About Tomaj
Tomaj Trenda received a Master’s Degree in Dance Education and has been working as a full-time professional dancer, educator and choreographer ever since. As a dance faculty member at the University of Washington, Cornish College of the Arts, the University of the West Indies, the National Ballet of Mexico and the College of Marin, Tomaj taught thousands of students the joy of dance. He has also performed Internationally throughout Europe, Asia and North America. He has pursued extensive post-graduate training in the efficient teaching of new motor skills, coordination and grace to adults, in the arts of Salsa, Swing, Tango, Ballroom dancing and Contact Improvisation.
He began dancing Salsa in 1994, and trained with Alex de Silva (Los Angeles) , Joby & Luis Vasquez (Salsa Brava, Los Angeles), Eddie Torres (“The Mambo King”, New York City) and Fernando Sosa (Tropical Gem, Italy). See photos below! He has also performed at the world’s largest Salsa Congress in Los Angles with Albert Torres Productions.
His focus for his professional career has been to provide the student with the highest-quality learning experience possible – Excellence in the Art of Teaching dance. He currently trains hundreds of students authentic Club-Style Salsa every week via group classes and private lessons throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Tomaj is committed to spreading the pleasure, passion and playfulness of Salsa Dancing. He is also an award-winning West Coast Swing dancer.
Tomaj’s teaching method is fun, thorough, and supportive of your learning style. We feature easy to assimilate movement segments and provide just the right amount of repetition for quick inclusion into your long-term memory.
Teaching Method
Our classes are based on the latest research into motor skills learning, movement memory and retention. We’ve studied how the human brain learns movement and how movement can be taught most quickly.
Just the right amount of repetition, done correctly and supported by key concepts is one of the “hidden ways” we supercharge your learning process.
Teaching Method
Our classes are based on the latest research into motor skills learning, movement memory and retention. We’ve studied how the human brain learns movement and how movement can be taught most quickly.
Just the right amount of repetition, done correctly and supported by key concepts is one of the “hidden ways” we supercharge your learning process.
The Problem
The most difficult part of learning to dance – and the one that will slow you down tenfold (and cost you a LOT more money and time) – is FORGETFULNESS.
Students learn a new skill or pattern, but then quickly forget what they have learned in class. Within a few days-or even hours-your brain can not recall the sequence. This is because the new material has not yet been “embodied” or committed to your long-term memory.
It feels good to learn it in the moment, but try going to the club or practicing at home, and you’re lost. Classes taught at Night Clubs, “pick-up” classes or “drop-in” classes are the worst for this kind of forgetfulness. You will typically see a pattern on only one night. The basic moves which went into building that pattern will not be identified or elaborated upon and subsequent classes will not build upon that “Theme”.
How We Teach
Our method is progressive and thorough, with each class building upon the foundation laid by previous classes. You learn from the ground up, building your dancing skills and gaining an understanding of the dance’s structure.
Learning something deeply requires an understanding of the building blocks of the form and working with them in a “Theme and Variations” way. All Salsa with Tomaj classes and Videos follow a progressive series format and are structured to delve deeply into particular “root” moves – based on what the follower is being asked to perform.
Leaders learn variations of these “root” moves to add complexity and style. Followers execute countless variations without getting flustered because they understand the root movement they are being asked to perform and learn to orient with that in a fast-changing environment. We’ve also developed numerous “retention tools” that will help you remember what you’ve learned…so you don’t lose your investment!
The best of these tools are in our NEW On-line INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS.
Helping you learn is our number one priority.
How We Teach
Our method is progressive and thorough, with each class building upon the foundation laid by previous classes. You learn from the ground up, building your dancing skills and gaining an understanding of the dance’s structure.
Learning something deeply requires an understanding of the building blocks of the form and working with them in a “Theme and Variations” way. All Salsa with Tomaj classes and Videos follow a progressive series format and are structured to delve deeply into particular “root” moves – based on what the follower is being asked to perform.
Leaders learn variations of these “root” moves to add complexity and style. Followers execute countless variations without getting flustered because they understand the root movement they are being asked to perform and learn to orient with that in a fast-changing environment. We’ve also developed numerous “retention tools” that will help you remember what you’ve learned…so you don’t lose your investment!
The best of these tools is our NEW INSTRUCTIONAL Videos.
Helping you learn is our number one priority.
Dancing with the Masters
Albert Torres Los Angels Salsa Congress
Eddie Torres, The Mambo King, New York City
Fernando Sosa, Tropical Gem, Italy
Jimmy Bosch, New York City Band Leader
Joby & Juis Vesquez, Salsa Brava, Los Angeles
