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Sumera Garcia-Quadri

"My decision to enter the field of dance and wellness came out of my struggles with weight and body issues which can be traced back to my childhood. I was raised in a single-parent household by my father who had Diabetes and a physical disability. After my dad passed away, my grandparents took care of me and did their best to keep me engaged through physical activities including girl’s basketball, baseball, and community arts programs. My aunt Rubina also took the initiative to expose me to Latin dances when I was about 13 years old. The fun I had dancing with her had a huge impact on me. In my teens, I found gyms and traditional exercise equipment boring and I’d give up. I didn’t know about group dance or fitness at the time. It wasn’t until working for cancer and sports charities, however, that I realized the life-saving benefits associated with regular weekly exercise. That’s when I decided to create a physical activity plan that worked for me. Putting what I had learned into practice, I embarked on a fitness journey through the one activity that I had loved since childhood and that came naturally to me, dance. Dancing to Hip Hop, Funk, and Latin is what kept me alive. Since this journey, my life has changed in ways that I could never have imagined."

CERTIFICATIONS

  • Temporomandibular Disorders | Advanced Physical Therapy Education Institute | Toronto, ON

  • Fitness Instructor Specialist (FIS)| Canadian Fitness Professionals (CanFitPro)

  • Children's Fitness Coach (Ages 7 to 12 Yrs) | Canadian Fitness Professionals

  • Prenatal and Postpartum Exercise Design Course | Human Kinetics

  • 2018 Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) | National Coaches Certification Program (NCCP)

  • 2016 to 2021 Pound Pro Instructor License| Pound Fitness

  • 2014 to 2015 Zumba Fitness B1 Instructor License| Zumba Fitness

  • 2023 Police Reference Check (Vulnerable Sector Check) |Toronto Police Services

  • Current CPR Level C & AED Training (level C)| Toronto CPR

EDUCATIONAL TRAINING

  • 2023: NCCP Coaching Athletes with a Disability | National Coaches Certification Program (NCCP)

  • 2023: NCCP Sports Nutrition | National Coaches Certification Program (NCCP)

  • 2022: Mental Health In Sport | National Coaches Certification Program (NCCP)

  • 2020: Successful Kids Fitness Business Webinar | Pl3y Inc.

  • 2019: Leadership Workshop for Women in Coaching | Coaches Association of Ontario, Toronto, ON

  • 2018: Keeping Girls in Sport: Learning Through Action | CAAWS, Toronto, ON

  • 2018: Fundamental Movement Skills| NCCP and CAAWS, Toronto, ON

  • 2017: Introduction to Prenatal Fitness Programming

INSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE

  • More than 10 years of experience in instructing women's group fitness classes across Toronto

  • Over 7 years of experience in organizing community and special projects for special populations including newcomers with a refugee background, at-risk youth, first-time mothers, and those living in communities with high violence rates

  • 10 years of experience working in community and health settings and spaces (non-gym settings)

  • Experience in instructing classes of 50 participants or more both in-person and online (via zoom)

DANCE EXPERIENCE

  • Hip Hop and Funk (Age 9) and Jazz ( Age 13 to 14)

  • More than 15 years of dance training in Afro-Latin which includes: Cuban Salsa, Salsa on 1 (LA), Mambo, Cuban Rumba (Guaguanco), and Merengue

  • International ballroom dance training includes: Swing, Waltz, Rumba, Cha Cha

  • Salsa Styling: Antonio Leon Rayo (Salsa Axe, Cancun, Mexico)

  • Salsa on 1 (LA Style): with Stephanie Gurnon (GoDanz Mambo)

  • Salsa Grooves Program (New York Salsa/Mambo): with Shani Talmor

  • Pachanga Program: Eddie and Maria Torres

  • Pachanga and Boogaloo (Latin Cha Cha) Workshops: Eddie Torres Jr.

  • Belly Dance Training (Beginner Levels) with Souhaer Zarik of HipKik Dance

  • 2018 to 2020 Brazilian Dance Training: Samba No Pe (Afro Latino Dance Company) |Forro (Terraca De Danca, and dança carlinhos araujo, Fortaleza Brasil ) |Samba De Gafiera (Baila Toronto)

  • Specialty Jazz workshops include: Charleston and Lindy Hop

DANCE PERFORMANCE HISTORY

  • Salsa & Latin Dance Performer (2014 to 2016)

  • Cuban Rumba and Salsa Team under Dailyn Martinez of Shum De Salsa (2015 to 2016)

SPECIAL DANCE AND MOVEMENT PROJECTS

2019 to Current: Annual Youth Dance and Safety Event Series

  • Organizer: Sumera

  • Self-defense provided by: Niv Goffman and Jesse Salloum from Krav Maga Maleh Canada (2019 to 2023), Gemma from Girls Who Fight (2021), Nikki from Six Krav Maga, Coach Kris Raghubir (2024)

  • Dance Fitness Instruction: Sumera (Latin Fusion), Ceejay (Socacize), Alejandra (Latin), Michelle (Samba Heat), and Denise (Socacize)

  • Host partners have included:

    • Success Beyond Limits- Jane-Finch (Black Creek)

    • Weston Frontlines (York)

    • Albion Boys and Girls Club (Rexdale)

    • Rexdale Community Health Center (Rexdale)

    • L’Amoreaux Community Center and various City of Toronto Community Centres in Scarborough

    • TNG Community Services - Kick Start After School Club

    • YMCA Scarborough (Scarborough)

2018 to 19 Newcomer’s Dance Too! Project For Newcomer women and girls living in Flemingdon Park (Funded by the Toronto Arts Council)

  • Organizer and Primary Artist: Sumera

  • Supporting artists: Zahira (Co-creator of Dragonfly Belly Dance) and Dailyn Martinez (Shum De Salsa)

  • Dance classes offered: Bollywood Dance, Egyptian Dance, Latin and Cuban Dances

  • Host organizations: The Afghan Women's Organization and Flemingdon Health Center

COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

  • 2021 to Current: Toronto Public Libraries

    • Adult Latin and Bollywood Dance, kid’s Bollywood dance, Senior Movement

    • Kid’s Mask making crafts and story-telling sessions

  • 2021 to 2022: Jean Augustine Center For Girl’s Empowerment

    • Organizer and dance instructor: Sumera (Latin Dance Fitness)

    • Supporting Instructors: Ceejay (Caribbean and Yoga), Michitia (Latin Dance and Brazilian Samba), and Cheryl (Hula/Polynesian Dance), Victoria (Zumba Fitness)

  • 2021 Online: Autism Ontario

    • Organizer and instructor: Sumera (Latin Dance Fitness)

    • Supporting Instructors: Ceejay (Caribbean and Yoga), Michitia (Latin Dance and Brazilian Samba), Victoria (Zumba Fitness), and Dailyn Martinez (Cuban Salsa)

  • 2021 Online: Routes - Canadian Mental Health Association

    • Organizer and dance instructor: Sumera (Latin Dance Fitness)

    • Supporting Instructors: Ceejay (Caribbean and Yoga), Pekhna (Bollywood) and Cheryl (Hula/Polynesian Dance)

  • 2020 to 2021 Online: Albion Boys and Girls Club

    • Organizer and dance instructor: Sumera (Latin Fusion)

    • Supporting Instructors: Dailyn Martinez (Afro Cuban/Cuban Rumba), Ampritta (Barre Fitness), Ceejay (Caribbean), Cheryl (Hula Dances), Pekhna (Bollywood), Mithila (Indian Classical Dance Fusion)

  • 2020: Free Dance and Fitness Programs (ONLINE) with Flemingdon Health Center

    • Leading instructor: Sumera

    • Barre: Amprita (Barre Ballet Dance Fit)

    • Bollywood Fitness: Pekhna and Mithila

    • Caribbean Dance Fitness and Yoga: Ceejay

  • 2020: Valentine’s Dance, Self-Image & Self-Defense Series

    • Organizer and dance instructor: Sumera

    • Self-defense instructor: Niv from Krav Maga Maleh Canada

    • Hosts: Scarborough Women’s Organization and L’Amoreaux Community Center

  • 2019: Halloween Thriller and HipHop Dance series

    • Organizer and Hip Hop and Fitness instructor: Sumera

    • Hosts: Frontlines-Weston Youth Center, Success Beyond Limits-Jane/Finch & The Neighborhood Link

  • The Spot - Jane and Finch Community and Family Center – Toronto, ON

    • 2016 Creator and Instructor, Girls Summer HipHop/Latin Dance & Fitness Project

  • The Afghan Women’s Organization – Toronto Canada

    • 2016-17 Creator and Instructor, Newcomer Women's Bollywood Fitness Project

COMMUNITY CLASSES

  • Etobicoke Arts - Toronto, ON

    • 2024: Senior Movement Classes

    • 2023: Kid’s Dance Fitness Party

  • Silver Services - Mississauga, ON

    • 2023 Online: Older Adult Dance Fitness (Latin and Bollywood)

  • Rexdale Child and Family Services – Toronto, ON

    • 2020 Online: Youth Classical Indian Dance Online Class (ages 10 +) with Mithila

  • Kick Start (The Neighborhood Link) – Toronto, ON

    • 2019: Kids Halloween Dance Fitness and Circuit Training (ages 7 to 12)

  • L’Amoreaux Community Center – Toronto, ON

    • 2018: Instructor, Newcomer Girls Bollywood Dance Class

  • Arab Community Center of Toronto– Toronto, ON

    • Newcomer Girls Zumba® Class

  • Success Beyond Limits, Westview High School– Toronto, ON

    • 2017: Instructor, Girl's Latin Dance

  • Flemingdon Health Center – Toronto, ON

    • 2017: Instructor, Mom and Baby Latin Dance Fitness Program and Pound Fit Program

  • The Spot - Jane and Finch Community and Family Center – Toronto, ON

    • 2016: Creator and Instructor, Girls Zumba Fitness

  • Youth Hub - Yorkwoods Toronto Public Library – Toronto, ON

    • 2016: Instructor, Hip Hop Dance Fusion and Pound Rockout Workout

  • The Afghan Women’s Organization – Toronto Canada

    • 2016-17: Newcomer Women Zumba Fitness

EVENT ENERGIZERS / DEMONSTRATIONS

  • 2024: The Latin Fair - Family and Kids Latin Dance

  • 2024: India Pavillion - Bollywood Fusion Energizer

  • 2022: Etobicoke Arts, Arts In Wincott Park - Kid’s Bollywood with Scarves Workshops

  • 2021: Etobicoke Arts, Arts In Wincott Park - Kid’s Latin Dance Fusion Workshops

  • 2019: North York Winter Fest - Interactive Adult Latin Dance Demonstration

  • 2019: North York Winter Fest - Kids Fitness Fun & Circuits

  • 2019: TD Festival of South Asia - Gerrard-India Bazaar - Women’s Bollywood & Scarves Demonstration, Girls Bollywood-Barre (Ballet) and Kids Bollywood Dance

  • 2019: Hijabi Ballers Sports Festival - Bollywood Dance Demonstration

  • 2019: Hijabi Ballers Sports Festival - Self-Defense Workshop with Krav Maga Maleh Canada

  • 2018: Flemingdon CSS Fall Festival: Interactive Latin & Hiphop Dance Demonstrations

  • 2018: L’Amoreaux Community Center: Halloween Girls Latin HipHop Dance Event

  • 2018: FHC Fall Block Party: Interactive Funk & HipHop Dance Demonstration

  • 2018: Healthy Kids Community Challenge - Dance Demonstrations (Funk, Latin & Bollywood)

  • 2017: North York Winter Festival - Interactive Kids Zumba® Demonstration

  • 2017: Jane-Finch Center Annual General Meeting - Interactive Latin Line Dance,

  • 2017: Afghan Women’s Organization Syrian Wellness Conference - Bollywood Dance Session

  • 2016: Afghan Women’s Organization Newcomer Syrian Conference - Kids Bollywood Dance Classes

  • 2016: Jane-Finch Center’s 40th Anniversary - Interactive Zumba® Demonstration

  • 2016: Diva Girl Fashion Show Latin Dance Fitness Demonstration

RELEVANT VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

  • 2015-2017: Steering Committee Member, Make The First Move Program, Afghan Women’s Organization

  • 2012: Hockey for Heart Committee Member, Heart & Stroke Foundation

  • 2011: Run for the Cure Registration Coordinator, The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation

  • 2011-current:  Events Team,  War Child Canada - Toronto, ON