Cuban Salsa at Skyline College

Ken Delmar: Cuban Dance 

Ken Delmar has studied Cuban dance and music for 38 years, beginning with an intensive two-week cultural exchange at Stanford University in the 1980s with lead dancers from Cuba’s Danza Nacional. Since then, he has continued studying with master teachers, including Roberto Borrell, Royland Lobato, and Kati Hernández, as well as other leading Cuban dancers and musicians.

What distinguishes Ken’s teaching is his attention to the details that can often get lost when dances are learned simply by following a leader. He has spent decades studying the fundamentals, practicing daily, taking private lessons, developing drills, and studying percussion to deepen his understanding of the music and movement.

His goal is not simply to teach steps, but to help dancers understand the essence of the dance—its technique, musicality, feeling. Ken brings together the historical knowledge and foundational details of the old-school Cuban tradition, incorporating Son and Cha Cha Chá into Salsa, along with the joy, playfulness, and celebration that make these dances so irresistible.

He believes Cuban dance and music are among the most beautiful expressions of human creativity and is passionate about sharing what he has learned with others.