Alberto Valdes started his carrier as a dancer and choreograph of Cuban company «Tercer Mundo», participating in numerous of international festival. In 1986 he became a dancer of well-known «Conjunto Folclorico» in Varadero (Cuba). In 1988 – dancer of “Cabaret Continental”. In 1990 – as a member of "Tropicana då Cuba” had a tourney around the world.

Alberto Valdes’s style unites elegance, professionalism and terrific skill to explain didactic material. His creativity and love for dance has its expression in large number of performances and in ability to provoke interest for Cuban culture. At workshops, Valdes presents not only popular afro-cuban dance, but also he mixes elements of these dances with popular modern styles and cabaret. He was the first who presented workshops on afro-cuban plastics which enjoy great popularity in Europe.

Alberto Valdes was among the first Cuban, who has popularized and developed interest to Cuban salsa and Rueda de casino in Italy, where he has been living since 1993 and cooperating with various dance studio in training of professional dancers and choreographs. Also, he cooperates with different institutes that support and expand latin-american and, specially, Cuban culture. Since staying in Italy till now he is a member of "Un solo Pueblo” and “Otra Idea”, also he is a founder and ideologic inspirator of «Clave Negra». For several years this band has been performing at international congress and has great success all around the Europe.

Since she was a child her studies have been addressed toward dancing, in fact she started to attend “la casa de la cultura 10 de octubre”. Thanks to her strong attitude toward dancing she was invited to join the activity of Asociación Sainz in “ISLAMADA”. In 1993 she joined the dancing school of “GAVIOTA S.A.” artistic company, where she got specialized in contemporary, classic and popular dance and Afro-Cuban Folklore. She started her working career in the “Osirad Azul” company directed by Raul Cabrera, belonging to Asociacion Caribena de Cuba. She worked with them in many cabarets such as “Rincon del Alameda” today called “Las Yagrumas”, Cabaret “El Recreo”, Cabaret “Turquino” Hotel Habana Libre with Cole-Cole orchestra where she worked as dancer and animator. Then Rayda joined the school of Empresa Beny Morè, in view of becoming part of the new company. She succeeded and participate in a cultural exchange with the portorican “JALA-JALA DANCING” company, where was carrying on a portorican salsa stage while they were doing a Son stage. It was a unique opportunity to improve her skills in dances and rythms of another culture such as the portorican. In 1994 she entered the “Ritmo Caribe” company working in Hotel Plaza, Hotel Bello Caribe, Hotel Neptuno in the “Salon Cristal” with the orchestra “El Medico De La Salsa” and Jose Luis Cortes y N.G. La Banda. Hotel Presidente, Hotel El Viejo y el Mar, Disco-Show Papa’s of Marina Hemingway, Casa Della Musica EGREM with “El Tosco” N.G.La Banda, Cabaret “Tropicana” .

In 1995 after a successful try-out Rayda joined the “TURARTE.SA” agency becoming part of the dancing group of Cabaret “Continental” in the Hotel “Internacional de Varadero” where she got various shows as solo performers, such as “Mi Primera Rumba” and “Tripita en la Habana” for which Rayda would like to thank her teacher Andres Gutierrez (Director and Coreographer of Cabaret ). In 1997 she participated in a selection carried out by the direction of artistic talents of the Cuban television, where she was choosen to became part of the company “Caribean Show”. She worked as dancer and choreographer in the clubs Rio Cristal, Hotel “Las Terrazas”, Hotel “Tropi-Coco”, Villa “Las Brisas”, Disco Show “Papa’s of Marina Hemingway”. She participated in April 1998 to a dancing race “CUBADISCO 98” winning the first prize together with her partner Wilbert Marin, under the expert view of CRISTI DOMINGUEZ (Director of Ballet in Cubana Television), CARUCA (trainer and first dancer of the same Ballet), TONY MENENDEZ (director, coreographer and dancer in the same company) and SANTOS, (well known “bailador” winner of the dancing race in the program “PARA BAILAR” on TVC, ambassador of music and popular dancing in Italy and many other countries). Thanks to this she was called by Tony Menendez to realize the video of the song “IDILIO” for the musical group “Laito y su sonora”. She was also called to participate in the award of this video in the program “LUCAS” on Cuban Television, in “Karl Marx” theatre. Later on she participated in the video ”LA CHARANGA” by CUBAILE. At the end of the year she got the title of Director – Producer – Scenographer and Choreographer of “Centro Provincial de Superaciòn del Artista”.

In 1999 Rayda was contacted by “TURARTE,SA” agency to become part of the dancing group “CABARET PARISIEN” in the Hotel “NACIONAL DE CUBA” . In 2001 she started with the company “PINOS NUEVOS” just for their 20th anniversary, celebrated in “Teatro America”. With them she worked in Hotel “Sevilla”, Disco Show Papa’s Marina Hemingway, Le Selet, Hotel Melia Coiba. In the same year she was called to make her first trip abroad. She made her debut in Italy on the stage of festival “Latinoamericando” in Assago and Verona, next to “Eliades Ochoa, Alina Izquierdo, Celia Cruz “ and in the stand of Ristaurant Tocororo with the group Son De Cuba . Than Rayda went back to Cuba and went on working with the group “Pinos Nuevos” in Hotel Melia Habana, where she made a show for the tribute to the famous Cuban singer Celina Gonzales, representing YEMAYA, Saint of the Yoruba panteon to which the singer is particularly devoted. This was an important event filmed by Cuban and foreign journalists on Cuban TV . A few days later the magazine Prisma went out with an article on the show where Rayda appeared in folkloristic dresses next to the artist. On the same magazine she participated in a photographic session representing Yemaya for an article describing a few aspects of the Yoruba Afro-Cuba religion. Later on, in cooperation with the company of NELSON PENA, she worked at the realization of the show “HAVANA RON” in view of a promotional European tour,sponsored by ron HAVANA CLUB”, where she got to distinguish herself as coreographer and dancer. The show was presented at Melia Coiba and, later on in cooperation with Ballet of Cuban TV, at the International Congress for Alternative Medicine.

At the end of 2002 Rayda came back to Italy where she definitely established and created the Exhibition and animation group Cubana “SON DE L’AVANA” involving Cuban dancers of various cities. Sce then she has been working in many clubs in Milan (Havana Cafe, Creazy Jungle, Onda Latina, Le Le BHAIA in Lissone with ALBERTICO C5ALDERON, MAYKEL FONTS, OSBANI SANCHEZ, MAYKOL RODRIGUEZ). In April Rayda participated, with the group “Afro Cuban Company” of Maykel Fonts, in the realization of the show “Buleria e Batà”, ,made as preview to the Mondial Congress in Milan and later on in various cities such as Bari and Padova. From 2004 to 2005 she was part of the group Fonts Factory with Maykel Fonts, Dawes Figueroa and Kirenia Cantin guests of Salsa Word Festival by Lazaro Martin Diaz. They got prized for their work in developing the Cuban Culure in Italy, as best Group and best choreography with the show “Montuno”. She participated in many congress events such as: Salsitaly, Maremma che salsa, Salsa terme, Baila conmigo,Milano in salsa, Sicilia salsa festival, Berna and Zurigo in Swiss. In 2006 she cooperated with the school “New style dance” in Abruzzo with many shows together with the dancer Giulio Malatesta. In 2007 the project Obini Ire” was borne, formed by the pair Rayda Salas and Niovis Soto, where Rayda was involved with stages and shows all over Italy. In 2008 the pair Rayda Salas y Dawes Figueroa joined again and gave birth to the project CubaRumba.com, proposing a mix of Cuban folkloric dances and contemporary styles in Europe.

He was born in Santiago de Cuba. He was fond of baseball. From 2002 he began to do Salsa and Afro-Cuban dancing. He was the master of the House of Culture in Santiago de Cuba.Yanek is the founder,choreographer and the leading dancer of the Cuban company «Casino.com».Together with his group he took part in many Salsa festivals and contests in Cuba.

Yanek s achievements on the national scene:

Yanek became the winner of municipal,provincial,national Casino and Rueda de Casino contests "Bailando Casino" in August 2004 in Havana.Recieved a title "The best year Casino couple"

You definitely won’t believe, but it’s true! First, we are welcome Cuban instructor with Ukrainian background!

Karelia Zhuk was born in Kyiv and speaks with perfect accent in Russian. In 1999 she started training at School of art in Santiago de Cuba a degree in “Folk dance”. In 2005 she graduated with a diploma on “Instructor and choreograph on folk Cuban dance”. Later, Karelia started to teach in Santiago de Cuba as an instructor on folk dance (she is also an instructor of School of art she graduated). Herein, she started her carrier as the leading ballerina in well-known Cuban company "Ballet Folclórico de Oriente". Today, she is also one of the leading ballerina in Yanek Revilla’s company "Salseros DKY".

Karelia is one of the best instructor on afro and rumba. Her classes, energy, temper and good mood leave nobody indifferent. We are sure you enjoy her classes!

Emilito Herrera is from the region Matanzas and lives in Germany for over seven years now. His special subjects are Timba, Nudo and Rueda de Casino.

2007 he won the bavarian championship in Rueda de Casino and the german championship in cuban salsa during the Cubamemucho world congress.

He is working in international festivals like Cubememucho in Munich, Toulouse, Poznan and Budapest as well as in Paris and other countries.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87anGd523co
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIUicSLBqWU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI7sA25Moac&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjOGSyTx8yg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju8Isd6feIg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5KZ9-BBgA8
E-MAIL: Emilito@cuban-salsa-power.de
http://www.emilito.de

Diana Rodrigez was born in Santiago de Cuba. Since childhood she has practiced different kind of folk Cuban dance. Together with Karelia she is one of the leading ballerina in well-known "Ballet Folclórico de Oriente". She was rewarded with prizes and achievements. Among others there are:

- 2002, Winner under the notion of «Rueda de Casino» in international festival «Son Matamoroson», Santiago de Cuba (Cuba);

- 2003, First place under the notion of «Rueda de Casino» and «La mejor pareja» (Best Couple) in the National contest «Bailar Casino», Santiago de Cuba (Cuba);- 2003, Winner in the International festival on Casino in Varadero (Cuba);

- 2003, Champion under the notion of «Casino», «Rueda de Casino», «Salsa Dance Show» in the World championship in San Marino (Italy);

- 2004 ã.Winner of the city, regional and national contest «Bailar Casino» under the notion of «Rueda de Casino» and «La mejor pareja» (Best Couple), Havana (Cuba);

- 2004, At the year-end award a title “Best coupe of the year on Casino in Cuba”;

- 2007-2008, as a dancer of a legend band «Los Van Van» was in tourney around Europe.

Until recently she was steady partner of Yanek Revilla, now she presents workshops on afro, rumba and women style apart.

We are kindly invite you to visit her workshops. Her love to dance and Cuban culture leave nobody indifferent, and her professional way of training give you a lot of new information and positive emotion.