Ashton Feliciano

Ashton Feliciano, a certified professional dance instructor, has been teaching dance in Hampton Roads and Richmond, Virginia for over 10 years. While he teaches all Ballroom Dance forms, Ashton's true passion is for Latin Rhythm. This multi-cultural tri-lingual (English, Spanish, and Japanese) dynamo is most popular for his exciting classes in Argentine Tango and Salsa Rueda.

Ashton is a dynamic performer, instructor, and choreographer as well as the owner of Dance Therapy Studios, LLC (formed 2000 – incorporated 2005 – accredited member of the Better Business Bureau). Through Dance Therapy Studios, he promotes the therapeutic benefits of dance, helping his students discover that dance can be a remedy relieving mental stress, providing a fun form of exercise, and putting them back in the social loop.

As a native New Yorker, his passion for dance began in the Copa Cabana club in New York City where he experienced the excitement and all-out glamour of the famous club’s sizzling dance scene. His enthusiasm for dance continued to grow during a Naval tour of duty in Japan where he imported a slice of American culture to the local clubs with Salsa. Wildly popular in Japan, Salsa is a cultural phenomenon there, and Ashton quickly recognized his calling as a dance instructor.

Upon returning to the states, Ashton continued his training in American Style Ballroom Dance and received his certification from International Dance Studio, Virginia Beach, VA in 1996.

Always eager to extend his professional horizons, Ashton discovered Argentine Tango and Salsa Rueda. His quest for the highest level of training took him to Robert Duvall’s Farmhouse, where he trained with Pablo and Esther Pugliese, one of the most famous milongueros families. Ashton continued to further his professional training through national and international studies, notably in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He has trained with Luciana Valle, Alex Krebs, Pablo Villarraza & Dana Frigoli, Fernanda Ghi & Guillermo Merlo, Aurora Lubiz & Jorge Firpo, Jan Carlos Copes, Gachi Fernandez & Segio Cortazzo, Fernando Galera & Vilma Vega, Maria del Carmen & Jorge Dispari, and Maria & Carlos Rivarola.

He is an instructor at The Dance Space, Richmond, VA, and at the Beechmont Recreation Center, Newport News, VA, offering group and private lessons in each location. Ashton teaches Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, East Coast Lindy Swing, Shag, West Coast Swing, Hustle, Rumba, Cha-cha, Mambo, Samba, and Merengue, Argentine Tango (Salon, Vals, and Milonga styles), Salsa Rueda, Bachata, and Cumbia.

In Richmond, Ashton’s Salsa classes garner a great deal of enthusiasm, and the popular dance group he formed and directs, the Richmond Rueda Team, performs in exhibitions and demos regularly. They have appeared in showcases at The Dance Space, performed for USA Dance, at demos in clubs across Hampton Roads, as well as exhibitions in New York, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. In 2004 they performed at an NBA game of the Washington Wizards vs. the Phoenix Suns at the Verizon Show in Richmond, Virginia.

Ashton is also a sought-after choreographer. Weddings are his specialty, and he offers customized instruction for the wedding party with keepsake videos of the group’s lessons to include in their memories of their special event. Ashton’s long list of choreography credits include Phoenix Annual Exhibition Night, Pavilion Convention Center Show (’02, ’03, ’04), Associacion Hispano-Americana de Richmond (Richmond and Tidewater Rueda Teams), Tidewater Chapter and Richmond’s Tri-City USA Dance (USABDA), countless other showcases and numerous weddings.

Ashton has been a versatile performer in Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Richmond, and beyond for many years. He has performed in numerous charity events including the Miami South Beach Live Auction Salsa Demo and Fund Raiser at Ware Academy in Gloucester, VA. He has performed in cultural arts festivals including 5th Annual Hispanic Cultural Day presented by the Associacion Hispano Americana de Richmond in Chesterfield, VA and National Zoo’s Hispanic Festival (’03) where Casino Rueda groups from Virginia, D.C. Maryland, and New York were invited to perform in a Latin Dance show in Washington, D.C., and Que Pasa? Latin American Festival (’02) in Chesterfield, VA. And, he has performed for numerous other institutions such as Bon Secours Hospital’s Day of Dance (’05 and ’06) in Richmond, VA.

His television appearances include: “Day of Dance” with NBC (’05), a Salsa Rueda commercial on Fox WRLH-TV (’03), and Mi Hacienda Restarant “Bein Venidos Amigos” Comcast Commercial (’01). He has been featured in publications such as Navy News and on websites such as www.danceintimeproductions.com.

Ashton has offered workshops in Latin Dance for schools, community organizations, dance and music societies, and charities. Some include Chesterfield Adult Education Parks and Recreation Workshop Classes (’04-’07), St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital “Dance, It’s Magic” 3rd Annual Benefit (’05), Goochland County High School (’04), Goochland County Middle School (’04), Traditional American Dance and Music Society (’02), and James Madison University Program Board Late Night Breakfast (’05).

Ashton lives in Newport News, Virginia, with his wife, Anne-Marie Valente-Feliciano. A native of France, Anne-Marie moved to Newport News from Geneva, Switzerland, where she worked at CERN as an applied physicist. She is currently employed as a materials scientist at Jefferson Lab in Newport News. She is his dance partner and teaching assistant in Argentine Tango (Milonga style) and a Salsa Rueda performer and instructor.

Ashton’s online presence includes his website, www.dancetherapystudios.com Salsa Rueda Yahoo Group www.groups.yahoo.com/group/RuedaTeam/ MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/ashtonfeliciano