UNITED DANCE STUDIOS
team
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Our team consists of dedicated dancers who share their passion for movement, music, and community with you. Each individual brings their own story, style, and energy—from seasoned professionals to creative minds setting new trends. Together, we create a space where diversity, inspiration, and the joy of dance are at the center.

Founder & Teacher
Akram Bouchiba
Akram Bouchiba
Co-founder of U Dance Studio, Akram is an international dancer, teacher, and event manager known for his powerful presence and connection driven style.
Rooted in Kizomba, Afro, and Urban fusion, his movement blends precision, flow, and musicality shaped by years of experience on global stages.
As a creator of major festivals and community events, Akram brings people together through dance, energy, and vision.

Founder & Teacher
Sara Paxolieta
Co-founder of U Dance Studio, Sara is a versatile dancer, teacher, and creative force with roots in Spain and a background in ballet, jazz, belly dance, contemporary, and more.
She brings her signature elegance, flow, and stage presence to every class, specializing in Salsa, Bachata, and Kizomba.
As part of an international dance duo, she travels the world sharing her love for movement and connection — while helping build a strong dance community in Zurich.

Founder & Teacher
Livia Furrer
Livia is co-founder of U Dance Studio and a passionate teacher of female dancehall, afro and freestyle movement.
Her classes combine strength, precision and self-expression, creating a space where dancers feel confident and recognized.
She also directs Momentum, a program that focuses on artistic growth, performance, and creative expression through dance.

Founder & Teacher
Kavi Pulendran
His dance journey began with salsa, but it was bachata that truly captured his heart – the rhythm, the connection, and the emotional flow.
Over the years, this passion has evolved into something he now shares through teaching. In his classes, he focuses on musicality, connection, and expressing emotions through movement.
Whether beginner or advanced, he accompanies the students with technique and heart.

Teacher Afro & Dancehall
Sarinha
Sara began dancing at the age of four and developed a passion for movement at an early age.
With roots in hip-hop, dancehall and Afro street styles, she brings energy, depth and connection to each of her classes.
She is co-founder of the Momentum Intensive Program and is committed to creating safe spaces where dancers can grow with confidence and joy.

Teacher Heels
Maeva
Grown up in Zurich, Maeva brings a rich background in ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and heels. With years of stage and competition experience — from Art on Ice to Openair Frauenfeld — she blends technical precision with expressive power.
Her classes focus on musicality, presence, and self-confidence, offering dancers a space to grow both artistically and personally.

Teacher Afro Azonto
Enock "Necknock"
Enoch “Necknock” is a choreographer, performer, and Afrodance teacher based in Switzerland. With roots in Hip-Hop and a deep passion for Azonto, he blends Ghanaian dance culture with Afrohouse, Naija, and Gospel influences. As the founder of Afrokingz Switzerland and Reunited Love, he shares movement, creativity, and faith with his community. His goal: to inspire through dance and celebrate Afro culture with heart and purpose.

Teacher Hip Hop
Michael Peier
With over 15 years of experience in Hip-Hop, Michael's roots lie in freestyle before evolving into choreography. He leads Tanzkeller Solothurn and has coached multiple crews, including Rock da Sht*, who won “Best Theme” at World of Dance LA.
His teaching focuses on Hip-Hop's cultural roots, using creative tasks and freestyle exercises to help dancers develop their own voice. For Michael, dance is a path of growth — a marathon that strengthens body, mind, and community.

Teacher Commercial
Ely Vogt
Ely discovered her love for dance at the age of six.
With a background in hip-hop and commercial dance, she has also completed training in jazz, afro, dancehall, house, and heels. After completing her dance teacher training and an intensive program in Los Angeles, she continues to place great value on growth, versatility, and creativity.
In her classes, Ely focuses on passion, community, and joy, creating an environment where every dancer can express themselves and develop.
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Teacher Bachata
Rafaella
Rafaella loves dancing – especially Bachata, her greatest passion of the last five years.
Salsa and kizomba are also among her favorites. In addition to her work as a secondary school teacher, she combines her teaching experience with her love of dance.
With a lot of heart, patience, rhythm and good energy, she wants to pass on the magic of this dance world.
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Teacher Cuban Body Movement
Ray Callejas
Ray Callejas, born in Havana, Cuba, grew up in a culture deeply rooted in music and dance.
He began his professional training at the Escuela Nacional de Arte (ENA), specializing in Afro-Cuban folkloric dance. Since then, he has taught and performed worldwide, sharing the energy and cultural richness of Cuba while inspiring others through his passion for Cuban Salsa and traditional styles.
Now based in Switzerland and part of the United Dance Studio team, his mission is to make the rhythm of Cuba come alive in every step.
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Teacher Heels
Malin Schuler
In 2018, Malin graduated from the Higher Technical School for Contemporary and Urban Stage Dance.
During her training, she taught various styles – from urban contemporary, jazz and commercial hip-hop to heels – and thus gained valuable teaching experience.
After graduating, she continued to participate in new projects, including video shoots, dance-fashion performances, gala appearances, and full-length productions.
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Teacher House
Mike Bredy
Michael Bredy, aka “Noodles,” began dancing on the streets of New York City in the late 80s – first hip-hop, and about ten years later house.
A member of Brooklyn's legendary MOPTOP Family, he learned dance culture directly from its origins. Without formal instruction, but with natural talent, the streets and clubs of New York City shaped him as the ultimate learning grounds.
Today he shares his experience and knowledge of the history and culture of hip hop and house worldwide.
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Teacher Hip Hop Fusion
Wittha
Wittha combines in-depth knowledge of hip hop and contemporary dance with years of dance training and experience. His classes are characterized by a special blend of softness and sharpness—with a unique quality of movement that allows room for emotion, technique, and individuality.
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Teacher Hip Hop/Breaking Teens
Alana
With her passion for fostering confidence and strength through movement and dance, Alana creates a space where everyone can learn and grow.
With a background in hip hop, house and breaking, she encourages you to just jump in, learn on the go, stay creative and express yourself.
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Teacher Fusion Choreography
Lydia
Lydia combines influences from different styles to create her own movement language.
Her journey began with ballet and contemporary, later she discovered other styles and was inspired by dancers from different backgrounds.
Their goal is to create a safe space where everyone can develop freely and dance with joy – whether as a passion or a hobby.
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Teacher Fusion Choreography
Benie
Benie discovered her passion for dance at Chibu Studio in 2017.
Influenced by styles such as commercial, hip-hop, dancehall, and Afro, she expanded her repertoire to include floorwork, ballet, and heels. She has performed on stage in projects such as The Ascension Lab and at events such as Openair Frauenfeld, Big Bang, and the IDO World Championship.
In her classes, she combines technique with expression and creates a space in which everyone finds confidence in their own movement and dance becomes a source of joy and strength.
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Teacher Moves & Grooves
Alicia
Alicia's passion for dance began early – inspired by her mother, who ran a dance school.
She found her heart in hip-hop and house dance and began teaching at the age of 16. Today, she brings with her around 20 years of experience in Swiss dance schools and has performed on numerous stages and in video projects. In 2015, she co-founded Choreographers Night, a platform for Swiss and international dancers. Her style combines hip-hop, house, salsa, commercial, and more—her classes combine musical groove with basics and dynamic choreography in a positive atmosphere.
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Teacher Afro
Selina Meier
Selina Meier discovered her passion for dance in her youth. She began with hip hop, but in recent years she has devoted herself intensively to African dance styles – with a particular focus on Amapiano. Selina Meier discovered her passion for dance in her youth. She choreographs for the crews RDS Crew & Push da Soul Crew, who have already celebrated numerous victories at World of Dance, Masters on Stage, and the Solothurn Dance Days. Her shows have been presented at Choreographers Night Zurich, World of Dance Paris, and Los Angeles.
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Teacher Afro
Phina Makaya
She discovered her passion for rhythmic dance as a child. Thanks to her Angolan-Congolese roots, she grew up with traditional and modern styles of this culturally rich region. After exploring hip-hop, Cuban salsa, and jazz, she discovered her passion for Afro and dancehall at the age of 17. Today, her focus is on Afro/Dancehall. She dances in the Common Ground program with the MEK company and shares the diversity of the African continent—with its grooves, cultural backgrounds, and the special spirit of Afro—in her classes.
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Teacher Yoruba meets House
Charo Ares
Charo Ares received her training in urban dance at the Flow Dance Academy in Paris and subsequently specialized in folkloric, commercial and Cuban dance styles at the Escuela Nacional de Artes in Havana.
In her subject “Yoruba meets House” she combines elements from Afro-Cuban dance and house, thus reconstructing the origins of clubbing house dance as a culture.
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Teacher Afro
Chiara Jarell
Chiara May Jarrell is an interdisciplinary artist who combines dance and classical singing.
From ballet and contemporary dance, her path led to African and Afro-diasporic styles such as Ndombolo, Coupé Décalé, Azonto, and Dancehall, deepened through international training and education at the École des Sables in Senegal. She performs regularly in Switzerland and around the world, including in music videos, on television, and most recently in Los Angeles for Will Smith. In her teaching, she combines positive energy with a movement language characterized by diversity and openness.
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Teacher Contemporary Jazz
Karin Venosta
Karin discovered her love for dance at the age of six.
After completing her training at the Zurich Dance Theater School in 2013, she was part of several dance companies and worked with national and international choreographers. She deepened her knowledge through further training in Stuttgart, New York, Los Angeles, and London and now teaches at various schools and workshops. Her style combines lyrical jazz, contemporary jazz, and urban elements. In her teaching, she focuses on musicality, dynamics, and quality of movement—and on letting go of control and dancing freely.
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Teacher Contemporary
Lara Witschi
Lara began dancing at an early age and gained experience in various dance styles.
Her passion led her to Copenhagen, where she completed her dance training. Today, she works in Switzerland as a freelance dancer and certified Pilates instructor.
She describes her movement as Contemporary Fusion – inspired by her diverse, international education and artistic journey.
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Teacher Hip Hop
Earle Jr.
Earle Garnette Jr, born and raised in Philadelphia, discovered his passion for dance at an early age.
What began with self-taught freestyle led him to the hip-hop pioneers of his hometown, the Academy of Phresh, and finally to Los Angeles, where he completed the Motivating Excellence program and won awards such as World of Dance America. As co-artistic director and dancer of I Am Phresh, he toured the US and performed internationally. In 2022, he moved to Switzerland for The Big 5 project, where he now dances, battles, and teaches – including in London.
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Teacher Kids & Teens
Sarah
In 2010, Sarah completed her three-year dance training at the Colombo Dance Factory in Zurich and has since passionately taught hip-hop and street dance to children and young people.
In her classes, she emphasizes fun, team spirit, and the joy of movement—from learning cool moves to experiencing music together.
Come along, dance along, and let their energy infect you!
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Teacher Reggaeton/Latin Lady Style
Reem
With a passion for reggaeton and Latin lady style, Reem has been bringing not only moves but also good vibes to the dance floor since 2013. She has trained teams for the stage and championships for many years – and knows exactly how to take dancers to the next level.
Their goal: to create a safe place where everyone has fun, feels comfortable and, at the same time, courageously leaves their comfort zone.
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Teacher Kizomba
Wilf
With many years of experience as a dance teacher, he specializes in Kizomba and also has a background in Salsa and Bachata.
He has learned from top artists internationally, given workshops, and performed for audiences of all sizes. He has participated in exciting projects and competitions that have allowed him to grow both as a dancer and as a teacher.
What gives him the most joy is helping people gain more confidence, connection, and joy through dance. Whether beginners or advanced, he makes every dance journey inspiring, supportive, and full of fun.
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Teacher Urban Kiz
Barbara
Barbara, born and raised in Zurich, speaks seven languages and thus connects people and cultures.
As a child, she danced jazz, discovered salsa and bachata in 2015, and three years later, kizomba captured her heart – since then, there's been no turning back. She loves the music and the diversity of styles, whether as a leader or a follower. Even health challenges couldn't dampen her passion.
She is most inspired by the moment when two bodies merge into one soul through music. Her goal is to create a safe, inspiring space where everyone can dance their hearts out.
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Teacher Urban Kiz
Barbara
Barbara, born and raised in Zurich, speaks seven languages and thus connects people and cultures.
As a child, she danced jazz, discovered salsa and bachata in 2015, and three years later, kizomba captured her heart – since then, there's been no turning back. She loves the music and the diversity of styles, whether as a leader or a follower. Even health challenges couldn't dampen her passion.
She is most inspired by the moment when two bodies merge into one soul through music. Her goal is to create a safe, inspiring space where everyone can dance their hearts out.