David

David was an original member of Mambo Productions Dance School faculty since its inception in 2003 and took over as Director at the start of 2012.

He has been dancing, teaching, and choreographing Salsa & Bachata since 2003; as well as dancing and teaching related dance styles such as Cha Cha Cha, Pachanga, Boogaloo & Merengue. He has also competed internationally in such prestigious competitions as the World Salsa Championships (now called World Latin Dance Cup).

His love of dance lead him to train with some of the best Salsa/Mambo dancers in the world such as: Eddie Torres, Adolfo Indacochea, Juan Matos, Frankie Martinez, & Jason Molina. In addition to this, has also trained in other dance styles including Afro-Cuban, Guaguanco, Ballet, & International Style Latin Ballroom. He strives to bring an appreciation of not only dance, but the music and its history to his students.

Lucy

Born and raised in Beijing, China, Lucy grew up learning different styles of traditional Chinese dancing since the age of 5. Her love for the art of music and dancing grew as she began performing with different teams and school around Beijing.

In 2002, Lucy moved to Canada with her family, and focused on schooling. It wasn’t until after randomly stumbling into a salsa party in 2012, that she remembered her love for dance. Although she began dancing salsa on 1, after taking lessons with Mambo Production in the spring of 2013, she quickly fell in love with the Mambo style, and never looked back since then.

Lucy began dancing on the “Tumbao” and “Candela” performance team in the fall of 2013, she continued to improve her skills and in 2016 joined the Mambo Productions Advanced Performance Team. At the same time, she was training with Mambo Production’s Director, David, on becoming an instructor, assisting and later on teaching different workshops, and in 2017, she became a co-director for the “Tumbao” team with David.

As an instructor, Lucy is known to push her dancers out of their comfort zone, and demands results from her team and students. Her favorite quote is “there is no short cut in life, the effort you put in determines the result you get out”. She is a firm believer of work hard and play hard.

Elena

Elena joined David in coaching a Mambo Productions bachata performance team in 2018. Since then, she has helped coach two other teams and has worked together with David to develop and deliver the ‘Bachata Sensual’ curriculum.

Elena’s life has always included music or dance: starting with many guitar and song-filled evenings with family in her childhood in Russia; figure skating as a child; dabbling in Ukrainian, ballet, and modern dances in adolescence; playing trumpet in symphonic, jazz, and musical theatre ensembles in school and university; and conducting the Calgary Stampede Showband over university years.

Elena first discovered Salsa when she accidentally attended the Expo Latino Festival in high school and promptly made up her mind to study this dance when she started university. An academic exchange to Mexico in 2008 and the Student Dance Club at the University of Calgary were her first introductions to the Latin dances. Since then, Elena has taken many courses and privates in Calgary, Montreal, Moscow, and at various congresses, always eager to learn and improve. She is fluent in the LA, NY, and Cuban styles of Salsa in addition to Bachata. For several years beginning in 2011, Elena also sang and danced with the Latin band ‘Tekila’ in Calgary. After an initial lack of interest in performing with Salsa teams, Elena’s deep love of performance took over in 2015 and she has been performing on the Calgary Salsa Congress stage ever since.

As an instructor, Elena strives to convey the importance of technique and musicality and hopes that students enjoy a positive class atmosphere while walking away with a good understanding of concepts learned in class.

Karina

Raised in Israel with a Russian background, Karina started training in Ballroom dancing at the age of 5 and was soon competing and performing nationally. At the age of 10 she exchanged dancing for professional martial arts training and came back to dance in 2016 when she took her first Salsa class with Mambo Productions.

Since her first class, Karina has become obsessed with Latin dancing and dedicated herself to learning the intricacies of Mambo, Bachata, Rumba and Afro-Cuban dancing. She has intensely trained with local and international instructors and has traveled the world dancing at various congresses and events.

Karina’s favorite part of dancing is the unique connection created between people during social dancing, sharing the joy of music and movement while interacting through the universal language of dance.

Melvin

Melvin developed his love for dancing at an early age. By the age of 8, he was already leading Igbo cultural dance troupes in his home country, Nigeria. He has since developed a soulful, and flavor-filled dancing style that embodies his unique understanding of musicality.

In an endeavor to broaden his dance styles, he started his salsa journey with Mambo Productions in 2014. He has since performed with different salsa dance teams, taught at several salsa workshops and private classes, and has become an integral part of the Calgary dance community.

He is appreciative of the instruction and encouragement he received from Mambo Productions, as well as other instructors and dancers in Calgary. He hopes to pay this forward by encouraging, teaching and helping salsa dancers to grow and reach new heights in their salsa journey.

Youssef

Youssef is a passionate Salsa instructor with a deep appreciation for music and movement. Although relatively new to the dance scene, his background as a violinist gives him a unique perspective on rhythm, timing, and musicality – elements he brings into every class he teaches.

His beginner Salsa classes are welcoming, fun, and focused on helping students feel the music and build confidence on the dance floor. Youssef travels frequently to Salsa congresses, always seeking to grow as a dancer and stay connected to the vibrant Salsa community. His energy, musical sensitivity, and genuine love for Salsa make him a favorite among those just starting their dance journey.

Shirley

I first stumbled into Latin dance just before the world shut down for covid, not knowing then how much it would change my life. But my story with dance started long before that. Growing up, I trained in Chinese dance and worked my way up to the highest-level certificate. It was intense, structured, and beautiful—and it taught me so much about discipline and expression.

When I moved to Canada, everything shifted. That’s where I truly fell in love with Latin dance. Zouk was my entry point—something about its flow and connection just clicked with me. From there, I discovered Salsa and Bachata, and it felt like I was unlocking different parts of myself with each rhythm and step.

These days, I’m fully immersed in it all but especially focused on my Salsa journey. I’ve been training in Mambo with real dedication, working to deepen my technique and artistry in this style. Dance has become so much more than just movement for me—it’s how I connect with people, express joy, and stay grounded. It’s been a journey of blending the precision of my past with the passion and playfulness of Latin dance, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Athina

Bachata Instructor. Bio coming soon….

(Athina)

Denys

Bachata Instructor. Bio coming soon….

(Denys)