Every month Umambo invites professional, distinguished dancers from all over the country that teach a group class at the beginning of the event and then give a spectacular show later on in the night.

For those of you that love to shake it on the dance floor to hot latin music and sway in the arms of some of the best salsa dancers in Miami, Umambo has what you need! Umambo organizes a monthly salsa social that is not to be missed! For a low entrance fee of $15 you will be treated to a complimentary salsa class from renowned instructors, open bar all night long, the best salsa DJ in Miami, a huge hard-wood floor, a great variety of music featuring salsa, bachata, merengue and cha cha, a midnight dance show, a convenient location in Hollywood and plenty of free parking! What more could you ask for? This is a perfect event for hanging out with your girlfriends and making new friends. The people at the Umambo Salsa Social are not only amazing dancers but are also very friendly and know how to have a good time.

Every month Umambo invites professional, distinguished dancers from all over the country that teach a group class at the beginning of the event and then give a spectacular show later on in the night.

No matter if you are a beginner or an advanced dancer, at this event you will find dancers of all levels with whom you can learn some new moves and practice the ones you already know. Being a girl in the dance world is easy. All we have to do is follow! Leave it up to the guys to do the hard work!

For more information about the monthly salsa social, make sure to visit Umambo’s website at www.umambo.com. You can also join the group on Facebook by following this link http://www.facebook.com/UMambo.Events


See you on the dance floor!

Starting on January 19, 2012 there will also be a Salsa night every Thursday! The tables from half of the restaurant will be stored away to reveal a huge dance floor ideal for those who like to groove to the rhythms of salsa, bachata, merengue and cha cha. From 8pm to 10pm enjoy an open bar, just pay $15 at the door and you are set to go. After 10 the entrance fee is $5 and drinks are 2 for 1.

The extensive menu is filled with stellar recipes of cold and hot appetizers, soups, seafood, poultry and more. A menu highlight is the Peruvian ceviche, one of the most popular being the classic fish ceviche, marinated in lime juice, garlic and Peruvian aji amarillo served with red onions, glazed sweet potatoes and Peruvian corn. All of it pairs perfectly with the traditional drink Pisco Sour prepared with the freshest ingredients. For those with a sweet tooth, be sure to try the traditional Suspiro a la Limeña – made of condensed milk with a touch of port wine and topped with fluffy meringue. The dessert menu has a lot to choose from!

The Umambo venue is also great due to its convenient location in Hollywood, free and secure parking, as well as an amazing and vast hardwood dance floor. At the Umambo social, you will meet dancers of all levels and styles of salsa. If you are a beginner, this a great way to learn from advanced and professional dancers by watching or by dancing with them. Everyone in the salsa community is very nice and willing to help new dancers become comfortable on the dance floor. If you are a pro, then this event is also a must for you! You will have a ton of fun dancing with all the great salseros that come from all over Florida to attend this monthly social. See you on the dance floor!

• Don’t expect to be perfect!

Making mistakes is part of the natural learning process. You may not remember, but when you were a baby and were learning to speak, you, too, made mistakes and your parents corrected you.  Think of learning a new language in this manner: you are a baby and are allowed to make mistakes! The most important thing is learning from your mistakes. Let others correct you and be open to constructive criticism.

• Work on developing an “ear” for your target language

When learning a new language for pleasure, you will automatically find yourself interested in the culture and wanting to find ways to practice it. When out and about, try to pick up on natives speaking your target language. Even if you only hear, or overhear, some words, you will find it rewarding having recognized and understood a native speaker. One of the best ways to train your ear is to listen to music in the language you are learning. Sing along and learn the songs you like by finding lyrics online. This is truly a great way to remember grammatical structures and learn new vocabulary. Another way is to watch TV or movies in your target language. Turn on the subtitles and read along; this helps tremendously to understand what you are hearing and aids in making a connection between the visual and the auditory parts of the language. With the help of the Internet it is easy to find on-line radio stations from all over the world. Put it on in the background while you are doing chores around the house, for example; it really helps in training your year.

• Practice SPEAKING!

Practicing speaking is the most challenging step in learning a language. For many it is difficult to find with whom to practice, while others feel embarrassed and lack confidence to start speaking with strangers, or even their friends. The best way to practice is to find someone you feel comfortable speaking to and dedicate at least half an hour, a few times a week, to practicing speaking in the target language. If both of you speak another common language, it’s important not to revert to it as soon as you run into a word you can’t remember or don’t know; instead use circumlocution – the use of many words to describe one word or idea. Trust me, it works! If you are having trouble finding someone to practice with, hire a conversation partner. Conversation partners are just like tutors except they focus on speaking and will correct you when necessary. With today’s technology you can even find a virtual conversation partner from virtually any corner of the world.

• Be consistent

Consistency is crucial. If you are serious about learning a new language, you need to either take regular classes or set up a schedule for yourself if you are learning on your own. There is nothing worse than skipping a week or more of classes because every time you do, you are taking a step back.

• Talk to yourself.

This may sound crazy but if you think about it, when we are not talking out loud, we talk in our heads in our native language. Try talking to yourself in your head in the target language. For example, you can make up a dialogue in your head, pretend like you are talking to someone, or explaining or asking something. Since no one can hear you, you can be as creative as you wish and have fun with it. Another good way to practice is to commentate as you go about doing everyday chores or activities. Say, for instance, you are learning foods and recipes in the target language: when you are cooking dinner, say in your head what you are doing at that moment, pretend that you have a cooking show and explain to your audience how to cook this specific dish. You get the idea…

• Label your surroundings

Labeling your surroundings can be great practice for recalling vocabulary and making connections between the visual and the verbal areas of language. Just think, isn’t it much easier to remember a word when you can put an image to it? It is much easier when instead of explaining what a word is, your teacher shows you a picture of it, right? You can do the same in your house or wherever you are.

• Read out loud

Reading out loud is a good way to practice pronunciation and bring together the visual, the auditory and verbal areas of the target language.

• Be patient

It’s good to remember that learning a new language does not happen overnight. It’s important to be patient, to not give up and believe in yourself.

Online Language Class

With today’s technology you don’t need to leave your house to take a language course. Not only that, you can learn from a native speaker without having to travel across the globe to get a taste of the authenticity of the language you are studying. All you need is a computer and a web cam! The best way to get in contact with an instructor is through Skype – a free program you can easily download to your computer. Once you are all set in terms of technology, you can choose an instructor from several websites that offer virtual instruction. MiaLingua offers virtual tutoring for English, Russian and Spanish languages.
It’s easy. You set up a class time, pay in advance, connect with your tutor through Skype and begin learning! It’s just like sitting in a class in front of your teacher – you can see them, hear them and interact with them as you would in real life. It’s convenient because you can make up your own schedule and you do it from the comfort of your own home. So give it a try!

Here is an overview of the specific language services in Miami:

English conversation partners are ideal for those who already have a good base of the English language, understand spoken and written English but need practice when it comes to conversation. Speaking a foreign language – the so called “production” stage of learning  – is the hardest of all; to become a fluent speaker requires constant practice. Even when vacationing or living amongst English-speakers, for some it may be difficult to find people with whom to make conversation. This usually occurs because it is much easier and more pleasant to speak our native language with our family and friends, and go places where our mother tongue is spoken. If this is your case, then miaLingua is ready to help you become fluent in English! Meet with your conversation partner for an hour or two every day to practice speaking English. You can meet at a park, at a cafe or book store. We want you to feel comfortable and become confident when speaking the foreign language. When you meet with your conversation partner, you do not need to bring anything but yourself. During the hour you will be speaking solely and strictly in English and your conversation partner will provide topics for discussion.

English tutors are designed for those learners who are either taking English classes elsewhere or are studying the language on their own and are in need of extra help. Tutors’ duties may include, but are not limited to: checking written exercises for errors, working on pronunciation and reading, going over grammatical structures and practicing speaking. When meeting with a tutor, you are expected to bring your own materials such as books, notebooks, flashcards, etc. You are encouraged to come to the tutoring sessions ready with specific questions and assignments so that the tutor can help you. You can meet with your tutor at any location convenient for both parties.

English instruction is for those learners who are looking to take English classes to study English or improve their knowledge of the language. During an English class, the instructor will teach the student how to speak, write and read. The instructor will provide a textbook for in-class use, but the student would be responsible for purchasing their own if they wish to have one for use at home. The instructor will also provide handouts, activity sheets and exercises. The student may request for the instructor to focus on a specific part of the language; for instance, if the student only wishes to learn spoken English, then the instructor will plan the class accordingly. In any case, we will tailor to your specific needs. You can meet with your instructor at any location convenient for both parties.

For any of the services we offer, you may also choose a specific topic. For example, if you are in Miami on business and need to practice business English, then we can concentrate the class entirely on this topic. Other popular options include health, travel, shopping, sports, etc. Whatever your language needs may be, miaLingua will help you achieve your language goals!

And remember! We offer all of our services on-line as well! If you do not live in Miami, or would like to learn from the convenience of your home, all you need is a Skype account to connect to our conversation partners, instructors and tutors in Miami.