Hello, and welcome to the SalsaChicago.com video store where you can purchase Instructional Salsa, Merengue, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha and Aerobics videos to help you become a better dancer or to help you get into shape. All prices include Shipping and Handling. BIO MIGUEL MENDEZ Born in Moca, Puerto Rico and raised in the city of from the tender age of two, Miguel took an early interest in Salsa, the music and the dance, by watching his cousins dance to the early Latin rhythms of Willie Colon and Eddie Palmeri. By the age of ten, Miguel was trying to imitate the steps of the hottest dance of the time, el GuaGuanCo or what is known today as Salsa. After stumbling along for years, in 1980, the dance and the rhythms of the Salsa beat started meshing together and falling into place. Over the next 10 years, Miguel continued to perfect his footwork, and began to specialize in the art of Partner dancing combining smooth footwork with intricate spin and turn combinations. By 1992, Miguel had developed a reputation as one of Chicago's premier Salsero's. In 1993, Miguel was approached and contracted by various corporate fund-raising organizations to teach and perform along with his partner, Anyes Daskal. That was the beginning of Miguel's teaching and performing career. In 1995, Miguel was invited to perform at the Chicago Puerto Rican Parade Beauty Pageant, which was filmed, and aired on, Telemundo WSNS-TV 44 in Chicago. In April of 1996, Miguel was contracted by Coca Cola's Hispanic advertising agency to create and choreograph a dance routine for Coca Cola's hot Summer Jingle "Siempre Coca Cola." The routine was developed for Coca Cola's hottest summer promotion "Los Refrescantes de Coca Cola" a troupe of six talented Hispanic dancers who have gone on to perform the routine throughout the summer at various different Coca Cola venues. In June 1996, Miguel was recruited by New Film Production to put together a professional Salsa dance troupe, The Siempre Caliente Dancers, and to teach Salsa on the hit Prime Cable show, Siempre Caliente. In July 1996, Miguel founded the first professional Salsa dance school in Chicago, "The Dance Academy of Salsa" where classes are taught in Salsa, Mambo, Merengue and Cha Cha. In September, 1996, Miguel was contracted by McDonald's Hispanic advertising and promotional agency to learn, teach, and perform, the McDonald's Arch Deluxe line dance, to promote the new line of McDonalds Deluxe sandwiches. Also in September, Miguel was contracted by the Harold Washington Library to perform in the Wintergarden as part of the opening ceremonies for celebration of Hispanic Heritage month. In February 1997, Miguel and his dance troupe, was at the HOUSE OF BLUES opening the Saturday night show for Celia Cruz and Jose Alberto " El Canario." In August of 1997, Miguel was invited to perform at the First World Salsa Congress in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He also performed several exhibitions at the Caribe Hilton Hotel and Towers while in PR. In June of 1998, Miguel organized a one and a half-hour show at the Daley Plaza Civic Center in celebration Puerto Rican Heritage week, which included dance, lessons, exhibitions, singers and celebrities. Attendance was over 1,000 people. Also in June, Miguel, and his partner Naomi Fulton, performed on stage with Chicago's RMM Recording Artist, Jesus Enrique's at Chicago's Black Expo at Soldier Field. He also kicked off Chicago's Outdoor Summer Dance Program on WGN TV live by teaching Roseanne Tellez a few dance steps and performing with members of his group. In July, Miguel filmed a 15-minute lesson and dance segment for the hit Cable show, Absolute Artistry, hosted by Irma Blanco. In 1999, he conducted a brief interview for Univision on great gifts for Valentines Day. Miguel also kicked off the Taste of Chicago on the NBC Morning Show Live with Amy Stone and Art Norman. Miguel also had the distinct pleasure of opening this year's Taste of Chicago in June with Salsa. Miguel also performed on-stage with RMM Recording Artist Ray Sepulveda, and filmed several dance segments for some of the local Cable shows in Chicago including Voices and Musica Latina. In 2000, Miguel was invited to do a 15 minute Salsa show for the 2000 International Houseware Show, at McCormack Place, and for the American Heart Association at the Great Hall in Union Station. Miguel also MC'd a 45 Minute Comedy filled Salsa presentation at Taste of Chicago. In, 2001, Miguel did a 20 minute Salsa dance show, with 20 dance couples, for El Milagro Tortilla Company's 50th anniversary celebration. In February, he was featured on ABC Channel 7 News, teaching and talking about the Salsa phenomenon. He also performed at the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business, Sheraton Chicago Hotel, United Center and in Milwaukee, WI.. In May 2002, Miguel opened the very first Latin dance school in the heart of Chicago's Puerto Rican Community. The Dance Academy of Salsa is now home to some of Chicago's Premier Latin Dance Troupes including Los Jovenes del Swing & Los Soneros del Swing. In 2003, Miguel has performed at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN; with Los Soneros del Swing and his partner Sofia Ivanova at the 2nd Annual Chicago World Salsa Congress; Miguel also taught a class and performed with Sofia and Los Soneros del Swing at the Torino, Italy World Salsa Congress in Oct/Nov 2003. For the last 10 years Miguel has also been pursuing an acting career. Having trained with one of most recognized acting coaches in the country, Molli Benson, Miguel has appeared in local commercials for Magnum Insurance, Mena Travel, the Little Village Clinic and more. He has also been a principle actor in various local productions including Urban Poet (2003) and has most recently appeared as a principle actor in 4 Chicago Bulls commercials where he plays a barber. Most recently, March 2006, Miguel conducted Salsa lessons at Bloomingdales in Chicago, Skokie and Oak Brook Terrace. This year, Miguel also started his own Latin Orchestra called The SalsaChicago Mambo All-stars Band and sings back ground vocals. This year, The SalsaChicago Mambo All-stars Band is booked to play at various Universities in Illinois, Wisconsin & Indiana as well as outdoor festivals throughout the Midwest. E-mail your questions to Miguel here: Lsalsero@aol.com