Salsa & Bachata Instructor
Nationality: Brazil
Izabella was born in Brazil and moved to Florida. At the age of 15, Izabella attended a birthday party where she watched her friends dance merengue. She was embarrassed for not knowing how to Latin dance, and started taking salsa classes a few days later.
She quickly fell in love with salsa and bachata dancing. Dancing reciprocated the love, by introducing her to a sweet smiling Daniel in salsa class, who is now her loving husband.
Today, she is a radiological medical physics professor and researcher at the University of Florida’s College of Medicine.
“The only way to stay sane during stressful times is to prioritize physical and mental health, cherish your loved ones, and find something to look forward to after work. While completing my PhD, I remember telling myself ‘If you read X number of pages, or finish these hw assignments, you’ll be rewarded with the opportunity to go out and salsa dance tonight. If not, you will have to stay at home studying.’ If that’s not motivation, I don’t know what is! No matter how busy you are, it is critical to focus on maintaining a positive work-life balance. Salsa is a great way to challenge your brain, learn a formal dance, incorporate physical activity into your week in a fun way, and most importantly, connect with people.” – Izabella
