DANCE INSTRUCTION. Expertise: Argentine Tango & Latin Rhythms. Folklore Argentino.
Licensed: Dxf coach, Groove Facilitator. Martial Arts, Shotokan Karate. Conditioning. Self-defense.
Band
Jonathan Greene Grand Boubousse Band
founder of the Grand Boubousse Band is an in-demand clarinetist based in Saratoga Springs, NY. He is known by his peers and audiences alike for his lyrical phrasing, originality, and ability to adapt to a wide variety of styles, from classical, to jazz, to world music. As both a bandleader and sideman, Jonathan has performed with groups that shared the stage with Jay Leno, Marcus Roberts, Anat Cohen, Gabacho Maroc, Rebirth Brass Band among others. He has contributed to dozens of commercially recorded works, from CDs to TV commercials. Jonathan has also found success online with nearly 1.5 million Youtube views to date.
Jonathan has also applied his creative skills to the business world as an entrepreneur and consultant in the entertainment industry. Most notably, he is the Program Curator for the Flurry Festival, one of the largest folk dance and musical festivals in North America. Instruments: C, Bb, A Clarinets, Alto Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Sax, Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Bari Sax, Flute, Mbira (Zimbabwe), Marimba (Zimbabwe)
DJ's
Ballroom DJs Michelle & Bob Friedman
have been part of the ballroom dance word for the past 30 years. As avid dancers they started with Ballroom Dance Lessons, and for the past 17 years as professional DJs – specializing in Ballroom Music. In 2001 they even won Top Couple in a Good Morning America 25 hour dance marathon. They have a comprehensive music library of over 40,000 tracks, which includes all types of Ballroom, Smooth, Latin, Rhythm, Hustle, West Coast Swing, Argentine Tango and other specialty dances. They are northeast coast DJ favorites spanning NY, CT, NJ, PA, & DE areas, and are regulars at the world famous Stardust Dance Weekends. They are equally at home playing their music for Ballroom Socials, Showcases, Competitions, and professional performances for some of the world’s most famous ballroom couples. While preferences in music certainly vary from person to person, what they use as their criteria when choosing music to play is really very simple - does it make dancers feel like they just have to get up and move, or doesn’t it? They get great satisfaction when they watch dancers who were heading for their seats at the end of a song turn around and pull each other back out to the dance floor time and again as a new piece begins.
Latin DJ Harry Trinidad
mostly known as DJ Harry T. is a well-known Salsa DJ/Promoter in the NY Tri-state area since the year 2000. He is one of the Co-founders of Salsa Warriors Radio(www.salsawarriors.com) started in June of 2014 that is still going strong, serving Salsa lovers worldwide. Salsa music is his specialty, but he plays other Latin genres such as Bachata, Merengue, Cha Cha etc. He is also a resident DJ on the world-renowned Salsa Cruise (www.salsacruise.com) that’s sails every year. He has deejayed in clubs in NY, CT, MA, FL and Puerto Rico. Harry also managed the Salsa in the Catskills weekend for 8 straight years (2010-2018). He currently plays throughout Connecticut where he lives and in New York.
West Coast Swing/Hustle/California Mix DJ Philip C. Spinka
Working as a Disc Jockey, event planner & director for over 30 years, Philip has been invited to DJ at dance events around the country. Working as a professional dancer, instructor, & performer for nearly 20 years, Philip received teaching certifications in Hustle & West Coast Swing from the IHDA & GPDIA. As a competitor, he won & placed in hundreds of events, including Rising Star placements. Excelling at West Coast Swing, Hustle & Theater Arts, he also trained in Ballroom, Tango, Latin, Country, Ballet & Jazz. Based in New York at Stepping Out Studio for several years, Philip taught & performed in NY & across the USA. On staff at Stardust Dance Productions for nearly 20 years, he has worked in NY & on cruise ships. Philip now teaches mostly at his “Studio 221” in Clarks Summit, PA.
Argentine Tango DJ Maia Martinez
is an Argentine Tango dance instructor & performer. Maia has been focusing on building the Tango community in the Hudson Valley for the last decade. In efforts to expand Tango, she started DJing for her own events where she found great joy and discovered a new exciting way to make people dance. For the last few years Maia has been exploring and learning about the magical world of Argentine Tango DJ’s. Maia takes DJing very seriously, which means she knows we must have fun. She brings an exciting selection of well known pieces with a few delightful and fresh tunes. A Milonga with Maia is a dance party!
Dance Instructors
Richard Givney-Dance Instructor
has a successful twenty four years’ experience in all aspects of the ballroom dancing industry through cultivating and achieving personal, professional and educational goals. He competed professionally in International Latin; has his teaching certifications in multiple syllabi, including both American and International dances, and franchised and independent curriculums. He continues to take lessons with top professionals for teaching and personal dance goals. Last year his ballroom dance program won the 2012 Best in Monmouth County, NJ Health & Life Magazine’s “Reader’s Choice Award”. Richard is available for private or semi-private lessons.
Cameron Johnson-Dance Instructor
Hailing from South Africa, Cameron Johnson started his dancing career at the age of 5, under the tutelage of his parents.Cameron is the unbeaten South African International Standard Champion in the Junior, Amateur and Professional ranks. In 1996 Cameron represented South Africa in the Open Fleetwood Professional Championship in Blackpool, England and was placed 6th. Also in 1996, Cameron represented South Africa in the Open French Masters Professional Championship on the Isle of Reunion and was placed 3rd. In 2000, Cameron was invited to immigrate and teach in the USA, where he has since made his home. In 2008, Cameron represented the USA at the World Pro/Am Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina and was placed 1st. To date, Cameron is still active in the competitive Pro/Am arena where he teaches and moulds his students into the best dancers they can be. Since 1995, Cameron started studying to do his professional qualification exams and In 1996, achieved a Highly Commended pass rate as an Associate in International Standard through the South African National Council of Ballroom Dancing. In 1999, Cameron also achieved a Highly Commended pass rate as an Associate in International Latin and a Highly Commended pass rate as a Licentiate in International Standard through the United Kingdom Alliance in London, England.
Hunter Houde-Instructor/Entertainer
is a Latin Dancer based out of New York City with over 10 years of professional experience teaching and performing. Hunter has been competing for 10 years and recently placed third in the world at the World Salsa Summit with his partner Dawn Eng competing in the New York Style Salsa division. He has also recently branched out into film and theatre playing a lead role in the off-Broadway immersive theatre production "Carmen: to Havana and Back" and danced in the ensemble of the recently released film "In the Heights." Hunter currently is a member of the world-renowned group "Latin Soul Dancers" by Adolfo Indacochea and continues to dance and train in New York City where he resides.
Joyce Henderson-Dance Instructor
Founder and Executive Director, Faith In Motion Dance Studio. Joyce was born in Brooklyn, but has lived in the Hudson Valley for over 30 years. She has 20 years of Ballroom and Latin teaching and performing experience that includes over 10 years of Author Murray training and competitive dance. Joyce specializes in Latin and Ballroom genres but also teaches Hustle, Hip Hop and liturgical dancing. With Joyce's extensive dance background and her passion for teaching, Faith In Motion Dance Studio was founded and opened over 4 years ago and has been growing and thriving ever since. Faith In Motion teaches the genres of Salsa, Argentine Tango, Bachata, Rumba, Samba, Swing, Foxtrot, Waltz as well as Hip Hop, African dance and much more! Joyce takes great pride that Faith In Motion is invited to perform throughout the Hudson Valley all year long (i.e. annual Hudson Valley Fiesta Latina, YMCA's Cultural Day, Goshen's Great American Weekend, as well as various Chamber of Commerce events). Our Instructors have extensive experience and are committed and dedicated to seeing each and every student grow into the best dancers they are fully convinced they can be! All the while having fun doing what we all love to do....dance!
Maia Martinez & David Salvatierra-Dance Instructors
are Directors and instructors of Dojo Dance Company. They bring a refreshing touch to the dance community of The Hudson Valley, New York. Dojo dance company is a Dance school located in Hudson valley that performs and teaches Argentine Tango, Latin Rhythms & Martial Arts. Their main goals are to share cultural values, create community through dance and improve life style by inspiring people to move. Dance Company opens a new way for people to learn HOW to dance, HOW to connect with themselves and then to everyone else. They are truly committed to their students, and offer an unique style, original and organic of teaching/learning. They are able to connect your inner and outside music!!
Linda Leverock-Dance Instructor
has been partner dancing for 30 years. She has traveled the northeast learning, instructing, and competing in Swing, Hustle and Country 2 step. Ballroom and Latin dance are a few more of her favorites. Linda has enjoyed performing and instructing for many years in the community of Oneonta and for the Ballroom U.S.A Dance Southern Tier Chapter and Southern Tier Swing Dance Society in Endicott, N.Y. She is registered with The World Swing Dance Council Points Registry in the Advanced Swing Division. She has won many first place prizes and made the finals in competitions leading and following in WCS, Hustle, and Swustle. She has taken numerous intensive workshops and hundreds of workshops and privates with Dance Pros and continues to do so as she goes to weekend competitions through out the Northeast. She has completed Global Professional Dance Instructors Association (GPDIA) beginner and intermediate courses and is now a certified GPDIA instructor. She has studied with: Skippy Blair, Mario Robau, Robert Royston, John Lindo, Robert Cordoba, Donna Desimone, Debra Hampton and many more top pro’s. Dancing is fun and creative also keeps the mind and body young. Dance is the sign language of music …so Let’s dance.
Fitness Instructors
Marion Panos-Fitness Instructor
Belly Dance Instructor - In 2009, Marion joined our fitness staff and teaches Belly Dance classes at the weekends. Marion is trained in several styles of dance, including jazz, modern, Afro-Brazilian, African, Middle Eastern and Ballroom. She is proficient in American style ballroom and Latin and has also studied International Standard. She competed around the country at the pro-am level in American style ballroom and Latin for many years. She was a professional Middle Eastern dancer and has been teaching Belly Dance for more than 15 years.
Molly Gelsomino-Fitness Instructor
Molly will be having morning Stretch classes Saturday and Sunday at 9:00 am to get you ready to dance. Originally from Upstate, New York. She has a diverse background in the arts, including a BA in Dance from the University at Buffalo, over 15 years of performance and choreography in concert dance and 6 years as a Dance Educator in the Brooklyn Public Schools. Molly is a former professional cheerleader for the AFL, and spent 6 years in NYC as a Co-Artistic Director for The Movement Collective Dance Company. As a newer resident of Sullivan County, Molly found Zumba® to be the most exciting way to fuse her passion for dance. music and fitness. Molly enjoys inspiring her clients and encouraging her classes to feel the music, join the party and have a fun fitness experience upon stepping into the studio.
Entertainers
Guillermina Quiroga & Mariano Logiudice
Guillermina has been several times on Broadway with Forever Tango at Schubert Theatre, and the mythical and original Tango Argentina at Gershwin Theatre; with Julio Iglesias, on his three years worldwide Tango tour. She created her own production “Tango, historias breves”in 2003, with a very successful tour in the US, New York, Boston, LA with sold out performances; She was selected for Claudio Segovia (creator and director of Broadway hit Tango Argentina) to perform at” Maipo sempre Maipo” as a principal dancer in Buenos Aires; also, in 2008 she obtained the recognition “Outstanding women in tango “by the Argentinian Congress. In a different facet of her career, she did her debut as an actress in the movie “Valentina’s Tango” filmed in Hollywood, in the leading role of Valentina, and also been the choreographer of the movie; on her choreographic works we found the finale ”Lo que vendra” in Forever Tango with a Tony awards nomination ; the movie “12 Tangos”, the tv series “Rusky-Korsakov”,and “Libertango” for the Russian ice skaters dancers Gritsuk-Platov, with which they won the Gold medal in Nagano 1998,and the first place on the World Competition 1997. One of the most remarkable choreographies she created and performed was “Oblivion”, for a Homage to Piazzolla at Carnegie Hall in 1999, breaking the concept of the standard tango and opening a new dimension to stage tango. As a soloist Tango dancer was part of the opera rock EVITA at New York City Center, and recently, has been chosen to homage and represent the show Tango Argentina at the closing night of World Tango championship of the city of Buenos Aires.
Mariano belongs to a new generation of tango dancers, been a multiphonemic one, as he also is a World Champion of Martial Arts, Psychologists and Physical education teacher. He has been teaching and preforming in different Tango Festivals around the world, Napoli’s, France, Tunis, Shanghai, Hong Kong, San Francisco ATUSA, Buenos Aires World Tango Championship and Festival. Mariano has been doing exhibitions at the most important milongas (tango venues) in Bs As, as Canning, Malcolm, CCK arts center, Marabi, and other important places. In 2018 Mariano performed at Eastman Kodak Theatre with the Rochester Philharmonics Orchestra, in Rochester, NY; later, performed at Carnegie Hall, NY. In 2019 was part of the production of EVITA, the musical of Andrew Lloyd Weber, at New York City Center with a big success. Last month He did the show Tango Argentina as a live homage to his creator Claudio Segovia, at closing night of the World Tango championship, at the Obelisks in Buenos Aires.
Paolo Pasta Lanna & Lauren Bova
Choreographer | Dancer | Producer | Designer
Paolo is a 20 year veteran of Swing Dance specializing in the Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, Charleston and The Madison. Paolo and his original partner Janice Wilson were the first Lindy Hoppers to TOUR with with Wynton Marsalis & The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and in 1998 they won the American Swing Dance Championships. They performed with shows “Swing Dance America” and “Forever Swing” The Musical Revue featuring Michael Buble. Mr Lanna co-founded and launched the first Summer Jamboree Dance Camp in Italy, The Shake, Rhythm & Roll Festival in Asbury Park, and he’s the creative director of the Swing Remix dance spectacular in NYC. He coordinates dance teams Lindy Hop All-Stars, The Rhythm Stompers, and continues to hone his skills of the American born social dances, teaching and performing throughout the world. Joined by his long time dance partner Laurentina, their recent tours in Europe have included LIVE performances with Ray Gelato & The Giants at the Umbria Jazz festival in Perugia ITALY and the San Sebastian Jazz Festival in SPAIN. They currently appear in and run their newest programs at LINDYLAND.com an online swing hub.Paolo & Laurentina
Our love for all styles of swing is what helps define us in this world of partner dance. From the Charleston to The Carolina Shag, and from the Collegiate Shag, Balboa, Lindy Hop and Boogie Woogie, we find thrills and joy in all of them. It’s partly what drives us in our continued pursuit of excellence while keeping us humble & good humored. The years we’ve spent refining our connection and partnership has helped to bring character to our styles on the dance floor.
Our deep knowledge of these dances has also played a role in getting us invited to showcase on some of the biggest stages in the world from Lincoln Center’s ROSE HALL to The Umbria Jazz Festival. For our workshops, we look forward to sharing our knowledge and our joy for dance. Hopefully we will leave you with a stronger foundation of movement & vocabulary, improved techniques for partnering and an appreciation for the social dances that were born here in American in it’s heyday.
read more about Paolo & Laurentina at PaoloSwings.com
