Dancers Take to 1st 'Salsa Napa Valley'

PHOTOS BY AL FRANCIS

The inaugural "Salsa Napa Valley" drew dancers and supporters of local service programs to the Napa Valley Expo Saturday.

"It's the first time we've tried this," said Charlene Horton, development director of Community Action of Napa Valley, event sponsors. "The band is just awesome."

Proceeds will benefit CAN-V's three main programs:  Napa Valley Food Bank; the area Meals on Wheels; and Napa Valley's homeless shelters.

"It's a great organization," said Napa County District Attorney Gary Lieberstein, who was there with his wife Patti. "They do great work."

Lieberstein, a trained ballroom dancer, said he appreciated the skills of salsa dancers at the event.

"It's a little intimidating," he said with a smile. "There's a lot of amazing dancers here."

Horton said the turnout -- about 150 people -- "could have been more" to fill the Chardonnay Hall and enjoy the sounds of Avance, a 13-piece Latin band well-known in dance circles throughout the Bay Area. But she said for a first-time event, it was a success.

"The people that are here are having such a great time," she said.

In addition to dancing, food and a silent auction, the evening featured a thrilling performance by a troupe from Dance Unlimited, a studio in Vallejo.

The group of about 10 couples did salsa, bachata and Argentine Tango numbers -- all with costume changes in between.

Jean and Marvin Sakakihara of Napa, board members of Napa Ballroom Dancers, said they came not only for the dancing but to help CAN-V.

Their ballroom group has monthly dances -- including one this Saturday, Oct. 12 -- at the Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St.

"We wanted to support the Meals on Wheels and Food Bank," Marvin Sakakihara said.

Laurie Wolfe and husband Marlon Mezquita of Napa said they were thrilled to find a salsa event so close to home after countless trips to Santa Rosa or San Francisco to dance salsa.

"Wherever there's salsa, that's where we'll be," said Wolfe, marketing director at Renteria Wines in Napa. "We felt this is right in our back yard -- no bridge tolls, no parking problems -- so we had to go."

CAN-V's other main fundraising event is a "Texas Hold 'Em" game night in the spring, Horton said.