Aotearoa Cuban Festival sees Rotorua dance the weekend away

From the rumba to the rueda, from conga to cha-cha-cha and mambo, Latin dance enthusiasts descended on Rotorua for the annual Aotearoa Cuban Festival.

Held this weekend, about 200 participants from New Zealand, Australia and New Caledonia danced their way through the three-day programme in the Lakes Performing Arts Company studios.

Natalie Zuniga takes a class at the New Zealand Cuban Festival. Photo/Stephen Parker

The weekend also included workshops about the dances' Afro-Cuban roots, and after-parties each night.

Creative artistic director and festival trustee, Greydis Montero Liranza , was born and raised in Cuba and travelled the world with Lady Salsa dance company.

During an Australasian tour, Liranza became fascinated with New Zealand and took up an offer to stay here and teach.

She moved to Rotorua in 2014 and started Greydis Dance School the next year.

The Cuban Festival has been held annually in Rotorua ever since.

Liranza said she has seen an "amazingly big growth" in Latin dance in Rotorua.

Ahead of the festival from Friday to Sunday, she spent the week visiting local schools, giving free classes and helping with school assessments.

The school also performed at the Night Market.

She said during the festival she saw "a transformation from when dancers arrive to when they leave".

"They come to dance and progress and learn the cultural side. It's not just about dancing a step, there's a whole culture behind it."

She said it cost about $9000 to travel to Cuba and back so the festival was the next best option.

International instructor, and specialist in Afro-Cuban folklore, Christina Monneron was invited from the Gold Coast to lead some of the workshop.

This year was her fifth time coming to the festival in Rotorua.

She loved the "strong Maori influence in the festival".

"A lot of the local Cuban dancers are Maori. There are cross-cultural links and similarities that we embrace here, and that keeps me coming back."

Tauranga teacher Kate Maguire was another instructor.

She started as a student under Greydis Montero Liranza, became "super enthusiastic", then progressed to becoming a teacher.

She now has her own studio "Salsa Agua!".

Liranza said the annual festival was for all ages and abilities.

"There's no need to get a babysitter, you can bring the whole family."