Symbolic Dance & Fitness

"We took 7 hour-long private lessons with Ava in the lead-up to our wedding, and couldn't be happier with that decision. Ava was exactly what we needed -- despite our being complete and utter beginners to dance, she got us comfortable with the basics, progressively adding elements and choreography in each subsequent lesson in a very manageable (and even fun!) way. She also single-handedly choreographed a perfect routine for us -- one that looked harder than it was, that felt natural and authentic to who we are as a couple, and that suited the song we'd chosen. We actually looked forward to our lessons every time! When it was finally the date of our wedding, we were confident and relaxed in pulling off the first dance that we'd rehearsed, and it's all thanks to Ava. Highly recommend for any other couples looking for dance lessons!"

"My husband and I took bachata lessons from Rodolfo for our wedding first dance. Our guests, DJ, and other vendors said it was the best first dance they've ever seen! My husband and I do not have any dance background; moreover, my husband's worst fear was looking awkward during our first dance. We were eager to learn and are both physically fit, so Rodolfo was able to help us create a dance that fit our experience level and helped show off our strength with various lifts and dips. We gave him 2 songs we wanted to dance to and he spend the first 3 lessons teaching us the bachata basics. On our own, we also helped figure out the timing based on his suggestions. With synergy, Rodolfo guided us the whole way. It was such a fun experience and we would always look forward to our weekly lessons - we needed 6 1 hour lessons. Not only did my husband feel confident and impressed that he actually looked coordinated during our dance, but also now we have a lifelong skill of bachata we can use for our whole life as a fun activity to do as a couple. I would wholeheartedly recommend Rodolfo for bachata lessons, wedding first dance choreography, and any other occasion."

"Our dance classes with Ava were extraordinarily helpful in getting us ready for our first dance at our wedding. Ava gave us the vision for our dance, very patiently worked with us to master all the steps, and made sure that we were ready to practice on our own and ultimately put on a great show at the wedding. I am especially grateful to Ava for having managed to help someone who is a truly horrendous dancer (me) get to a point where I did not embarrass myself at all in the first dance. Could not recommend Ava more highly to anyone looking for dance lessons in SF!"

"We worked with Rodolfo & Ava to craft our surprise wedding dance. My husband and I both do not have a dance background but Rodolfo & Ava made us feel very comfortable and taught us so much. If you are looking to learn/improve your salsa skills or choreograph a special dance, you cannot go wrong with them. Thank you Ava & Rodolfo for helping us put together the wedding dance of our dreams! A few other comments below :) They are very willing to help customize everything! We picked out a song and Rodolfo built us a custom routine around it. He edited the music so we could do a 2.5 min song (vs the full one) which is exactly what we wanted. He then meticulously choreographed a dance for us that fit our skill set. His experience and salsa knowledge really shined through, and he was always so encouraging and positive. We loved how he would adjust things throughout our lessons too - if he thought something could be improved he would work that in. If you want someone that will strive for perfection and cater to your skillset, Rodolfo is your man! Ava is incredible! We started off our lessons with her. She helped to substantially improve our salsa basics and gave us a great library of moves that we then used in our final dance. We really appreciate how technical Ava is - she is very good at explaining the little tweaks that make a huge difference in improving the moves."

"We worked with Ava on our wedding dance and had a wonderful experience. Ava taught us many partner sequences and lifts to use in our dance. I came from a ballet background while my husband had very little dance experience. Ava taught us with patience and in a way that matched both our levels of understanding. I also came with my own ideas for choreography and Ava helped us build on them and make them look good. By the end of 5 sessions we felt performance-ready! We received so many compliments from our friends and family on our wedding dance. We can't thank you enough, Ava!"