OUR STORY
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, Kizomba, Cumbia and Merengue.
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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.
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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.
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Aroha Afro Latin Dance is the perfect place for those who desire to enjoy the allure of motion in Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Kizomba and Cumbia 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.
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The founder of Aroha Arts Collective and 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.
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.
She continues to be dedicated to the skill and craft of dance instruction which is reflected in the efforts she has made to learn from those who are “Masters” in their respective dance genres. She recently completed 60 training hours receiving certification in Black Belt Salsa with Edie “The Salsa Freak” and is a Black Belt System franchise owner. She attended Alex and Desiree’s Instructor course and received certification in Beginner Instruction for Dominican Bachata. She has also received training in Bachata from Jose Parades of JP Dance. She received training in beginner Kizomba with Kimberly Nicole of Kizomba RDU and instructor training with Lucia Nogueira.