Viva Montana Festival 2026 Performers

Originally from Peru and raised in Argentina, Veronica Nelson has called Bozeman home since 2004. She first discovered salsa dancing in Patagonia in 1996 while earning her degree in Wildlife Biology and has been teaching, performing, and promoting Latin dance ever since.

Veronica brings decades of experience to her classes, staying current in the Latin dance world by traveling to conferences and workshops across the Americas. In addition to dance, she has shared her passion for Zumba, Spanish, and birding throughout the community, making her a beloved and versatile instructor.  Learn more about Veronica! 

Penélope is a Colombian interdisciplinary artist focused on weaving  cultures through ecology, visual arts, dance and performance art. From a  tender age, Penélope rejoiced in her dance rich upbringing, enjoying  and excelling in many forms of traditional dances plus ballet, jazz,  Afro and contemporary. She naturally gravitated towards the rhythms of  the African Diaspora. She stopped dancing at 16 other than at clubs and  house parties but at 24 she began to seek out her spiritual roots  traveling Latin America and engaging in community arts which led to lots  of dance exposure and experimentation. In 2000 she landed in Montana  where, out of all places, she began her formal training in West African  dance, which she has carried on with until this day. Currently she DJ’s  in spaces that combine ecstatic dance with zumba-like unison dancing,  inviting oneness with everyone while exploring personal expression. Her  passions include healing through ecology and the Joy Of Dance.

Jennifer is a Latin dance and flamenco instructor based in Missoula and the Arts Coordinator for Viva Montana! With over 25 years of experience, she has taught in public schools, universities, and community settings across the U.S. and abroad. A performer and educator, Jennifer is passionate about building an inclusive, vibrant dance culture that honors the roots of the styles she loves.

Learn more about Jennifer!

Viva  Montana is thrilled to welcome Michael John Saltus to Missoula this year. 

A  former Grizzly football player (Go Griz!), Michael now lives in San  Diego, where he teaches, performs, and travels to festivals across the  United States, sharing his passion for Latin dance.

Michael and his partner Anjali will perform for us then teach a short community class, to move us all into the Latin groove in preparation for all the great live music to follow.

Michael  shared: “Finally teaching in Missoula, Montana! I’m very honored to go  do what I love and give to that community. Blessed to help grow the  dance scene and continue building the dance community!"

Son Montaña is a latin musical group based out of the mountains of Missoula, Montana. Their music is a dynamic blend of acoustic Cuban son, folkloric rumba drumming, salsa, boleros, and a few other latin genres sprinkled in. 

Missoula Samba is a community group playing percussion-based styles of music from Rio de Janeiro (samba batucada) and Salvador (samba reggae). The music is traditionally played during carnival parades throughout Brazil and can be heard throughout Brazil. The bateria (percussion ensemble) is made up of a number of different instruments, including surdos (bass drums played with mallets), caixa (snare drum), repenique, tamborim, chocalho, and agogo bell.  Founded in 2024 with support from Arts Missoula, Missoula Samba performs at community events, offers public classes, and brings educational clinics to local schools. LEARN MORE!

Get ready to move with Garden City Salsa! Founded by Kenny and Michelle, Garden City Salsa is building a welcoming Missoula dance community where salsa is accessible to dancers of all levels—and where having a family doesn’t mean having to leave dance behind.

At ¡Viva Montana!, Garden City Salsa brings that energy to the stage with a salsa choreography set to the music of Bad Bunny, blending contemporary Latin music with the connection, movement, and joy of partner dance.

Whether you’re already a dancer or have been waiting for an excuse to start, come cheer them on and discover Missoula’s growing salsa community!

Heather Adams has spent decades as a dancer, choreographer, educator, producer, and advocate for the arts. Her journey with Spanish dance began at age 13 with Lydia Torea’s Spanish Dance Company in Phoenix and continued through a BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts and professional training in New York City.

A fixture in Missoula’s arts community since 1999, Heather founded the Downtown Dance Collective and led the organization for 13 years. She now serves as Executive Director of Arts Missoula, where she continues her work supporting arts education, advocacy, and cultural celebration throughout the community.

At ¡Viva Montana!, Heather returns to her early roots in Spanish dance, leading a flamenco performance followed by a community Sevillanas class—inviting everyone to experience the music, rhythm, and joy of dancing together.