History | Ritmos Latinos Salsa Club

Our History

Ritmos Latinos was founded in 2000 at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, born from a shared passion for dance, community, and Latin culture. What began as a few dancers gathering informally soon blossomed into a vibrant organization dedicated to sharing the joy of Latin rhythms with people of all backgrounds and experience levels.

The group’s early roots were planted when Bruce Montoya invited Gerardo to begin teaching Salsa at what was then an unofficial student club. Bruce taught Merengue and Bachata, while Gerardo led Salsa classes. Soon after, Gerardo and his then-girlfriend, Lupita, began teaching Rueda de Casino together — forming the foundation of the group’s Cuban Salsa identity. Gerardo and Lupita later married in 2003, continuing to grow and support the organization as a team.

Gerardo’s introduction to Rueda de Casino came through Ernesto Cardenas, who visited Tucson to teach a series of Salsa and Casino workshops. Ernesto invited Gerardo to join a performance team for the opening act of the renowned Cuban band Cubanismo, an inspiring and pivotal moment that further fueled Gerardo’s dedication to the Cuban style.

In their quest to build a strong Rueda de Casino program, Gerardo and Lupita also discovered instructional DVDs from Salsa Lovers, a respected Miami-based dance school. These materials introduced new rueda patterns and structure that were soon integrated into Ritmos Latinos classes, creating a solid and progressive teaching system that helped dancers grow in both skill and confidence.

To promote the club and celebrate Latin culture, Gerardo and Lupita and club members began visiting classrooms at the University of Arizona, primarily in the Spanish and Latin American Studies departments, where they performed short dance demonstrations. With support from faculty, they presented Rueda de Casino as a living cultural art form, inviting students to join and experience the music, movement, and community of Latin dance.

From these grassroots efforts, Ritmos Latinos took shape as an official student organization — offering weekly classes, workshops, and social events that continue to welcome new dancers to this day. There are also dance teams in Tucson that have greatly contributed to the Tucson dance community. These teams are Zona Pachanga, Salsón, Tucson Casineros, Monzon, and others. Most of the leaders of these teams have roots in Ritmos Latinos.

A Global Rhythm

The spirit of Ritmos Latinos has traveled far beyond Tucson.

Over the years, dedicated members and instructors have carried the group’s energy, teaching style, and community-focused mission to other cities and countries — forming sister organizations that kept Rueda de Casino going around the world.

Oahu, Hawaii (not active)
Ankara, Turkey (Middle East Technical University) – led by Betil Eroz and Josh Carney (not active)
Boulder, Colorado (University of Colorado, Boulder) – founded by Josh Carney, members of this group went on to found Boulder Rueda (active)
Bloomington, Indiana (Indiana University) – Ritmos Latinos Indiana is a sister group is still active today, founded by Josh Carney (active)

These sister clubs shared the same values of inclusivity, cultural respect, and joyful learning. Though most are no longer active, they reflect the global reach of Ritmos Latinos’ community spirit and teaching philosophy.

Leadership History

Since its founding in 2000, Ritmos Latinos has been led by a series of passionate, dedicated dancers and organizers. These presidents have shaped the group’s direction, upheld its mission, and helped grow its reputation as a welcoming and culturally vibrant dance community.

Presidents of Ritmos Latinos

Gerardo Armendariz – 1999–2001
Founding president; created club constitution and introduced Salsa and Rueda de Casino to the U of A community and helped formalize the group’s teaching style and outreach.
Janna Crews – 2001–2002
Succeeded Gerardo and helped grow the club’s structure and visibility on campus.
Josh Carney – 2002–2003
Continued expanding membership and was instrumental in founding sister clubs across the U.S. and internationally.
Molly Odell – 2006–2008
Jenn Matsuyama – 2009–2010
Laura Stump – 2011–[end date TBD]
Yoga Korgaonkar – [start date TBD – 2016]
Martin Formanek – [2017 – 2018?]
Akhil Ashok Kanakkassery – [2018-2020]
Harshad Kalyankar – 2020
Kaden Anderson – 2020 (very short presidency… Harshad stepped down during COVID, Kaden took over then graduated and left it to Samarrah)
Samarah Stephan – 2020-2021
Robert Melikan – 2021- present

Help us complete the historical record! If you know more about past presidents or their dates of service, we welcome your contributions.

Faculty Advisors

As a University of Arizona ASUA student club, Ritmos Latinos has always had the support of faculty advisors who have helped guide the group and ensure its connection to the broader campus community.

Kelland Thomas – Founding Faculty Advisor (circa 2000)
Provided early support and mentorship as the group transitioned from informal gatherings to a recognized student organization.
Guillermo Uribe – continued club support to Ritmos Latinos
Isamu Matsuyama – Current Faculty Advisor
Continues to support the group’s mission and university engagement as an active faculty advisor.

Faculty advisors play a vital role in supporting student leadership and preserving the continuity of Ritmos Latinos across generations.

Sustaining Our Teaching Tradition

One of the unique strengths of Ritmos Latinos is its self-sustaining teaching model. Many of our instructors began as students, progressing through beginner, intermediate, and often advanced classes before stepping into teaching roles themselves. This cycle of learning and teaching allows the club to continually pass on knowledge, foster leadership, and maintain its vibrant class offerings — all from within our own community.

We are deeply grateful to the many teachers who have dedicated their time, energy, and passion to keep the spirit of Ritmos Latinos alive over the years. Thank you for helping us dance, grow, and stay connected.

Today

Ritmos Latinos continues to thrive in Tucson — offering weekly classes, dance socials, and performances that celebrate the rich traditions of Cuban salsa, especially Rueda de Casino.

More than two decades after its founding, the group remains committed to its original values: community, cultural appreciation, joy through movement, and the power of rhythm to bring people together.

We invite you to join us — and become part of our story.

Videos

Some Youtube channels with Ritmos Latinos videos: