Meet team Ponche
Laila - Netherlands
Teacher & Founder
Laila is a creative and expressive artist from the Netherlands, whose love for music, movement, and storytelling comes together in dance. She started out exploring street styles like Hip Hop, but soon found her true passion in Latin and especially Cuban dance—drawn to its warmth, rhythm, and emotional depth. Her personal style is soft, fluid, and expressive, with a focus on connection, feeling, and flow.
With a background in language, photography, and music, Laila approaches dance as more than movement—it's a form of communication. She sees all artistic expression as storytelling, and dance as one of the most powerful ways to share emotion, identity, and experience without words.
At Ponche, Laila inspires others to connect with themselves through dance and to use movement as a tool for self-expression and discovery. One of her passions is helping women reconnect with and express their femininity through dance—inviting softness, strength, and confidence to shine.
She believes that Cuban dance, with its freedom, richness, and soul, offers a unique space to explore all aspects of oneself and to move with authenticity.
Carlos - Cuba
Teacher & Founder
Born and raised in Cárdenas, Matanzas, Cuba 🇨🇺, Carlos is a passionate professional dancer with a strong foundation in both traditional Cuban and urban dance styles. His journey began with urban genres like Hip Hop, Afro House, House Dance, and Dancehall. He later deepened his training as a member of the prestigious Television Ballet Company in Havana, where he studied Cuban ballet, contemporary dance, and folkloric styles.
Carlos gained national recognition when he competed in the popular Cuban TV show Bailando en Cuba, earning second place. This pivotal experience helped shape him as both a performer and a choreographer, and opened doors to further artistic growth. He later joined Revolution, a renowned Cuban dance company known for its wide-ranging styles and collaborations with international artists in music videos, concerts, and television programs.
Now based in the Netherlands, Carlos brings his rich experience and cultural heritage to Ponche. He is deeply committed to keeping Cuba’s authentic dance traditions alive. His goal is to introduce these original styles—such as rumba, son, and Afro-Cuban folklore—to new generations by first teaching their foundations, and then fusing them with the energy of modern popular dances. For Carlos, it's all about celebrating Cuban culture in a fresh, creative, and respectful way that everyone can enjoy.
What is Ponche?
At Ponche, we believe dance is about more than just steps and technique—it’s about connection, creativity, freedom, and a whole lot of fun!
Our name says it all: Ponche means fruit punch in Spanish, and just like this vibrant, tropical mix of fruits, we blend different flavors, styles, and rhythms to create something unique, colorful, and delicious.
In Cuba, fruit is everywhere. The streets are filled with stands selling sweet, juicy treats—mangoes, pineapples, guavas, and more—just waiting to be enjoyed. It’s a part of the daily life, a part of the culture. And just like fruit, Cuban dance is a feast for the senses, with its many different styles, flavors, and histories. From the smooth and sensual steps of salsa, to the fiery rhythms of rumba, to the playful energy of son—each dance is like a different fruit, bringing its own color and character to the mix.
In Cuba, fruit isn’t just something you eat—it’s a symbol of abundance, joy, and connection. You’ll find fruit on every street corner, and it's woven into the fabric of Cuban life. In fact, even in the Afro-Cuban religion, different fruits are connected to Orishas (gods) with specific meanings and powers.
At Ponche, we’re all about blending these different elements into a harmonious, exciting experience. Our school is a place where tradition meets innovation, where we don’t just teach you steps—we invite you to create, play, and express yourself in the most natural way possible.
So: Why Ponche? The name symbolizes both the tropical soul of Cuba and the diversity within Cuban dance. Just as a fruit punch combines different fruits to create a flavorful and refreshing drink, Ponche Dance School blends various Cuban dance styles, rhythms, and personalities to offer a rich, playful, and unique learning experience.
Whether you're here to explore Cuban dance for the first time or you're already a seasoned dancer looking to expand your skills, Ponche is the place for you. Our fun, open-hearted approach to teaching creates an environment where you can experiment, create, and most importantly—have fun. We want you to feel the freedom to express yourself and to connect with others who share your passion for movement, music, and life.
