Itumó Ayé Dance Company — Break the Code

Tampa Bay chapter

The movement
has meaning.

Complete dancer development through fundamentals, musicality, culture, discipline, performance, and artistic growth.

Explore November Classes Discover our story ↘
Est. Houston · 2021 Technique Musicality Culture Performance

November 2026 · Tampa Bay

November
Schedule.

Weekly Salsa On2 training and a rotating Tuesday lab. Find your level and build your training rhythm.

Ovations Dance Academy
13976 W Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, FL 33635

Every Monday

Foundation

Intro to Salsa Level 1

About this class

Designed for students with little to no dance experience. Learn the basics of Salsa On2, including timing, foundational steps, partner connection, and essential movement in a welcoming, easy-to-follow environment.

For absolute beginners with no prior dance experience, we recommend completing three cycles of the Intro to Salsa course before moving into Salsa Fundamentals. This gives students the time to build confidence, consistency, and a strong technical base before progressing to the next level.

Salsa Fundamentals On2 Level 2

About this class

Build a stronger foundation through technique, timing, connection, body mechanics, and core Salsa On2 concepts. Ideal for students progressing from Intro to Salsa, as well as experienced dancers who want to sharpen their basics and improve overall technique.

Every Tuesday

Technique & Flow

Rotative Training Lab

Technique class

Flow class

About the Training Lab

A two-hour specialty training block designed to bring the kind of focused workshop experience dancers often seek at salsa congresses and festivals into the regular weekly training schedule. Each session features two distinct classes, pairing a specialized technique with a rhythm or movement study.

Topics may include spin technique, body movement, jazz for salsa dancers, social dance technique, Afro-Cuban movement, Cha Cha, Pachanga, Mambo, and more. The rotating format gives dancers access to disciplines that are not typically part of a traditional salsa school schedule, creating broader, more versatile, and more well-rounded dancers.

Every Wednesday

Progress & Refine

Progressions On2 Level 3

About this class

Expand your Salsa On2 vocabulary with more complex partnerwork, footwork, transitions, musicality, and movement concepts. This level focuses on developing greater control, flow, versatility, and confidence on the dance floor.

Salsa Refinement On2 Level 4

About this class

A focused training class for dancers ready to refine the details of their dancing. Work on precision, technique, connection, timing, dynamics, musicality, and movement quality while developing a cleaner, more polished approach to Salsa On2.

November Tuesdays

One lab.
New disciplines.

Date7:30 PM · Technique8:30 PM · Flow
Nov 3Mambo Shines & SyllabusBody Movement
Nov 10Social Dance TechniqueChachachá
Nov 17Mambo Jazz LabAfro-Cuban (with Yamilka Urquiza)
Nov 24Spin TechniqueAfro Fusion

Build your training plan

Class Packages.

Choose a 4-class, 8-class, unlimited, or team package that fits your training goals.

Explore Class Packages

October 26–29 · Tampa Bay

OPEN
HOUSE.

Thank you for joining our October 26–29 Open House Week! The next free Intro to Salsa class is planned for the last weekend of November; details will be announced soon.

  • No partner neededCome solo or with friends
  • October 26–29Open House Week
  • Open parkingRoom details at check-in

Location

Ovations Dance Academy

13976 W Hillsborough Ave
Tampa, FL 33635

Open in Maps ↗

OPEN HOUSE CLASS SCHEDULE

MondayOct 26
  • Intro to Salsa FREE
  • FundamentalsFootwork & Partnerwork
TuesdayOct 27
  • Body Movement
  • Social Dance TechniquePartnerwork
WednesdayOct 28
  • Salsa Progression On2Level 3 · Footwork & Partnerwork
  • Salsa Refinement On2Level 4 · Footwork & Partnerwork
ThursdayOct 29
  • Musicality & Interpretation
  • ChachacháFootwork & Partnerwork

The story of Itumó Ayé

The meaning of life—in motion.

Itumó Ayé was founded in Houston, Texas, in 2021 by Venezuelan professional dancer and instructor Carlos Suárez.

The name comes from the Yoruba language and means “the meaning of life.” The original spelling, Itumọ Ayé, was adapted to Itumó Ayé to make its pronunciation more intuitive while preserving the meaning at the heart of the company.

From the beginning, the vision has been clear: develop complete dancers from a strong foundation. Classes, teams, private coaching, and Pro-Am partnerships give dancers multiple paths to grow—from their first fundamentals to performance and competition stages.

2021

Founded in Houston

A new home for disciplined, artist-centered dance development.

Development

From fundamentals to stage

Multi-level training, private coaching, teams, and Pro-Am duets.

Achievement

Prepared to perform

Teams trained for prestigious competitions and stages across the country.

2026

Tampa Bay begins

The same standard of training enters a new city with a bigger vision.

Itumó Ayé dancers performing at the New York Salsa Congress
Performance New York Salsa Congress
Carlos Suárez with Itumó Ayé dancers in company training apparel
Development A culture of growth
An Itumó Ayé performance team in coordinated costumes
Company Trained together. Ready together.
Carlos Suárez, founder and director of Itumó Ayé Dance Company
Founder · Director Carlos Suárez

Meet the director

A life shaped by movement.

Carlos Suárez has been immersed in the performing arts since childhood and began his formal dance career at age 15 in Caracas, Venezuela.

At 18, after four months of intensive training with Imagen Latina, he was promoted to the school’s professional company. Within a year, he became a principal dancer, representing Imagen Latina in performances throughout Venezuela and internationally.

After five years with the company, Carlos spent two years performing in professional musical productions. He later built an independent international career as a choreographer, instructor, and performer, working in Panama, Morocco, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, and the United States. His career has also taken him to congresses and festivals across North and South America, Europe, and Asia.

In Houston, he brought that experience together to create Itumó Ayé—a company where dancers learn not only what to do, but why the movement, music, and culture matter. That vision now continues in Tampa Bay.

BalletContemporaryJazz ModernHip-HopTap FlamencoCommercialSalsa ChachacháTangoAfro & Latin rhythms

Tampa Bay · Weekly classes

Break the Code.

Learn the foundation. Understand the music. Develop your voice.

Choose one focus or combine disciplines. Your interest form helps us recommend the right starting point, level, and team opportunity.

01

Salsa foundation

Timing, clarity, connection, and the tools to move with confidence.

  • Intro to Salsa
  • Fundamentals
  • Social Dance Technique
  • Complete Dancer Development
02

Music & technique

Train the details that turn movement into an informed artistic choice.

  • Musicality & Interpretation
  • Spin Technique
  • Chachachá
  • Pachanga
03

Fusion & expression

Expand your vocabulary, texture, coordination, and stage presence.

  • Afro-Cuban Fusion
  • House Fusion
  • Jazz
  • Latin Jazz

From training to the stage

COMPETITION PROGRAM

Pro-Am · Soloists · Duets · Amateur Duos · Teams

Explore the program

Itumó Ayé performance programs

Meet the teams.

Five focused teams for dancers developing from strong fundamentals to national performance and competition stages.

Ewá advanced ladies teamEwáAdvanced Ladies Idásile beginner ladies teamIdásileBeginner Ladies Itán men’s teamItánMen’s Team Idáji intermediate couples teamIdájiIntermediate Couples Dári semi-pro couples teamDáriSemi-Pro Couples
Explore all teams

Priority interest · Tampa Bay

Your next level starts here.

Tell us what you want to develop. We’ll guide you toward the best-fit classes and team opportunities, and help you choose a place to start.

“Break the Code” means learning the why behind the movement—then building the confidence to make it your own.

Carlos Suárez · Director

Step 1 of 3 Your focus
What do you want to train?

Choose all that interest you.

Where are you starting from?

This helps us guide you toward the right path.

Interested in a team? Optional

How should we reach you?

We’ll only contact you about Itumó Ayé training.

Preferred contact

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