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Salsa in Oman leaving an indelible impression on visitors

Since 2003, the Oman Salsa Group has been pioneering the sights and sounds of Latin America. What started as a small club giving lessons privately has grown leaps and bounds. The founder of the group, Thuwaini al Harthy, says: “In such a short space of time, the number of Latin music lovers in Oman has grown tremendously”. “We have a saying now, everyone who visits Oman must try Salsa dancing. It’s where you meet lots of new friends and socialise, in addition you learn how to dance and keep fit while enjoying the music,” he adds.
The group started when a few Latino Salsa aficionados found each other in Muscat, and with Thuwaini as its driving force, the group gradually grew and expanded into public places. The group was passionate and wanted more people to know about Salsa. Its mission is to draw more people in to enjoy the fever of Latin dancing.
“We are the biggest group in any form of dance in the country and our weekly classes attract close to a hundred students, with around 5-10 new faces every week,” he says.
Together, the group has arranged lessons at different places in Muscat, organised parties, workshops and had regular salsa nights. The salsa community has grown into a big and diverse group, united by music and has attracted people from all over the world.
Salsa tutor Susana Montero, choreographer of the movie Cuban Fury, Broadway musical Salsation and many television shows around the world, will be in Oman. “My goal was to introduce and spread the passion of this lovely dance in Oman, to put our country on the map as the best location and destination for festivals and become recognised by the World Salsa Festivals & Congresses Organisation. We have built a strong network in the Sultanate and are looking at making it even bigger. It has not been easy but we are almost there,” he says.
The sixth annual Oman International Salsa & Zouk Festival will conclude on Saturday.
Thuwaini believes the future of Salsa in the Sultanate is bright, pointing out that the country’s famed hospitality has played a part in welcoming new people to the group. “People are impressed at how diverse the art scene in Oman is and how far our group has reached. Our festivals are ranked number one in the Middle East and we receive invitations to festivals around the world.”
“Salsa can be linked to our culture, our kindness, and can take inspiration from our country’s landscape and beauty to develop the dance. Every year we get people from overseas visiting Oman for the first time and they are always impressed and love the country. Our group, through dance, has helped to change the impression many have about the Middle East and raise awareness of Oman, and we are incredibly proud of where we are today.”

Source: OmanObserver

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