About us, bios and images
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| 2004 Calabash Award | Stage performance in 2011 | In Feb 2012 in San Francisco |
About us
We are located in Santa Cruz, California and serve the community since 2001.
From 2001 to 2011 we served the community as “Salsa Rueda Santa Cruz” offering Rueda de Casino classes. After 10 years we ceased operation of “Salsa Rueda Santa Cruz” in July 2011 and created “Salsa Gente” (Salsa People) offering more than just Rueda de Casino (commonly known as Salsa Rueda or Rueda) such as Suelta, Casino partnering and the roots of Cuban-style Salsa such as Rumba and Son. 
The mission of Salsa Gente is to bring the excitement and fun of Cuban-style dance such as Suelta, Casino, Rueda de Casino, its Afro-Cuban roots and Cuban-style music (such as Timba, Son and Rumba) to all people. Cuban-style Salsa is much more relaxed and has much more body movement including often Afro-Cuban elements which were the roots of modern day Salsa such as Rumba and Son but also Mambo and ChaChaCha.
We emphasize to be non-intimidating, friendly, and fun and offer drop-in and series classes of Cuban-style Salsa from Beginner levels to Advanced levels. We also offer the opportunity to shine on the dance floor and perform also in front of large audiences. 
We are using Cuban and Miami style vocabularies and techniques of Suelta, Casino Partnering and Rueda de Casino. 
We frequently study dance and music with renowned teachers in the USA but mainly from Cuba. See more in our bios below. Our inspiration comes mainly from Cuba but also from Miami, and also from our travels, nationwide and worldwide, to countries such as Russia, Germany, China, Japan, Mexico, Singapore and Cuba. We are fluent in English, Spanish and German.
Dancing with "Salsa Gente" now is not just a class, but offers great entertainment. We will keep you moving, balancing new fun moves with clear instruction on dance technique, all to the latest and hottest dance tunes. In our classes you do not need a partner. You have to keep your feet moving but you have do it with your heart! 
Some of our history
From 2001 to 2011 we served the community as 'Salsa Rueda Santa Cruz' offering Rueda de Casino classes. In those 10 years, “Salsa Rueda Santa Cruz”' did not only maintain but also thrived the Rueda scene in the Monterey Bay area. Many people began their Salsa dancing with 'Salsa Rueda Santa Cruz'. Because of “Salsa Rueda Santa Cruz” the "Salsa Rueda" community in Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay area grew from a few to hundreds of people. The organization supported community events with over 95 performances in its 10 years existence. Major awards and recognition include: 2002 WE Carnival parade, 2004 Calabash award, 2005 TV show dedicated to “Salsa Rueda Santa Cruz”. Since its existence many former students and teachers split off and created their own Salsa Rueda venue in Watsonville and Santa Cruz. 
How we became Salsa Gente
After teaching and performing only Rueda de Casino commonly known as "Salsa Rueda" or “Rueda” for ten years, we were eager to advance and to explore the roots of Salsa and to go beyond "Rueda".
One of our study trips to Habana, Cuba in June 2011 helped us to complete this vision and Salsa Gente (= Salsa People) was born. Since then we continue to expand our knowledge of dance and music with study trips to renowned teachers in the US, in Habanam, Cuba and Santiago de Cuba. 
About the dance we do
Cuban-style Salsa is much more relaxed and has much more body movement including often Afro-Cuban elements which were the roots of modern day Salsa such as Rumba and Son but also Mambo and ChaChaCha.
The three major types of Cuban-style Salsa are commonly known as: 
Suelta: body movements and open work also known as Suelta (dancing “released” from a partner, by yourself, incorporating popular dance steps, fancy footwork and body styling to salsa music).
Casino: partner dance moves also known as Casino in Cuba (partner dancing emphasizing the circular Cuban style with open breaks and rotating turns). These moves are great for any Salsa dancer.
Rueda: fun group moves also known as Rueda de Casino or just “Salsa Rueda” or “Rueda” in English versions (is group dancing with two couples or more, with hands linked, weaving patterns, and the special fun dynamic that comes from moving together).
Come and explore one of our drop-in or series classes or join us for a performance.
We are looking forward dancing with you!
Con abrazos!
Chris & Jessica
Bios of the team
Jessica
After her dance career, she became a nurse practitioner in women's health. Since 1992 she has also been a certified group exercise instructor (AFAA). She has taught step and spinning, currently at 24 Hour Fitness.
She started to dance with “Salsa Rueda Santa Cruz” (SRSC) in 2003, and soon became a team leader and choreographer for many performances. She has enjoyed dancing Rueda de Casino in Miami, London, Munich, Stuttgart, Shanghai, Tokyo, Moscow and Havana.
Jessica studied in Miami with well known teachers such as Henry Herrera; in Santa Cruz with Ariel Oceguera Flores; in Berkeley with Nick and Serena of Salsa Vale Todo in Berkeley, California; with Maiensy Sanchez from Cameguey, Cuba and conducts continiuously intensive study trip to Habana with renowned teachers such as Isaias Rojas Ramirez in Habana, Luis “Titi” Guzman and Jorge Amado in Habana, Yanek Revilla and Karelia Despaigne from Santiago de Cuba.
Jessica holds two Master degrees in Humanities from Johns Hopkins University, and a Masters in Nursing from Vanderbilt University.
Chris
Chris experienced 'Salsa Rueda' first time in 1999 with Russ Hammer and Sidney Weaverling. Since then he travels and has studied and continues to study with renowned teachers such as in Henry Herrera in Miami, Isaias Rojas Ramirez in Habana, Cuba, Luis “Titi” Guzman and Jorge Amado in Habana, Cuba, Yanek Revilla and Karelia Despaigne from Santiago de Cuba, Maiensy Sanchez from Cameguey, Cuba, Roberto Borrell in San Francisco and Nick and Serena from Salsa Vale Todo in Berkeley, California.
Chris began teaching Rueda de Casino in 2004 with the group he managed 'Salsa Rueda Santa Cruz' and teaches now Cuban-style Salsa such as Suelta, Casino partnering and Rueda de Casino from beginner to advanced. His students love his clear and fun teaching style.
In the years of 2001 to 2011, he has managed over 95 performance with students of 'Salsa Rueda Santa Cruz' in the Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay area. Major rewards this group received are 2001 WE Carnival Parade Award and the 2004 Calabash Award for excellence in Ethnic Arts. In 2005 a special half hour show featured the group 'Salsa Rueda Santa Cruz' on community TV in Santa Cruz.
Chris loves to explore the roots of Salsa such as Rumba and Son and loves Suelta, Cuban-style Salsa (Casino) and Rueda de Casino from as many teachers and dancers as possible around the world. Whenever he travels he tries to connect with other teachers and groups and exchange experiences. He and Jessica has made contact with many around the world such as in Japan, Germany, Russia, China, Singapore, Cuba, and many places in the US.
Because of his family relationship in Central and South America (Guatemala and Peru), he grew up to the tunes of Rumba and Samba. He was born and grew up in the south of Germany near the border of Switzerland and the Alps and came to the United States in 1990 working as engineer for a big technology company upstate New York. Since 2002 he works as industry analyst in the computer chip industry in Silicon Valley, California.
Chris believes that music and dance has no boundaries on race, ethnicity or religion. "Let your heart and spirit speak. Enjoy the music, the dance, and the people." His favorite quote (from real people): “I did not know that Germans dance Salsa”.
Click here if you want to know more about his family background.
Images from some of our world travel
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| Chris & Jessica with Yanek Revilla and Karelia Despaigne (Zhuk) in Habana, Cuba in 2011 |
Dance study group in Habana, Cuba in 2011 |
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| With Henry Herrera in Miami | Chris with Billy Fajardo in Miami |
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| Jessica with Ramani Nicola in Miami | Chris and Jessica with Karen and Jeffrey from Eugene, Oregon |
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| Chris with Yoshiyuki Sakuma in Tokyo, Japan in 2009 |
Chris and Jessica with group "Miami Rueda" in Tokyo, Japan |
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| With Rueda group "Girasoles" in Stuttgart Germany in 2007 |
Rueda in Shanghai, China in 2006 |
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| Jessica in front of Karma in Moscow Russia in 2008 |
Dancing Casino on the Great Wall of Chinal near Beijing, China in 2006 |
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| With Jackson and June of JJSalsaRengue in Singapore in April 2012 |
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