About us
Where Passion Meets Grace
World Dance Champions Marcin and Ksenia, come with a wealth of dance experience and knowledge behind them. Dancing Latin and Ballroom from an early age, they have trained, competed and performed at the highest levels worldwide. Passionate and enthusiastic about their chosen career, they are looking to pass on their experience and talent to those of you who want to learn from the very best!
Become part of the Viva School of Dance family and embark on a dance journey that will not only enhance your skills but also enrich your life. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced dancer, there’s a place for you here. Let’s dance together and make beautiful memories on and off the dance floor.
Discover the Difference at Viva School of Dance
Viva School of Dance is a safe and comfortable environment in which you can learn to dance. A friendly and happy school that welcomes all ages and abilities to the dance floor.
It is a place where:
• You can allow yourself to feel calm and free.
• You can make your dreams come true.
• You will find a lot of support and motivation.
• We teach children and adults with love.
Our Classes
From the disciplined elegance of Ballet to the fiery passion of Latin Dance, our curriculum offers a diverse range of styles taught by our team of professional instructors. Each class is designed to challenge and inspire, providing students with the technique and artistry to excel both on and off the dance floor.
Our Vision
We dream of a place where the next generation of dancers can flourish, fostering a community that values artistic integrity, cultural diversity, and mutual respect. Our goal is to be a beacon of excellence in dance education, nurturing talent and passion in every student that walks through our doors.
Our Awards
At Viva School Of Dance, our dedication to the art of dance and our commitment to our students have been recognized time and again. We are honored to have received accolades that affirm our status as one of the premier dance school in Dublin. Join us and be a part of Dublin’s award-winning dance legacy.
Our Professional Instructors
Ksenia Yanchenkova
Ksenia is a former Latin World Champion (2017), highly experienced Ballroom and Latin dancer, coach, UKA Licentiate-qualified Ballroom and Latin teacher and co-owner of Viva School of Dance.
Her teaching style is energetic, encouraging and highly personal. Ksenia has a strong ability to make students feel comfortable quickly, particularly those who are nervous, returning to dance after a break or starting completely from scratch. She focuses on helping people understand movement, develop confidence and enjoy the process rather than feeling pressured to “get everything right” immediately.
At Viva, Ksenia teaches adult and children’s Ballroom and Latin classes, private lessons and wedding dance, working with students from complete beginner through to competitive level.
Marcin Szymutko
Marcin is a former Latin World Champion (2017), international adjudicator, highly experienced Ballroom and Latin coach, UKA Licentiate-qualified Ballroom and Latin teacher and co-owner of Viva School of Dance.
With many years of international competition, performance and teaching experience, he works with dancers at every level — from complete beginners to advanced and competitive students. Marcin is known for his strong technical knowledge, attention to detail and ability to explain even difficult movements in a clear and practical way.
At Viva, he teaches adult and children’s Ballroom and Latin classes, private lessons and wedding dance, helping students build confidence, improve technique and make real progress while still enjoying the process.
Sergiu Tihon
Sergiu is a highly experienced Ballroom and Latin dancer, coach and teacher with many years of experience working with both children and adults.
Before moving to Ireland, Sergiu co-founded and developed a successful DanceSport school in Romania, coaching dancers from complete beginner through to competitive level. His students achieved strong results at national and international competitions, giving him extensive experience in developing dancers over the long term — from their very first steps to advanced training.
At Viva, Sergiu teaches children’s and adult Ballroom and Latin group classes as well as private lessons. His teaching combines strong technical knowledge with a patient and structured approach, helping beginners feel comfortable while giving more experienced students the detail and individual attention they need to progress.
Signe Engstrand
Signe Engstrand has danced a variety of styles from tap and jazz to Ballroom and Latin. While studying music in college she worked as a choreographer on various music video projects before landing a job as an instructor with the renowned ballroom dance organization Arthur Murray Studios in Chicago. She currently instructs at Viva School of Dance, one of the leading dance schools in Dublin.
Alison Lawlor Hopkins
Aline Villa
My name is Aline Villa, Italian/Brazilian Ballet teacher with over 10 years of experience. I specialize in ballet, creative dance, and acting, teaching children and young people for the past 5 years. I taught in India for nearly 2 years and performed in 8 plays across 250+ venues in Brazil and India with Cia Nissi. Since moving to Dublin, I’ve continued teaching in various studios and am delighted to be part of the Viva School of Dance family.
Conor Gorman
Conor has been dancing for over 10 years and has competed in many national and international competitions in both Latin and Ballroom categories. He and his dance partner Karen represented Ireland in the 2017 World Senior Dance championships in Miami.
Most recently Conor has been involved in LGBT Argentine Tango
Alison Lawlor Hopkins
Alison is an experienced Ballroom and Latin teacher with many years of teaching and a background in Pro-Am competition.
She is especially known for her work with wedding couples and complete beginners, using a patient, warm and reassuring approach to make dancing feel simple and achievable.
At Viva, Alison teaches wedding dance, Ballroom and Latin group classes and private lessons, helping students build confidence, improve their dancing and enjoy the process.
Emma Gannon Dip. RBS (TTC), A.R.A.D., A.I.S.T.D. (CECC) (NAT), Inter Chor.
Emma is a highly experienced classical ballet teacher who trained for three years at the Royal Ballet School in London. After graduating, she joined the teaching staff at the Royal Ballet Lower School and has extensive experience teaching ballet in Ireland and internationally.
At Viva, Emma teaches Adult Beginner, Improver and Intermediate Ballet, combining strong classical technique with a friendly and supportive approach for adults at different stages of their ballet journey.