Sofia Ahmad Dance

Sofia saw her first ballet at the age of 5, and has wanted to study, perform, and dance around the living room ever since. She studied ballet extensively in San Francisco as a child and, when she went to New York University as an acting major, joined the ballroom dance club and team. She began to teach while still a member of the NYU team – co-leading weekly club classes in the 10 primary competitive dances.   That led her to teach some group classes around NYC and New Jersey; there were many swing classes – it was the late 90’s after all, and swing was huge.

After a stint in Sardegna, Italy – where she led classes at a tourist resort (think an Italian, coastal version of the place in Dirty Dancing) and participated in her first, and only, aerobics competition – she returned to the Bay Area and started to seriously pursue an acting career.

One day, her former dancing partner (and NYC teacher extraordinaire, Joe Palmer) asked if she’d be willing to teach his brother and fiancee some swing moves for their upcoming wedding. Group classes were difficult to negotiate with her full rehearsal and performance schedule, but private lessons at her clients’ homes were a definite possibility. Sofia said, “why certainly,” and the idea for Sofia Ahmad Dance was born…