Aaliyah Flournoy
Aaliyah is a dancer who has 20 years of experience and has trained in a variety of styles such as tap, jazz, ballet, and choreography. Aaliyah currently teaches at studios including Offstage, KPOP Center, and S1L. She is currently training on the team GRooVe, and spends her time leading Hush Crew, a Kpop cover dance crew she founded in 2019. As an instructor, Aaliyah is passionate about creating a safe space for her students to express their love for Kpop and to grow as dancers at the same time.
Al "Adobolock" Ang
Al “Adobolock” Ang is a Bay Area native currently residing in SoCal. He has been learning Locking/Campbellocking for over 6 years and credits his journey to various mentors / teachers including Rattanak “Onie/Funky Bottoms” Neth, Manuel “Loose Caboose” Tristan, Kenneth “Mr. Kleen” Lavis, John “ShyGuy” Magat, and many others. Al co-founded Funktion Point Sessions in 2018 with Onie to provide an open space to learn and train Locking Foundation and History. Today, he is a proud member of JKZ and Soulful Sundays LA. Training to further refine his own craft, Al believes in deepening, broadening, and redefining one’s understanding of the foundations, history, and culture of any art form. Namely in Locking, Al finds wonder in embracing one’s individuality and connection to their community.
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Alex "Swift" Almaraz
Alex ‘Swift’ Almaraz began dancing at 13 and is trained in Hip-Hop, House, Salsa, Chicago Footwork, Modern and more. In 2011, he joined a professional Hip-Hop theatre company that tours around the world and serves the underprivileged community of LA.
Their mentorship has helped him use his dance to steer away from his harsh community and to pursue his education at UCLA, where he would later obtain a degree in Dance. He then became one of the founders of SyntheSoul House crew. Alex has been featured at Highways Performance Space, Redcat, Bootleg Theatre and various prison / juvenile halls to present his piece, A Tattooed Man. He has recently won House Dance Forever in Japan and judges internationally. While he's not teaching regularly at both a local and global scale, Alex is continuing to train and educate himself on various dance forms / cultures and pursuing his career as a digital entrepreneur and DJ. He wishes to give back to his immediate community while training, battling at street battles and events around the world, and performing in House and Hip-Hop through a contemporary lens that is focused on creating change.
Ariel Padua
Anthony started dancing at the age of 5 when his god mother taught him the basics in popping and locking. In high school he joined Alhambra All Male and trained in ballet, krump, breaking, housing, jazz, and hip-hop. Anthony helped choreograph for Alhambra from 2007-2010, winning multiple group awards and winning three 1st places in the solo hip-hop division. He later founded Griminalz Project with 6 other friends and became known as one of the first project teams. From 2010-2015, he was on UCI's Common Ground Dance Team and was the artistic director for 3 years. Anthony has also danced for Disneyland and Maker Empire. He has been the artistic director for Hall Of Fame Dance Team for the past 4 years. Furthermore, Anthony has taught at multiple studios such as: DanceLova, Believe & Dance Studio, Wave Studio Space, and Snowglobe Perspective. He desires to use dance as a platform to make a positive impact in the community through mental health awareness.
Ariel Padua is a dancer and choreographer originally from a small town called Salinas in Northern California. He began dancing at 12 years old for his local church, and eventually joined his first team, Choreology. He later began choreographing for Choreology, and directed/choreographed for other teams such as Nu Era, Rooks, and ChoreoSupremacy. Since then, Ariel has eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue a professional dance career, and has taught in countries such as Belgium, China, and more. He is currently on GRV as one of its core choreographers, and is the director for GRV's junior exhibition team, G-Train. He has danced for multiple artists in the Korean entertainment industry, most notably BTS in America’s Got Talent, Kim Jong Kook, Kevin Woo, and Jun Curry Ahn. He has also choreographed for the Kpop groups SuperM & iKon, and was featured in the Kpop Idol reality show “To Be World Klass” as a guest choreographer & judge. He hopes to inspire and push others to pursue their dreams through humility, hunger, and hard work.
Brandon Yang
Brandon Yang is a dancer who has danced for teams like Main Stacks, Common Ground, Snowglobe Perspective, Jabbawockeez HHN, and is currently the Creative Director of Culture Shock LA.
The focus of Movement Exploration will be to access freedom in your movement and letting go of old beliefs that no longer serve you.
Anthony Martinez
Bryan Solante
Bryan Solante is a dancer and instructor born in Hawaii and raised in the PNW. He began his training and competitive career at various studios such as Element Dance Studio, MVP Dance Elite and Vega Dance Lab. He has had training in Breaking from members of Def Con 5, Moon Patrol, and Ghoulz, and aims to incorporate his background into his classes. Bryan is a founding member of the dance crew Understaff, and a member of dance company GRV. Bryan hopes to continue growing as both a teacher and student, while building new relationships with those that share his passion for dance.
Carlo Darang
Carlo Darang is a dancer and choreographer based out of San Diego. With currently over 12+ years of experience, he currently co-directs the professional team Choreo Cookies and GWOWNUPS. His other credits include Kinjaz and Frenemies. Carlo has taught outside of San Diego, both domestically and internationally: Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Singapore, Philippines, Japan, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand. Carlo also has experience assistant choreographing for artists such as BTS, Monsta X, and more. He also has danced for artists such as Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, Paula Abdul, and the Chainsmokers. Carlo continues to teach at his local San Diego studios, Building Block and Studio FX. Now currently based in LA/K-Town, Carlo hopes to bring his services to his community where he can share his craft with anyone looking for a groovy time!
Chris Wilks
Chris Wilks is a dancer, choreographer, & instructor based in Los Angeles who began dancing in 2014. Chris has danced on tour with MC Hammer, and also teaches regularly at studios such as Millennium Dance Complex, Snowglobe Perspective, Eighty Eight Studios, and Offstage. Chris is passionate about teaching his classes with energy and love, and wants to create a positive environment that promotes growth and fun, without any judgment or competition.
Charles Nguyen
Charles Nguyen aka Charlie is a choreographer and dancer on The Kinjaz. He has 12+ years of dance experience, & has taught domestically & internationally in places such as Australia, Philippines, Vietnam, Canada, Germany, El Salvador, Turkey, India, Russia, Switzerland, London, Kazakhstan, and Suriname. Charlie has danced with community teams like Poreotics, PAC Modern, and Culture Shock Los Angeles, & has also performed with artists like Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, and Jackson Wang.
He’s competed on TV shows like
America’s Best Dance Crew and
NBC’s World of Dance. Charlie is currently performing with The Kinjaz while working on his music production career. He’s excited to meet and dance many counts with you!
Crystal Jackson
Crystal Jackson is a professional Movement Artist from Tampa Fl, residing in LA. She participates in the freestyle community while also working in the commercial dance industry. Crystal has trained in contemporary, jazz, modern, and ballet for over 15 years before discovering her love for freestyle and the battle community. As far as street styles, Crystal has trained in Popping, Hiphop, and Waacking.
She uses these styles in collaboration with her classical training to create what she considers experimental movement. Crystal is also represented by Bloc Talent Agency & THECouncil Women.
Darlene Nguyen
Darlene Nguyen is a dancer, choreographer, & instructor based in Southern California. She started her training in the Bay in various styles including hip hop, jazz, contemporary, and salsa. She’s continued her training down south in San Diego, recently danced on the G.O.O.D. Project in Irvine, and continues her dance journey in LA. She is a regular instructor at Rūts Dance Studio located in Koreatown, LA, and she hopes to create a safe space and inspire her students to enjoy and explore movement.
Derrique Daniels
Derrique Daniels is a choreographer, stylist and aspiring creative director from the bay area. He danced with Chapkis Dance for 13 years and received his training in many styles like, hip-hop jazz, contemporary and from monsters of hip-hop convention as well. Along Derrique’s dance journey he’s danced for artists like Childish Gambino, Daddy Yankee, Snoop Dogg and in national commercials for companies like Pepsi, Remy Martin, Facebook and many more. Now Derrique is a current member and choreographer of GRV and is striving to become a world-renowned choreographer, stylist and use those skills to become a creative director for commercials, Music videos, live shows and events.
Diana Schoenfield
From Nashville, Tennessee, Diana Schoenfield is a movement artist currently based in LA. Graduating from UC Irvine, she received her B.F.A. in Dance Choreography and her B.F.A. in Dance Performance. She is currently a member of Entity Contemporary Dance, directed by Marissa Osato and Will Johnston, and she is an alumna of Culture Shock LA. She has performed with Latin pop artist Sofía Reyes, German artist Helene Fischer, and Cirque du Soleil. She has taught workshops internationally, in locations including Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and México, as well as in LA at Edge PAC and Movement Lifestyle. She also has online classes available on Steezy Studio. Diana is dedicated to spreading positivity and empowerment through her work.
Diny Kim
Diny Kim is a professional dancer, teacher, and choreographer based in Los Angeles, California. She began her dance journey in San Diego back in 2010, specializing in the styles of hip hop choreography. She danced and choreographed for the Super Galactic Beat Manipulators, founded by Kevin Brewer of the Jabbawockeez, for 4 years, and is now currently dancing with the world renown dance crew GRV since 2019. Diny enjoys traveling & teaching - she has been invited to share her creative passions both home & abroad, most notably in New York & South Korea. Diny has danced for several artists in the Kpop entertainment industry such as JUN, Hong Jinyoung, and Ashley Alisha, & is also a choreography director for Soju Commercials Chum Churum, Chilsung Cider, & Milkis by Lotte. Diny is the co-owner of Rūts Dance Studio based in Los Angeles, and hopes to create a professional training ground for aspiring artists & dancers in the entertainment industry. Her strong faith in God is where she lays the foundations of her creativity, and hopes to cultivate passion in others to boldly pursue their dreams.
Dnoi
Born in Baguio, Philippines, Dnoi is a popper that has been dancing for 18 years. Dnoi started gaining most of his dance knowledge when he moved to San Diego, from the one and only Jr Boogaloo. He is one of the original members of Soulbotics Krew and has had the privilege of dancing and battling all over the world. He is currently an instructor for Steezy Studio and Offstage by GRV. Though Dnoi is an Engineer by day, he always kept his passion for dancing. His main goal now is to help spread knowledge and culture of this dance to the next generation.
Eri Chikusa
Eri Chikusa is a dancer and choreographer who was born and raised in Japan. While she has training experiences in multiple genres such as Hip Hop, Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, she found love in choreography. It led her to move to the states in 2016 for 4 years, and she later joined Choreo Cookies in 2017. Not only has she had teaching experiences in many cities (LA, SD, Irvine, NY, Houston), but she also signed with Go 2 Talent Agency and has worked with artists such as Daddy Yankee and Amber Liu. After she moved back to Japan in 2020, she taught at NOA Dance Academy and En Dance Studio in Tokyo regularly and worked with S**t Kingz and Travis Japan. In 2022, Eri moved back to the states and is excited to continue her journey and expand/cultivate her artistry more. She also hopes to enlighten the community with her knowledge she's gained over 8 years of experience.
Eileen Kim
Eileen Kim is a dancer, choreographer, instructor, & studio owner based in Los Angeles, CA. She first found her passion for dance when she began competing on a team based in UC Riverside, and since then has continued to share her craft through teaching both locally at studios like Offstage, Snowglobe Perspective, Kinjaz Dojo, and internationally in countries like Belgium, Colombia, China, and Korea.
Eileen has danced for artists such as Rae Sremmurd & BTS, & has choreographed for Kpop artists Kevin Woo and JUN. She is currently a choreographer on the world renowned organization GRV, and is the co-director of GRV’s exhibition team, GRooVe.
Eileen is a proud co-owner of her very own dance studio, Rūts LA (@rutsdancestudio), located in Koreatown, LA and has also recently started her own online dance course program, Real Life Lovers (@reallifelovers). She is passionate about relating her faith to her career & shifting culture through her teaching & entrepreneurship, & desires to continue to be a student in everything she pursues.
Emanuel Ragaza
Emanuel Ragaza is a dancer and choreographer based in Los Angeles, CA. He began dancing with the Upland High School Dance Team, and later joined GRaVy Babies to further his dance training. Emanuel is currently dancing with GRV, and teaches regularly at studios such as Offstage by GRV and Snowglobe Perspective. He has found a true passion in creating and sharing choreography with others, and is grateful to play an important part in his students’ dance journeys.
Grant Kaita
Grant Kaita was born and raised in the Bay Area, Gilroy, CA to be exact. Kaita moved to Los Angeles in 2016 to pursue his love and passion for dance to tackle the commercial dance industry. He is currently represented by McDonald/Selznick Associates Talent Agency (MSA Agency) in Los Angeles, working and training towards his goal of one day going on tour for a major recording artist. Grant Kaita has trained in a wide range of dance styles such as; Hip Hop, Ballet, Jazz Funk, African, Bollywood, Contemporary, and more. Kaita ha performed in Club Jeté in pieces for Ambrose Recpicio. He recently danced at Disney’s California Adventure in a brand-new dance show choreographed by Nika Klujin, as well with Rupaul’s Drag Race’s very own Miss. Vanessa Vanjie Mateo on her first Europe/United Kingdom Tour choreographed by Ambrose Recpicio. Kaita has grown a love for choreographing and teaching ever since he started dancing in high school. Grant Kaita teaches Jazz Funk weekly at Rūts LA Dance Studio. While doing all of this and more, Kaita is earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Commercial Dance at Studio School, Los Angeles.
Jeffrey Caluag
Jeffrey Caluag is a dancer, choreographer, and instructor based in Los Angeles, CA. He started dancing in 2008 with Team Millennia Juniors and eventually joined Team Millennia. He has been teaching since 2010 and has traveled around the world to teach his unique style. Jeffrey has also been a regular instructor at Millennium Dance Complex OC, STEEZY, Snowglobe Perspective, and GRV's Offstage. He loves food/cooking, KPOP, having a good time, and hopes to see you in class!
Jeffrey Liang
Originally from the Bay Area, Jeffrey Liang is a queer, 2nd generation Taiwanese-American choreographer based in Los Angeles. He has danced with and advised for teams such as Team Millennia and NSU Modern, and now works with local artists while teaching classes in LA. Through the styles of heels, jazz funk, and other forms of feminine movement, he strives to explore identities and oppression with the goals of liberation and self-love.
Jenna Beltran
Jenna Beltran is a Dancer / Choreographer who currently resides in LA. Born and raised in Modesto, California, Jenna spent most of her time at the studio training in styles such as Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Contemporary. A few of Jenna’s credits include: Ariana Grande, 88 Rising’s Head in the Clouds Forever at Coachella Festival, Karol G, Helene Fischer, Cirque Du Soleil, assisting for the BillboardMusic Awards, and more! Jenna loves sharing with others and has taught locally for studios such as Offstage, Snowglobe Perspective, and online classes with Steezy Studio and Kinjaz Dojo. Teaching is truly something that fills Jenna’s heart and soul and she cannot wait to do more of that this year.
Jessica Hsu
Jaysu is a multidisciplinary artist based out of Los Angeles, California. She enjoys drawing, painting, and jewelry-making, but specializes in movement and has been teaching choreography classes in the U.S. and Asia for the past six years. Previously also a part of 220 in San Diego, 909 Dance Troupe in Riverside, and MOTUS the Company in Los Angeles, she continues to pursue movement as a vessel for exploration with Outer Class in Fullerton. Jaysu ultimately hopes to bring a welcoming yet challenging learning experience for her students through love, transparency, and lots of creative drive!
Matthew Sabino
Matthew Sabino is a choreographer & dance instructor based out of Los Angeles, California where he specializes in choreography. When he began his dance journey in the early 2000’s he sought inspiration from the likes of Chris Brown & Usher and decided in 2010 to take dancing more seriously. He currently teaches regularly at Offstage Dance Studio and is a Snowglobe Perspective native. His community credits include, GRV, Team Millennia, Hall Of Fame, & The Matt Sabino Project. Currently he spends most of his time teaching internationally in places like China, Korea, and around the US. He continues to believe in his one goal to spread positive energy and motivation through dance to people all over the globe.
Ria Julian
Ria Julian (she/her) is an aspiring dance teaching artist in Los Angeles, CA with an unconventional dance background. She started her dance journey with Breaking and Salsa, but eventually found her footing with Hip Hop, Choreography, and Freestyling. During her time at UCLA, she found many families through different teams such as, ACA, KASA Dance-Off, KCN Modern, SEOULA, and VMo as well as studying Hip Hop, Modern, and West African dance through the UCLA WAC/D dance major program. She believes that dancing is the most fun when it’s being shared with others. During her time in SEOULA, she reignited her love for K-pop music and choreography and has made many covers and choreography projects for the channel. Currently, she loves to teach K-Pop choreo in hopes to make it more accessible for other K-pop lovers to want to dance.
Sam Nikandrov
Sam Nikandrov is a street style dancer and choreographer who is experienced in theatrical, commercial and other stage performances. He is a member of That’s the Point crew with many notable achievements and is also the winner of many battles around the world as a representative of his crew (Paris, Düsseldorf, Glasgow, Moscow, Los Angeles etc)
Sam is a highly-trained professional, passionate teacher, and true funk soldier.
Professional achievements and awards:
- Hip-Hop International certified judge
- Keep on Dancing Locking 4x4 two time champion
- UDO world dance championship locking 1x1 silver medalist
- Award for the contribution to street dance culture development
Sherwin Salonga (Beast)
Sherwin Salonga, AKA 'Beast', is a dancer originally From Carson, CA. He is the creator of The Beastcamp. Representing Krump as his main style, he has gained the title of Krumper of the Year 3 times and Krump World Champion 2 times.
Some of Beast's credits include:
The Ellen Show, Justin Bieber, the AMAs, World of Dance, and RedBull.
Shiggy Nakano
Shiggy is a dancer & choreographer based in SoCal, & has been dancing for over a decade. Shiggy has training in various styles such as Bboying, Locking, Popping, etc. He has performed with teams such as SRank (as seen on NBC's World of Dance Season 2) & Avex Royalbrats. He has also choreographed for TV Show Atomboyz, and has danced in music videos for artists such as Gryffin and Wolftyla.
He continues to teach dance both internationally and locally at studios such as Offstage and Snowglobe Perspective, gaining experience and further developing his expertise in teaching many different types of individuals at various levels.
Soobin Bae
Soobin was born in New York and has lived in Maryland and Busan, South Korea. She started dancing to K-Pop 11 years ago at home, inspired by groups such as SNSD and Wonder Girls. She moved to LA to go to UCLA and joined competitive and project teams there (ACA, TFTI). In 2017 Soobin co-founded SEOULA, where she is currently directing and advising. She also dances with SHERO, teaches at Offstage, and creates K-Pop content online on YouTube, TikTok, and IG including covers, tutorials, and more. Soobin has a passion for spreading Korean culture and making dance more accessible to as many people as possible and to encourage anyone to just have fun with dance.
Tony Ray
Tony Ray is an dancer / artist who started his dance journey in his hometown of San Diego. He’s most notably known by his movement in House Dance, through which he’s been given the opportunity to teach around the world and compete on some of the most renowned stages today. In 2019, he won the Juste Debout for the 2v2 House Category.
Tony has been a part of the following crews: Dance Fusion Family, Sour Patch Crew, & Wild 7s. His deepest love for dance lies in helping others grow through his teaching. He aims to help everyone build a more solid foundation to grow upon.
Tori Cristina
Tori Cristina is a Filipina Salvadoran artist, educator & professional dedicated to cultivating brave spaces, elevating multicultural stories, & empowering individuals to achieve their highest level of growth. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Tori began her dance journey in late high school and was a member of choreography teams until she found her calling in street dance art forms. She has trained in a variety of street dance art forms such as Hip Hop, House, Whacking and more through Versa-Style Next Generation. She continues her work as a teaching artist and educator in Los Angeles region.
As an active participant in the Los Angeles freestyle community, Tori found her calling and love for Punking & Whacking. She was trained and mentored under the guidance of Lorena Valenzuela. Tori actively aims to preserve the history of the art form while aiming to create opportunities for others. She has hosted battles, sessions and showcases for the Whacking community. She is currently in collaboration with LA Hustle Movement, Let’s Lock LA and Whacking Wednesday Sessions on co-hosting a community-oriented space called “Soulful Sessions” at Echo Park. She aims to serve people from all walks of life through the creation of purpose-driven art and the provision of accessible, high-quality dance education & community events.
Tu Phan
Tu Phan is a Vietnamese-American creative, dancer and choreographer. Originally from Portland, Oregon, his training comes from Element Dance Studio and MVP Dance Elite. Tu has grown a love for choreographing & teaching ever since he started dancing in middle school. He has taught locally at Snowglobe Perspective & at various competition studios throughout the area. Besides being a freelance dancer & training at a number of studios, Tu is a founding member of Understaff. Tu is also currently earning a BA in Communications (focus in Advertising) at Cal State University of Fullerton. His passion for being a teacher is just as strong as his passion for being a student. Tu’s goal is to create a space for everyone to grow and to provide the tools & ideas to explore themselves & their creative passions.
Tyler Singletary
Tyler D. Singletary is a dancer and choreographer who started his dance journey in Saint Petersburg, FL and is now based in Los Angeles, CA. He has been dancing for 10+ years, starting off in the street community, finding himself now in the industry.
He spends his time working as a commercial dancer as well as battling/judging at street dance events. Some of his accomplishments including winning World of Dance Orlando and Red Bull DYS LA. He’s danced for artists including The Jacksons, Kirk Franklin, Giveon and more. Tyler’s involvement in both communities gives him a unique perspective on hip-hop dance. He recognizes this dance as not only movement, but a culture and a way of life.
Zuce Morales
Born and raised in Puebla, Mexico, Zuce moved to Los Angeles in 2016 with the dream to pursue her career as a professional dancer. She studied at Glendale College, where she got one certification in Choreography and Dance Techniques another in Dance Teaching. Though her specialty is Locking, Zuce is a well-rounded dancer with abilities in Whacking, Popping, House and Hip Hop. She has taught for organizations like Hip Hop International Mexico, and at studios such as Debbie Reynolds, Legacy, Movement Lifestyle and TMilly. Zuce aims to make her classes about having fun while learning something new and establishing a strong technique foundation. She always tries to create an inclusive space where dancers and non-dancers from all ages can learn, earn physical abilities, and spread their passion with the world.
Larry Li
Larry Li is a dancer and choreographer originally from the Bay Area. His training mainly roots from the junior team APT and the world renowned dance crew GRV. He has danced for Kpop artists such as BTS on Americas Got Talent. Having been a part of the community for many years, Larry also has performance experience in world-famous competitions such as Vibe Dance Competition, Urban Paradise, and Body Rock.