Art is the essence of emotion and an individual’s window of self-expression. Some express themselves visually while others choose to use words to demonstrate their inner soul. At Aroha Afro Latin Dance, we express ourselves through Salsa, Bachata, and Kizomba.
Aroha Afro Latin Dance provides a positive space for those who desire to participate in the art of dance while enjoying an experience they can remember for years to come. Just as Salsa is a vibrant mix of different cultures, we mix tempo and various styles of Latin dance to provide a good time to those who enter our doors.
Moving is excellent for the body but even better for the soul. Fun, a good workout, and memorable learning experiences are what people receive from our fantastic sessions. While others invite you to a studio, we invite you to become a part of a family.
Aroha Afro Latin Dance is the perfect place for those who desire to enjoy the allure of motion in Salsa, Bachata, and Kizomba with other passionate free spirits. We are committed to communication through personal art, granting people of various backgrounds the opportunity to create lasting bonds of friendship through dance. At Aroha Afro Latin Dance, we encourage you to bring your authentic, noble self through which your art shines through. The creative essence is YOU.
The founder of Aroha Afro Latin Dance, Adalia Ellis-Aroha, is from South Carolina and has been dancing since she was a child. Naturally drawn to dance, as a teenager she participated in grassroots performing arts groups that focused on using dance to address issues of social importance such as racism, the equality of women and men, and substance abuse. With nearly 20 years of dance experience, in countries around the world and at home, Adalia has seen the power of dance as a tool to create communities rooted in friendship, mutual respect, and a deeper connection with one’s self.
As a teenager, she found an additional outlet for her creativity as a writer of poetry and performing Spoken word pieces in coffee shops. While attending Coastal Carolina University she was first introduced to Latin Dance in the living room of her best friend and wrote and performed her first choreopoem, “My Dear Mother Africa”.
As a young adult, she traveled the world and it was during her travels that she honed her skills as a Latin Dancer and became a certified instructor under the tutelage of Son, Na-Ri of SalsaIn Academy in Seoul, South Korea. While in Seoul, she also partnered with MIZY, a UNESCO foundation, and facilitated and directed a program called “HipHopucation”. This program followed the roots of modern day Hip-Hop from Africa to present day. The collective artistic work of her students culminated in a performance for the public.
Recently, while working as a professor of public speaking at Francis Marion University, she created and taught courses on the History of Afro Latin Dance and Music and Hip-Hop: An American Story. The semester-long courses concluded with a performance for the public which served as the final.
She continues to be dedicated to the skill and craft of dance instruction which is reflected in her own education and professional development.
DEGREES: Coastal Carolina University
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