Our Team

Directors & Instructors

Roger Chen – Director, Exectuvie Instructor

Roger first caught the dancing bug in 1997 when he first stepped foot into an East Coast Swing dance party and he has never been out of the dancing scene since then. He then discovered Salsa dancing and developed a love for the music and dance that will last well into the future. Roger has always been a quick learner in dance and quickly mastered many different forms of Salsa dancing which included Cuban style Rueda, LA style Salsa and NY style Mambo. His vast experience includes teaching, choreographing and dancing around North America and led him to co-found SalsaStudio.net.

Yana Gorelik – Instructor

Between Toronto and more recently Vancouver, Yana has immersed herself in the salsa lifestyle, with a love for the social scene that also allows her to push herself technically.  Originally from Belarus, Yana has a strong background in ballroom dancing, rigorously training and competing for 11 years before discovering her passion for salsa.

She continues to enrich her style with training, workshops, global congresses, and classes in a variety of latin dance styles, from rumba to mambo to afro-cuban.

Tara Shepard – Instructor

 

Michael De Ruyter – Instructor

Michael ventured into latin dance in 2001 after being dragged to a Paris night club playing Salsa, Zouk, and Merengue. Since then he dedicated to training in Salsa with instructors such as world-renonwned Super Mario and Suzanna Montero. His surgically precise and clean style has been witnessed on dancefloors around Vancouver and the world.

As an instructor and performer, Michael's focus rests on technique and musicality. Always approachable, Michael is happy to discuss or demonstrate moves, fundamentals, musicality –
so come talk to him.

Giovanni Ventura – Guest Instructor

Born in El Salvador, Giovanni immersed himself in dance at a very young age. Nurtured by a synthesis of Latin rhythms and street beats in his early youth, Gio now inspires others by sharing his passion for dance through performance, choreography, and teaching all styles of salsa and nightclub cha cha cha.

Angela Amici – Guest Instructor