Born in the Dominican Republic, Carlos Mora has taught Casino and Rueda style salsa for the past eight years. He's been dancing all of his life, but he first learned Rueda when he was living in Miami in the 90s. It was there, at a restaurant in Little Havana, that he saw the Rueda in action. The dancers seemed to be having the time of their lives, and Carlos knew that he had to join them. So he signed up at the famous Miami Latin dance school, "Salsa Lovers," and studied for 2 years with its founder, Rene Gueits. Life eventually brought Carlos to Las Vegas, New Mexico, where he discovered there was a strong demand for Latin Dance instruction. He ended up teaching Rueda all over the city: Luna Community College, Robertson High School, West Las Vegas High School, The United World College, New Mexico Highlands University, and even in the middle and elementary schools. As word of Carlos's fun-loving and dedicated teaching style spread throughout the New Mexico salsa community, he also found himself teaching in Santa Fe at Pomegranate Studio and as far as Albuquerque at Selah Studio and the University of New Mexico. The more Carlos taught, the more he saw that his students wanted to continue their Salsa and Rueda steps outside the classroom, so Carlos founded a salsa dance performing team, "Los Rumberos Salsa Club." "Los Rumberos" toured all over Northern New Mexico and were twice invited to compete in Miami at the Salsa Rueda Congress of the Americas, where, amidst stiff competition, "Los Rumberos" earned third place one year and sixth place another. After that, Carlos felt sure that New Mexico was destined to be a great salsa state, so in 2005 he organized the first Latin Dance Festival in Las Vegas, which attracted musicians and dancers from all over New Mexico. Word of the festival spread, and in 2006 it attracted an even larger audience with plenty of out of state dancers who came to celebrate the special "sabor" of New Mexico salsa. Carlos now bases himself in Santa Fe where he is teaching salsa rueda at Pomegranate Studio. He has also taught at Moving People Dance Social Dance Program, Desert Academy and Santa Fe High School. Carlos performing team, Santa Rueda Salsa Dance Team has performed at the Santa Fe Art Institute Annual Fundraising 2008, Southwest Health Care Annual Fundraising 2008, Santa fe Reporter Annual Block Party 2008, Santa Fe Fourth of July Bandstand Celebration 2008, Santa Fe Summer Bandstand 2008 as part of Moving People, at Grants, NM People fair 2008, Albuquerque Salsa Festival 2008, at the Creativity For Peace Fundraising 2008, etc. The weekend of July 4th, 2008, Carlos organized the First Salsa Rueda Mini Congress of Santa Fe 2008. Dance students from several states came together to take workshops, dance socially and share their love for salsa rueda dancing. The event was a total success and has now been established a s a regular Santa Fe event. Finally, besides New Mexico, Carlos has taught salsa workshops in Savannah, GA, Austin, TX and Minneapolis, MN. Carlos currently teaches beginning, intermediate, advance and master level rueda as well as beginning and intermediate bachata dancing at Pomegranate studio in Santa Fe, NM. He also teaches beginning and intermediate salsa rueda one credit classes at New Mexico Highlands University and a beginning rueda class at the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas, NM. For more information, videos and photos of Carlos and his group performances please visit www.SantaRueda.com