Rafael Steyners was born in Guantanamo City, Cuba. At the age of 5 was selected to join an academy to study ballet and contemporary dance techniques. At the age of 12 he attended to his first professional school of dance where Rafael studied modern & contemporary dance (including ballet and Cuban dances) for 3 years.

After a demanding audition he was accepted at one of the most prestigious schools of arts in the country: The National School of Scenic Arts, in Havana. There, he specialized in all traditional Latin dances such as Salsa, Merengue, Cha-Cha-Cha, Mambo, Conga and Afro-Cuban dances. He also has learned international dance forms such as Jazz, Rock, Tango, Flamenco, Samba and many others.

While studying at the National School of Ballet he was deeply interested in other art programs offered at the school, so he took lessons on singing, acting and guitar. He discovered not only having a passion for dancing but also for singing. By the age of 15 he has performed in several dance videos, dance commercials, soap operas, shows for national audience and special performances for Cuban events. He was also performing with some of the highest dance companies of Cuba.

After graduating and getting his certificate with honours, he then went to work at the very well known club “Tropicana de Cuba” in Veradero. Then moved on to be a dancer at “El Senador Hotel” in Cayo Coco, Cuba. At both, the Tropicana and El Senador not only he did performed as a dancer but he was also a singer.

In Toronto, he taught at one of the well-known dance studios, Arthur Murray. He also teaches “Cuban Style” Latin dance in groups and privately. Rafael is currently a member of the Ire Omo Dance Company and Mambo Dream Team Dance Company. With the last one he has taken part of four Salsa Congresses, touring throughout the biggest Salsa events in the world such as Berlin -Germany, Toronto -Canada, Warsaw –Poland and Acapulco in Mexico.