Meet J. Giles | Dulce Y Sensual

We had the good fortune of connecting with J. Giles and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi J., what is the most important factor behind your success?
In the dance community what makes me stand out is my willingness to collaborate with other artists and dance studios as opposed to always being in competition. As a dance instructor, DJ and promoter, I see myself as a member of the dance family. I support and market for myself but I also support and market other studios, other dj’s and events. When I started it was simply because I love to dance and we needed more opportunities to do so. I still have not changed in that mindset and I am sincerely interested in the success of my peers and our overall dance community.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started dancing swing and ballroom in college; I danced with the Ballroom Performance Group at the University of Georgia for one year. Eventually ballroom dancing led me into salsa and bachata. I began going to events and taking various classes in Athens and in the Atlanta area with instructors like Matthew David Krivanek, (then Spicy Salsa now Zouk Atlanta), Alfredo Piceno (Salsambo) and many more. I fell in love with salsa and left ballroom and swing in the dust. I took introductory classes and danced at socials for years before moving to South Florida (Fort Lauderdale area). I trained at Casa Salsa in Sunrise, Florida as a member for around a year and continued to social dance and progress as a dancer. My interest in bachata began to grow while living in South Florida. Upon moving back to GA in December 2017 I spent a few months training as a member of Pasofino Dance Atlanta (Jose Maldonado, Lucy Lu and [then] Ashwin Raju). The more I learned the more I developed a love for bachata.
I started going to congresses and workshops with this style of dance as my focus. I trained, danced, and performed with Alma Atlanta under the direction of Luis Alberto and Jess Sheppard. I have spent time working with and training under Christian Sola. I teach, DJ and host/promote bachata and salsa events in Atlanta; I have choreographed and directed bachata teams as well (Georgia Tech Latin Dance Club, Dulce Y Sensual Performance Team). My dedicated relationship with dance began in 2004 and my passion continues to grow. My event Dulce Y Sensual successfully brought Sensual Bachata to Atlanta for almost 2 years before covid hit; now Dulce Y Senusal is back! Over the years I have had opportunities to teach, perform and grow as a dancer on this wonderful journey; I am a bachatero and salero and I love it!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love dance events. When I am not hosting one I attend and promote other events and DJ’s. Thursday night is all about Eclipse di Luna {Ashford Dunwoody} with DJ Danny Blanco. I host every Friday at Sebastian Pintxos Bar in midtown. El Valle is always a vibe on Saturday hosted by Miramar Pro {Nova}. Anyone visiting me is going to be out dancing salsa, bachata and reggaeton.

What keeps me busy professionally? I host Latin dance events every Friday at Sebastian Pintxos Bar in Midtown. I host a monthly bachata pool party during the summer called Poolchata. I co-host a monthly dance class and social at the Home Depot Backyard. I host a monthly, free outdoor social next to the beltline. I also promote and attend other studios events during the week. I teach private lessons at Elements Dance Studio in Doraville. I also help promote dance congresses and festivals such Miami Bachata Paradise, which I recently attended this summer.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Most of the events I host are free to the public. The support of friends and acquaintances in the dance community is the reason I keep seeing doors open and opportunities come my way. I would like to shout out the Home Depot Backyard for the work they are doing in our Atlanta community and the opportunities they are providing for people to grow their platform and share their passion with the world.

Website: https://www.dulceysensualatl.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dulceysensualatl

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/DySATL/

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@dulceysensualatl?feature=shared

Image Credits
The Cork Bros