Team M


Monica Serpa
Owner & CEO

Specialties: Building supportive communities, managing beautiful studios, and hosting fun events.

Monica began social dancing as a child in her home country Brazil. After moving to the United States in 2011, she began competing in Ballroom Dance. Her years of competition taught her the many benefits of dance and fitness. Quick to smile and with a passion for dance, Monica's dream has always been to build the premier dance facility in Silicon Valley. When the opportunity came to open a studio of her own, she seized the chance to share her love of dance with an extended family. And so, Studio M Ballroom Club was born. Welcome and let’s dance!

Artem Shmigeljuk
Latin Director I Instructor

Specialties: International Latin, American Rhythm, Standard Ballroom, Smooth Ballroom, and Kids Ballroom

Artem Shmigeljuk started dancing at the age of seven and won a number of competitions in his home country Estonia. In the United States, he was a finalist in many amateur and professional dance championships. Artem has coached many Pro-Am students and takes pride in their success. He is a dedicated instructor whose teaching techniques and creative choreographies bring out the best in his students. Artem teaches Intl Latin, American Rhythm, and Kids Ballroom, as well as private lessons.

Alexia Galaxia
Marketing | Instructor

Specialties: Brazilian Zouk, Samba de Gafieira, Forró, Bolero, and Soltinho

Alexia, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, started dancing in 2009 at 14 years old. She learned all five Brazilian styles of partner dancing at Jaime Arôxa Dance School, where she joined the teacher program in 2014. She then moved to the US in 2019 and started hosting Zouk events and teaching Brazilian dances to the Bay Area dance community. She has taught at SFSBK Congress and Dance Nova Fest, as well as multiple Zouk Weekenders.

Ngoc Huynh
Instructor

Specialties: Bachata Fusion, Latin Heels and Contemporary

Ngoc Huynh grew up in the United States and started dancing in high school. In 2013 she started training in heels, contemporary, pole fitness and bachata. She trained under various Bachata instructors before she started competing in 2018 and teaching in 2020. She placed 1st in the Bachata Amatuer Couple Caberet Division at the World Latin Dance Cup in 2019.

Giovanni Leanza
Instructor

Specialties: International Latin, Ballroom, Smooth, and Salsa

Born in Catania, Italy, Giovanni started his dancing career 35 years ago, following the footsteps of his parents, also dancers. He got 4th place in the Italian Championship Latin American Dances, 1st place at the Regional Championship Ballroom and Latin American, and ranked 1st in the Italian Amateur List. In 2004 he moved to England, where he represented the UK at the European and World Championships, both Latin, and Ten Dances, winning the title of Champion the United Kingdom and ranking 2nd in the British Amateur List. In 2008, he was invited to teach in Singapore for a couple of years. Upon returning to Italy in 2010 Giovanni turned Professional in Latin, American, and Ballroom and obtained his Italian Adjudicator license. He moved to the US and started teaching in the Bay Area in 2020, joining Studio M Team!

Stephen Ward
Instructor

Specialties: Hustle and Cali Mix

Stephen Ward, born in Vietnam and later moved to the United States, started dancing at the age of 13 in 1984 with Breakdancing and Freestyle. In 1991, he learned Country Western, Line Dancing, and West Coast Swing from Jay Byam & Tyoni Busch in Bakersfield, CA. In 1996, he learned Hustle from Raul “Big Daddy” Ante & Bobby Concepcion in the SF Bay Area and started competing and teaching Hustle in 1997. Over time, he learned Salsa, Social Ballroom, Classical Ballet, Argentine Tango, and also added lifts & drops into his dancing repertoire. A highly-talented dancer and instructor with a diverse background, Stephen is a devoted Hustle dancer and is wholly dedicated toward the preservation, promotion & growth of Hustle dancing in the SF Bay Area.

Evgenia Florinskaia
Instructor

Specialties: International Latin

Evgenia started her dance career in her hometown of Saint-Petersburg, Russia at the age of 8. She graduated from the State University of Physical Education, Sports and Health in 2019, where she earned a Master's degree in Sports and became a Ballroom Dance teacher. She has been teaching International Latin since 2012. Evgenia has become a finalist and won many competitions, including Junior, Youth and Adult Champion of St. Petersburg, finalist of the Russian Youth Championship, Champion of Russia in youth U21, and Finalist of the World Youth Championship U21. With her current partner Vladimir, they became California 2018 and 2019 Amateur Latin Champion, and USA Dance WDSF National Champion in Amateur Latin. They moved to the Bay Area in summer 2020 with the aim to spread the art of Ballroom Dancing to American culture, exposing the beauty and athleticism that DanceSport offers to children and adults of all ages. They believe that everybody can dance, and they joined Studio M with the mission to help people find strengh and beauty in themselves.

Vlad Florinskii
Instructor

Specialties: International Latin

Born in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, Vlad started dancing at early age. He has been teaching International Latin since 2012. With his current partner Evgenia, they became California 2018 and 2019 Amateur Latin Champion, and USA Dance WDSF National Champion in Amateur Latin. They moved to the Bay Area in summer 2020 with the aim to spread the art of Ballroom Dancing to American culture, exposing the beauty and athleticism that DanceSport offers to children and adults of all ages. They believe that everybody can dance, and they joined Studio M with the mission to help people find strengh and beauty in themselves.

Bumchin Tegshjargal
Instructor

Specialties: International Latin

Born in Mongolia, Bumchin Tegshjargal moved to Oakland, California in 2010 where he started ballroom dancing. His dance journey led Bumchin to becoming a 3-Time US National Champion, 2-Time US National Vice Champion, 2-Time World Semi-finalist, and winner of many major championships worldwide in Latin American ballroom dancing. As a teacher and mentor he prioritizes the importance of musicality and individuality in a dancer's development, while still placing a strong focus on the fundamentals and mechanics needed to ensure a strong base. Bumchin enjoys working with dancers of all ages and skill-levels and truly believes that anyone with a desire to move to the beat can learn to be a great dancer. Today, Bumchin continues to actively train, teach, and travel for competitions and believes that with the right mindset one can achieve anything they set their mind to. Together with his partner Michelle, they hold 3 National titles, 2 Vice-Champion National titles and are currently one of the top-ranked couples in the US in Adult latin.

Michelle Klets
Instructor

Specialties: International Latin

Born and raised in the Bay Area, Michelle started her ballroom dancing journey at 4 years old, and intense competitive training around 10. Michelle trained and competed in both International Latin and Standard Ballroom, but she chose Latin as her specialty due to its high-energy and individualistic styling where she feels she can truly shine. She now holds 4 US National Champion titles, 2 US National Vice Champion titles, is a 2-Time World Semi-finalist, and winner of many major championships worldwide in Latin American ballroom dancing. Michelle enjoys coaching students of various levels and ages, but especially loves being a part of a student’s very first steps into the ballroom world. Michelle continues to actively train and travel for competitions. Together with her partner Bumchin, they hold 3 National titles, 2 Vice-Champion National titles and are currently one of the top-ranked couples in the US in Adult latin. She believes that anyone with the drive to succeed can do it being undeniably themselves.

Whitney James-Heskett
Instructor

Specialties: Bachata, Salsa, American Rhythm, Nightclub Two-Step, Social Ballroom

Whitney is an avid dancer and choreographer born and raised in Santa Cruz, CA. She has over 25 years of dance and performance experience in many styles including Ballet, Musical Theater, American Rhythm, and social dance styles. As a teacher, Whitney is very good at seeing exactly what students need to do to improve their movement and articulating those things in a way even students with no dance background can understand. One of Whitney’s greatest joys is sparking a love for dance in her students and watching them improve.