Rosetta Stone V3: Spanish (Latin America), Level 1, 2 & 3

Why is Rosetta Stone the world's No. 1 language-learning software? Because it works.

Escape the endless tedium of translation, memorization, and grammar drills. Get the language you want, the skills you need and the success you deserve by learning a new language naturally--the same way you learned your first language.

You learned your first language without translation.
You learned your first language easily and naturally by connecting words to objects and events around you. With Rosetta Stone, learn a new language the same way: using native speakers and thousands of real-life images to help you think in the new language from the very beginning. Studies show that learning exclusively in the new language, without translation as a crutch, is crucial.

The exclusive Dynamic Immersion method reinforces your natural language-learning skills with award-winning instructional technology. Identify your learning goals, then choose customized courses that take you there.

	The complete immersion environment puts your native language-learning skills to work, eliminating your dependence on tedious translation and rote memorization.

	Images		Intuition
	In Rosetta Stone you learn the meaning of new language from clear, real-life images. In this activity you learn colors.		You advance using language you've learned and clues from new images. That's your intuition at work. Now that you know colors, you can easily grasp the meaning of the new words...
	Interactivity		Instruction
	Throughout Rosetta Stone, you constantly interact with the program to confirm your intuition. ...and then check what you've learned.		From beginning to end you build systematically toward your language-learning goals, for the most effective and enjoyable instruction anywhere. And finally, you get the fun of trying your new language in a real-life simulation. Speech recognition shows you exactly how you're doing.

The timeless immersion method, along with research-based techniques and new technologies, make Rosetta Stone the clear solution to your language-learning needs.

What will you be able to do?

Understand everyday language.
Through Rosetta Stone's proficiency-based listening and reading activities, you'll learn quickly.

Pronounce words correctly.
After practicing with Rosetta Stone's speech recognition and analysis tools, pronunciation will come easily.

Speak without a script.
Contextual Formation makes sure you have the confidence and cues you need to get the words out on the spot.

Spell and write accurately.
You'll build gradually from letters to words and sentences.

Engage in real-life conversations.
With Milestone activities, gain confidence using speech alone in simulated situations.

Retain what you learn.
The unique Adaptive Recall reinforces language so it sticks with you in the real world.
Customer Review: Rosetta Stone V3-Spanish (Latin America) Level 1,2,3
I purchased this for my college-aged daughter so that she could become proficient in Spanish. This has given her the practice she needs that the classroom (high school) did not.
Customer Review: Great Addition to School Learned Spanish
I took 17 hours of Spanish during my undergraduate degree, but could not speak Spanish. I could read Spanish, but I could not understand it when spoken. Rosetta Stone takes a different approach to teaching Spanish than my university. It has made understanding and speaking Spanish within my reach. I had a strong vocabulary base, but Rosetta Stone has helped me to be able to speak and use this vocabulary in everyday conversation. This is a great complement to any Spanish curriculum. It is a wonderful option for those who couldn't learn Spanish "the old fashion way."

When you think about DirecTV, you probably think about the huge selection of channels that are available for your viewing pleasure. Perhaps you think about how they offer the NFL Network or a large amount of HD channels, while most cable companies do not. In addition to all of the television channels you can get with DirecTV, XM Music comes standard with a DirecTV subscription.

For no additional charge, more than 70 XM Music channels are included for its subscribers to listen to. There is something for everyone in those channels, whether it is Latin music, country music, rock, pop, folk music, easy listening, alternative, punk, blues, bluegrass, dance, hip hop, classic rock, movie and television soundtracks, and about any other sort of music you can think of. XM capabilities turn your television into a full entertainment package by providing the proper music mix for any occasion.

To put it all into perspective, consider several of the valuable channels of XM Music that is provided. There is the Audio Visions channel, which provides peaceful music for a hectic world by artists such as Enya, Mark Isham, and Kevin Braheny. There is the America channel, featuring patriotic music from country music stars such as Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson. The Beyond Jazz channel features jazz from the oldest days of jazz to the latest in techno-jazz and acid jazz. Lucy features classic and modern alternative music from bands like Pearl Jam, Depeche Mode, Nirvana, and Smashing Pumpkins. Let us not forget the family favorite Radio Disney that allows kids and teens access to all of their favorite artists.

There are a number of music channels devoted to specific eras, including a channel for each decade from the 1940s up to the 1990s. There are even an assortment of religious channels, featuring channels like The message, which plays Christian pop hits from the last three decades. DirecTV carries the XM Music channel The Village, which features the masters of folk music from the Kingston Trio to Bob Dylan to Tom Rush. For fans of irreverent humor, there is The Virus, with the Opie and Anthony show every morning.

The variety and selection of XM music available on DirecTV is truly amazing. There is even a channel devoted to Willie Nelson, called Willie's place, that is devoted to honky-tonk music, cold beer, and cowboy coffee.

Whitney Alen is a Direct TV expert and has over 10 years experience in the satellite TV industry.

dance music 2007

La Fea Mas Bella

Lety is a sweet shy romantic girl who is very intelligent though not what you'd call "attractive." Graduating with honors in economics and having a master's degree in finance she confidently sets out to find a job never once considering her appearance to be an obstacle to success. But she soon discovers that her skills and education are not enough as she is rejected over and over for her plain looks. She finally accepts a secretarial position at a major production company run by the founder's dashing but womanizing son Fernando. As the company's fortunes dwindle and future prospects dim Lety comes to the rescue proving how valuable she really is - and falling in love in the process! Can Lety stand up to the beautiful catty office gossips and win not just Fernando's gratitude but his love as well? And what happens when an unexpected twist of fate turns this "ugly duckling" into a lovely swan? That's what makes this novela one beauty of a story.Cast: Angelica Vale Jaime Camil Angelica Maria Jose Jose Elizabeth Alvarez Paty Navidad Niurka Marcos Nora Salinas Juan Soler Julissa Agustin ArenaDirector: Ruth Olegnow Sergio JimenezSystem Requirements:Run Time: 700 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: LATIN/TELENOVELA Rating: NR UPC: 000799464328 Manufacturer No: 22292
Customer Review: La Fea Mas Bella
If I would have known that the discs did not have enough segments to make the movie realistic, I would not have bought it. Had two sides of two discs damaged or blank and many segments left out that made movie unacceptable. I would have like to see more segments of the show.
Customer Review: Good telenovela..
One of the funniest telenovelas out there. The original was way better but this is still worth watching...

Nang Talung is the indigenous performing art in the south of Thailand. It is a kind of the Thai Shadow puppet theater that formerly spread from southern Thailand to other regions. It has much influence on the lives of the rustic people of Thailand.

As in the past there were no movies, one of the most popular entertainments always enjoyed by a multitude of Thai people was "Nang" or share puppet play. This was subsequently called "Nang Yai" (literally meaning "grand puppet") and "Nang Lek" (literally meaning "small puppet") which was later called "Nang Talung." These two genres of traditional performances can still be evident up to the present days in some precincts of Thailand. But it is not clear whether Nang Yai or Nang Talung arose first.

Nang Talung is the indigenous performing art in the south of Thailand. It is a kind of the Thai shadow puppet theater that formerly spread from southern Thailand to other regions. It has much influence on the lives of the rustic people of Thailand. Nang Talung uses the shadow of puppets in operating. Since antiquity this type of play has ever been held in many civilized countries such as Egypt, Greek, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand especially in every part of the nation. When the time went by, it is found only in southern Thailand. The provinces of Pattalung and Nakhon Sri Thammarat are the perfect places to see Nang Talung.

It is believed that Nang Talung originated in the reign of King Rama V and appeared in the village of Baan Don Maprao in Pattalung. So the southerners called it "Nang Don" after the district in which it initiated. It is assumed that it is now called "Nang Talung" becaused when it was performed in Bangkok, the people of Bangkok realized that it was from Pattalung and continued to call it "Nang Pattalung", Afterwards, the name was abbreviated to "Nang Thalung" and finally it was abbreviated again to "Nang Talung". Even today, the people of Bangkok still call it this, but the southerners abbreviate it as "Nang Lung" or simply "Nang".

This regional performance of southern Thailand was previously depicted from the episode of the Ramayana epic in India. It was gradually modified to suit the time and preference of the spectators such as its content, hero, heroine and musical instrument while the joker becomes a favorite performer amongst the spectators. The chief of Nang Talung will sit behind a brilliantly back lit white screen made of cloth. His duty is to provide dialogs for every puppet and also narrate the story while the play is proceeding. Nang Talung is nowadays very famous at village festivals, temple fairs and celebrations like marriages and ordination ceremonies.

Each shadow play figure is made of good quality cowhide which has been dried and perforated into different shapes. The figures are elaborately painted with natural and water-resistant colorings. They are held up by bamboo sticks with the mouth and hands movable in tune with the narration. The Nang Talung hall has a thatched roof and three walls. Every piece of Nang Talung is manipulated with rods in order to control their movements and given life by the chief. He will express his feelings on the puppets by the prose or verse during the play. The puppets emerge only in shadow against a white screen with the light shining through from behind.

A Nan Talung troop is composed of two main parts. One is "Nai Nang", the group leader who pilots the performance with simultaneous singing an story telling. Another is the musicians who accompany the leader's action. Performances may be a religious theme or the story from the Ramayana. They may also be particularly composed to include trendy reflections, songs and poems about local events and matters of current interest in the country. Presently, the Nang Talung troop comprises many members and more music than in the past as each troop is trying to modernize Nang Talung and make their group so unique amongst other troops.

Quite similar to Nang Talung is Nang Yai or the grand Shadow puppet play. Nang Yai is conceived as one of Thailand's traditional dramatic art forms that mingles various artistic creations into astounding one. In terms of visual arts, the detailed and elaborate traditional design of the puppets is first drawn by a master artist. Then the design is applied onto a piece of leather and scrupulously etched into almost lace-like proportion. The pieces are mounted onto sticks and they are given life by the master puppeteer in a classical drama performance complete with a live Thai musical ensemble and a singer to provide the narration.

Thailand Culture Blog Writer

best salsa music

Hispanic Heritage - Gloria Estefan Music Art Poster Print, 17x22

Art.com is the world's largest retailer of art prints, posters, photographs, and framed artwork. With our huge selection of over 400,000 prints, you'll easily find the perfect piece for your home, office, or classroom. Our art is printed on quality paper. When you order framed artwork, the piece is built by our team of in-house professionals. Visit our Amazon store today at www.amazon.com/artdotcom to find Special Offers and search for products based on 'Artist Name' and 'Subject Categories' such as Movie, Music, Vintage, TV, Children, Travel, Kitchen, Museum Art, Animals, Floral, Motivational, and Sports. Art.com is dedicated to providing you with high quality products and service by offering you 100% satisfaction guaranteed. We ship internationally to over 80 countries. Decorate your home today with your favorite pictures that express and celebrate your distinct tastes.

Tahiti honeymoon resorts are the best places you could think of when you think of a romantic and passion filled honeymoon. Tahiti is the picture perfect place for your honeymoon. If you cherish your love, then you cannot afford to think beyond Tahiti.

Tahiti honeymoon vacations will make you believe that good times are made to be enjoyed here. The fascinating overwater bungalow is picturesque and makes you spend invaluable intimate moments with your beloved. The Tahiti honeymoon package is comprehensive of romantic dinners, complimentary champagne, fruit baskets et all. Many people are even said to have renewed their wedding vows here.

Most Tahiti honeymoon packages include round trip airfares, gifts like a bottle of champagne or wine, safari travel through the place, exotic meals including fish, sumptuous breakfast, romantic bed of flowers, private mini Tahitian dance show, music troupe , traditional wedding quilt, various gifts and tokens of appreciation courtesy the Tahiti honeymoon resorts, specially for you.

A lot of people like to take cross country trips when it comes to honeymoon and enjoy the honeymoon place which is a far cry from the hum drum and vagaries of the busy life. The Tahiti honeymoon packages give you an escape from your reality as you board a fantasy voyage to ecstasy full of romance and love. Tahiti is the place you would certainly make love to!

Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Randy has more articles on wedding information such as Wedding Cake in Las Vegas and Games for a Wedding Shower

latin music artists

Coldplay: Live 2003

Riding high on the phenomenal success of A Rush of Blood to the Head, Coldplay is in peak form on Coldplay Live 2003. This CD/DVD two-pack was filmed (on Super-16mm film) and recorded in Sydney's Horden Pavilion on July 21 and 22, 2003, during an exhaustive year-long world tour, and the medium-sized arena provides a fitting stage for the London-based rock quartet, not so grand as to overwhelm the music, but large enough to indicate their large and loyal following, which includes enthusiastic fans of either gender. Especially when played in DTS 5.1 surround, this 90-minute concert is richer, thicker, and (of course) louder than Coldplay's studio recordings, lending a wall-of-sound expansiveness to the band's signature sound, which draws from such diverse influences as Genesis, Pink Floyd, The Verve, U2, and their own unique sonic landscape. "Politik" gets the gig off to a rousing start, and other impressive highlights include "Daylight," "Yellow," the as-yet-unreleased new song "Moses," and the popular hits "In My Place," "Clocks," and "The Scientist." And while the concert visuals are slick and professional (perhaps placing a bit too much emphasis on singer/frontman Chris Martin), this DVD and CD--the latter containing a truncated 70-minute version of the same performance--are best appreciated for their pristine audio quality. Culled from 400 hours of home video, the 40-minute "concert diary" represents a wasted opportunity, enjoyable for hardcore fans but offering no insight into the band or its individual members. Much better, then, to play the concert at healthy high volume, and appreciate Coldplay in the prime of their young career. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Review: The best concert I never went to!!
I got the Coldplay 2003 DVD as a birthday present in '04. Coldplay's my favorite band, so you can imagine my excitement. Back in the days, I never thought I could ever be in a real concert of the band, I lived too far away from any place they toured. Almost four years later, I still think the DVD was the best concert in my life. That is, taking into consideration that I went to see them, against all odds, in NYC in 2006. It's not that the concert was bad, it was one of the best days in my life. It's that to me, the DVD is so good that I can't get enough of it. The band plays perfectly, the connection with the crowd is real, the choice of songs is fantastic, the sound is epic, the transitions that go along with songs, including colors, angles and views of the crowd and the band are nothing but exciting and bright. If there's any DVD I would ever recommend, it's this one. It's the closest you'll come to live the Coldplay experience if you haven't got the chance to live it already.
Customer Review: Wow. That's all I have to say.
Not only is the music CD great, but the DVD packs quite the punch. The only tiny thing that bugged me was how the CD didn't have every song off of the DVD, but I guess that's what makes the DVD that much better. If you like Coldplay, but this DVD, you will not regret it. Best $20 musical purchase I've made in a long time.

As the back to school flyers pour in and I visually digest the crisp images of mechanical pencils and Shrek lunch boxes, I am compelled to seek out new learning opportunities to make the rainy dying days of summer a smooth transition into winter.

Between Toastmasters Club, community orchestras, night classes at the local community college and a botched attempt at learning saxophone five autumns past, I have realised my school-aged programming has left a permanent impression: I see brown leaves and I run for the nearest sign-up sheet.

I decided this year, after having delved into expensive hobbies and projects started and soon abandoned, to limit my fall learning frenzies to those activities which are affordable, work well with my busy life as a wife and mother and which I am sure I will stick to long-term.

So I went out and bought a piano.

Affordable? Not really. It set us back from buying a new couch, but as I explained to my loved ones that if you dexterously avoid the gaping holes and sharp jutting springs, the existing couch really is quite comfortable.

Non-intrusive to family life? The thing takes up half of my living room and almost all of my attention, resulting in several burned suppers, neglected piles of dishes and ignored phone calls. Things of little importance when I am immersed in a snappy rendition of “Polly Wolly Doodle.”

Which leads to the last criteria: Will I stick with it long-term? You betcha!

To be honest, I did not expect this new musical venture to be this successful. I've always wanted a piano in my home; my German heritage nagging, “it's not home unless it's got a piano.” As a violinist and violin junkie I've never much cared for piano music (I know I'll get heat from my piano-playing colleagues for that one).

I figured I'd noodle around on it here and there, waiting until my preschool-aged son was taking lessons for it to be studied on, as my past ventures in new instruments (saxophone, bagpipes and other instruments that require air) resulted in me me giving up from breathless frustration.

As the burly piano movers heaved the massive antique into place, one of them wheezed, “Someone had better learn to play this thing.” Though I was down with a gawdawful flu the day the piano arrived, I played it for hours at a time, ignoring my 39-degree fever and laryngitis.

I started with the basics: “Twinkle Twinkle” and “Mary had a Little Lamb.” Ok, I have no pride.

I found the whole “two hand, two clef” concept a bit of a hurdle, like severing one half of my brain from the other then asking them to co-operate. After three days of inspired practice (and cold leftovers for dinner) things seemed to click and other songs flowed more easily.

I've discovered I'm really good at this, a real natural! I play a wicked two-handed “Chicken Dance” and I'm pretty solid at the first page of Beethoven's “Moonlight” Sonata. Ok, fifteen years of violin playing and a college music education probably has something to do with that, but let me dream!

In the past learning a new instrument, or anything new for that matter, was unbearably frustrating because didn't like feeling like a “beginner” and set unachievable goals. I enjoy playing piano far too much to wreck it with guilt or self-doubt, so I am softening my expectations and have surrendered to my vulnerability in starting over again. This humbling experience has gained me far more respect for my students who, like me, are beginners in an instrument.

It feels like I'm back in school again with all the other kids, learning and growing with my mechanical pencil and lunch box, singing “Poll-y Woll-y Doo-dle all the Day!”

**Rhiannon Schmitt (nee Nachbaur) is a professional violinist and music teacher who has enjoyed creative writing for years. She writes for two Canadian publications and Australia's "Music Teacher Magazine."

Her business, Fiddleheads Violin School & Shop, has won several distinguished young entrepreneur business awards and offers beginner to professional level instruments, accessories and supplies for very reasonable prices: Visit http://www.fiddleheads.ca

dance dance music video

How To Put Music To Ipod - It's Child's Play

Learning how to put music to Ipod is one of the easiest things in the world, and in the next few minutes you are going to learn exactly that. Buckle up, because its going to be a quick ride!

When you are learning how to put music to Ipod, the first thing to decide is where you want to get the music from. You have two main sources-your CDs, and the internet, from downloads etc. First of all Im going to show you how to get the music from your Cds onto your Ipod.

Step 1- Connect your computer to the internet, if its not already, and download a copy of Itunes from the Apple website. If you already have Itunes, take the time to update it to the latest version. The newer ones are slightly faster.

Step 2- Grab whatever CDs you want to and transfer them into Itunes. This is just about the most simple thing in the world, so I wont insult you by dragging it out here.

Step 3- Connect the Ipod to the computer with your USB cable. All you need to do from there is make sure the computer and the Ipod are both switched on and recognise each other, then you can begin to drag and drop the songs from Itunes into your Ipod.

And thats how to put music to Ipod from your CDs. Its that easy, and all thats left is to listen to them.

In order to get the music from the internet, you will need to find a good reputable website for downloading the music from. Thats the tricky part, as once the music is downloaded all you need to do is transfer it onto the Ipod like before. For a list of a few excellent download sites, check out http://www.ipodlowdown.com. A good download site will typically charge you a small one off membership fee, and in return give you access to as many download as you wish, and their libraries are huge. Its a great way to boost your music collection, not to mention movies and Tv shows etc.

So there you are, you just learned how to put music to Ipod. Told you it wouldnt take long. Do you know anyone else with an Ipod? Why not pass this article on to them and help them out by clicking on the link on the top right of the page.

Click HERE to find out where you can get FREE IPOD DOWNLOADS right now-And it's not just music either, Music, Movies, Games, Music Videos TV Shows and MUCH more!

Are you looking for the best Ipod Download Sites on the net? CLICK HERE and we'll tell you where they are-knowing these sites will save you an absolute fortune!

Sean Hamilton is the webmaster at http://www.ipodlowdown.com

latin music festival

Eclipse Series 6 - Carlos Saura's Flamenco Trilogy (Blood Wedding / Carmen / El Amor Brujo) (Criterion Collection)

One of Spanish cinema's great auteurs, Carlos Saura brought international audiences closer to the art of his country's dance than any other filmmaker, before or since. In his Flamenco Trilogy-Blood Wedding, Carmen, and El amor brujo-Saura merged his passion for music with his ongoing exploration of Spanish national identity. All starring and choreographed by legendary dancer Antonio Gades, the films feature thrilling physicality and electrifying cinematography and editing-colorful paeans to bodies in motion as well as to the cinema that so eloquently, and artfully, captured them.
Customer Review: Fantastico!
If you want a sweet taste of flamenco - this is a perfect set. Starting w/Blood Wedding - progressing to Carmen - and finishing w/El Amor Brujo. Fantastico!
Customer Review: Brilliance
My love of flamenco music was born when I heard Carlos Montaya playing when I was about 25 years old. I am now 73 years old and when I hear flamenco it is through my heart not my ears, I watched this dvd Eclipse Series 6 Carlos Saura's Flamenco on my 107 " plasm tv, it was breathtaking, such brilliance and beauty, watching it over and over again it moves me every time.

Tips to Finding a Cheap Flight

Try to book your flight about one to three months in advance in order to ensure getting the best deal possible. Check with a few since prices can vary, also check to see whether or not taxes are included and what their refund policy is. Remember price isn't the only thing that's important, check layover times and the number of flights that you will have to take. Sometimes it's worth paying 100USD more if it means less waiting time and fewer flights. In addition, if you fly during the off-season, April/May and September/October, you can get incredible discounts, sometimes paying about half of what a ticket would cost during peak travel times. For example, American Airlines had round trip flights from NY to Lima for 500 USD.

Where to Look

New airlines are popping up all over the place. Spirit Air is one of those. They do have stricter luggage restrictions than most, so be sure to check exactly how many bags and what size they can be before booking your flight. For airlines that specialise in flights to Latin America, try LAN or Avianca.

Websites that List Flights from Multiple Carriers

Besides going to a specific airline's website, try going to websites that search many air carrier's prices in order to get you the best price possible. This allows you to compare different airlines side by side.
Air Treks, Air Deals, Side Step, Get One Trip, Just the Flight, Opodo, Airbrokers , BT Store or
Discount Flights.

Latin American Specialists

You can also try an agency that specialises in Latin American flights. Try booking a ticket with one of the following. Intra Tours, Exito Travel, Fly Latin America, Delgado Travel USA, Trafico Peru
Peru Explorer, or Kayak.

Don't Forget the Minor Details

Once you book your flight, be sure to check to see if you have all the vaccinations and visas necessary. Also make sure your passport is up to date. The last thing you want is to arrive at the airport and be refused entry to the plane because you your passport is expired or you don't have a visa. As soon as you get on the plane, relax, sit back and enjoy the flight.

The LA Job List http://www.thelajoblist.blogspot.com Find a job teaching English in the Caribbean, Central or South America. Over 700 schools in 19 countries.

The Ultimate Peru List http://www.theultimateperulist.blogspot.com everything you need to know about Peru from work, immigration, getting ready, settling down, free time, legal matters, tourism and more.

TEFL Tips http://www.tefltips.blogspot.com Useful tips for those teaching English.

dance music 2007

Def Jam Recordings - EMBROIDERED LOGO Hoodie , Burgundy

Def Jam was founded by Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin in Rubin's dorm room at New York University. The first releases on Def Jam Recordings were LL Cool J's I Need A Beat and the Beastie Boys' Rock Hard, both in 1984. The singles sold well, eventually lea

The next dance craze is bachata, a Dominican dance. Many people have been dancing it incorrectly. Since it's a very close romantic dance, most people dance it in a grinding way. It's not! You can grind during merengue, house, hip-hop and even lambada, but please don't grind during bachata!

There is big difference between gyrating and grinding. Bachata is NOT grinding! I have been trying to figure out why some women avoid dancing bachata. They think it's a freak dance. They think it's perversive. Being a bachata teacher that I am, I take offense with this notion. Any bachata teacher that teaches such false gospel should stick to house and hip-hop.

Grinding involves pelvises. And sometimes crotches. Also, back ends. Take two persons; add hormones, romantica music and lots of friction and you get the point. This dance is called "Freak Dancing," not bachata!

Yes, If you have taken my classes and workshops, I have always emphasized leading from the hips, and that, you must do when you are both close to each other. If you are a good leader, your hips along with your partner's, naturally and automatically, move in unison. If you are grinding, you are doing it wrong!

Bachata is not frottage!

On the other hand, I love the gyration of the hips because this type of movement is accepted since the beginning of dancing. It is one good expression of dancing. Some dancers perform it while dancing solo (merengue or salsa shines), or they gyrate with their partners in unison!

Now If I ever see you in the clubs again grinding to bachata, I'll slap you upside the head!

Rodney Aquino is the founder of http://www.Salsagang.com and a bachata site called http://www.Rodchata.com. He had been dancing Latin dance for 10 years. He holds a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology, a certified Personal Fitness Trainer and holds 4th Degree Black Belt in the Martial Arts. Contact him at Rodney@rodchata.com

irish dance music

Unauthorized

The band first came together under the name Starfish at Camden Laurel tree, but the name Coldplay originated in a poem. From the very first it was obvious that in Chris Martin, a new and vibrant ?oice?had arrived and since their record signing in 1996
Customer Review: Passionate and Compassionate with Global Appeal
"It was musical love at first sight." ~Chris Martin talking about when he met Johnny Buckland Although this DVD doesn't contain any music by Coldplay, it is an insightful look at the band and how they made their way from playing in London pubs to playing on the stage of the world. Through short interviews with Chris Martin, you also get a sense of his higher mission and why there are more important things to worry about in the world, besides of course, buying ever album this band releases. His sense of humor and playful personality come across in his interviews and his admirable qualities include a sense of fairness. I was impressed by his idea to split the royalties equally amongst the band members. He not only promotes healing in the world, he is living his beliefs. He seems grateful for his life and you can see the fire of his soul radiating through his eyes. His soul is truly beautiful and I love the way he approaches life from a more poetic perspective. His lyrics have an emotive quality that do seem to be portraying his heart-felt concern for individuals and their struggles on the planet. As the story progresses various individuals in the music industry comment on how Coldplay developed their stage presence, how they had to deal with minor personality conflicts and then how their manager truly enabled their success through financial support. The main sections include: How it all Began First Gigs Let's Make a Record Get Signed Yellow Parachutes Breaking America A Rush of Blood to the Head The Future Bonus: Biography and Trivia Quiz - Questions about the bands original name and interesting facts about Chris Martin and how he was once a sign painter. The rise of any band to superstar status does seem to have common elements and if you are starting a band then this would be an excellent DVD to view for the chronological aspects alone, not to mention the realities of having to write hundreds of songs to find that one perfect song that connects with your audience. If you are a fan who is dying to know more about the members and their life stories, then this is an excellent introduction to the background and philosophy of Coldplay. The friendship factor is very evident in how Johnny Buckland and Chris play off each other intellectually, during the interviews. At times it seems like they are one mind as they engage in a humorous exchange. This DVD puts the bands rise to fame in perspective and is a great introduction to Coldplay's albums. The biography section is fairly short, however it gives enough information to get you interested in finding out more about each band member. ~The Rebecca Review

When should the male dancer begin to lead his partner into her six-count or eight-count footwork once the swing music begins? The answer is that he should begin leading her on any of the song's downbeats; that is, on the "1" count, the "3" count, the "5" count or the "7" count. These "base beats" are the backbone or pulse of a song! You don't need to be a trained musician to understand a song's tempo (or timing), just listen to music and pick out the rhythm section (drums, bass, guitar or piano).

To take the pulse of the song and determine its number of beats per minute (bpm), count these downbeats for fifteen seconds and then multiply by four. Very slow swing songs have around 70 bpm and very fast ones have upwards of 200 bpm. The swing songs that I personally enjoy dancing to the most, average about 125 bpm which coincidently approximates my optimum cardio-training heart rate when I exercise. Notice that these downbeats differ from the upbeats that occur on the "2" count, the "4" count, the "6" count or the "8" count. In St. Louis Imperial Swing, we begin stepping immediately on any of the music's downbeats; however, this is not true of all styles of dance. In the Cha-Cha, for instance, dancers begin stepping after any of the music's upbeats.

Beats per minute became common terminology in popular music during the disco era because of its usefulness to DJs; and it remains important in dance music today because both our style of dance and our footwork rhythms are determined by the tempo of the music! The original or classic style of Imperial Swing, which is danced "in the round," is performed to music with a faster tempo (130-185 bpm) using primarily the slower single step and double step footwork rhythms. Today's contemporary style of Imperial Swing, which is danced within a slot, is a combination of both East Coast Swing (135-175 bpm) and West Coast Swing (75-115 bpm). Dancers perform this popular, "slot-bop" hybrid to music with a slower tempo (100-135 bpm), and they use primarily the faster, triple step footwork rhythms. Remember, the terms are music timing (or tempo) and footwork rhythms (or steps) but not vice versa!

The "time signatures" of different music styles tell dancers how many beats there are to a measure, and which note represents that beat. Swing music uses 4/4 timing; that is, there are 4 beats to a measure (4/4) and the quarter note gets the beat (4/4). For example, on the 1 and 2 count of your six-count, triple step footwork, the "1" is an eighth note (or a half-beat) and the "and of 1" is an eighth note (or a half-beat). Together they add up to a quarter note or 1 beat; and the "2" count is a quarter note or 1 beat. On the 3 and 4 count, the "3" is an eighth note (or a half-beat), and the "and of 3" is an eighth note (or a half-beat). Together they add up to a quarter note or 1 beat; and the "4" count is a quarter note or 1 beat. These 2 beats bring the cumulative total up to 4 beats or one measure.

Finally, on the 5 - 6 breakstep, the "5" count is a quarter note (or 1 beat) and the "6" count is a quarter note (or 1 beat). These final two 2 counts bring the total up to six beats or one and a half measures. To summarize this footwork count, dancers take eight steps in six beats of the music. Good dancers let the music tell them what to do with their feet. If they begin their footwork on any of the song's downbeats, and then end it on the sixth (or eighth) beat, then they are dancing in time with the music and finishing their steps when they are supposed to. As Skippy Blair, the renowned swing dance teacher, author and recipient of the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame Award, tells her students: "please don't tell me how long to hold the beat; just tell me what the count is, so I can place my feet!

Copyright 2008 Skip Culver, Certified Swing Instructor. Member of the West County Swing Dance Club and author of the manual: Imperial Swing Dancing (visit: http://www.ImperialSwing.com)

Henry H. "Skip" Culver, Jr. is a member of the West County Swing Dance Club in St. Louis Missouri. He is a Gold Seal Instrument Flight Instructor and the author of the bestselling book on navigation titled: IFR 'Pocket Simulator' Procedures. In 2000 Skip turned his attention from aviation towards the dance floor. He became a Certified Swing Dance Instructor in 2004, and then with over seven years of detailed notes from various classes and workshops in hand, he began assembling the Imperial Swing Dancing manual which he published in June of 2007. Skip is a frequent contributor of articles on swing dancing to different club newsletters throughout the United States.

latin cds