Based in Phoenix, Elena found the essence of Brazilian Zouk completely irresistible at the end of 2018. While dancing, competing and teaching in Ballroom, she was drawn to Brazilian Zouk as a safe space: for the people, the culture, the love, and the flow. 

After her first full year immersed in the dance, 2019, and her first full Zouk Congress in December of that year, she realized she wanted to bring this beautiful dance and feeling, community, joy and love into as many lives as possible. Since then, she studied in the MAC training program in 2020, Zouk MX teacher training in 2021, and then Bruno and Raiza BRIC methodology, to complete teacher training later this year. Elijah, her original inspiration into the dance, along with his dance and teaching partner, also offered an opportunity to learn to teach in the local scene, to help with the Foundations classes in the Phoenix community as it was quickly growing.