Get ready to Salsa and Mambo at the 8th Annual New York Salsa Congress Dance and Music Festival!

Mambo Fateegz Inc., in association with Team NYSC 2008 presents THE 8th Annual New York Salsa Congress hosted by J. I. Starr of WSKQ MEGA 97.9.

Tonight, on Wednesday August 27th, Club Cache - (221 West 46 St.(between 7th and 8th Avenues)) and then to be held on Thursday, August 28, through Sunday, August 31, 2008 at the main venue and official home of the New York Salsa Congress, the Hilton Hotel on 1335 Avenue of the Americas-53 rd Street (Midtown Manhattan). Kick off parties, press parties and welcome parties are scheduled for the days leading up to the Salsa Congress.

You are a passionate dancing party animal? Then finally here it is! The New York Salsa Congress is a 3-day 4-night multicultural dance event.

Highlights include:

The 2nd Annual New York Salsa Dance Championship

World renowned and local dance instructors teaching workshops during the days and afternoons

World renowned and local dance teams or couples presenting their high quality performances during the evenings & afternoons

Live concert series, after the dance showcase, featuring social dancing to live bands and DJs every night playing the best in Salsa, Cha-Cha-Cha, and Latin Jazz, usually held till 4 in the morning.

Don’t know how to Salsa yet?

No worries, world famous instructors like Eddie ”The Mambo King” Torres, Maykel Fonts, Nelson Flores, Al “Liquid Silver” Espinoza, and many more will show you the moves.

Dance lessons begin every morning at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. The artist showcases begin at 9p.m. and end at 10-10:30 p.m.

Hilton New York
1335 Ave of the Americas (53rd st.)
New York, NY 10019
Grand Ballroom, 3rd FL

Here’s a video to get you started.

Live music and dancing occurs immediately after, and ends at 3 - 4a.m.

Thursday

Nelson Gonzalez and his All Star Band

Friday

Battle of the Bands with Ocho Y Mas vs La Excelencia

Saturday

Ray Rodriguez Y Sabroso Swing

Sunday with the feast de resistance, a tribute to Latin legends, Adalberto Santiago and Tito Allen.

Prices range from $20-$360. Go HERE for more info.

Mario Lopez wants to get back together with Karina Smirnoff. Well, at least on the dance floor. He sees her first of all as a dance partner, not ex-girlfriend.

I love dancing and she’s the best partner and the best teacher, and I’d be honored if she would dance with me.”

Does that mean Karina will forgive him his cheating and forget about her recent claims? Or is it simply being professional and not letting personal feelings rise before the DWTS.

PEOPLE’s 34-year-old Hottest Bachelor does admit that his steamy spread in the magazine has brought him no shortage of female admirers:

People come up to me and ask me to sign it a lot. [They say] ‘What were you thinking?’ And ‘how did it feel?’ And ‘you’re naked!’ And ‘oh my gosh!’ And ‘my mother and my grandmother, they put it up in their room.’ And it’s funny. I didn’t think it was going to cause such a big stir.

“I’m not looking for Miss Right right now. I’m just sort of working on becoming Mr. Right. Make sure it happens. It’s going to happen,” he said.

Does that mean he’s dating anyone at the moment?

No, unfortunately I haven’t had a chance. I’ve just been working. I’m just dating my Broadway show and my book.”

Never far from the dance floor – Lopez is currently starring in A Chorus Line.

Watch steaming Tango by Mario and Karina to Gwen Stefani’s song ‘What You’re Waiting For?’

And not less amazing Paso Doble at the Dance With The Stars

This weekend stars came out in the name of fashion and music. Famous boutique Intermix celebrated the 2008 VH1 Rock Honors. The event took place on the Robertson Boulevard and turned into an exclusive party and benefited the VH1 Save The Music Foundation.

Celebrity guest list included Karina Smirnoff, Selena Gomez, David Henrie, Audrina Patridge, and Kim Kardashian wearing super sexy yellow Miguelina dress.

Lauren Conrad showed up in Elizabeth & James, Audrina Patridge in Filthy Mouth Clothing and Jules Smith bangles.

The Intermix owners Khajak Keledjian and Haro Keledjian hosted the event. And by the way, limited edition of VH1 Rock Honors t-shirt, designed by Scarlett Johansson was presented exclusively.

Watch Hollyscoop.com’s video of celebs talking on fashion and music and the necessity of music in schools.

Karina Smirnoff is a hottie! Mario Lopez is also a hottie but turns out he never deserved her. Just recently they were happy, looked like in love as they were having fun on the beach and a week ago they broke up.

Now, the last few days everyone is talking about the fact that Mario has been cheating on her for the last year. Karina confirmed the rumors that there was and is another woman for the past year. Cutie almost started crying.

She was a guest on Chelsea Lately last night and Chelsea was cool. She calmed Karina and said it wasn’t ‘kinda show where people cry’. She added ‘there is no guy worth us taking about for too long’. Girls were having a good laugh.

Watch the piece down below to see Karina joke saying it could be worse, he could have been Devine Brown, who was the hooker Hugh Grant cheated on Elizabeth Hurley.

Enjoy the singlehood, babe! There is so much fun being single and there are plenty of hot guys out there who would die to get a chance to treat you like a princess.