This week on Chasing Artists with XENJA, we chat with Irene Rubinsky about her love of and passion for dance, and how dance has been her rock throughout everything in her life from moving to the USA from Argentina in her early twenties to navigating a major LA earthquake the day after starting her own gym to stepping into her own performance light.
Guest Bio
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Irene began dancing at the early age of three. Irene studied Modern, Ballet and Jazz in Argentina and dancing became her passion throughout her teens. She appeared on television and the stage before eventually teaching dance.
In 1991 she relocated to Los Angeles. In 1994, along with co-owner and celebrity dance/aerobics instructor, MaDonna Grimes, Irene opened her first dance studio in West Hollywood, California. Within only one year her dance studio became “the studio of choice” providing celebrities and locals with the hottest and best instructors and the most innovative classes. In 1997 Irene started a very successful career at Gold's Gym as the Group Exercise Director overseeing 7 different locations and over 200 instructors all over Southern California. In 2012 Irene decided to change gear yet again and became the manager of Talent Lab a kids dance studio in Westalake Village. And In 2017 at Edge Performing Arts Center in Hollywood.
Irene decided in 2018 to pursue a professional dance career and was signed by Go To Talent Agency. She recently appeared on the award winning show “Transparent” on Amazon Prime.
Meanwhile Irene's passion for dance has never stopped. In 1994 she created her Latino Groove class which has been evolving ever since. Irene has instructed students worldwide including Japan, Korea, South America and throughout the United States. She has been featured in numerous television shows and Magazines.You can find her teaching her Latin Jazz Fusion class at Edge Performing Arts Center in Hollywood and at Equinox around Los Angeles.
Owner, creator and manager of MaDonna Grimes Fitness Theatre Co- West Hollywood 1993-1997 Group Exercise Director Gold's Gym Hollywood, Downtown LA, Thousand Oaks,Simi Valley, Fullerton, West Covina 1997- 2012 IDEA conference Presenter 1998-1999 IHRSA Conferemce Presenter-2006 Gold''s Gym Conference Presenter 2010 Gold's Gym award winning Program Director 1999 & 2001 Gold's Gym nominee for Best Program Director 02,03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11 Featured in SHAPE magazine, Los Angeles Times, Inside Edition, Extra, Good Day LA Certifications : AFAA, Pilates, Gravity, Zumba, CPR/ AED , Life Coach, and creator of Latino Groove , Latin Grind, FIRE, Latin Jazz Fusion.
Teaching history:
MaDonna Grimes Fitness Theatre West Hollywood CA 1994-1997
Gold's Gym 1997-2011 Hollywood, Downtown LA, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley and Culver City.
Breakthru Fitness Pasadena CA 2011-2012
Talent Lab Westlake Village CA 2012-2015
Equinox Woodland Hills 2012-2013
Equinox West Hollywood -2012
Equinox Encino 2014
BayClub Santa Mónica CA 9012- Present
BayClub Canoga Park CA 2012- 2019
Edge Performing Arts Center 2012-Present
LaDance Fit 2012
BayClub Thousand Oaks CA 2015- 2017
Athletic Society Westlake Village 2017-Present
Equinox Sports Club LA 2020
Certifications and Accreditations:
Life Coach, AFAA, Pilates, Gravity, Zumba, CPR/ AED certified. Go2Talent Agency, Creator of Latino Groove, Latin Grind, FIRE, and Irene's Dance Fusion. Featured in SHAPE Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Inside Edition, Extra and Good Day LA. International Award Winning Coach for U.S.A. (Gold and Silver) and Danish (Gold) Aerobic Competition Teams and Pairs.
Choreographer for Miss Fitness U.S.A. and Miss Fitness America.
Transparent.
Links to Guest
Irene Rubinsky - facebook
@chachaqueen - instagram
irenesdancefusion - youtube
Show Notes
@iamxenja
www.xenja.org
www.patreon.com/xenja
www.xenja.bandcamp.com
Produced by XENJA
Music by XENJA
Audio Editing by High Noon Audio
