Owner/ Instructor

Matt has been dancing Salsa (on2) since 2009, when his mother (Emeline) introduced him to the dance. He spent his early teen years taking countless lessons with some of the best instructors in the New York/ New Jersey salsa scene.

During Matt’s entire 4-year college journey at the University of Albany, he served as a member, lead choreographer, and president of Fuego Intenso - Albany’s largest latin dance team on campus.

Post graduation, Matt moved to NYC to further develop his skills as a latin dancer - in the actual birthplace of salsa on2. During his time there, Matt joined RUMBAYA, an advanced, co-ed performance team led by professional salsa dancer and 12x salsa world champion Delia Madera.

Currently, Matt resides in Chester, New York where he continues to spread his love and passion that he has for salsa ‘social dancing’.

Instructor

Emeline’s love of salsa music started as a little girl in Puerto Rico where she would spend most of her summers. At about 11 years old, that love for the music quickly turned into a passion for dancing “street salsa” in the Bronx, NY where she was raised.

It wasn’t until 2003 when Emeline was introduced to salsa on2, and she began taking formal lessons with some of the best dancers in the business.

Fast forward to today, Emeline has over 18 years of salsa on2 experience under her belt, and like Matt, she aims to help spread their joint love of social dancing to anyone open to learning.

Instructor

Christine's journey with salsa began early, growing up listening and dancing to salsa with her family, and dancing socially whenever she had the opportunity. When she studied abroad in Costa Rica in 2012, she became passionate about fostering connections with all types of dancers through salsa and bachata and quickly became fascinated with the lead-follow connection. 

Since then she has worked on refining her skills with top instructors, including Matt Hernandez and Edgar Osorio, and attending dance conferences for more exposure to different styles. 

Christine is eager to work with our young dancers at the Matt Hernandez Dance Company. She has taught middle- and high-school Spanish for 10 years and has a passion for teaching and mentorship leading with love and respect. She is excited to foster growth and learning, and celebrate the movement of salsa with her dance students.

Instructor

Jeremy, born and raised in Costa Rica, has always had a passion for music and dancing.

Fast forward to August, 2023 Jeremy was introduced to the style of Salsa on2 (NY Mambo) by Matt Hernandez. Under the guidance and training of MH Dance Co. Jeremy has successfully completed both Beginner & Advanced-Beginner class cycles, and continues to develop his salsa skills and techniques in Matt’s Intermediate Salsa classes.

In addition to taking countless group classes & private lessons with amazing instructors (including Matt, Marcus Nieves, & Diego Rivera) Jeremy also trains on MH Dance Co.’s co-ed salsa performance team “The Mambo Army”.

Jeremy’s long term goal is to continue sharing his passion and knowledge of dance with the current/future members of the MH Dance Co. family.

Instructor

Originally from the Bronx, Heidi Mercedes has been passionate about dance from a very young age. Since 2021, she has trained with some of the best salsa instructors, including Carlos Zafire, Jariel La Salsa, Matt Hernandez, and Diego & Yaritza. Her dedication to the art of dance has fueled her continuous growth, as she strives to refine her skills and expand her knowledge.

In addition to her love for dance, Heidi works as a dental office manager in New York City, balancing her professional career with her artistic pursuits. She remains committed to training and is eager to share her passion and skills with fellow dancers, always seeking new opportunities to learn and inspire others.