Instructors & Groups
Classes and events at Dance Underground are independently run by various groups with their own registration format. Please contact groups directly or visit their websites for registration details.
-
Meet the owners Ilana Rubin and Tony Fan. Seattle's longest-running Saturday night Tango social dance with awesome music, elegant decoration, tasty desserts, and a friendly atmosphere! Argentine tango has been an integral part of the Dance Underground dance program since the beginning. Here is a line-up of our program:
Three weekly tango classes by Tony and Ilana, the founder and owner of Dance Underground.
Thursday night tango practice.
Seattle's longest-running Saturday night Tango social dance with awesome music, elegant decoration, tasty desserts, and a friendly atmosphere!
Email: seattletango@hotmail.com
-
Ilana Rubin and Tony Fan bring to the tango a life-long interest in dance. They were both trained in ballet and modern dance, and bring to tango an exciting, accessible, individual style. Ilana's extensive dance training includes modern dance with Martha Nishitani, as well as ballet and folk dancing. She performed for five years with Radost, Seattle's premiere folk dance ensemble. Tony started his dance career studying modern ballet before he discovered the Argentine tango. Tony has also studied tango in Europe. Tony and Ilana have been dancing the Argentine tango together for over eighteen years. The beauty of their movement comes from their maturity in the dance, strong connection and deep respect for the music. Together, they have studied with such notable dancers: Juan Bruno, Susanna Miller, Julio Balmaceda and Corina de la Rosa, Osvaldo Zotto and Lorena Ermocida, Esteban Moreno and Claudia Codega, Gabriel Angio and Natalia Games, Graciela Gonzalez , Daniela Arcuri and Armando, and Omar Vega.
-
Register for classes at www.afrodanceseattle.com
-
Kiné Camara is a danc eartist and educator based in Seattle, WA. She loves bringing her passion for dance to the stage, and has performed with artists including Uncle Waffles, Asake, Tiwa Savage, Adekunle Gold, Sauti Sol, Archie, and Ibrahima & Safal, however her long life passion is teaching. She also founded Afro Dance Seattle, and serves as the program director in addition to teaching Amapiano dance there and with organizations like University of Washington and Cornish College of the Arts. She has also taught in other cities including Paris (FR), Vancouver (CA), Atlanta, and Los Angeles. She serves on the executive board, choreographs and dances with the performance team, Element of Passion, aka ElementOP. For more info, visit her on Instagram @kine_camara or at kinecamara.com.
Register for classes at www.afrodanceseattle.com
-
Hip Hop, Reggaeton, Jazz Funk + more!
For class schedule, visit:
or find us on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook @dropzonedance
Drop Zone, founded by Lex Ramirez, is a dance community that hosts classes, events, and groups centering artists from historically marginalized communities. We currently offer Hip Hop, Reggaeton and Jazz Funk.
We also have two adult dance training groups: DROP SQUAD (Beginners, no auditions) and DRIP (Intermediate, video audition). For more info visit www.dropzonedance.com/training
-
Lex Ramirez [@mamiimoves] is a queer Latinx teaching artist, choreographer and community organizer from Oakland, CA. Lex believes that dance is for people of all experience levels and, as such, has cultivated communities based on inclusivity and fun. She is the founder of Drop Zone Dance Community, Archie the Shycon’s choreographer and a Vogue ballroom competitor in the PNW KiKi Scene. Lex also created the Seattle Theatre Group Young Ambassador program, an arts professional development program for BIPOC teens. When Lex isn’t teaching, she’s training so that she can continue to grow and transfer that growth to her students. Lex values community, authenticity and equity above all else!
Lex is directing our beginner/intermediate training team, Drop Squad, season Winter ‘26 which starts January 25th. Sign ups are LIVE! No auditions required. More info + sign up here.
Sign up for Lex’s Hip Hop + Jazz Funk Level 1 Class on Sundays 3:00-4:00pm OR Reggaeton ½ on Wednesdays 6-7pm.
-
BGC Dance is a Seattle-based Latin-fusion dance community. We dance salsa, bachata, cha cha, and draw inspiration from other dance forms like contemporary, jazz, and heels. Our unique style combines all our dance experience into a feel-good Latin-fusion. Join us for classes, workshops, and performances.
-
Becca Jakubson (she/her) is a teacher, artist, performer, and choreographer based in Seattle, WA. She has over 15 years of experience coaching, teaching, performing, and competing in dance and figure skating. Her mission is to create a space for Latin dancers to deeply understand the roots and technique of dance to empower each dancer to intentionally make choices in their movement. Her experience includes teaching salsa, bachata, fusion, and fitness classes in Seattle for the last 3 years as a teacher at Studio Azul. She was also a member of Sabrosa Pro, a professional Latin fusion dance team that performed across the west coast.
Email: bgcdanceseattle@gmail.com
Brazilian Zouk
-
Brazilian Zouk is a growing social & partner dance that originated and takes inspiration mainly from Lambada and other Brazilian dances such as Forró, Bolero, & Samba de Gafieira with the music originating from the Caribbean. Nowadays, Zouk, as it's often referred to, is danced to all different styles of music including Pop music, Reggaetón, Afrobeats, Brazilian Funk & even Hip Hop music. As such, there are many different styles of Zouk and the opportunity to infuse your own dance background and dance movements to create your own style. It's really difficult to describe how the dance looks, but I've heard it best described as "what your average person thinks dancing looks like", you'll have to see it to find out!
Most importantly, Brazilian Zouk is rooted in connection which is often the first thing you see and feel when you enter a Brazilian Zouk space. So, come and join us for the fun!
Email: hashemh@umich.edu
-
-
Second Act Studio was founded by Beth Humphrey and Laura Coulter after their beloved adult only ballet studio closed. We offer mixed level classes along with a pointe class option for dancers wishing to live out their dreams of being a prima ballerina. (Teacher approval required to work en pointe.)
All classes are a mixture of barre and center work. We foster a supportive teaching environment and no experience is necessary for the technique classes. We welcome all dancers to join our classes. Whether you are a dancer putting on your first pair of ballet slippers, returning to practice after decades away, or are looking to add another class to a normal rotation - we look forward to dancing with you soon.
-
Laura began her ballet training in the 1980's in Minnesota. With a strong foundation in ballet, she went on to perform and compete in other movement-based arts through college. She came back to ballet as an adult and is happy to be dancing and teaching at Second Act Dance.
-
Contact Darrah to receive registration information:
(206) 281-9815
Brain-compatible dance education in a nurturing environment with an emphasis on conceptual learning and creative exploration. Featuring the BrainDance. Classes for ages 3-10 years.
Creative Pre-ballet
Creative Ballet/tap combo
Creative Ballet
Instructor: Aubra Heller
Aubra Julia Heller (she/her) has been dancing her whole life and finds movement in everything. Teaching for Darrah Blanton Dance is her ideal job because it combines so many things that bring her joy; dancing, working with children, and facilitating fun!
Aubra has enjoyed sharing her love of movement with young dancers in childcare centers, public schools, and yoga/dance studios. Her number one priority is creating a space where students can use dance to express themselves, learn, and have fun.
Aubra graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Washington with a Major in Dance and a Minor in Education, Learning, and Societies with a focus in infant, toddler, and elementary education and psychology.
-
Darrah Blanton (she/her) has been teaching dance to children since 1999, specializing in a variety of styles including ballet, tap, creative movement, parent-toddler, beginning jazz, and musical theater. Her experience spans a wide age range, from toddlers as young as one year old to teenagers up to 18. Darrah has taught at numerous established dance programs and schools, including All That Dance, American Dance Institute, Spectrum Dance, Urban Monkeys, Young Child Academy, Interlaken Preschool, The Secret Garden Preschool, and the Queen Anne & Laurelhurst Community Centers. She also choreographed the musical productions of Grease, Guys & Dolls, and Seussical: The Musical for Ingraham High School.
A Bellingham native, Darrah studied with Wendy Setter at The Dance Studio and with Isabel and Teo Morca at the Morca Academy. She later graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Washington with a double degree in Dance and English and furthered her dance education through workshops at the Creative Dance Center, focusing on the BrainDance method. Her performance experience includes appearances at the University of Washington, Velocity, Seattle Center, The Chamber Theater, On The Boards, and Freehold Theater. After 20 years in Seattle, Darrah returned to Bellingham in 2016 with her husband and two sons.
-
Savoy’s Blues Underground (501c3) has been Seattle’s mainstay social Blues dance night since 2005. As a branch of the Savoy Swing Club there have been many who have cared for Blues Underground as director, instructors, and DJs. As well, Blues Underground brings in world renowned instructors for workshops, host live music nights with local bands, and partners with local organizations supporting Seattle’s black community.
Blues idiom dances are a family of dances and movements that grew along side the different styles of Blues music within African American communities, from the mid 1800s onward. Because Blues dance and music are African American art forms, in participating in this dance Savoy’s Blues Underground honors and surrogates its culture and history.
-
The current instructors for Blues Underground are:
Lila Faria (she/her)
Lila Faria is a Seattle-based blues dance instructor and organizer with over eight years of experience dancing across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Her work incorporates elements from her training in Montessori, non-violent communication, CMX community building, positive discipline and more. Through her teaching, she works to provide her students with informative dance history while simultaneously empowering them to be their true, authentic selves.
Robin Chow (he/him)
Being a dancer who started later in life, and owing much to the discovery a hip hop tutorial video at the back of a You Got Served DVD, Robin truly believes that dance is inside every one of us. Whether it's a fully realized passion, or a whisper of curiosity, he feels that dance should always be available to our selves, whatever one's dance experience or familiarity. His dance repertoire is based on solo movement learned from a studio hip hop background, with the journey into social dancing starting with lindy hop and now encompassing balboa and fusion. And since his introduction to blues dancing in 2018, he has become a passionate practitioner and advocate of the form, and is dedicated to a continued journey of learning and sharing of blues dance and culture.
Amanda Wanner (she/her)
Current BUG Director.
Amanda began dancing Lindy hop and Blues dance in Chicago in 2004. Having grown up listening to Blues and seeing a wild amount of live Blues music as a child, Blues dancing fit Amanda’s soul.
After moving to the PNW in 2007 she had the opportunity to teach Blues, host for dance events, and moderate practices. Since then, Amanda’s knowledge, skill, and focus in the dance has grown and changed; as the wisdom of life will do to the stories our dance can tell.
Through her classes, Amanda focuses on teaching Blues aesthetic, culture, and play. Amanda’s biggest passion in the Blues scene is community engagement. She aims to help reshape and rebuild the Seattle Blues dance community with history, community, and culture as a priority.
-
https://www.shuffleandshapes.com/
Scientists, trainers, and doctors all around the globe agree - dancing is is a proven, fun, and effective way to get into amazing physical and mental shape.
Shuffling is an incredible workout for the muscles in your legs and core - not to mention you can burn up to 1,000 calories during a single shuffle class!
Learning new skills also grows the plasticity of our brains, and can improve memory, coordination, and creative thinking.
You have nothing to lose, and potentially life-changing breakthroughs to gain by learning to shuffle! Whether you prefer learning in the privacy of your home via Zoom, or you want to connect with new friends at classes or meetups to enjoy the social side of shuffling, we are here for you
-
Cisco began her journey into dance in October 2018 when she tried shuffling for the first time. Still considered an underground form of dance, learning how to shuffle was difficult at that time due to the lack of classes and tutorials that were available. She taught herself by slowing down YouTube videos and re-watching moves over and over again until they made sense. The difficulty of learning this way is what would eventually push her to begin teaching, so she could help others access shuffling more easily.
Throughout the following years, Cisco's passion for shuffling drove her to study other underground styles like DnB Step, Liquid, and house dance to add variety and flare to her dancing. The result is the hybrid shuffle style she teaches in class. She teaches the fundamentals and history of these freestyle dances while creating space for students to feel free to explore their own unique flow.
Cisco found incredible joy and fulfillment in shuffle dancing, and her deepest desire is to help others access that same experience. Her classes are a judgement-free zone where everyone will accept you and hype you up, no matter the level you're at.
Contact Info: hello@shuffleandshapes.com
-
Move, connect and awaken body, brain and spirit. Come as you are and elevate yourself. Explore, challenge, and transform your day.
Each sixty minute class is filled with follow along routines to music from a variety of genres. All levels welcome, modifications offered.
Class information and registration below.
-
Sarina believes dance can meet every body where it is, providing not only fantastic exercise, but also a path to present-moment awareness. By stepping out of the thinking brain and into the body, we open ourselves to greater joy.
In her spare time, Sarina is a licensed clinical social worker, parent coach, and speaker. She is a Seattle native and resides with her husband, two amazing teen daughters, and dog Molly.
-
BCD Rhythms is a cardio dance class created and lead by Barbara Duff. For the last 20 years, she has used her movement and fitness knowledge to cultivate a joyful, supportive space where everyone is welcome and encouraged to play, explore, and move in a way that is perfect for them. Come join the fun!
-
Barbara Duff is the owner and lead dance guide of BCD Rhythms. She is a NASM certified personal trainer and has been teaching group fitness classes at DU since 2004. Registration is required for classes. No drop-ins are allowed at this time. For class times, registration, and general information, please visit www.bcdrhythms.com or email dance@bcdrhythms.com.
Reign Dance
-
Reign Dance is a high intensity one-hour class designed for everyone of all ages incorporating different genres of music and dance styles. Easy to follow along, this class is open to all ages and genders who want to be physically challenged. For the dynamic aging sect or for others who want something with a little less intensity and more repetition, Melanie has added Reign Dance Gold, a one- hour slower paced class designed to tone, stretch and gently ease into the cardio portion of class.
Reign Dance is a high intensity one-hour class designed for everyone of all ages incorporating different genres of music and dance styles. Easy to follow along, this class is open to all ages and genders who want to be physically challenged. For the dynamic aging sect or for others who want something with a little less intensity and more repetition, Melanie has added Reign Dance Gold, a one- hour slower paced class designed to tone, stretch and gently ease into the cardio portion of class.
Melanie can be contacted via email: reigndancefitness@gmail.com or via social media: Reign Dance
-
Melanie Skinner is a former professional ballerina with Pacific Northwest Ballet where she traveled the globe performing ballets by masterful choreographers in theaters in London, New York, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Edinburgh and Melbourne. After retiring from her career, she joined the Faculty of PNB, teaching the Company and upper ballet levels, later becoming the Founder of Powergirldance, a program designed to empowering young girls and women through body positivity and dance. She has taught many forms of dance to all levels and ages and has merged her love of cardio dance with strengthening and weight resistance in her own formulated dance exercise class, Reign Dance and Reign Dance Gold.
T'ai Chi Ch'uan
-
Tai Chi Chuan is rooted in the Chinese nourishing-life arts and martial arts traditions and is closely associated with the I Ching or Book of Changes.
As a form of exercise, Tai Chi preserves youthfulness by developing healthful use of the body. As a martial art (while it is not a fighting system), Tai Chi develops functional skills as an aspect of physical culture.
Tai Chi is an engaging lifelong practice, but the basic form is gentle enough that you can take some benefit from it immediately, working at any level.
Contact ccbranham@hotmail.com to register
-
Craig has been practicing Tai Chi Chuan for 24 years, including the 37-posture basic form, push-hands, and sword form, and fencing. Craig learned and trained with Saul Krotki, who learned Tai Chi Chuan with Cheng Man-ching and trained with Professor Cheng’s students in New York and throughout the US West. Saul Krotki taught Tai Chi for 50 years, including 15 years at Dance Underground, before retiring to focus on his fine art practice.
Contact ccbranham@hotmail.com to register
Movement Class
-
What is the movement approach? Similar to how we study subjects in school to develop our intellect, we can study the many subjects within movement to develop ourselves. Disciplines such as yoga, martial arts, dance, gymnastics, and many more contain elements like strength, coordination, mobility etc. A movement approach studies these elements through the various disciplines.
Each class explores these topics through drills, partner work, individual projects and guided improvisational work.
If interested in learning more, feel free to email sampaksf@gmail.com or call (415) 988.0246
-
As a long time student of Ido Portal, Samantha has been teaching the movement approach for the last 8 years.
Body Balancing Fitness
-
What is Body Balancing Fitness? An exercise class with a difference.We all know that a strong core is important, but what is the actual job of a strong core?We all know that good posture is important, but what is the value of good skeletal alignment?Body balancing uniquely works your entire core to teach it how to stabilize your body. We focus on correct form and alignment to allow your skeleton to support you in gravity. By placing your body on unstable surfaces and using light resistance (surgical tubing, various sizes of balls, therabands® etc.) your skeleton is gently encouraged into a more efficient alignment. When our bones support us in gravity, we have less stress on our joints and the most potential for movement.
-
Alannah is a lifelong dancer and fitness buff who believes in maximizing workout effectiveness through proper technique (correct form) and understanding how the human body works. She has experience in ballet, competitive ballroom dancing, body building, Argentine Tango and Zumba. Alannah doesn't just participate in fitness, she studies each discipline to the point where she knows not just how to do something correctly, but why it's correct.Alannah has been practicing Body Balancing Fitness for 23 years and started teaching in 2018.
Contact: alannahsinclare@hotmail.com.
-
Ecstatic Dance Seattle has been in the studio since 2001
"A place for people to authentically and safely express themselves, it’s free of judgment and instruction. It is a space to feel, move and heal so that we can manifest our true selves. No dance experience necessary".
-
Mary Anderson started Ecstatic Dance Seattle in 2001. She was attending a seven-day meditation intensive and on the last day she heard a voice say: “You are moving back to Seattle to start a healing dance”. It’s not the first time Mary has been divinely guided by spirit, so she listened and everything lined up perfectly.