Bios & Videos
Heriberto Perez was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico and has been dancing since
the age of seventeen. While completing his BFA from The University of the Arts in
Philadelphia in 1998, Heriberto danced as a hobby, shared his love for dance with
others, and learned more about dance every chance he could get. When he moved to
Pittsburgh, PA in 1998 he persued his love for dancing full throttle in Lindy Hop,
Salsa/Mambo and Argentine Tango. He is a favorite leader wherever he goes due to
his smooth lead and creative and fun movement.
Since taking up dance as a second career in 2001 Heriberto has performed with his
Argentine Tango coach, Carina Losano (Washington, DC) and Rebecca Sweet (Cleveland,
OH) in such venues as the Cleveland Playhouse, Severance Hall and the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame. They are regularly featured dancers for the Tri-C Jazz Festival’s
Salsa Picante Events and performed with Larry Harlowe and Johnny Pacheco.
Heriberto is proud to be a competitive Pro-Am Ballroom Competitor in the US and
Canada and has also judged the recent "Viva la Salsa" contest in Cleveland, OH at
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Heriberto is always eager to be part of the growing
community of dancing in Ohio and surrounding areas. Heriberto Perez is an award
winning graphic designer by trade and has his own company Taino Design.
Tina Caruso has been dancing for the past ten years. Though Tina began dancing
and competing in the Ballroom styles, it wasn't long before she was introduced to
and fell in love with swing dancing. She received her initial dance instruction
from Joel Plys and Valerie Salstrom in Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, Charleston, Blues and
Balboa. Within two years she became a local instructor for Get Hep Swing. Having
a core belief that the best teachers are those that are lifelong students, Tina
has traveled the country to participate in workshops and private lessons with such
artists as Steven Mitchell and Virginie Jensen, Kenneth and Helena Norbelie of the
Rhythm Hot Shots, Sylvia Sykes and Jonathan Bixby and Frankie Manning. Tina has
taught at multiple local and out of town venues including the annual Smorgasbord
of Swing in Cincinnati and Dayton's Swing Smackdown, and most recently had the great
privilege of teaching with Frankie Manning at Viva Dance Studio in Strongsville
in 2008. She has also performed at multiple local venues, the most memorable being
on stage at Playhouse Square Center with the Count Basie Swing Orchestra and Ernie
Krivda's Fat Tuesday Big Band. Tina continues to be grateful for the joy that swing
dancing brings to her life and hopes to communicate her love for the dance to her
students.
Loreto "Lo" Agdinaoay is a homegrown swing dancer from the Cleveland area.
He began dancing during the swing resurgence of the late 1990s and hasn't stopped
yet. Lindy Hop, Balboa are his favorites styles of swing as well as Jitterbug and
Charleston. He has taken instruction from notable swing dance instructors such as
Steven Mitchell, Virginie Jensen, Marty Lau, Jen Urich, Joel and Allison Plys, Valerie
Salstrom and Marty Klempner to name a few.
Lo is also the house DJ for the swing dance at Viva every 3rd Saturday of the month.
His versatile musical tastes ranges from classic big band, blues, swinging soul
to contemporary pop music. His reputation as a DJ has been forged over the past
4 years at events locally and nationally including lindy exchanges nationwide as
well as Canada.
Lisa Paladin has always been inspired to move, but finally begged her parents for
formal training when she turned 11. A native of Parma, she first trained in jazz
with Dee Hillier, and later earned her BA in Dance and Spanish from Denison University.
Lisa views dance not only as an art form and creative outlet, but also as a fun
social activity with the added benefit of physical exercise. A self-proclaimed dance
"junkie", Lisa finds that each new style offers new opportunity for expression and
cross-training. To date, she has studied Lindy Hop, Balboa, East Coast Swing, West
Coast Swing, Charleston, Blues, Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Argentine Tango, Foxtrot,
American Tango, Ballet, Tap, Lyrical, Jazz, Hip-Hop, African Dance, Flamenco, Sevillanas,
Modern/Postmodern/Contemporary Dance, Contact Improvisation, Belly Dance, Movement
Analysis, and has also taught Creative Movement and Pre-Ballet for children.
Lisa is also a certified Pilates and Yoga instructor since 2000, danced professionally
with Cleveland-based modern company The Repertory Project, and performs with local
modern company MegLouise Dance.
Lisa has performed works by Dwight Rhoden (recently guest choreographer on So You
Think You Can Dance), Doug Varone, Tom Evert, Susan Van Pelt, Jose Luis Bustamante,
Molly Shanahan of MadShak, Megan Pitcher (of local company MegLouise Dance), Sandy
Mathern Smith, Gill Wright Miller, April Berry, Robert Cole, Matthew Janjewski,
Kirsten (Smith) Kenny, and was a featured performer with the Central Ohio Youth
Ballet.
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