Being a Dominican-native and raised in the urban neighborhoods of Paterson, NJ makes it easy to understand how Alex began his musically artistic journey. He admits to always identifying with music of all genres. "Music can make you go through a range of so many different emotions - sadness, excitement, melancholy, love...it's beautiful. "Despite the presence of Latin music at home and in his surroundings he found himself more drawn to mainstream POP, R&B and Dance. "My mom would want me to get up and dance at family parities, but I was too embarrassed. I would want to listen to Michael or Madonna instead". As he got older, however he began to grow more of an appreciation for Latin music. Meeting one of his relative from Dominican Republic allowed him to experiment with the body movements and steps involved in interpreting the music through the art of dance. He was very much into dancing his native music of Merengue and Bachata and would dance to it every opportunity he got at local clubs and parties.

Soon after graduating college, Alex quickly sought after a dance instructor in the NJ area. Alex made the decision to begin lessons with renowned instructor, choreographer and director of Caribbean Soul Dance Co. Ismael Otero - also known as the "Million Moves Man". After the first few lessons, Alex eagerly snuck over to the intermediate side of the class although merely knowing 2 basic steps. That day, Ismael pointed out - "You, in the back" show me your basic step...see that's the problem, perfect your basic step". From that day forward Alex worked very hard to learn as much as he could while perfecting his basic steps.

With time Alex's dancing evolved - he would take moves he learned in class and hone them to his own style. With the help of both instructors Shani Talmor and Ismael Otero Alex was able to grow both musically and technically. After a while, Alex was then asked to join Caribbean Soul's professional dance team. Not exactly sure of what being in a professional dance group meant, Alex reluctantly accepted. "I just always wanted to dance, never had I imagined dancing on stage for others". Two things Alex had always been self-conscious about is his appearance and his dance background. When you think of a dancer, you don't necessarily think of someone with an above average waistline. The second factor was the fact that he has never undergone any formal dance training anywhere. Performing with a professional dance team would involve showcasing to the world his passion for dance.

Alex hopes to motivate and inspire other aspiring dancers or those who may feel reluctant about stepping foot on the dance floor. He plans on continuing to exercise his passion for dance and hopes to bring joy and smiles to more and more people across the world with hsi style of dance

Funky, crazy, sexy and elegant after all... that is the best way to describe her dance style. From her 7th birthday her life is dedicated to dance: Ballet, African, Streetdance, Brazilian; all these styles were practiced in many dance groups. After a trip to Curaçao 14 years ago, she had to learn Salsa! Since then she provided many performances and workshops in The Netherlands and abroad. In addition, she gives for already 8 years Salsa lessons, Ladystyling and Streetdance at several dance schools. Aronnette is a Zumba certified instructror as well.

Ismael Otero is one of the best salsa/mambo Instructor/Choreographers in the world, and his group, the Caribbean Soul Dancers, is one of the most exciting and creative dance companies to watch. The company has taught and performed for countless people all over the world. Their performances always leave the audience with the feeling of, "How the hell did they do that"? Ismael has a way of creating dance magic in every performance.

The Caribbean Soul Dance Company was founded in 1997. Ismael Otero wanted to show everyone his unique style and bring out the best out ofhis dancers.Together they have traveled all over the world to give everybody a taste of CaribbeanSoul. With his unique way of thinking, using the creative dance form of the streets,combining the technique and the passion for the music, Caribbean Soul is now one of the best show teams in the world.Caribbean Soul is mainly known for its originality and people always say "we cant wait to see what the will come up next"it's always changing the norm in salsa routines.

Today Caribbean Soul still do what they do best and thats bring out the best out of their students and create new out of the ordinary shows.

Gabryel born in Seville, Spain. It has always been interested in music and dance, which led him to learn dances as Sevillanas, flamenco, ballroom, Latin, etc. He was introduced into the Latin dance, especial y Bachata, immediately began to develop his style and technique.

He decided to travel to Santo Domingo in the search for the roots of Bachata and learned different styles. His style is very strong and very sensual and merges with some other styles (traditional Dominican), but with some very strange interpretations. For him, interpretation is the key to bachata.

Gabryel has a very personal and particular style. Heavily influenced by the Italian and Spanish style style.A with energy and expressiveness.

The passion for Bachata makes it important event promoter, creating exclusive parties Bachata since 2005. Bego Gabryel & Bachata organized the biggest event of Spain, TODOBACHATA, with an attendance of over 1500 people worldwide.

Begoña born in Seville and began its first steps in dance 10 years ago. In the world of Spanish dance. Begoña has a very sensual style. His influences are Dominican, Italian and Spanish style, a fusion that makes it special and different.

Begoña & Gabryel and Spain became champion of Bachata. Increasingly, Begoña and Gabryel are internationally recognized as the leading exponent of Bachata in Spain.

The number of styles and shades are very different from what they teach in their workshops: Bachata Sensual, Bachatango, Acrobatic Bachata, Rueda de Bachata, Bachata funky, Bachata Style girl, girl style.

Guatú began August 2009 and consists of a couples team and an inaugural all girls team. While we are dedicated to preserving the integrity of the traditional Dominican style of bachata, we believe in the cultural evolution of it as well. Our approach is unique in that it incorporates a variety of styles, including modern bachata, sensual bachata, urban bachata, and bachata-tango fusion, in addition to the Dominican style. We believe that bachata is a dance for everyone. Our team truly embodies cultural diversity with team members from Brazil, Cuba, The Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Spain, Mexico, Venezuela, and the United States of America.

To complete our mission, we have performed in various venues in Central Florida and Atlanta, allowing the general public to experience the beauty of bachata. We have performed nationally at the Reno International Bachata Convention and look forward to competing at the July 2010 San Francisco International Bachata Convention. Our team is thrilled to have the chance to represent Orlando in an arena that hosts dancers from cities and countries around the globe such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Charlotte, Boston, Washington D.C., Thailand, Italy, Australia, and Lithuania.

Currently one of the most sought after salsa instructors / choreographers in the industry today. A professional dancer since his teens, Joe Figueroa has pushed the boundaries of the dance world with his exciting and innovative style of freestyle salsa.

Joe began his career as a professional dancer for MTV Studios, and his unique style and talent quickly secured his reputation in New York City. Joe's extensive background in Freestyle, Pop and Hip Hop ultimately led him to work with legendary choreographer Jamie King, who has choreographed for an impressive array of stars including Britney Spears, Shakira and Madonna.

In 2000, this accomplished artist and choreographer transitioned his passion and talent to the art of salsa dancing and quickly became a prominent figure on Philadelphia's burgeoning salsa scene with his unique body movement and choreography. Known as a premiere salsa instructor and performer, Joe has trained under the guidance of Rogelio Moreno, Jesus Morales, Josie Neglia, world-renowned salsa dancer Alex DaSilva, as well as with master salsa instructors in London, Milan and Australia. Joe combined his extensive knowledge of dance and creativity to develop a distinctive style of salsa dancing known as "Philly Style Salsa" — an explosive salsa style that combines smooth moves with sharp, complicated turn patterns. This unique style has earned Joe the reputation of the hottest salsero on the East Coast.

Jorjet Alcocer – is the most versatile dancer on the planet. Known as the "Salsa MVP", she has traveled the world both leading and following On1 and On2, Bachata, Pachanga and Punta. Jorjet’s natural style amazes her onlookers and has given her enormous respect from the Salsa elite. From teaching a Ladies styling class one hour to teaching an Advanced Partnerwork class the next hour, she can do it all. Other dances included: Tango, West Coast Swing, Hustle, Two Step, Waltz etc....

She has been featured globally in: Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, China, Croatia, Curacao, Dominican Republic, England, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Venezuela and all over the United States.

With her Sexy Side Kicks The Dominican Style Girls

Soledad Perez New Orleans/Dominican Republic

Bianca SanMartin New Orleans

Jorge Elizondo was born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, where the sounds of Mexico, the Caribbean, and the United States meet. In this unique environment, Jorge trained in music theory and Latin dance and developed "Bachata Fusion," a style of dance that combines turn patterns and body movements from traditional Bachata, Tango, Cha Cha, and Salsa with many original moves. The end result is an expressive, active style of dance that removes all barriers and allows dancers to be more creative.

Formerly a public school teacher, Jorge's passion for teaching equals his passion for dancing. His Bachata BootCamp tour has taken him to over 350 cities throughout North America, South America, Asia, Australia, Europe, where he has taught tens of thousands of students.

Throughout all his journeys, he has continued to develop new concepts to share with the world. He has produced 27 instructional DVDs ranging from beginning bachata to salsa, and his work has been sold in over 40 countries. His strong leading abilities and worldwide exposure also earned him a place in the "World's Best Leads" DVD created by the world-renowned Edie the Salsa Freak.

Jorge's mission is to spread the love of bachata all over the world and encourage people to live a healthier, more active lifestyle.

Zouk NY is a team of Brazilian Zouk dancers in NYC. We teach weekly zouk classes, offer workshops with experts from around the world, and host zouk parties and events. If you don't live in New York, we can also come visit you! If you are interested, please visit one of our classes or events.

For information on upcoming classes, parties and events please check our calendar or email Kim: ZoukNY@gmail.com

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Romina Hidalgo has been dancing Lamba-Zouk for 18 years. She started at 8 years of age with her teachers Fabiola Prestes and Gilson Damasco (world famous for teaching Lamba-Zouk in various cities throughout the world). At 16 she became Gilson's assistant, teaching and promoting Lamba-Zouk in Buenos Aires, and subsequently becoming an independent teacher at 18.

She has recently performed alongside Braz dos Santos, Gilson Damasco and Dikla Tamti, at Suzanna Lubrano's live concerts in various Latin music festivals in Holland.

While working and Teaching in Holland, Romina also starred in a set of dance instructional DVDs, teaching Lamba-Zouk to beginner, intermediate and advanced students. The set is being distributed in various countries, including Israel, England, Spain, Holland, USA, Brazil and Argentina, among others.

In addition to Lamba-Zouk, Romina also dances other styles including Samba de Gafiera, Axe, Samba Do Pe, Fabric and Latin Rhythms.

Shani Talmor, born and raised in Israel, has traveled worldwide presenting her sensual and sexy Salsa style. Trained in a variety of dance styles, including Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Samba and Afro-Cuban,

Shani is an energetic and explosive dancer! She is world-renowned for her unique, sensuous styling and body movement on and off the dance floor. Shani has powerful stage presence and a passionate love for teaching.

She began establishing her name in the Latin world in Israel in 2000, as part of the Israeli Salsa Academy "Latino Del Mundo" directed by Lior Petel and Ronen "Paco" Biran. Shani has been teaching and performing at Latin cultural events and TV shows in Israel. She specializes in Cuban style, L.A style, ladies styling and Samba.

At the age of 20, Shani moved to Spain in order to further enhance her dance career and become part of the world-renowned salsa dance company known as "Imperio Azteca" directed by Johnny Vazquez and Ramon Morales.After only one year in the company, Shani became Johnny's permanent dance partner and the group's principal female dancer. She continues to be one of the most memorable former dancers in the company. In 2004, the group and its members were voted "Best Group of the Year: 2004" by the Europe salsa community.

In 2005, the group shifted its functions and activities to Italy and became part of "Academia Latina" located in Caravaggio, Bergamo. Shani taught various dance styles, including ladies styling, Cha Cha Cha, Samba, L.A style and Mambo in the academy. She performed most successfully with Johnny in numerous international salsa congresses, festivals and Latin associations throughout Europe.

After three years in the company, Shani moved to NYC to be part of Caribbean Soul Dance Co. directed by Ismael Otero.

Ismael and Shani have manifested an unique immersion of their individual styles, which also include all aforementioned dance styles (i.e., Cuban salsa, NY mambo, LA style, Hip-Hop and Jazz). Ismael and Shani have been traveling worldwide for approximately three years, performing and teaching, and making their mark wherever they go.

In addition to that, Shani founded and is the director of an All females ladies styling performance team calls “Shani’s Girls” which is performing most successfully in the past year and a half in many Latin events over the USA such as Washington DC, Boston, Connecticut, NY, Philadelphia, Puerto Rico, Miami and more.

In addition, Shani has been requested by choreographer, dancer and director, Sekou Mcmiller in September 2008, to join his Latin Jazz project “Proyecto Descarga” and perform most successfully at the NYC Salsa Congress 2008, Chicago salsa congress 2009 and the Puerto Rico Salsa Congress 2009. As well, Shani performed with the project with their Latin Jazz piece at “Sirens After Dark NYC” on February, 2009, directed by Choreographer and a dancer Ms. Rhapsody James.

In May 2009, Shani danced as a backup dancer at Ismael Miranda, A Salsa legend, 40 years anniversary concert in the United Palace in the Bronx, NYC and had the opportunity and honor to take part in such an important and historical event

With business and dance experience, Guatú Director Tate Lydia Blomquist leads the team through bi-weekly practices. While watching performances from versatile US teams at the 2009 San Francisco Bachata International Festival, Tate was inspired to bring the same unity to Orlando. Aware of the flourishing talent and enthusiasm for this passionate dance in Central Florida, Tate created a vision and implemented a plan to make her dream a reality….thus, Guatú was born.

Adrian Atoro, Amy Rocores, and Lottena ‘Auntie Ox’ make up Zoukalma – a group dedicated to spreading Brazilian Zouk in the nation’s capital. All three are notable dancers in their own right who fell in love with Zouk and decided to dedicate themselves to it entirely, pushing the limits and restrictions of American social dance. Already a certified ballroom instructor and accomplished Latin dancer, Adrian spent several years studying Zouk both in and out of the US before he began working intensely with his two partners, both of whom have now traveled extensively to further their skills. In addition to her years of experience as a Latin performer and instructor, Amy also brings her first-hand knowledge of Latin & Brazilian culture, dance, and language. Lottena’s background in non-partnering dance-forms such as DnB and House, combined with her years of Latin dance and now single-minded dedication to Zouk make her dancing unforgettable. Adrian and Lottena regularly perform through the DC-area while he and Amy teach weekly classes at Clavekazi Studios.