Ralf Schiller | Kele Baker Teachers Sergio Brilhante | Gemma Gordon | Candice Bayley Jenkins Simon Lister | Wonnita Olafisoye | Roswitha Wetschka Kele Baker MSTAT, LIDTA, AISTD, BSc Kele received her bachelor's degree in drama at Northwestern University, and a graduate studies certificate from London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. She is a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique. In 1998 Kele created Tango Al Fresco, Argentine Tango outdoor dance parties held during the summer in London's Regent's Park. In 2005 she created The Broadwalk Ballroom, Ballroom and Latin American outdoor dance parties which, with together with "Tango Al Fresco", are collectively known as Dance Al Fresco. These events have raised nearly £30,000 for tree planting in London's Regent's Park. Kele has appeared in numerous films, television programmes, plays and videos. She is the Argentine Tango dance consultant for "Strictly Come Dancing" (BBC1, 2006-9), and with Ralf Schiller choreographs and coaches the Argentine Tango dances for the semi-finals. Kele and Ralf have written Strictly Come Dancing: Step-By-Step Dance Class, a 'how-to-dance' book for BBC Books (2009). Kele and Ralf choreographed the Argentine Tango for Darren Bennett & Lilia Kopylova's West End show "Latin Fever" (2009), as well as "It Ain't Necessarily So" for their appearance in English National Ballet's show "Strictly Gershwin" (2008). Kele staged the dance scene for Stephen Poliakoff's BBC drama "Joe's Palace" (BBC1, 2006), and coached actors Rupert Penry-Jones, Kelly Reilly and Rebecca Hall. Kele has appeared as dance expert and teacher on "Bump 'n' Grind 2" (Trouble TV, 2005), "Would Like To Meet" (BBC2 & BBC3, 2003), and "Tell It To Me Straight" (Channel 4, 2001). She has worked with Royal Ballet Artistic Director Deborah Bull on her television programmes "Travels With My Tutu" (BBC2, 2000) and "The Dancer's Body" (BBC2, 2002). A native New Yorker, Kele has been teaching dance since 1994. In the UK, Kele has taught for the Oxford University Dance Society, University of London Union Ballroom & Latin American Dance Society, North London Performing Arts Centre, and the Gwenethe Walshe Dance Studio (now known as Central London Dance Studio). She was a member of the Alternative Rhythms Faculty of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (2001-2003). Kele has taught dance at workshops of The Flirting Academy, run by the world famous flirting coach Peta Heskell. In the US, Kele has taught at Dance New York, Stepping Out Dance Studio (New York) and the Fred Astaire Dance Studio (Red Bank, NJ). Ralf Schiller, co-director of the Kensington Dance Studio, has been teaching ballroom dancing for nearly 20 years. He is the co-organiser of The Pink Jukebox, a bi-monthly gay and lesbian tea dance, as well as the hugely popular Pink Jukebox Trophy, Europe's premiere same-sex ballroom and Latin American dance competition. Ralf is a member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing's "Club Dance" faculty, currently working on syllabus for Lindy Hop and Salsa, having completed a syllabus for Argentine Tango. Together with Kele Baker, he choreographs and coaches the Argentine Tango for "Strictly Come Dancing" (BBC1, 2006-8). Ralf is the co-author of the upcoming book Strictly Come Dancing: Dance Yourself Fit, a 'how-to-dance' book for BBC Books, to be published on December 10th. Additionally, he choreographed the dancing for the short film "Ginger Beer" and for the Channel 4 programme "Storm In A Teacup". Information about Sergio coming soon. Gemma started ballroom and latin as a result of getting hooked on an early series of "Strictly Come Dancing". Her passion for and committment to dancing was such that after a relatively short period of time she decided to take up teaching dance as a career, and has already passed her first teaching exam. The things Gemma enjoys most about teaching dance are the sense of achievement students have when they have mastered a particular move or aspect of a dance they have been studying, and when students tell her that their lesson was fun. Candice is currently on maternity leave, and we look forward to having her teaching with us sometime this year. Information about Simon coming soon. Information about Wonnita coming soon. Roswitha Wetschka is from Austria. She has a degree in Psychology from the University of Vienna, and is a Licentiate member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. Roswitha has a contagious enthusiasm for dancing, and her knowledge of dance technique, body, mind and movement informs her creative and fun-focused teaching approach. | ||||