2012 Capital Congress

Adrian Valdivia

Co-founder and current director of DC Casineros, Adrian has been dancing and performing Cuban Salsa for seven years, and teaching classes infused with Afro-Cuban dance for the past 3 years. He won first place in the couple's competition in Miami Rueda congress of 2009. Adrian has traveled internationally to participate in the major Rueda de Casino and Afro-Cuban dance conferences.

Born in Venezuela, Adrian grew up in a family of dancers and musicians, which heavily influenced his love for the arts. Adrian currently trains under the guidance of Afro-Cuban dance teachers Oscar Rousseaux and Aramis Pazos, and teaches Rueda de Casino classes at beginner, intermediate advanced levels at Dance Place (www.danceplace.org) in Washington, DC. His casino style emphasizes the power and intricacies of son, rumba, and orisha dances.

Amanda Gill

Amanda is the Rueda de Casino (Cuban Salsa) dance instructor at the Masacote School (www.masacote.com) in Boston, MA. Amanda grew up studying and performing ballet and modern dance in the DC Metropolitan area. She began to focus on Afro-Cuban and Salsa dance in 2001. She has trained with dance masters Aramis Pazos and Oscar Rousseaux and has studied Cuban contemporary dance, folkloric dance, and choreography at the Instructors Arts School in Havana, Cuba.

Amanda travels periodically to Santiago de Cuba to train with Cutumba dance company in Haitian dance and with Yanek Revilla in Casino styling. She founded DC Casineros dance company in 2005. They dance the roots of Cuban Salsa and perform popular and religious dances, including Son, Rumba, Yoruba, and Congo/Fon-based traditions. She has taught Casino dance and Cuban styling at Dance Place, DC Dance Collective, national Salsa Congresses, and numerous schools and festivals.

Amanda is a Registered Dance Therapist, and currently works on creating dance therapy methods that utilize social dance as a means to heal.

About DC Casineros:

DC Casineros is the premier Rueda de Casino (Cuban Salsa) dance troupe in Washington, D.C., founded in 2005 by Amanda Gill in the Adams Morgan nightclub Habana Village. Rueda de Casino is a popular Salon and street style salsa dance born in Havana in the 1950’s and is the fusion of Cuba’s African and European influences. DC Casineros are known for unique choreographies that combine folkloric and popular Cuban dances, including rumba, cha cha cha, Son, Conga, danzon and orisha dances.

DC Casineros travels to national and international dance conferences during the year, and has been higly praised for their complex, flavorful and energetic coreographies