The Toronto Salsa Passion Team

Tony Orlovsky-Sitnikov

Founder and director of Toronto Salsa Passion dance school

It is truly a gift to find one's passion. Tony was always a natural athlete, engaging in competitive and team sports. His interest in dancing began when his mother enrolled him in a ballroom dance school at home in Russia. There he took lessons from some of the best ballroom dance instructors in the world.

Unfortunately, due to an injury he had to stop lessons, but he never lost his enthusiasm for dance. Moving to Toronto, Canada, he discovered the fascinating world of Salsa and his life was transformed. It happened 5 years ago when he visited a Latin club. It became his second home and he knew that Salsa was his passion.

He became enraptured by the infectious music, the fluid movement and the sensuality of this Latin dance. In 2006 Tony had the idea of creating a Salsa community and school to share his passion. And that's whenToronto Salsa Passion dance school was born.

Joanna Lavoie

Joanna’s career and love for dance began when she was just four years old when she started taking tap, ballet, jazz and even gymnastics classes at local community centres.At that same time, she also became a member of a Ukrainian dance troupe. it's an art form she’d pursue for more than 15 years.As a teen, Joanna honed her skills in modern, jazz, hip-hop and partner dancing by performing with the award-winning Les P’tits Géants drama troupe.Bit by the salsa and Latin dance bug in 1998, Joanna enjoys teaching others how to gracefully execute the art form she loves.She has also been invited to perform salsa and Latin social dance at several venues across the GTA.Always smiling and laughing, Joanna always puts her heart into her lessons and shows. When not dancing, she works as a bilingual journalist in Toronto

Sergio Melluso

Salsa / Afro-Cuban style Dance Instructor

Born and raised in Bella Italia Sergio has discovered the magical world of Salsa through the Cuban music and culture, even studying its rhythm history and style. He has been trained by Cuban professional dancers in Italy and in Cuba, in which he specialized his own style and technique. He started teaching Salsa, Merengue, Bachata and Rueda de Casino in many dance studios in Italy, then he brought his own style in Canada introducing also Rumba Afro-Cubana and Son. He performed in shows in Italy and in Canada, as well.

Recognized as passionate, talented and very patient, always careful on his students, he is able to share his great love and enthusiasm for Salsa.

Aliki Kavouras

One of Toronto’s only authentic professional Polynesian dancers, Aliki has the look and style that can mesmerize any audience. She began Salsa dancing in clubs at age 15, and managed to capture the crowd’s attention with her precision and sensuality.

Her unique cultural background and exotic look makes her Latin dancing that much more passionate and exciting. Born and raised in Toronto, Aliki is a great part of the Toronto Salsa Passion team. She knows what people want, and is a great instructor and friend. Her luring dance style will make you want to hit the dance floor and join her, while her technical methods are extremely helpful in class.Because Latin culture is so close to her heart, salsa in particular, is a dance she feels allows her to move freely, and express herself as a dancer and person. She brings this quality out in others, and encourages dancers to put their soul into it. Aliki gives even the most seasoned Salsa dancer a reason to look.

Yulia Fedan

Cha-Cha Instructor

Yulia has been dancing since she was 5 years old and has been teaching for 10 years. Having trained in many styles of dance ranging from hip-hop, jazz-modern and break-dance her passion lies in Ballroom & Latin dance where she is classically trained by some of the best teachers and dancers in Europe, where Ballroom and Latin dancing is considered a sport.

Yulia has competed, performed and taken part in numerous competitions and shows for the past 15 years. Students appreciate her patience and understanding as well as her careful explanations of the all-important basics of Ballroom and Latin dance. Yulia's classes are filled with energy and fun and she is dedicated to making your dance experience a memorable one.

Helpers

Jana

Pavel