YOU CAN DANCE,
IF YOU WANT TO
OUR GOALS, STORY AND THE TEACHERS
A YOUNG AND FRESH DANCE COMMUNITY!
WE ARE R&M LATIN DANCE!
R&M Latin Dance - Rhi and Mario are extremely proud of their unique and fun teaching methods, and their structured courses are easy and logic for any complete beginners. We believe in creating a safe and supportive place for all backgrounds to connect and join our R&M Latin Dance family.
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R&M is comprised of just two Salsa and Bachata dance Teachers, Mariano De Simone (Italian) who moved to Cardiff to start his dance company dream in 2015, and later joined his dance partner Rhian Saunders (Australian/Welsh) in 2018. Together they own and run their dance school in Cardiff, UK and relocated to Sydney Australia, including group and private Salsa and Bachata dance classes, dance performance, student showcases. Their mission is to continue to spread the joy of dance, and encourage and show new people to dance who always dreamed to, that they can!
MEET THE TEACHERS
Rhian Saunders
Salsa and Bachata Dance Performer and Teacher Rhian Saunders has always had a love for music and dance, she started her journey as a trained opera singer with a Bachelor of Music in her hometown of Sydney, Australia. It was also during this time that she found her passion for dance through group and private Ballroom classes at Inspirations Dance Centre. In 2015 Rhian travelled to Wales to attain a Masters in Advanced Vocal studies at the Welsh International Academy of Voice, over this time in Cardiff she discovered a love for Argentine Tango with maestro Eduardo Bozzo, and found her way to Cuban Salsa in 2017 with classes held by De Simone. In 2018 she began intensive training in Cuban salsa with De Simone, working as teachers assistant, and later became co-owner of the company Havana People Salsa Wales with De Simone as business and dance partner, she has also been lucky enough to attend masterclasses with teachers such as Maykel Fonts and Sylvia Chapelli, Yanet Fuentes, Guiseppe Sabatino, Ezgi Zaman, and Brenda Liew, currently she is continuing to work on her dance knowledge and skills and build her dance career as a performing artist in the UK, Europe and Sydney, Australia.
Mariano De Simone
Salsa and Bachata Dance Performer and Teacher Mariano De Simone grew up in a humble part of Naples, Italy, he was lucky enough to discover a passion for Cuban salsa in 2007 when persuaded to accompany a friend to class, since that day De Simone has devoted his life to the persual of dance and teaching. Since taking classes in 2007 in Cuban salsa, bachata and merengue (Academy de Cuba), he achieved a Diploma in Latin-American Dances, as well as studying cultural dance traditions, Latin leading techniques and license to teach. Over the years he attended many masterclasses with some very famous dancers and teachers such as Maykel Fonts, dance group Dominican Power, Alberto Valdes, Seo Fernandez, and many others. His training also included ballet preparation with Manuela Carrino. His focus turned to Cuban salsa and Afro-Rumba with the master Maykel Fonts and perfected later with Maestro Giuseppe Sabatino. In 2015 De Simone moved to Wales to start his Latin dance company dream “Havana People Salsa Wales" from scratch, and to spread the knowledge and style of Cuban salsa and bachata in the UK. Today he is particularly known for his passion for technique and leading skills which make his classes well sort after. De Simone has committed himself to understanding and exhibiting the true culture and musical interpretation behind Cuban salsa, including Son, Rumba and Guaguanco, this extra layer to his dancing sets him apart from other dancers and teachers in the UK and New South Wales Australia.
JOIN THE TEAM