Evelyn is one of the most respected names in Latin dance – a DJ, organiser of the prestigious La Negra Salsa World Championships and one the most popular instructors in Barcelona and Ibiza. And there’s no denying, here on the White Island, everybody is signing up for her classes – an addictive way to learn, get fit, meet new people and have some fun. There’s a new Ibiza dancefloor out there – and there’s not a mobile phone in sight!
Life though could have turned out so differently for Evelyn as her first career choice was writing. “I was a journalist back home and came to Spain to study in Barcelona. I only started giving salsa classes to pay for my further education until I decided to drop out of the course to devote myself fully to being a DJ and teacher of Latin rhythms.”
“I WAS BORN IN SALSA’S MOST IMPORTANT DECADE” LAUGHS EVELYN, MOMENTS BEFORE SHE BEGINS ONE OF HER WEEKLY DANCE CLASSES IN IBIZA TOWN. “MY HOME COUNTRY VENEZUELA WAS OBSESSED WITH THE SOUND IN THE 1970S; IT WAS THE ONLY MUSIC I COULD HEAR AS A BABY FROM MY CRADLE!”
Salsa was the most popular dance for a long time until Bachata exploded and took over the entire market. “It’s why the likes of Shakira, The Weekend, Chayanne, Rosalía, Justin Timberlake and artists from other musical genres have recorded Bachata – it’s in fashion. Thank God there’s now a resurgence of Salsa which has motivated the likes of Bad Bunny and Rauw Alejandro, stars of the urban world, to put this genre on their albums with great success,” she says.
And there’s no denying its popularity, with various dance classes springing up all over the island. “What also makes these rhythms so powerful and irresistible is their social aspect” admits Evelyn. “If a person doesn’t have a social life or feels lonely, as soon as theystart dancing, they don’t just find a hobby, they meet open, happy, welcoming people who become like a new family. It’s not just about cardio and skills, it’s a real escape from your problems. When you start to dance you don’t think about anything else as the joy and sensuality of the music transports you.”
She’s right of course, there are scientific studies to prove it – dancing does make you happy. And as Latin dances are done in pairs, it’s like one constant hug on the dancefloor. One new Salsa and Bachata devotee is Marek Lukomski from Poland, who has been enrolled in Evelyn’s Ibiza classes for over a year. “None of my friends had the courage to join a class, so I went on my own and have met a whole new community. When I look at Evelyn I think ‘she’s from a different planet.’ Her dancing skills, knowledge and musicality are at a level that blows your mind.
She is such an inspiration.”
