Williams F. Martínez
Williams F. Martínez – AKA W-Latino – is the founder, producer and host of the Casineros Timba Fest, the one and only Salsa Casino (Cuban-style salsa) Social Challenge of Georgia.
His vision was to create a space to bring together people to learn, connect and have fun, while supporting and collaborating with the Hispanic and Latino community.
He also hosts the first Salsa Casino brunch in town at the famous restaurant Eclipse Di Luna every Sunday noon.
Chino Casino
Michael Yi is known in the salsa community as “Chino Casino. He became a dancer, instructor, performer, and choreographer on “Cuban Salsa”, at Salsa Lovers Dance School in 1995, the first Casino style salsa school in the U.S.
He is the director of CHINO CASINO Productions and, he is also director and organizer of the premier annual dance congress in Georgia, the ATLANTA SALSA CONGRESS.
Mari Martínez
With a passion for dance that has spanned over two decades, “Marí” Martínez is a renowned dancer, choreographer, producer, and director based in miami. As the driving force behind the HotSpot Dance Company, she has made a significant impact on the dance scene with their innovative choreography and mesmerizing performances, leaving a lasting legacy that will be remembered for years to come.
Jay “El Casinero”
Meet Jarryd, a dance instructor based in Tampa, Fl., teaching for over a decade, who tremendously gravitated to Cuban dance and music later in his dance career. Although he teaches locally, he has traveled across the U.S. teaching and performing.
El Casinero
He has also made his way to Cuba for an opportunity to perform and continuous learning. He spreads his love and appreciation for many of Cuba’s popular dance genres, teaching Cuban son, Casino, Rumba, Rueda de Casino, etc.
Sarah Barton
Fluent in English and Spanish, she has lived in 9 countries and is always interested in learning about other cultures, especially through dancing. Her Latin Dance training has taken her to other countries as well, including Cuba and Italy, to train at Sosa Academy in Milan.
She has many years of teaching experience and has worked with students of all ages. In 2016, she studied in Eugene, Oregon, to achieve her teacher certification in DanceAbility, a completely inclusive methodology based on improvisation.
Javier y Patricia
Patricia and Javier are passionate dancers and experienced instructors of Cuban salsa with a successful career spanning over 20 years. Their love for dance and dedication to sharing the culture and joy of Cuban salsa has taken them to various countries worldwide, spreading their passion and knowledge. Currently, Patricia they have an exciting project underway on the city of Atlanta, where they’ve established a salsa academy that promises to be a hub for learning and celebrating Cuban culture and inspire a new generation of dancers on their exciting journey.