SONIA OCHOA: A Los Angeles native, Sonia has become one of the most sought after dance instructors and performers today.  At the age of 19, she commenced dance training at her local city college.  After acquiring a solid foundation in classical ballet, she became well versed in a host of dance forms, equipping her with an extensive versatility and influencing the development of her own unique style. Of Mexican descent, she looked to further explore her roots through music and dance by joining Los Angeles based, Ballet Folklórico del Pacífico, currently known as Pacífico Dance Co.  Her ever expanding curiosity and passion for dance led her to tour with companies of various genres, featuring her as a lead dancer and contributing choreographer, most notably with the Bellydance Superstars, which put her on the map as a major exponent in the Middle-Eastern dance scene.  In recent years, Sonia has redirected her focus by devoting much of her time and energy towards a more concentrated and deeper practice, broadening her dance repertoire.  She visits India once a year to fully immerse herself in classical Indian dance studies under the guidance of the top Odissi Gurus, and spends several months a year focusing on Spanish (flamenco and classical) dance under the direction of Roberto Amaral, in Los Angeles, California.  Sonia currently performs and teaches internationally, whilst researching and training locally and abroad. www.soniaochoa.com