A Team Of Experts Teaching Your Kids () - Salsa With Silvia 4 Kids

OUR TEACHERS

Rhythmic Gymnastics

Lillia Ashirova is a certified gymnastics professional and yoga instructor (based in Maryland). A former competitive gymnast, she is an expert rhythmic and artistic gymnastics coach and yoga instructor who works with students of all ages in the DMV area. 
Born in 1984 in Novokuznetsk, Russia, Lillia found success early in life as a competitive gymnast and a dancer (basic ballet, lyrical dance, modern dance, etc.) throughout her childhood and teen years. Later, she earned a master’s degree in education, and started to work as a teacher at different public and private facilities.
After moving to the US in 2014, the Lillia was recruited to step into a role as rhythmic gymnastics coach and a certified yoga instructor.

Lillia was the gym’s rhythmic and artistic gymnastics coach and gymnastics and dance routine choreographer for both competitive and recreational classes catering to children ages 2 to 18. She also worked with professional athletes and designed and taught gymnastics fitness classes to help people improve their flexibility and strength. In 2018, Lillia became a certified gymnastics and gymnastic fitness instructor through the School of Competitive Gymnastics, a program that trains gymnastics coaches working with pre-team, compulsory, optional, and elite athletes.
Salsa With Silvia is extremely excited to have Lillia on board and she is looking forward to providing fun, engaging, and informative gymnastics and fitness and dance classes for people of all ages. 

Head instructor, Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Hip Hop

Kate began her creative ballet training at age 4 at the Clytie Adams School of Ballet, where she continued, building a rigorous schedule of classical ballet en pointe, modern and jazz technique and performance until age 18. During those years and during her time at Whitman College, she also trained and performed with local artists and school dance companies in modern, jazz, hip hop, african, belly dancing and theater dance, with heavy focus on choreographic theory.

Teaching students, even more than performing, is something that runs in her blood. Young ballet and creative dance students need to connect deeply to both the enchantment of dance and the athleticism of technique in order to truly dance. A good teacher will find and fuel a student’s joy of movement at every single step of training without compromising excellent technique and sound pedagogy.

Kate sees the unique dancer in every child and has been teaching students of all ages for nearly 10 years at the school where she was trained. She is new to Washington, D.C., and looks forward to seeing the spirits of your children bloom as their strength, balance, coordination, and grace grows.

Lead instructor, Ballet, Jazz, Modern

Tabata Vara originally from Hyattsvile Maryland, started her professional ballet training in 2016 in Puebla, Mexico.
She is currently pursuing a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography at Towson University. Tabata enjoys teaching children of all ages and her greatest joy is seeing them learn dance while having fun. Although Tabata’s dance journey began with Ballet, she is also trained in Modern and Jazz. She has performed in professional works around the DMV area.

Ballet, Hip Hop, Tap, Jazz Dance Instructor

Sarah Katherine Hamang danced often from childhood through her time at Indiana University, and re-discovered her love of the art once she moved to DC as a way to disconnect from its fast pace. She has trained in and performed a variety of dance disciplines including hip hop, dancehall, West African, modern, jazz, tap, and ballet. In the DC area, Sarah has performed as a company member with Raediant Movement, Fierce Collabo, UpRooted Dance, and Momentum Dance Theatre in venues including the Howard Theatre and the Kennedy Center. She has over 10 years of experience teaching classes for young movers and enjoys encouraging movement and dance in all ages.

Sarah’s second career and personal passion is in the environmental space, as a fundraiser and advocate for one of the world’s largest conservation organizations.

Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop Instructor

Casey Alexandria Johnson is a classically trained modern and ballet dancer with 10+ years of technical training and performance experience.

Casey started her career in 2011 where she attended New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and gained expertise in Horton, Graham, and Limon techniques, as well as Balanchine and Cecchetti ballet methods.

Casey has performed with two companies in New Orleans, LA as a student apprentice. In 2013, Casey spent time in New York City training at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater growing in Horton Technique and performance.

In 2015, Casey moved to Washington DC to attend Howard University. While in DC, Casey has continued to grow in technicality while performing in on-campus endeavors. Casey’s love for kids has inspired her to start teaching dance with Salsa with Silvia!

Overall, Casey is excited to continue to learn and grow in teaching and performance wherever opportunities are present!

Acro, ballet, hip hop dance instructor

Natasha Therese Czarniewy, originally from Washington DC, began her training as a gymnast with GMS and the Arlington Aerials in VA. She then ventured into the world of dance, studying at the Washington School of Ballet, Joy of Motion, and Dance Place and was a member of Carla & Company’s 2000-2001 season. She performed at the Warner Theater, Kennedy Center, and Verizon Center as a Mystic Mayhem cheerleader with the WNBA.

She began her teaching career in WDC in 2001 at Dance Place and Ballet Petit. With a BA in dance, she began her career in NYC as a principle dancer with the Amy Marshall Dance Co. She toured nationally and internationally performing and teaching in Macau, Poland, and Mexico. She has also been a member of KDNY dance, the Dance Theater Company, as well as a guest artist in residency with the Olga Dunn Dance Co. in MA.

Ms. Czarniewy continued her teaching throughout the NYC area at New York Dancers Studio and Stamford Performing Arts Center as well as universities, studios, schools, and numerous outreach programs along the East coast.

She has been a featured dance model for Lois Greenfield and has appeared in numerous calendars and her new book “Lois Greenfield: Moving Still.”

Ms. Czarniewy has spent the last 6 years performing as a dancer and aerialist with POET Theatricals on Celebrity Cruise Lines elite ships, performing Broadway, Pop, and Cirque style shows around the world. She was the cast Dance Captain, Aerial Captain, and ballroom instructor. While on the ship, Natasha choreographed numbers for various shows and featured as an atmospheric performer and magician’s assistant for Martin Brock’s guest entertainer’s show. Natasha is excited to be back in DC with her husband Brian Delker and daughter Lily, where her love of dance began and to share this love of movement with you!

Ballet, modern, tap dance instructor

Antonia White is a dancer, choreographer, and instructor from Washington, D.C. Antonia’s first plie was at Scoot Montgomery Elementary where she was taught Ballet, Tap, Jazz, and African dance. She then joined R’Mar Dance Studio INC., at the age of 9, where she developed dance competition techniques. With R’Mar Dance Studio, Antonia entered into Dance Competitions where she won platinum and gold ratings each year at various Dance competitions.

Toni exhibits vibrant dance moves. Antonia continued to study her love of art at Suitland High School’s Visual and Performing Arts Program. While in the performing arts program she developed her skills in Modern dance, pointe, and choreography. At the age of 24, Antonia danced for a local basketball team called the DMV Warriors in which she was a Lady Warrior. Her passion for dance, motivated by her obsession of visual art and music lead her to teach dance classes at Lela Belles Studio of Dance. As an instructor there, she taught Ballet, Tap and Hip Hop, however, that’s not all. Antonia danced behind a local DMV artist named JanaeMusic. She is also a part of an underground dance team for the elite only called “Team Queen P” which was founded by D.C.’s very own ‘Beat Your feet queen’, Porche Anthony. Antonia makes herself available for networking in order to accomplish her goals.

Camp Educator, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop Dance Instructor

Passionate about dance from a very young age, Aniah Moore first began dancing when she was just three years old at Ifetayo Cultural Arts Center, in Brooklyn, NY where she studied African, Ballet, Modern, and Hip Hop. In Middle and High School, she danced competitively. This passion for dance motivated Aniah to pursue an education and career where she could live out her passion. A proud graduate of Morgan State University, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Applied Liberal Studies with a concentration in Dance Education. Throughout all four years of her college career she has been a member of the Magnificent Marching Band Dance Line, Modern Dance Ensemble, and volunteered for physical education programs. She also has experience teaching Baltimore youth.
Her most notable professional dance experiences include marching and dancing in the 2019 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, performing at the pregame of a Baltimore Ravens Sunday night football game, and choreographing an opening dance number in a scholarship pageant.
Aniah adores being a part of the Salsa with Silvia team, as she can grow in her art form and share her love of dance with others. She truly enjoys helping the youth discover their performance technique and confidence, and inspiring others, which credits her dreams of opening a nonprofit dance studio to provide low income/underrepresented communities with an opportunity to experience this art form that can be both fun and beneficial is many ways.

Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop Instructor

Harper is a professional actor, dancer, singer, who has worked professionally in theaters around the country. Theaters such as the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Woodstock Playhouse, and Pensacola Shakespeare Theatre. She has also taught dance at many studios, intensives, and universities. Additionally, she is the president of PenArts, Inc., a non-profit arts organization that employs the arts to unify the community. Harper is very passionate about the power of the arts and the importance that it can play on a child’s life. Harper also holds a BA in Criminology from the University of Maryland.

Camp educator/Latin, jazz, contemporary dance instructor

Born in Monterrey, Mexico, Mario began dancing jazz and Mexican folk dance at academies and dance companies in his hometown at a very young age. Dance continued to be an important part of his life as he grew up, and he has trained with instructors from around the World in a variety of disciplines, including classical ballet, jazz, contemporary, Mexican folk dance, and Latin rhythms.

At the age of 15, Mario began teaching Latin rhythm dance classes in his local neighborhood, and used the money to pay for continued, formal dance training that allowed him to become a recognized professional dancer in Monterrey. He has danced for governments institutions and in the city’s top dance companies, and represented Mexico in international folk dance competitions in Italy, Russia and the United States. He has also staged choreography for amusement parks, private events, cultural and governmental institutions, and for television, including Televisa Monterrey, which regularly gave him air time to transmit live classes in a variety of styles of dance and perform choreography with the channel crew and visiting artists.

Currently, Mario has dedicated himself to continuing his study of Latin rhythm dance, including salsa, bachata, cumbia and merengue, in which he carries more than 10 years of experience teaching classes and workshops in his hometown. He has taught groups of children, adolescents, adults, and senior citizens in a wide variety of disciplines in academies, competitive dance groups, and private lessons.

He teaches each class with the ultimate purpose to help others enjoy the musical rhythm and learn to express themselves through dance. Mario joined the Salsa With Silvia instructors team in 2017. Mario teaches adult group and private lessons in variety of styles as well as children dance camps and classes.

Camp educator, salsa, hip hop, tap dance instructor

Carla Camargo, originally from Mexico, first began her dance training at the age of fifteen under the Jim Henson Center for the Visual and Performing Arts Academy at Northwestern high school in Maryland. Upon graduation, Carla continued studying dance at the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point, where she was able to simultaneously dance professionally with Li Chiao-Ping Dance Company in the project “Landed”. In 2017, Carla made her transition back to the DMV where she began her full-time career as a dance artist and administrator. Since then Carla has been part of the administrative staff at The Dance Institute of Washington, became a lead instructor for Salsa with Silvia Dance Studio, and is the official choreographer of musical productions at Washington International School.

While in D.C, Carla has performed modern works by Willie Hinton, Ebony Ingram, and Ashante Green, was a lead dancer in Breathe: The Musical by Cleavon Meabon IV., has performed and is an established dancer with xCel Hip Hop Company since January 2018. Carla was also a member of Zafire Student Salsa Team before transitioning to become a member of the Ladies Salsa Dance Team at Salsa with Silvia. Carla is passionate about all genres of dance and is trained in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, & most Latin genres.

Camps

Birthdays

Dance birthday parties at the Salsa With Silvia dance studio.

Baby Classes