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. 

Alfonso Alarcon

Class: Afro-Latin

Originally from Tijuana, Mexico, Alfonso Alarcón is a dancer and dance instructor residing in Austin, Texas. He began his dance journey in San Diego in 2012, taking his first Afro-Cuban dance classes with Cuban instructor, Wilfredo Guilbiac. Since then, he has studied under Cuban instructors such as Ranses Shangó Agayú, Iván Valdespino, and Wisley Estacholi. In recent years, Alfonso has been studying under the guidance of Cuban artist, Alexis Zanety, learning his Dibujo Circular de Movimiento technique (Circular Patterns of Movement) and his Afro-Caribbean fusion technique.

Alfonso’s passion for Cuban dances comes from his sense of connection to African cultures. He recognizes them as an important root in his Latin American heritage and is committed to learning, performing, and teaching with the utmost respect for these cultures.

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

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.

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.

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 Corpus is a Dancer, Teacher and Choreographer in Austin, Texas. Since 2010, she has been teaching samba no pe focusing on footwork, technique and the joy of the Brazilian spirit. Melissa has worked with Austin Samba, the largest samba school in the United States, as a choreographer, director and principal dancer. She has traveled to Brazil and throughout the United States to study with Patrick Carvalho and members of Cia Dom, Ana Laidley, Rosangela Silvestre, Danielle Lima, Rodrigo Marques and Pedro Rosa. In 2014, she paraded in Rio de Janeiro with the legendary G.R.E.S. Estação Primeira de Mangueira. In addition to Samba, Melissa also teaches, choreographs and performs Salsa, Bachata and Cha Cha Cha. She founded MeliSamba in 2016, a professional Samba performance group, and is excited to spread the Alegria of dance to the Austin community and beyond.  Click here to check her out and book her for fabulous events at!

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.

Omid Gallegos 

Class: Kizomba

Omid Gallegos is a passionate and devoted Kizomba, Semba, and Tarraxinha instructor with over a decade of experience in the dance community. His journey began in 2013 in San Antonio, Texas, where he quickly fell in love with Kizomba. Driven to master his craft, Omid sought out private training with world-renowned instructors such as Master Petchu, Vanessa “Ginga Pura,” Puto Chinez, and Mario Jordão, the National Champion for Angola and France. His commitment to excellence led him to complete two rigorous teacher training programs under the mentorship of Eddy “Vents” Monteiro, further deepening his expertise in Kizomba and Semba.

In 2014, Omid co-founded Kizomba Uwa with Marietta Villalobos, allowing him to share his knowledge and passion for dance on both national and international stages. His teaching journey brought him to Esquina Tango in Austin, TX, in 2016, where he has been leading weekly classes and hosting a donation-based Kizomba prática.

As a proud Texan, Omid approaches each class with mindfulness, kindness, openness, and a sense of fun. Outside the dance floor, he enjoys life with his beautiful wife and their two doodles, bringing the same warmth and enthusiasm to his personal life that he brings to his teaching.

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.

Rocio Cristal

Class: Samba

Rocío Cristal is a Puerto Rican dancer, choreographer, percussionist, and teacher. She began her samba journey in 2011 and began teaching classes in 2015. In 2018 she became the creative and dance director of Humboldt California’s Samba da Alegría school, leading their North Country Fair samba parade which has a 36-year tradition!
Rocío specializes in Samba no Pé (Río style samba) and is passionate about Carnaval. She has paraded five times in the Sambódromo since 2016- thrice as Passista and twice as Musa. She also played surdo de terceira in the street Carnaval with Bloco Vagalume O Verde in 2019 and 2020. In 2023 she created and conducted the first dance tour from Humboldt to Río de Janeiro, where students had the opportunity to parade in the biggest carnival in the world, visit important cultural attractions and study with renowned dance artists. After moving to Texas in June of 2023, Rocío has enjoyed making new friends in the Austin Samba School and MeliSamba, and looks forward to teaching and dancing with you all in Esquina Tango!

Stephanie Keeton

Class: Salsa Aerobics & Youth

Stephanie was born in Corpus Christi, Texas where she started dancing at the tender age of 4 years old. She then went on to study with Ballet Nacional for 10 years in Corpus Christi, where she became a featured soloist and dance instructor for all ages. She then moved to Austin Texas in 1998 where she became a Soloist, ensemble dancer, and choreographer with Aztlan Dance Company for 13 years. She is now one of the principal dancers for A’lante one of Austin’s professional Flamenco dance companies.