Sam Mardini, Founder & Director, Salsa & Bachata Instructor.
A lifelong learner since taking his first Salsa class in 2001, Sam has been trained and continues to develop in Salsa On1 (aka LA Style), Salsa On2 (aka NY Style), Cuban Rumba, Traditional & Modern Bachata in Toronto, South Korea, & Cuba. A very eclectic dancer, Sam is a licensed teacher by profession - holding a Master’s in Education and teaching fulltime with the Toronto District School Board. His ability to break things down into understandable chunks, guide his learners from controlled to more open exercises, progressively assess students' comprehension of the material, and facilitate a fun class in the process, is anchored in his extensive teacher training and experience.
Salchata Dance is Sam's 2nd dance endeavor, with the 1st being the Korea International Salsa Site, one of many Salsa & Bachata communities in Seoul, South Korea (Seoul has one of the largest On2 Salsa scenes in the world!) As director, Sam taught hundreds of students locally and organized frequent international Salsa & Bachata workshops & events in Seoul across his 7-year stay there. He has hosted numerous world renowned international dancers to share their collective love of Salsa & Bachata. Sam has collaborated with many public and private organizations in the propagation of Salsa & Bachata during his dance journey in Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Cuba.
A lifelong learner since taking his first Salsa class in 2001, Sam has been trained and continues to develop in Salsa On1 (aka LA Style), Salsa On2 (aka NY Style), Cuban Rumba, Traditional & Modern Bachata in Toronto, South Korea, & Cuba. A very eclectic dancer, Sam is a licensed teacher by profession - holding a Master’s in Education and teaching fulltime with the Toronto District School Board. His ability to break things down into understandable chunks, guide his learners from controlled to more open exercises, progressively assess students' comprehension of the material, and facilitate a fun class in the process, is anchored in his extensive teacher training and experience.
Salchata Dance is Sam's 2nd dance endeavor, with the 1st being the Korea International Salsa Site, one of many Salsa & Bachata communities in Seoul, South Korea (Seoul has one of the largest On2 Salsa scenes in the world!) As director, Sam taught hundreds of students locally and organized frequent international Salsa & Bachata workshops & events in Seoul across his 7-year stay there. He has hosted numerous world renowned international dancers to share their collective love of Salsa & Bachata. Sam has collaborated with many public and private organizations in the propagation of Salsa & Bachata during his dance journey in Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Cuba.
Claudia Chelsea, Salsa & Bachata Instructor.
Claudia has been trained & continues to develop in Salsa On1, Salsa On2, Casino (Cuban Style), Cuban Rumba, Son, and Modern Bachata. She has a voracious appetite for learning and is constantly looking for ways to diversify her dance repertoire. Claudia has performed & competed in Toronto and has studied Cuban Rumba & Son in Cuba to further her dance training & development. With a background in Business Consulting and training clients to better their business, her teaching approach is very student centered, reflecting her drive to deliver results for her learners! |
Sarita Leyva, AfroCuban Extraordinaire.
Sarita Leyva; Godmother of Traditional Cuban dance in Toronto and former professor of Cuban Traditional dance with York University and currently with T.D.S.B.
We are so honored to be hosting Sarita in Midtown Toronto for our Afrocuban series in Rumba & the various Orisha folkloric dances. Sam & Claudia have traveled to Cuba on numerous occasions to train in the Afrocuban dances, and so to host weekly classes in these dances with an instructor of Sarita's calibre is truly a privelage!
Sarita’s extensive dance history & training includes being an alumna of:
-ENA(Escuelas Nacionales de Arte); one of the top national dance schools in Cuba.
-Domingo Pau; a living encyclopedia of Cuban dances.
-Isaias Rojas; director and founder of Compañía BanRará.
-Juan Teodoro Florentino; choreographer and musician of Ballet Folklórico Cutumba.
-Ernestina Quintana "Nenita"; dancer and founder of Compañía de Danza Contemporánea de Cuba.
Her classes are not to be missed for anyone interested in exploring the deep roots of Salsa!
Sarita Leyva; Godmother of Traditional Cuban dance in Toronto and former professor of Cuban Traditional dance with York University and currently with T.D.S.B.
We are so honored to be hosting Sarita in Midtown Toronto for our Afrocuban series in Rumba & the various Orisha folkloric dances. Sam & Claudia have traveled to Cuba on numerous occasions to train in the Afrocuban dances, and so to host weekly classes in these dances with an instructor of Sarita's calibre is truly a privelage!
Sarita’s extensive dance history & training includes being an alumna of:
-ENA(Escuelas Nacionales de Arte); one of the top national dance schools in Cuba.
-Domingo Pau; a living encyclopedia of Cuban dances.
-Isaias Rojas; director and founder of Compañía BanRará.
-Juan Teodoro Florentino; choreographer and musician of Ballet Folklórico Cutumba.
-Ernestina Quintana "Nenita"; dancer and founder of Compañía de Danza Contemporánea de Cuba.
Her classes are not to be missed for anyone interested in exploring the deep roots of Salsa!