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Caryl CuizonDirector, Lead Instructor & ChoreographerCourses: All levels On2 and On1, Performance Classes, Workshops, Bachata, Cha Cha Cha, Merengue, Lifts & Tricks, Technique Private Lessons: Senior Instructor | caryl@ifreestyle.ca | (416) 669-1385 |
| Caryl Cuizon is a co-founder of iFreeStyle.ca Dance Company, and Director of iFreeStyle.ca's Salsa On2 Dance School and Performance Team. She has been teaching, performing and choreographing since 2000. She has taught students of all levels in both Salsa On1 and On2, locally and abroad, specializing in topics such as "transitioning from On1 to On2", body movement & isolations, body conditioning, styling, technique and musicality. Her background includes hip hop, Afro-Cuban dance, jazz, Filipino folkloric dance, classical piano
as well as athletic sports (competitor, coach, choreographer, trainer, captain) in track & field, softball, volleyball, and competitive cheerleading.
Caryl's passion for dance can be seen not only on the dance floor or the stage, but also in her teaching style. Her focus is on the joy of dance, solid technique, body movement, individuality and connection to your partner and the music. She is known for her energy, teaching innovation and ability to break down techniques for diverse learning styles. Full biography > |
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Mo KobrosliSenior Instructor & ChoreographerCourses: All levels On2, Performance Classes, Workshops Private Lessons: Senior Instructor | mo@ifreestyle.ca |
| Mo Kobrosli has loved and appreciated music for his whole life. From an early age he was exposed to many different genres of music and types of instruments including brass, strings and percussion. With a strong musical background, he was drawn to Salsa by its diverse forms of expression, not only musically but also as a dance. Trained by Caryl Cuizon and Angus Dirnbeck as both a dancer and instructor, elements of both can be seen in his teaching and dancing style, but with a unique flavor of his own. Mo is experienced in teaching students from diverse backgrounds and enjoys sharing his passion for dance and learning with others. He has performed with the iFreeStyle Dancers Pro Team and took 2nd place in the 2010 Toronto Salsa Festival Pro-Am Competition. Mo has choreographed various pieces including co-choroegraphing iFreeStyle.ca's 1st Intermediate Performance Class, 9th Int/Adv Performance Class and 10th Int/Adv Shines Performance class. |
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Joey LopezInstructor & Performance Class ChoreographerCourses: Beginner to Intermediate Salsa On2 & Performance Classes Private Lessons: Instructor | joey@ifreestyle.ca |
| Joey has been dancing Salsa since 2003. He originally learned to dance On1 at various Salsa schools. In 2006 he discovered Salsa On2 with iFreestyle and eventually performed with their 5th performance class in 2007. After his experience with iFreestyle, Joey's commitment and passion for Salsa grew and reached a high point when he entered the 2008 Winter Salsa Carnival amateur competition, winning second place. Since then Joey has participated in many of iFreestyle's performance classes, competed locally and abroad, travelled to many Salsa congresses to learn and perform. He has also danced with iFreestyle's Semi-pro team, choreographed for iFreeStyle's Dance School, and is an iFS Performance Class choreographer. Today Joey shares his love for Salsa as one of iFreestyle's Salsa instructors. |
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Velina SotirovaInstructorCourses: Beginner to Intermediate Salsa On2 and Salsa On1 Private Lessons: Instructor | velina@ifreestyle.ca |
| Velina dance journey started back in her native country, Bulgaria, where she trained and competed in Latin Ballroom. By the age of eighteen Velina won several regional and national awards, and after graduating from high school she made the difficult decision to stop dancing in order to pursue a business degree in Chicago. Although this move put her training on hold, her love for dance persisted. In 2007, Velina discovered Salsa, and since then dance has been actively back in her life. Teaching Salsa has given Velina the opportunity to share her passion and enthusiasm with her students and encourage their creativity and confidence on the dance floor. |
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Elton MartinsInstructor (Dominican Bachata)Courses: Dominican Bachata Private Lessons: Instructor | elton@ifreestyle.ca |
| Born in Brazil, Elton has always had martial arts, sports, music and dancing in his blood. Growing up he could never be still to the sounds of samba, capoeira and other Brazilian beats that speak to his soul and move his feet. Elton's lifelong love for music prompted him to explore and study other types of dances such as salsa, cha cha cha and bachata. However, it wasn't until the spring of 2007 that he started his formal training and won 1st place in the TDS amateur competition in June 2009. Since then Elton has gained further stage experience while performing with iFreeStyle student performance classes and pro dance team. Performing in various salsa events and congresses around the world has fueled his aspirations to improve as a performer. Aside from striving to become a better dancer he also enjoys assisting others in developing their dancing skills. Elton's latest accomplishments include 2nd place at the Canada Salsa Congress 2011 in the Pro Bachata Division as well as winning 1st place at the 2012 Toronto Bachata Festival Pro Bachata competition. |
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Giselle JagaiInstructorCourses: Beginner to Intermediate Salsa On2 Private Lessons: Instructor | giselle@ifreestyle.ca |
| Giselle has been dancing Salsa since 2003. She started performing in 2005 with Mambo Tribe and 2006 with Dance to Live. She joined iFreestyle.ca in 2006 and joined their instructor team in 2007. Giselle also has a dance background in jazz and swing. |
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Angus DirnbeckSenior InstructorCourses: All levels On2 and On1, Performance Classes, Workshops, Bachata, Cha Cha Cha, Merengue, Lifts & Tricks, Technique Private Lessons: Senior Instructor | angus@ifreestyle.ca |
| Angus Dirnbeck, co-creator of iFreeStyle.ca, is a passionate and creative instructor, choreographer and performer. With a flare for communicating with people from diverse backgrounds, he takes pride and finds pleasure in sharing his enthusiasm for the dualities of function and aesthetics.
Angus has appeared as a featured performer on stage, film and television. A true lover of music, his performances and choreographies are well known for their musicality. Comfortable in and adept with many styles, his creations span the spectrum from Broadway-like, jazz inspired numbers to rough and rugged urban and Afro infused pieces. Aside from dance, Angus has a background that includes bmx freestyle and martial arts. |
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Mel UrrutiaGuest InstructorToronto Salsa Xpressions, TorontoCourses: Bachata |
| Mel Urrutia first started dancing salsa in 2000 as a hobby. It quickly developed into a passion and a need to learn more about this Latin dance. With a variety of other dances and performances under his belt, salsa was another venue that peaked his interest. Thoughout the years, Mel has developed as an Instructor and as a performer in a number of dance schools in Toronto. United Salseros, Mambo Mosaic, Rumbon, Enigma Dance Co., and iFreestyle.ca were some of the companies that help shape and develop his understanding and passion for salsa along with other Latin dances. Performing in local and international venues were some of the best valuable experiences he is gratefulfor.
Mel started another chapter in his life by establishing a dance company in 2007, but his passion for performing led him back to iFreestyle which he now calls home where he performed with our Dance Team for two more years. His love of latin music, rhythm, and style has lead him to create his own dance school TorontoToronto Salsa Xpressions. |
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Gulsaya TuleubayevaGuest InstructorBaila Society, New YorkCourses: Ladies Styling On2 |
| Gulsaya Tuleubayeva was born and raised in Kazakhstan. She joined a classical ballet and world dance company at the age of 7 and continued to dance throughout her childhood, winning several city-wide competitions for solo pieces in bellydancing and the traditional dances of India and Uzbekistan.
At the age of 16, Gulsaya won a competitive scholarship from the Freedom Support Act Future Leaders Exchange Program sponsored by US Government. This gave her the opportunity to come to the United States as a cultural ambassador of Kazakhstan while going to high school and living with an American family. She found opportunities to dance in school productions as well as sports dance teams and eventually decided to pursue dance as a career, double majoring in dance and business at Santa Monica College in Los Angeles. This was when she was introduced to a wide range of dance styles, including hip-hop, jazz, tap, African, Cuban, and Salsa. As soon as she heard salsa music, she fell in love with it. She learned LA style salsa “on 1” by first taking a performance class, and only later did she discover social dancing, the aspect of salsa that she loves most. Gulsaya then moved to New York City to attend Baruch College.After graduating from Baruch College with a degree in Real Estate and Metropolitan Development, Gulsaya returned to her most intense passion – salsa – this time taking the opposite approach. She learned New York Style “on 2” entirely through social dancing and then decided to dance professionally with BAILA Society, where she is now a principal dancer and instructor. |