Lifestyle

A World of Health, Wealth and Happiness is Just Up Ahead with Peter Cohen

Published

5 years ago

October 20, 2020

Looking for more direction in your life? The solution is simple. Pete Cohen’s Mi365 coaching will enable individuals to enjoy a renewed sense of confidence, have clarity in their lives and even alleviate unnecessary stress.

Pete Cohen is a trained business coach, a recognized authority on personal and professional development, leadership development, motivation, health and well-being. He was the former resident Life Coach on ITV’s GMTV for 12 years and is one of the world’s most sought-after motivational speakers. He is also a best-selling author of 19 published books including Shut the Duck Up, Habit Busting, Fear Busting, Life DIY and Sort Your Life Out and his most recent publication, Inspirators – Leading The Way In Leadership and he is obsessed with taking people from where they are now to where they want to be!

At an early age he realized that his life’s mission would be to educate, and entertain, but he didn’t exactly know what that looked like. His first attempt, in discovering his purpose in life, was on a stage in his local community where he explored acting. Feeling most alive and empowered underneath the lights, Cohen believed this was his calling. However, being severely dyslexic it was extremely difficult for him to learn his lines and he was eventually fired partway through a rehearsal. Cohen left school with no qualifications and very little direction.

Moving in a new direction, that satisfied Cohen’s passion and interest for fitness, he began teaching classes at a local gym where he once again was able to take the stage but this time to lead and enlighten others. His lucky break happened when a member of the gym noticed his ability to make classes about so much more than exercise. As Cohen also was incorporating positive mindset strategies during class instruction it was clear to see that he had a truly unique gift, and he was formally invited to speak at the class participant’s organization. It was at this moment that Cohen had a clear picture of his purpose in life, and in career, that encapsulated his fascination of speaking, coaching and sports psychology, and as they say…the journey began!

Cohen’s newest endeavour, Mi365 business and life coaching, is one where he strives to leave an imprint on his audiences and his delivery is memorable, relevant, thought provoking and invigorating. He prides himself on creating buzz in his coaching and seeks to bring out the urge for his audience to rush out and take positive action. Cohen works with his clients to customize a program that works perfectly for any event agenda. He has coached business leaders, executives, corporate teams and sporting stars around the world to achieve their best and he excels at getting the audiences to think outside the box.

Cohen has a magical talent of helping individuals who feel stuck and alone in their situation and is able to present them with an entirely new mindset filled with comfort and hope where they once again believe in themselves and can clearly see the route to health, wealth and happiness. His theory of “what you put in to it is what you get out of it” is embedded into his messages and he is able to offer individuals the tools they need, to go at the speed of their choice, and all in a way that accelerates personal and professional growth in the most positive way possible.

Here’s what one client had to say about Pete Cohen’s coaching style that captures his style and methods perfectly!

“It was for the first time in a while that IDUG EMEA conference booked a motivational speaker for the keynote. With Pete setting the conference atmosphere on such a great, positive and energetic level, I hope booking a motivational speaker might turn to a regular activity. Pete’s speech set the level of conference atmosphere to a highly energetic and positive level. Attendees were quoting his “Shut the duck up!” for the entire week. You could feel the need to change things for the better all around, and people actually willing to take steps and act upon it. It was a great start of the conference.” – Mirna Kos, EMEA 2013 Conference Chair, IDUG

As Pete Cohen continues to take the stage, his energy, thoughtful discussions, humour and ability to stimulate action among his audiences will only continue to enforce that he is a true, one-of-a-kind, inspirational leader in the industry.

Lifestyle

The Future of Social Dancing: How Latin Dance is Adapting to a New Generation

Published

6 days ago

August 21, 2025

Michelle Langton

Latin dance thrives on connection. The music, the partner, and the crowd all feed one another.

Today, that connection is shaped by a younger, digitally fluent generation, and few understand the shift better than Damian Guzman, founder of Bachata Sensual America (BSA). From prize-winning festivals to late-night socials, Guzman and BSA show how the scene is evolving without losing its roots.

Streaming steps, viral beats

A decade ago, beginners to Latin dance hunted for grainy DVD tutorials; now they unlock entire combinations on their phones. TikTok loops, YouTube shorts, and Instagram reels have compressed learning into snack-sized bursts.

Many of the artists signed on with Bachata Sensual America meet dancers where they scroll, posting slow-motion breakdowns and “follow-along” drills that rack up thousands of views. This approach addresses two key Gen Z demands: instant access and a clear path from screen to floor.

By allowing newcomers to practice at home before facing a packed room, the online channel lowers the fear barrier while seeding a desire for in-person connection.

Festivals as entry points, not finish lines

Digital discovery is only the first act. For many people, their real baptism happens at multi-day events where practice hours blur into sunrise socials.

BSA’s flagship Houston Bachata Sensual Festival returned on May 2^nd, 2025, with a follow-up week slated for Bachata Sensual Festival Chicago, September 4^th-9^th, 2025. Both weekends pair technique labs with mental-wellness talks and DJs specializing in bachata, mirroring the playlists in dancers’ earbuds.

That balance of skills and community is why independent reviewers named BSA one of the “Top Latin Dance Festivals in the United States” for 2025. Yet, for Damian, awards matter less than the message: a festival can feel world-class without pricing out college students. He keeps passes tiered, encourages volunteer shifts that offset costs, and prepares bootcamps for absolute beginners, ensuring the dance floor reflects the same diversity he sees online.

Teaching culture, not just choreography

Bachata’s recent boom owes much to its European reinvention. Damian experienced that surge firsthand while earning one of the first U.S. instructor certifications in the Bachata Sensual style. He returned determined to give American dancers the same blend of precision and musicality he had experienced abroad.

BSA classes devote equal time to connection cues, body mechanics, and the genre’s Dominican roots. That trifecta resonates with younger students who want authenticity, not just a viral dip.

“In class I tell people, ‘Technique is how you respect your partner; musicality is how you respect the song,’” Guzman said during a recent podcast. The line distills his mission: elevate standards while keeping the dance welcoming.

Building inclusive, mindful spaces

Generation Z brings new expectations around consent, identity, and mental health. BSA’s code of conduct spells out everything from appropriate touch to gender-neutral role selection. Security staff mediate conflicts quickly, and workshop leaders open sessions with grounding exercises to calm nerves. These actions might sound small, yet they remove friction that once pushed many newcomers away.

Damian argues that such policies go beyond ethics; they future-proof the scene. Normalizing role fluidity in Latin dance widens its talent pool and invites richer musical interpretations. By acknowledging anxiety and overstimulation — common concerns for digital natives — events can retain dancers who might otherwise retreat after their first crowded social.

Latin dance has never stood still, and its next evolution is already spinning under disco lights from Houston to Helsinki. With a phone in every pocket and a festival on every calendar, the gap between discovery and mastery keeps shrinking.

Damian Guzman and Bachata Sensual America illustrate what happens when tradition listens, adapts, and leads with purpose. The result is a scene ready for whatever beat the next generation drops — and a future where social dancing feels more connected, inclusive, and alive than ever.