Nicole Arevalo is a San Jose-based mambo and salsa instructor at Studio M Ballroom Club, where she teaches and directs Mambo Ignite. Her dance background began long before salsa: she started ballet at age three, trained for fourteen years, and studied at Capitol Ballet Center in Sacramento under Stuart Carroll and Sharon Newton.
Nicole joined Spartan Mambo in 2019 and later served as team captain for two years. Her competition background includes a 2022 SLOSX Collegiate Jack n Jill win, West Coast Latin Dance Championship results in Amateur Salsa Team and Amateur Salsa Couple, and a second-place Salsa Semi-Pro Couples result with Michael Gonzalez at the Royal Latin Dance Cup 2026.
As a teacher, Nicole brings a strong cross-training base into mambo and salsa instruction. Mambo Ignite, which she teaches with Michael Gonzalez, focuses on open-level On2 salsa, partnerwork, technique, and helping dancers build cleaner movement quality.
