Meet Jeff Taveras
Co-founder, Dancer & Choreographer of NY Huracan Dance Company
Jeff started his career at Santo Rico Dance Company. After being an intricate part of the team for 8 years Jeff became the Director of Santo Rico Queens and eventually Santo Rico Pro team.
In 2016 Jeff decided to take his dance in a different direction and opened Huracan Dance Studio. Jeff has also acquired Latin Moves Dance Studio in Connecticut and has expanded Huracan to Toronto, Ontario. Huracan Currently has 5 teams, operating in 3 locations. There are currently over 60 dancers on the roster and over 400 hundred students attending Huracan Classes. Jeff also trains and creates choreography for many dancers throughout NYC.
Jeff been known for more than a decade, as directing the studio in Queens that now stands for great dancing, excellent technique, smoothest and fast spins, classic style and complex rhythmic choreography.
He has lead Huracan Dance Company large and small teams as well as couples to 2x World Salsa & Cha-Cha Summit and Euroson Latino World Salsa Championship wins.
A distinguishing aspect of Jeff's teaching methodology is that he breakdown each move step by step but also give somatic direction to every combination. His classes are high energy and develop your musicality and tests your footwork delivery. Yes, you sweat like there is no tomorrow!
In his choreography he pulls from both old classical Puertorican/Cuban partner combinations and adds an element of Funk and sharpness to each move. Not afraid to test himself with both the heights of famous high speed Latin rhythms, normally used in many choreographies, to more dramatic romantic melodies. He is constantly challenging himself both in new formations, musicality and artistic expression with each piece. Truly awe inspiring to experience in person.
Some of his closest associates and students have shared that he is a deep vault of knowledge in this artform. He is well versed in the history of the Palladium era musical groups and dance styles and how it all merged and transformed to what is now called the New York Salsa On2 style.
Jeff was born and raised in Corona, Queens. He went to Newtown High School, and Dominican College in Rockland County. Jeff played High School and College Baseball with fellow teacher and dancer Edwin Tolentino.
Favorite Quote:
"If you want to be great, deliver the unexpected. If you want to be the best, deliver a miracle" ~Tim S. Grover, Relentless