Free Salsa Lessons!

In the Austin area for the summer? Love to dance? Then why not stop by Ruta Maya on Sunday evenings for a free salsa lesson with Cubana Instructor Esther Weekes!

Salsa Lessons at Ruta Maya

Esther teaches salsa at Ruta Maya every Wednesday and Sunday at 8pm except the third Sunday of the month.  purchase required

Cuban Salsa "Casino"

The appropriate name for Cuban Salsa is Casino as it is known throughout Latin America. Historically, Casino traces its origin to the dance halls of Cuba from the Cuban Son dancing and its rhythmic body motions from Afro-Cuban Rumba.

Casino is danced in a circular motion as opposed to the linear or slot movement more common to North American Salsa Styles. Culturally, Casino is danced in male and female couples (with emphasis on sexual interplay, teasing, and everyday experience) but is also danced solo (Suelta) and in groups (Rueda de Casino) in which pairs of dancers make a circle (or “wheel”) and execute dance moves when called out by one “Caller” (or Cantante).

The Instructor

The Instructor is Esther M. Weekes, Ed.D., a native of England. She began learning Casino in 2005 and was hooked from the start! She initially studied with Sandra Moro-Sleeper (www.streetsalsa.com), a second-generation Cuban, in her current home town of Austin, TX. She has attended workshops in Casino, Rueda de Casino and Rumba in the US and Mexico and most recently in Havana, Cuba. Her regular teaching schedule includes group classes at Ruta Maya International Headquarters (www.rutamaya.net), group and private instruction at her home studio in South Austin and private events.

Classes and Events

For information on classes and events please check out www.austincasinosalsa.com or e-mail Esther atesther@austincasinosalsa.com.

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