-may-be-returned

Police seek witnesses to G20 violence:            http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/843765–police-seek-witnesses-to-g20-violence

Police give media tour of Eastern Avenue detention centre: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/841393–police-give-media-tour-of-eastern-avenue-detention-centre

SMAART decision by police – Review team established to study G20 policing issues: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/841394–smaart-decision-by-police

Huge protest outside police headquarters: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/840365–huge-protest-outside-police-headquarters

Police urge residents to email summit violence images to them: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/840473–police-urge-residents-to-email-summit-violence-images-to-them

Anti-prison protest failed to happen:                                            http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/article/839861–anti-prison-protest-failed-to-happen

Leslieville residents feeling apprehensive (version 1): http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/article/839843–leslieville-residents-feeling-apprehensive

Muzzle blasts deployed at detention centre – Early morning solidarity march turns confrontational leading to arrests:                                                                                  http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/article/839826–muzzle-blasts-deployed-at-detention-centre

G20 pre-dawn raids arrest four:                                             http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/article/839731–g20-pre-dawn-raids-arrest-four

Detention facility sees first protests:                                http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/article/839710–detention-facility-sees-first-protests

Driver detained near Allan Gardens:                                                http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/article/839693–driver-detained-near-allan-gardens

Yellow Zone gates closed as protesters approach:                     http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/article/839643–yellow-zone-gates-closed-as-protesters-approach

Tensions high at massive G20 march:                                         http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/article/839638–tensions-high-at-massive-g20-march

Hotel workers picket on The Esplanade – Walk out coincides with arrival of G20 delegates: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/839156–hotel-workers-picket-on-the-esplanade

G20 weapons arrest: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/838657–g20-weapons-arrest

Alternative summit focuses on the true value of human existence – Mass-meditation event set for this Sunday in Woodbine Park:                                                        http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/838326–alternative-summit-focuses-on-the-true-value-of-human-existence

U of T students’ union to keep working during G20 – University proper will shut downtown campus June 23 to 27:                                                                                           http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/837497–u-of-t-students-union-to-keep-working-during-g20

Hotel staff vote in favour of job action:                                http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/828459–hotel-staff-vote-in-favour-of-job-action

G20 adds 77 more cameras to downtown core:              http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/827784–g20-adds-77-more-cameras-to-downtown-core

Charges laid over G20 graffiti:                                               http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/823888–charges-laid-over-g20-graffiti

G20 traffic and perimeter plans unveiled:                         http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/823021–g20-traffic-and-perimeter-plans-unveiled

Eastern Avenue site will be used for G20 Summit – Staging and deployment area at former Toronto Film studios:                                                                                             http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/818516–eastern-avenue-site-will-be-used-for-g20-summit

Future leaders outline their priorities for upcoming G20 Summit: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/812521–future-leaders-outline-their-priorities-for-upcoming-g20-summit

 **UPCOMING LESSONS
Nightclub Salsa Level I
Thursdays, 8 to 9 p.m.
June 17 to August 4
The Adelaide Club, First Canadian Place
for Toronto Salsa Passion
http://www.torontosalsapassion.com/main/course_details/79

Nightclub Salsa Level I
Mondays, 8 to 9 p.m.
June 21 to to August 9
The Adelaide Club, First Canadian Place
for Toronto Salsa Passion
http://www.torontosalsapassion.com/main/course_details/73

<Visit www.torontosalsapassion.com for a complete listing of courses including Nightclub Salsa Level II – http://www.torontosalsapassion.com/main/course_details/76>

**ONGOING LESSONS
Beginner Salsa
Fridays, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
12 weeks starting May 22
DLM Dance and Entertainment, 1610 Bloor St. W. at Dundas Street West
with co-instructor Joaquin Martinez for the Baila Boogaloo Dance Co.
Visit http://www.bailaboogaloo.com/pages/contact.htm for more details about all courses offered.

**OUTINGS
Friday, June 25 @ Acrobat Lounge, 2464 Yonge St. at Eglinton Avenue, 9 p.m.
Baila Boogaloo Dance Co. is teaching lessons.
BB students & friends receive $8 cover (reg. $10)
Email baila_boogaloo@yahoo.com for discounted admission.

Saturday, July 10 @ Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. at Dufferin Street, 9 p.m.
Baila Boogaloo Dance Co. is teaching lessons.
Students/friends pay $10 cover (reg. $15) including lesson + live band, Café Cubano.

**PRIVATE LESSONS for individuals/couples/small groups
+ choreographies, email lavoiejoanna@hotmail.com or call 416-898-1582 (cell).

Let’s heat up the dance floor this summer!! Caliente!! Sabor!!

This is one of the many reasons I feel passionate about my career as a reporter.

-Cancer patient heartbroken over stolen laptop; Laptop contained only photos of 17-year-old cancer victim: http://bit.ly/deoBV6  followed by ~ Laptop thief apprehended: http://bit.ly/9v0m00

-Police lay charges against moving companies; Nine people face 160 charges in connection with Project Overhaul: http://bit.ly/cJKyAw

A few weeks ago, I also wrote 2 lengthy feature-type articles about two local leaders who have really made a difference in the lives of those living and working in the city’s east end. It’s such a pleasure and honour to write about these two remarkable people.

-Brian McInnis will be missed in Leslieville; Well-known and charismatic, McInnis loved barbecues, photography and family: http://bit.ly/dggEwW

-Bidding adieu to a true community leader; Bob Murdoch steps down as CC55′s executive director: http://bit.ly/9Kppcn

On a side note, for those of you who may not know it, I just love cute + ridiculous articles about animals. This week I was thrilled to have the chance to write one of my own:  http://bit.ly/aCTTXs

Thanks for stopping by…

It’s not always easy to “scold” people but I just have to say it:

It’s almost impossible to become a good or even a better dancer if you don’t get out there and practice your moves in a social environment.

As an instructor, I know lessons give students a safe place to learn in a controlled environment but there comes a point when you’ve put yourself out there and dance with a “stranger.” Ouuuuu…

Really, the only way of getting better, especially for beginners, is to put the moves you’ve learned into action.

Going out to a night club (you can dance salsa and Latin every night of the week!) or attending a social – Toronto offers several throughout the week and on weekends – provide ideal environments for dancing with people who lead/follow differently and have learned different moves and dance styles than the one(s) you know.

The majoroity of Toronto’s salsa clubs even provide little dance lessons before the night gets started: yet another perfect chance to build your roster of fancy moves and footwork!

Inevitably, you’ll grow as a dancer if you make the effort to get out there, even if it’s just once a month. You won’t regret it and you might even make a few new friends along the way.