Tea Dancers
Ballet de la Compasión
Natta Quintero-Hong
Artistic Director
Natta Natta is a dancer, artist, and teacher with 15 years of experience working with kids and teens, teaching visual art and dance movement both in the air and on the floor. This is a field she truly adores and continues to explore.
Natta studied classical ballet with Martha Ketchum, and Martha Castillo in Morelos and at the Choreography School of UNAM. Modern and African dance at the James Carte’s Ecole de Danse in Toulouse, France, and the D’Jonibas Center in New York City. Her dance credits include dancing with the “Street Theater and Circus Production” in Mexico with the Ecole de Cirque de Quebec. “Aerial Dance & Precarious Balance,” with Humanicorp Dance Company, at the National Institute of Arts (CNA), with the Circus School of Barcelona, and "rope and harness" with Bandaloop in Oakland, California.
In terms of multimedia art, she has exhibited in Morelos, Mexico such as The Museum of the City of Cuernavaca, “Jardines del Sol” in Ocotitlan, Ex-Convento de Tepoztlan and Auditorio Ilhucalli; in Chiapas at the Auditorio de Tuxtla Gutierrez; in the Bay Area at The Mission Cultural Center, at De Young Museum, Alcatraz Island, The Mills College Theater. She has been invited to dance in Washington D.C. at the Inter-American Development Bank and at the Organization of American Estates as part of the conferences of Vanguardia Latina: Latin-hemispheric agenda.
mia
Ballet and Modern dance teacher
mia simonovic relocated to the Bay Area from Southern California to learn from a new perspective and experience different dance culture. After graduating with a BA in Dance from the World Arts and Cultures/Dance program at UCLA, she received the opportunity to perform with Kevin Williamson + Company, and worked alongside Steph Woods as Co-Artistic Director of 8th Limb Movement. Since moving to the Bay Area, mia has worked with artists such as Kristin Damrow, Julie-Ann Gambino, Jacqueline Gordon, Claudia Anata Hubiak, and Kate Mitchell. Currently, she is the Artistic Director of the Senior Jazz Company at San Ramon Valley Dance Academy, a member of Kristin Damrow & Company in San Francisco, dancing in movement projects in San Francisco and Oakland, creating new work under the SAFEhouse Arts' Resident Artist Workshop program, and teaching adult and youth movement classes and workshops around California.
Gabriela De Linares (Gaby)
Virtual Assistant / Studio Azul Manager
Gaby is part of the team responsible for handling all email communication, administration, and various organizational aspects at the Tea Dancers and Studio Azul management. She hails from Venezuela, a beautiful Caribbean country.
Gaby is a psychologist, having studied at Yacambú University in the city of Cabudare, Lara state, with postgraduate degrees in education from Andrés Bello Catholic University in Caracas. She works with adolescents, adults, and couples from her home office and online and engages in child abuse prevention in various communities.
Gaby has been working as a virtual assistant for 4 years, building her professional profile with many reviews on the hiring platform Fiverr. This job has allowed her to work for both large and small organizations, using her planning, communication, and creativity skills to assist them in their daily operations.
Fatimah Hasan
Teacher and Teacher assistant
Fatimah is an advanced PRO-level dancer who has been an integral part of The Tea Dancers since 2021. Her training in movement began early, and by 2018 she had immersed herself in aerial arts, developing her artistry across silks, rope, and other apparatuses. Her dedication and versatility allow her to move seamlessly between floor and aerial disciplines, bringing a strong foundation of both technique and creativity.
Beyond her work with The Tea Dancers, Fatimah is currently a member of Circus Spire, a pre-professional youth circus troupe based in Oakland. With Circus Spire, she performs in an intensive schedule of 16 shows each March, gaining valuable stage experience in collaborative, high-level productions. This exposure to professional performance environments continues to enrich her perspective as both a dancer and an instructor.
Now joining The Tea Dancers staff, Fatimah is committed to passing on her knowledge and love of movement to younger dancers. She approaches teaching with a balance of rigor and encouragement, aiming to help students build strength, confidence, and artistry while fostering an atmosphere of joy and mutual support.
Esme Kozuszek
Teacher and Teacher assistant
Esme Kozuszek has been a part of the Tea Dancers since 2014. With 9 years of experience in aerial dance. Dancing is and continues to be a big part of her life and very important to her. She is currently a high school student in Berkeley and both a student and teacher assistant at Tea Dancers.
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Ariana Yerovam
Teacher and Teacher assistant
Ariana is a 17-year-old dancer and dance instructor from Berkeley, California. She has a passion for dance and has been developing her craft for 11 years. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends. Ariana's talent and dedication to dance are always growing, and she anticipates sharing that with her community.
Finn Quintero-Hong
Service Dog
Finn was certified a service dog in 2021. He attended Dog Training Club. Finn has worked as Art Director Assistant since 2017. His job is to welcome kids and make them feel relaxed and loved, especially on the first day of class. He makes sure everybody is having fun and working hard and most importantly of all, he keeps an eye on Natta the whole day. Finn guards the studio from all sorts of suspicious sounds, imaginary terrifying creatures, and adults. He loves kids but is not fond of smelly-tall-aged humans. Please be aware that he may bark at you with all his might, but he won't do any harm; just do not come inside his dance studio without his permission!. Any treats welcome, specially peanut butter flavorish ones.
Laila Flores Cervantes
Board of Advisors
Laila is an arts and multicultural educator, currently working as an elementary teacher in Massachusetts. She completed her master’s degree in Arts in Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and will obtain her second degree from Lesley University. She has worked in museums (Museo Soumaya; Harvard Art Museums, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), non-profits, school and afterschool settings. As an advocate for the arts, she is delighted to support The Tea Dancers’ mission and endeavors.
Carla Gómez Monroy
Board of Advisors
As an International Techno Ethno Media Consultant, Carla has micro and nationwide experience at integrating technology innovations and active learning for sustainable development (UNICEF, World Bank, One Laptop per Child,). She also advises organizations and companies that promote social change through innovation. She has done this kind of work in rural, semi-rural, urban-marginal and urban areas in Africa, Asia, Latin-America, Europe and the United States. Carla holds postgraduate studies from the MIT Media Lab.
As an Artist, Carla's selected photographic artwork has been published worldwide in magazines (Times, Newsweek, People,), websites, U.S.A. billboards, videos and in a UNESCO’s book. She has performed live radio broadcasts, and devised “eRadio” programs by and for Tulcingo’s diaspora in Mexico and New York City. Carla has volunteered in various programs for street children, immigrants, autistic, hearing-impaired people, besides creating a piece of art for the blind. Since her childhood, she dances and writes.
Xanat Flores
Board of Advisors
Originally from Mexico. As an environmental scientist (PhD, MIT) she has worked in the United States, Mexico, and Switzerland on issues regarding pollutants in the environment. She has also worked with different communities in Haiti, Mexico, Nepal, and Zambia on issues related to water pollution and hygiene and sanitation. During her time at MIT she was also involved in different social and community service organizations. Whenever she has times she loves to be out taking pictures of nature and people.