Ernesto Campos Montañez
Former Dancer/ Rueda Toreador / Maestro de Sangria

This week's featured SAOCO member was born in Malaga, Spain, a southern city by the Mediterranean Sea. Ernesto Campos Montañez spent most of his life in this quiet city, till one day he decided he wanted more and moved to the other side of the Atlantic.

Ernesto has lived in the DC area since 2000, and has danced salsa for the last 2 years. His lifelong love of Latin/Spanish music encouraged him to seek out the various Latin dances and improve on his own understanding of the rhythms and movement. His other dance talents include merengue, bachata and especially cha-cha-cha. Nothing moves him more than a good Daniel Santos song.

Why did Ernesto decide to join SAOCO? Was it for the challenge? Was it for the women? Was it for the excitement? It was for all the above. Ernesto enjoyed the fact that rueda dancers share a connectivity with each other because team work is essential to make it happen. As far as challenges go, when SAOCO called, Ernesto took the bull by the horns like a true Spanish Toreador and stepped up to the plate to call his first performance during the DC Dance Festival this fall.

Besides dancing, Ernesto enjoys traveling and listening to his extensive collection of music in every genre imaginable. He's even got some Spanish classics from 1922. Ernesto is also an accomplished cook. Two delicacies he's most famous for is his tortilla española, always demanded at every SAOCO party, and his dangerously delicious home made Sangría. He's earned the title Maestro de Sangria!!

If you see Ernesto out dancing Cecilia's or Chevy Chase Ballroom, don't be shy, ask him to dance and enjoy the ride.