On a recent Saturday evening at Green Spaces in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood, the air pulsed with rhythm, laughter and movement. Locals of all backgrounds swayed to the sounds of salsa, Cuban son and reggaetón at Tumbao Social, a new free monthly dance event created to honor Latinidad and foster a more inclusive and connected Latinx community in Denver.
At the heart of the event is Jesús David Muñoz, a Latinx dance artist and percussionist whose work bridges Indigenous, Mexican and Cuban traditions with ballet, modern and contemporary forms. With more than two decades of experience as a performer, educator and choreographer, Muñoz sees dance as both an ancestral language and a tool for liberation.
Muñoz is a current ensemble dancer with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and a recent MFA graduate from the University of Colorado Boulder. With over 20 years of involvement in the international Latinx dance community, he has worked as a freelance artist, educator and choreographer. His work is grounded in his Mexican-Indigenous identity and is shaped by both traditional and Eurocentric dance forms from folklórico and Afro-Cuban rhythms to ballet and modern technique.
The Tumbao Social event, held at 2590 Walnut St., features a DJ, live percussion and community-led dance instruction. Attendees range from seasoned dancers to first-timers who come simply to move, listen and find community. Organizers describe it as a joyful experiment in redefining what Latinidad can look and feel like in today’s Colorado.
In this conversation, Muñoz reflects on his journey, the power of cultural dance, and the urgency of building accessible spaces for Latinx communities in Colorado.
🎙️La Ciudad: How did dance first enter your life? What was the moment it became part of your identity?
Jesús David Muñoz: I was 4 years old when I first saw my uncle perform the deer dance “La Danza del Venado” in my hometown of Delicias, Chihuahua, Mexico. He was a soloist in the Amalia Hernández company and danced as the deer in this Indigenous Yaqui tradition, portraying the journey of a hunted deer. That performance stayed with me. My whole family danced, at quinceañeras, parties, anywhere. Movement was part of life, of joy, of culture. Later, when I came to the U.S. at 12, I started learning Latin percussion and Cuban dance while also entering the world of ballet, modern and contemporary techniques.
Dance has always been natural for me, but realizing it could also be a career — a way to open doors for others — came with time and training. There’s wisdom in the body, in how our elders move and celebrate. That joy is deeply cultural and also political. Dance became part of how I understood who I was and who I could become.
🎙️La Ciudad: You often talk about creating accessibility spaces through dance. What does that look like in practice?
Muñoz: I’ve spent years learning both cultural and Eurocentric dance forms. That dual training helped me see how much generational wealth and institutional power is embedded in ballet and concert dance. But ballet is also a cultural form. It comes from the Italian and French courts. It’s ethnic, too. What’s missing in mainstream spaces is that same recognition and investment in Latinx cultural dance.
For me, building accessible spaces means creating pathways for our communities to see cultural dance as high art, as something complex and worthy of respect. It also means training in a way that honors tradition while opening doors, especially for young people, to pursue dance professionally. That’s why I partner with institutions like Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and BMoCA to bring cultural dance into established venues.
🎙️La Ciudad: You’ve worked across the U.S., Mexico and Cuba. How have these experiences shaped your work today?
Muñoz: Each place has deepened my understanding of how dance is rooted in resistance, survival, and connection. Working with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, a company grounded in the African-American experience, showed me how cultural dance and concert dance can exist in unity. Cleo keeps those two worlds alive in one space, and that inspired me to do the same for Latinx communities.
There aren’t many people in the U.S. writing, theorizing or institutionalizing Latinx cultural dance in this way. So I see my role as both an artist and a cultural broker.
🎙️La Ciudad: You’ve said that some institutions or instructors use business models to teach cultural dance without honoring its roots. Do you see this as a form of erasure or appropriation?
Muñoz: Absolutely. What we’re witnessing is a pattern where elements of our culture — our rhythms, our movement, our stories — are being extracted from their original contexts and repackaged without the community, the history or the pain that shaped them. It’s not just about dance steps; it’s about erasing where those steps come from and who they belong to. And when that happens in elite or commercial spaces, it’s often done without credit or care. So yes, I see it as a form of cultural erasure. That’s why I teach the history before the choreography. It’s not enough to learn the movement, you have to understand the people behind it.
🎙️La Ciudad: How are your classes and community events, especially those with live music, different from traditional dance classes?
Muñoz: Right now, I’m focused on Tumbao Social at Green Spaces. … It’s open to everyone. We’re educating people before the dancing starts, about the history, the rhythms, the culture behind the movement. That’s what sets it apart. It’s not just about learning steps; it’s about context, connection and honoring where the dance comes from. I want the space to be a platform for other artists and community members, too.
🎙️La Ciudad: What message do you have for young Latinx, Chicanx or Indigenous artists who feel invisible in the mainstream arts world?
Muñoz: First, believe in your power. Courage is more useful than safety. We often think we need to feel safe before we act, but the truth is, we need to step into our own power and capacity. Build your community, find your people, and keep showing up, even when it’s hard.
Also know this: cultural dance is high art. It carries complexity, legacy and beauty. We need more of our people leading that conversation, not just participating in it. I want to build spaces where others can see themselves reflected and take that as a call to action.
🎙️La Ciudad: Where can people find more information about your upcoming events, classes and your work with cultural liberation through dance?
Muñoz: The best way to stay connected is through my website boulderafrolatindance.com. I regularly post about upcoming classes, events like Tumbao Social, and new collaborations. Whether you’re a dancer, a musician or just someone looking for community, that’s where you can find everything we’re doing to build spaces of movement, healing and joy.