The Dance Event of the Year.
On 3 – 4 May 2025, we present an entire weekend of Cuban Dance Workshops with Airagdin Pavon More (Maestro El Moro, Cuban born and trained). Learn various Cuban and Dominican dance styles from the very best, then test out your new skills at our party.
Tickets: $30 per workshop or grab the whole lot for $120 including free entry to the party. Tickets are limited and on sale now at Tickets.
Party: 8pm Saturday Night at the Mt Stuart Hall.
Workshops
Saturday: Mt Stuart Hall, Byard St, Mt Stuart
Sat 11.15 am Cha-cha-cha (open level): In the 1950s, the Danzon and Mambo combined to create the Cha Cha Cha (also known as the Cha Cha It was later adopted and commercialized by ballroom dancers who for teaching purposes (for those unable to identify the beat). Its name comes from the staccato footsteps of the dancers. Unlike most dances, the Cha Cha Cha is danced offbeat and has a simple procession of foot movements– three quick steps, two slow steps, pause. Like the Mambo and the Rumba, the Cha-Cha-Cha is a very fluid dance with a lot of pelvic motion.
Sat 1.15pm Cuban Salsa (Casino) (Intermediate) : Learn some new turn patterns and techniques to greatly improve your salsa. In Cuba, a popular dance known as Casino was marketed abroad as Cuban-style salsa or Salsa Cubana to distinguish it from other salsa styles when the name was popularized in the 1970s. Dancing Casino is an expression of popular social culture in Cuba and many Cubans consider casino a part of their social and cultural activities centering on their popular music.
Sat 2:20pm Rudea de Casino (Open): Rueda de Casino is a style of Cuban Salsa where several couples dance in a circle guided by a single leader calls out the moves while the pairs in the circle execute them. There are dozens of spins, each one has a name and many have hand signals. The caller will call out different Cuban salsa patterns that might involve switching partners, clapping, yelling, stomping, or just about any movement your creative mind can think of.
Sunday: Encore Dance, 58A Federal Street, North Hobart
Sun 12:05pm Son Cubano (Open): Cuban son dance is a social dance that is typically performed to the music of the son Cubano genre. It is a popular partner dance that originated in Cuba in the early 20th century and has since spread to many other parts of the world. The dance is characterized by its smooth and flowing movements, using the space to travel. This gives a very ballroom dancing feel to the dance. Smooth and flowing movements are meant to reflect the rhythms and melodies of the music. The basic steps of the dance involve a combination of side-to-side and back-and-forth movements, often accompanied by turns and spins.
Sun 1:15pm Dominican Bachata (Open): The Dance Event of the Year. On 3 – 4 May 2025, we present an entire weekend of Cuban Dance Workshops with Airagdin Pavon More (Maestro El Moro) Cuban born and trained). Come and learn various Cuban dance styles from the very best, then test out your new skills at our party Saturday Night.
Your instructor: From 1993 to 1995, El Moro studied dance at the Academia Nacional de Narisco Medina, Havana, and performed with many prestigious Cuban dance companies including Compañía de Danzas Tradicionales JJ, (Johannes García); La Giraldilla; Ballet Folklorico de la Havana, (Rafael Artola Gillot); Marrabenta (Basayo); Raices Profundas (Juan de Dios); Oriki (Feliz Insua, Pupy); and others.
In 1995, El Moro went on a successful dance tour with Ulices Mora in Paris, France, and in 1997 with the Compañía de Danzas Tradicionales JJ, Johannes García in Mexico.
He was one of the first solo dancers and choreographers with “Havana Nights” (one of the largest independently produced shows ever to leave Cuba – touring extensively throughout Central Europe, Scandinavia, Japan, Australia, and Las Vegas).
El Moro worked as a dance teacher in Oslo, Stockholm, Mexico, Germany, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Dominican Republic, and throughout Australia. He specialises in Afro-Cuban Dance, Rumba, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha, Son, Cuban Salsa and Dominican Bachata.
In 2004, Moro established Buena Vista Dance Cuban Academy and in 2013, The Australian Rueda de Casino Championship & Cuban Dance Festival, to teach Cuban dance and promote Cuban culture in Australia.
He has choreographed and performed in numerous shows, including Cuban Folkloric Company; World Salsa Congress; Afro-Cuban Express; Cuban Congress; Sydney Salsa Congress, Cubamemucho, NZ Pacific Salsa Congress, World Salsa Solo & Brisbane Latin Dance Festival, Dance Extravaganza, Afrekete, Festival Latino Noumea, New Caledonia, The Australian Rueda de Casino Championship & Cuban Dance Festivals; and others.