Congratulations to our June Instructor of the Month, Charissa!

Studio K instructor, Charissa Morris has always had a passion for dance. As a little girl, her family would find her dancing all around the house. She was constantly moving about, asserting the idea that where there is music, there is dancing. As she became older, she began to take her dancing a little more seriously and eventually landed a great opportunity to compete in a ballroom dance competition. With intense training and hard work, Charissa went on to compete in other competitions across the globe, and in dong so, defeated her contenders and earned her title as a professional ballroom dancer and National Salsa Champion.

When she’s not teaching her Sexy Salsa Fusion or Ballroom Fitness classes at Studio K, she works as a paralegal for a local law firm and is also a bartender for a catering company. On her down time, Charissa loves spending time with her two pups, showing off her mad skills in the kitchen and getting a workout by doing some HOT HULA fitness. Some interesting facts about Charissa is that she’s been to six continents and 42 countries, she used to work on several cruise ships, and is one of nine children!

Congratulations Charissa, on being our June Instructor of the Month!

When did you discover your love for dance?

I’ve always loved to dance. My parents tell stories of me dancing around the house or wiggling in my chair as a kid whenever music started to play. We were a big musical family.

What inspires your choreography?

Everything inspires my choreography! From seeing the way people walk, to the way water flows downstream, I’ve even been inspired by people’s voices and inflections. Almost anything can evoke a movement from me.

Do you find that dance is a great way to stay in shape and why?

Yes, dance is a great way to stay in shape! My family tends to run a bit on the bigger side but since I’ve been dancing for most of my life, I’ve managed to avoid that (for the most part).

How has dance impacted your life?

Dance keeps me in shape and in love with life. Whether I’m watching it, performing or even teaching, dance is everything to me. It’s just a vital part of who I am.

What advice do you have to people who are just beginning to dance, whether it is for the skill or for fitness?

My advice is to look in the mirror – a lot! Keep watching yourself so you can see your progress. You will see it before anyone else can and when you totally rock an awesome move, you are going to feel so good about yourself. Also, don’t be afraid to sweat or to feel uncomfortable, just keep going.

What is your favorite class to teach and why?

I love Sexy Salsa Fusion! It’s so much fun to dance and is a combination of my favorite styles: Salsa, Cha Cha, Samba, Jazz, Hip Hop, and a little bit of Modern.

What do you like most about being a part of the Studio K Family?

I love how amazingly supportive everyone is at Studio K! Plus, there is the bonus of complete artistic freedom and to just have fun with your class. It’s such a nice environment, welcoming everyone to dance, hang out, or talk with the students and staff. I’ve worked for several studios and Studio K is by far the best.

If you could do anything else in the world other than dance, what would it be?

Um, dance? I’ve never thought about it. I guess I would still have to be involved in the art world, so maybe singing? That’s if I didn’t sound like a cat in a blender. ☺

What phrase do you choose to live by?

I actually have a few phrases that I live by. “You can sleep when you’re dead,” “Let go and let God,” and “When in doubt, shimmy those shoulders!”