{"id":8062,"date":"2025-09-19T13:40:54","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T17:40:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/?post_type=team_member&#038;p=8062"},"modified":"2025-11-20T13:04:14","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T18:04:14","slug":"rafael-owner-instructor","status":"publish","type":"team_member","link":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/member\/rafael-owner-instructor\/","title":{"rendered":"Rafael &#8211; Studio Owner | Instructor"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"8062\" class=\"elementor elementor-8062\" data-elementor-settings=\"{&quot;ha_cmc_init_switcher&quot;:&quot;no&quot;}\" data-elementor-post-type=\"team_member\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2602f4d4 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2602f4d4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:false}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3358af68 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3358af68\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Rafael Torres is a highly esteemed ballroom dance instructor with over a decade of professional teachingexperience and a lifelong dedication to dance. Beginning his journey at just 10 years old, Rafael transformed his passion into a thriving career, earning recognition as one of the Top 40 Fred Astaire Top Teachers and receiving numerous awards for his excellence in instruction and performance.<\/p><p>His expertise spans a wide range of ballroom styles, blending technical mastery with artistry. Known for his dynamic and motivational teaching style, Rafael inspires dancers of all levels, from beginners to competitive performers. His philosophy goes beyond dance steps\u2014he instills confidence, discipline, and self-expression in every student.<\/p><p>With an unwavering commitment to his craft and a deep passion for teaching, Rafael continues to elevate the world of ballroom dance, helping each student reach their fullest potential. Whether on the competition floor or in the studio, he is a mentor, motivator, and true artist in the dance community.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d25c176 ha-toggle--icon-left elementor-widget elementor-widget-ha-toggle happy-addon ha-toggle happy-addon-pro\" data-id=\"d25c176\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"ha-toggle.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__wrapper\" role=\"tablist\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2201\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2201\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">Which dances do you love the most?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2201\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2201\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Salsa was the first dance I ever learned growing up, and it\u2019s still the one that makes me light up. Salsa is fun, spicy, and impossible not to smile through. I love the energy, the rhythm, and the way it brings people together instantly.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2202\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2202\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">What is the all-time best \u201cDance\u201d\u00a0Movie?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2202\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2202\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Step up the whole franchise. The dancing is out of this world, but what really hooked me was how each movie blends different styles and brings people together. The choreography, the energy, the stories it all shows how powerful dance can be when worlds collide. It\u2019s the kind of movie that makes you want to get up and start moving the moment the credits roll.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2203\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2203\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">Who is your favorite dancer?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2203\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2203\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Derek Hough. He\u2019s smooth, clean, and an incredible entertainer. His passion for ballroom is absolutely infectious you can feel it in every step he takes. Derek has that rare ability to make the hardest choreography look effortless, and his creativity is something I\u2019m constantly inspired by.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2204\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2204\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">Favorite weekend binge-watch guilty pleasure?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2204\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2204\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Traitors. The game is wild you have to think outside the box the entire time. It keeps you on your toes, constantly guessing, and you truly never know what twist is coming next. It\u2019s smart, dramatic, and honestly\u2026 just so good.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2205\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2205\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">What do you love most about Ballroom Dancing?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2205\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2205\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Ballroom is truly a personal journey. You don\u2019t need any experience to start it meets you exactly where you are. It\u2019s a style that elevates not just your movement, but your confidence and personality. Ballroom challenges you mentally, physically, and socially, all at the same time. What I love most is that it\u2019s limitless. Age, height, background, none of it matters. Anyone can step onto the floor and shine. Ballroom belongs to everyone, and that\u2019s what makes it so powerful.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2206\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2206\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">What is the most rewarding part of your career?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2206\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2206\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>It\u2019s the moment a student realizes they\u2019re capable of more than they ever believed. I love watching someone come in saying they have \u201ctwo left feet,\u201d and over time seeing their confidence grow, evolve, and shine through. Helping people challenge themselves, discover their abilities, and truly enjoy dancing is one of the most fulfilling parts of what I do.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2207\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-title\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2207\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-icon ha-toggle__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-plus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__icon--opened\"><i class=\"fas fa-minus\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ha-toggle__item-title-text\">Piece of advice for students\/new students?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ha-toggle__item-content-2207\" class=\"ha-toggle__item-content\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"tabpanel\" aria-labelledby=\"ha-toggle__item-title-2207\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Start with an open mind and give yourself permission to learn. No one walks in to a perfect ballroom it is a journey, not a test. Show up, have fun, and let yourself make mistakes. Confidence grows with every step, and the more you relax and enjoy the process, the faster you\u2019ll improve. Trust your instructor, trust the music, and most importantly\u2026 trust yourself. You\u2019ll be amazed at what you can do!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"featured_media":8138,"template":"","class_list":["post-8062","team_member","type-team_member","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/team_member\/8062","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/team_member"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/team_member"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/team_member\/8062\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fredastaire.com\/wilmette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}