“I want to transmit happiness through Latin dances”

Par

Editorial Guérande

Published on

Jan 15, 2025 at 7:41 a.m.

Who does not know in the Saint-Nazaire region Yannick “El Mambo”, whose real name is Yannick Chiewou, this dance teacher who teaches on the Guérande Peninsula as well as in Donges, who hosts the Summer Dance in the summer de Pornichet and participates every year with students in the Telethon? Few people because this man has walked the floors of many classrooms. From the age of 5, Yannick observed young professional dancers from Cameroon dancing on the terrace of the family home to Afro-Caribbean and ragga muffin music…

“You need at least 2,000 hours of lessons to claim to be a good teacher”

At 16, he landed in Paris to continue his accounting studies.

At the same time, he learned about Latin dances and sports.

Despite obtaining his professional baccalaureate, he realizes that balance sheets and operating accounts are not his thing…

He understands that his path is more oriented towards sport. He quickly obtained his first diploma, that of a sports coach.

He has accumulated indoor sports diplomas.

“I totally switched to indoor sport, it was a world that attracted me. I like helping people, advising them, bringing them happiness. »

“So I passed all the necessary diplomas, fitness, bodybuilding, etc. My training lasted almost 4 years. She allowed me to teach in a gym, but my goal was to create my own gym,” continues Yannick.

“At the same time, I was able to give salsa lessons on a voluntary basis. I loved teaching what I had learned to anyone around me who wanted it. A second trigger settled within me. »

In 2010, he officially became a salsa teacher.

Two years later, for family reasons, reinforced by the attraction of the sea, he chose to come and settle in our region. While working at Sport Club in Saint-Nazaire, as a sports coach, his main activity, he began to create his first dance classes: “SBK, that is to say salsa, bachata and kizomba”.

He had the chance to cross paths with Ruben Rodriguez, “El Profesor”, a Latin dance teacher who is also an author, composer and singer, a Cuban well known in the region, who over time would become his friend.

Together, they host many evenings. The community of salseros and salseras is growing in Loire-Atlantique.

“My various diplomas and my experience in dance are the basis of my teaching. We must be able to explain the breakdown of movements and have an overview of everyone in order to help those who have the most difficulties. My ability to question myself allows me to constantly evolve,” underlines Yannick, who recently resided in La Baule after having lived in Pornichet for a long time.

“People should feel good”

“You need at least 2,000 hours of lessons to claim to be a good teacher, or around 4 years of teaching. Dance teacher is a passion job for me, rewarding because it is not routine. We are progressing all the time, both as a person and as a professional. »

“Of course, the students are there to learn, but they also come to class to relax, after work. I want the atmosphere to be relaxed, because we progress better in such an environment. »

“The bar atmosphere (where the courses are given) promotes this objective. Serious work in a friendly atmosphere, exchange and sharing. People must feel good,” emphasizes this father of 3 children.

Students of all ages

Yannick “El Mambo” (individually or through his association) is giving 14 hours of lessons per week this year for a total of 700 students.

“I have students of all ages, I even teach 5-year-olds in Pornichet. »

“What I also like about this job is being able to cover all age groups and welcoming people from all social backgrounds, it’s enriching for them as well as for me. »

Yannick wants to lead people towards the joy of living that is his. He would like to transmit his eternal legendary smile to adults but also especially to children. This is particularly close to his heart.

Currently, he has 70 students aged 5 to 14 taking his classes. This is a strong sign. And as he likes to repeat at each of his evenings, dancing with Yannick “El Mambo” is “K do”.

Afro-Latino Festival, Summer Dance and dance evenings

In addition to his courses, Yannick participates in various festivals across France (around ten last year) and has organized since 2018, the Falp (Afro-Latino Festival of Pornichet) which is held every 3rd weekend from October to Pornichet (of course…).
This unmissable event grows every year. Latin dance courses and dance evenings are on the program, but not only that…
“Each year, I add non-SBK courses, variations of these reference dances, such as reggaeton, Brazilian zouk, hip-hop, konpa, foro, semba, afro, dance hall, ndombolo…”
“In 2018, for the first edition, there were 250 festival-goers. This year we exceeded 2,500 festival-goers. This brings artistic and cultural visibility to the town of Pornichet. This year, the Falp will take place on the 17th, 18th and 19th. october. “
Many restaurants and bars on the peninsula, such as L'Hacienda, Le Bahia Tikka and La P'tite case in Pornichet, Capsule et Bouchon in Guérande and Le Papillon in Saint-Nazaire open their doors for dancing evenings.
“On this occasion, I leave my decks as often as possible, in order to introduce neophytes (and others) to Latin dances. My main goal is for everyone to have fun and have a good time in a good mood. “
In partnership with the City of Pornichet, Summer Dance was born in 2017.
“The basic idea was simple: to make people dance in the street in an improvised way. We do activities during the months of July and August. The work carried out on the Place des Océanes makes this place even more magical.”
“We now almost have our feet in the sand and the Summer Dance times (6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.) allow us to dance while admiring the sunset over the sea, which makes these events very attractive for tourists and locals. local,” enthuses Yannick.
“It has become an unmissable event, known throughout France and awaited by many people, they ask for more. In 2024, we have doubled the number of participants compared to 2023, we have exceeded 400 people at each event. And the traders of Pornichet are delighted.”