Eileen Torres learned to dance Rhumba from her father at the age of five. She began performing Mexican folk dance for the Mexican Fiestas in her hometown of Lorain, Ohio at the age of six. She taught herself to dance to tropical Latin rhythms by listening to Perez Prado recordings at about the same time. While at the University of Colorado she co-founded the university's first Ballet Folklorico. After studying several dance disciplines, she graduated with a Minor in Dance in 1974. Upon returning to Ohio in 1975, she became instructor and choreographer for the youth troupe, Alma de Mexico. She began teaching Salsa there in 1976. In 1977, she began performing hustle and Latin dance.
In 1978, Eileen successfully auditioned for The National Chicano Dance Theater based in Denver, Colorado. The company dramatized the Chicano experience through dance. She toured with the company for two years. Back in Ohio in 1985, she formed and choreographed for the performing group, Salseros Unlimited.
Ms. Torres has provided instruction for groups and private students in Washington, DC for the last four years. She teaches at the Duke Ellington School for the Arts, other area schools, in a number of nightclubs. She is regularly invited to teach for government agencies, health and fitness fairs, and for a variety of private events.
Eileen Torres has lectured on Salsa in many venues including The Kennedy Center, the Bacardi Salsa Congress in Puerto Rico, The European Salsa Festival in The Netherlands, and the Washington DC Salsa Festival among others. In addition, she was contracted by Starbucks Coffee Company to collaborate on the Latin compilation CD titled Mambo Mio. She assisted in the selection of the music, wrote the liner notes on the origins of Latin music, and created a piece on each artist.
Ms. Torres is President of Salsation Productions and Publisher of Salsamundo.com; a web site dedicated to the promotion and appreciation of Salsa music. She currently is preparing to produce and host a cable television show titled Salsamundo.
Her articles on Salsa have been published in Latina Style and Latin Beat magazines. She is a feature writer for LATIN VIBES Magazine.
6/15/01: Sin Miedo and Eileen Torres
