Dance Instructors

Skip the trip to Manhattan. Get your breaking, hip-hop, contemporary, popping, and other streetstyle dance classes in the heart of Flushing.

Yurie Ono

Contemporary Dance

  • Yurie Ono is a dancer and choreographer born and raised in Japan. She began her training in ballet at the age of four and later transitioned to street dance when she joined the SIVA dance team at Obihiro University. Over the years, she has cultivated versatility across multiple styles, including Street Jazz, Hip-Hop, Waacking, House, Locking, and Breaking.

    Yurie is the winner of the GATSBY Dance Competition in Hokkaido and later joined the renowned Chibi Unity dance team in Niigata. After relocating to New York City, she expanded her artistry by deepening her study of street styles while also exploring Contemporary dance as a new creative language.

    In 2018, she became a member of A Rhythm Company and was appointed co-director within a year, leading the team to victory in 2020. She has also made her mark as a solo artist, placing in the top 5 at the Fabulous Waacking Battle in 2023.

    Her professional credits include collaborations with the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, Yves Saint Laurent, SONY, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), TEDx, and NYC Pride Parade, among others.

    Currently, Yurie serves as the Artistic Director, choreographer, and lead dancer of Umami Playground Dance Inc. She is also an active member of Feathers Dance Company, Disagreeable Creatures, and Free Focus Dance, while regularly teaching at PJM Dance NYC, AKF Dance Studio, and Evolute Academia of New York.

    You can learn more about Yurie on her Instagram!

Uncle Will

Breaking (Breakdancing)

  • B-Boy Uncle Will, also known as Will Ayarza, is an international breakdancer, commercial artist, and real estate entrepreneur from New York City. A respected figure in the global breaking scene, he is best known for his powerful style, sharp musicality, and deep dedication to hip-hop culture. As a proud member of the X-Fenz Crew, Uncle Will has made his mark in major competitions, including the Red Bull BC One Cyphers, where he reached the semifinals in the 2024 New York edition, and the Freestyle Session USA 2021, where he placed in the Top 8.

    Beyond the battle floor, Uncle Will applies the same drive and discipline to his entrepreneurial ventures, building a successful career in real estate while continuing to represent the breaking community worldwide. His expertise and experience have also earned him roles as a judge at prestigious events such as Street Beat, where he shares his knowledge and passion with the next generation of dancers.

Jazzy J

Popping

  • A legendary street dance pioneer, he appeared in Michael Jackson’s Captain EO and has performed in iconic short films like Alright and Nasty. He is a member of the Electric Boogaloos, the Third Generation of Lockers, and founder of the LA City Rockers. Known for his unique fusion of Popping, Locking, Hip-Hop, B-Boying, Punking, and Waacking, he has influenced dancers worldwide.


    He has toured internationally and taught stars like Marlon Jackson and Toni Basil, as well as at top institutions including Yale, NYU, and Broadway Dance Center. He co-created Urban Funk Spectacular, directed Rhythmatic Funk Movement, and was recently featured in Matisyahu’s Living For the Grind.  Jazzy J’s Popping class is open to all levels and backgrounds.

    Focused on foundation and technique, the class explores original Popping style while encouraging personal expression and musicality.

Lyu

Breaking & Hip-Hop

  • Lyu is an all-style dancer with a primary focus on breaking and over 11 years of dance experience. His versatility extends to hip-hop and locking, and he has been teaching kids’ street dance professionally. Lyu has performed regularly at the NYU Gala, appeared as a guest dancer at Long Island University, and achieved Top 40 at WDG Henan. With extensive competition experience across New York, he most recently placed in the Top 20 in the 2025 World of Dance Hip-Hop category.

    Yurie is the winner of the GATSBY Dance Competition in Hokkaido and later joined the renowned Chibi Unity dance team in Niigata. After relocating to New York City, she expanded her artistry by deepening her study of street styles while also exploring Contemporary dance as a new creative language.

    In 2018, she became a member of A Rhythm Company and was appointed co-director within a year, leading the team to victory in 2020. She has also made her mark as a solo artist, placing in the top 5 at the Fabulous Waacking Battle in 2023.

    Her professional credits include collaborations with the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, Yves Saint Laurent, SONY, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), TEDx, and NYC Pride Parade, among others.

    Currently, Yurie serves as the Artistic Director, choreographer, and lead dancer of Umami Playground Dance Inc. She is also an active member of Feathers Dance Company, Disagreeable Creatures, and Free Focus Dance, while regularly teaching at PJM Dance NYC, AKF Dance Studio, and Evolute Academia of New York.

    You can learn more about Yurie on her Instagram!

Jinny

Old-School Hip-Hop

  • Jinny is an Old School Hip-Hop artist with over a decade of training and five years of teaching experience, working with students from ages 5 to 55. Specializing in foundations, groove, freestyle, body development, and musicality, she brings a truly global perspective to her craft, having studied and performed across China, Malaysia, Australia, and the United States.

    Her achievements include Top 16 at the 2017 China Amoy Hip-Hop 1-on-1, 2nd place at Malaysia’s Down to the Beatz (2017), and Top 8 at multiple international competitions. She has also been invited as a mentor and instructor for world-renowned platforms such as HHI, WOD, and Red Bull Takeover New York.

    Currently based in New York, Jinny is the founder and organizer of the Old School Hip-Hop Kamp and Street Dance Kamp, in addition to organizing numerous competitions and events—dedicated to cultivating the next generation of dancers.

Fitness & Acting Instructors

The experts helping you sweat, get fit, express, and become. Evolute is proud to host decades of experience across MMA, capoeira, and acting expertise— all for you, in the heart of Flushing.

Eric Fuchs

MMA and Stunt Coach

  • Coach Eric has an extensive background in martial arts. Starting in Shotokan karate at five years old, then later adding Krav Maga, Jujitsu, MMA, and Wushu to his arsenal. 

    He’s also competed for over ten years in karate, jujitsu, and kickboxing, but eventually transitioned to pursuing a career as a stunt performer. Now he’s worked on dozens of television shows and he has a mission to share his passion for these arts with his community.

Filipe Guedes

Capoeira Instructor

  • Felipe Guedes, also known as Professor Mequetref in the world of capoeira, is a highly experienced teacher with nearly 30 years dedicated to the art. As a member of the renowned ABADÁ-CAPOEIRA school, his profound understanding stems from decades of training. 


    Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, he brings a passion for transformative learning to Queens, NYC. A champion competitor and dedicated educator, he offers comprehensive capoeira classes for all levels, emphasizing technique, music, and cultural understanding. With a history of empowering youth through capoeira programs in Brazil and Spain, Professor Mequetref is committed to fostering personal growth and community spirit. He provides expert instruction in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, welcoming students of all backgrounds.

Yenny Sánchez

Acting Coach

  • Actress and Master in Dramatic Arts, graduated in 2011 from Universidad Central. Founder of the Baca Theater company in 2012, serving as artistic director for 12 years. Participated in theatrical productions such as "I Fall in Love Every Day" and "I'm Going Bald," as well as in audiovisual projects like the short film "Hidden" and the telenovela "Aunt Alison" on Canal RCN. In addition to acting, she develops workshops and classes on diction and acting techniques and is currently preparing a pedagogical research project on games and practical tools for actor creativity.

    Experience in children's theater, with works such as "Once Upon a Time There Was a King," "The Magic Cape," and "A Christmas Gift." Knowledge in mask-making, object theater, and puppetry with the Teatro Libre de Bogotá, Colombia.

Claire Hsu

Acting Coach

  • Made in Taiwan, Claire Hsu is a two-time award-winning, trilingual actress who has performed in Chinese, French, and English, both on stage and on screen. Upon graduation, Claire landed a role in Lynn Ramsay’s Cannes-winning film You Were Never Really Here, sharing the screen with Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix (Joker). That same year, she became a finalist for Disney’s live-action Mulan, where she was flown to LA and screen-tested at Disney Studios.

    Claire has portrayed a wide range of characters, from the innocent victims in the Emmy-winning series A Crime To Remember to a badass crime boss in Broken Badges. She has appeared in national TV commercials, on the book cover of Soundless by NY Times bestselling author Richelle Meade, and frequently in YouTube and Instagram ads.

    Her acting accolades include winning Best Lead Actress for Nanny at the First Line Festival in 2017 and taking home the same prize for Locked Alone at the Northern Ireland YFIFF in 2019. Claire most recently appeared in Universal Pictures' Boogie (directed by Eddie Huang), which was released in theaters in 2021.