Today we’d like to introduce you to Karla Maldonado.
Hi Karla, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Thanks to my family, I am the woman I am today. I moved to Dallas 9 years ago facing different challenges from feeling confident enough to communicate in English to learning how to be away from my family. Before joining the dance world, I used to work as an economist for a law and consulting firm. Being an entrepreneur is such a fun and stressful life, but I am very grateful for this opportunity to explore, make mistakes, learn and create as much as possible. I have been teaching people how to dance Latin rhythms (salsa, bachata, cumbia, reggaeton) for 8 years now here in the DFW area. Three years ago, I opened up my dance studio, Kumbala, where we offer daily group and private classes from beginners to advance. The feedback from our students has been consistent through the years, they say this is such the best place to learn in DFW with a great environment, amazing energy, and passionate teachers.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not smooth at all but it feels like everything happened at the perfect time while teaching me some good life lessons. When it comes to opening Kumbala Dance Studio, the emotional path was a roller coaster ride. I was going through a very difficult time in my personal life, trying to make drastic changes, reading books, seeking help, and figuring out what the next steps would be. I was stretching my savings to the max while making some stressful decisions among other things.
After surviving a global pandemic and many personal challenges, overall, everything has been perfect. I enjoyed every step of the journey and I am extremely grateful for my family and all the students/friends that never let me doubt myself. Their support has always been there through calls, text messages, hugs, and kind words.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Kumbala Dance Studio we specialize in different Latin rhythms salsa, bachata, merengue, cumbia, and reggaeton. Social dancing is our main goal for our group and private classes. But we’ve also helped many couples with their dream first dance as well as quinceaneras. We are known for giving high-quality instruction and making every class enjoyable!
I’m very proud of hosting these daily classes. The regular interaction with our students makes it easy to quickly become a family, I love this about the studio. It becomes a safe place for all of us. You are not going to feel judged; this is not a competition for any of us. We are here to learn, exercise through good cardio, and take our minds off our jobs and our daily responsibilities. Seeing each other becomes the highlight of our days.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was shy and quiet at first, but around the age of 9, I became more outgoing. I was involved in every single activity, sports, color guard, dance, cooking, being a class representative, etc. I would be obsessed with keeping excellent grades and being everywhere as a student representative. Always loved to be around my family and close friends.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kumbaladancestudio.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kumbaladancestudio
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/kumbaladancestudio
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/dancekumbala
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5zbeXaXvoUiSU8V28WuQg
- Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/kumbala-dance-studio-farmers-branch
Image Credits
Joanna Serrano
