Finding Your Rhythm and Feminine Movement with Melanie

 

Reggaeton and Femme Funk are two dance styles that possess unique energies, differing yet similar in their own way. 

Reggaeton is a very vibrant and rhythmic style that is rooted in Puerto Rican and Panamanian music that blends Hip-Hop, Reggae, and Latin influences, exploring dance movements that have sensual body movements and isolations, hip movement, and energetic bounce. This style is recognized to have a fun, free-spirited, charismatic, playful, and confident vibe that makes it so diverse and unique. It also focuses on ''dembow" rhythms that have very specific and synchopated beats from Jamaican dancehall, fused with Latin music; there are snares and quarter note kicks as well.

Femme Funk is a dance style that explores the feminine and masculine energy that is in all of us. It is a style that focuses on building confidence, sensual, fluid, and expressive movements, while blending the dance styles of jazz, hip-hop, heels choreography, and vogue. This style also focuses on body positivity, self-love, and empowerment for people of all genders, skill levels, and backgrounds. With both fierce and graceful movements and attitudes for choreography, this style creates moments for individuality and showcasing elegance. 

What makes both styles similar is their emphasis on body isolations, using hip-hop foundations, rhythm-driven, and grounded movement. They both encourage freestyle and personal style in developing an individual style in every dancer. Both styles have similar cultural roots in social dance environments, with Reggaeton coming from Latin/Caribbean street and club culture, and Femme Funk coming from urban dance scenes connected to hip-hop, funk, and club dance. Finally, they both want to give every dancer an empowered and expressive attitude while learning the choreography. 

Today, I chatted with Melanie about her drive and passion for teaching both Reggaeton and Femme Funk dance styles, as well as what both styles mean to her. But before we get into the interview, let's learn about her, shall we? 

Melanie is an energetic, bubbly, lively person from Mexico. She moved to Denver 2 years ago with a passion and drive for dance. She has trained in many different styles, such as jazz, hip-hop, heels, bachata, and salsa. 

She creates a space in the studio where she wants her students to grow and shine through the dance classes that she teaches. It is a lot like being part of a big friend group when you enter the space. 

She has said, "For me, dance is more than movement, it's all about building a community where everyone can express themselves freely. When I teach, I love to create a space where my students can grow, not just as dancers, but as individuals too."

Let's get into the interview!

1. Since you teach two different styles of dance, Reggaeton and Femme Funk, how do you find a balance between the two, or how are they different when you teach them?

Melanie: "I've been teaching Reggaeton for almost a year now, and for this year, my focus was on both feminine and masculine movements, where you have a lot of hair wipes and grounded steps. But now, with my Femme Funk class, I have a space where I only need feminine moves, and that opens my creativity to make Reggaeton even more masculine, and to be honest, I have been enjoying it so much."

2. What does feminine movement mean to you?

Melanie: "As a teacher, I talk a lot about these types of moves, but I want to make it clear that because you feel comfortable being a masculine person, that doesn't mean that you can't do feminine moves, and as a dancer, that can perfectly balance both, and it's more fun, dynamic, and interesting to watch. 

But feminine moves are those that have fluidity, those smooth transitions between movements, long and clean lines reaching through the movement, making it elegant, gentle wrists, soft hands, relaxed neck, hip and torso movements like hip circles, body rolls, chest pops, and more than anything the attitude that you bring."

3.  If you could describe the Reggaeton dance style to a person who is relatively new, how would you describe it?

Melanie: "Reggaeton is a high-energy, urban Latin dance that focuses on rhythm, attitude, and hip movements. It's grounded, powerful, and playful. Confidence is essential: sassy, sensual, or aggressive, depending on the vibe."

4.  How did you start your dance journey?

Melanie: "I started dancing when I was 7 years old back in Mexico, with Mexican folklore. Then, when I was 21, I started dancing jazz and hip-hop in the same studio where I became a teacher at 15 until I was 19. Then I took a break from teaching, but kept dancing in college with the same dance style that I started with, and it has been a beautiful journey. 

Then I moved to Colorado when I was 22, and I started exploring more styles like heels, bachata, salsa, and reggaeton, but I never had a class back home. It wasn't until I moved to the USA that I had my first class and, of course, I absolutely fell in love. In 2025, Serina and Cici gave me the opportunity to have my own Reggaeton class, and I am so grateful to them."

5. What is your process for creating choreography for a Reggaeton Class versus a Femme Funk Class?

Melanie: "For Reggaeton, it is a lot easier for sure. I've been doing it for a long time.  

But I feel like the process, it's very similar. I listen to the song as many times as I need to select the part that I vibe with. I start improvising to see what my body does with the music, and from there, if I am lucky enough, I start with counts (but not gonna lie, counts are really hard). But when I am not vibing with anything, and my body doesn't want to move, I find inspiration on TikTok. I look up moves for the style and focus on the steps more than the musicality. I record it when I am finished, so that I don't forget."

6. What is your favorite thing about being an instructor at Elemental Studios?

Melanie: "The community, I've said it before, and I'll never get tired of saying it. The community at Elemental is the most welcoming, supportive, and loving. I couldn't ask for anything else."

7. Who would you say are some of your favorite dancers in the dance community?

Melanie: "I admire Huy so much, he is such an inspiration. His dedication to his craft, the amount of time he puts into dance, the love he brings to the community, it's amazing, and the energy he shows in class, it's unmatched. 

But there are so many names that I could tell you, there is so much talent at Elemental."

8. Is there a move or style that you would like to incorporate more of in either style that you teach?

Melanie: "I would love to take more technique classes like jazz technique, it's soo important for dancing, and I need to incorporate more in my classes as well."

9.  What are some hobbies/activities that you like to do outside of dance?

Melanie: "I love doing press-on nails. It's something I found out in my early 20s, and I've been enjoying it so much, and the process of learning is getting better each time." 

10. If someone was interested in coming to either one of your classes, but wasn't sure, what would you say to them about coming to class?

Melanie: "Come try it! You might surprise yourself. Everyone starts somewhere, and you'll feel welcomed the moment you walk into the community at Elemental, and I will make sure of that."

Thank you to Melanie for interviewing with me. I really enjoyed getting to know you and your passion for both Reggaeton and Femme Funk dance styles. If you guys are interested in taking a class with Melanie, she teaches at 6:15pm bi-weekly on Wednesdays for Open Level Femme Funk and 1pm on Saturdays for Beginner/Intermediate Reggaeton. Make sure to follow Melanie on her Instagram, @melanie_astrid, for updates about her classes and follow her press-on nail business on Instagram, @nailedbymel05, to order yourself a pair of custom-made press-on nails!

See you guys in the next staff interview!