Meet Our Team
Credentials:
- Certified dancer with Arthur Murray and DVIDA (Dance Vision International Dance Association)
- Bachelors Degree in Sports & Recreation Management
- Rhythm Finalist
- Certified Fitness and Health Coach
Abraham Sannoh
Owner & Instructor
Abraham (Abe) took ownership of Crown Dance Studio in 2014, with the mission of making the studio an affordable dance home for all, no matter your economic circumstance. With over 24 years of dance — including 14 years of teaching, and 11 years of competing — his hope is to empower people from all walks of life to discover their purpose and accomplish their dreams. If you ask him what his favorite part of being an instructor is, he’ll always emphasize his love and passion for helping students and staff develop their dance skills as they transform into better versions of themselves. His warm, friendly and energetic personality — paired with his high level knowledge and skillset of dancing — always makes learning easy, fun and exciting.
Abe likes to remind us, “never let your past circumstances define you. You have the power to make a decision to create the changes you need for the life you desire.” Joining our Crown Dance Studio family would be a great decision, in our very unbiased opinion.
Allison Lenore
Professional Dance Instructor
Since early childhood, Allison has been extremely active and full of energy. During her elementary and high school years, she was a track & cross country champ, which got her a full scholarship to Eastern Kentucky University — the place where she was exposed to the art & joy of ballroom dancing. Allison has been a professional instructor since 2006 and has earned numerous awards at American Smooth & Rhythm dance competitions.
Allison is known for her in-depth knowledge of dance techniques, as well as her passion for having fun on the dance floor. Be sure to book a private lesson, and don’t forget to join her every Saturday for Styling Class as she walks you through perfecting your form, rhythm, and muscle group focus.
Nick Pasch
Professional Dance Instructor
Always an athlete, Nick’s love of dance initially came to be from his mother’s encouragement to attend class as a child — since day one, he was hooked. It wasn’t until college, however, that Nick began to teach and compete in ballroom dancing; and although he had attended college for history and secondary education, his love and passion for this art form drew Nick back to the dance floor. As an instructor, he hopes to get to witness his students’ excitement as they gain confidence in their moves. “I love to see that ‘aha’ moment!”
Join Nick on the dance floor for plenty of fun and learning!
Ronald Rios
Professional Dance Instructor
Ronald Rios is a multifaceted dancer, performer, choreographer, and instructor. Throughout his career, Ronald has worked with various artists (Flo-Rida, Cassidy, Three-Six Mafia, etc.), and large dance projects as a backup dancer — he has even performed at the Latin Grammy’s! After his extensive experience learning from some of the best in New York City and Los Angeles, Ronald moved to the DMV area. Since, he has served as a mentor for many kids who hope to one day achieve his level of skills! Give us a call and book your first private lesson with him.
Sophia Jones
Professional Dance Instructor
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Aciela Kalmagambetova
Professional Dance Instructor
At an early age, Aciela developed a passion for dancing and music, attended a local music school and joined a dance team. She began dancing latin dances in 2011, and her first trip to the Dominican Republic had a big influence on her development as a dancer — it was there she met popular artists including Edilio Paredes, Joan Soriano, Ramon Torres, and Joe Veras (to name a few) – and fell in love with Dominican culture and music. Aciela began teaching bachata in 2019 after attending teacher training programs with Carlos Cinta (Denver, Colorado). She aspires to create a welcoming and fun atmosphere for her classes, demystifying fundamentals and body movement. Using bachata as a medium for self-expression and creativity, Aciela is dedicated to helping students find their own voice and style, building confidence, and sparking curiosity in Dominican culture and Latin dances in general.
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Christina “DC” Chauca
Professional Dance Instructor
Christina was born and raised in the DMV area. She was exposed to salsa early on in her childhood due to her parents being the ultimate “Salsaholics”. It wasn’t until entering her first year of college that she discovered her true love for salsa. She began to take lessons and in just a matter of months was asked to join her first dance group. As she continued to develop as a social dancer with her focus being the On2 style, she has had the opportunity of performing with various local groups such as Salsa Fuego, Son Mulato, Mambo Swing, Sentimento and now Latin Vintage. As a fixture in the DC Salsa community she has shared the stage with Fulanito, Optimo, performed at the Puerto Rico, New York, Chicago & LA Salsa Congresses, among many others. Her new field of dance is traditional bachata in which she previously assisted Santana Dance based in Bethesda, MD in coming up with class dance material, videos and promotions. Today, she looks forward to furthering her skills into teaching, while also growing her knowledge of media trends and techniques to bring into the studio.
