TEACHING TEAM AND PROFILES
Basil Pinnock - Licentiate UKA Director of Dance2Salsa Dance Company
Basil has been involved in competitive sports and dance for most of his life and has trained, taught and performed in a number of different disciplines. In particular, he has represented the UK in the martial art of Tae Kwon Do at both national and international levels. Until 2008, Basil worked as a lawyer with one of the biggest Criminal Law firms in the country but retired from the profession to start his own Dance Company.
A great deal of Basil’s early years were spent in the various Jazz Dance clubs up and down the country. This was a unique underground dance scene, where the emphasis was on solo footwork and breath-taking body movement. The ‘Latin Jazz’ music played during this period has been a strong influence on the music currently played at Dance2Salsa events and has made a major contribution to Basil’s understanding of the music and his expression of it.
Salsa became a major part of Basil’s life in 2001 and he has dedicated himself to learning and teaching all aspects of this fantastic art form. He started Dance2Salsa in the Autumn of 2006 at Bird Hills Golf Club with Melissa Lambourne who in that time has established herself as the ‘First Lady’ of Dance2Salsa. Basil now teaches a number of different dance styles and forms including Cross Body Lead salsa On1, Mambo On2 (Palladium/Classic timing), Cha Cha Cha and Bachata Tango. With his partner Melissa, he also delivers unique 3 hour workshops in areas such as Musical interpretation and application to dance, Ladies and Men’s Styling, Spins and Rotations, Footwork and Solo movement and Dancing On2.
Basil has developed a unique system of teaching and delivery built around a strong syllabus, the focus of which is the development of excellent ‘Core Technique’, matched by strong leading and following skills. Fundamental to the above is a thorough understanding of and awareness of the music as well as the development of musical expression. This can be seen in the high calibre dancers that have been through the program. Basil is UKA qualified to 'Licentiate' level after passing his higher level UKA exam in June 2007 with the United Kingdom Alliance.
In the last three years, Basil and Melissa have jointly choreographed a number of performances at professional and student level and have performed and taught at various venues around the country.
Melissa Lambourne principle member of Dance2Salsa Dance Company
Melissa is a trained beauty therapist by profession and for the past 12 years she has run her own salon and is a fully qualified beautician, reflexologist and specialist in electrolysis. Melissa has a particular and personal interest in the healing arts.
She has been dancing now for about 9 years and has established a reputation for excellent technique and great following skills. Not one to blow her own trumpet, Melissa is quietly understated but with very stylish technique. She is regularly sought after by other female dancers for advice in relation to styling, body movement and technique. Melissa has been teaching all aspects of salsa dance from a follower’s perspective and regularly assists Basil in the delivery of the Advanced and Dance Development classes as well as the various specialist workshops.
Melissa’s knowledge and experience of dance, in particular, Salsa On1, Mambo On2, Cha Cha Cha and body movement and styling has a major impact on the look and feel of the shows produced by Dance2Salsa. She is also the founder and director of Latin Dance Society which specialises in the delivery of weekly dance classes focusing on various Latin dances including Salsa, Reggaeton, Cha Cha Cha, Bachata and Merengue. Melissa is available for one on one private lessons or workshops on a larger scale.
Makeup and photography is a developing area of interest for Melissa and she currently undertakes regular studio sessions.
UPCOMING DATES
Dance2Kizomba weekly class
3 Levels of Kizomba
with Resident Teachers
Daniel, Pauline, Antonio and Sarah
Music & Dancing
7.30pm - 11.30pm
***NEW***
Monday Mix Salsa - 20th May
Bachata Fusion - 2 levels
Music & Dancing
7.30pm - 11.30
Last Friday Party Night
with guest teachers Miguel & Mayana plus 2 levels of Bachata Fusion and 4 levels of salsa
Performances by Tiempo y Cadencia and Mambonito
Music & Dancing
6 week salsa courses plus drop in
4 levels of salsa
Levels 1,2,3 course based
Levels 4 drop in
Music & Dancing
7.30pm - 11.30
Dance2Kizomba Party
with Guest Teacher
Tania Mendonca
Music & Dancing
7.30pm - Midnight
3 Levels of Kizomba
New 6 week salsa courses Maidenhead plus drop in
6 levels of salsa
Levels 1,2,3 course based
Levels 4,5,6 drop in
Music & Dancing
7.30pm - 11.30