DANCESPORT DUPONT
DANCESPORT DUPONT
DANCESPORT DUPONT
INSTRUCTORS
Terry Chasteen archive
Terry has been teaching nearly every style of social dance since '74, His dancing began with square dancing & Country/Western, due to his rural background and presence at weekly horse shows & county fairs throughout Ohio and the mid-west. He's a choreographer and event promoter and has taught or performed at the Kennedy Center, on local TV & in cinema
Terry was born and raised in Northern Ohio and developed a passion very early for both music and dance as well as animals of all kinds. In his first life in a rural farm community of Northern Ohio, the dancing was mostly square dancing and Two Stepping at local events and horse shows, which he attended regularly.
Terry earned a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science with a minor in business administration at Ohio State University in 1974. OSU is where he took his first Ballroom class at the Student Union in 1969. In '74 he enrolled in a 10-day teacher training course at the Fred Astaire Dance studio of Columbus, Ohio just to get "free dance lessons" and having no intention whatsoever of teaching after the two week crash course was completed. That was 4 decades ago and he has been teaching as an independent instructor and continuing to study nearly every form of social and competitive dance ever since.
TEACHER
Terry has trained with many of the best coaches in the world, and continues to train, including with mentor of over 17 years, world renowned DanceSport coach and adjudicator, Ron Bennett,. He continues to train weekly in nearly every style of social Ballroom, Latin, Swing and more possible to bring the best to his students of all levels; from brand new beginners to those in all divisions of competition. You cannot be a good teacher if you're teaching material from the last decade. When you really love music and the challenge of making this anatomy of mind and body coordinate with, and conform to what you hear, training to learn new concepts and 'perfect' the old ones is endless. There are always new and different dance styles and technique ideas to explore and a good teacher can never lose sight of that It's what makes it fresh and fun for the students and helps them progress even faster
Also, you cannot be a good teacher if not willing to slow down for the newcomers and less experienced and Terry is as patient as you will find . He has taught dancers from all walks of life and will continue to do so, including both blind and deaf (all of which were incredibly talented by the way) several physically handicapped, plus seniors and many kids (previously classes of 80+ high school and middle- schoolers at a time and the parents could not understand how a single individual could control that many kids when they, themselves had trouble controlling ONE OR TWO! The secret ...the authentic and original 'Michael Jackson's Thriller' routine. What normal kid would skip Ballroom class and miss out on THAT?!). Singles, couples, same-gender couples and the sight-and hearing-impaired are all welcome and encouraged. And in every style of social dance from brand new beginner to competitive level dancers. Terry is weekly coaching student couples for competition and competing in pro/am in the local comps with some of his talented ladies, You TOO could be out there! in either pro/am or amateur. If you don't have a partner, NO PROBLEMO! Let us know and we'll FIND you one!
CHOREOGRAPHER
Terry is always in the process of choreographing dance routines and performances for his students, whether for social dancing so the leaders have a set means of getting started with patterns that fit, or for competition and Showcase performances, wedding couples (almost daily) and more. Being trained in many different styles, including Hip Hop, Jazz, tap as well as the many social dances allows one to be creative to any piece of music. The best example, and most cherished, was doing blizzard of 2010 working on the Tango choreography for Septem Webre's The Great Gatsby' at the Washington Ballet, where each of the 3 couples had a completely different mood to portray and it would have been difficult without all styles of 'American' Tango, 'International Style' Tango and finally 'Argentine Tango' used for the combating lead male roles in the performance. The contrast of each was priceless in this sold-out performance at The Kennedy Center in 2010
Terry in The Media
Terry has taught different styles of dance on live television on numerous occasions in the Washington Metro area, including at least 5 or six occasions with Fox 5 morning news, one of which was teaching C/W Two Step and a line dance to the watching audience before the 'Black Tie and Boots inaugural Ball' in the main ballroom of the Wardman Park Marriott. Plus, on one occasion 4 different styles of Swing throughout the Fox 5 Morning News and on at least 3 occasions teaching 'Michael Jackson's Thriller' between Fox 5 and WUSA9. Before the last inauguration of Pres Obama, he taught basic Foxtrot and some 'Do's and Don'ts at an Inaugural Ball' in white tie and tails to Barbara Harrison and Keith Russell before President Obama's Inauguration in 2012
Teaching 'Micheal Jackson's Thriller Routine' live on Fox 5 DC on Halloween morning, 2007 with some of the anchors and weather guys. Another "Michael Jackson's Thriller" training session with Fox 5 reporter Sarah Simmons.
Terry in The Movies
Additional Information
Terry was a dancer in the 'number 1' box office comedy for April, 2003 Chris Rock's 'Head Of State'. OK, so it wasn't such a 'GREAT' movie ...but would we have gotten so much front-&-center face-time PLUS on every TV ad throughout the nation and finally in the movie trailer if it actually WAS a great movie?! ...No way, so yes, we'll take it as is. (Head of state - Dance Scene video below)
Check out this great scene from Head of State
DOWN ON THE FARM
As a youth Terry was active with 4-H livestock projects and later became a 4-H adviser with Gabby & Sharon Sprague in Ottawa County, Ohio. From a very early age, he raised more tame and even some wild, animals and of more varieties as pets than most could imagine. For 26 years from sophomore year in high school, through college and beyond, Terry and his family bred, raised, trained and showed, along with his mother and dad of 'Buckeye Meadows Farm', registered American Quarter Horses, Appaloosas and American Paint Horses. By selecting specific stallions to cross with each mare and hauling brood mares across the Midwest to the stallions that seemed to complement each other in pedigree and in conformation to produce a superior foal, he and his parents and former wife produced many State Halter Futurity winners and State and Tri-state High Point show horses, some of which even won coveted National Championships in their sex divisions and went on to become National Year-end High Point Champions.
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What should I/we wear?Wear what is comfortable. Most people dress "nicely casual." When first learning you don't need special shoes, however, dress shoes and high heels with leather soles have a tendency to stick much less to the floor than shoes with rubber soles but comfortable dance sneakers are ideal.
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Do I need a dance partner?No, a dance partner is not required in order to attend/enjoy any of our classes. Of course learning to dance with a partner has it's advantages, but we are around 50/50 singles and couples... you'll be right at home in an atmosphere where you can meet other singles or couples. Remember, dancing is a "social" activity. Improve your life... learn to dance!
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How many lessons does it take?Now that's an impossible question to answer, however... That depends upon a number or factors, like: the number of dances you would like to learn; if you keep a consistent schedule with your lessons; and your individual strengths and weaknesses. The quickest way is just to come in and have fun... your lessons should not be stressful, they should be fun and relaxing... that's how you'll get further, quicker.question go to app settings and press "Manage Questions" button.
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What's the advantage of private lessons?That depends upon your goals and your time frame. If you need wedding choreography, then a combination of both is definitely an advantage if you start early enough. If you wait until the last few weeks, then privates are the only way to go. With private lessons you will learn at your pace and get the advanced techniques sooner, since your teacher can take you from the point you are at each lesson. Group lessons serve as a great way to learn the basics without spending as much money in the private sessions, which can be used to fine-tune and polish. Group classes also give you a good introduction to dance styles you haven't tried yet. Most of our students use private lessons to work on the more technical aspects of the dancing that make them quality dancers, and then use group classes practice sessions to learn the basics. You should definitely try both, but start with private coaching if you feel really insecure at first. In such cases private coaching is ideal.
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How do gift cards work?There, customers can select one of the fixed gift cards amounts (which are correspondent to existing packages we sell). Or, they can select/enter a gift card amount, then recipient's details, and set when they want the card delivered.
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How do I redeem my gift card?The gift card recipient then receives an email with the subject line "You got a gift card from Michael Jones!" (with the relevant name). Their unique gift card code appears in the email. When the recipient wants to pay online, they select the Redeem a gift card option and enter their unique gift card code.
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I heard that I have to sign a contract to take dance lessons. Is that true?Well, our competitors will make you think so. We have NO CONTRACTS! Our classes are drop-in at $15 or better yet if you buy our discounted 10-class or 5-class dance card that can be shared. Any classes missed can be made up during any other drop-in classes in the same dance at DanceSport DuPont and the class cards are good toward ANY class taught by ANY teacher in our school. You can't get much more simple than that. Plus our teachers are some of THE BEST in their particular areas of expertise. We believe that our system of teaching will always keep you moving in the right direction while having the time of your life doing it! Our goal... your ability to progress in as little time with the least cost that you can and THAT is why people keep coming back ...AND why they SEND THEIR FRIENDS!! Our professional teachers know how to make you the type of dancer you want to be in as short a time as possible, and get you there to the best of your abilities. We know you'll be so satisfied with us... we don't need contracts!
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Where are you located?DanceSport DuPont Circle is located in the south-facing downstairs level of The Church of the Pilgrims Fellowship Hall. Address is as following: 2201 P St. NW (GPS 1510 22nd St. NW) Washington DC. 20037 DanceSport DuPont Circle is 2 blocks west of the Q St. exit of the Dupont Circle red line Metro. Usually plenty of free parking available in the adjacent blocks of Embassy Row at the intersections of Mass. Ave. NW, 22nd St. NW, Fla Ave. NW and Q St. NW. For more detailed questions and directions visit our Contact us or Direction' page. Thank you.
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What makes you think you're so good?Well, we don't like to pat our own backs (okay, yes we do)... We specialize in teaching all levels from beginners up to professionals in all styles of dance, including ballroom, latin and salsa, swing, country, dancesport, and more. All of my teachers as well as myself know how to make your learning experience both fun and easy, while also teaching you the newest and hottest steps and techniques!
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So what am I waiting for?We don't know, you tell us... Call or Email now! And thanks for visiting www.DanceSportDupont.com. ...We promise that your Dancing (and your social life........) will Never be The Same!
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We are interested in taking a few dance lessons to prepare for our first dance at our wedding. What is the process to book the lessons?The easiest way to go about booking is, after you purchase your package, by confirming your times with your instructor. I am including Terry, who's going to be your instructor/choreographer in this email. Also, you'd be also able to message us directly through your account on our website after buying your package, which is much faster communication way than email. To take a look at our different discounted wedding packages, click the button below:
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What is the difference btwn Private lessons pkgs & Dance-at-Your wedding workshops?Basically, the 'Dance at Your Wedding Workshop' is only a one-time class for the few basics that all couples need. It avoids using that time from a more expensive private coaching session on each couples choreography. It’s structured to introduce couples to some elegant ways to enter and exist the dance floor before they start learning their actual choreography. Also, its a good opportunity to ask any questions you have regarding our packages, your goals, music choice, dance choreography etc. It's impossible to teach wedding choreographies in a group class because every couple has different music, ideas and different dance styles so those are done in 1-on-1 private coaching sessions that are scheduled individually by appointment. We encourage all our private lessons couples to attend at least one of those prior to their private lessons to get the best out of your package.
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I recently bought the 10 class cards for couples, and we saw that the group class packages were good for any of the regular weekly courses. Are we able to use these cards to pay for the dance at your wedding weekly course?The card doesn't apply to the dance at your wedding workshop because of the category and price different; as dance at your wedding workshop is a 'workshop' that we offer on a weekly basis for all new wedding couples to learn some general techniques on how to enter and exit the dance floor (start and end your wedding dance routine). It is also an opportunity to learn about our wedding dance program and the packages we offer for that, and to ask any questions related to their goals for their first dance. Our group class cards, both for individuals and couples, are designed and can only apply to regular weekly group classes. They cant be applied towards workshops or to private coaching (which we have a other type of discounted packages for.
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My partner and I are interested in booking a few private dance lessons before our wedding. What do we need to do to book lessons and what do we need to prepare beforehand?There are a few available options to book private lessons, whether you want to do that by buying individual sessions or discounted multi-session packages in advance. Please see the wedding pack ink below. No preparation needed before you start, but it would be helpful if you have your song picked (we can help you with song ideas if you don't have one). Wedding program dteails HERE Wedding private lessons packages HERE
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How/Where can I redeem my class package?In order to redeem a class card, look at the very bottom of the booking check out page (the page that comes after picking a time and date), then choose the card as your payment method. Please see the screenshots below for illustration:
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I bought a Groupon Voucher for a private coaching session. How can I use is to schedule an appointment?The first step towards scheduling your session is to create an account on our website, then send us your coupon code number in a message through your account. Someone will then help you with scheduling your desired date or, if not available, work with you to pick another convenient time.
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I'm trying to book a session with you using my Groupon deal voucher, but can't figure out how to do so without paying again.?Groupon vouchers are not automatically integrated with our booking system, that's why you could not use them directly. In order to book with Groupon please sign up for a free account on our website, then send us the voucher number there. One of our team members will assist you with your booking request.
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Can I give dancing as a gift or surprise?Of course you can! Let us know what special event you have in mind and we will do our best to make it all you wish it can be. Also, check out our Online Gift Certificate specials.
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How do gift cards work?There, customers can select one of the fixed gift cards amounts (which are correspondent to existing packages we sell). Or, they can select/enter a gift card amount, then recipient's details, and set when they want the card delivered.
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How do I redeem my gift card?The gift card recipient then receives an email with the subject line "You got a gift card from Michael Jones!" (with the relevant name). Their unique gift card code appears in the email. When the recipient wants to pay online, they select the Redeem a gift card option and enter their unique gift card code.
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We received a gift card of $$ in value and were told it was for private lessons. It seems to correspond to the four class private lesson package - would you let us know how to redeem this?The best way to redeem your gift card is to use it to book private coaching sessions individually. The reason is that it's not currently possible to purchase packages with gift cards. Only individual class can be booked with gift cards.
Ashley Kent
Ashley has been dancing from an early age, including training in jazz, tap, ballet, modern, West African dance, salsa, kizomba, and Brazilian zouk. She got hooked on afro-Latin partner dancing while living abroad in Ghana and Sudan, but when she was introduced to Brazilian zouk in DC in 2012 she fell in love with it.
Brazilian Zouk Instructor
Ashley has been dancing from an early age, including training in jazz, tap, ballet, modern, west African dance, salsa, kizomba and Brazilian zouk. She got hooked on afro-latin partner dancing while living abroad in Ghana and Sudan, but when she was introduced to Brazilian zouk in DC in 2012 she fell in love with it. She has studied with top instructors from Brazil, Canada, Spain and the US and has traveled to Brazil to attend several of the most well-known Brazilian zouk festivals and a teacher training with Jaime Aroxa, Renata Pecanha, Jorge Peres, and other top international instructors. Ashley co-founded District Zouk in Washington, DC in 2014 and has helped grow the dance community in DC through regular classes, socials and workshops. She has directed the District Zouk dance team from 2016 through 2018 and has taught at dance festivals in the US and Mexico.
More about Ashley
Ashley has received awards for being voted the best instructor at the Midwest Afro-Fusion Festival in 2016 and from the NYC Zouk Festival for her work with District Zouk.
Gui Prada
Inspired by the movie "Shall We Dance?", Gui Prada started dancing in 2004. However, it was only in 2006 that he really began to dive deep into dance as a work-study trainee of the Jaime Aroxa Dance School in Rio de Janeiro, one of the most prestigious dance schools inBrazil, which trained some of the most renowned dancers in the country.
Zouk Instructor
During his 6 years as a member of the school's team, he learned all Brazilian partner dances (Forró, Samba de Gafieira, Soltinho, Bolero and Zouk) and Argentine Tango. As he matured more as a dancer, he found he preferred to focus less on the steps and more on turning partner dancing into a relaxing experience for the mind and body. In 2009, on his first visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was introduced to the authentic tango hug - the close embrace - and all of its complexity and power to create the ultimate feeling of “conforto, cuidado e entrega” - comfort, care and surrender. After that, he continued learning from other remarkable instructors in Brazil, including Fabiano Vivas, Kelly Reis, Érico Rodrigo, Guilherme Pimentel, Lídio Freitas and many others; and went on to research the close embrace and its application to all partner dances, with the purpose of conveying a sense of well-being and relaxation between dance partners. Apart from dance, Gui also studied and worked as a tantric massage therapist. This work helped him to create a unique perspective of human nature, as well as a deep understanding of the capabilities of the human body. His investigation of the close embrace continued over the years, andthrough many sources both inside and outside of the dance world. These studies guided him to form a multidisciplinary understanding of dancing and connecting in close embrace as a healing and therapeutic experience. Due to its versatility in movement, music, speed and approach, Brazilian Zouk became the perfect dance to apply this concept and explore the possibilities, which he has been doing since 2016, when he attended the first Zouk Retreat in Valencia, led by Xandy Liberato, Brenda Carvalho and Anderson Mendes. After that, his research on partner dancing took a new direction, as he continued working with Brenda and Anderson to seek for the application of the concepts explored at the retreat in different ways by using the references of the other Brazilian partner dances and tantra. Currently, he continues to develop the idea of partner dancing as a true therapeutic experience, having dancing in close embrace and the basics as the focus point. Although Gui started his career less than one year ago, he was able to develop and improve this concept through a workshop called “The Universe Behind the Hug”, which visited 7 cities around the country and was attended by dozens of people. Besides that, Gui had the opportunity to teach in 4 Brazilian Zouk congresses together with H During his 6 years as a member of the school's team, he learned all Brazilian partner dances (Forró, Samba de Gafieira, Soltinho, Bolero and Zouk) and Argentine Tango. As he matured more as a dancer, he found he preferred to focus less on the steps and more on turning partner dancing into a relaxing experience for the mind and body.In 2009, on his first visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was introduced tto the authentic tango hug - the close embrace - and all of its complexity and power to create the ultimate feeling of “conforto, cuidado e entrega” - comfort, care and surrender. After that, he continued learning from other remarkable instructors in Brazil, including Fabiano Vivas, Kelly Reis, Érico Rodrigo, Guilherme Pimentel, Lídio Freitas and many others; and went on to research the close embrace and its application to all partner dances, withthe purpose of conveying a sense of well-being and relaxation between dance partners. Apart from dance, Gui also studied and worked as a tantric massage therapist. This work helped him to create a unique perspective of human nature, as well as a deep understanding of the capabilities of the human body. His investigation of the close embrace continued over the years, and through many sources both inside and outside of the dance world. These studies guided him to form a multidisciplinary understanding of dancing and connecting in close embrace as a healing and therapeutic experience. Due to its versatility in movement, music, speed and approach, Brazilian Zouk became the perfect dance to apply this concept and explore the possibilities, which he has been doing since 2016, when he attended the first Zouk Retreat in Valencia, led by Xandy Liberato, Brenda Carvalho and Anderson Mendes. After that, his research on partner dancing took a new direction, as he continued working with Brenda and Anderson to seek for the application of the concepts explored at the retreat in different ways by using the references of the other Brazilian partner dances and tantra. Currently, he continues to develop the idea of partner dancing as a true therapeutic experience, having dancing in close embrace and the basics as the focus point. Although Gui started his career less than one year ago, he was able to develop and improve this concept through a workshop called “The Universe Behind the Hug”, which visited 7 cities around the country and was attended by dozens of people. Besides that, Gui had the opportunity to teach in 4 Brazilian Zouk congresses together with HannahMiller-Jones and Ashley Kent; one Brazilian Zouk retreat in Seattle; and a workshop about the origins of Brazilian Zouk called “Finding Zouk”. Gui will spend this year in Washington DC, US, developing the local community with regular, weekly and progressive classes. So, don’t miss the opportunity to learn Brazilian Zouk and eventually other Brazilian dances with him. annah Miller-Jones and Ashley Kent; one Brazilian Zouk retreat in Seattle; and a workshop about the origins of Brazilian Zouk called “Finding Zouk”. Gui will spend this year in Washington DC, US, developing the local community with regular, weekly and progressive classes. So, don’t miss the opportunity to learn Brazilian Zouk and eventually other Brazilian dances with him
Vanessa Scott
Vanessa found zouk in New Zealand and was drawn to its music, fluidity and circular movement. When she lived in the midwest US, she persuaded a ballroom teacher to go half on DVDs and learn Zouk from scratch together. About two years ago Vanessa moved to the DMV area and has been zouking as much as possible ever since...
Vanessa Scott-Zouk Instructor
Vanessa found zouk in New Zealand and was drawn to its music, fluidity, and circular movement. When she lived in the midwest US, she persuadeda ballroom teacher to go half on DVDs and learn Zouk from scratch together. About two years ago Vanessa moved to the DMV area and has been zouking as much as possible ever since. She joined the District Zouk dance team and has performed with them for two years. This year she went to the first-ever 30-day Rio Zouk Immersion Course in Brazil where she studied with top world instructors Jaime Aroxa, Renata Pecanha, Brenda Carvalho and Anderson Mendes da Rocha. Working closely with them in such an intimate setting allowed her to see the depth of zouk and differentiate between different philosophies. This past December Vanessa just completed a 40-hour personal training with Xandy Liberato in Spain. She has enjoyed traveling the world soaking up different flavors of zouk and is excited to share her passion and knowledge with others.
Jamiel Roberson
Jamiel trained as a martial artist since the age of 3, competing, teaching and honing his movement technique. He has always been a lover of music and dance, so when he was shown the beauty, fluidity, and techniques of Brazilian zouk he couldn’t resist. Now after many hours of training under District Zouk,
David Alan
David has been dancing Lindy hop for over 20 years, getting his start with the James Madison University Swing Club, in large part because of a certain khakis commercial.
David has been collecting music even longer than that, and he combines those two hobbies at our Friday night Lindy Rebels DC dances. Unlikesome more traditional swing dance events, David feels that Lindy hop can be danced to a much wider variety of musical styles and genres, and he enjoys bringing that playful flavor to the DC Lindy hop community. He strives to make Lindy hop accessible to everyone who's willing to give it a try and emphasizes the friendliness of the local community while providing a space for dancers of all levels to just come out and have fun
David Cuban
Since my first Salsa lesson at Boston University in 2009, I have gone on to learn Salsa-on-1, Salsa Rueda, Casino, Bachata, and Brazilian Zouk. Learning from dancers across the world
About Me
My grandfather always said to find a sport that you can grow old with—for me, that sport is dancing. Since my first Salsa lesson at Boston University in 2009, I have gone on to learn Salsa-on-1, Salsa Rueda, Casino, Bachata, and Brazilian Zouk. Learning from dancers across the world, I have had the privilege of performing these dances at venues throughout Boston, MA and Washington, DC. I studied the fundamentals of both Salsa and Bachata at incredible dance studios; explored the social dancing networks of Boston and DC; and led countless dance lessons for both young and old. What I learned in these experiences is that dancing is a true passion of mine, something I wish to share with as many as possible. At Boston University, I taught Salsa and Bachata from 2009 to 2013. In coming to DC, I had the privilege to teach a few exhibition lessons around the area and taught a 10-week dance series at the Washington Center in 2016.
Join David in Friday's Salsa Happy Hour & Bachata Class!
Whether you are a complete beginner or practiced moves back in the day, come out to learn thefundamentals of LA-Style Salsa, sensual Bachata with David.
Byron Willis
A seed was planted as early as in 2006 when he started taking local lindy hop (swing dancing) classes. Byron developed his ability as adancer and a teacher through hundreds of classes and thousands of practice hours.
A seed was planted back in 2006 when Byron took local lindy hop (swing dancing) classes, but due to time demands from work was unable to continue. In 2013, YouTube videos inspired Byron to return to the dance and ignited a passion in him for the dance that burns strong today. Byron developed his ability as a dancer and a teacher through hundreds of classes and thousands of practice hours. He began teaching group classes and private lessons locally in the Dupont Circle area in Nov 2015, and he now weekly instructs an enthusiastic and welcoming group of students, and travels throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast to workshops, camps, and competitions. Byron also gives back to the community by posting many lindy hop-related videos on his YouTube channel (200,000 views!). You can often find Byron on the dance floor at the social dance that he organizes on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month in Dupont called Lindy in the City (FB Group: Lindy in the City).
Dee Hale
Dee is originally from Louisiana but has lived in DMV area for over 15 years. She began dancing salsa, bachata, and merengue around 2001 and added samba in 2007. The intense rhythm of the music and the happiness of the dance pulled her into immediately
Dee began samba no pe training with Zezeh Brazil in Washington DC and learned play Brazilian percussion instruments with Alejandro Lucini at George Washington University. In 2010, began training in samba de gafieira and forro with Fabio Bonini (Forever Dancing VA). Finally, in 2014 she began teaching samba de gafieira. The class focuses on the technical foot work of forro samba de gafieira and the fundamentals of good partner dance: dance frame, synchronization, and musicality. Samba de gafieira originated in Rio de Janeiro Brazil and is a partner dance to the Brazilian sambal musical rhythms. It a tango derivative, so it is ordinarily danced in closed frame and the time is “quick-quick-slow”. It can be dance to pagoda, choro, bossa nova, and samba music. Forro, another original Brazilian partner dance, originated in the Northeast Brazil. It’s relaxed close body stance make it a great party dance and very easy to learn. It can danced to baio, xote, forro and sertanego rhythms and the distinctive sound of the triangle and the zabumba are telltale signs of this music
Alisson R Sandi
Alisson Sandi began his dance career at the age of 15 in São Paulo, Brazil where he was born. Over the years he trained in Brazilian, Latin and International Ballroom dancing with Jaime Arôxa, Renata Peçanha, Alex de Carvalho, Rodrigo Delano, and others
In 2007, he moved to Perth (Australia) where he joined Juan Rando Dance Academy (JRDA) and developed the Brazilian dance scene from scratch for the following 10 years and trained multiple teachers who have become national champions, and other whom have opened their own school. During his time in Perth he also met Audrey Isautier and together they became one of the top worldwide Brazilian Zouk Couples between 2010-16, travelling to over 41 countries to share their knowledge and passion. In 2017 he decided to take up a challenge and moved to Melbourne to help growing and upgrading the local Brazilian dance scene with his fun classes and focused training courses. He also created ‘BraZouky’ - Melbourne’s 1st Brazilian Dance Festival, which is hosts over 300 people and that is also afundraising event which gives dance scholarships for disadvantaged teens and kids in under privileged community around the world. Now in 2019, Alisson has decided that it is time for another challenged and is moving to Washington DC (USA) to join District Zouk and their passionate team. Having visited DC back in 2015 he fell in love with the community and when deciding which city to go to he had District Zouk as his first pick. Alisson is super excited to join the DZ family and help the dance community grow healthier and stronger!
Alisson loves to push himself and currently holds the following titles:
● 2x Pro World Zouk Champion ● 3x Pro Australian Zouk/Latin Champion ● Winner/Finalist of various BZDC All Stars/Champions
Jack and Jill Comps He is one of the the founders and the first choreographers of the International Zouk Flash Mob/International Zouk Day. He has also been an official judge and offical member for the Brazilian Zouk Dance Council since its first competition event. In late 2018, Christina Montoya (USA) went to Australia to train with Alisson and together they won the Australian World Champion in the Mixed Latin Category with the highest partner couple score of the competition. Since then, they have started an exciting partnership and are looking forward to sharing their passion with the world.Alisson has a passion for teaching and is always striving for innovative ways in which to overcome technical and personal challenges. He is known for his attention to detail and effective instruction in dance techniques.
Kat Flores
Kat began her dance career in 2007 presiding over George Mason University’s salsa club, Azucar! shortly after which her formal instructor training began. She worked for various independent dance studios and then founded her dance company..
Kat began her dance career in 2007 presiding over George Mason University’s salsa club, Azucar! shortly after which her formal instructor training began. She worked for various independent dance studios and then founded her dance company, All About Dancing, in 2015. Kat has taught countless hours of workshops, group classes, and private lessons in both Salsa and Ballroom styles, and has performed with local dance teams including Dynamix and Con Sabor Ladies. She competes with her professional partner and with her students in nationally-ranked ballroom competitions, and teaches at dance congresses and local weekly events all over the D/M/V area.
Chelsea Cooper
Chelsea Cooper has had the privilege of touring and choreographing for several artist such as The Roots, LL Cool J, Ludacris, Blu Cantrell and others.. She has also toured on staff and assisted for the National Dance Conventions "Monsters of Hip Hop" and "Monsters of Contemporary"..
