SALSAMUNDO
Presents
Elvira Dominguez
New
York’s Hottest female “Pura Salsa” D.J.
By:
Angel Ortiz
“As a social dancer I wanted
more. So I was motivated to help this situation and it was then that I
decided to become a D.J.”
New
York
City, The Big Apple, The Gran Manzana. They say the population is 8 million people.
That means 8 million stories. Lately, there’s been talk about Latina
women and their diversity in the work force, the Arts and Entertainment
field, and the positive contributions they are making both economically
and professionally. We should wonder why it hasn’t been noticed
before!!! - but that’s another story. This story, however, is
about a young Latina and her efforts as a Disc Jockey in the Latin music
field. Her Passion? – Salsa
Music.
In most male-dominated fields, the successful woman is rarely
recognized for her efforts and achievements. Among the many reasons to
succeed, there’s the motivation to overcome the challenges and be a
winner in the respective field. Without question, Elvira Dominguez is a
winner in her field. Success to her doesn’t mean making the most money.
Instead, it means overcoming the challenges and then creating new avenues
to pursue. In this sense, she has succeeded.
With international travel to Spain and England, this Latina
woman is on the move. Her experiences abroad have only inspired her
to remain positive, to trust her instincts, and follow her passion!!! -
Salsa music. She possesses an uncanny ability to “know which songs to
play” and adheres to her winning formula; “keep it basic and let the
whole song play.” That means no mixing of songs, just PURE SALSA all the way.
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Elvira Dominguez (Taurus)
eventually moved to Spain and lived there for ten years. Ironically, at
that time, she really didn’t listen to salsa music. It was when she
moved to London, that she became interested in the Latin sounds. According
to Elvira, she would listen and dance to the Latin sounds there but felt
that something was missing. It was then that she developed a different
point of view on what kinds of songs should be played to
inspire the dancers and create a dynamic environment in the clubs. Her
nine years in London and her ambition to play music motivated her to
pursue her goals as a Disc Jockey.
Her view of what should be played and what could ignite the
dancers even more prompted her to take up the turntables in one of the top
cities of the world…….New York City. She brought with her the
experiences she garnered in Europe and put her “fingers’ to the test
in the Big Apple. She had no idea whether the public would accept her.
Nevertheless, with persistence (she’s a Taurus) she decided to take the
risk. It is often said that the greatest risk is not taking one. So, to
her surprise, she shopped her demo tape around and subsequently received
the encouragement to begin. With encouragement and inspiration from the
dancers in New York City and from the people who knew about the real
stuff, Elvira found her niche – and it’s “PURA SALSA” that she plays!!!!!
Angel
Ortiz & Elvira Dominguez
Congreso
Bacardi de la Salsa 2000 (New York)
Although Elvira is not the only female Disc Jockey in New
York, she is one of the few in the male-dominated industry paving the way.
Elvira says that most people show surprise and acknowledgement when they
learn that a Latina is playing the music. She doesn’t mind this at all
since it brings a smile to their faces (and hers !!)
She currently is the New York correspondent for a website
called Salsaweb.com and has her own column every Friday in El Diario/La
Prensa, called “Noches en Clave” with DJ Elvira and used to do
voluntary work also for JustSalsa.com and for the RMM Record Label.
Currently, she spins music every Wednesday at “Nell’s” (14th
Street between 7-8 Avenues). She also does free-lance work while traveling
both domestically and internationally. Some of the venues she’s played
at are the Copacabana, The Supper Club, El Flamingo, Belle
Epoque, China club, Hush, Summer Festivals like Lincoln
Center, or the one at South Street Seaport and many other
places in New York City, New Jersey, Connecticut, Texas and around the
world, the “Bacardi
Salsa Congress” in Puerto Rico, and the “West Coast Salsa
Congress” in California. With her zest for life and her will to
succeed, Elvira will positively challenge the “rules” of the
male-dominated music industry. With no stop signs in her way, she
continues to make her contributions to the world of Latin music and dance.
This year she has been nominated as one of El Diario/La Prensa’s
50 outstanding “Latinas” of the year, along with woman as Celia Cruz
and La India. We welcome Elvira Dominguez to Salsamundo’s “Women in
Salsa”.
INTERVIEW
What motivates you to play Salsa music?
E – I love the music and I’m also a dancer. What really motivates me
is when I see people dancing to the music. Their enjoyment and their
positive reaction is what it’s all about.
Is there some feeling you want to convey to the audience
through the songs you play?
E – What I’d like to send is strong rhythms to the dancers. I prefer
songs with a lot of percussion.
When I play music of the ‘70’s, people come up to me and ask me how is
that I know about those songs since I’ve only been playing music for
3yrs. It’s a nice reaction and I enjoy playing the “old” salsa music
as well. So it’s a feeling of enjoyment that I like to convey.
Share some of your thoughts as to how you select the music
you play?
E – I basically go through my selection of music and listen to songs at
random. From there I select which I will play. I put a mark on those that
I select. I don’t have a strict process. I try to see who my audience is
and then react to them. So it all depends on the atmosphere at the time
and the feedback from the crowd.
Do you feel then that you
receive feedback from the audience whether they are dancing or
socializing?
E – Absolutely. From the booth, I see a few things. For example, I see
some people smile when I play a particular song. They look at me with an
acknowledgment that tells me I’ve selected one of their favorite songs.
Also, knowing some of the dancers and their favorite songs gives me an
edge. I know what they like to dance to so I play the songs.
How long have you been playing music? Which was the first
club for you in New York and in Europe? And how was it that you became
interested in this field?
E – It’s been at least three years now. Three years ago, I was living
in London. I remember going out to the various Latin nightclubs. From
watching the people dance, I became inspired to learn the dance. So I started going out dancing five, six times a week. In
London at the time, the majority of the Disc Jockeys were Colombian and
Cuban. Although the music selection was always good, I can remember that
the same songs would be played each week. I guess at the time, the record
stores didn’t have a wider selection. I think by now though, the
selections have probably grown in variety. As
a social dancer I wanted more. So I was motivated to help this situation
and it was then that I decided to become a D.J. Since I had an
idea of which songs the dancers wanted to hear, well, that made it an easy
beginning for me.
In
New York, the first club I played was at El Flamingo about two years ago
on Sundays. At that time, Sundays was hot at Flamingo. In London, my first
club was “Gossips”. I played music at most of the clubs in London
including Salsa Fusion, Habana Café, and at the Notting Hill Carnival. I
was also a “guest D.J” and had the opportunity to play almost
everywhere in London.
The public in New York is very supportive of your efforts.
How do you feel about that?
E – I feel terrific about that. New York is a fascinating city with
many challenges. To be acknowledged is very rewarding and satisfying.
It’s a challenge for me to be the best I can be. It’s a tough town so
you have to continue to be your best otherwise the people will know it and
not respond to kindly. So I’m really happy about it. In London, I was
playing at parties and dances but felt that I wasn’t going to grow. So I
decided to move to New York since I felt it might offer more
opportunities. I had heard that the dancing in New York was at a high
level and that some of the top D.J.’s were located here.
How would you describe the current New York nightclub scene?
E - Well, I think here you have choices. Also, comparatively speaking and
based on my own travel experiences, I feel New York is the capital of
Salsa. There’s a long history here but I’m also very happy to see it
growing all over the world. When you look around, almost every night of
the week there is a club you can go to and dance Salsa. The venues range
from small to medium to large spaces like the famous Copacabana. during
the summer, there are numerous short boat rides you can take where Salsa
music is offered. We also have Madison Square Garden where 4 times a year
the RMM Salsa Festival/Concert presents itself. So there are lots of ways
these events add to the overall “nightclub scene”.
As a D.J., is there anything that you would like to do
different than the other D.J.’s?
E – Yes, and I’m doing it now. I play only Salsa!!! That’s why my
parties are called PURE SALSA. When I talk with other D.J’s, they remind
me to also think “commercial” because to specialize in only playing
salsa music might be short-lived. However, I keep trying to stick to what
I believe in because there are many people in New York who want to hear
Salsa. I believe there is a public for it. In the beginning I was
cautioned that it might be difficult but so far it has been going well for
me. I also realize that I should keep the variety and options open so that
ALL can enjoy the great music and dancing.
When you are spinning records (CD’s), do you ever find
yourself “In the Zone”?
E – Yes, there are certain songs that are really good and make the
people dance and really crazy. I stare at the dancers when this happens. I
look at them and enjoy it so much. Then, I realize that I should find a
follow-up song to continue the excitement. That’s when I fall into the
“zone”. The dancers and their reaction are my inspiration. I can see
them feeling the music. It’s about bringing back good memories and
encouraging them to go out to the dance floor and dance. That’s what I
try to do.
Any favorite recording artists?
E- some of my favorites are Louie Ramirez, Ray de La Paz, Tito Puente,
Jose Alberto “El Canario”, Oscar De Leon, Eddie Palmieri, plus many
others.
If you had an opportunity to
introduce a new idea, technique, or device to enhance a D.J.’s ability,
what would it be?
E – Well, at the moment, the equipment available to D.J’s is very
much advanced. However, I don’t’ make use of it. I just stick to the
basics and play the music. I let the whole song play and then bring in the
next. This makes me different than the others because currently, most
D.J’s mix the songs. There’s nothing wrong with mixing it’s just
that I prefer the basics. Every
D.J. does his or her “own thing”. This is good because it adds variety
and versatility in playing music and it also offers a different way for
the public to enjoy the music. However, I like the basics. My passion is
there and I always say to “stick to what you believe in”
Any thoughts on what you would like to see happen in the next
six months or year?
E – Yes. I would like to bring back the “old Copacabana”, Cheeta, or
the Village Gate. I would be interested in promoting and playing a night
in these clubs. I have heard about those wonderful years when those clubs
flourished. I wasn’t around to enjoy it but it would be great if I could
revive it and bring some of it back. I also would like to eventually
progress into radio and other areas of the music industry.
THE
END
DJ Elvira Dominguez