Ella Mesma
Ella Mesma is a respected dance professional in a range of styles, having received accolades and coveted soloist roles in genres as diverse as Samba, Hip Hop, Salsa and Contemporary Dance. She is the director of Element Dance Company, choreographing and performing exciting new fusion works, that bring together many of the styles that she loves.
She began dancing in 2000, and her talent emerged quickly. In 2004, Ella traveled to Brazil to study Samba intensively, and she soon was selected to perform with Circo Piccolino in Salvador and as Passista (1st soloist) in Rio Carnival in 2006. Ella became Rainha (Queen) of the London School of Samba in 2008, and also came third in the European Samba Queen competition held in Germany. Today she is recognized as one of the top Sambistas in the United Kingdom.
She has also made a name for herself in the Urban & Contemporary Dance Worlds, winning 1st place in the European Reggaeton Competition, the lead role in an internationally touring Hip Hop Production of Romeo & Juliet, as well as a rare slot in the Masters Degree Program in performance at the London Contemporary Dance School.
Ella is a popular face in the UK Salsa Scene and B-Boy Scene, and won a special scholarship to study both styles in NYC in 2009. There she trained with Eddie Torres, BGirl Rockafella, Angel Ortiz, Anara Frank and others. She is a well-loved local teacher in both styles, known for her enthusiasm and patience, as she refines basic technique and then creates new moves drawing from her diverse dance background.
Throughout the course of her training Ella has analyzed movements deeply, and developed an extensive curriculum of body motion exercises and fast footwork combinations. Her strong understanding of the basics and her unique yet authentic choreography have made her a much sought-after teacher, in Samba, Reggaeton, Salsa & Contemporary/Urban Dance, traveling throughout Europe, and as far as India, Turkey & the US to teach and perform.
Ella will be in Boston from April 13- April 21, teaching in our Spring Salsa Session, offering a special workshop series with colleague Yesenia Selier and is available for privates lessons in Samba, Latin Contemporary, Reggaeton, Hip Hop & Modern Dance for Salseros.