Susana has been dancing since she was 14.  She studied jazz, tap, ballet, modern, and some Hawaiian with Rikki Lugo, Debbie Roberts, Lee Martino and Tobi VanBuskirk in Monrovia, California.  She studied hip hop with Regina Williams and her staff in Los Angeles, and ballet folklórico (traditional Mexican dance) at the Universidad Autónoma de México in Mexico City.

Susana also did cheer, basic tumbling, and dance team for four years in high school, where she served as captain for both cheer and dance, and was the choreographer for multiple routines that were performed locally as well as in competitions.

Musical theater performances include “45 Minutes from Broadway” (co-star, Flora), “Fame” (co-star, Coco), “Quest for the Land’s Heart” (original variety show – dancer, co-choreographer, accompanist), and “Me & Juliet” (chorus and featured dancer).

Other notable dance performances include “Dancing Through the Decades” (chorus) with Jazz Etc. Dance Company in Monrovia, “Salute to Dr. Martin Luther King” (choreographer and featured dancer) in Pasadena, and being co-choreographer and lead dancer for Paula & Company’s finalist performance at the prestigious annual Mock Rock lip sync contest in Los Angeles (1990):

Susana was invited to join the Jazz Etc. Dance Company in 1988, but turned down the offer to pursue a bachelor’s degree at UCLA instead, where she continued to dance and do musical theater.

Susana has also been dancing Latin dances (salsa, cumbia, merengue, bachata, reggaetón) since 1990.  She was a backup singer and dancer with the grupo versátil (cover band) Baccará in Guadalajara, México in the mid 1990s, doing multiple local performances and appearing on the local television show Club Cuatro.

Susana was a professional fitness instructor off and on from 1988 until 2009, teaching and choreographing high impact, low impact, step, and cardiokickboxing classes in Los Angeles and Albuquerque.  She also choreographed 15 hip hop pieces which she taught in a hip hop class in Albuquerque from 2004-2005.

Susana continues to dance informally in UJAM and GROOV3 classes in Los Angeles … and maybe a club or party near you!