Talent Directory
Kiz Artists
Nii – Kiz Artist from NYC
Dance became a core passion of Nii's about 27 years ago when he found himself mesmerized by the dance moves in MJ's Smooth Criminal; he went on to learn and eventually teach salsa, bachata and merengue - his first partner dances.
In New York, he teaches a range of kizomba genres, organizes events, and Dj’s under the name DJ Sfumato. Fueled by his background in reiki and yoga, Nii infuses concepts of inner peace, communication, and healing to complement connection and musicality, letting him bring smooth flows and cosmic connections to the floor.
Jovan “Casanova” Toussaint is a proud Boston native of Haitian descent and no stranger to the industry. He has been teaching and deejaying in the Kizomba scene for 11 years, and has worked to cultivate one of the strongest and most recognizable brands nationally.
Casanova’s ability to captivate any audience through infectious charisma, an unyielding confidence in his craft, and an immense amount of knowledge do not go unnoticed. His expertise and spirit of excellence both on and off the dance floor are what make him one of the most dynamically creative artists in the industry.
Fueled by his background in reiki and yoga, Nii infuses concepts of inner peace, communication, and healing to complement connection and musicality, letting him bring smooth flows and cosmic connections to the floor.
Eugene “Tin Man” Cleveland (Rochester) has been dancing for 22 years and is the founder of the new clothing line, “Tin Feet Tall Wear” and videography company “Tin Feet Tall Productions”. He is knowledgeable in multiple styles of dance, but most notoriously known for hiphop/breakdancing. His present passion is Urban Kiz of which he has been dancing for 7 years.
Since beginning Urban Kiz, Tin Man has taught and performed all across North America including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Mexico, New York, Indianapolis, Boston and Texas, among many more. Specializing in Urban and Lyrical Kiz, Tin Man offers a unique teaching experience focusing on technique, connection, subtle details and musicality.
Jahaira and Ross are Urban Kiz Instructors from Phoenix, Arizona. Drawing from their experience in a multitude of styles as members of Que Candela Dance Company, Jahaira and Ross bring an element of flair and high energy to their performances, dancing and teaching.
Currently, they teach locally in Phoenix with other instructors as a collaborative group called Desert Kiz and have brought their shows and instruction on the road to other festivals and events across the country.
From the Lone Star State of Texas and in the land of Dallas, she is known as Brianna Williams aka Bri. She has lived dance for over 20 years and counting, Bri has training in several dance styles with background in ballet, jazz, and most commercialized dances of current dance art. Bri is now a known dancer and dance instructor in Salsa, Bachata, Latin and Afro dances in Kizomba, Afro Beats/Afro House with other dance styles in Zouk and Ballroom dances. Bri has been featured in several performing arts, theatrical arts, and inspirational arts. Today, Bri features in several dance events as a dance teacher, choreographer, dance trainer, and dancer.
Bri has trained with several dance institutions and most recently with Rhythm & Beatz Dance Company. She transcends her knowledge in the art of dance into therapy, she lives and embodies the Dance is Therapy movement.
Her inspiring art and exuberant spirit precedes her and she travels the world while continuing to learn the sights and sounds of art. Be informed and be on the lookout for Brianna Williams featuring at the next dance event near you.
Charles got his first taste of dance at the age of 8 in elementary through a program called "Believe In Me". In elementary and middle school he also played the flute, piano, and alto saxophone which gave him a keen sense of rhythm and musicality. He first learned the basic steps for salsa in his first year of college.
Charles soon found himself taking weekly classes and going out social dancing religiously. He quickly gained a strong foot in the basics and began adding his own energetic style and flavor. From here, Charles expanded his dancing to bachata, punta, samba, cha-cha, salsa on2, a bit of Cuban salsa, and now Kizomba. Charles loves how Kizomba/Urban Kiz uniquely embodies the connection between the ground, your partner, and the music.
Who is Charles today?
Charles is a danceprenuer (instructor, event organizer, DJ, mentor, & podcaster) that primarily works in the kizomba scene. Charles Ogar is well known, throughout the US and internationally, for his detailed, yet fun and quirky instruction and his super smooth, creative, and musical style on the dance floor. He is the most influential pioneer of urban kiz in North America. He loves nerding out on musicality, self-awareness, creativity, fundamentals, history, and more! He also runs an online membership site for kiz tutorials dedicated to helping kiz dancers around the world level up their kiz skills at learntokiz.com.
Ceijay has been dancing since the age of 12 and dancing Kizomba since his young adult years. He started teaching Kizomba in 2009 and opened his own studio in 2011.
Bruna has been passionately dancing latin since 2010 and discovered Kizomba in 2015.
Since working together Ceijay & Bruna have become the heart and soul of the Urban Kiz scene in Boston and surrounding areas. They are an extremely talented and powerful dancing couple, both of them being able to switch from both lead to follow and to throughly explain the foundation, technique and art of each move in this dance is incredible. When they dance together it is mesmerizing to behold!
This power couple is strongly grounded in the history, types of Kizomba, musicality and connection of this dance. They are two of the best of the best in this field in the greater Boston area.
They have weekly lessons for all levels, monthly socials, teach private lessons, train Kizomba teams and host yearly the Boston Kizomba Festival (BKF) in the beginning of September uniting worldwide talent.
I am looking very forward to traveling to America again. It is so much fun and so interesting how different and the same the dance scenes are. I teach locally my Stuttgart dancers always starting them right learning all the fundamentals, basics, necessities, and my personal favorite; technique. I love the raw style and spin I can create within Urban Kiz with Tarraxo being my niche. I specialize in teaching how to lead and follow with proper signaling and understanding. A big thank you for booking me, so let's go America! Let's get roy....I mean let's...........BE ROYAL.
Bachata Artists
The New York based La Fuerza Dance Company, directed by Choreographer, Instructor and Dancer Fausto Felix, has demonstrated a commitment exceptionally high quality performances since its inception in 2014.
Artistic Director/Choreographer, Fausto Felix brings incredible Dominican folklore, Mambo and Latin technique with strength, raw street styles and sophistication. With his visionary artistic direction, Fausto takes the audience to another place, transfixing them and always leaving them wanting more. From studying at the prestigious Santo Rico Dance Company to touring the world with Maite Perroni, Fausto’s experience as a performer has always been wonderfully diverse. He inspires the company with his vision and work ethic to continue captivating audiences with their energetic performances.
Receiving strong consistent attention since its inception, the Company is noted for its entertaining flair, stylistic diversity, musicality, and innovation. The infectiously appealing dancers are renown for their charisma. Hard to categorize. Easy to enjoy. The Company has steadily performed in a wide variety of venues, such as Madison Square Garden and has participated in dance festivals, Salsa/Bachata Congresses, concerts, award shows, music videos and more.
More Info Coming Soon!
Tina Cavicchio (she/her) is an international dance artist and founder / director of Next Level Fusion Dance Company. Tina has trained in various styles such as Afro-latin, street dance, and codified dance techniques. Tina has choreographed for multiple dance teams, performances, and college showcases. She has also taught at various congresses/weekenders around the world. She is known and sought after for her social dancing as both a lead and follow, and teaches others her methodology.
Tina is known for her creative fusion choreography and inspiring story telling through her dance. As a queer female lead, follow, and solo dancer, Tina has become a major advocate for individual empowerment and expression. Tina’s goals as a teacher is to challenge her students to push past their limitations, helping them to see their potential, and to empower others along the way.
Ashley Shaver is a local bachata instructor from Jacksonville Florida and has been teaching bachata for over four years and quickly fell in love with bachata traditional and all of the energy that it brings. Ashley enjoys sharing her passion with her students and loves to watch her students gain confidence and love for music and dance. Joselito De La Cruz Ventura was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and was born into a family of musicians. Joselito has over 16 years of experience in both merengue and bachata and enjoys sharing his knowledge and skill of dancing while focusing on the fundamentals and basics. Our dream is to bring our new style of bachata (estillo wawawa) which intertwines a mixture of dembow, merengue and bachata from Bonao to people all over the world.
Ashley Shaver is a local bachata instructor from Jacksonville Florida and has been teaching bachata for over four years and quickly fell in love with bachata traditional and all of the energy that it brings. Ashley enjoys sharing her passion with her students and loves to watch her students gain confidence and love for music and dance. Joselito De La Cruz Ventura was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and was born into a family of musicians. Joselito has over 16 years of experience in both merengue and bachata and enjoys sharing his knowledge and skill of dancing while focusing on the fundamentals and basics. Our dream is to bring our new style of bachata (estillo wawawa) which intertwines a mixture of dembow, merengue and bachata from Bonao to people all over the world.
Jeffery Michael and Marina teach Salsa and Bachata at Allegro.
Combining a dynamic background in urban and street styles, with a vast knowledge of the history of dance, Jeffery Michael is a professional American dancer and choreographer with over 20 years of experience. He is known worldwide for his highly creative and original narrative fusion pieces.
Jeffery Michael and Marina teach and perform internationally, and their classes are known for truly breaking down the heart of the dance and providing excellent technical instruction to help students grow as dancers.
Read some of their reviews below:
Bachatwins was founded in 2016 by Dani & Ramy Cabrera in New York. Initially Bachatwins started this brand as a creative outlet, where they put together all of their artistic ideas and wanted to do things a little different. Over time their brand has developed and has become an icon in the New York Latin Dance Scene. Bachatwins are well known for their style in teaching, inspiration through dance & creativity through videography. Bachatwins strives to create beautiful content for their students and growing fan base. This brings engagement to people allowing them to build a bigger audience and clientele.
Salsa Artists
Multi World Champions in Salsa, this dynamite duo are siblings from Puebla Mexico that will blow your mind with their tricks, spins and level of explosive energy when they dance! They travel the northern and southern Americas teaching spin techniques, acrobatics, salsa on 1 and salsa on 2 partnerwork and footwork. They teach and dance bachata as well. F.O.L.D. is so excited to have them present!
Utopia Dance Company is based in Lawrence, Massachusetts and is run under the direction of Louis Casiano & Elvis Lora, two proud LGBTQ+ latino men of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent. Louis & Elvis focus on Salsa on2 Cabaret and are experienced dancers in many latino and folkloric dances, including Salsa on1, Bachata, Merengue, and many more.
Originally from Moscow, Russia, Nina has a background in gymnastics, Latin and swing dancing. Nina has been a part-time dance and fitness instructor for over 12 years teaching group exercise classes such as yoga, pilates, Zumba, Zumba for seniors, Aqua Zumba as well as swing (East Coast, Lindy Hop, and West Coast swing) and Latin dances in the seacoast area.
Trevor Brown is known for his unique, raw, and playful dance style. As an instructor Trevor really enjoys helping & teaching newer dancers to get the hang of the social Latin dance styles and seeing his students progress on and off the dance floor. Trevor inspires you to dig deeper in your practice, while still having a good time on the dance floor. Trevor is originally from New Jersey, where he was initially introduced to Latin dancing. After moving to MD, Trevor started pursuing his interest in Latin dance culture. After going out and learning to dance in a social environment, Trevor was recruited to learn styling and technique under the tutelage of the D.C. legend and world renowned salsa dancer Psyon Mauricio Scott for 5 years. He has since gone on to learn and train from adolfo, Tomas Guerrero, and Fernando sosa.
Native born of the Dominican Republic, Carlos came to the USA at the age eleven and rose above the tough urban challenges facing the youth raised in the Providence’s Chad Brown projects, he stayed motivated and inspired by positivity. His motivation fueled him to start salsa dancing in 2004, starting his On2 (or New York style) journey with lessons from Providence based JJ Latin Dancers. Here, he discovered a true passion for Salsa, falling more deeply in love with the dance, the more time he spent with it.
He trained under Anara Frank and Ana and Joel Masacote from Boston and In 2009 Carlos decided to open his own studio, Mambo Pa Ti (MPT). He saw a demand in Rhode Island, the art capital of the world, to not only promote Latin dance, including Salsa, Mambo, Merengue, Bachata and Afro-Cuban, as a recreational form, but to showcase its artistry.
Since then, Carlos has laid a strong and rising foundation creating the dance community that makes up MPT today. MPT offers workshops to at-risk neighborhood children, training MPT dance teams to perform at community events, as well as showcasing his intricate and innovative choreographies at Salsa Congresses up and down the East Coast, from Boston to New York, DC to Miami and even into international waters on the Aventura Dance Cruise.
The MPT Performance Teams are committed to showcasing the artistry of Latin dance. Made up of passionate individuals, who are committed to furthering their dance skills, as well as expressing themselves on stage, our teams are personally educated by Carlos along with other dedicated long term staff Albert Gonzalez and Kiki Febles.
As they continue to grow as a company, and take an exciting new direction in competitive salsa competitions, MPT welcomes new talent to join their community, holding regular group and individual auditions.
Carlos remains both a dedicated student, passionately continuing his own training with seminars and private lessons from world renown instructors, as well as a committed teacher, patiently sharing his knowledge with students of all levels. And while he’s dedicated to helping each student become the best dancer they can be, his highest accomplishment comes from giving students the confidence and skills needed to take it onto the dance floor and have fun.
Rose Gibney is the owner and creative director of Bella Vita Dance Company and Wellness Center. Rose graduated with a BFA from the Institute of Art and Design at New England College in 2021. Her love for painting has found its way into her creative choreography process in many little ways. Rose discovered her passion for Latin dance in 2018 and has since attended numerous Latin dance congresses across the United States, performed in multiple showcases and choreographed many dances for her students. Rose's dream has always been to open her own Wellness Center/Center for the Arts and it is finally happening! Rose's sweet spot is Salsa footwork, partner work & heels classes. She hopes to continue to help grow the New England dance and wellness community and create opportunities for community to grow and flourish.
Bonus Artists
Sindy Chown resides in Concord NH with her family of two beautiful girls, Gabriela and Soraya, and her husband, Mark. She grew up in a small town called Pueblo Viejo Magdalena near Barranquilla Atlantico, Colombia and has been in the US since 2004.
She started Barranquilla Flavor five years ago with a passion to represent her heritage, by sharing her Colombian culture. Sindy also is driven to provide opportunities to share, connect, and learn about other cultures through music, dance, food, fashion, and art.
In 2020 Sindy founded a multicultural dance program to represent the new generation with the desire of her culture to be passed onto her daughters for them to continue to share it with the generations to come. Rhythms of Cumbia, Mapale, Garabato, Champeta, and Salsa are routed deeply in Sindy's cultural history of her country and you can feel the positive energy and pride of her dances with every class and performance she gives.
Barranquilla Flavor also participates annually in in the Concord Multicultural Festival to showcasing her traditional Colombian dances as well as being part of the planning committee as the Performance Coordinator.
"I love the mission of the Festival because it aligns with my vision, and I love helping people to feel welcome and included. It has been an honor to be involved with this incredible event, and I am so proud to have been named as a Co-Share of this wonderful event in 2021. My journey has led me down many paths and I am blessed to have met so many wonderful people along the way."
Sindy continues her journey with Barranquilla Flavor currently along side her daughter Soraya.
Theo Martinez is a dancer, choreographer and instructor, originally from Nashua NH, who began dancing at the age of seven. His love and passion for dance which originally started with HIp Hop, has grown into other styles such as Contemporary, Modern, and Ballroom Dance. He has choreographed and performed with Boston based dance companies (Urbanity, Tribe/B-Side/TriiipleThreat Entertainment, Ipswitch Moving Company), and has been able to perform at venues such as, Jacobs Pillow, Alvin Ailey, Hynes Convention Center, and opening for recording artists. Theo has also worked in adult and teen community theater- choreographing for productions of 'Swing', and 'Smokey Joes Cafe'. He also competes in professional and pro-am ballroom dance events, as well as perform showcases at venues like the Boston Salsa Festival, and Boston Contemporary Festival.
Theo started his business HTM Dance eight years ago, so he could put focus on family first, but also keep his love of dance alive. He has done so by running afterschool movement programs, as well as a Dance Communication class for couples getting ready for their weddings. His unique approach of storytelling in his choreography has won many awards and loved by audiences who have seen his work.
I have been dancing for 11 wonderful years and I can honestly say dance is my life, my passion! Even though I've taught for over 9 years and owned Legend Latin Dance company for the last 7, I am still a perpetual student. I know how to dance over 30 different styles because of my curiosity and desire to learn. Teaching (and performing) is my way of sharing that knowledge and passion for dance with others... Hopefully inspiring them to find and follow their passions. I have found that dance leads to incredible experiences, friendships, memories and much more.
"Find something that allows you to find yourself and lose yourself at the same time, then hold into it with all that you are."
Sarah Kyker is a professional performing artist, choreographer, and dance teacher based out of New Orleans, La. She is a classically trained ballet dancer and has performed professionally with Chattanooga Ballet and Baton Rouge Ballet Theater. Sarah has toured Italy, Greece, and Turkey with the Armfield Dance Academy Show Troupe and appeared in the Cincinnati Ballet’s Nutcracker. One of twelve accepted, she attended Governor's School for the Arts and was accepted on scholarship to study at an ABT summer intensive.
Sarah’s love of dance goes well beyond ballet. She has also studied and cross-trained in jazz, tap, modern, chorus line, contemporary, improvisation, ballroom, zydeco, cajun waltz, kizomba, zouk, swing, salsa, bachata, belly dance, and Argentine Tango.
Sarah found Argentine Tango in 2011 and it has become her obsession and main focus for the last 11 years. For her, nothing quite compares to the essence and connection of tango. Sarah has studied with master teachers in America, Argentina, and Europe including Hugo Patyn y Celina Rotundo, Mariano “Chicho” Frumboli y Juana Sepulveda, Gustavo Naveira y Giselle Anne, Rodrigo "Joe" Corbata y Lucila Cionci, Javier Rodriguez y Moira Castellano, Miriam Larici y Leonardo Barrionuevo, Adrian Veredice y Alejandra Hobert, Paloma Berrios Rodriquez y Maximiliano Alvarado Olaquibel, Noelia Hurtado y Carlos Espinoza, Facundo Peñalva y Josefina Stellato, Facundo Pinero & Vanesa Villalba, “Los Totis” Christian Marquez y Virginia Gomez , Oscar Casas y Jesica Arfenoni, Nito y Elba Garcia, Alejandra Mantiñan, Horacio Godoy, Sol Gabis Gomez, Leandro Caparelli, Carolina del Rivero, Damian Lobato, Tomas Corbalan, and Graciela Gonzalez.
Sarah began teaching and choreographing dance while she was still in high school and can teach lessons in most of the genres she has studied at varying degrees of expertise, specializing in ballet and tango. For tango, she has studied both roles and can teach the lead and follow. She is a member of Celina Rotundo’s International Tango Femme Team and has taught and performed in New Orleans, Dallas, Tennessee, Montana, and Chicago.
Xavier “Xavi” Heskin (she/her) is an instructor, choreographer, and performer based in Austin, Texas. Her dance journey begun while living in Dublin, Ireland, primarily developed with Austin Inspired Movement, and now brings her around the US to teach and perform at congresses. While Xavi teaches Salsa, Bachata, and Zouk, Zouk is the dance that has claimed her deepest love, and she is incredibly passionate about sharing its beauty with others. Above all else, Xavi emphasizes the feeling of the partnership within dance. As a lead and follow of all three dances she instructs, Xavi is able teach in ways that ensure dancing is connected, playful, and comfortable for everyone involved.
DJs
Jovan “Casanova” Toussaint is a proud Boston native of Haitian descent and no stranger to the industry. He has been teaching and deejaying in the Kizomba scene for 11 years, and has worked to cultivate one of the strongest and most recognizable brands nationally.
Casanova’s ability to captivate any audience through infectious charisma, an unyielding confidence in his craft, and an immense amount of knowledge do not go unnoticed. His expertise and spirit of excellence both on and off the dance floor are what make him one of the most dynamically creative artists in the industry.
Fueled by his background in reiki and yoga, Nii infuses concepts of inner peace, communication, and healing to complement connection and musicality, letting him bring smooth flows and cosmic connections to the floor.
Jacob S. Heiss is the founder & CEO of Just Jacob Ventures LLC, launched in 2013 as a business and entertainment solutions company helping private, nonprofit, and corporate clients surmount every obstacle and leverage every opportunity with a specialization in strategic development, enterprise transformation, customer growth, process optimization, and special event production. Corporate clients and production partners include Monster Vision Productions, Island Touch Events, Latin Street Music & Dancing, Kickstand Productions, Dance Center Chicago, The Refuge Foundation for the Arts, The Brazilian Cultural Center of Chicago, Clary Collection, Dizengoff Audio, West Monroe Partners, Purdue University, The Hispanic Alliance for Career Advancement, Latino Del Mundo, The Canadian Salsa Dance Corporation, DC Bachata Congress LLC, and many more.
From 2013 onwards, Jacob used the platform afforded by his company to support his artistic interests under the moniker, Just Jacob. As such, he is a highly sought after musical artist, producer, DJ, and dance instructor with residencies at such Chicago establishments as Sound-Bar, Subterranean, Primary, Beauty Bar, Y Bar, The Loft, Bassline, Reverie, Rio, and more plus featured performances across the nation and world at Solas (NYC), Space 550 (San Francisco), Lawrence Memorial Chapel (Appleton), Lique (Miami), Aeon Studios (LA), High Noon Saloon (Madison), Tsar (Orlando), House of Loom (Omaha), Werehouse (Milwaukee), Hard Rock Cafe (Chicago), and more. Festival performances include Chicago Salsa & Bachata Festival, Elevation Zouk Festival Denver, Dallas Bachata Fusion Festival, Toronto Zouk Marathon, Chicago SummerDance, Orlando International Kizomba Festival, NYC Zouk Marathon, The Israeli International Salsa Congress, Los Angeles Dance Fusion Festival, New York International Salsa Congress, The Montreal Salsa Convention, DCBX, and more.
From 2015 onwards, Jacob developed the subsidiary Future Zouk to accomplish his community development goals within the global Afro Latin social dancing context. In 2018, this led to the creation of Future Zouk Chicago Congress, the first and largest annual festival of Brazilian zouk music, dancing, and culture in the Midwest providing a platform for hundreds of artists to share their passion and craftsmanship with thousands of attenders from all over the world. Jacob has served as a staff instructor for such styles as Bachata, Brazilian zouk, Kizomba, and more at some of the largest social dance studios in Chicago, such as Dance Center Chicago and Latin Street Music & Dancing. To date, he has produced over 30 weekenders and festivals across the country in such markets as Chicago, Seattle, Cleveland, Nashville, Milwaukee, Iowa City, Minneapolis, and more while serving as a director of production for some of the biggest and best Afro Latin dance festivals in the world, such as Chicago Salsa & Bachata Festival by Island Touch Events, Dallas Bachata Fusion Festival by Monster Vision Productions, and more.
Steven Coronel, AKA - DJ Coronel, is a nationally recognized Salsa & Bachata DJ and Performer residing from New York City. He has been active in the East Coast dance scene since 2010 and has participated in many major dance events throughout the years. Such events include the NJ Bachata Festival, Boston Brazil Dance Fusion, Tristate Congress, NYC Bachata Bash, Myrtle Beach Congress and many others. His energy and music selection are the key ingredient to make sure any social he plays is the highlight of the night! #ItsAVibe
Charles got his first taste of dance at the age of 8 in elementary through a program called "Believe In Me". In elementary and middle school he also played the flute, piano, and alto saxophone which gave him a keen sense of rhythm and musicality. He first learned the basic steps for salsa in his first year of college.
Charles soon found himself taking weekly classes and going out social dancing religiously. He quickly gained a strong foot in the basics and began adding his own energetic style and flavor. From here, Charles expanded his dancing to bachata, punta, samba, cha-cha, salsa on2, a bit of Cuban salsa, and now Kizomba. Charles loves how Kizomba/Urban Kiz uniquely embodies the connection between the ground, your partner, and the music.
Who is Charles today?
Charles is a danceprenuer (instructor, event organizer, DJ, mentor, & podcaster) that primarily works in the kizomba scene. Charles Ogar is well known, throughout the US and internationally, for his detailed, yet fun and quirky instruction and his super smooth, creative, and musical style on the dance floor. He is the most influential pioneer of urban kiz in North America. He loves nerding out on musicality, self-awareness, creativity, fundamentals, history, and more! He also runs an online membership site for kiz tutorials dedicated to helping kiz dancers around the world level up their kiz skills at learntokiz.com.
DJ Ceijay is one of the most well loved and followed leaders in the Urban Kiz Scene in Boston Mass. His love and passion for the dance can be heard and seen in both his amazing DJ sets and his smooth as butter lead on the dance floor. He is also an excellent instructor and really knows how to get to the root of each person's questions and/or instructional needs. If you are fortunate to be in his presence to see him dance and to hear his music mixing skills, he will leave you mesmerized and wanting the beats to never end!
Shun is a DJ who loves to play feel-good rhythms that get people tapping their feet and bobbing their head without them even realizing it.
He uses music as a form of self-expression and has a wide range of musical interests that he incorporates into his sets.
Shun is committed to taking care of the dancers and reading the crowd at his gigs, and knows how to create the perfect mix of mood, groove, and hypnotizing sounds to keep people socializing and dancing.
In addition to being a DJ, Shun is also an event organizer and runs a ticketing platform for dance events called sbkzevents.com. Having experienced the dance festival world from all angles - as a listener, dancer, and DJ - Shun has a deep understanding of how to create the perfect rhythms and sounds that will keep the party going and have people coming back for more. He believes that DJs should always strive to take care of the dancers and read the crowd at their gigs, and he puts this philosophy into practice every time you hear him play.
"Mood, groove, and hypnotizing sounds are the main ingredients for me," says Shun. "Don't be surprised if you suddenly find yourself dancing... I play music to be danced to." As a DJ, Shun understands the power of music to bring people together and create a sense of community. He loves nothing more than seeing people lose themselves in the music and have a great time, and he is always looking for ways to elevate the party experience for his listeners and dancers. Whether he's playing at a congress or a local social event, Shun is always striving to deliver the best possible experience for his audience.
As he says, "Don't be surprised if you suddenly find yourself dancing... I play music to be danced to."
DJ Ceijay is one of the most well loved and followed leaders in the Urban Kiz Scene in Boston Mass. His love and passion for the dance can be heard and seen in both his amazing DJ sets and his smooth as butter lead on the dance floor. He is also an excellent instructor and really knows how to get to the root of each person's questions and/or instructional needs. If you are fortunate to be in his presence to see him dance and to hear his music mixing skills, he will leave you mesmerized and wanting the beats to never end!
Franklin AKA DJ Condori has been an avid Latin music DJ for many years in the Boston scene. Salsa, a mix of new and old, is his sweet spot. Catch him lighting up the dance floor so hot in the Salsa room it'll have y'all melting! Bring your towels and stay hydrated when he's on the set, though that's hard to do as his mixes are always fire!
DJ R has always been passionate about music since his teenage years. He fell in love with deejaying once he reached the age of 21. His DJ career started by doing house parties, clubs, restaurants and rooftop gigs. After doing that for sometime he found a passion for bachata and brought his skills to the Latin dance community where it took off for him. Today DJ R deejays at some of the biggest events in the United States and traveling the world. He also organizes his own dance event in NYC (Passion Thursday’s) and brings 150% of energy and vibe to the floor every week!
Masters Classes
This Masters Class will have you so pumped up you could kiss the sky on the adrenaline high! Level is intermediate and up. A one hour workshop each day, Saturday and Sunday (time TBD).
Experience some of the most fun and charismatic dancers from none other than New York City, La Fuerza Kingsmen!
The workshops will cover Bachata Shines & Footwork with a fusion of Traditional & Sensual Bachata. Spaces are limited, sign up today. Don't get shut out.
Masters Class with La Fuerza Kingsmen - NY Style Bachata Shines Pass $55
Join Ceijay & Bruna as they dive in deep into connection, intention and musicality for Urban Kiz. You will elevate your level of Urban Kiz moves with these 2 part Master’s class workshops will be on Ladies Styling, Men’s Styling and styling together while feeding off of the energy and connections with your partner in this Urban Kiz World Emerson. This Master’s class will be held part 1 on Saturday and part 2 on Sunday (class schedule to be determined). This is going to be fire and kizzers at heart are not going to want to miss this personalized instruction from the King & Queen of Urban Kiz in the Boston Scene.
Don’t delay, spaces are very limited!! Sign up today either as a lead or a follow, roles ARE NOT GENDER SPECIFIC, but you must stay in the role you sign up for.
Our Team
A fierce entrepreneur founding, owning and managing F.O.L.D., Kiz NH, Delphina Rose Photography, Sapphire Rain Management, PandoraZ Box RecordZ, and Divas Head to Toe. She is a single mother of two amazing young daughters, she teaches dance weekly, travels to dance events locally and nationwide frequently, and she really positively impacts all those who come in contact with her. Her joy of sharing her affection for the art of dance and music along with working with people is infectious. She loves to share all her knowledge to help those around her to be empowered, to be lifted as she climbs and be “in the fold”.
Diamond Rivera who is originally from New York City, started his dance journey in 1996 at the age of 5 with the late David Melendez, founder of Starlite Dance Studio of the Bronx.
During his tenure at the dance school he learned Mambo, Jazz, Cha Cha & etc. After his time there, he was part of an all male group called East Side Edition, that performed in over 150 showcases throughout the U.S.
Since then, he has had the honor of performing with teams such as Gifted Souls NYC, Santo Rico, Framboyan, Pura Vida and CODARI Dance Company.
Throughout his time in the latin dance scene, he has had a passion for filmmaking and wanted to combine his love for dance and filmmaking into one. In 2016, he created his own media company called DiamondRiveraFilmz. His intention was to have a company that focused on filming dance, live performances, showcases, interviews and more within the dance scene. He felt it was important that a fellow dancer could capture moments in time and display works of art.
Since 2016, DIAMONDRIVERAFILMZ has created visuals for various organizations including Yamulee Dance Company, Salsa Salsa Dance Studio, Alma Latina, Pura Vida Dance Company, Dallas Bachata Festival, Tri-State Dance Fest and etc. The present and future goal for himself is to continue to expose how beautiful the Latin dance scene is and to create pieces of beautiful art that will be around for years to come.
The media team has been blessed to have expanded into other states such as Dallas, Virginia, and Boston. The overall mission of Diamond is to help and empower other content creators and give them the platforms that enable them to succeed.
Jacob S. Heiss is the founder & CEO of Just Jacob Ventures LLC, launched in 2013 as a business and entertainment solutions company helping private, nonprofit, and corporate clients surmount every obstacle and leverage every opportunity with a specialization in strategic development, enterprise transformation, customer growth, process optimization, and special event production. Corporate clients and production partners include Monster Vision Productions, Island Touch Events, Latin Street Music & Dancing, Kickstand Productions, Dance Center Chicago, The Refuge Foundation for the Arts, The Brazilian Cultural Center of Chicago, Clary Collection, Dizengoff Audio, West Monroe Partners, Purdue University, The Hispanic Alliance for Career Advancement, Latino Del Mundo, The Canadian Salsa Dance Corporation, DC Bachata Congress LLC, and many more.
From 2013 onwards, Jacob used the platform afforded by his company to support his artistic interests under the moniker, Just Jacob. As such, he is a highly sought after musical artist, producer, DJ, and dance instructor with residencies at such Chicago establishments as Sound-Bar, Subterranean, Primary, Beauty Bar, Y Bar, The Loft, Bassline, Reverie, Rio, and more plus featured performances across the nation and world at Solas (NYC), Space 550 (San Francisco), Lawrence Memorial Chapel (Appleton), Lique (Miami), Aeon Studios (LA), High Noon Saloon (Madison), Tsar (Orlando), House of Loom (Omaha), Werehouse (Milwaukee), Hard Rock Cafe (Chicago), and more. Festival performances include Chicago Salsa & Bachata Festival, Elevation Zouk Festival Denver, Dallas Bachata Fusion Festival, Toronto Zouk Marathon, Chicago SummerDance, Orlando International Kizomba Festival, NYC Zouk Marathon, The Israeli International Salsa Congress, Los Angeles Dance Fusion Festival, New York International Salsa Congress, The Montreal Salsa Convention, DCBX, and more.
From 2015 onwards, Jacob developed the subsidiary Future Zouk to accomplish his community development goals within the global Afro Latin social dancing context. In 2018, this led to the creation of Future Zouk Chicago Congress, the first and largest annual festival of Brazilian zouk music, dancing, and culture in the Midwest providing a platform for hundreds of artists to share their passion and craftsmanship with thousands of attenders from all over the world. Jacob has served as a staff instructor for such styles as Bachata, Brazilian zouk, Kizomba, and more at some of the largest social dance studios in Chicago, such as Dance Center Chicago and Latin Street Music & Dancing. To date, he has produced over 30 weekenders and festivals across the country in such markets as Chicago, Seattle, Cleveland, Nashville, Milwaukee, Iowa City, Minneapolis, and more while serving as a director of production for some of the biggest and best Afro Latin dance festivals in the world, such as Chicago Salsa & Bachata Festival by Island Touch Events, Dallas Bachata Fusion Festival by Monster Vision Productions, and more.
I have been dancing for 11 wonderful years and I can honestly say dance is my life, my passion! Even though I've taught for over 9 years and owned Legend Latin Dance company for the last 7, I am still a perpetual student. I know how to dance over 30 different styles because of my curiosity and desire to learn. Teaching (and performing) is my way of sharing that knowledge and passion for dance with others... Hopefully inspiring them to find and follow their passions. I have found that dance leads to incredible experiences, friendships, memories and much more.
"Find something that allows you to find yourself and lose yourself at the same time, then hold into it with all that you are."
Savannah Bynum is the owner and photographer for Girasoles Photography located in New Hampshire. She started dabbling in photography in 2018 when she had planned a trip abroad and wanted to learn to take pictures. With her beginner camera in hand she took on Latin America tour and captured some cool photos in the process. This was only the beginning of her journey as a photographer. With her interested in photography expanding she bought a professional camera and focused more on composition. She decided to officially start her photography business in March 2022 and her quality of work has been growing rapidly, catching the eye of many in the arts field. She has worked her magic behind the lens at major congresses such as Boston Salsa Festival & Rode Island Salsa and Bachata Festival, along with many other local events in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. She does a range of photography including events, portraitures, couples and more. Her mission is to empower people through photography. Her editing style is very colorful with real colors slightly enhanced for aesthetics, yet leaving skin tones and backdrops natural, unless requested otherwise. Savannah is down to earth and extremely talented.
Known as one of the best Emcees on the world famous Bourbon street of New Orleans, Nina Cartier has been entertaining crowds for the last 25 years. From talent shows through her child hood and teen years to various night clubs, concert venues, professional fights, weddings, corporate events, and so much more. Cartier has perfected her craft more and more over the years. Keeping up with music and dance trends of all kinds. Nina Cartier also known as Christina Cardec has also traveled to bars across the nation to entertain and emcee crowds of all kinds. With high energy and dance skills and a great attitude many have become a fan of this entertainer. Although Cartier has been raised in the salsa culture all her life, it wasn’t til 2009 she discovered the professional Latin dance scene and 2015 she attended her first congress. Over the years Cartier slowly progressed in her experience in Latin dancing and attending Congresses. Finally in 2022 she was asked to Emcee the New Orleans salsa bachata festival. Succeeding in her first congress as an emcee she was recognized by many and now will be hosting the very first ever New Hampshire F.O.L.D. Congress 2023!
