Welcome to Sixth Annual Seattle Salsa

Our great lineup of instructors for Our Dream Workshops!

	Eddie Torres "I've danced out of joy, I've danced out of pain. This is the kind of dance where if you want to jump up and say 'Azucar!' like Celia, and you want to move your shoulders and bob your head, this is where you can do it and it's O.K. It's cool. And it's hip. You can be you." Click here to read Eddie's full bio.


	Griselle Ponce An award-winning instructor and one of the most decorated Latin dancers in the world. Griselle is an accomplished choreographer, model, and actress. Known for her exceptional styling on the dance floor and her fierce aggression on stage, she exudes grace, beauty, and charisma and will help you get in touch with your inner diva. With her excellent ability to deliver her knowledge and skills, it is guaranteed that her workshops will greatly enhance any student's motivation and dance abilities. Griselle was and raised absorbing sounds that emanated in and around the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. From an early age, Griselle started conquering many talent shows and beauty pageants. Needless to say, she was born for the stage. Griselle travels extensively around the world, performing and teaching Salsa. After having trained many talented students, she put together an ensemble of her finest students to create Taima, an Afro-Puerto Rican dance company that performed exciting and energetic routines internationally. Besides teaching at her school, The House Of Dance, Griselle teaches at many local schools and supports the arts for children.


	Amanda Estilo Amanda, the Queen Of Styling, started dancing as a young girl in the Dominican Republic with family and friends. Her first competition was with Julio De La Salsa. Soon after, she performed with Eddie Torres, Seaon Bristol, Jose "El Canario", and many others. She is always sexy and graceful on the dance floor but a humble and genuine person on the inside. Seon has described her as follows: "No one has the grace, the elegance, the class, and definitely the STYLE like her. She has a way of commanding the dance floor and making an audience spellbound when watching her perform." She attributes her strong presence on the dance floor to the music and her interpretation of it as she dances. For Amanda, styling is everything with the exception of when it interferes with her partner. She believes that styling is simply an extension of your personality and what you are feeling from the music. She loves performing and also the unplanned element of social dancing. Amanda always aims to share her talents through the constant development, growth, and encouragement of other dancers via instruction, both verbally and technically.


	Jayson Molina Jayson has been in the Salsa business for over 20 years. Starting at the age of 8, he began under the guidance of Mambo King, Eddie Torres, and has grown artistically as a dancer to be one of the headliners of Salsa congresses worldwide. He is one of the reasons why people travel thousands of miles across the globe to events like the Puerto Rico Salsa Congress and West Coast Salsa Congress. Jayson has been teaching ever since the age of 12, growing up in New York City where the soul of Salsa comes from. He has traveled the world spreading the Salsa fever and creating international awareness everywhere his path has taken him. He has shared the stage with stars such as Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, and Oscar D'Leon. Jayson was one of the first to bring Salsa to Europe and because of his love for teaching, he opened up his own dance school in Rome, Italy in 2001. He spends about 50 percent of his time away from home, attending congresses, teaching workshops, performing, choreographing, and training groups.


	Sergio Jasso & Gabriela Equiz-Jasso Sergio Jasso was born in Mexico City, where he grew up listening to Salsa and Cumbia. In 2000 he moved to San Diego, CA where he developed his Salsa technique and joined Majesty in Motion. In 2005, he formed his own company, calling it Onfire. In 2006, Sergio and Gaby joined to form Alma Latina and immediately had great successes in their first year, gaining a reputation nationally and internationally with their unique style of dance and the superior quality with which they train their students and dancers. Sergio and Gaby are currently ranked among the top 10 best dancers in the world according to ESPN world salsa championships and the World Latin Dance Cup. Gabriela Equiz-Jasso began training as a dancer when she was 4 years old. She studied Ballet and Flamenco in the best schools in Mexico City, Tijuana and Los Angeles. As an adult, she made a career in Electronic Systems Engineering in the city of Tijuana and later she enrolled into a masters program in Robotics. While living in LA, she attended an audition that led to a recording contract to sing in the international quintet i5 and go on tour opening concerts by artists such as Britney Spears and 'N Sync, among others. At the same time, she met the world of Salsa and it was then that she fell in love with this kind of dancing. In 2004, Gaby returned to Tijuana and opened an academy of performing arts, like the one she attended when she was a little girl in which she could lead children wishing to develop their artistic abilities. Gaby is one of the most recognized female dancers in South California and Mexico.


	Corey Raynor & Mireille Ruiz Corey Raynor learned to dance Forro in Brazil, competed in Ballroom dance in college, and was a principle dancer with Salsamania and Beyond Dreamz dance companies. Mireille Ruiz grew up immersed in dance, gymnastics, and Latin percussion in Mexico. After moving to the U.S. she performed and toured with the Latin Symbolics and Couture Dance Alliance. Corey and Mireille have been dancing together since they were the premiere performers at the first San Francisco International Bachata Festival in 2009. Since then, they have been U.S. Salsa Open Bachata Champions, founded Bachata Y Mas Dance Co., directed a team of 30 wonderful Bachata performers, and helped significantly grow the Bachata scene in the Bay Area. They are currently in demand all over the world for their entertaining but extremely challenging Bachata workshops and fun performances. In addition to their Bachata career, Mireille Ruiz is an accomplished Cumbia dancer and instructor and Corey produces Hot Bachata Nights, one of the hottest dance parties in California. They are honored to share their love of Bachata with the dancers of Seattle and excited to see how the Northwest gets down!


	Alien Ramirez Alien was born in the city of Bayamo, Cuba. Her interest in the art of dancing started at a very early age. Since she was 4 years old, she never stopped dancing. Alien started her professional dance training at the Escuela de Instructores de Arte in Cuba where she developed her skills in several different types of dances. Some of these styles include Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Modern, Flamenco, Cuban folklore and, of course, all Latin styles and Afro-Cuban as well as gymnastics. Not only has she trained as a dancer but she also graduated as a trained instructor. At the age of nineteen she arrived to the United States, hoping to make her dreams come true. When in Miami, she obtained several recognitions and won the World Salsa Federation Championship 2004 in two different divisions. Also she won the World Salsa Casino Style Championship in Miami in 2004. At the age of twenty one, she moved to Los Angeles. She has since worked and partnered with many top professionals in Los Angeles such as Alex Da Silva, Cristian Oviedo, Rodrigo Guzman, Grizzly Hidriago and many others. Alien has worked as a dancer for several television shows, video clips, TV commercials and as an assistant choreographer for the TV shows "So You Think You Can Dance" (2005 to 2008). She has also traveled around the world. These days, Alien is one of the most important figures in the Salsa scene. She is the director of Rumba Son y Mas and Tropidanza Dance Team. Her style is very unique and captures the attention of the public. She confessed that dancing is her way of expressing her thoughts and feelings. Her passions makes people around her love Salsa even more. People not only admire her for her style but also for her sweet personality. Her dancing style implies flavor, elegance and sensuality. All her abilities and experience are combined into her very own unique style.


	Grizzly Hidriago Grizzly hails from Caracas, Venezuela and has been dancing since the age of nine in several different genres including Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Cabaret/Theatre Arts, Latin, and several different styles of Salsa. After Becoming an expert in Salsa infused with the explosive tricks and lifts that he is known for, he formed his own dance company which is renown for its professionalism and innovative choreography. He has performed and competed at Salsa congresses and competitions all over the world, including the Los Angeles, Puerto Rico, Korea, Paris, along with the ESPN World Salsa Championships. He is currently the promoter for the Venezuela Salsa Congress.


	Janette Valenzuela One of the creators of LA style Salsa. She was recruited from her high school to study Afro-Haitian dance with live percussionists. Upon graduation, Janette lived in southern Spain and studied Flamenco. After returning to the US and while attending college, she vigorously immersed herself in the dance program with an emphasis in Jazz. Janette also studied Modern and Ballet, taking 20 hours of lessons a week from world renowned masters. She then joined the jazz dance company, 'Danc'n Etc', and worked herself up to principal dancer. One day, a friend told her about Salsa lessons. Within 3 weeks, Janette was the assistant instructor. A year later she recruited Joby Martinez, (aka Joby Brava Aranda) to join her. Within a few months, Janette, Joby and Luis Vazquez founded Salsa Brava Dance Company, the first established Salsa dance company in LA. The dancers were in constant demand to teach, perform, and choreograph. Janette competed at the first Mayan Salsa Competition in 1996 and placed as a finalist but then won that same year at the Sportsmans Lodge. She began to work with movie stars such as Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, and Vanessa Williams and was cast to perform with Cheyenne in Dance With Me. Janette began to travel the world to perform, teach, and choreograph. She started JJ's Salsa Japan and now is the creator of City of Angels Salseras — an all top pro female dance company. Janette was honored at the LA Salsa Congress for her achievements in Salsa in 2005 and received awards from the Tokyo Salsa Congress in 2008. She is also the creator of Ladies Day of Latin Dancing workshops, the most successful ladies styling workshops in LA where over 100 women attend to learn the latest styling techniques.


	Wilfredo Guilbiac Rodriguez Wilfredo translates music into movements with an ease and a command born of years of commitment and of a raw, compelling, innate talent. He was born in Havana, Cuba and from his earliest steps it was clear that he would enter the most prestigious dance training program in the world, the National School of Arts (ENA). He graduated eight years later as a professional dancer and quickly became a sought after dance soloist and choreographer. Between 1995 and 1999 he performed with several highly acclaimed Cuban dance groups and was a dancer and regular soloist at the one and only Tropicana in Havana Cuba. Due to his exceptional talent he was selected to travel the world and dance as a representative of Cuba. In 1999 he was selected by Mexico to dance and choreograph as a contract artist representing Cuba. In Ensenada, Mexico he formed the Timbas Academy. Wilfredo was the first to bring the tropical dance styles to this area of Mexico. Over the next ten years he won multiple awards as he created works of art in dance for the Mexican government, local communities and universities. He has choreographed for several successful contestants who competed in the famous Mexican show, Bailando por un Sueño (the Mexican equivalent of our Dancing With the Stars). Wilfredo brings the richness of the exotic Afro-Cuban styles and has elevated the bar with his innovative methodologies, teaching Salsa, Cha Cha Cha, Mambo, and Bachata. His generous nature invites even the most reluctant of students to take a chance with dance because with every pulsing beat, his students are reassured that this extraordinary instructor can instill the basics of dance in all who are willing to try. His is indeed a rare talent.


	Karisma Upon its onset, Karisma Dance Company immediately captured the attention of the mambo community. They possess a rare charm and appeal. Under the leadership of Victor Mayovanex, Karisma has performed is several on the most prestigious venues in New York City. In addition, the company has opened for some of the most famous Salsa bands in the world. It is an ever present dedication to style and grace in their dancing which gives Karisma its name. With invitations to perform in the Dominican Republic, Canada, and Italy, it is their goal to continue reaching audiences outside of the mambo community and establish Karisma as one of the finest international companies in Latin dance.


	Johnny Vazquez Johnny Vazquez is without a doubt one of the most sought after dancers in Salsa. Johnny took the Salsa world by storm when he began his career over 13 years ago in Los Angeles. He is consider to be among the pioneers in Salsa and was crowned "El Principe De La Salsa" by none other than Mr. Eddie Torres, The King of Salsa. He will be commandeering Launchpad, along with fellow Salsanaut, Jennifer Sivas. For full bio and program details, blast off.


	Jennifer Silvas Jennifer Silvas has been dancing for 26 years and is trained in all styles: Jazz, Hip-Hop, Ballet, Tap, Salsa, and Swing. She has travelled all around the world performing and teaching and is known for her charisma and technique that she brings to the stage! She will be commandeering Launchpad, along with fellow Salsanaut, Johnny Vazquez. For full bio and program details, blast off.


	Lucy Walker Brazilian Zouk instructor, Lucy Walker, comes to us from Sydney Australia. She's currently teaching and leading a Zouk Performance Team at Symbolic Dance and Fitness in San Francisco. Lucy has been dancing Rio style Zouk since 2006 and has studied with the best. She has also been influenced by performing Neo-Zouk (which is heavily influenced by R&B). Lucy has performed traditional Lambada with Brazilian Fantasy Show in Sydney and China. Within the past year, Lucy has taken her love of Zouk and dance worldwide. She performed on the streets of both Cuba and Brazil, visited the French Caribbean (home to "Zouk-love" music and dance) and even taught daily dance classes to disabled children in a south-Indian orphanage. With a background in gymnastics and sports acrobatics and a regular yoga practice, Lucy has also trained as a teacher of acrobatic yoga and is a private flexibility coach. She includes a thorough warm up to prepare the body in all of her Zouk classes. With over ten years experience as a street Latin dancer as well as a year and a half of full-time dance training (Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, etc), Lucy Walker has become a versatile and vibrant performer and an insightful teacher.


	Leslie Leslie is among the most in demand Salsa/Bachata instructors and performers in the world. Her goal is to use her passion, knowledge and energy to inspire people to “Dance their way through Life! Leslie is the current co-director/creator of Bachata Caliente, L.A.‘s first Bachata company and host of the Annual L.A. Bachata Festival. Click here to read more.