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Sam Gill PhD, has researched and taught world dance history for more than a decade at the University of Colorado at Boulder. His recent writings on dance are “SalsAmigos: Teens Dancing Health and Happiness” and Dancing: Stepping to the Rhythms of Life. In 1999, he co-founded, with his daughter Jenny, Bantaba World Dance and Music in Boulder, where thousands have been offered dance, music instruction and performances from dozens of cultures throughout the world. For the last six years, Sam has taught salsa in several forms to hundreds of dancers of all ages and levels. In 2003, Sam organized and began coaching a group of teenage girls—Salseritas—who performed widely and competed internationally. They dance the rueda de casino form of salsa. In 2005 and 2006 the Salseritas took fourth place at the annual “Cuba Baila!” international rueda competition in Vancouver. Videos of the Salseritas. The Salseritas have now become an all-ages women’s salsa performance group. Sam has also taught rueda de casino sessions many times at New Vista High School in Boulder. In 2006 Sam founded SalsAmigos, a non-profit devoted to teaching salsa (rueda de casino style) to teens. Through his work with young people, Sam has developed an approach that teaches all dancers both “lead” and “follow” parts—a significant innovation in the form and in the benefits to the participants. SalsAmigos was recently awarded a multi-year grant from the Youth Opportunities Board of the City of Boulder. Sam also teaches bachata and bolero. His most recent salsa teaching is called Salsa Challenge, an intensive technique and fundamentals based course to train salsa dancers. |
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Jenny Gill received her degree in Ethnomusicology from the University of Washington in 2000. Promptly after graduation she began a eight year business endeavor with her father Sam Gill and co-owned, directed and managed Bantaba World Dance and Music in Boulder. During this time she studied many forms of African dance and performed regularly. She is currently the principal administrator and director of SalsAmigos a non-profit dance program for teens. Please visit www.SalsAmigos.org for more information. Jenny has been dancing with the Salseritas—a performance dance group that dances the Cuban style of salsa called rueda de casino, since the fall of 2006. She is a trained dance instructor of both rueda de casino and Salsa Challenge partner salsa. Jenny has a strong passion to develop and offer programs that provide opportunities for people to participate in cultural exchange through the arts. Jenny & Carlos just started the SalsaTALK Podcast—The Voice of The Salsa Dance Community. The podcast provides an opportunity for people to come together to talk Salsa! |
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Carlos Martin is from Venezuela and has grown up teaching salsa with his family. He dances with the performance group—salseritas (as an honorary salserito) performing the Cuban style of salsa Rueda de Casino. Carlos currently teaches with SalsAmigos and is available for private instruction. Carlos & Jenny just started the SalsaTALK Podcast—The Voice of the Salsa Dance Community which can be subscribed to through the links listed below. |
