Team

Madeleine

Dancer, director and teacher (LatinRoos and America Baila Junior)
She began classical ballet lessons at the age of four, which sparked her interest in dance. Since then she has continued to take lessons in jazz, ballet and flamenco.

In 1994, she began dancing in one of the first Peruvian dance projects in Switzerland, followed by participation in various other folklore groups.

After graduating from high school, she attended the Zurich Dance Theater School, a professional training in contemporary stage dance.

However, her passion for Latin American folklore dance soon took her to Peru, where she studied various dance techniques with renowned teachers and worked for years as a dancer in a professional folklore ensemble.

In 2002, she founded the company “América Baila”, and in 2012 she took over the overall management and has since been responsible for the dance lessons and choreographies, as well as directing the company’s dance theater projects.

Tamara

Dancer, director and teacher (LatinRoots and America Baila Mini)
Tamara was born in Switzerland and is half Peruvian. She gained her first stage experience at the age of 6 in a flamenco group. In her youth, she attended various dance classes such as jazz, hip hop and salsa. At the age of 18, she began to devote herself intensively to the dances of her second home country, Peru.

She also works as a Zumba instructor at numerous well-known dance schools and fitness centers.

She has been a dancer with América Baila since 2010 and has also successfully started choreographing within the latest productions.

Thalia

Dancer, choreographer and teacher (LatinRoots y America Baila Mini/Junior)
Thalia was born and raised in Switzerland. She has Italian and Mexican roots which always kept her very connected to dance. Since she was a little girl she was fascinated by going to theaters and enjoying the art of dancing. When she was 14 years old after a breakup she started to dance Bolivian folklore and sees dance as her most magical therapy.

In 2017 she joined the academy of America Baila. From time to time she also shares her teachings with the dancers of the future with America Baila Junior/Mini.

Alicia

Dancer, choreographer and teacher (Heels, LatinRoots y America Baila Mini/Junior)
Alicia was born and raised in Mexico. She took dance classes since she was 8 years old but it was until 2011 that she started dancing in different urban, contemporary and scenic dance companies. From 2012 to 2016 she studied a Bachelor’s Degree in Scenic Dance at the University Institute of Fine Arts at the University of Colima. Throughout her career she has attended numerous workshops, congresses and courses in Mexico and the United States increasing her dance background and updating her knowledge in different dance styles, to name a few: street dance, house, jazz, contemporary (different techniques).

She has worked as a dance teacher in schools and dance studios in Mexico, as well as a dancer in different resorts and companies in the Mexican Caribbean and other cities in Mexico.

Since 2022 she is part of the company America Baila.

Benita

Dancer and choreographer
Benita grew up in Switzerland, she is half Peruvian and half Swiss. She discovered her passion for dance at a very early age, danced in a street dance group and has been teaching ZUMBA and hip hop for children and adults since 2013. She attends a grammar school that specializes in dance, movement, music and stage projects and would like to study dance after her A-levels.

She has been a dancer with América Baila since 2013 and also choreographs, helping to spread Latin American culture.

Fernanda

Dancer and choreographer
Fernanda, Chilean in Switzerland since 2018. Upon her arrival she wanted to explore how to connect with dance, which has always been one of her passions, and how to meet new people, so she found this great family, America Baila, and joined it only 3 months after her arrival. She loves art in all its forms, but a big part of her life, is her spiritual path, helping other people and is always in the constant search to continue enriching herself with new knowledge.

Angela

Dancer
Angela, born and raised in Colombia, has carried a great passion for dance since childhood. As a teenager, after moving to Switzerland, she explored a variety of dance styles. In the midst of the pandemic in 2020 she found refuge in the America Baila group, where she revived her dream of dancing Latin American folk and commercial dances. Her trajectory in the group has allowed her to fuse her Colombian roots with the cultural diversity of the continent, creating for her a unique and enriching experience in the world of dance.

Janay

Dancer
Janay, born and raised in Switzerland, with Bolivian and Swiss roots. His passion for folklore was born during trips in the Andes. He dances since late 2022 and, as a teenager, he practiced martial arts during 3 years of kung fu and 3 years of Chinese kickboxing. This experience enriched her body expression and spiritual connection. Janay loves to tell stories through words and dances, fusing her love for storytelling and the richness of folklore in every performance.

Luis

Dancer
Luis was born in Peru and began learning the first traditional dances from Peru at kindergarten age. Later, his talent and interest in folklore dances led him to join various groups with whom he performed regularly and also won dance competitions.

Shortly after coming to Switzerland, he started looking for an opportunity to continue his passion for dance and found América Baila in 2014, where he has been dancing with great dedication ever since.

Ximena

Dancer and choreographer
Ximena grew up in Switzerland. She is half Italian, half Peruvian. Since 2016, she has been part of America Baila. Her passion for dance and music started early, exploring various dance styles and instruments. Growing up, Ximena danced Flamenco, Hip Hop, Marinera and Latin American folklore. Always visiting Peru, Ximena fell in love with the Peruvian cajon, deciding to take lessons in Peru at the age of 10. To this day it is her favorite instrument and something that connects her to her roots besides dance.

Melanie

Dancer
Melanie, Peruvian and Swiss. Dancer of America Baila since 2015.
Dancing has always been her passion. She has been moving her hips to music since she could walk. Her career includes hip-hop, marinera and other South American dances. After getting enough experience in several international Marinera competitions and various Latin American dance projects in Switzerland she joined America Baila where she currently dances.

Leonardo

Dancer

Dimas

Dancer

Cesar

Dancer and choreographer
Born in Mexico, César began his dance training as a child, first with traditional dances from Mexico, later with flamenco, jazz etc.

He then took part in various folkloric and contemporary projects in Mexico.

César now lives in Zurich and has also trained in other dance styles such as breakdance and classical Indian dance in recent years.

He has been with América Baila since 2012, where he also teaches Mexican dances. He also dances for various other projects in Switzerland and abroad.

Noel

Dancer and choreographer
Noel was born in Bolivia, where his passion for dance was evident from an early age and he took part in numerous traditional dance events. After his arrival in Switzerland, he joined a Bolivian dance group with which he worked intensively for 7 years, over time also as artistic director and choreographer. In addition to folkloric dances, he also devoted himself to other styles such as salsa.

With this wealth of experience, he decided to join América Baila in 2015 to expand his knowledge to other Latin American dances and to continue choreographing.

William

Dancer
Born in Peru and raised in Switzerland, William gained his first stage experience while still at school. He finally discovered his love of dancing through salsa. Since then, William has gained a lot of experience in various salsa projects. In search of his roots, William joined América Baila in 2008, where he has since worked on countless shows and productions. He also dances for the ETH Zurich dance club, with whom he has performed for several years, including at the Polyball and the ETH Alumni Ball.

Mario

Dancer
Mario was born and raised in Switzerland and fell in love with dance at the age of 16. He studied Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Flamenco and Kathak at various institutions, including the Zurich Opera Ballet School. In 2018, he studied one semester at the Zurich University of the Arts in the Bachelor of Arts program in Contemporary Dance, where he received classes in Graham Technique, Ballet and Contemporary Dance. His passion for Latin American music and dances led him to join the dance company America Baila, of which he has been a member since 2023.

Nilu

Dancer
Nilu, born in Switzerland and originally from Sri Lanka, has been dancing Bollywood and Tamil folk dances for 12 years. He has danced in several television programs, music videos and shows. He has also taught Bollywood at all levels throughout Switzerland. The curiosity to expand his artistic repertoire led him to participate in Latin American dance projects and since 2023 he also belongs to the team of dancers of America Baila.

Alejandro

Dancer

Carlos

Dancer
Carlos was born and raised in Colombia/Spain. Dance has always played an important role in his life, he grew up in a family where music and dance is used as a creative expression to connect with people. During his time in Frankfurt he was part of the group “Fusión Desenfrenada” a dance school of friends in which through dance they support social projects and transmit the folklore of Latin American countries.

Besides enjoying dancing, he is passionate about surfing and acrylic painting. In December 2023, he found in America Baila an opportunity to keep the connection to his roots alive and spread the richness of the traditional dances in Switzerland.

Ailin

Dancer
Ailin is originally from Mexico. Her dance training has been extensive since she was a child. Therefore she knows a wide variety of rhythms such as salsa, bachata, merengue, samba, lambada.

She also specializes in Bellydance Fusion.

Her training includes Performances with the handling of fire and fantasy elements.

As a solo dancer, she has performed for a wide variety of private and corporate events.

She was also part of a dance company in Mexico City.

She was a dancer in the show group of a Grand Resort in the Mexican Caribbean. Where she had daily performances in various dance shows and fire shows.

Today she lives in Switzerland and is also part of the dance company America Baila since 2024.

Paul

Dancer
Paul was born and raised in Peru.

His passion for folklore was awakened by the experiences and customs of his village, where he grew up and immersed himself in the fantastic world of dance.

In addition to dancing, he loves nature and beekeeping, which for him is a form of meditation. He enjoys sports such as kayaking, soccer and riding his motorcycle.

For him, dance is a fusion of nature, music and rhythm.