My Inspiration for TimbAché

After decades of travel in Latin America, a trip to Cuba in 2019 was my first exposure to Cuban Timba music and Casino dance.  At the urging of a friend, I took one class at Casa del Son in Havana Vieja and left in tears.  It was crushing to realize how little I understood about music and dance.  At the same moment I became highly motivated to learn this amazing art form which had already captured my heart.

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In early 2020, I returned with a group of friends to take a week of Rueda  de Casino classes at Casa del Son.  Again, I shed a lot of tears that week, and learned a lot more about what I didn't know than what I did.

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Luckily, back at home, I found two groups who practiced Rueda de Casino regularly and so I began to get more practice time.  Unfortunately, COVID happened which slowed me down for 2 years.  Once I could travel again, I prioritized learning dance from Cubans and changed my life to make it happen.  

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Today, after many hundreds of hours of instruction and practice, in workshops, classes and socials, I created TimbAché Cuban Dance Connection to bring my passion to the Midwest US and connect to Timba music and Casineros everywhere.