Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Carlos Tonos. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Carlos , appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Since I can remember I have been surrounded by music, singing and dancing. I have been blessed to be raised in an environment where the arts are in its core. From my parents playing music everyday, my aunt singing while we enjoyed the night sky, to every family event where dancing and singing must be present.

My passion for performing arts started at a very young age. From music lessons, to participating in school plays, talent shows or any function that I could use an excuse to be on stage. As I got older I got the opportunity to continue to take music, acting and dance lessons, and participate in larger scales events. I was able to be in small musical productions, to choreograph and lead my own dance team.

It’s hard to pinpoint when I knew I wanted to pursue a professional path in the arts, it has always been a dream of mine. It has always been my passion, but it was a dream I did not pursue initially. After college I decided to get a career working for big corporations and deviated from my dreams. As time went by I decided that I wanted to start teaching and sharing with the community one of my biggest passions, dancing.

For a while I did it in my spare time. But the more I did it, the more fulfillment I got. Not only was I doing something I loved, but I was helping others in more than one way. As I continue to grow as a teacher, I started to notice that I was not just teaching steps, turns, and dance fundamentals, but I was helping people go through tough times. I was helping people improve their self-confidence and self-esteem. I was helping people discover new passions, believe in themselves, and slowly create a community where they feel accepted.

If I have to choose the moment I decided that this is what I want to continue to do, it was the moment I realized how much I was able to help others through my teaching.

Carlos , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was born and raised in Puerto Rico where my love for music and dancing started at an early age, participating in school and camp musicals, recitals, plays, talent shows and more. In my teen years, I joined the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico where I grew my musical background. At the same time, I joined two musical productions, competed in national level talent shows as well as dance in local and national events.

During my college years, I joined one of the University of Puerto Rico dance teams, where I later became the main choreographer and director. Not long after I started to teach in local dance academies, private events and workshops.
I moved to the Tampa Bay area in 2015 and established Tonos Latin Dance in October 2018 to share my love of music, dancing and teaching.

Tonos Latin Dance was created with the purpose of building a supportive dance community, a place where everyone can come together, learn and grow. We do not only teach dancing, we help our students build confidence, trust and self-esteem while promoting a safe and welcoming environment.

Our school specializes in teaching how to dance different styles of Salsa and Bachata, whether in a group setting or private lessons. We focus on helping people who want to improve their dance skills by focusing on fundamentals and musicality. Our goal is to help everyone master the steps while developing their unique styles. We are known for our ability to break down the steps and teach them in a simple way that everyone can learn. We help build up morale and confidence in our students.

We are proud to have been able to create a place with a supportive culture that promotes growth. Our students have become a small family. A place where we all get together in and outside of the classroom. We do weekly activities together from dancing to going to the movies, practice, and attend small gatherings. We are proud that we started to build a community who lifts and supports each other.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

One big aspect about any creative or performing art, is that it is not seen as a real career, and it is consistently undervalued. To become a good artist requires a lot of hard work, training and commitment. It is not an easy career path to follow, and not many value its importance.

Artists are the one who bring colors, flavor and inspirations in our life. They are the ones who move our soul. We do not realize how much artists play in our day to day life. From the clothes you wear, your business designs and logos, your favorite TV shows, movies and plays, to the video games and the art that decorate your walls. Every day our lives are blessed because of something an artist created, and life would be very bleak without them.

If you support the artist, look in your local community and support your local theater, local bands, dance schools, painters, and talent events. If you are going to hire one, pay them properly, because you are not paying just for the time they will work for you, you are also paying for the time it took to master their skills, practice time, equipment, and much more.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the way we connect to the world, and how we impact the people who see us. We have the ability to drive messages and emotions to whoever sees us, sometimes without using any words. What we do can break barriers, transcend languages, culture and race.

Being on stage there was no better feeling than seeing someone cry, because it was a sad scene. Or see someone burst into laughter and joy, because it was a happy scene. Or getting total silence because everyone is so in the moment, and does not want to miss a thing.

As a dance instructor, there is no better reward than teaching our students how to connect with themselves. To express themselves through movements to the music. It is a beautiful way to help others learn to deal with their emotions, and express them in a healthy manner.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tonoslatindance.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonoslatindance/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TonosLatinDance/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanceTonos
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQnyJycG32yyVwhRbL5VSMw
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tonos-latin-dance-tampa

Image Credits
Photos by Soul Capture by Chávez Photographer Jorge Chávez