Salsa, 1988

CREW: Boaz Davidson (Writer & Director)

Davidson spent the 80’s directing even lower budget movies than this! But he seems to be a big time Hollywood producer now with the Bruce Willis vehicle 16 Blocks under his belt and the new Rocky sequel and Red Sonja remake on the way.

CAST: Robby Rosa (Rico)

Robby was in the group Menudo with Ricky Martin, sadly his Hollywood career spans just this one movie, but what a movie! He went on to co-write ‘The Thong Song’ for R&B singer Sisqo, and how we thank him… Not to mention such hits as Livin’ La Vida Loca and She Bangs for his ex-bandmate Martin. He released his own English language CD in 2004 and remains a very popular Latin artist.

Rodney Harvey (Ken)

Harvey went on to co-star in My Own Private Idaho, and Guncrazy alongside girlfriend Drew Barrymore. He died in 1998 of a drug overdose, he was 31.

Miranda Garrison (La Luna)

Garrison is now a top choreographer who has worked extemsively in Hollwood over the past 20 years. She acted a assistant choreographer on Salsa and most recently has choreograohed The Skeleton Key and Posiden. Both she and the choreographer of this movie, Kenny Ortega, worked on Dirty Dancing.

Also starring Magali Alvarado as Rita, and Angela Alvarado as Vicki.

PLOT: A young man (Rosa) wants to make it as a

salsa dancer. He ditches his current partner and teams up with an evil ex-dancing queen in order to pursue his dream.

THOUGHTS: What Rosa lacks in acting talent he certainly made up for in enthusiasm and energy. This movie has the familiar plot and terrible acting that we all have come to know and love from our low rent 80’s dancing movies. My favourite lines from this movie come from a heated argument between our hero and his best white pal, Ken ( Harvey ).

Rico: “How dare you sleep with my sister, man!” *punch, kick, smack*

Ken: “You dumb Puerto Rican”

I don’t know about you, but after seeing Salsa I hurl racial slurs at all my good friends! At least in the world of Salsa nobody seems to think it’s in the slightest bit offensive, least of all Rico’s sister Rita! Another ‘dumb Puerto Rican’ I assume, Ken! The script continues with these random insults, why even Rico’s mum greets him as “You little Sh*t” as if it were almost a term of endearment in one scene. I might try that one out next time I go and visit my Grandmother...

Judging it by the ‘standards’ other dancing movies of the era like Breakin’, Krush Groove and Lambada it’s not half bad. Watch out for an appearance from Latin legend Celia Cruz. Let’s just say I questioned why exactly he objected to Ken and Rita getting together after I saw Rico’s reaction to old Celia performing at the club! He was nearly foaming at the mouth!

TRIVIA: Robby Rosa married co-star Angela Alvarado in 1990.

VIDEO: Most of us quietly get ourselves dry after we take a shower, Rico does a full on dance routine to get himself ready to go out -- watch it here.

VIDEO: Rico is overwhelmed by Celia Cruz' appearance at La Luna's club -- watch it here.

CAN I BUY IT?: It’s available on DVD (Region 1). It was released on Cannon Home Video in the UK in 1988.