Our Team

Albertossy Espinoza

Jazz, Modern, Flamenco Instructor

Born in Ecuador and raised in Chicago, Albertossy is an internationally recognized actor, dancer, choreographer, director, producer, and instructor. He is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and AGMA. His dance career began as a Theater Dance major at Northern Illinois University (NIU). After three semesters, he was scouted by the Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theatre and awarded a company scholarship. Albertossy soon became an apprentice and began touring with the company both nationally and internationally.

He has also toured nationally and internationally with Soul y Duende Spanish American Dance Theater, Walt Disney Productions, Regina Klenjoski Dance Company, Djanbazian Dance Company, Jazz Antiqua Dance & Music Ensemble, and Los Angeles FUSION Dance Theater.

His additional credits include teaching abroad, guest choreographing for various dance companies, and performing in productions such as West Side Story, Annie Get Your Gun, Babes in Toyland, The Pajama Game, El Barbero de Sevilla and Victor Victoria.

In Chicago, he was also a proud member of Joel Hall Dancers, Teresa y Los Preferidos Spanish Dance Company, and Winifred Haun & Dancers. Albertossy’s work as a choreographer has been presented nationally—from Chicago to California—and internationally in Spain, France, Guatemala, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands.”

In Los Angeles, Albertossy has choreographed for the Canadian TV series Boystown, the feature film HEELS, and three music videos: Life is for Living, featuring Julissa Aguirre; Una Vez Más, featuring Elena Andújar; and Fuego Malagueña, featuring internationally acclaimed artist Esteban.

He has also worked with Lula Washington Dance Theatre, Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre, Zina Bethune Theatre Danse, Djanbazian Dance Company, Santa Clarita Ballet, Mojácar Flamenco, San Gorgonio Ballet and Epiphany Dance Company.

In 2004, he founded Los Angeles FUSION Dance Theater (LAFDT) and made the company’s debut at the SOLA Contemporary Dance Festival. The company has since performed in numerous Los Angeles–based dance festivals and was invited to Guatemala to present the piece TRAPPED. LAFDT was also nominated for a prestigious Lester Horton Award.

In 2008, Albertossy founded FUSION Performing Dance Academy (www.fpdacademy.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing the art of dance with underserved communities.

In 2010, Albertossy was invited by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre dancer Vernard Gilmore to perform at SummerStage in New York City. Sharing the stage with Alvin Ailey dancers was a dream come true.

In January 2011, at the request of the Board of Directors of the Dance Resource Center of Greater Los Angeles, Albertossy stepped into the role of President after serving on the board for three and a half years. He went on to serve an additional three years in that position. That same year, he joined the Malibu Stage Company as a principal dancer and choreographer for the musical Victor/Victoria. A career highlight followed when legendary actor Dick Van Dyke expressed his admiration for the choreography. In 2012, Mr. Van Dyke invited Albertossy to choreograph the production of Cabaret, which he was producing.

In 2013, Albertossy expanded his teaching throughout Los Angeles, offering Master Modern, Latin Rhythm Cardio, and Flamenco Fusion classes. That year, he was also invited by LA Opera to perform in their production of Carmen under the direction of Maestro Plácido Domingo. He returned to LA Opera in February 2015 for The Barber of Seville, where he performed the principal role of Ambrogio, and later appeared in the company’s production of El Gato Montes.

In 2017, he was invited to join Ballet Hispánico as a teaching artist through its Community Arts Partnerships (CAP) program. In 2018, Albertossy received a Certificate of Recognition from the City of Los Angeles for his contributions to the arts, while his nonprofit organization was honored for 10 years of service by both the City of Los Angeles and the City of Commerce. In 2019, he received additional recognition from the City of Los Angeles and the City of Monterey Park, and was named a Marshal for the 21st Ecuadorian Parade in Los Angeles by the Comisión Permanente de Fiestas Patrias Ecuatorianas.

In September 2019, at the request of the board, Mr. Espinoza returned to the Dance Resource Center of Greater Los Angeles as Board Chair. In 2022, he was invited by the prestigious Chicago-based Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater to perform at the historic Auditorium Theatre—another dream realized. In 2023, the company invited him back to collaborate with internationally renowned choreographer Antonio Najarro.

As a versatile dancer trained in Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Flamenco, Musical Theater, and Folklore, Albertossy has had the opportunity to share the stage with many distinguished dancers and choreographers.

In his pursuit of acting, Albertossy made his debut in a leading role in the independent film The Price of the American Dream. Since then, he has taken on leading roles in five additional feature films, as well as appearing in three short films and a Canadian television series. He is currently preparing to begin work on a new feature as a choreographer, dancer, and actor.

Albertossy credits his mother with instilling in him the strength, will, and drive to persevere in all aspects of life. He is deeply grateful to his family, friends, and teachers for their love and support, and he especially recognizes his close friend and foremost supporter, Carolyn James.

Elizabeth "Liz" Altamirano

Elizabeth  Altamirano, aka Essence, is a dancer, choreographer, teaching and  performing artist in Los Angeles. She began training in street dance  styles at age 15 and continues developing her skills as a company member  of Versa-Style Legacy. Elizabeth’s drive to pursue a dance career began  when she realized she could use dance as a form of self-expression and  language. 

As an artist, Elizabeth fuses her passion for dance and her  heart for social justice change and uses her voice in dance to bring to  light social justice issues such as racism, Islamophobia, homophobia,  and xenophobia, to name a few. 

Through dance, Elizabeth learned  compassion and empathy for those around her and for problems she didn’t  relate to, prompting her to want to teach others that as well. 

Elizabeth  began teaching Hip Hop for Fusion Performing Dance Academy in 2020, and  she is also currently the director and lead coach for the after-school  program Rhythm Impact at East Los Angeles Performing Arts Magnet. As a  former student, she now leads this program to empower the next  generation of artists from her community. 

Ashley  Magaña

Ashley Magaña was born in Torrance CA, and was raised in San Antonio Texas. There she fell in love with dance at the age of four and began dancing Mexican Folklorico at the age of six. She studied many other styles of dance, ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, hiphop, and so much more. Ashley was in the competition company at her studio (San Antonio Dance Academy), which has led her to many exciting opportunities. 

Ashley has worked with world renowned choreographers like Brian Friedman, Tessandra Chavez, Kyle Hanagami, and Joe Brown, to name a few. She has also been in several Spurs commercials, has made 2 appearances on Good Morning San Antonio, and danced for the 300th celebration of San Antonio. 

She received her Bachelors of Fine Arts at Long Beach Universit and has been working professionally with Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles. 

Ashley is so excited to be a part of this dance family, and is always ready to work, grow, and dance.

Susan Cole

Susan is a classical Spanish and flamenco dancer who has studied in Madrid, Jerez de la Frontera and Sevilla, Spain. She is particularly proud of her arts and culture performance program called Ecos de España: Spanish Classical & Flamenco Music & Dance for schools, libraries and for family programming at theaters. Ecos de España earned a Visual & Performing Arts Standards (VAPA) certificate from the Los Angeles County Art Commission in 2007. Additionally, Susan has performed at numerous city arts and culture festivals, women's and fraternal clubs, senior centers and restaurants. She continues to volunteer as a dance teacher at CoachArt, a nonprofit organization that provides free classes to chronically ill children and their families. Susan's mission is to make the arts a part of people's lives for the skills they impart, the cultural knowledge they convey, and above all for the joy they bring.

Jayven Colon

Jayven Colon was born and raised in the Los Angeles Area and grew up primarily in the East Side. Jayven loves teaching Salsa and Bachata which originated from his exposure to the music during his childhood. 

Coming from Puerto Rican and Salvadorian descent he was constantly hearing the music in his household, as he grew older, he would then discover the “formal” dance during his years in high school which led to his long lasting dance journey. 

His training began his first year of college when he took his first official dance class with Laura Canellias (LA’s Salsa Queen) at Santa Monica College (SMC). Afterwards he would find himself training with a variety of studios in the Los Angeles area, and online with artists who inspired him across the nation and overseas. 

During his time at SMC he began a “Teacher Training'' Program provided by, By Your Side Dance Studio we’re he would learn the fundamental movements of a variety of Ballroom Dances and how to appropriately teach them. He graduated from Santa Monica College with an Associates Degree of Theatre Arts and an IGETC Certification. 

Upon graduation he continued his studies at The University of Santa Barbara Graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre Arts and a Minor in Education. In addition, he had his first dance teaching opportunity with Yes You can Dance Salsa Dance Studio (Yes Dance Studio) in Santa Barbara. A non-profit organization with a mission believing everyone and anyone can dance salsa. 

Jayven has taught for a variety of communities, and much of his early work focused on low-income areas providing dance classes for non-profit organizations and public schooling. While studying his dance Jayven also built a career working in Public Education. He taught in Public Schools in Lynwood Unified School District, Santa Barbara Unified School District, Los Angeles County, and Long Beach City College.

Jayven has taught social dancing and choreography to students K-12, College, and adults of all ages. His passion is to spark the fire of new dancers, guiding them to find a form of expression that supports their emotional, physical, and mental needs. “I live by the motto, everyone can dance! I never identified myself as a dancer until I found Salsa” - Jayven Colon. He now runs his very own Dance Company, Alliance Dance Academy, that focuses on Queer Bodies embodying Joy and building community. 

Jayven is a true believer that everyone has the right to dance.