Kathy has been a Thousand Oaks resident since 1983 and is very active in the community with teaching and sharing her passion for dance. She began dancing in 1976 and has been teaching various dance styles since 1991 which include: Country Line and Partner dancing, Two Step, Clogging, East and West Coast Swing, Salsa, Cha Cha and Night Club Two Step. Her venues have included Conejo Valley, Agoura Hills and Rancho Simi Parks and Recreation, City of Moorpark, Learning Tree University, Conejo Valley Adult School, Borderline Bar and Grill and other public locales. She originated monthly country and swing dances serving as instructor and DJ, and has hosted dance parties, wedding receptions, company functions and country & swing themed events. She is frequently invited to demo and teach at dance workshops, weekends and festivals. Kathy has competed and performed solo and with partners and teams at many different competitions and events throughout the years.

Kathy is Director of Country in Motion, a performance dance troupe which she founded in 1995. Membership is open to anyone who loves to dance and is willing to practice for shows as they come up. The Thousand Oaks based troupe ranges in number from 10-46 and performs at local community events such as street fairs, international festivals, arts and crafts fairs, chili cook offs, Conejo Valley Days carnival and the Ventura County Fair.

Kathy co-produced and is featured on her own series of instructional videos entitled LET’S DANCE COUNTRY. These videos include original choreography, as well as popular country line and partner dances. Other dance styles Kathy has studied include Square and Round dancing, Contra, Ballroom, Clogging, Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Hip Hop, Modern, Lindy, Charleston, Polynesian and Belly Dance.

Jay is the creator/owner/director of Swing'n Dance Camp, Salsa Extravaganza (aka Palm Springs Salsa Congress), and owner/founder of People Who Dance. Jay studied music and dance at CSUH and is a GSTA certified dance instructor and a UCWDC certified judge. He has been in music and dance for 20 years.

Jay teaches classes from San Diego to Atlanta, Georgia and to Calgary, Canada. He also enjoys teaching special workshops in Swing, Two-Step, Salsa, West Coast Swing, Lindy, and Jitter Bug. He is also well known for his classes that are essential to dancers: Timing, Rhythm & Phrasing, Teachers Training, and Lead & Follow Technique classes. In 1992 Jay created New Year's Swing Dance Championships Dance Camp & Summer Dance Camp. Jay is currently the director and owner of both the Summer Dance Camp & New Years Dance Camp and New Years Salsa Extravaganza. In October of 2000 Jay was the Coordinator for the Northwest Regional Swing Dance Championships and in Oct 2002 & 2003 in Spokane. In May 2003 Jay co-hosted the Instructors Training Seminars at the Los Angeles Salsa Congress.

Jay is the director and choreographer for the “Swingmeisters” Swing & Salsa dance team. Through his school of dance, Jay has been teaching Swing and Salsa in Ventura County and supported dancers around the world. In his spare time Jay enjoys tuna and marlin fishing and free diving off his small boat just off shore from his home in Ventura and in Baja. So if ya wanna catch some great fish or just fun in the sun, call Jay.

Melody is a Champion Dancer, Judge, and a Master Choreographer. She has earned many titles including United States Professional-Amateur Champion and multiple World Titles for individual, partner and team choreography. Her awards span many genres including Country Western, Ballroom, Salsa & West Coast Swing.

She is a member of the Hustle Dance Hall of Fame, as well as recently achieving finalist status at the U.S. Open Swing Dance Championship.

As a dance competitor’s coach, she has developed and trained many students to achieve their own Regional, National, and World International titles.

Peety has been teaching hip-hop and breaking for ten years now. He has performed with a wide variety of top performers: from Amerie to Wayne Brady, The Groovaloos to Tom Jones. Peety has trained in many dance forms including jazz, tap, waltz, tango, and salsa, but his true passion is street dancing. He blends several urban styles to offer a fun, simplistic way to learn the most advanced styles found in today’s city clubs.

As Peety continues to perform around the world, he feels it important to be able to spread the joy of dance by teaching others and giving them the vocabulary to express themselves. From tall to short, fat to thin, beginner to professional, everyone can learn to dance and Peety will lead the way!

Native to Los Angeles, Christie Schambera studied dance for over 15 years with ballet as her primary discipline. Her training also includes jazz, hip hop and modern dance. Christie has a degree in dance, is a certified yoga instructor and is trained in the Cecchetti Technique. She has taught dance, yoga and fitness at local community locations such as Conejo Parks and Recreation, as well as the Conejo School District where she administered dance outreach programs.

Christie currently dances with contemporary dance company Deda Dance Theatre, is a freelance journalist for the publication Dance Canada Quarterly and is Senior Editor in Chief and resident Dance Critic of the popular online publication www.dancehelp.com.

Tonantzin has been dancing all her life and although she began training as an adult, she’s been a performer. While taking ballet and jazz at Moorpark College she was recruited into the campus club NEMA where she learned many styles of Raqs Sharqi (bellydance) including Egyptian cabaret, American cabaret, Greek gypsy, Tunisian, Persian and Turkish folk, veil, sword and cane. While in San Diego volunteering with AmeriCorps she was exposed to American Tribal Style while studying with Heather Stanz of Urban Tribal Dance Company. After returning to the Los Angeles area she joined IAMED's Dangerous Curves in several stage performances including This is Bellydance! at the Ford Amphitheater in Hollywood. Tonantzin co-founded the collaborative and eclectic troupe Dunya Sol and currently teaches and performs with Deannza, Ayse Cerami and Elizibeth Mehina in Sh’Enedra. Last year they were featured in Las Vegas at the first annual International Bellydance Convention (IBDC).

Currently Tonantzin performs regularly and teaches locally. She is pleased to join the Paiva Dance family and the illustrious roster of teachers! Search for Tonantzin on Tribe.Net or www.myspace.com/tonantzin – you won’t find too many others!

Tango Creative Director/Choreographer/Performer and Teacher, grew up in Buenos Aires, in a family of creative artists, The Visconti's are legendary in the music and film arts. Jorge attended the Universidad de la Plata majoring in medicine, however the nights of learning Tango at the feet of BsAs great tango masters altered the direction of his life. Coming to the US 13 years ago with his then partner Monica he forged a trail of awareness and growth for the Tango in Southern California working with the City of Los Angeles and the Consulate of Argentina. The Visconti's creatively directed, performed and taught in numerous venues, choreographed and performed in commercials such as Oliver Stone's for Heineken, Jorge created the first California Tango Contests and the American Tango Association.

Currently, Jorge is teaching and serving as creative director/choreographer and dancer for such shows as“TANGO: The Color of Passion” and “Urban Tango”. He lectures at USC and other universities on the ethnology and history of the Tango and privately trains celebrities in Tango! Jorge's styles include: Tango Milonguero, Tango Salon, Milonga, Tango Fantasy & Waltz.

Amanda Welti, a native of South Africa, has been living in the United States since 1998. She has been a fitness instructor for over 25 years, teaching various forms of group exercise, including Hi-Low, Step, Yoga, and Sculpting. Amanda is currently leading exercise enthusiasts on a new dance fitness format called Zumba at several popular health clubs in Thousand Oaks and Westlake.

Amanda has extensive knowledge in leading the general population in different formats of rhythmical aerobics. Zumba is a fusion of Latin dance rhythms including Salsa, Meringue, Hip Hop, Reggaeton, Samba, Flamenco and various other international styles. The steps are easy to follow and everyone is guaranteed a fun filled workout.

Formally and classically trained in theatrical performance and Dance sport, Zeanie Yoon has been known for her graceful and elegant style of dance. She was a choreographer and co-director of the dance companies: Burn the Floor, Dance Disciples, and Girl Power Inc. Known as teachers' teacher, Yoon has been featured in many publications and shows, has led several dance companies, and mentored renowned professional dancers and consulted numerous dance-related events. Yoon also contributed to developing teaching method and curriculum for various styles of partner dancing, especially Salsa.

Zeanie Yoon is the most known for her non-profit dance club founded in 1987, Dancer's Digest, then Dance Xchange, comprised of social dancers who host various activities and performances, promoting and supporting other dance groups and clubs as well. When she's not dancing and teaching, she is a localization consultant specializing Korean/English translation and web master. Yoon is currently teaching dancing at various studios, conventions, local venues, academic institutions while directing and managing dance events.