Carlos and Elena (Head Latin Coach and Head Beginners Coach)
Carlos and Elena are 5 Times Portuguese National Latin Dance Champions and in the best 30 couples of ISDF world ranking latin. They have been dancing together for 6 years and are based in London where they conduct their formation in dancing and travel all over the world for competitions.
As Youths they achieved a semifinal place in the most important open to the world dance festival in Blackpool. In addition, both of them are leading stars of the feature length documentary film “London Tango” which was made during 2008 and 2009. Elena’s love for dancing and hunger for success were matched by Carlos´ ambition and talent. For the last 4 years they have been tirelessly travelling around the world successfully representing Portugal in the major international events. In 2009 they won Portugal Dance Awards and were elected to represent Portugal in the upcoming World Games in Taiwan July 2009.
Snezhana (Co-Head Ballroom and Latin Coach)
Snezhana Draper is a Russian born Professional Ballroom dancer and is currently living and teaching in England. For the last 6 years she has been dancing for England and representing Great Britain in many prestigious events such as the European Championships and World Championships as well as many others. She, and partner Craig, placed runners-up in British National Championship, won the UK Championships and All England Championships. Previously she has danced for Bulgaria and has ranked number one in the country in Latin Amateur Championship. And even earlier, when she was dancing in Russia, she was the Russian Youth 10 dance Champion, German and Finland Open, and placed third in the World Championship! She is a member of UKA Professional Ballroom Association of teachers and has been teaching for many years now.
“I have been dancing for many years and started with 6 years of ballet in Russian Academy before moving on to Ballroom and Latin. When I moved to London I decided to specialise in Ballroom. I have a great passion for dancing and teaching dancing, especially young enthusiastic talents. I find great pleasure to seeing my students dancing, feeling the music, being able to express their personalities through dancing movements and most importantly enjoying themselves. Being able to be part of this and help them to maintain and enhance their dancing skills is something that I really love.”
Natasha and Stefano (Co-Head Ballroom Coach and Ballroom Teacher)
Stefano and Natasha are a newly formed partnership, only commencing their career together in June 2011. Individually, they have both achieved high honours with previous partners, and now they look forward to even greater success together. Natasha, originally from Australia, moved to London in 2002 to further her dance career. She has danced from a young age and is now enjoying a career of competing, teaching and travelling. With Stefano being from Italy, they commute between Rome and London for work and training, and are frequently competing and teaching internationally.
Some of their most notable achievements include World Amateur Champion in the IDU Federation, Semi Finaliast in the World Professional Ballroom Championship, Semi Finalist in the British Open Professional Championships, British Professional Classic Showdance Champion and 6 x Rising Star Finalists in the Professional Ballroom at majors.
This will be Natasha’s fifth season with the Imperial College Dance Society and the club will now benefit and be strengthened by Stefano’s experience and knowledge.
Arman (Assistant Coach)
Arman is one of our own dancers, having been part of the Imperial College Dance Team for many years. He is particularly well known on the university circuit for being a three time national advanced ballroom champion, as well as the highest placed dancer to compete in all 10 dances at the annual IVDC competitions. Arman has now decided to further his career by teaching and competing nationally and internationally.
Arman recently faced stiff senior competition, but with his go-getter dancing drive he was triumphant and was crowned the West of England Amateur Champion. “Yea it is a great honour, but what really touched my heart was how Masha, my most loving EEB, dedicated this glorious victory to me” he said stepping down from the podium. The devine smile told myriads of tales; tales of fulfilment, achievement, and simply satisfaction, as he was engulfed by a crowd of paparazzi, all dying to capture this moment of majestic conquest. Time will only tell what further heights this promising young competitor will reach.
Edita (Ballroom and Latin Medals Teacher)
Edita currently teaches the medal classes at Imperial College, as well as at Channing School and at ‘Central London Dance’, a leading dance school where the diversity of her pupils ranges from raw beginners to students studying for Professional qualifications. She regularly prepares and enters pupils for ISTD exams and medalist competitions for which she personally choreographs their routines. She has had considerable success in this field where on numerous occasions her students have reached the finals at the ISTD Grand finals at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool with some achieving the 1st place.
In 1999 she was proud winner of the Phyllis Haylor Scholarship, a fund set up by the ISTD to grant sponsorship for the training of young teachers with exceptional promise. She now holds a Fellowship in both Ballroom and Latin American together with a Licentiate in Rock ‘n’ Roll. Edita’s passion for dance extends to other dance styles and from 2004 until 2006 she served on the committee of ISTD Club Dance Faculty, where she was involved in producing the Lindy Hop syllabi. She was also part of the ‘Everyone is Born to Dance’ project with the British Dance Council and in 2007 contributed to a project entitled ‘The Great Fandango’ organized by St. Mary’s Church in London. As a dancer she regularly choreographs and performs showcases held at Central London Dance. She was also featured dancing in the television series ‘Maisie Raine’, in addition to appearing in a student film festival in 1998. With music and dance going hand in hand Edita’s talents extend to writing and performing her own original songs, and she has already recorded her first album with Paul Ogden.
Laith (Salsa Teacher)
Laith Sami was born in Baghdad, moving to the UK at the age of four. From there the family moved to Sweden when Sami was about eight years of age. At the age of thirteen he discovered his passion for dance and a year later was already teaching Hip Hop at a youth Club. His method of teaching brought in students age six to eighteen. In no time at all he had a student body of over 150 students.
At the age of twenty one with his abilities and expertise in Physical Theater, he went on to be part of a gymnastics team which became national champions.
Returning soon to London to study acting and dancing Salsa at Hammersmith West London College, he went on to become a British Salsa Champion in 2003, taught salsa in Europe and represented UK at the Los Angles Congress. He went on to receive a Lifetime Salsa Achievement award in 2007. This will be his second year with IC.
Mark Tan (Swing Teacher)
Mark is a medical student at Imperial College. Before starting swing dancing, he trained in jazz guitar and bass and still regularly performs music with several bands. Now, his love is split between playing music and dancing. He has performed and competed in international festivals, but still prefers the connection and improvisation of social dancing. From his musical background, his fortes are in musical interpretation and improvisation, while his performance experiences built up also his technical expertise. Mark can be found ether busy with medical school, dancing in various venues in London, or performing music with his church orchestra, jazz combo, or funk bank.
Laura de Altube (Argentine Tango Teacher)
Laura De Altube is a first-class teacher and performer of Argentinian Tango from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has a general dance teaching degree and over 10 years of experience, in Argentina and internationally, of working in all of the various styles of Tango that exist today. Laura’s preferred style is “salón tango with a modern focus”. That means her teaching is rooted in the beautiful, pure style that has proved its worth over time on Buenos Aires dance floors. But her Tango is also strikingly up-to-date in its technique and its looks, incorporating all the cutting-edge developments which continue to make this dance ever more fascinating. Laura is a catalyst for understanding tango as a dialogue between the dancers, for being able to move comfortably and naturally as a dancing couple, for enjoying the rich, expressive music, for crisp and rhythmical footwork, and for sleek and sensual movements.