Chani’s earliest memories of salsa were riding to elementary school with her dad, along with her sisters, blasting the same songs of Tito Puente, Willie Colon, Ruben Blades, Hector Lavoe and many other old salsaclassics! Her dad would beat on his steering wheel the conga beat, clapping the clave rhythm, which later became super beneficial in learning that the clave and conga were the heartbeat of salsa. Later, studying music at Kennesaw State University, Chani was walking through campus when she heard Salsa music blasting from a room and was immediately lured in and later becoming president of this Salsa Club (ALAS: Association of Latino American Students). Her training started here but later went on to professionally train, perform, and teach with Proyecto Barrio Dance Company through Rhythmz and Motion Dance Studio. Chani was excited to bring salsa to the musical theatre stage for the first time with the Aurora Theatre’s production of In The Heights in 2011 Then later, Choreographing On Your Feet at the Aurora Theatre March 2020. Chani’s theatre credits:

Becoming Nancy, Ever After, Paige In Full, Beautiful Blackbird, The Dancing Granny (Alliance Theatre), Hairspray (City Springs Theatre), 110 In The Shade, Simply Simone (Theatrical Outfit), Holler If Ya Hear Me (Kenny Leon’s True Colors), The Hunchback of Notre Dame, In The Heights (Aurora/Theatrical Outfit), A Chorus Line (Lyric). When Chani isn’t performing, she is running her own business teaching voice. “The one thing we can always carry is love and light for one another.”