
LEELA BALIN
Brazilian Funk Instructor
After being inspired at a school disco dance competition at the age of seven, Leela began her formal dance training in 2010 at Danza Live, where she studied jazz, ballet contemporary, hip-hop and commercial styles. Here she developed a passion for bold choreography and expression grounded in classical technique.
Her love for dance continued steadily into adulthood, training in jazz and commercial until she forayed into the world of latin and ballroom at Quicksteps dance studio. For 2 years, Leela immersed herself in Adelaide’s social dance scene, studying more than 16 assorted styles from salsa and bachata to waltz and tango. Here, she realised her innate talent for getting anybody up onto the dancefloor and grew an immense appreciation for the international language of dance.
Beginning samba and funk in 2020 was a natural progression for Leela. Becoming immersed in the history and culture of Brazilian music and dance, she joined several performance teams with whom she competed at Tropicana in 2021, placing 2nd in the semi-pro samba division and 1st in the amateur division for a Brazilian funk routine choreographed by Felipe Rodrigues.
In 2022, Leela successfully auditioned for Escola de Samba Adelaide's first Sambhinas performance team, representing the school's vision for promoting samba to the community with integrity and passion. In 2023 she travelled to Rio, Brazil with Samba Internacional, and had the opportunity to train intensively with esteemed samba and funk dancers. The trip culminated in parading for three schools over two nights in the 2023 Carnaval Series Ouro, including the Sambista Ala for Unidos de Bangu, and an international ala for Inocentes de Belford Roxo, choreographed by the King of Samba, Carlinhos Salgueiro.
After these rewarding and enriching experiences, Leela is more excited than ever to share her love of funk and samba through teaching and choreographing as a part of Escola's teaching team, while continuing online training to stay up to date on the current techniques and sounds coming straight from Brazil.