This quarter we gave the microphone to … …
Rinus Canegieter
The unknown celebrity
Rinus, born in the Antilles, is truly raised with dancing. At family parties everyone would dance the Latin-american dances. And even though he did not like to dance with his cousins and aunts, music and dance was, and still is a big part of his life. To be a bit rebellious, he started Hip-Hop an Breakdancing.
Only after he moved to the Netherlands to study, he joined a Samba showcase dance team, who mostly dances abroad. Next to studying and sports, dancing became more and more prominent in his life. While studying he was invited to dance at clubs. It was fun and made some money so he thought, why not.
See the video below for one of his favourite dance songs!
Later, Rinus started to dance the Salsa through a bet with a friend. His friend did not believe he could dance Salsa as they were going to an event. Rinus, righteously proud of his Antillean blood, dared to bet that he could dance the Salsa. And as he told me, he walked through the door, turned around and immediately gave his friend the €50,- , because what he saw, he could not dance. The next Monday after he started following Salsa dance lessons.
After a while he started to get lessons in how to teach dance. After teaching for a few years in Eindhoven, he was offered to give lessons in a dance school in Belgium. This is when decided to start his own school: Salsa Rica.
Click here to see the link to Salsa Rica website!
But the true passion for teaching came from a salsa dance festival in New York. In New York most dancers danced ON2 (just a little different than what he teaches in Eindhoven). He could dance Salsa ON1, as we know, but to get better, he followed a few workshops. Even though all his practising, and dancing at parties he still didn’t feel ready to ask people to dance in New York. That is when a friend of his asked this amazing professional dancer to dance ON2 with him: Griselle Ponce. And she did. She spent her entire night, dancing with Rinus, teaching him how to listen to the other timing and beats (a little technical but you all get the point), something he is still forever grateful for.
“That she gave her time to me, to teach me,
although she could be enjoying herself.
That’s worth more than gold”
Seeing her, teaching him with so much passion, he could not not be inspired, to continue teaching others with all his heart. Lucky for us, at the TU/e!
See the video below for Salsa Rica at the Super Salsa Festival!
His piece of advice to the student:
Whatever you do in life, follow your passion and do something you feel good about. Because when you do something with joy, you will radiate joy. That will bring you positive energy!
Thank you Rinus, for giving us an insight into your life and passion. We are very happy to have you here with us!
Wondering why he is an unknown celebrity? Watch the movie: Verliefd op Cuba and see if you can spot him!
More from Salsa Rica? Watch this video for the class of 2009
More showcase dancing? Watch this video for Euphoria at the Berlin Salsa Congress of 2018