Welcome

A Website about Salsa Dancing in the Kansas City Area!

The concept of Kansas City Salsa began in 1998 while I was a graduate student at Kansas State University and working for InfoUSA. As a graduate student, I performed often at various events including the KSU Spring performances with dancers Susie Jasso (Topeka, KS) and Patricia Kuhn(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). During that time, I performed dances such as Cha Cha, Salsa and Swing. In 1998, I organized the 1st KSU Casino Rueda performance group. To our knowledge, our performance group was the first Casino Rueda performance group in the state of Kansas and the Kansas City area.

After various visits to Kansas City, I was asked to instruct in KC while I living in Manhattan, KS. I taught private lessons at various studios, group lessons at various restaurants. I also taught for Louie Bar of Louie & company at various club events after having had competed against him in Swing in 1999. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my knowledge with Louie and his followers as well as the knowledge he shared with me.

On Thursday, April 25th, 2002, I made the move to Kansas City after I was laid off from my job with InfoUSA. A salsa friend from Trinidad offered me a bedroom for $100 a month for 6 months until i was able to get back on my feet. Less than 6 months after arriving in Kansas City, I began instructing salsa to over 60 students each week. What I shared with students in Kansas City was something new to folks here but common in places like NYC (where i trained), Miami and Los Angeles. Some of these students are now instructing in other dance programs in Kansas City and others have started their own successful studio.

Throughout my time in Kansas City, I have instructed Casino Rueda, introduced folks to Salsa Congresses, performed at Salsa congresses, pioneered the NY On2 and On1 Style in Kansas City, hosted various guest instructors, performed for major corporations, taught many and competed at the World Salsa Championships in 2002. I have been fortunate to (1) have made lots of friendships in salsa, (2) grown from the challenges of business, the art and politics and (3) met my wife (Leah) through salsa dancing in April 2006 at Columbia, MO.

Salsa is extremely important to me. Dancing has been therapeutic for me when I dealt with major challenges in my life. For this reason, I am committed to helping students, instructors and event promoters. While I continue to create my own events, teach classes and perform with the KCSalsa dancers and my partner Mariya Omelicheva, I am excited to support other classes/programs and events in the area by representing their events on our website.

My Mission is ...

To continue to expand the culture of salsa dancing via (1) Quality Instruction, (2) Performances, (3) Events, (4) Workshops and by (5) supporting ALL events and Latin Dance Instruction in the Kansas City area through Web Representation free to the public and free to the sponsors of such events.

The KCSalsa Guy!
Pioneer of Salsa and Mambo in Kansas City

So, enjoy the site, support all events and share the knowledge and joy of salsa dancing with others.

Que Viva La Salsa!

Josue