Images courtesy of Marc Chang & MSS Image.
Founding Director:
Ming-Li “Minx” Hafon
At the heart of Minx's brand is a passion and respect for the history and culture of street dances. As a creative and storyteller, she encourages her students to be strong advocates for dance culture and effortlessly creates an environment for everyone to express their own individuality and style.
With over 18 years teaching, choreography and judging experience, Minx is a versatile dancer who specialises in all styles of street dance from Hip Hop to Dancehall to Salsa, but is especially known for her prowess in Reggaeton and Latin Fusion. She has had the privilege of performing and teaching in Europe, North America, Asia and all over Australia.
Her proudest dance achievements include five Australian professional solo titles and featuring in So You Think You Can Dance Australia’s top 100 dancers. Her competition troupes have won scores of National titles to date and continue to entertain crowds worldwide. She was also the youngest recipient of the “Award of Excellence for her commitment to the Australian Latin dance scene” in 2019.
As the Founding Director of The MBassy Dance Studio and with over a decade of experience in national event management amongst various street dance communities, Minx has the vision to strengthen the Melbourne street dance scene through community-driven and collaborative projects.
Why choose The MBassy Dance…
Quality
Our instructors are of an International standard with teaching, training, competition, performance, and/or judging experience at a world level.
Welcoming
We believe anyone can dance and our studio is a zero judgement zone. You don’t even need a dance partner to join!
Legacy
Not only have many of our students become National champions, our teachers often coach other dance teachers!
What makes us different…
yOur maestros…
Salsa (Mambo, LA & Cuban):
Steve Fernandez
Steve brings a vibrant energy and a deep love for social dancing to every class he teaches. With two decades of professional dance experience, his dance journey began in 2006 performing aboard the MS Holiday, and has since taken him across Australia, training and teaching alongside some of the country’s top Latin dance instructors.
A highly accomplished competitor, Steve proudly placed 8th in the world in 2010 and holds multiple National titles. Beyond the accolades, his true passion lies in helping students build confidence on the social dance floor.
Known for his humour and clear, easy-to-follow teaching style, Steve’s goal is simple: to make sure every student can step onto any dance floor, anywhere in the world, and feel right at home.
Jazz & Lyrical:
Daniel Jon
Daniel is a passionate performer, teacher, choreographer, and adjudicator whose career across stage and screen spans almost two decades. After successful teaching residencies in Sydney and Brisbane, he is excited to return home to Melbourne and continue sharing his love of dance with the community.
Throughout his career, Daniel has worked professionally across theatre, television, cruise ships, festivals, competitions, and commercial productions, while also adjudicating dance competitions nationally and internationally. His extensive experience has seen him teach and mentor dancers of all ages and levels, from complete beginners through to professionals.
Known for his supportive and energetic teaching style, Daniel strives to create a safe and judgement-free environment where dancers feel encouraged to explore their individuality, creativity, and confidence through movement.
Ballet:
Amara McHugh
Amara is a versatile dancer and instructor with a strong foundation in both classical ballet and Street Latin dance. After beginning her ballet training in Sydney, she went on to complete her Certificate IV in Dance before moving to Melbourne to undertake her Advanced Diploma in Dance (Elite Performance) at the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet under Christine Walsh AM.
Throughout her career, Amara has performed in national competitions, ballet galas, and full-length productions at the Melbourne Arts Centre, including The Nutcracker, La Bayadère, and Coppélia. Trained in both the RAD and Russian Vaganova methods, she brings exceptional technical knowledge and precision to her teaching.
Along her dance journey, Amara discovered a passion for Salsa also become a nationally qualified Pilates Instructor, specialising in injury management, rehabilitation, and dancer strength and conditioning.
Passionate about helping dancers understand both technique and the mechanics of movement, Amara creates a supportive learning environment where students can build confidence, improve their skills, and develop a deeper understanding of their bodies.
Hip Hop & KPop:
Kaelynn Yoonsung Kim
Kaelynn’s journey in dance is one of evolution and cultural fusion. Growing up immersed in the artistry of ballet and the vibrancy of K-pop, Kaelynn discovered her love for movement early on. In her 20s, she joined a university dance club in South Korea, where she performed over 60 times across diverse street dance styles, including K-pop, waacking, hip hop, and house.
As the founder of Rika Crew, Kaelynn choreographed and directed performances that celebrated street jazz and Afro influences, showcasing her versatility and creative flair. Since moving to New Zealand in 2016, her dance style has continued to evolve, incorporating reggaeton, afrobeats, and deep house into her repertoire.
Now based in Australia, Kaelynn is a welcome addition to The MBassy Dance Team! Kaelynn’s passion for dance culture and her roots in K-culture drive her mission to share her unique style and knowledge with the Australian dance community.
