Staff
Tess and Souhad
This dynamic duo brings more than 42 years of experience. Known for their attention to detail and caring personalities, Tess and Souhad make learning to dance easy and fun. They have 3 sons and are immersed in their community as volunteers and mentors to many.
“As the owners and main instructors of Sarabay, we have a long-standing reputation in the Bradenton area for quality and personalized instruction. We pride ourselves on having a caring, friendly atmosphere with a relaxed and fun feel.”
Memberships and Accomplishments:
- Longtime Community Volunteers as "Business Partners in Education” teaching the art of ballroom dancing to over 4500 students in five area public schools over the last 25 years
- Florida State Ballroom Championships Top Female Teacher Awards
- United States Pro/Am Ballroom Championships Top Teacher Awards
- Awarded District Wide Partner of the Year 2001, 2008, 2018
- Instructors of the Manatee County Cotillion Club
- Members of the National Dance Council of America
- Instructors for the MHS Ballroom Club
- Proud owners of Sarabay Dance Club for the last 31 years
- Named Manatee County Volunteer of the Year 2016
Xander
Xander Chawi is a 27 year old Bradenton native that has been dancing for the last 14 years. He loves Ballroom and especially Latin dance and assists with Sarabay’s large Youth Program. Xander graduated from the University of Central Florida and is also a Physical Therapy Assistant in the Bradenton area at Coastal Orthopedics. Known for his fun and friendly personality, Xander is a huge asset to Sarabay with fresh choreography and current knowledge of club style dance.
Chris
Chris Chawi is a talented Hip Hop specialist, choreographer, audio engineer and dance instructor currently based out of Asheville. A top 2012 graduate of the University of South Florida with a major in Marketing and Management, Chris has been dancing off and on all of his life. Trained from the best dancers in the industry at conventions and studios such as Monsters of Hip Hop, Movement Lifestyle, Millennium Dance Complex, Debbie Reynolds, and the Broadway Dance Center, Chris has developed his own style of movement based on these inspirations. As an instructor for the last 13 years, Chris specializes in the skill of dancing in the pocket, or in other words, within the music: A unique interpretation of beats and lyrics that is highly praised among the dance community, including celebrities such as Chris Brown, who tweeted about Chawi’s YouTube video "Look at Me Now".
Chris’ dance experience is extensive with music videos and choreography opportunities with large dance teams like the Orlando Magic Dancers under his belt. Equally great with kids and teenagers, Chris can quickly break the ice, make learning fun, and teach many different authentic styles of hip hop. But don't just take our word for it, check out Chris' online dance portfolio at www.youtube.com/user/Chawi1
and see for yourself!