10 Times World Salsa Champion

Oliver Pineda is Australia’s only 10 x World Salsa Champion.

​As the Founder & Director of world renown Latin Motion Dance Academy, Oliver co founded Latin Motion in the year 2000 along side Natalie Zeller (formally Reis)

​Born in Australia and of Chilean descent, this young man started dancing Salsa at the mere age of 10.

Having now danced for 30+ years, Oliver has won 5 of his World Salsa Championship titles with former celebrity dance partner (a partnership of 20+ years) 3 x winner of Dancing with the Stars; Luda Kroitor.

Oliver’s unique style of dance and clear precise teaching methods make him one of the most admired and sought after Salsa dancers and instructors in the world. Oliver has taught millions of people & performed at thousands of events in every continent around the World and continues to travel spreading his passion & knowledge for dance.

​Featured & referenced in many articles as one of the top 10 male Salsa dancers in the world, Oliver is co responsible for introducing to Sydney; Rueda in 1999, Kizomba & Semba in 2007, was one of the instigators of linear style Salsa in 2000 & is now undoubtedly the pioneer of Mambo On2 in Australia.

​Oliver owes his career success to his 10 years of technical dance & competitive training within the Latin Dance Sport & Ballroom arena. Equipping him with first hand experience & knowledge in all styles Latin & Modern, Oliver’s career highlights include being a Multiple Australian times Latin American Ballroom Champion as well as being placed in the top 98 out of 600 couples in the under 21 youth division at the prestigious Blackpool Championship in London.

​Oliver also owes his career success to his musical knowledge & percussion background given to him by his father, one of the pioneers & well respected percussionists in the Sydney Latin music industry.

Oliver, having worked as the permanent percussionist/musician (specialising in Timbales, Congas, Bongo & Campana) in the Alma Latina Band at the recently closed Vivaz Nightclub at age 16 & the Caliente La Banda band at the La Campana Nightclub at age 18, Oliver now occasionally plays with some of Sydney’s top Salsa bands & gets invited to play with some of the world’s best Salsa singers & Salsa bands in countries & events all over the World.

​Oliver’s early performance experience within the Brazilian culture has also enabled him to handle Brazilian style instruments such as the Snare Drum, Zurdo, Pandero and the Hepinique & still performs within Brazilian & Latin American show troupes till today.

​Oliver’s extensive dance experience also extends to Cuban/Afro Cuban, Cumbia, Cali Style Salsa, Zouk & Brazilian Samba as well as Latin & Modern Dance Sport styles in all its varieties such as Cha Cha, Paso Doble, Rumba, Jive, Waltz, Slow Foxtrot & Viennese Waltz to name a few.

​As well as his musical & dance talents, Oliver was also a black belt martial artist in the combat art of Tae Kwon Do having taught kids from a young age & competed in many tournaments in Australia. This relationship between martial arts & dance was formed early on in his life, equipping him with an understanding of the basics of the Brazilian martial arts, Capoeira.

​Oliver continues to spread his incredibly profound knowledge & unique, sought after teaching methodologies & style to dancers all around the World & is now in the process (alongside Mercedes Olivera as current dance partner & Head of Operations) of expanding Latin Motion & the OP Academy, locally, interstate & internationally via franchises.