My World Dance and Fitness

Suzanne loves to dance, teach, choreograph and perform. Her desire to share her love of dance was her inspiration to open MY WORLD. She currently teaches Funk Aerobics and Zumba at the studio. She is a certified group fitness instructor at the YMCA where she teaches Aerobic Dance and subs for Zumba and Hip Hop classes. Dancing has been a life-long passion of hers. She studied at the Univ. of Washington (Modern, Jazz). She's performed in musicals, with My World (Belly Dance, Liturgical, Funk demos), Makeda (African), Ewajo Dance (Afro-Caribbean), and Judy Montgomery's Stars of Tomorrow (Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Choreography). She's dabbled in other dance styles: Flamenco, Swing, Salsa, Line Dancing, and Belly Dance. She just loves to boogie! Suzanne enjoys the challenge of helping someone who thinks that they can't dance feel comfortable with movement. She believes that everyone has rhythm, even if it's to the beat of their own drummer!

Victoria has been belly dancing for eight years and teaching for six. With a BA in dance and writing from Bard College, NY, she has also studied dance all over the world, including West African dance in Senegal and Belly dance and Flamenco dance in Spain. She is a professional flamenco dancer and modern dancer, but without bellydance, she would have never known that she, and anyone else who wanted to, could be a dancer. She loves teaching because the movement, the spirituality, and the self and group acceptance of bellydance are such powerful gifts to share.
Victoria is a founding member and director of local modern dance company Sapience Dance Collective; has been a multi-disciplinary artist in Seattle for three years; has appeared in the work of innumerable local modern dance luminaries; and has recently been performing in New York at Judson Church with her mentor, Aileen Passloff.

Pam began partner dancing over 10 years ago and dance has become sustenance for her mind, body, and spirit.   Pam strives to keep her dance class fun and loves helping students discover that they CAN dance. The Thursday Salsa class is a lively class for beginners as well as intermediate students; and the 3rd Friday Salsa Dance Party, is a fun way to wind down a work week! Pam co-teaches with her longtime dance partner, Peter Blaustein.

Born in New York City, Peter was grabbed by the dance bug at a music festival in the Dominican Republic.  Since that time, he has been enthusiastically engaged with Latin dance and music.  Peter enjoys working with the students at My World Dance and Fitness, helping them learn at their own pace, exploring the possibilities partner dance offers for personal connection, play, expression and the overall enjoyment of music.

Jesse has been dancing since the age of 4 at the Studio of the Performing Arts in her hometown in Nevada. During her training growing up she continuously danced within the studio and out while attending many dance conventions and camps such as: Winterfest, LA Dance Camp, Summerfest, and BYU Intenstive. Jesse has studied ballet, jazz, modern, hip-hop and more throughout her 15 years of dancing. She is currently a senior at The Cornish College of the Arts where dance is her inspiration on a day-to-day. On a part-time basis, she has been teaching in the Children’ s Dance program at My World for almost two years and is now the lead teacher in that program.

Fredrick began dancing at age 3. That’s when his mom realized that dancing was his gift and enrolled him in a jazz/hip hop class at Kathy’s Studio in West Seattle. Since then he has continued dancing at his high school and at different community centers throughout Seattle. To broaden his dance repertoire, dancing skills, and teaching ability, Fred is also taking Samba, Salsa, Modern Dance, and Zumba at My World. He plans on going to school to pursue his dancing career. Fred was recently a featured dancer in “Dance This!” at the Moore Theatre. In the meantime, Fredrick says, “HE LOVES BEING AT MY WORLD!!!”

Dora has performed and taught Afro-Brazilian dance for 30 years. She has lived in Seattle for 20 years teaching, touring and doing television appearances. Dora's professional career as a professional dancer began in 1976 when she joined renowned Brazilian folkloric dance troupe, Exaltacao A Bahia. Dora's repertoire ranges from Afro-Brazilian dance through jazz, ballet, and modern dance. After obtaining a professional dance degree from the prestigious Federal University of Brazil, Dora moved to the United States. In 1991, she developed a large dance student following teaching throughout Seattle, and later touring the world as the principal dancer with Olodum – the world famous samba bloc. Dora has been a featured dancer in the PBS “Dancing” series and worked as choreographer for Washington state-based samba schools Vamola and SambaOlywa. Currently she continues to tour the US, Canada and South America as lead dancer with Occeami, Gansango and Show Brazil.

Tricia has been intrigued by the rich interconnection between the mind and body since childhood. This passion blossomed within the context of her early career as a ballet dancer and more recently as an avid yoga practitioner. Amidst the hectic pace of modern urban life, Tricia seeks to reclaim a sense of spaciousness and breath, entreating the active mind to yield in the presence of the moment and to listen to those often obscured yet integral messages that the body seeks to communicate. Tricia is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) and maintains a private practice as a psychotherapist.