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J.Giles/Bio: I started dancing swing and ballroom in college; I danced with the Ballroom Performance Group at the University of Georgia for one year. Eventually ballroom dancing led me into salsa and bachata. I began going to events and taking various classes in Athens and in the Atlanta area with instructors like Matthew David Krivanek, (then Spicy Salsa now Zouk Atlanta), Alfredo Piceno (Salsambo) and many more. I fell in love with salsa and left ballroom and swing in the dust. I took introductory classes and danced at socials for years before moving to South Florida (Fort Lauderdale area). I trained at Casa Salsa in Sunrise, Florida as a member for around a year and continued to social dance and progress as a dancer. My interest in bachata began to grow while living in South Florida. Upon moving back to GA in December 2017 I spent a few months training as a member of Pasofino Dance Atlanta (Jose Maldonado, Lucy Lu and [then] Ashwin Raju). The more I learned the more I developed a love for bachata. I started going to congresses and workshops with this style of dance as my focus. I trained, danced, and performed with Alma Atlanta under the direction of Luis Alberto and Jess Sheppard. I have spent time working with and training under Christian Sola. I teach, DJ and host/promote bachata and salsa events in Atlanta; I have choreographed and directed bachata teams as well (Georgia Tech Latin Dance Club, Dulce Y Sensual Performance Team). My dedicated relationship with dance began in 2004 and my passion continues to grow. My event Dulce Y Sensual successfully brought Sensual Bachata to Atlanta for almost 2 years before covid hit; now I am bringing it back. Over the years I have had opportunities to teach, perform and grow as a dancer on this wonderful journey; I am a salsero y bachatero and I love it!
