TEACHERS
TEIJA AHOLA
Teija is the founder, teacher, and choreographer of Åbolly. She began her dance journey as a child with classical ballet, which later transitioned to jazz dance during her youth. In the early 1990s, she started intensive studies in oriental dance. Teija began teaching oriental dance just a few years after completing her dance studies. She started studying flamenco in 1997 and actively pursued it for over ten years, also being part of performing dance groups.
Teija has been teaching Bollywood dance since 2009, and it has captivated her ever since. In 2024, Teija has taught Bollywood dance for 15 years. She is particularly fascinated by the diversity of Indian music and various dance styles, which share many similarities with flamenco and oriental dance that can be utilized in Bollywood dance choreographies.
Teija is gradually making space for younger instructors, who are alumni of the school. In the autumn season of 2024, Teija will only be teaching an open-level group in Naantali and substituting for other teachers as needed. This will give her more time for other administrative tasks within the school.
Private and group lessons, wellness classes (TYHY), and bachelorette party lessons are also available. You can also inquire about short courses or book the Åbolly Dancers dance group for private or corporate events.
SANNA SONI
Sanna began exploring Indian culture and dance while living in the state of Rajasthan 2015/ 2016. She was initially introduced to Indian dances through everyday life and Indian weddings. She has deepened the movement language and techniques under the guidance of both Finnish and international teachers. Sanna is particularly fascinated by the deep-rooted traditions of Indian culture and the vibrant presence of dance and music as core elements in the everyday life.
Sanna is especially interested in Indian folk and traditional dances. In recent years, she has focused on teaching, in addition to Bollywood, Kollywood, Garba, Rajasthani dance, Kalbeliya, Chari, and Lavani. She has previous dance experience in rhythmic gymnastics and street dance styles. Sanna has taught people of all ages, from infants to the elderly, her teaching and coaching experience includes classes for schoolchildren, Latin rhythms and body care for adults, and mixed dance and contemporary dance for youth. Sanna has mainly taught Indian dances to adults at both beginner and advanced levels. She has been dancing all her life, with Indian dances becoming her main focus since 2017. Sanna performs with both Åbolly Dancers and Nach Baliye groups, being one of the trusted choreographers for both.
As an instructor, Sanna strives to be fair, encouraging, and considerate of everyone. The fun achieved through dance is the best part! In her classes, the principles of a safe space are followed, and everyone is welcome. Participants are encouraged to find and develop their own movement language, not forgetting to break a sweat! Sanna is a cheerful and energetic instructor, sometimes a bit demanding of her students too. She brings a lot of knowledge about Indian culture to her classes in addition to dance. She also offers private lessons, for example, for bachelorette parties or workplace wellness days.
DARIA ANTTILA
Daria has been dancing her entire life, accumulating experience and skills in various dance styles, including the basics of dance, commercial dance, twerk, and dancehall. About five years ago, Daria fell in love with Bollywood dance at Åbolly in Turku. Through studying Indian dances and gaining more experience, she developed a passion for creating Bollywood choreographies and bringing color and joy to everyone through them.
Daria is a talented and expressive dancer, and in the past year, she has truly blossomed as a performer.
As a teacher, Daria is inspiring and energetic. In her dance classes, she combines her university pedagogical experiences with her creativity to create a safe and joyful environment for all her students.
MARI MOILANEN
Mari Moilanen is one of the founding members of the Turku-based dance group Nach Baliye Indian ry. The association focuses on Rajasthani dances and is the only group in Finland that performs Chari dance and Bhavai. Mari has a dance background in contemporary dance, jazz dance, and Bollywood dance. She has been studying Rajasthani dances for four years under the guidance of several teachers, including Ilona Kolachana, Hemant Devara, Meena Sapera, Rekha Kalbeliya, Claudia Llanos, Nishtha Agarwal, Sheet Rathore, and Ajit Singh Tanwar.
Mari teaches Rajasthani dances at Åbolly in short courses and on a per-class basis.
KÁRMEN KOLLÁR
Meet Kármen, a passionate dancer and instructor, who has been immersed in the world of dance since the tender age of six, exploring various dance styles. In 2017, captivated by Indian culture, she embarked on a transformative journey into the enchanting world of Kathak.
Having honed her skills at the Embassy of India in Budapest, Hungary, Kármen had the privilege of studying under the guidance of two esteemed teachers. For the first two years, she trained with Ms. Saumya Shukla, a disciple of the renowned Alaknanda Institute for Performing Arts. Subsequently, Kármen continued her artistic growth under the tutelage of Ms. Sonali Roy, a disciple of the legendary Kathak maestro, Birju Maharaj.
Currently, Kármen lives in Turku and teaches Kathak dance at Åbolly Dance School through short courses and private lessons.