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The fixed positions for couples didn’t exist Three years later, Fernando Sosa and
anymore, now dancers even swapped Raphael Gonzalez founded their own
partners, the group continuously created academy in Milano in 2005. Today the Sosa
new patterns and pictures on stage Academy offers all kinds of different classes
merging different dance styles. on three floors starting with children at the
age of three. The path of some dancers
At a certain level some dancers think they of Tropical Gem began in these classes at
can’t learn anything new, but Tropical Sosa Academy.
Gem is different. They are always open
for new inspiration of different styles The city of Milano and its salsa network is
and the dancers always take classes to yet another factor which might contribute
expand their repertoire, no matter what to the success of Tropical Gem. In no other
level they have already achieved. The city across Europe one can find so many
secret of their success is their down- outstanding dancers. Besides Fernando
to-earth attitude that inspiration can be Sosa and Tropical Gem, Milano is also home
found everywhere. to Adolfo Indacochea, Chiquito (Dominican
Power), Johnny Vazquez, Marco Ferrigno,
This attitude led to such outstanding Seo Fernandez, Tania Cannarsa.
choreographies like ‘Survivor’ (2010),
’Diablo Rojo’ (2013) or ‘Animals’ (2014) While in some cities in Europe the leaders
to name but a few. Nevertheless, the best of the local salsa scene are on bad terms
choreographies are nothing without well- with each other, the dancers of Milano
trained dancers with stage experience. co-operate. You can join a class of Adolfo
Indacochea at Sosa Academy or watch
In 2002, Fernando Sosa had the idea the co-operation on stage: Tropical
of creating a second group, the ‘Sosa Gem performed with Johnny Vazquez’
Art Dancers’. The purpose of this ‘Imperio Azteca’ in 2003, worked with the
group is to evolve new dancers with Flamboyan Dancers in ‘Fantàsia’ in 2007
stage experience. Many dancers now and co-operated with Dominican Power in
performing with Tropical Gem have the choreography ‘Twilight’ in 2012. This
danced in ‘Sosa Art Dancers’. co-operation is also an important source for
inspiration.
Tropical Gem has a long history starting
with the artistic redefinition of a modern
Afro-Cuban style in ‘Homenaje a Cuba’. In
the past fifteen years several dance styles
influenced the choreographies and led to
todays unique style. A time journey trough
the different choreographies can be seen
in the special performance ’15 years of
Tropical Gem’ which includes extracts of
the past. This special performance can be
seen in October at Berlin Salsa Congress
2015.
Michael Beyer (DJ Mambito)
