 Ready to learn Salsa and Mambo, Cha Cha, Merengue, & New York Hustle? If so, you've come to the right place - Minnie Ruiz is the Salsa Queen of Hawaii!
When Minnie teaches Salsa, it is like watching the Essence of Emeril share a favorite recipe with students eager to master technique. She breaks it down into bite-size pieces and focuses on men's and women's styling. Dancing is not all about spinning your partner silly, it is how graceful you make it - and the main ingredient is FUN!
Minnie currently has a group class at the beautiful and spacious Aloha Activity Center. Private lessons are available, and she now offers special group lessons for weddings, parties, and other social gatherings. Private lessons are available.
Also ask about Salsaerobics, Cha Cha, Merengue & Disco Hustle. Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced welcome. Learn to dance the basics, partner work, turns, open floor shines and ladies' styling. Please call Minnie Ruiz, Salsa Queen of Hawaii, at (808) 387-8064. Here are just a few places where classes & workshops are held:
Ala Wai Recreation Center, Acqua, Zanzabar, Rolando's, Rumours, Honolulu Club, Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Clark Hatch Fitness Center, 24 Hour Fitness, Spa Fitness Center, YMCA, Puahi Retirement Center, AARP, Hawaii Athletic Club, Hawaii Kai Retirement Home, Salsathon at McCoy Pavillion, etc. I had people like the great ukulele player, Jake Shimabukuro, Ron Misutani (KHON-Ch 2), Pamela Young (KITV-4) take my classes... Biography
 The place, New York City. The time, the 70's. It all started when Minnie answered an ad for dance instructors during the "Disco" era at Murray Kossover School Of Dance on Broadway & 29th St. In response to the ad, she auditioned with her version of the Hustle, the Mambo, and the Cha Cha Cha. They were impressed with her style, poise, and confidence, and she got the job! Minnie was trained to teach Ballroom dancing and went on to do shows for them. She was stoked at the opportunity, and won several trophies for the Hustle.
In 1991, Minnie relocated to Hawaii with her husband, Tony, and beautiful daughter, Tatiana, her inspirations. Without them she would not be where she is today.
Now Minnie is the top Salsa dance instructor in the state of Hawaii. That's a long way from New York City, the base of the Mambo/Salsa, the seed from where it was born.
 Minnie has performed on stage with the legendary Tito Puente, Sheila E, Pete Escobedo, Rolando Sanchez & Salsa Hawaii, and Son Caribe & Salsaloha Orq. She has worked with some of the finest dancers, Billie Fajardo & Eddie Vega of "Disco Dance Dimensions". Also, The Addie-Tude Dance Company, Nelson Flores & Descarga Latina, and Razz-M-Tazz. She has worked with Tipica 73, Alfredo De La Fe, Charanga Casino, Nicky Marrero, Hector Casanova, Ralph Mercado, Yolando Rivera & La Sonora Poncena from Puerto Rico. She was featured on KITV-4 "Good Morning Hawaii" with Tiny Tadani, Kathy Muneno, Jill Kuramoto, and Paul Udell. Also, KHON-2 with Leslie Wilcox and Kirk Matthews, with a salsa dance segment for plus size women and performed at the Hawaii Music Awards as well as on Pamela Young's Mixed Plate segment with Minnie's "Salsaerobics" workout. She has been a featured dancer on Olelo with Ana Maria Melo from Al Dia TV Show and Pedro Valdes from Que Pasa Hawaii, Sherry Burr from Arts Talk from Hawaii and New Mexico TV Show and has been a background dancer in the movie "Eastside Story" with the Grammy Award winner Marc Anthony, Safire, India, Iris Chacon, Los Hermanos Moreno and Mr. Izzy Sanabria of Latin New York Magazine. Also, worked backstage with Helen Cintron, George Cintron, Roberto Lugo, Felipe Luciano & Euroba in coordination with Hector Lavoe & the Fania All Stars at Madison Square Garden. Minnie writes monthly Salsa Dance Tips in the Mahogany/Latin Hawaii newspaper. She was also on The Howie Mandel Show and presented him with a gift from her Norfolk Pine Creations. Minnie is known for her styling technique. She has many students as well as instructors take her classes. Besides teaching she is a Professional Hairstylist, she even cut Paul Walker's hair from the movie "Too Fast Too Furious."  
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