Arroz Con Pollo (Chicken with Rice)

A famous Latin recipe. Here is a simpler version

Prep Time/Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 chicken breasts, cut into strips so the chicken will cook quicker

1/2 cup flour

salt and pepper

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups instant rice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon hot paprika

1 pinch saffron thread

salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a shallow bowl or plate, mix flour, salt, pepper and paprika. Dredge the chicken in the flour mix. In a large skillet, heat oil and brown chicken on both sides for about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oil and keep warm.

2. In a mixing bowl combine stock, tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, saffron and oregano.

3. Brown rice in the left over oil in the skillet. Add onion and garlic, and saute until the onions are clear. Place the chicken back in the skillet and add the stock mixture.

4. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 10-15 minutes or until rice is fluffy and chicken is done.

Dance Injuries – To Dance or Not to Dance

We know that in the world of Salsa, everyone wants to dance--interrupted and non-stop. However, what should you do if you get injured out on the dance floor, or you incur an injury doing something non-dance related? That might seem like a difficult question for the Salsa-lover addict, but the answer boils down to this: REST and RECUPERATE! The dance floor will still be there after your injuries are healed!

Staying On Time While Dancing

As we continue into our Salsa dance learning journey and have mastered our basic steps; another aspect of the dance is timing. Timing is what separates a total novice dancer from an intermediate dancer and has a lot to do with how you feel the music. Many dancers like to think that feeling the music is limited to closing your eyes and just moving your feet to the music.

Well, that is not quite so true. Reality is that Salsa follows the universal timing principal, which divides its beats into eight major counts. It is important to obey this universal rule so you can look like a seasoned dancer instead of a novice dancer. Dancers who fail to follow this universal musical rule are often labeled as rogue or rough dancers, because they simply turn randomly and make it impossible for their partner to follow them or enjoy the dance.

No matter which style of Salsa you are dancing (on 1, on 2, on Clave or Rueda) recognizing the one, two or three is crucial. There are few options to use to recognize the proper Salsa beat. Option one is to use an instrument within the music as a reference and dance to its beat. While using this technique concentrate on instruments such as the Conga or the Clave. Option two is to use the musical cycle of the eight major counts as a reference. Here is a great video which illustrates what we are talking about (http://youtu.be/xVJ0416rzrE ).

We hope this was useful and let us know of any topic you would like to talk about.

What's Happening With Want2Salsa?

Hello, again Salsa lovers!

Here at W2S we had another exciting month of Salsa dancing and partying. We started the month in Richmond, VA at the Latin Vintage Studio. This studio hosts the best monthly socials in VA. We had an awesome dancing experience. All in attendance were advanced individual dancers. This made for an opportunity to dance with various dancers even though you did not bring your own dance partner. This Salsa family received us with warm friendly smiles and open arms. We had a great time dancing the night away. The night concluded with a Latin village performing Salsa couples and group routines. We had such a good time; we will be back for future gathering.

The party continued in Wilmington, NC for their monthly social. The Wilmington Studio family also received us with a warm welcome. The Myrtle Beach, SC Studio family joined us at this monthly gathering. The Wilmington Female Latin Team entertained the crowd with a few choreographed dances. Overall, the dancing environment was extremely conducive for all level of dancers.

The month of partying was not over yet. It continued in Austin, TX. W2S visited two clubs while in Austin. We had a great time on a Wednesday night at Pedro’s Place. The club had a very intimate dancing environment. The women there had their choice of dance partners because they were extremely outnumbered by men. A very good live band performed and entertained the crowd with live music.

That same week we visited the Dallas Night Club. A novice DJ was on the turntables in this spacious club, which allowed the music to resonate throughout the club. The hard wood dance floor was centrally located and made it easy to move. It seemed as if people were gliding on this dance floor. There were many beautiful women present and they looked like angels flowing effortlessly on the dance floor.

Flowjo, in Chapel Hill, NC was a down to earth, peaceful ambiance Salsa club. They had a diverse crowd age ranging from 18-70 years old. The style of dancing ranged from old school type to the new contemporary dancing styles either way it was a good time had by all. It has a nice cozy layout and setup to the studio very favorable to meeting and holding conversations with others. There are free lessons held prior to the dancing. The evening ended with a various presentations and sessions of Rueda Casino. It was a very entertaining and relaxing dancing atmosphere.

The month ended in our own hometown of Fayetteville, NC at our local nightclub Lidos. The new improved Latin scene at Lidos has been rejuvenated by the well-known and liked “DJ Pete”. The focus of this evening was international night. It was held in celebration for the Dogwood Festival held every year in this part on NC. With the new look and feel of Lidos, it has brought out the energetic crowd of Fayetteville and the surrounding areas.

Well, fellow Salseras and Salseros that concludes our very entertaining month of April. No matter what level dancer you are, your location or atmosphere preference, there is a club near you guaranteeing a good time to be had by all. Go out there and “get your Salsa on”. Until next time, continue Salsa dancing.

Taco Salad Wraps

These flavorful southwestern wraps will provide you with a quick and tasty snack or meal!

Prep Time/Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1/4 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)

• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons salsa, divided

• 1/4 cup chili beans, drained

• 1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

• Pepper to taste

• 2 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed

• 1/3 cup shredded lettuce

• 1 plum tomato, chopped

• 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese

• 6 baked tortilla chip scoops, coarsely crushed

Directions:

In a small nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in 1/3 cup salsa, beans, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, chili powder, garlic powder and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Spoon meat mixture onto each tortilla. Layer with lettuce, tomato, cheese, crushed tortilla chips and remaining salsa; roll up.

Yield: 2 servings.

Dance in Happy Feet

We all love to dance. In order to have an enjoyable dance, we have to ensure that our feet are happy to dance too. Here are some tips to keep your feet in top dancing form:

1. Make sure you are wearing comfortable shoes. Shoes should not be worn too tight, and ladies should ensure that they can walk comfortably in high heel dance shoes. Men’s and women’s shoes should also have comfortable padding. Want2Salsa endorses and sells only Very Fine Dance Shoes because of the high quality of dance shoes that Very Fine puts into each pair manufactured.

2. A good foot soak. This can be done before or after a long night of dancing. Always use warm water, not hot, and use your favorite oils or Epsom salts.

3. Give yourself a quick pedicure. You don’t have to go to a fancy salon. A basic pedicure consists of washing and drying feet, clipping nails, and moisturizing.

This is all you need to have happy dancing feet. Not only will they feel good, they will also look good!

The Social Benefits of Salsa Dancing

Salsa is a great way to relieve stress and deal with the everyday life situations. Dancing has a natural way of magically making people forget about most things that went wrong that day or week. From the second we step onto the dance floor to the moment we leave your Salsa class or practice, the main thing that most dancers recall is their good time.

Immediately after your first few lessons, you will notice an up-rise in your confidence, a development in your motor skills, and an unprecedented increase in your social skills. Many people at first may not feel comfortable stepping onto the dance floor to make a fool out of themselves while dancing, or worst, enjoy a dance; but after a few lessons, people simply can’t wait for the next Salsa lesson or social, to rush to the dance floor. It is not uncommon to see dancers within only few weeks of lessons develop into amazing social dancers, competitors and event instructors.

As you develop into a more seasoned dancer, you will notice that most dancers have a great sense of situational awareness while on the dance floor. Ladies are extremely aware of their surroundings, even while executing some really complex moves. Gentlemen are indisputably conscious of the space between them, their partner and other dancers. Some have actually saved their partner from crashing into other dancers, mainly while their partner spins or go into dips.

After so much interaction during class, practices and other social dancing events, it is safe to say that most dancers usually develop a great sense of camaraderie and tend to move as a group. Therefore, whenever you attend a special event, you will notice small groups of Salsa dancers gathered, sometimes by ability groups, in different parts of the dance floor. Salsa gives people an excuse to meet other dancers, become friends and share memorable moments.

Even if for some people, in the beginning they arrive at the dance studio with “two left feet” and very little to no coordination, Salsa dancing has its special ways, mainly if you have a patient instructor, of helping everyone identify their personality, individual learning methods and bring out the best dancer in all of us.