The Cuban Groove
Havana-trained maestro Vivio teaches authentic Cuban dance styles, including salsa and rueda de casi
10/09/2023
Vivio performing with Julie van Rennen as Red Gotwits in the Birds of Paradise show created by Morag Brownlie at New Zealand Fashion Week some years back.
16/03/2023
We had an awesome time tonight teaching this fantastic crew at The University of Auckland to Salsa! Many were first-time dancers and they did great. Big thanks to Jane and Alcione for inviting us! 🤩
12/02/2023
Thanks to everyone who came to our Pop-Up Summer Salsa in the park on Saturday. You guys are always great fun! We were so busy we forgot to take photos but here’s one from #2 Pop-Up held in January! Weather permitting, we’ll be back with another one soon! Click on the link in bio for upcoming classes, events, videos and more…
21/01/2023
Ready for dancing!
22/11/2022
Vivio talking Live on Base FM with Javier and Yonier
Come along to one of five of our Dance and Percussion classes this week and get ready for our 20th birthday celebration this Friday night! We’re super excited to party with you and are feeling grateful to all the talented people who have been working really hard to bring you amazing music, performances and refreshments. If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, then grab them now on Eventbrite or follow the link:
https://SalsaParty2022.eventbrite.com
04/10/2022
Whether you're a drummer or a dancer, this is a unique chance to learn the fundamentals of playing Cuban Rumba percussion instruments. Play rhythms on Congas, Claves, Chakeres, Campanas and Guagua with Havana-trained maestro Vivio in this small, fun and friendly group class in Grey Lynn, Auckland.
Rumba is a living and evolving music and dance form that is being widely taught and showcased around the world. It is filled with stories about life and the real dramas that occur.
Conceived in Africa and born in Cuba by Afro-Cubans in Havana and Mantanzas, Rumba has now become the heart and soul of Cuban life. Historically, it draws on music and related dances from the Congo, Cameroon and Nigeria; as well as Spanish Flamenco.
In 2016, it was placed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and is Cuba’s official dance.
Purchase tickets via: https://RumbaPercussion.eventbrite.com
Or contact us to pay via Internet banking.
17/07/2022
Hola Cuban Groovers, we’re excited to bring you four classes this week…
TUESDAY NIGHT
7.30pm – Performing Team
8.30pm – Afro-Cuban Rumba
WEDNESDAY NIGHT
7pm – Beginners’ and Improvers’ Salsa
8pm – Intermediate Salsa + Rueda
LOCATION
Grey Lynn Library Hall
474 Great North Road, Grey Lynn
PRICE: $20 – Casual class
Contact us for multi-class concession deals and for any further information.
We look forward to seeing you all!
Vivio and Justine
25/06/2022
Vivio is the director of The Cuban Groove based in Auckland, where he teaches and performs Cuban styles of dance and percussion. He brings more than 30 years experience - from studying ballet and contemporary and folkloric Cuban dances at the National School of Arts in Havana, to working as a professional dancer travelling the world performing in theatres from London to Moscow.
CALLING ALL DANCERS!
We invite anyone interested to join our Performing Team preparing to celebrate 20 years of The Cuban Groove in New Zealand later this year. We’re also getting ready for any events and festivals coming up in the future.
You will be learning a variety of choreographies displaying different Cuban styles of dance, including a tribute to the iconic contemporary Cuban choreographer and dancer Edwardo Riviera, whose works Vivio has performed around the world.
It doesn’t matter what dance experiences you have, as long as you’re committed and ready to learn as there will be different choreographies dedicated to various skill levels.
If you’re interested and/or need more information, please email [email protected] or DM The Cuban Groove on Facebook.
Vivio and Justine
Dances by Vivio Ramos and The Cuban Groove performing team.
Music by Cimafunk - Hablando x Hablar
15/05/2022
The weirdest story about dancing!!!
‘…one of the things lost during lockdown was the communality of dancing: that exquisite feeling of being physically proximate to hundreds of other people, everyone carried by music that commands the muscles and turns a sea of strangers into fellow travellers bound by shared experience.’
05/05/2022
Learn to dance like they do it in Cuba. Develop your salsa skills and combinations through shines and suelta choreography. Understand the rhythms of Salsa music so you’re dancing on time every time, and enjoy all the fun and the laughter we expect from a Cuban Groove class.
Dance solo or bring a partner, friends and whanau to our socially distanced space.
TO BUY TICKETS QUICKLY, CLICK HERE: https://bit.ly/3ydzb30
ATTENTION RUEDA LOVERS!
We plan to develop this into a Rueda class once the public health situation is right and everyone feels comfortable swapping partners again so, if you're wanting to dance Rueda, this class will build you up to it.
WHAT LEVEL DO I NEED TO BE TO ATTEND THIS CLASS?
Aimed at Intermediate students and above, so:
- If you have completed our Beginners’ Salsa course, or...
- If you have already learnt Salsa but wants to learn Vivio's authentic Cuban and original combinations, or...
- If you are a more skilled dancers who is wanting to refine your styling, break down and practise the different combinations to perfection, and learn Vivio's original combinations and suelta choreographies.
WHAT WILL I LEARN IN CLASS?
Warm-up and -down by exploring moves from many of the great Cuban dances – including Mambo, Cha-cha, Son, Rumba, Afro-Cuban Orishas dances, Cubaton, Conga and more – which you can also incorporate into your Salsa on the dance floor.
- Learn a wide range of Intermediate-level combinations.
- Identify the different claves and distinguish the various patterns within the music.
- Improve your body movement and isolation, and enrich your overall dancing skills with Vivio's beautiful flowing style.
- Develop greater coordination, and become fitter and healthier.
ESSENTIAL CLASS DETAILS
WHEN? Every Friday from 7pm.
LOCATION: Group Exercise Studio, Mt Albert Community & Leisure Centre (YMCA), 722 New North Road, Mt Albert, Auckland.
CLICK ONTO THE EVENTBRITE LINK For more details and TO PURCHASE TICKETS OR BRING CASH ON THE NIGHT: https://bit.ly/3ydzb30
🇨🇺
05/05/2022
Learn the fundamentals of Cuban dance in this fun, high-energy class with Cuban maestro Vivio. Enrich your dancing, and improve your musicality, rhythm and styling. Suitable for all skill levels.
WHAT IS THE CUBAN MEGA-MIX?
To dance Salsa a lo Cubano – in the Cuban way – requires having a basic understanding of at least a few different Cuban dance styles. On the streets of Cuba, the dance culture is rich and varied with elements of Rumba, Son, Danzon, Bolero, Afro-Cuban Orishas, Cubaton, Cha-Cha, Mambo, Conga and so on.
To honor this tradition, The Cuban Groove has devised this class to bring you some of Vivio's favorite moves from his Cuban heritage.
Whether you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced level, you will gain new skills and have fun while learning.
ESSENTIAL CLASS DETAILS
LOCATION: Group Exercise Studio, Mt Albert Community & Leisure Centre (YMCA), 722 New North Road, Mt Albert, Auckland.
TIME: Every Friday from 6pm.
COST: Classes are $20 each or $35 if you attend both classes back to back. Please pre-book on the Eventbrite link. Existing students can use their concession cards.
TICKETS:
You can purchase tickets via Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3P9emvU
Or bring cash on the day.
FOR MORE INFO, CLICK ON THE EVENTBRITE LINK - https://bit.ly/3P9emvU
🇨🇺
Hola. Sad to hear that there is a new community case of Covid in Auckland found this afternoon. We feel that as we don’t yet know the extent of the case/, we prefer to cancel tonight’s Rumba class as a precaution as the current quarantine cases in NZ are the highly contagious Delta variant. We want to prevent anyone getting sick if it’s out there. But, here’s hoping it hasn’t spread and we’re back dancing Rumba next week. In the meantime, practice your dancing, check out some of our videos on Facebook, and cross your fingers and toes for the best result. Virtual hugs! 🤗
17/08/2021
This week....
Tonight we Rumba! Thursday and Friday nights, come Salsa and Rueda your heart out. Check out the poster below for details or our Events on our FB page. See you there.
10/08/2021
We have an exciting dance-fuelled week ahead... here is our plan for happiness... come join us! We start tonight with Rumba Rumba Rumba. New students are welcome.
Check out our Events on Facebook for more info or drop us a line.
05/08/2021
Tonight... Dive into the Cuban Groove vibes and get your dancing sorted for the weekend with two classes complete a lo cubano!
6:30pm – Beginners' Cuban Salsa (no partners necessary)
7.30pm – Intermediate / Advanced Salsa and Rueda de Casino
>>> Empire Studios, 2 Bond Street, Grey Lynn. We're in Studio 3.
For more info, check out the Events on our page or drop us a line.
Tonight... Dive into the Cuban Groove vibes and get your dancing sorted for the weekend with two classes complete a lo cubano!
6:30pm – Beginners' Cuban Salsa (no partners necessary)
7.30pm – Intermediate / Advanced Salsa and Rueda de Casino
>>> Empire Studios, 2 Bond Street, Grey Lynn. We're in Studio 3.
For more info, check out the Events on our page or drop us a line.
03/08/2021
Hola, tonight we dance to the clave of Cuban Rumba – 1,2–1,2,3.
Come and join us in the beautiful Cuban tradition that will inspire and improve all of your dancing. We will be working on learning Yambu, Columbia and Guaguanco.
>>> 8pm, Avondale Community Centre.
For more info, check out the Event on our page.
See you there.
26/07/2021
An awesome week of dancing coming up! Come join us 😍💃🏾🕺🏾🇨🇺
07/06/2021
Thanks to everyone who came on Friday to Botticelli Bar - you made it a fantastic night! 👏😍 Here are this week’s dance classes, starting this evening with an amazing Cuban Rumba session. So much fun and a beautiful energy. See you there 🕺🏾💃🏾
06/06/2021
🕺🏾Come join us on Tuesday night for an amazing Rumba workshop with Cuban rumberos Vivio. We had such a fun and energetic time on the last course so make sure you don’t miss out this time around.
💃🏾 Learning Rumba will improve your dancing, whatever style you enjoy.
😀 8pm, Avondale Community Centre. 99 Rosebank Rd. No partners required.. $95 for the 4-week course.
✅ DM us to book your place.
⬆️ For more info, click on the Event link at the top.
🇨🇺 Check out these amazing Cuban dancers, demonstrating Columbia, one of the modalities of the Rumba. So many characters here and the children dancing half way through the video are fantastic 👏
https://youtu.be/AJQQVSiE7RY
El Palenque Habana- Rumba columbia (Sabado de la Rumba) 2012, CFNC, Rumberos de cuba Filmed in Sabado de la Rumba in summer 2012, Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba. . The group playing are Rumberos de cuba, arguably the best rumba group in...
04/05/2021
Hey folks, please subscribe to our YouTube channel, The Cuban Groove Vivio as we’ll be posting more videos in the coming weeks, including dance lessons. 😀
Isbert (Vivio) Ramos Mediceja dancing at WOMAD NZ 2018 with Daymé Arocena to 'La Rumba Me Llamo Yo' At WOMAD NZ 2018, Vivio, AKA Isbert Ramos Mediaceja was invited to dance with Cuban singer Daymé Arocena performing her track 'La Rumba Me Llamo Yo'. Here, C...
08/04/2021
PLEASE SAVE THESE UPCOMING DATES INTO YOUR CALENDAR >>>
🌠 THIS FRIDAY - CUBAN SALSA night!
💃🏾🕺🏾 6.30pm Beginners’ Cuban Salsa
💃🏾🕺🏾 7.30pm Intermediate Cuban Salsa + Rueda
🥂 Followed by Drinks and a dance afterwards
Empire Studios, 2 Bond Street, Grey Lynn
🌠 TUESDAY 13 April - CUBAN SON night
💃🏾🕺🏾 8pm - Avondale Community Centre, 99 Rosebank Rd, Avondale
Come and explore the roots of Salsa and learn one of the most beautiful and elegant dances - to either dance on its own or incorporate into your Salsa. This is a 4-week course for $95. More info to come or DM us for details and payment info.
🌠 FRIDAY 16 April - VIVIO’S FOlLLOW ME @ THE AUCKLAND LATIN FIESTA
💃🏾🕺🏾 6pm- Latin Fiesta, Aotea Square (instead of normal classes)
Then, we will party at the Fiesta. There will be food stalls and live music and dancing.
🌠 FRIDAY 30 April - EMPIRE CLASSES + CUBAN GROOVE PARTY @ LA CUEVA
💃🏾🕺🏾 6.30pm Beginners’ Salsa
💃🏾🕺🏾 7.30pm Intermediate Salsa + Rueda
@ Empire Studios, Grey Lynn
PARTY @ LA CUEVA, Vic Park Market
💃🏾🕺🏾 9.30pm - Enjoy Vivio’s Follow Me of fun and funky Cuban dances, including Salsa, Son, Afro-Cuban, Mambo, Chacha, Cubaton, Rumba and more.
💃🏾🕺🏾 10pm Rueda de Casino and social Salsa, Son, Bachata, Chacha, etc.
See you soon!
🎉🎶💃🏾🕺🏾