Instructors

- Julie Berger, Founder and Artistic Director

A pioneer in the dance industry, Julie has fulfilled her lifelong dream with the creation of "Salsa in the Suburbs." As a young girl, she marveled at those who touched lives with the art of dance. Being the driven, passionate person that Julie is, she joined many dance intensive programs at a young age. The first of which was a national tour with Hoctor Dance Caravan. Throughout the tour, she performed in competitions, assisted with judging and served as a student-teacher in master classes. At the end of this tour, Julie made a commitment to herself to ultimately inspire and change lives by means of dance.

Soon after, Julie took the first step towards realizing this dream by becoming one of the primary tap and jazz instructors at the Media Dance Center; she continued teaching there for the next four years. During these years, her most notable attribute was her natural ability to create and teach dynamic, unique choreography. While simultaneously teaching at the Media Dance Center, Julie decided to make a daring investment to further her dance education. Leaving all that was familiar, she switched schools to attend the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, where she majored in dance. The experience gained was invaluable.

After graduating high school with honors, Julie attended Temple University both domestically and abroad. While studying in London, England, she discovered the art of salsa dancing. Completely awe-struck by this exotic form of dance, Julie was motivated to seek out and study with internationally renowned instructors in England, France, Sweden, and the United States. After her intensive instruction, Julie emerged a master dance instructor. She was finally ready to realize her lifelong dream.

In 2007, she put thoughts to action with the creation of "Salsa in the Suburbs." Her intention is to use dance as a vehicle to help people gain confidence, learn, grow, and feel inspired. As a secondary goal, Julie wants to make Latin dance accessible to those living far from urban centers.

- Linda Pang, Latin Dance Instructor

Linda studied both dance and music throughout her childhood. While a photography student at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, she also studied Modern, tap, and African dance as well as the drums. She worked and trained at Master Jay’s Dance studio in Philadelphia before returning to Media and discovering Salsa in the Suburbs, while looking for a new creative outlet. She quickly devoured any dance knowledge Julie could impart on her, and soon found herself learning to lead, challenging herself to go further in partnered dances, as well as in Julie’s Performance Class.

Since discovering Salsa in the Suburbs in 2007, Linda has trained extensively under the direction of Julie Berger, and has become an integral part of the company. She teaches group and private salsa lessons and may be seen at salsa parties or working the front desk at the studio. With a constant passion for further education in the Arts, Linda enjoys immersing herself in various forms of creative expression, whether behind a camera, a desk, or on the dance floor.

- Joe Donato, Ballroom

Joe received training from local ballroom and rhythm professionals, along with private instruction from professional ballroom dancers Bob and Julia Powers, John Clark, Cynthia Long, Nick and Elena Kosovich (one of the professional teams from Dancing with the Stars) and Gene LaPierre. He received awards for Top Specialist, and successfully led students from their journey of never having danced before, to choreographed student exhibitions and competitions.

With over five years of dance teaching experience, Joe is skilled in the basics of over 15 traditional Ballroom, Latin and Rhythm dances and dances at a Silver level in well over half of those. He has even created a few dance styles of his own combining moves from various dance traditions for times when the music doesn’t quite serve the foot patterns or timing.

Joe delights in simplifying the complicated; demystifying the intimidating. Students regularly use words like “nurturing”, “non-threatening” and “enlightening” to describe his teaching style.

- Adam Hosey, Ballroom

A native of Media, PA, Adam first caught the “Ballroom bug” as a sophomore at Penn State University, and then began training and teaching daily, as well as entering competitions. As a competitive Ballroom dancer, Adam placed 1st overall in his first competition at the DC Dancesport Inferno at the University of Maryland. Since then, Adam has earned over 200 ribbons in four levels of competition and has competed all over the East Coast and his students have consistent success in collegiate competitions.

Adam has trained with many world champion professionals including: Gherman Mustuc and Iveta Lukosiute, World 10 Dance Champions; and Dan Calloway, a dancer with over 30 years of experience and recently performed for the President of the United States.

Currently receiving his Masters in Education, Adam has a strong teaching and coaching background. He believes in dancing to have fun, feel good, and meet new people, and can’t wait to share his knowledge with the students at Salsa in the Suburbs Dance Studio!

- Nicole Lanciano, Zumba

Nicole began her dance training as a small child, excelling in both Hip Hop and Salsa. She has performed at many venues, including the 2006 Phiiladelphia Salsa Congress. She has taught hip-hop for the last ten years to both children and adults in and around the Philadelphia tri-state area.

When Nicole discovered Zumba, she was immediately convinced that she was destined to share this amazing Latin-inspired, dance-fitness class with others. She was Zumba trained and certified by Maria Browning in College Park, Maryland. Zumba allows Nicole to combine elements of her favorite dance forms into a fun, fat-burning, dance party.

She is delighted to have the opportunity to bring Zumba to Salsa in the Suburbs!

- Irene Reinke, Bellydance

Irene began her tribal belly dance training in 2002 with Fleur Frascella, former director of Philadelphia Tribal Belly Dance (PTB). In 2006, she went through the PTB teaching program under the direction of Ms. Frascella and taught at the PTB studio at the West Chester Wellness Center. In 2007 Ms. Frascella left and the troupe renamed itself Tapestry Tribal Belly Dance. Irene continued to teach in West Chester as well as in the Spring-Ford adult education program and at the Delaware County Community College.

In 2007, Irene received her General Skills Certification in American Tribal Style (ATS) belly dance and in 2008 her ATS Teaching Certification from Carolena Nericcio, the director of Fat Chance Bellydance in San Francisco. In 2009, Irene left Tapestry Tribal Bellydance to create Barajagala Tribal Belly Dance which focuses on teaching and performing ATS (American Tribal Style) belly dance. She is now the director of Barajagala Tribal Belly Dance and teaches and performs in the Philadelphia area. In 2010, Barajagala received "sister studio" status with Fat Chance Bellydance Studio.

In addition to Irene’s weekly group class at Salsa in the Suburbs, she is available for private lessons, and she and her troupe can also be hired for festivals, private parties, and fund raisers.

• PARTIES & EVENTS

CONTACT US :: info@salsainthesuburbs.com :: 610-800-8182 :: 1245 N. Providence Rd. Media, PA 19063