Teachers

Ilia Volokh, Founder and Lead instructor

Ilia brings with him over 30 years of dancing, teaching and performing in the United States and Russia. Ilia’s career began with the formal ballet training and a Master of Dance Education degree from the Moscow’s Institute of Theater Arts.  Ilia is THE MAN of the studio. He teaches all ballroom and Latin dance styles.

Maria Volokh,  Ilia's sidekick (also Dance Fusion instructor)

Maria teaches group fitness classes at our studio. Maria’s fitness background began with 7 years of rhythmic gymnastics training in Russia and then continued for the last 20 years as a group fitness and yoga instructor. Ballroom dancing is her latest passion and she performs and competes with Ilia in Pro/Am ballroom events across the country.

Yulia Frid, dance instructor

Yuliya teaches group and private ballroom dance classes. She loves working with both kids and adults, and enjoys competing and performing with her students. Yuliya has been dancing since she was a small child in Russia. In 2007, she began teaching and performing professionally, specializing in Salsa, American Rhythm and Smooth.

Renata Nitscheova-Knaus, dance instructor

Renata brings more than 20 years of teaching experience, and 10+ years of competition experience.  Her professional knowledge includes all styles of dance.

Renata started ballroom dancing at age 12 in the Czech Republic, and started competing at the amateur level at age 15 in Latin and Standard dance styles. During college in Prague, Renata joined a top dance studio, Staccato, focusing on Latin with various coaches and competing with her partner.

After moving to Cleveland in 1999, she concentrated on teaching dance and learning rhythm and smooth styles. She began competing in the American smooth professional division and in pro/am events in both rhythm and smooth.