**BACHATA LEVEL 1 BEGINS THURS JUNE 9TH @9PM**
We know why we started dancing Salsa & Bachata; they're fun and transcend the mundane. Salchata Dance Academy focuses exclusively on Salsa and Bachata. Our dancing speaks for itself; it has been honed by over 15 years of Salsa & Bachata dancing. We have trained for years and traveled extensively to further our knowledge of Salsa and Bachata, and we are always drawn back to our passion: social dancing. Our classes reflect this, as they are oriented towards training and developing dancers for the dance floor. Everything we teach, we social dance!
We know why we started dancing Salsa & Bachata; they're fun and transcend the mundane. Salchata Dance Academy focuses exclusively on Salsa and Bachata. Our dancing speaks for itself; it has been honed by over 15 years of Salsa & Bachata dancing. We have trained for years and traveled extensively to further our knowledge of Salsa and Bachata, and we are always drawn back to our passion: social dancing. Our classes reflect this, as they are oriented towards training and developing dancers for the dance floor. Everything we teach, we social dance!

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 New York Style), Cuban Rumba, Traditional Bachata, and Modern Bachata. A very eclectic dancer, Sam is a certified 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 Academy is Sam's 2nd dance endeavor, with the 1st being the Korea International Salsa Site, a Salsa & Bachata community 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. 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 New York Style), Cuban Rumba, Traditional Bachata, and Modern Bachata. A very eclectic dancer, Sam is a certified 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 Academy is Sam's 2nd dance endeavor, with the 1st being the Korea International Salsa Site, a Salsa & Bachata community 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. 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! |

Oriana Chacon Galue, Yoga instructor & RMT.
Oriana is a Yoga instructor that has unique insight into the mechanics and range of motion of dancers as a Registered Massage Therapist(RMT) and over 15 years of dance experience. With a strong base in Yoga, Oriana nurtures a sense of growth, positivity, and wellness in all her classes.
As a dancer, she began her dance journey in 2004 in Casino (Cuban-style salsa), followed by linear Salsa On1, Salsa On2, and Traditional Bachata from established dance schools in Caracas, Venezuela. She was the 2008 Venezuela Pro-Am Salsa Champion, and had been teaching Salsa & Bachata from 2010-2019. Oriana now focuses her energy exclusively on Wellness and Yoga to the health benefit of her clients.
Oriana is a Yoga instructor that has unique insight into the mechanics and range of motion of dancers as a Registered Massage Therapist(RMT) and over 15 years of dance experience. With a strong base in Yoga, Oriana nurtures a sense of growth, positivity, and wellness in all her classes.
As a dancer, she began her dance journey in 2004 in Casino (Cuban-style salsa), followed by linear Salsa On1, Salsa On2, and Traditional Bachata from established dance schools in Caracas, Venezuela. She was the 2008 Venezuela Pro-Am Salsa Champion, and had been teaching Salsa & Bachata from 2010-2019. Oriana now focuses her energy exclusively on Wellness and Yoga to the health benefit of her clients.