Teachers in the Seattle Area

Wondering who teaches Kizomba in Seattle? Here's a list of people you can contact directly for private lessons. Group lessons and series will be listed on the Classes section on the home page of the blog.

Frances Tee

Frances is the founder of this Kizomba Seattle blog and has been on a Kizomba kick since 2010. Frances teaches at the Century Ballroom, Salsa Con Todo and is available for privates, group classes and workshops. She's taught kizomba in congresses in LA, Reno, Vancouver (CA) and Nicaragua and hopes to continue to share the dance with everyone everywhere. She has lots of experience with other forms of partner dancing, actively dancing salsa, bachata, and when she can: tango, swing (lindy, west coast and balboa). She's also taken ballet, jazz and belly dancing. She believes there's a dancer inside everyone just waiting to bust out! If you want to learn kizomba or semba or bachata or salsa, whatever your level, she's happy to help you get to where you want to go whether its to get started, refine or improve. She believes that dance is a way to learn about yourself, about expressing to music and connecting with other people. She can help you with body movement, leading, following. expressing the music and is ready to geek out with you and help you find your own voice in the dance. Dances She Teaches: Salsa (on1, on2), Bachata, Kizomba, Tarraxinha, Semba,. Please contact her through email or facebook. Visit her personal blog.

Dennis Richards

Dennis Richards is a dancer, performer, and teacher of Kizomba and Casino (Cuban Salsa) Although he has been dancing all his life, Dennis began learning Casino in Buenos Aires Argentina in 1996 and began learning his current focus, Kizomba in 2008 from Ana Antunes in Seattle, Washington.
He also teaches Body Movement for Dancers. Dennis has studied dance in Havana, Vancouver, and in Seattle for the last 11 years. His focus is on allowing each person to develop their personal feel for the music and to help his students continue to mature as dancers. He is currently teaching at Salsa Con Todo. Contact Dennis through email or facebook.

Photo credit: Dan Yamamoto

Carmen Gunkil

In 2013 Carmen discovered an Angolan Dance called Kizomba - she fell in love. "I’m from the first generation of Kizomba dancers in Seattle and have had the privilege of learning from many International dancers at the top of the Kizomba Dance scene." She started teaching Kizomba in 2017 and did some intensive workshops in Mexico. After her return, she started teaching Kizomba team at Salsa Con Todo. "My approach to Kizomba always focuses strongly on connection. I’m in charge of the Kizomba program at the Studio and hope to see it grow many generations of dancers to come." The Kizomba program at SCT is a complete program including all dances under the Kizomba Umbrella: Semba, Kizomba, Urban Kiz, Tarraxinha, and Tarraxa Osteo.
"I  would also like to expose the students to the many genres of music we dance Kizomba to which is why I decided to start Djing.

My Passion for dance extends to all areas of dance and types of music, it’s a lifestyle! I am forever a Dance Student! I can only hope to transmit my knowledge and experience to other dancers and students and help them do it with naturality and flair."

Ana Antunes

Ana was the first to bring Kizomba to Seattle. Born in Mozambique and raised in Portugal, she found her love for Kizomba dancing and culture while in college in Portugal in the mid 90’s, when she started attending African clubs with classmates from Angola, Cape Verde and Mozambique. Ana later broadened and deepened her Kizomba understanding by taking classes and workshops with professional dancers in order to gain a stronger sense of the structure of the dance. Ana moved to the US about 9 years ago and in between doing graduate studies, pursuing a professional career, and becoming a mom, she has been one of the first to introduce Kizomba in the US. She started teaching small groups of enthusiastic dancers from casino and bachata communities and occasional workshops. Her love and passion for the dance and culture has helped to guide, educate and fuel the Kizomba Seattle community. Ana truly believes in strong foundations, musicality and knowledge of the culture in order to better understand and dance Kizomba. Contact Ana through facebook.

Mario Vargas 

Teaches at Salsa N Seattle

A man of few words.... check out his classes Wednesday nights from 7-8 and 8-9 and then there's a practica afterwards.





JR Desire

JR teaches at Suenos de Salsa. He moved to Seattle from Montreal in 2014 and has been a part of the Kizomba Seattle community ever since. He is also part of Karga Productions (co-producer of Amabo Seattle Kizomba Festival).

He brings that 24K magic and drips finesse all over the dance floor! 

Emily Gibson

Emily became part of the Kizomba Seattle community in 2014 and has traveled all around the US and other countries to enjoy and share her passion of Kizomba. She is part of Karga Productions (co-producer of Amabo Seattle Kizomba Festival) and teaches at Suenos de Salsa.

Jay Senior

Jay is enthusiastic, fun and has a focused attitude. He has taught at the Century Ballroom and has taught workshops at congresses in Reno, LA, Vancouver (CA) and Nicaragua. He specializes in intermediate and advanced instruction: 

* Working both 1:1 and with small groups up of 6

* Leads and follows instruction (although 1:1 best for follows)

* Deep, detailed and sometimes technical explanations not just on what but why

Availability: Mon-Wed evenings

Location: Private home studio at 18th and Pike in Cap Hill

Private: $70/hour

2-6 people: $100/hour

Contact Jay through email or facebook.