My first experience in ballroom was in a try-it-out-for-free class at UC Davis taught by Ikhlas. One of the most outstanding memories of my first impression of him was when he was teaching the leaders (mostly boys) how to dip their followers (all girls). I don't remember exactly what dip he taught or how he taught the technic, but what I do remember is him saying, "If you're going to fall, what you do is go straight down to your knees, you pull her into your arms, and protect her. You do not drop her." Needless to say, I joined the class, and eventually joined the dance team at the studio he taught at at the time.
Ikhlas is elegant on the dance floor and off. He has a way of making you feel special, like a specific individual, rather than "just another student," and he has a genuinely good personality.
If you're wondering about his dance skills, all I can say is that you won't be disappointed. He can be masculine, more masculine than any other male teacher I've come across. He can also be elegant in a more delicate, feminine way, so much that it can trump almost all of the female dance teachers I've come across, too.
Ikhlas is a great dancer, he teaches dance in a way that's easy to understand and learn, and he's a great person altogether. To bring it all together, Ikhlas is an amazing teacher. read more
