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Tucson Casineros, a Latin dance group rooted in Cuban culture, brings the rhythms of Havana to the desert.

Every Tuesday evening on East Pennington Street, the group opens its casino and rueda de casino classes to dancers of all levels, even those with two left feet.

Casino is a style of Cuban partner dance often considered the foundation for Cuban salsa. It involves intricate patterns of arm and body movement and is characterized by its connection to Afro-Cuban rhythms and spontaneous improvisation.

Art Garcia founded Tucson Casineros in 2012 after participating in a Cuban festival in San Francisco, where he found himself touched by the musicality and dance movements of Cuban salsa.

Garcia eventually moved back to his birthplace, Mexico City, and left Casineros to Virna Frett, a real estate agent whose love for dancing and ties with the community made her the perfect fit to lead the salsa dance group.

The El Salvador-born Frett has danced casino for a long time and has liked Latin music ever since she was a teenager.

“I like to see the dancers go with the music,” Frett told Tucson Spotlight. “Musicality is so beautiful — when the steps are together with the music, it is great to see.”

Casineros’ core mission is sharing Cuban salsa with the Tucson community and providing a safe space for people to learn.

Frett said she loves watching her dancers make progress.

“It gives you a sense of accomplishment,” she said.

Casineros isn’t just a place to learn how to dance salsa. It’s also a hub for dancers to gather, share a hobby and build community.

Ana Licia Hernandez, a student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, started dancing with Casineros seven years ago as a student. As time passed, she became more involved with the group, working her way up to volunteer instructor.

“Over the years it kind of organically turned into me helping out with some of the classes,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez started dancing while taking a one-credit course about Latin dance at Pima Community College. Her teacher encouraged the class to go social dancing and practice what they had learned during the course.

Taking her teacher’s advice, Hernandez went to a salsa social and watched dancers from Casineros perform. She was captivated by the group’s performance, so she approached Frett and asked about joining the group.

“I really feel that dancing has given me a sense of community and also confidence in myself,” said Hernandez, who considered herself a shy and introverted person when she first started in Casineros.

Hernandez encourages anyone interested in signing up for casino and rueda de casino classes to come with an open mind and willingness to learn and get feedback.

Casineros classes are open to all levels, with no previous dance experience required.

Hernandez says dancing is like learning any new skill: At first, you might struggle and not get it, but there’s no need to worry.

“We will teach you,” she said. “You will also find friends and we will be there to support you.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that dancing has health benefits, including improving mood and reducing stress.

Dancing “is such a stress reliever,” Frett said. “Sometimes when you are dancing you forget about all your problems. They stay outside, you walk in the doors, you dance, it puts a smile on your face and you forget about everything else.”

Occasionally, Casineros hosts social dancing and workshops taught by Cuban-born instructors. All are opportunities for dancers to practice their skills in a recreational and social way.

In social dancing, the main focus is not the technique or following choreography. Instead, it’s all about enjoying the music and connecting with others through dance.

“I have been told that when I am dancing casino, I have the biggest smile on my face,” Frett said. “I feel it. Sometimes it feels like a roller coaster, excitement, fun.”

It’s also constant learning for both instructors and students.

“Tucson Casineros has always been committed to perfecting the craft to grow as dancers, including the instructors,” Hernandez said.

Casineros has participated in Cuban salsa congresses in Seattle, Flagstaff, Las Vegas, San Diego, New Orleans, Cancun and Cuba. The congresses are large-scale events focused on Cuban salsa style, featuring workshops, performances and social dancing. These events allow Casineros to practice their craft and learn new movements, with all the knowledge they gain making its way back to Tucson.

For this group, learning from Cuban-born instructors, choreographers and dancers is essential because it connects the group more deeply to Cuba’s culture and history.

“The moves, the songs, the instruments, they all have deeper meaning,” said Matt William, an architect and lead instructor for Casineros. “The more you start peeling back those layers, the more you can start to experience that rich culture, that rich history of Cuban dance.”

Diana Ramos is a University of Arizona alum and Tucson Spotlight reporter. Contact her at dianacramos@arizona.edu.

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