ABOUT US
MISSION STATEMENT
“So you think you can’t dance? Bet I can teach you! “
“I am here with a purpose… to inspire, uplift, love and empower all students that attend our Classes.”- Yolanda Thomas (founder)
We provide a friendly, supportive community with no judgement for the adult ABSOLUTE BEGINNER who has always wanted to learn to dance.
Let go of your limiting beliefs in dance and watch it spread into other areas of your life.
The added benefit is that you will learn a skill that makes you ‘considerably cooler than you were yesterday’ ;-)-)
CREATION OF GROOVE ZONE
After teaching adults for over 10 years at the prestigious SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY CLASSES Yolanda realized most adults who had never danced before were too scared to even join a BEGINNER class.
There is a fine line between being out of Comfort Zone and being traumatized!
So how do you start?
From this need Yolanda created the first ADULT ABSOLUTE BEGINNER HIP HOP CLASSES in Sydney and classes quickly sold out! She discovered 4 Fundamental Grooves that run through ALL Hip Hop dances that could be easily taught. It wasn’t about teaching steps, it was about teaching GROOVE!
Relocating to Los Angeles in 2013, she still has extraordinary instructors continuing to teach her methods in Sydney and now LA.
BEGINNER HIP HOP CLASSES
Discover the joy of dancing—no experience needed!
Our Beginner Hip Hop Classes are designed specifically for adult absolute beginners. If you’ve always wanted to dance but felt too uncoordinated or nervous to try, this is your safe and supportive starting point.
Start with our unique ‘Absolute Beginner’ level—easier than standard beginner classes
Learn foundational hip hop grooves in a relaxed, judgment-free space
Progress quickly—most students feel more confident after just 4 lessons
Taught with methods shaped by experience with over 100,000 students
Available in Sydney and Los Angeles
Even if you think you have “three left feet,” we’ll help you prove yourself wrong.
ADULT HIP HOP CLASSES
It’s never too late to dance.
Our Adult Hip Hop Classes are for anyone 18+ who wants to move, groove, and gain confidence—without the pressure of keeping up with kids.
Welcoming mix of adults, mostly in their 30s to 50s
Build confidence, coordination, and fitness while having fun
Great for singers, actors, and creatives wanting better stage presence
Join a social, upbeat community that celebrates progress over perfection
Courses offered year-round in both Los Angeles and Sydney
For Intermediate dancers we have 1/2 time Performance opportunities. eg- WNBA at Crypto Arena.
Step out of your comfort zone and into the Groove Zone, where you’ll find a class that meets you right where you are.
INSTRUCTOR BIOS- Los Angeles
YOLANDA THOMAS- LA
Yolanda is the founder of Groove Zone, originally from Sydney, Australia. She has taught over 100,000 students in person and is known for delivering highly motivational, engaging hip hop dance classes for adults.
She specializes in building confidence in beginners across dance, vocals, and stage presence, and is an award-winning vocalist, performer, songwriter, choreographer, and charting recording artist.
Yolanda co-authored several beginner dance articles for wikiHow, which have reached millions of readers.
Her choreography and casting clients include DREAMWORKS TV (LA) and GOOGLE (Sydney).
She won Choreographer of the Year at the international BATTLEGROUNDS Hip Hop Competition for her work with junior crew STARTIME KREW.
She also choreographed and appeared in MTV’s Full Tank, coaching finalists from CLEO’s Bachelor of the Year.
Her national dance tours include performing as a dancer/rapper for COCA-COLA and joining REEL 2 REAL on tour during their hit “I Like to Move It, Move It!”
Yolanda was featured in Camilla Franks’ Women of the World—a coffee table book celebrating 100 influential Australian women.
As a vocalist, she has performed with Johnny Depp and members of Guns N’ Roses, INXS, and Pink.
MANUELA OLIVEIRA- LA
Manuela Oliveira is an Australian-Portuguese dancer and choreographer based in Los Angeles, known for her work across TV, music, and live performance worldwide.
She spent three seasons as a performance consultant and choreographer on NBC’s The Voice USA, working with Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, CeeLo Green, and Blake Shelton. Manuela also assisted Paula Abdul on The X Factor USA and was a lead choreographer for So You Think You Can Dance Australia and Malaysia.
Her international credits span choreography, creative direction, and judging—most recently for pop artist Diogo Piçarra at the 2023 International Portuguese Music Awards.
Performance highlights include dancing for Rihanna at the MTV VMAs, and appearances with Jennifer Lopez, Sara Bareilles, and more. She has featured in global campaigns for Adidas, Nike, Toyota, and McDonald’s.
With over 18 years of teaching experience across Australia, Asia, and the U.S., Manuela brings both elite industry insight and infectious energy to every class she leads.
INSTRUCTOR BIOS- SYDNEY
ANNA QUE- SYDNEY
She is a qualified teacher and choreographer, who has performed on stage with the likes of Chingy and Ja Rule at the Australian MTV Music Awards. She also performed as an opening act for Montell Jordan with the DJ D Crew and competed on ABC’s Strictly Dancing.
She has kept up her skills and training, traveling abroad to take classes at the“O” Hip-hop School in Singapore, Broadway Dance Centre in New York City and has worked closely with LA based hip hop specialist & Groove Zone owner -Yolanda.
She brings out the best in every student with her energy, enthusiasm and passion for dance.
PHILLIPE WITANA- SYDNEY
Phillipe has been in entertainment for almost 20yrs.
Originally from New Zealand his first professional break came in 2010, becoming a top 4 finalist on the reality dance show ‘So You Think You Can Dance’. Following the show he performed for many Australian and international artists such as Beyonce, Will.i.Am, Kylie Minogue, Jason Derulo, Rita Ora, and Timomatic, Jessica Mauboy, Delta Goodrem and more.
In 2014 he moved to China and launched a film educational platform, connecting writers, directors, cinematographers, actors and other disciplinarians to aspiring filmmakers through workshops and courses.
Through this time he was movement director and choreographer on a number of Chinese media projects.
He also published Dance to Success a #1 selling book. A step-by-step guide to the dance industry In Australia.
MARIA GUILIA- SYDNEY
Born in Brazil. Maria brings a welcoming and fun approach, focused on creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable to learn and express themselves.
With an emphasis on basic movements, musicality, and building confidence, Maria seeks to inspire her students to let go, have fun and explore street dance as a form of expression and self-confidence.
SHANNON (Sparklez)- SYDNEY
Shannon a.k.a Sparklez has been dancing for over 20 years with experience in all styles mainly focusing on street styles Hip Hop and Breaking.
She has extensively studied and completed two full time dance courses, earning a Certificate IV in Performing Arts at Urban Dance Centre. Shannon has performed throughout Sydney and interstate for events such as HermesFit, City Sessions, and Darling Harbour Xmas.
She loves to teach and share what she has learnt throughout the years and is heavily immersed in the Sydney street dance communities.
JAMES DEANE- SYDNEY
James Deane is a Sydney-based hip hop choreographer, performer, and crew mentor with international credits. He’s danced for Jaden & Willow Smith and worked with Enrique Iglesias, Terry Crews, and more.
As a choreographer, his work includes DJ Katch’s “The Horns” and Olivia Foa’i’s “Hau La,” plus live shows for Elly Oh and Cat Thompson.
James has judged/mentored at World Supremacy Battlegrounds, Hip Hop International, K-pop World Festival, and the Australian Dance Crew Championships. With 15+ years teaching, he builds confident, performance-ready dancers in a fun, supportive room.