Instructors
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Nancy Bocanegra
OWNER AND INSTRUCTOR
Nancy stepped into the world of Ballroom and Latin Dance where she was exposed to all sorts of partner dances such as Hustle, Tango, West Coast Swing, Foxtrot and Waltz. She found her passion in Salsa and other Latin rhythms (bachata, cha cha cha, merengue) and even competed with choreographed routines in Philadelphia, Miami, New York, and Montreal!
Nancy has danced with the Eddie Torres Jr Dancers and has performed during the halftime of Knicks and Liberty Games and alongside Tito Puente Jr. Additional performances include Fox News 5 segment.
She is also 200 HR Vinyasa Yoga certified which enhances her level of instruction in all areas. Today with 15+ years of experience in dancing and teaching, she continues to train with her coaches and teach others the foundations and concepts of partnerwork dancing.
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Andrea Ude
INSTRUCTOR
Originally a concert dance performer with a background in styles such as ballet, tap, jazz, modern and african, Andrea Ude holds a BFA in Dance Studies. Her partner dance career began with Ballroom in 2010, before she ventured to the social Latin dance scene of NYC teaching and performing in styles such as salsa, bachata, merengue, and cha-cha. With more than 30 years of dance experience, Andrea has used her diverse background to teach and connect with students for over a decade. She currently teaches salsa, bachata and merengue as the 2nd half of Swagchata and is a Co-Director/Choreographer of Latin fusion performance team, LFX Dancers.
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Brian Thomas "El Matatan"
INSTRUCTOR AND DJ
Brian "El Matatan" is an NYC-based Latin dance instructor & DJ with over 10 years of experience in the scene.
He is a co-founder of the "Swagchata" brand as well as the BachaDura Social Club, helping to spread Caribbean cultural awareness & social dance etiquette.
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Giuliana Totagiancaspro
INSTRUCTOR/ PERFORMER
Giuliana, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is a professional dancer and instructor with over 14 years of experience. Giuliana specializes in the different dance styles of jazz, salsa, modern, samba, and tango, having performed them in various stages, theaters, and television programs. Abroad, Giuliana taught salsa in Australia, danced as the lead role in Cancun’s Coco Bongo spectacle, participated in an axe moi company based out of Brazil, and toured with various Latin American artists. Giuliana was granted her artist visa in 2024 and has settled in New York City, where she remains a Latin Dance instructor.
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Maria Moreras
INSTRUCTOR / PERFORMER
María Moreras was born and raised in México City and moved to NYC in 2015 following her heart and passion for the performing arts.
She’s a professional Latin Dancer, instructor and choreographer who has traveled the world sharing her love and dedication to dance. Her background and strengths are in Salsa, Latin Jazz, Mambo, Afro-Cuban, and Heels.
She was recently part of the 2nd Broadway national tour ‘On Your Feet!’ goes here
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Daniel Leonor
INSTRUCTOR
Daniel (or Danny) started dancing when he was just 15 years old. Specializing in salsa/mambo on2, Danny has not only traveled the world but also worked with all the top NY teams which include Santo Rico, Karisma, Yamuleé, Descarga Latina. With 20+ years of experience, Daniel has used his talents to perform alongside many Latin music artists to include Ruben Blades, Cheo Feliciano, El Gran Combo & many many more. After taking a hiatus from dance due to health issues, Daniel looks to continue sharing his knowledge of the art of salsa with students and everyone alike. He is currently teaching at Somos Latin Dance & looks forward to seeing you all.
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Robert Arvidsson
INSTRUCTOR
Robert grew up in Sweden and began dancing at the age of 8, and started competing in Ballroom at the age of 11.
Along with his dance partner, Robert was honored to be ranked as Sweden’s best couple, representing the country in various international competitions and World Cups.
Robert moved to New York in 2012 and now brings over 35 years of experience as a dancer and over 25 years as an instructor. He specializes in Ballroom and wedding dances but also dances and teaches social dances like Salsa, Hustle, West Coast Swing.
Additional Highlights:
- Part of the National Team in Sweden in the Latin divison
- Hired as a dancer for the TV-show Dr. OZ
- Hired as a dancer for a Hugo Boss commercial
- ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing) certified in International Ballroom Latin
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Manny Santana
GUEST INSTRUCTOR
Manny began his dancing career back in 2018. Since then he has participated in multiple dance teams and special classes. For two years Manny was on a semi-pro team leading to multiple performances, private events and congress events including BIG NYC, Boston salsa festival, and BIG Houston. Manny has also participated in community focused events such as night against crime and community engagement in corona.
Dance has helped him improve memory, along with body and mind coordination, it has been a great way to relax when stressed and or sad. Moreover, it has helped him improve his social skills.
GUEST INSTRUCTORS
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Daniel Raphael
Daniel has worked as a professional dancer and instructor for over 24 years training individuals and groups and conducting workshops in Brazil, Europe and the United States. He has performed in several different dance styles for television and stage, including Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary Dance, Flamenco, Latin Rhythms, Brazilian Dances and Tango, his specialty.
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Judith Marie Petri
Judith Marie is a professional dancer and choreographer born and raised in Germany, Greece, Portugal and Latin America.
She started taking dance classes at age 5 in different dance styles such as Ballet and Jazz and successfully completed several examinations by the Royal Academy of Dance, London. In 2017 she graduated in Contemporary and Modern Dance with a Bachelor's Degree from Danceworks, Berlin.