... in 3 short stories
We didn’t plan to fall in love - with each other or with this path. It kind of just… happened.
It's 8 December 2016. That night in Havana, Elaine saw Yohan perform. Something clicked. She directly felt: “I want to dance with him.”
Then, after two times eye contact and a wink during one of the animations, Yohan asked her to dance.
That moment was the beginning of a story that would take us from the stages of Havana to international festivals - and eventually, to starting CDC Dance Academy together.
We’re Yohan & Elaine, and here’s how it all unfolded.
Yohan - Born and raised in Havana
Dance found Yohan in the most Cuban way possible: a neighbour said, “Hey, want to join this show team?” He said yes and never looked back.
Over the years, Yohan performed with several dance companies across Cuba before joining El Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba, the country's most prestigious folkloric dance company: a milestone in his career.
Along the way, he collaborated with legendary musicians such as Septeto Nacional and became part of Proyecto Rueda de Casino, performing on Cuban television and appearing in music videos.
But throughout it all, his heart has remained with Afro-Cuban dance. Drawn to its deep roots in the Yoruba tradition and Cuba's spiritual heritage, he found a connection. It's something you can feel every time he performs.
Elaine - From Volendam to Havana
Elaine grew up in a small town in the Netherlands, but her imagination was always bigger than her surroundings. She spent hours copying dance choreographies from MTV (yes, Christina Aguilera's Dirrty was a favourite) and started street dance classes at the age of 12. By 16, she was already working as a dancer for Dutch artists.
After travelling to India for a yoga teacher training in 2016, she found herself at a salsa party back home in Amsterdam and something lit up inside her. She immediately booked a ticket to Cuba to learn from the source.
That two-month trip changed everything. She not only met Yohan, it also marked the start of a much deeper journey. In 2018, Elaine joined Proyecto Rueda de Casino as a professional dancer.
During her years in Havana, she had the privilege of training privately with Lazara Nápoles of El Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba, learning Afro-Cuban dance traditions straight from the source.
Our time together in Cuba
From Sept 2018 until Feb 2020 we performed several times a week in Havana. We shared stages with bands like Elito Revé y su Charangón, Havana D’Primera, and El Niño y La Verdad. We danced in their music videos, concerts, and national TV shows like Premios Lucas and Cubadisco. If you’ve seen “Cuba Baila Casino,” that’s us in the video.
We also worked closely with Juanito Gómez - known as “El Abuelo” - founder of Proyecto Rueda de Casino and owner of Havana’s best salsa hotspot Club Jardines 1830.
It was very hectic for Yohan to combine 2 jobs as he also formed part of El Conjunto Folklorico Nacional during that time. But hey, all for the passion!
Afro-Cuban Cave
Our online classes began in 2021, during an unexpected adventure in Gran Canaria. What was meant to be an 11-day trip turned into 3 months of living in a cave. When the Netherlands went into lockdown, we decided to stay - and that’s where we started sharing our first Orisha courses from what became known as our very own “Afro-Cuban Cave.”
CDC stands for Casino de Cuba, but for us, it’s also about Connection, Dance, and Culture.
We believe dancing is transformation in motion. It helps you break out of your shell, express yourself, and feel alive. That’s why the butterfly is our symbol: freedom, joy, movement, and becoming who you’re meant to be.
See you on the dance floor! 💃🏼🦋🕺🏽
With love,
Yohan & Elaine
