Alberto Solorzano

Class: Cumbia

With over 20 years of experience in both competitive and artistic dance, Alberto Solorzano presents a class on cumbia fusion tropical and “cumbia sonidera” as a foundation. 

Arelí Buenrostro

Class: Spanish Conversational

Originally from Guadalajara, México, Arelí holds a master’s degree in Nutrition Science. She is passionate about sharing her love for the Spanish language, Mexican traditions, and cultural exchange.

As a Conversational Spanish instructor at Esquina Tango, she enjoys creating a space where students can practice Spanish while connecting with the culture behind the language.

Esquina Tango gives Arelí the opportunity to share two of her passions: her language and her love for dancing.

Alfonso Alarcon

Class: Afro-Latin

Originally from Tijuana, Mexico, Alfonso Alarcón is a dancer, movement artist, and instructor based in Austin, Texas. He began studying Afro-Cuban dance in San Diego in 2012 with Cuban instructor Wilfredo Guilbiac and has since trained with numerous Cuban and Mexican artists, including Ranses Shangó Agayú, Iván Valdespino, Wisley Estacholi, and contemporary dance artist Adriana Quinto of Guadalajara, Mexico.

For many years, Alfonso has studied under the guidance of Cuban artist Alexis Zanety, whose Circular Patterns of Movement and Afro-Caribbean fusion techniques have greatly influenced his artistic development. Alfonso has taught Afro-Cuban and Afro-Latin movement in Austin since 2016. His practice blends Afro-Cuban folkloric dance, contemporary technique, and fusion, emphasizing musicality, polyrhythms, body awareness, and expressive movement. He is committed to continually learning and sharing these traditions with respect and cultural awareness.

Ashley Sherman

Class: Casino, Rueda de Casino

Since we were finally freed from the isolation of Covid, Ashley Sherman has been working on generating a Casino dancing craze here in Austin. As an Indiana native, Ashley first fell in love with dancing in college, when she started taking classes at a ballroom studio in LA to escape a packed house of roommates. As she started trying out multiple dance styles, she found her true passion taking a Casino class while in Cincinnati. She found Casino to be more of a mental challenge, with complex leads and follows that focused more on social dancing. She also fell in love with Timba music and the way it builds energy and sparks the connection from the music to your body. Her favorite thing about dancing is finding flow in the mind-body connection. It’s the best way to just be present in the moment. She began teaching Casino and Rueda de Casino in Cincinnati in 2017 before moving to Austin in 2019. Her goals are to create a supportive and inclusive environment for dancing and growing the Cuban dancing community in Austin.

Carlos Amaro

Class: Spanish Conversational Sub

Carlos brings a rich tapestry of cultural and professional experience to Esquina Tango, enhancing the venue’s vibrant tango atmosphere with his diverse background. With a Master’s degree in Human Genetics from Universidad Montrer in Morelia, Michoacán, he combines his scientific expertise with a passion for languages and culture. His multifaceted career began as a Latin DJ in Port Isabel and South Padre Island, where he developed a deep appreciation for musical traditions and rhythms. This experience, coupled with his role in Pro Audio Sales at Guitar Center, where he provided technical support in Spanish, reflects his commitment to bridging cultural and linguistic gaps through communication.
At Thermo Fisher Scientific, he guided engineers from Spain and Mexico through the translation of procedures and engineering training, ensuring compliance with U.S. regulations. This role in translating scientific and technical content has honed his ability to convey complex information clearly and effectively—a skill he brings to my current role as a Conversational Spanish Instructor.
His upbringing in a multicultural environment, with parents who were civil engineering professors, instilled in him a deep respect for education and cultural exchange. His career, spanning various high-pressure environments, has equipped him with the adaptability and expertise necessary for creating engaging and dynamic learning experiences.
At Esquina Tango, he’s excited to contribute his extensive knowledge and passion for both science and language to enrich the cultural experience, blending his understanding of cultural nuances with his professional skills.

Charles Ogar 

Class: Kizomba

Charles Ogar is the founder of Kiz ATX and the longest-standing Urban Kiz instructor in North America, with over a decade of teaching Kizomba and Urban Kiz.

Through his Neo Kizomba brand, he built and ran the Neo Kizomba Festival, one of the largest Urban Kiz festivals in the Americas, and has taught and trained internationally.

Rooted in Kizomba’s African diasporic legacy, his classes put connection and fundamentals first.

Gustavo Simplis

Class: Tango

Co-founder of Esquina Tango, Gustavo is the facility director and events co-director. He found his passion for teaching tango in 2005, having danced for several years prior and learned from renowned masters in Argentina, including Daniel “El Flaco” Garcia, Juan Carlos Copes, and Lorena Ermocida. Being from Argentina, the music had always been part of his life. His dance style expresses passionate feelings and connection, as well as a sense of humor with his partner, the audience and the music. He performs in and choreographs for theaters around Texas, including the Long Center, the Austin Shakespeare Company, the Scottish Rite Theater, the Camp Mabry, and more. He has taught the UT Informal Classes of Argentine Tango since 2015. He has taught for Power for Parkinson’s and various elementary schools around Austin. He also brings free introduction to tango classes & social dances to bars and restaurants around town as a community service each Monday for the last 8 years at places including Native Hostel, Opa Wine & Coffee, and Moonfire Lounge.

Gustavo studied tourism in Argentina, and spent years traveling around Central & South America, learning about new cultures and developing experiences for the formation of his ultimate dream of opening a cultural center, where people can go to learn about and be immersed in Latin American cultural experiences. When he first laid eyes on the Esquina Tango building, he saw the potential and spirit of the place that would lend itself perfectly to the mission and energy of Esquina, and worked hard to obtain & renovate the building, turning it into what it is today. He developed the cultural programs and the aspects of Esquina that allow people to immerse themselves into new, integrative experiences of different cultures while building community. His mission was to build a place where people could not just come to take a dance class and leave, but also see live music, take a quick dance class before the live music to learn enough to dance that style all night, learn languages, and more… all in one place, making friends and feeling at home in the process. You can not only learn about the dance, but the language, history and culture, and have a complete experience. The multi-faceted aspect of Esquina is what has made it the community hub it is today thanks to this integrative focus. He understands that a dance is not just the dance, but the spirit of culture and history behind it, and has been bringing those authentic experiences to people in Austin for the last 15 years. You will know Gustavo upon entering Esquina, the friendly man who comes to shake everyone’s hand and greet all who enter Esquina.

Iyari Mayra

Class: TA Casino & Rueda de Casino

Iyari is Peruvian, raised in Miami. Growing up in Miami, Iyari had the opportunity to be surrounded by individuals from all over Latin America and experience different cultural aspects, including the food, music, and dance. Upon returning to Miami after college, her best friend introduced her to UM’s Rueda de Casino classes that were open to the community… Once she began attending, she never looked back. Having always loved to dance, this was the perfect opportunity to dive headfirst into the dance scene and pick up other dances along the way (On1, On2, bachata). Now Iyari enjoys being the Teaching Assistant for the Rueda de Casino classes at Esquina Tango and helping to spread the love of dance to others.

Miranda Pacheco (AKA Kittie)

Class: Reggaeton & Kizomba

Kittie was born and raised in California but has lived in Austin, TX since 2006. She grew up studying ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, modern, hula, and Tahitian in the dance studio. In 2007 Miranda had a cancerous brain tumor and went through chemo and radiation therapy to remove her cancer. During and after her treatment her love for dance kept her optimistic and motivated to heal her body physically after a brain surgery. She came back a stronger person because of her passion, hard work, and dedication. In 2011 Miranda began her bachelor’s degree program in electrical engineering at UT Austin. In her senior semester of college, she discovered partner dancing and learned the basics of West Coast swing, East Coast swing, two-step, rotary waltz, tango, bachata, salsa, and merengue. In her free time, she discovered pole dancing and heel dancing. Her desire to share and perform exploded after her confidence was boosted by discovering pole dancing!  As a dance teacher, Miranda aspires to share their knowledge and passion for dance.

Melissa “Meli” is a professional dancer, choreographer, and the proud founder of MeliSamba (est. 2016), but some of her absolute favorite moments are spent right on the dance floor at Esquina Tango. Teaching samba no pé in Austin since 2010, Meli focuses on precise footwork, rich technique, and above all, the infectious joy of the Brazilian spirit. Her dance journey has taken her to Brazil to study under the masters, to both coasts, teaching at the International Samba Congress, and even to national television screens, choreographing for the CW’s Walker. Yet, her heart remains deeply rooted in local connection. For Meli, Esquina Tango is a beloved home, and she is thrilled to bring her high-energy instruction, cultural respect, and warm encouragement to her Esquina family, helping every student find their unique rhythm.

A social dancer all her life, Mickey discovered Esquina Tango in 2007, soaking up tango atmosphere and skills under the wonderful guidance of Monica Caivano and Gustavo Simplis. Having caught the tango ‘bug’ she began studying with local and visiting teachers as well as instructors in Buenos Aires, including Daniela Arcuri, Donato Juarez, Michelle Lamb, Luciana Valles’ Intensivo, and others. She started teaching private and group tango lessons 10 years ago, and is known for teaching community outreach and specialty tango workshops (e.g. People with Parkinsons, Senior Tango, and First Responders). Mickey’s teaching philosophy is that good instructors should be students as well as teachers, serving their students best by staying humble, nimble and continuously striving to improve. “Instructing is a way for me to give back. Welcoming in new people is my favorite—I believe that most people ‘fall in love’ with Tango early in their dance careers (or not…), so I devote myself to making the early classes accessible, nonthreatening, fun and appealing regardless of a student’s prior dance experience. I build communities of social dancers that care about one another and strive to dance their personal best.”

Monica Caivano

Class: Tango

Co-founder/director of Esquina Tango, Monica’s career in tango began as a teenager in her hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her family moved to the States taking her along when she was 17. In Austin, her love for the arts did not leave but rather intensified. Parallel to working in college, where she earned a Bachelor in Theatre Arts from St. Edwards University, Monica found herself in search of other tango lovers in town.  Slowly she found some other enthusiasts marking this the birth of the Austin tango community and Monica one of Austin’s first teachers and organizers. Monica has trained with masters like Nito & Elba, Carolina & Diego, Lorena Ermocida, Tete, Javier Rochwarger, among others. Her charisma, warm personality, and comedy engage students as she shares her love for the dance and the music. Monica’s tango teaching style helps dancers build on their technical abilities while placing relevance on the connection of leading/following and dancing to the music. Furthermore, Monica works towards creating dancers that have great social skills and etiquette in the “Milongas”. Esquina Tango has been an amazing dream come true for the continuation of the building of social dancers and community. At Esquina Tango, teaching goes beyond the mere act of conveying information, it’s the creating links and crossroads between people, sharing, and making the love for dance and music contagious.

Orazzio Loayza

Class: Beginner Spanish

Originally from Bolivia, Orazzio has been a Romance languages instructor at the University of Texas, a Diversity Instructor (Spanish – Portuguese) at Antioch University, a Bi-lingual Staff Development Instructor (Spanish) at the State of Texas, and a Spanish Medical Interpreter at the Austin State Hospital. He is a very generous and energetic instructor and likes to bring treats to his students. Orazzio is a passionate Tango dancer as well!!

Robbie Sky

Class: Salsa & Bachata

Who knew dance dynamite came in a small pink package? Robbie Sky, who is easily recognized by her bright pink hair and sunshiny persona, has been a professional dance coach since 2001. She is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico where she owned and operated Off Broadway Dance Studio. She has trained in over 30 dance styles. Her specialties are Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba and Semba. Robbie has spent her career studying and understanding dance from all perspectives. She specializes in dancing both roles and can therefore coaches both leaders and followers. The “Sky” is the limit with Robbie because you never know what you are going to get. One thing will always hold…her goal is to make people fall in love with dancing.

Stephanie Keeton

Class: Salsa Aerobics & Youth

Stephanie Keeton is a passionate and versatile dancer dedicated to expressing creativity through movement. Over the years, she has studied and performed a diverse range of dance styles, including ballet, jazz, flamenco, folklórico, Latin contemporary, and Bollywood. This extensive training has provided her with a strong technical foundation while allowing her to develop a unique artistic voice that blends cultural appreciation, storytelling, and performance. In addition to her work as a dancer, Stephanie shares her love of movement as a Salsa Aerobics instructor, teaching classes twice a week and inspiring others to build confidence, fitness, and joy through dance. She brings energy, discipline, and authenticity to every performance and continues to grow as an artist while connecting with audiences through meaningful expression and a genuine passion for dance.