Michael Iafolla
I've been obsessed with music and dance for as long as I can remember. Music is a deep and natural language to the heart, and humans have been whirling around the campfire together to a shared heartbeat since day one. Whether playful or meditative, sexy or sad, improvised or choreographed, dance is feeling, and partner dance lets you connect to yourself and your partner and music like nothing else.
I'm a born teacher and chronic philosopher who writes adventure fantasy when I'm too sore to dance. I began partner dancing in my early teens and danced competitively as the top leader on my university ballroom team. I've taught and competed professionally since 2017. I grew up around Washington, DC (where I first became obsessed with tango after seeing it at the Argentine Embassy) and moved to San Francisco for school to pursue dancing and writing full-time. Currently I live in El Cerrito with my lovely wife Teresa and two cats who don't seem to mind the loud music anymore.
Melisandra Russell
I have been teaching dance & competing professionally since 2015. There isn't much I haven't taught but I keep an emphasis on salsa, bachata, argentine tango, west coast swing, American Rhythm & American Smooth. I believe all styles of dance have influenced each other in some way and with an industry that constantly reinvents itself there is always something new to learn. This is one of the many reasons I fell in love with dance at a young age and my excitement for teaching & learning has only grown over the years.
Dance has a unique way of connecting us to music, our bodies, our partners, & our audience. Social dancing brings another level to this experience of dance that other styles & sports can't match. Dance is its own language that has the ability to bring people together in the most joyful settings. I believe everyone has an inner dancer that in the right atmosphere can flourish.
Elias Lopez
I'm a San Francisco native, and have been dancing/ teaching for a decade. I taught my first class at the age of 17 while I was in college. I've studied many forms of dance starting with urban, which includes poppin', locking, wacking, krump, and learned a lot from competitions and getting to know several really amazing dancers in the hip hop community. While in college, originally I had studied to be a school teacher, however my love of dance took over so I studied contemporary and composition in tandem with my college education. Eventually I had to take a leap of faith, and learned how to partner dance with the help of my uncle and other professional friends. With their help I was able to compete at the professional level, and performed all over the United States.
I am always willing to be a student of dance and to learn from as many different teachers as possible to be the best educator I can be for the art form. So now I can give back to the community that gave me this amazing opportunity.
Born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico in May 15,1991; Natalia began dancing at a very young age at Next Dance studios. At the age of 14 she was advised to audition for the Nutcracker and was casted the role of soldier and Russian dancer at Balleteatro Nacional de Puerto Rico former ballet company of Puerto Rico. She then continued her dance training at the BNPR conservatory school until she was promoted to the company where she performed as part of the corpse of ballet on ballets such as: Nutcracker, Giselle, La Bayadere, Sylvia, Tributo a Rafael Hernandez. Natalia has had the opportunity to learn from Joaquin Benegas, Silvia Marichal, Maria Carrera, Laura Valentin, Lara Berrios, Daniel Ramírez “Saez, Lourdes Ortega and many others.
In the Bay Area, Natalia was able to create the ballet program for the Mission YMCA (2016-2020).Natalia is a certified personal trainer (2017-current) and owner of her own personal training business NRFitness.
Argentine Tango
American Rhythm
American Smooth
West Coast Swing/Blues
Club Salsa/Cumbia/Bachata
Wedding Dances
lgbtqia+ friendly
Want to create a special
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or celebration?
Hire us for performances/private workshops.
$200 per hour & satisfaction guaranteed!
Melifolla Dance highlighted in Sondango Music Video!