Touring Salsa Team
Christina Morrison- Director
Christina has been dancing her whole life. With a background in music (she also plays the saxophone) as well as ballet, jazz and competitive ballroom, she has been dancing salsa for over 25 years and is one of the only instructors in Canada certified by the World Salsa University in Puerto Rico to teach LA, New York & Puerto Rican Salsa. For over 19 years Christina has been the director & choreographer of the internationally touring dance company Salsa Caliente and has traveled to perform all over the West Coast as well as in Italy, Puerto Rico, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, the Bahamas and Mexico. She has competed twice for Canada in the World Salsa Open Championships and is now a certified judge. Christina has choreographed for Salsa Team Canada, as well as for numerous music videos and has had the honor of dancing on tour with some of the top bands including Juno nominated band "The Puentes Brothers" and Grammy Award winners "Spanish Harlem Orchestra". "The first time that I ever saw anyone dance Salsa was when I was 4 years old and I was immediately hooked. Let me share my passion with you and introduce you to the world of Salsa!"
Al Smith
Al has always had an inherent love for music, dance, and people. In his 20's and 30's he danced swing and lindy hop, taking lessons from Frankie Manning, but later stopped due to unforeseen life circumstances. Twenty years after he stopped dancing, he found his love for dance once again while dancing salsa to Willie Rosario playing live deep in the hills of Puerto Rico. Two months later, he was invited to the old school room in New York and the amazing people and music there solidified his reignited love for dance, but this time for salsa! "I fell in love with the musical complexity, deep expressions, and the people dancing salsa! I want to learn as much as I can so that when I dance now I honour and show respect for salsa's history and those that came before me.”
Bradley Bachmeier
Brad has always been a music enthusiast having taught himself how to play a number of instruments including guitar, bass, piano and saxophone. After being introduced to Salsa he rapidly became enthralled by it, fascinated by its musical structure and significance. “Salsa has quickly become a passionate hobby of mine. I am very excited to learn more about Salsa as a dance and culture.”
Charlotte Conn
Charlotte has been a performer and dancer her whole life, with most of her training in the areas of ballet, contemporary and jazz dance. In 2022 she joined the UVic salsa team and found a new passion for the bright, rhythmic, and challenging aspects of salsa. "I am ready to grow both as a dancer and a person while exploring the history, culture, and technique of Salsa dance."
Frank Lemieux
Frank began a flirtation with Salsa in 2013, at Café Casablanca in Victoria, BC. The infectious energy, the complex rhythms, and the intricate partnering instantly captivated him. He took his first salsa class with Salsa Caliente and hasn’t looked back since. Over the past decade, the flames of his infatuation have grown, his salsa journey has been a continuous process of learning and experimentation. He’s honed his skills through numerous hours in classes, rehearsals, workshops, and various private lessons. "Salsa music is incredibly complex and diverse; being able to create movement to express, play and complement the intention of a song is something beautiful, to share that experience with another is something else altogether.”
Georgia Elliott
Georgia grew up doing a variety of activities including music, dance, and sports. She chose to pursue volleyball for the majority of her life and was introduced to salsa through her teammates a few years ago. After moving to Victoria, Georgia sought out somewhere to learn more about salsa and Latin dance. Soon one class a week turned into attending every class she could possibly fit into her schedule. “I love the challenge, the music, and the people that salsa has brought into my life and I can’t wait to keep learning about the history and the culture of this incredible dance”.
Jocelyn Mackey
Jocelyn was recently introduced to Salsa and she became intrigued by the warm, welcoming social dancing culture in Victoria. She quickly grew to love the beautiful musicality and technicalities of learning to dance Salsa. “What I love about dance is the combination of moving my body to music while continually being mentally challenged to master the technique.”
Noah Moise
Noah has always enjoyed music, be it listening to songs or dancing while growing up. Being the first in his family to pursue performing, he joined a concert and jazz band in high school as a percussionist. In university, he happened upon a video of Latin dance and was enthralled by the beauty and technicality of the performers. He promptly joined the Latin dance club at his school; however, due to a sudden injury, he had to stop all physical activity for several years in order to recover. "I am back with a passion to learn as much as possible about this incredibly exquisite and intricate artform. I can't get enough!"
Noelle Chang Zhelka
Noelle has been involved in music her whole life, playing the piano, drums, and guitar. She finally found her instrument with the ukulele, performing around North America for 5 years. Along with over a decade in martial arts, she found that her love of sports and music blended perfectly in salsa. "I was hooked after my first salsa class, and every class since then has only passionned me more".
Sophie Moreau
Sophie has always had a love for music and movement, recognizing this her parents put her in dance at the age of 4. Sophie spent her whole life dancing competitively in ballet, modern, contemporary, jazz and tap. She deliberately pursued a career (Registered Massage Therapy) dedicated to aiding others in improving their mobility and achieving a greater sense of flexibility. On the invitation of a friend to try a salsa class, a new love was born. “I considers myself fortunate to have discovered Salsa Caliente under the guidance of Christina, who leads with a wealth of knowledge and experience.”
Tom Willes
Tom started his salsa journey “dancing” with a high-hat pedal and a pair of drum sticks in grade 6 band class. Highlights throughout high school included a trip to Cuba and playing in the rhythm section of the high school jazz choir. These experiences cemented his love for the energy that comes when a band plays together—when all the instruments are in sync and then the simplest tasteful drum fill hits you like a shot. “Salsa is a huge challenge, but I’m looking forward to a time when I can improvise that perfect hit as a couple on the dance floor.”
Wylee Fitz-Gerald
Wylee is an oceanographer and educator, bringing ocean data to university classrooms. Her research has brought her to the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans. She has always had a love for the Arts and Sciences. Wylee was first introduced to salsa by her best friend, who had just returned from a trip to Puerto Rico. Her friend brought her to a Salsa Caliente social where she immediately fell in love with the music and that special connection you have with someone during a really nice dance. She was hooked after that summer and determined to take every salsa class she could. "I love the immersive experience of salsa, the way you get to learn from each person you dance with. I also love the community and how the connection you find in a dance can transcend social boundaries. I'm so excited to learn more about the history and culture. I can't wait to meet everyone in Puerto Rico and New York!"