YSBD Instructors
Please click here or email us at schedule@youshouldbedancing.net if you would like a copy of our current schedule automatically emailed to you.
Andrea has performed Middle Eastern dance in theaters, cabarets, museums, universities, and night clubs in New York City and abroad since 1990. She has performed as a soloist and company member with Elena Lentini's Caravanserai, New York Performing Artists Company, Anahid Sofian & Dancers, Jehan Kamal's Ballet Exotiqa and SaZ Dance Theatre, among others. In 1997 Andrea opened for Ricky Lee Jones' GHoSTYhead tour in NYC, Boston & Philadelphia. Andrea's choreography has been presented at New York City's Town Hall and at the Rhode Island Philharmonic, and by her student company The Dancing Rubies at events in the NYC area. Andrea has been teaching Middle Eastern dance since 1993; she presently teaches at Dance Forum-NY, the United Federation of Teachers, and You Should Be Dancing. For more information visit her website www.EnchantressofBioluminosity.com
Ciko got drawn to Tango at social dance floors of New York City in 2004 by the magical energy and exchange she saw on the dance floor. Her motivation to pursue tango has been the connection to another soul & body, as well as her own, through a music that inspires her.
She has studied with prestigious teachers/dancers of US, Europe and Buenos Aires and danced all over the US, Canada and Buenos Aires which contributed to her rapid progress and recognition.
During her visits to Buenos Aires she focused solely in the dance in its original grounds exploring and studying both traditional and nuevo tango with the grandfathers of this dance which developed the Argentine quality in her dance. She embraced both open and close embrace which allowed the ability to move fluidly between the two and be more dynamic and versatile. Her technique enables sharp movements effortlessly and gives her a non-restrictive connection with various dancers. Her dance is defined by its sensuality, creative playfulness, musicality and elasticity.
She emphasizes the importance of a good technique with a comfortable, musical walk over complicated moves. Her goal as a teacher is to bring her students’ personality out in their dance by teaching them the music and the concept of countless possibilities the dance offers. She cannot over emphasize the value of being an active follower which makes the dance much more interactive and fun.
She strongly believes in learning by having fun and relaxing and experimenting. This dance is about getting to know your body, your partner and the music. And it's spiritual and it's challenging and it's far from ever getting redundant.
Victorias MOTTO: Dance - for your mind, body and soul!
Victoria-Hadar participates in international Salsa congresses around the globe and taught international and nationwide workshops in Scandinavia, Middle East, Canada and around the USA. Students love her entertaining and considerate teaching style. As a result they become fast learners. She is also one of the staff Salsa teachers at the famous club Copacabana in NYC, NY.
With her Casino and Rueda de Casino students group Victoria regularly performs in a variety of National and Local Hispanic events.
Adam Hoopengardner excels in many styles of tango which gives him the opportunity to dance with everyone from the most traditional salon dancer, to the milonguera, to the more nuevo dancers. Adam's philosophy of tango is centered on the energy one feels from one's partner, which he believes should dictate the style and movement of the dance. He doesn't believe in restricting himself to either an open or close embrace instead he attempts to create a connection with his partner and allows that to dictate what evolves on the dance floor. His teaching style reflects this philosophy. He bases his classes on the abilities of the students and uses different exercises to help them explore the dance. On the social dance floor you will see him moving close or open depending on the connection, space, and music.
Adam has studied extensively with Andres Amarilla, Gustavo Naveira y Giselle Anne, Tete Rusconi, Chicho Frumbolli y Lucia Mazer in Buenos Aires, and Robin Thomas, Brigitta Winkler, Tomas Howlin and Alex Krebs in the US. In addition to teaching in NYC at Empire Dance, Adam regularly guest teaches in Pittsburgh, New Haven, CT (Yale); Princeton, NJ; State College, PA; Bethlehem, PA (Lehigh UN). Adam has also DJ'd tango music in Buenos Aires, San Fransisco, Montreal, Toronto, Ann Arbor, Cleveland, NY, Providence and Pittsburgh, to name a few.
Frankie Martinez is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most revolutionary salsa performer/choreographers of our time. Many struggle to find comparisons, invoking such names as Ailey and Tharp when describing the impact of his vision.
Born and raised in the projects of NY, Frankie dedicated himself to the study of Shotokan Karate, becoming a 4th degree black belt and winning many competition awards before joining the U.S. Navy in 1996. While on military leave, Frankie visited a Florida salsa club, and the modern age of Latin dance was born. Returning to New York, Frankie joined “The Dance Club” at Metropolitan Avenue, a ballroom dance school, where he was quickly hired as a dance instructor and soon after managed the Salsa/Mambo Department.
With less than one year of dance experience, Frankie was invited to join the Eddie Torres’ Dancers. Later that same year Frankie performed “Concierto del Amor” at Madison Square Garden. Over the next three years Frankie went on to perform for such luminaries as Tito Puente, Jose Alberto, Fania All Stars and many others, from the Los Angeles Palladium to New York’s Roseland and countless venues in between.
In 2000, Frankie Martinez gained further renown by winning Nutriments’ Latin Dance Competition. He also launched his first international tour with performances in Milan, Brecia, and Bologna, Italy. In 2000 Frankie Martinez’s Abakua Afro-Latin Dance Company was born, and in tours of Europe and Japan Frankie quickly established Abakua among the top Latin dance companies in the world. Ever since, devotees have crossed the globe for the opportunity to see Frankie perform and, for a rare few, take private instruction; the dance company Encuentro Latino, received a grant from the Arts Council Of England “to train with the most sought after Mambo/Salsa Instructor/ Performer in the world, Mr. Frankie Martinez.”
2005 saw the debut performance of “Raices” and closed with a preview of “After Hours Funk” his new work slated for Off-Broadway production in 2006 In the meantime, Frankie Martinez will continue to perform and instruct with the passion and dedication that has placed him in the company of Latin dance’s legends. (Learn more about Frankie Martinez & Abakua)
