About Us

Salsa & Bachata dance:
At BDS, we provide each student with individualized attention. We know learning a new dance can be intimidating and somewhat overwhelming at first, and do our very best to make this process fun and easy. We are known for covering a great amount of detail and technique in partnering dance. For our leads, we are don't just offer a pattern of moves, but a style and technique that makes you overall a smooth dancer, in addition, our pattern are all leadable, we are NOT just about the flash on the social dance floor but rather be about having that awesome connection and be sensitive to your partner, also offer you the most up to date creative patterns.
Follows: We make sure you are not just a prop in our group classes or on the dance floor, we cover a lot of details and technique how to be come a best follow you can be, light, on point, and lots of flavor and styling with in your dance, and make sure all our leads make this dance all about taken care of you, communicate to you through body movements and make you feel that you are the star of this dance.
As a special monthly treat, we fly in salsa Champion Charlene Rose in from LA. to provide you with additional salsa ladies styling workshop to make you stand out above the rest.

For our students, as well as other local dancers, we offer a weekly Salsa Dance Practica on Sundays, this is where you can practice what you’ve learned in a low-key, un-intimidating atmosphere. We start with low tempo music, and advance to medium pace songs to get you off the ground. Every other month or more, we have "Dance Competition,” where you can enter and a $100 worth of gifts, in addition dueing our summer months, we host "Out Door Salsa Dance Events". Both events are opened to the public.

2009 BDS have started other events such as Salsa on Alki Beach & 2010 Salsa @ Westlake Park. Other monthly events such as Jack & Jill Salsa dance competitions are offered and open to the public. We are always try to provide fun events to get to know your fellow students, as well as others salsa dancer in our community.

OTHER GROUP CLASSES
At BDS we pride ourselves in hiring highest quality instructors to provide you with best of serves/training/education.

JIM CHOW
Head Salsa Dance & Bachata Dance Instructor & Owner of Belltown Dance Studio

From a very young age, Jim possessed the rhythm and
love of music which has influenced him throughout his life. For a while, he was known as an exceptional freestyle club dancer. But freestyle days were over when Jim was introduced to Salsa in 1999. Salsa immediately became his biggest passion and primary means for self expression. Although he was strongly influenced by LA style (on 1) and captivated by its flares, drama, and beauty, in early 2004 Jim started adding the flavor and softness of NY style (on 2), to his dancing. This made his style truly unique, and on the dance floor he stands out above the rest.

To Jim, Salsa is more than simple dance moves. It is playful, dramatic, sensual and flirtatious. Within a short period of time he was addicted and dancing at a professional level. Jim has been a successful artist working nationally for 20 years, and this art background has had a definite impact on his dancing and instruction. In his artistic eye, Salsa is very much comparable to an ongoing mastery of Kung Fu. Because of this, Jim is able to correctly express body movement and body language, and is exceptional at sharing accurate cues and direction for better footwork, patterns and styling with his students.
Jim has danced with some of the most well-known national and local dancers. To offer the ladies a better concept of being an outstanding follow, he complements his instruction with talented dance assistants who offer the grace, fun, flirtatiousness, and proper technique of ladies styling.

Since 2002 Jim has been demonstrating his technique to students in dance studios such as Cameo Dance and American Dance Institute, as well as workshops in health clubs, Gold's Gym, 24 hrs Fitness, Columbia Athletic Club, Bally Total fitness, and in a number of private lessons. He has done many presentations at parties, fund raisers, and other events, and has developed a loyal following. Jim gets a great deal of personal gratification from sharing his passion and seeing his students progressively master the art of Salsa. Why dance with just an instructor when you can dance with an artist?

His Keywords: Always follow your passion, forever humble, and always open to learn.

Sarah Gordon
Salsa Dance instructor

Searching for a means to express herself and improve her self-esteem, Sarah registered for ballroom dance lessons upon graduating from high school at the age of 17. At the time she had no clue what Salsa was. After taking the introductory special and learning the foxtrot, the waltz and various swing dances, she convinced herself to go to her first social dance party. That night Sarah learned that she loved to dance. She had never felt so beautiful and inspired in her entire life, and she never knew that dance could move her so deeply and put her at peace at the same time. At one point in the dance a fellow student, far more advanced in skill level, took her onto the floor for what seemed like an upbeat latin song. He told her it was Salsa, and taught her the basic steps right on the floor.

Shortly after that dance Sarah continued to take more private and group lessons, however mostly in ballroom. She was shocked at how quickly she was able to pick up the difficult syllabus patterns and strict technique that ballroom dancing is well-known for. Over the next year she trained vigourously with the intentions of competing and performing. It wasn't until she discovered that Danceworks studio in Redmond hosted salsa dance nights every wednesday before she fell in love with Salsa. She wanted to improve her latin motion so she gave it a shot one Wednesday night. The music immediately took over her, and the difficulty of attempting multiple spins and solo footwork inspired her to rise to the challenge of conquering Salsa.

From that day on, Sarah continued to train and perform with ballroom dancing but her heart and soul was always in Salsa. She trained extensively with numerous coaches from the Seattle and LA area, using her own ballroom technique to interpret the styling and methods of Salsa.

Sarah started teaching Salsa her sophmore year in college at Western Washington University as part of the Ritmo Latino Salsa Club. There she taught her favorite aspects of Salsa: Ladies Styling and Spin Technique. She continued to guide and inspire Bellingham college students with her classes for the rest of the year. During her Junior and Senior year at the University, Sarah took over the Ritmo Latino Salsa club with a co-president and leaded the performance group as well. She learned how to DJ Salsa music at the dances, and continued to come up with exciting and challenging material to teach for each class. Sarah obtained this material from her past training as well as from her ventures down to Seattle every weekend to keep up her Salsa skills. She used this method to choreograph the routines that Ritmo Latino performed at various venues in the Bellingham area for those two years. She was very proud of her dance team members who, some without any prior experience, were able to perform multiple spins, difficult footwork and express musicality in her routines after just months of her training.

Five years after first learning that basic step, Sarah became a professional Salsa dancer. After graduating from Western she soon started teaching with Jim Chow and fell in love with the studio and it's wonderful students. Sarah has performed a pro-level routine with Some of the top leads in Seattle at important events and venues in the Seattle area including Latin Night at Teatro Zinzanni, the See Sound Lounge and the Seattle Salsa Congress, Hawaii Salsa Festival. She looks forward to her next performance project which is to be determined soon and is convinced that she can never get enough Salsa!

Nadira
Belly Dance Instructor

Nadira has become one of the most passionate, elegant and dynamic Middle Eastern performers in the United States. Having graced many audiences throughout the U.S., Canada, Turkey, Egypt and other counties abroad, her dance is graceful, seamless and multi-faceted.

As testament to her expanding dance repertoire, she has laid claim to multiple national titles:

- 2007 Belly Dancer USA
- 2006 Belly Dancer of the Year
- 2006 Sisterhood of the Dance
- 2005 Double Crown Belly Dance Performing Artist
- 2005 Emerald Rain Champion
- 2004 Entertainer of the Year

Featured in IAMED’s “Bellydance-O-Rama 2” DVD, filmed in Hollywood, as well as the performance DVD “By Dancers for Dancers, Volume II” (purchase DVDs), Nadira is also appearing in the upcoming PEKO DVD series. She has been a featured performer on Persian television, and has toured Turkey, performing and teaching in Istanbul and Antalya. She recently returned home from a tour in Egypt. Some of her favorite performance venues are those close to home, such as 2001-current Arab Festivals, Folk Life, and Bumbershoot – some of the largest festivals in Seattle, WA.

Nadira has given her time and talent to several functions for the arts, including the Visual Arts Gala for Bumbershoot, Fifteenth Annual Fundraiser and Auction for Fashion Group International and Poncho Gala Auction -- hailed as the largest auction for the arts in the world. She has also performed for members of the world renowned Pacific Northwest Ballet, based in Seattle, and the 21st annual "Seattle Celebrity Waiters Luncheon" for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Beginning her journey as a performer at the early age of six, Nadira has studied many forms of dance -- from classical ballet to hip hop, to jazz. In late 1998, she was introduced to Middle Eastern dance after a car accident thought to have ended her dancing career. Utilizing this new medium of dance as a form of physical therapy, Nadira quickly embraced this style. She incorporated her broad dance and musical background with new technical moves, and her unique style emerged.

One can see how much she truly respects, enjoys and understands Middle Eastern music through her dance. Her ability to capture the crowd with skilled grace and playfulness has earned Nadira the respect of the local Persian and Arabic communities.

Nadira has the ability to intrigue the audience, yet keeps them at ease with her playfulness. She is an outstanding entertainer, and a sought after performer and instructor.

Jennifer Olson & Martín Bel
Argentine Tango instructors

In their dance and teaching, Martín and Jennifer give emphasis to the connection in the couple, musicality, and the ability to improvise freely. These three themes make up the core basis of their creation of tango. Furthermore, they seek to achieve a balance with the amount of information provided in the lessons with respect to how much the students can understand and incorporate - always caring not to lead the students to the point of frustration. While at times Martín and Jennifer teach "steps," they are only used as an excuse to open the door to musical interpretation, improvisation, and the improvement of
one's technique.

WHO IS MARTIN BEL:
Martín Bel started learning tango at the age of 18 at "Estudio Dinzel" with Rodolfo and Gloria Dinzel. He has been greatly influenced by his studies with Julio Balmaceda and Corina de la Rosa, Carlos and Rosa Perez, Eduardo Pareja "Parejita," and Olga Besio, as well as Gustavo Naveira and Giselle Anne. Additionally, Martín has a working knowledge
of modern and contemporary dance through his studies with Cristian Barnils, Ines Armas, and Soledad Alfaro.

Martín started teaching in 2007 when he assisted Julio Balmaceda and Corina de la Rosa at the prominent CITA festival in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since the, he has taught regularly in Buenos Aires at Estudio Postango and Club Fulgor de Villa Crespo (Practika 8/Milonga 10).

Martín has performed at many of the major milonga in Buenos Aires including Salon Canning, Club Villa Malcolm, Club Fulgor de Villa Crespo, Club 25 de Mayo, Viejo Correo, and Parkultural, as well as in a number of cities in Europe. Additionally, Martin was a finalist at the Tango Salon World Championship in Buenos Aires in 2008 with Vanina Perez.

Since the start of 2009, Martín has given workshops and performed in Europe (including Berlin, Germany; Hamburg, Germany; Cologne, Germany; Wuppertal, Germany; Paris, France; Amsterdam, Holland; Vienna, Austria; Zurich, Switzerland; Stockholm, Sweden; Edinburgh, Scotland; Madrid, Spain; and Budapest, Hungary) and Buenos Aires with Vanina Perez, Martine Dennewald, Maria Ybarra, Paola Motillo, Jesica
Arfenoni, and Jennifer Olson.

In Buenos Aires he organizes a weekly milonga called El Yeite Tango Club. He also organizes two tango festivals a year, one in March called El Yeite Tango Festival and the second in August, called Agosto Festivalito - both in conjunction with El Yeite Tango Club.

WHO IS JENNIFER OLSON:
Starting her tango career in Portland (OR), tango has now taken Jennifer all over the world: to Europe, to Argentina and Uruguay, and extensively throughout the United States and Canada.

Without a home and constantly on tour for the last seven years, Jennifer is happy to continue spreading her love of tango where ever she goes. During her travels, she has taught at festivals and given workshops in places such as Buenos Aires, Argentina (where she has lived for over a year); Montevideo, Uruguay; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Madrid, Spain; Paris, France; Stockholm, Sweden; Zurich, Switzerland; Budapest, Hungary; Vienna, Austria; Hamburg, Germany; Berlin, Germany; London, England; Edinburgh, Scotland; Toronto, Canada; Montreal, Canada; Portland, OR, Seattle, WA; Denver, CO; New York City, NY; Washington D.C.; Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Princeton, NJ (at Princeton University); New Haven, CT (at Yale University), and St. Louis, MO just to name a few.

Skilled in both leading and following, Jennifer frequently teaches alone, but has also taught regularly with known tango masters Alex Krebs, Robin Thomas, Evan Griffiths, Damian Lobato, and Martín Bel, with whom she currently partners.

Jennifer's dance is characterized by her desire to strive for versatility. Since tango is a social dance, she believes it is integral to master not only close and open embrace, but also
everything in-between. Furthermore, after having a connected and comfortable embrace, nothing is more important to Jennifer than the music. This is transmitted in her teaching, as she approaches every class with a strong command over the music.

Please register in our Tango page
Instructor contact info:
(971) 219-7075 tangojennifer@gmail.com

Julia Poloai

Julia is a local coach helping fitness professionals find success spreading the gift of health, and certified dance-fitness instructor helping her community build healthy habits, fall in-love with movement, and rediscover themselves! Since 2008, she’s taught dance-fitness classes in locations throughout Snohomish County and is finally bringing her islander shimmy to Seattle at Belltown Dance Studio.
Julia’s relationship with the fitness industry began in 2006, 60+ pounds heavier and leading an unhealthy lifestyle. Her attention was entirely focused on demanding workloads and busy schedules until the weekend where she could take a break from her 9 to 5 through Seattle nightlife on the dancefloor. After a handful of years as part of a professional team providing family services and working toward her own fitness goals, she was able to turn her energy and love for dance into a rewarding career and left her coordinator position to continue sharing the gifts of music and movement with others through Zumba. She understands that with little time left in the day for ourselves, exercise should be fun, challenging, keep you positive, and leave you with more energy than you had before you started – turning dance into the perfect form of fitness!
“Zumba is our opportunity to shake off the blues, smile away the workday, find beauty in our bodies, and sweat a ton while laughing with friends!”

See Zumba page for schedule.

Charlene Rose
Charlene Rosas of Belltown Dance Studio Furture workshops dates will be annouce

Charlene Rose is among the likes of great talent in the salsa world. She has performed, given workshops and taught classes internationally; and if you happen to be one to study under Charlene, you'll find that she embodies passion, style and grace within the movements of this great genre of dance.

Charlene has been noted to be a precise, meticulous instructor and utilizes the extensive training she received from many years under instructors from such prestigious companies as The Pittsburg Ballet, The Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theater, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington.

Why salsa dancing? Charlene would explain that her passion for salsa stems from it's cultural roots, the rhythms and the people who came before her. Her aim in life is also to grow and find her "own" voice through salsa and she sought out venues that challenged her talents as well as those of her competitors. Aiming her direction in the salsa scene was the perfect choice and with her credentials, the salsa world was happy to embrace Charlene.

In the fairly brief time Charlene has been exposed to latin dance she has had many impressive accomplishments. She is a four time undefeated competitor of the "Mayan International Salsa Competition" in Los Angeles California, received a standing ovation for her performance at the 2002 "New York Salsa Congress", and has performed at other various Salsa Congresses and events internationally.

Charlene Rose is by far a blossom in the rough. With salsa's history of being a male dominated forum, she acknowledges the fact that salsa today is a more contemporary style than what it once was. "I'm proud women today are making their own choices in the salsa scene and showing the world they have a name with talent."

F.J. and Catherine Abaya
Cha Cha & Swing Dance Instructors Classes are on hold till further notice

Internationally-known ballroom champions. They have enjoyed a successful career in competitive dancing, quickly climbing the ranks in the American Rhythm category of Ballroom Dancing. In their first year together, they became United States American Rhythm Rising Star Finalists and United States Open Semi-finalists. At the pinnacle of their career, they were ranked 7th in the United States. F.J. and Catherine have claimed endless Rising Star, Show Dance, and Open Championship titles all over North America. They have been finalists in most major competitions throughout the United States, and have won numerous competitions, such as the Seattle Star Ball, Texas Challenge, California Star Ball, Vegas Show Down, and Southern States Dancesport Championships.

Both F.J and Catherine are veteran teachers and compete in pro/am events with their students, enjoying great success and winning countless Top Teacher awards. F.J. is a pro-am United States Finalist in the Rhythm, Smooth, and Nine-Dance categories, placing 3rd, 4th, and 2nd, respectively. In addition, he was the winner of the coveted Super Bowl Team Match for two consecutive years. Catherine has also won prominent awards, and her students have won top honors in their divisions at pro/am competitions throughout the United States.

In addition to competing with their students, F.J. and Catherine teach both American and International Styles locally and abroad. They credit their success to hard work, mutual respect, love for their craft, and an insatiable thirst for knowledge and improvement in their dancing.

F.J. began Hip-Hop and Break Dancing in the Philippines at the age of 9, before coming to the United States. He continued his studies in Jazz Dance before beginning to teach Ballroom Dancing in 1994. Soon after, F.J. began competing professionally in American Smooth and American Rhythm and has enjoyed a long and successful career, claiming countless titles.

Since the age of six, Catherine has enjoyed dancing in all forms. She brings a diversified dance experience to the art of Ballroom Dancing with years of training in Ballet, Gymnastics, Jazz, and Modern Dance. Continuing her dance education, Catherine attended Evergreen State College, graduating with a Liberal Arts degree with an emphasis in Dance and Music Theory. She honed her skills not only by studying dance but also by choreographing dance productions through programs at Evergreen State College. Catherine began teaching Ballroom and Latin Dancing in 1998 and served as manager of a major studio in the Northwest before going into business with her husband.

F.J. and Catherine enjoy giving back to the community by performing at fund raisers for causes such as Habitat for Humanity and by working with a local non-profit organization to raise money to feed the homeless. They are also proud to donate their time to the Ballroom Dance community by supporting the local and regional chapters of USA Dance, a national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Ballroom Dance.

Professional Titles

U.S. 9 Dance Finalist (Miami, FL)
U.S. Semi-Finalist (Hollywood, FL)
U.S. Rising Star Finalist (Los Angeles, CA)
U.S. Top Rising Star Couple of the Year (Miami, FL)
Ohio Star Ball 9 Dance Finalist (Columbus, OH)
Ohio Star Ball Semi-Finalist (Columbus, OH)
Ohio Star Ball Rising Star Finalist (Columbus, OH)
Seattle Star Ball Champions (Seattle, WA)
International Grand Ball Champion (San Francisco, CA)
Autumn Dance Classic Champion (San Francisco, CA)
San Francisco Open Champion (San Francisco, CA)
Mistletoe Classic (Vancouver, BC Canada)
California Open Champion (Irvine, CA)
Colorado Star Ball Champion (Denver, CO)
California Star Ball Champions (Los Angeles, CA)
San Diego Dancesport Champion (San Diego, CA)
Southwest Regional Champion (San Diego, CA)
Vegas Show Down Champions (Las Vegas, NV)
Millennium Dancesport Champion (Tampa, FL)
Heritage Dance Classic Champion (Ashville, NC)
Holiday Dance Classic Champion (Las Vegas, NV)
Nevada Star Ball Champion (Las Vegas, NV)
Texas Challenge Champions (Houston, TX)
Sapphire Ball Champion (San Francisco, CA)
Challenge of Champions Champion (Phoenix, AZ)
Southwestern Invitational Dancesport Champion (Dallas, TX)
Chicago Crystal Ball Champion (Chicago, IL)
Southern States Dancesport Champions (New Orleans, LA)
American Star Ball (Hasbrouck Heights, NJ)
Sunshine State Dancesport Champion (Orlando, FL)
Maryland Dancesport Champion (Bethesta, MD)
Dessert Classic Dancesport Champions (Palm Springs, CA)
Twin Cities Open Ballroom Champion (Minneapolis, MN)
Capital Dancesport Champion (Alexandria, VA)
Pacific Dancesport Champion (Los Angeles, CA)
Wisconsin State Dancesport Champion (Milwaukee, WI)

Pro/Am Titles

U.S. 9 Dance Finalist (Hollywood, FL)
U.S. Rhythm Finalist (Hollywood, FL)
U.S. Smooth Finalist (Hollywood, FL)
Ohio Star Ball 9 Dance Finalist (Columbus, OH)
Ohio Star Ball Rhythm Finalist (Columbus, OH)
Ohio Star Ball Smooth Finalist (Columbus, OH)
Seattle Star Ball Champions (Seattle, WA)
International Grand Ball Champion (San Francisco, CA)
San Francisco Open Champion (San Francisco, CA)
Mistletoe Classic (Vancouver, BC Canada)
California Open Champion (Irvine, CA)
Colorado Star Ball Champion (Denver, CO)
California Star Ball Champions (Los Angeles, CA)
San Diego Dancesport Champion (San Diego, CA)
Vegas Show Down Champions (Las Vegas, NV)
Holiday Dance Classic Champion (Las Vegas, NV)
Nevada Star Ball Champion (Las Vegas, NV)
Sapphire Ball Champion (San Francisco, CA)
Southwestern Invitational Dancesport Champion (Dallas, TX)
Chicago Crystal Ball Champion (Chicago, IL)
Sunshine State Dancesport Champion (Orlando, FL)
Maryland Dancesport Champion (Bethesta, MD)
Dessert Classic Dancesport Champions (Palm Springs, CA)
Capital Dancesport Champion (Alexandria, VA)
Pacific Dancesport Champion (Los Angeles, CA)
Wisconsin State Dancesport Champion (Milwaukee, WI)
The Grand Ballroom Pro/Am Fiesta Champion (Vancouver, BC Canada)
People's Choice Top Male Student (Phoenix, AZ)
People's Choice Top Teacher (Phoenix, AZ)

F.J. and Catherine Abaya
Abayas' Ballroom
206-769-7350
info@abayasballroom.com
www.abayasballroom.com