ARTIA ZANDIAN

ABOUT ARTIA

Leadership and Experience
Artia Zandian is a professional salsa dancer, instructor, and entrepreneur, and the Director of Alma Dance Sydney, Alma Dance Melbourne and Sydney Salsa Classes, three of Australia’s leading Latin dance organisations.

With over a decade of experience in the dance industry, Artia has built and scaled high-performing dance programs known for their structure, consistency, and teaching quality. He has trained extensively with world-class coaches, competed and performed internationally, and brings that same standard of excellence into the businesses he leads.

Training & Excellence
Artia specialises in both Salsa On1 (taught at SSC) and Salsa On2 (taught at Alma) covering partnerwork, shines, musicality, and performance training, with a strong focus on systems, teacher development, and student progression. His approach combines technical precision with clear frameworks that allow both dancers and instructors to grow sustainably.

As a business leader, Artia is passionate about making high-quality dance education accessible without compromising standards, focusing on building strong teams and scalable systems that prioritise both results and human connection.

Industry Cultivation
Beyond elite performance, Artia is a dedicated architect of the broader dance industry. Through Sydney Salsa Classes, he has pioneered a welcoming, entry-level ecosystem designed to make Latin dance accessible to the masses. By implementing professionalised systems at the beginner level, he ensures the industry grows sustainably from the ground up, viewing every new student as a vital part of the community’s future.

Community Growth
Artia focuses on lowering barriers to entry, creating inclusive environments where "high-quality" training is never intimidating. His vision balances technical rigour with the social connection essential for a thriving, long-term dance culture. By cultivating these grassroots environments, he continues to bridge the gap between social enjoyment and professional excellence, driving the expansion of the Australian Latin dance landscape.

Business For Good
Deeply committed to social responsibility, Artia has integrated a Business For Good model into his organisations through a partnership with B1G1. This initiative ensures that every step a student takes in class contributes to a tangible global impact, with a portion of tuition fees supporting high-impact causes worldwide. To date, this mission has resulted in over 6,800 impacts providing clean water, alongside significant contributions to environmental restoration, food security, and global education, ensuring the business creates value far beyond the dance floor.