Faculty

	Ricky Carranza (aka 3ki Riki) is the founder and principal teacher at SDI. He is a multi-talented free-style dancer and has been in the dance business for more than 25 years. Ricky was originally born in Manila, Philippines, but resides in Italy. In 2005, after working in Vancouver, Canada, Ricky moved to Helsinki. He works alongside important dance figures all over the world. At the age of 18, he was already working professionally in the television and has made important contribution to the development of streetdance in the Philippines, and among the first foreign streetdancers in Japan in the 80´s. He travels around the world to promote global friendship through urban dance and all the positive aspects of it.
	Essi Lahtinen - is a co-founder and a regular teacher at SDI. She specializes in Irish dance and has won several awards in the field. Between 2006 and 2007, she won gold, silver and bronze medals in Group and Solo categories in different competitions among which the “European Open Championship” and “Nordic Championship” and others. Essi, however, specializes in stage and theatrical shows presenting the multi-aspects of irish dance. She challenges her students with new thoughts and approaches with a specific intention to make the art of Irish dance updated yet traditional. A genuine lover of dance, Essi studies other dance styles like Locking, House, Hiphop, Popping, Waackin, Soul dance, Breaking, Modern, Jazz, Ballet, and more. She is an excellent teacher and choreographer, and loves working with people of all ages.
	C-Mack aka Kraig E (member of Soul Brothers) is a visiting/regular teacher of SDI. C-Mack to most is considered one of the pioneers of hiphop dancing and choreography on the west coast and the USA. C-Mack has set the standard for hiphop fashion, style, and dance culture on a worldwide level. C-mack has influenced such groups as the Black Eyed Peas, the Pharcyde, Marion, Usher as well as the fame Fatima Robinson just to name a few countless singers, dancers, mcs, djs and choreographers. He has been featured in numerous videos and live performances from Michael Jackson’s “Remember the time” video to the celebration of the release of Nelson Mandela in Los Angeles Coliseum with over 150,000 people present. C-mack is an entertainer and a real international ambassador for the movement of Hip Hop.
	Keone Madrid is an SDI guest teacher from California, USA. Born and raised in San Diego, Keone started his dancing career in the year of 2004 with a group of high school friends. He started his training with KJ Gonzales and Future Shock SD under the direction of Belle and Rainen Paguio. Then furthered on to train with the likes of Formality, Culture Shock San Diego, and various classes with industry choreographers. In the year of 2007 Keone was able to further his choreography passion, by winning a choreographers competition, "Maxt Out", with his friend Vinh Nguyen. He was also given the opportunity of teaching in places and dance teams up and down California, Washington DC, London, and Norway. Not to mention several workshops such as Culture Shock master class, Boogiezone, Funkanometry company class and Sockhop workshop, and many other classes involving various dance studios around the country. Keone also teaches every week at Studio 429, Culture Shock Dance Center, and Danceology located in different areas of San Diego. Currently dancing with Choreo Cookies(Fusion and Body Rock '08 champions) and directing Future Shock San Diego, Keone, at the age of 20, hopes to inspire others with the talent that God has blessed him with.
	Jheric Hizon – (aka Bboy Twist) Enthusiastic and excellent guest teacher from Canada who will be working with SDI soon. His versatility as an urban-style dancer/choreographer makes him a respectable figure in the hiphop scene in the city of Vancouver, and considered one the of the strongest bboys in the region. He worked in Tokyo, Japan for 2 years as head choreographer for singers, important entertainment events and Music videos. He has more than 13 years of teaching experience from hiphop, street jazz, modern, swing, folk, free-styling to breakdance. His classes are full of energy and a good work out.
	Joel Kotsjuba – is an SDI charismatic guest teacher from Estonia. He has taught in festivals and camps all across the country. In 2005, he formed a breakdance team called “Unexcelled Crew” in which he was also the main choreographer. The crew has since won many competitions. Joel also works as a model and has done numerous fashion shows including Marlboro, Fox clothing, and others. In 2006, he did a television commercial with Coca-Cola. He recently won the “Battle of the year in Estonia” with his newly formed crew “Phenomenon.”
	Localock – is an SDI collaborator and guest teacher from Firenze, Italia. She has personally studied from different members of the Original Lockers like Don Campbellock, Greg Campellock Jr, and Shabba-Doo. “Mimma” as she is also known, has participated numerous Locking contest like Juste Debout (Paris), Euro Battle (Portugal), Total Session (Italia) and others. Her own dance company called “Fundanza Family” is a winner of an annual popular dance-crew contest called “Street Fighters” in Italia. She teaches Hiphop Old school (hype), New style, Locking and Waackin.
	Ania Sochacka - is an SDI guest teacher from Poland. For many years, Ania has studied different body movement techniques first 4 years at the Academy of the Physical Education in Poland where she graduated as a physiotherapist. After which, she studied another 3 years at the Art University in Linz/Austria at the department of contemporary dance, performance and dance pedagogy. Since 2001, she had worked on the field of dance  and physical theatre and choreotherapy, being involved in many  creative projects, creating performances, choreographing, dancing and teaching.
	Frank "Sundance" – Guest teacher, Locking OG from Las Vegas, USA. Frank was involved in the Vegas Dance Contest Circuit from 1978-1986. He worked in the Award Winning Stage Production Show “Splash” (1986-1990), in various tv shows, live fashion show and did commercials for Sanyo and Nike. In 1990, he performed in Northern France with the Freeze Force Crew. He was one of the Locking Winners at the dance contest “How the West was won” in 2003. He currently assists teaching at Greg Campbellock’s Locking Camp in Las Vegas.
	Gus Bembery – Guest teacher, hiphop specialist from Los Angeles, USA. He is highly in-demand in Europe for his unique hard-street-smooth style. He currently teaches at Edge Performing Arts, in Los Angeles, USA. Gus is extremely creative in making choreography combining and transforming different styles to form one unique, personal, and cool style.
	Lady Severine - Guest teacher from Paris, specializing in Boogaloo dance, confirmed by her multiple international dance competition experiences like the B-boy Summit in Los Angeles, and at the B-Boy PRO-AM, Miami, USA. Lady Severine won the first place of "Funkstyle contest" in France, judged by Boogaloo Sam. She studied under the top and original Master Poppers like : Popin Pete, Skeeter Rabbit, Jazzy Jay, Popin Hugo etc…. She organizes international competitions, teaches street dance in diverse schools and judges lots of battles. She dances in famous french dance companies like "MONTALVO-HERVIEU", "The 6th Dimension Company." and "Black Blanc Beur".
	Claire KeaneT.C.R.G, born and raised in the West of Ireland, Claire was introduced to Irish Dancing at the age of seven and danced competitively until her late teens with Scoil Rince Ui Ruairc in Ennis, Co. Clare. Her competitive involvement in dancing included competing at local, provincial and national level where she enjoyed great success in both solo and figure dancing events. Claire also has had the privilege of performing with prestigious Irish Traditional Groups such as Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, Bru Boru and Planxty Ui Ruairc. Claire toured world wide with these groups and performed in several countries including USA, Canada, Oman, Great Britain, The Philippines, Spain, Greece, France, Finland and Denmark. In 2003, Claire completed and passed her teacher exams with flying colors and is now a fully qualified Irish Dancing Teacher and registered with An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha. Claire now resides in Dublin, Ireland and successfully runs the Keane School of Dancing, based in South Dublin, Ireland. Her pupils now compete at the highest level at local and international level.
	Máire Clerkin - Guest teacher and Irish dance mentor. An actor, Irish Dancer, choreographer, writer and teacher. From London of Irish parents, she moved to sunny California five years ago. It's a home from home. In 2008, her one-woman comedy play The Bad Arm - Confessions of a Dodgy Irish Dancer, was LA Weekly's Theater Pick. Máire works as a Teaching Artist for Los Angeles Music Center and Orange County Performing Arts. In 2007 Máire staged A Gaelic Gathering at Walt Disney Concert Hall for World City festival. She now leads a school assemblies program of Irish Music and Dance for the Music Center. Over the years, she has choreographed for Theatre Royal Drury Lane, New York's Radio City Music Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Royal Opera House and toured her own theatre companies in the UK and Ireland. An adjudicator with the Irish Dancing Commission in Dublin, Máire's teaching credits include Limerick University, Loyola Marymount University, DV8 Physical Theatre, California Dance Educators, Scripps College, and Los Angeles Unified Schools District. Since moving to Los Angeles, Máire has been honored to work among high quality artists and arts organizations. She loves creating dance theatre and has enjoyed success both in her solo show 'The Bad Arm' and in the Dance Drama pieces choreographed for Feiseanna (Irish dance competitions).
	Nannette Brodie – Guest teacher, Artistic Director of Nannette Brodie Dance Theater, Distinguished Artist of the Year 2007 for Long Beach, performed and choreographed for the nationally acclaimed Los Angeles modern dance company, The Moving Company, from 1970 to 1978. The company toured with the National Endowment for the Arts Touring Program, Artists in the Schools and the Los Angeles Performing Tree Program. Since that time she has choreographed independently in musical theatre, dance companies, television and film, while starting her own company and a nonprofit corporation, South Coast Dance Arts Alliance. After receiving her BFA in Art and her Masters Degree in Dance from California State University Los Angeles, Nannette taught on the faculties of California State University Chico and Long Beach, Loyola-Marymount University, and Long Beach City College. In 1975, Nannette became the director of dance at Golden West College, and in 1986 she started her own contemporary dance company, the Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre. Her choreography has been performed in more than 300 venues in New York, California, Nevada, Mexico, Czech Republic and France. Nannette’s principal training and theory of choreography stem from her work with Murray Louis, Janice Day and Alwin Nikolais. She is an alumnus of the Nikolais-Louis Dance Lab in New York. Nannette was nominated for a Lester Horton Dance Award for outstanding teaching in 2000. She received the Else Loudon Solo Award for her choreography at the Palm Desert Choreography Festival in 2002 as well as recognition for Outstanding Woman in Arts and Culture for Long Beach. When Nannette is not directing, she can be found enjoying some family time with her husband, John, and her two sons, Trenton and Taylor.
	The Manouvres – Phillippine’s top-notch all male dance group, which continues to entrall audiences around the world with their exhilarating moves and fiery performances. This enduring bunch just marked their 24th year in the business. With so many notable achievements in the field of dancing, they are not about to rest their laurels. They have channeled their cause to fight drug addiction through dancing. During the summer months, they step-up efforts to take in more students for the Trumpets Playshop Workshop, AFP Theater Workshop, Bread of Life, Victory Christian Fellowship teaching street-dance and other dance routines they popularized. Their energetic choreography and creative execution have helped them set trends. They serve as role models to the Filipino youth and are emulated by many. And if that’s not enough, the Manouvres are frequently invited to perform on Philippine’s top rating TV shows like SOP, ASAP, Eat Bulaga, to name a few. Dedication to their work, discipline and unwavering drive to improve makes them a cut above the rest. A group that continuously explores different paths to improve their craft and share their God-given talent. Of course, this is not only apparent by the number of shows these guys are doing… in the country and abroad!