Antonio Medina (AKA Tonino Cidade) is from the Cape Verde Islands. He grew up dancing Morna, Coladeira, Funana, Batuku, Passada, Mbalakh, other Afro-Caribbean dances such as and Zouk and Salsa. He was first introduced to the world of structured dance through Salsa in 2006 and after two years of intensive training started to teach at Baile Con Sazon Dance Studio in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

 

Tonino has over 10 years of experience as a Latin dance instructor and is a certified Red Belt Salsa Instructor with the Black Belt Salsa System founded by the mult8-World Champion Edie “the Salsa Freak”. In 2010 he was introduced to Kizomba and immediately felt home with the music and dance that had always identified him.

 

Tonino has trained with many International Kizomba experts to include Ricardo and Paola from Afro-Latin Connection, Portugal, Eddy Vents, Guinea Bissau, Lucia Nogueira, Portugal to name a few.

 

Tonino has taught Kizomba, Salsa, Bachata, Cha Cha, Batuku, Coladeira, Funana and Passada in many Dance Festivals/Congresses such as the New Orleans Salsa Bachata Festival, The American Riviere Kizomba Festival, The Cancun Salsa Bachata Festival, The Phoenix Bachata Festival, and in cities such as Los Angeles CA, Las Vegas NV, Orlando FL, Columbia SC, Fayetteville NC, Charlotte NC, Myrtle Beach SC.

 

Tonino’s passion for Art, music, and dance led him to develop as an established Disk Jockey, Photographer and Videographer. He is a dynamic dancer, patient instructor and his biggest reward is watching new students grow to become phenomenal dancers.
Tonino is also a retired U.S. Army Veteran with 20 years of service and multiple combat tours to Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

 

"Kizomba changes lives in good ways"