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 Yuliyan Yordanov
Yuliyan Yordanov grew up in Doyrentsi, a village in the Lovech region of North Central Bulgaria, and began dancing and singing at a young age. He completed conservatory training at the acclaimed Academy of Music and Dance Art in Plovdiv. For nine years, beginning in 1992, he worked professionally in Lovech as a dance director, choreographer, and Bulgarian folk dance instructor. He and his students participated in many concerts, celebrations, and international festivals throughout Europe.
In the Chicago Metropolitan Area, Yuliyan has worked with children and young adults in the Bulgarian community since 2002. He established and led the folk dance formations "Nashencheta" and "Mitroniya" at St. Sophia Bulgarian School for eight years, and taught Bulgarian Dancing to children at Bulgarian Learning Center “Znanie” and John Atanasoff Bulgarian School. During that time, he also led an adult recreational dancing group (“I zamirisa na folklor”) for Bulgarians who wanted to connect with and learn more about their own tradition.
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Yuliyan was choreographer and artistic director for the "Na Lesa" Bulgarian folk dance ensemble from 2004-2010. For two years(2005-2006), he served as artistic director of the younger group of "St.Sava Junior Dancers" at the Serbian Cultural Center. In Madison, Wisconsin, Yuliyan danced with and choreographed regional Bulgarian dance suites for Narodno! International Dancers (2002-2004). From 2003 to 2010, he also danced with the Mesoghios Greek Dancers, where he expanded his knowledge of Greek dance under the direction of Vasiliki “Vicky” Tzoumerka-Knoedler, founder and leader of the troupe.
As a musician, Yuliyan has performed (tupan, tambura,vocals) with “Malo Selo” folk ensemble in Madison (2004-2007), and from 2007 to 2010 he was the vocalist and tupan player for the Balkan folk music ensemble “Veseliyka”, also based in Madison. He led a singing workshop and performed on tupan and voice with the accordion player Vlado Mollov for World Dance Lancaster, PA (2008) and Susquehanna Folk Music Society, Harrisburg, PA (2008, 2009).
Now based in Brooklyn, NY, Yuliyan teaches at workshops, camps, and festivals throughout the United States.
Carlos Mora
 Born in the Dominican Republic, Carlos Mora has taught Casino and Rueda style salsa for the past eight years. He's been dancing all his life, but he first saw Rueda at a restaurant in Little Havana when he was living in Miami in the 90s. The dancers seemed to be having the time of their lives, and Carlos knew that he had to join them. For the next two years, he studied with Rene Gueits, the founder of the famous Miami Latin dance school, "Salsa Lovers”.
Life eventually brought Carlos to Las Vegas, New Mexico, where he discovered there was a strong demand for Latin Dance instruction. He ended up teaching Rueda all over the city: Luna Community College, Robertson High School, West Las Vegas High School, The United World College, New Mexico Highlands University, at the town’s famed Plaza Hotel, and even at the middle and elementary schools.
As word of Carlos's fun-loving and dedicated teaching style spread through the New Mexico salsa community, he found himself in demand in Santa Fe and Albuquerque as well. The more Carlos taught, the more he saw that his students wanted to do more than learn: they wanted to perform. Thus "Los Rumberos Salsa Club" was born. "Los Rumberos" toured all over Northern New Mexico and was twice invited to compete in Miami at the Salsa Rueda Congress of the Americas, where, amid stiff competition, "Los Rumberos" earned third place one year and sixth place another. After that, Carlos felt sure that New Mexico was destined to be a great salsa state, so in 2005 he organized the first Latin Dance Festival in Las Vegas. Word of the festival spread and in 2006 it attracted a large audience including many out of state dancers who came to celebrate the special "sabor" of New Mexico salsa.
Carlos is now based in Santa Fe where he teaches salsa rueda at Pomegranate Studio. He also has taught at Moving People Dance Studio, Desert Academy, Santa Fe High School, Capital High School, and at Albuquerque’s Latin Dance Fest 2010. In 2008, his Santa Rueda Salsa Dance Team performed at the Santa Fe Art Institute Fundraiser, the Southwest Health Care Fundraiser, the Santa Fe Reporter’s Annual Block Party, the Santa Fe Fourth of July & Summer Bandstand Celebrations, at the Grants NM People Fair, the Albuquerque Salsa Festival, and for Creativity for Peace Camp. The weekend of July 4th, 2008, Carlos organized the First Salsa Rueda Mini Congress of Santa Fe. The event was a total success and has now been established as a regular Santa Fe event. Finally, Carlos also has taught salsa workshops in Savannah, GA, Austin, TX and Minneapolis, MN.
Carlos currently teaches beginning, intermediate, advance and master level rueda at Pomegranate studio in Santa Fe. For more information, and some exciting pictures, visit his website.
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