ABOUT – Estilo Cubano Salsa Dancing

Estilo Cubano Salsa Dancing

SOUTH AFRICA

About Estilo Cubano

Estilo Cubano was founded in 2004, and since then has been proudly sharing the heart and soul of the Cuban music, dance, and culture. In October 2018, Estilo Cubano was awarded a “Certificate of Recognition for the Contribution of the Development of the Cuban Culture in South Africa” by the Embassy of Cuba in South Africa.

As a dance school that aims to maintain the authenticity of Cuban Salsa, we don’t conform to the western choreographed idea of this dance but rather stay true to its origins where freestyle dance is encouraged. Our classes, given by dance instructors who have been trained by Cuban dancers, are structured to ensure that our students grasp the fast-paced steps of this type of salsa quickly and easily in order to progress to more advanced levels.

We take pride in watching our students develop at all levels; giving them the attention they deserve through fun, friendly and authentic dance classes.

By sharing our professional knowledge and passion for this Caribbean culture, we have managed to create a multi-cultural community of both local South Africans and Expats who are fanatic about music and dance.

Apart from the weekly classes in Johannesburg and Pretoria, we organise Salsa Social Parties that provide our students with the perfect platform to practice what they learn in the classroom.

Estilo Cubano has been the only dance school in the country to pioneer relations between Cuba and South Africa. Since 2015 our school has been organizing annual Trips to Havana to learn how to dance Salsa, and to be exposed to the authentic Cuban Culture. We also organise trips to Croatia to the Croatian Summer Salsa Festival in Rovinj, a unique festival that celebrates salsa music and dance to the max! Attendees can participate in workshops given by the best Salsa, Bachata & Kizomba instructors in the world and every night enjoy parties led by world-class DJ’s, Latin bands, and international dance shows.

OUR PHILOSOPHY AND GOALS:

Estilo Cubano believes that dance is not just about moving your body to the music, it is about having an enriching and fulfilling experience that is available to all. We cultivate an environment that is always nurturing and positive. The key is to have fun, make mistakes, take constructive criticism well and have no fear. Just dance with passion. Dance with purpose. Dance with positivity. Our mission is to introduce the culture and spirit of Cuban Salsa to the South African community. We aim to:

Inspire students to gain confidence in their dance form, build their self-esteem, exude positivity and constructive criticism.
Challenge students to reach their full potential and see Cuban salsa as a way of life.
Teach challenging yet fun and entertaining classes.
Teach students the appreciation of the art and ethnicity of Cuban Salsa.

BENEFITS OF CUBAN SALSA DANCING:

Increased fitness
Cardio workout
Fat loss
Muscle growth and strength
Lower body strength
Improvement of posture
Hip flexibility
Emotional enrichment
Improvement of Social Skills
Self-Steam Enhancement

CUBAN SALSA STYLE KNOWN AS CASINO:

Casino is said to be the route of All Cuba. It is a dance form, characterized by Afro-Cuban-style body movement which includes body isolation and hip movement. Cuban salsa dancing is not just about the tantalizing circular motion, it is about feeling the sturdy, dominating male dancer. Flexibility is key to making something quite complex look like a simplistic piece of work.

HOW IS CASINO DIFFERENT FROM OTHER SALSA STYLES?

What we call Cuban Salsa is in reality Casino. This style takes its name from the venue where it all started: Casino Deportivo de La Habana (along with other popular dance halls located in the Cuban capital at the end of the ’50s). Thus, the moves and figures from this style were called "Baile del Casino".

In Casino, the couple faces each other in intricate patterns of arms and body movement while they dance in a circular motion. It is with all certainty, the most complex and most fun of the "dance hall" Cuban dances. In comparison, the North American Salsa styles are danced in linear positions limited to a slot (two points). This style is known as cross-body salsa or Mambo.

MÓNICA MUÑOZ

Mónica Muñoz lives and breathes the art of Cuban salsa. Born and bred in Santiago de Chile, she has been dancing since 1991. Her enthusiasm in life brought her to South Africa in 2002, where she felt the urge to share her appetite for dance and teach this art-form to fellow South Africans.She has spent years dancing and travelling the world, getting inspiration from different points on the globe and generally just living a fulfilled and energetic life.

Mónica has a degree in Tourism, and she has vast experience in the travel industry in Chile, USA, and South Africa. Here, she has worked for different Travel Agencies focusing on organizing various corporate events, group incentive trips, among other activities.Her teaching specialties began in 2004 and over a decade later, she excels in giving her students the most out of their lessons.

Estilo Cubano was started in Gauteng, after Mónica moved up from Durban. She began hosting Cuban salsa dancing lessons, salsa parties and recently taking trips to learn how to salsa in Havana. Her students have immense respect for her and for the fact that she always exceeds in expectations, has an abundance of passion and teaches Cuban salsa the right, traditional way.

THE TEAM

Estilo Cubano team of instructors and dancers have been trained by professional Cuban dancers and continue updating their knowledge and practicing in different Cuban dance styles. Estilo Cubano team has performed in different festivals, private events and corporate functions in Gauteng and surrounding areas.