Titanes Salseros Celebrate 30th Year Anniversary

By Paulina Mann

In 1995, a group of Latin American students at Einstein High School founded a club to embrace their culture through dance, calling themselves Latin American Students United (LASU). Thirty years later, on Sept. 26, 2025, the same club, now known as Titanes Salseros, celebrated three decades of passionate, award-winning Latin dance and a tight-knit community of cultural pride and connectivity.

The team has been directed by Paula Peró, Einstein’s Spanish and world languages department resource teacher, for 26 years. Peró, who began teaching at Einstein in the fall of 2000, was asked by another Spanish teacher to be a co-sponsor of the club. LASU, a humble lunch club, “looked very different at the time,” said Peró. LASU was an opportunity for students of Latin American heritage to come together and share their culture. Each year, they hosted a few events, including an international night assembly and occasional in-school performances, but “it certainly was not what it is today.”

In 2005, LASU started participating in a handful of local dance competitions, earning trophies and awards. In June of 2008, however, LASU evolved closer to what it is today, when Capital Congress, Washington, D.C.’s largest salsa festival, invited them to participate. Peró explained that the group “needed a name that would represent Einstein” because “Latin American Students United could represent any school,” which is when Titanes Salseros was born. 

Participating in Capital Congress “changed the team completely.” It was the first opportunity the students had to watch and learn from professional dancers. It was also an opportunity to “learn that everything that we did was completely wrong, like, even how we did our hair. We learned, and it was an amazing opportunity,” said Peró. Since 2008, the Titanes Salseros have attended Capital Congress every year in June, which is always a highlight of being on the team, Peró explained. 

“They work hard throughout the year on different routines that they then perform at Capital Congress. It's been very rewarding to take the team, and they feel supported by the other instructors that come, so it's a unique opportunity,” Peró said. The invitation to perform at Capital Congress marked a turning point for the group, as it sparked the beginning of their many performances outside of Einstein. 

Since then, Titanes Salseros have become a symbol of culture, identity, and dedication, winning over 200 awards and trophies. Coaching Titanes Salseros “is just an extension of being a teacher,” Peró said, “because it's teaching them good work ethic, and I just love seeing their confidence improve.” Peró is joined by coaches and Einstein alumni Marvin Vargas, David Cuevas, and current Einstein Paraeducator Jeison Rodriguez, but also explained that many alumni return to help the team with whatever they need, from “rhinestoning shoes, to teaching choreography, or overseeing and helping out with practices.” 

Titanes Salseros is a very inclusive team that stopped doing official tryouts years ago because they are not looking to only have the best dancers at the school. “Being part of the team is an opportunity for people that want to try something new, and if they're willing to put in the time and the effort that it takes, then they're going to get a lot out of it,” said Peró.

Over the years, Titanes Salseros have explored many different opportunities to share their dance on a broader scale. Peró explained that “in the last few years, we've gone from maybe 10 performances in the year to now over 35 performances a year.” From collaborating with Einstein’s dance program or Band Director Gregory Casement to do the annual swing dance, to performing in the community at sports events, and even at American University and Johns Hopkins University, the Titanes Salseros have done it all. In the spring, Titanes Salseros will help theater director Rachel Herman and the S.T.A.G.E. program perform “In The Heights,” a musical set in the Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights, New York City. 

For their 30th anniversary, the Titanes Salseros invited the community to see a display of the team’s rich culture and history. Forty former students, including students from 2004, came back to participate in a dance choreographed to include music and parts of their dances over the years. The team, with efforts led by senior captain Laurie Meza, put together a museum, commemorating and honoring the team’s rich history. The art gallery was transformed into a colorful display of hundreds of trophies, newspaper clippings, awards, photos, and costumes, highlighting thirty years of strong connections and Latin dance. 

In 1995, LASU started as a lunch club, but has since transformed into an incredible community. Being part of Titanes Salseros is more than being part of a club or a team. It is a community honoring centuries of heritage, culture, and dance. “It is quite a big family,” Peró said, “it’s a very special thing.”