RICARDO LOAIZA

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After School Dance Fund/Baila4Life

Ricardo Loaiza serves as founder and executive director of the After School Dance Fund/Baila4Life, where he has revolutionized Latin dance education in public schools across the Mid-Atlantic region.

Loaiza designed and implemented a comprehensive Latin dance curriculum for grades K-12, aligned with U.S. National Core Arts Standards and tailored for public school integration. His programming emphasizes physical health, cultural heritage and social-emotional growth through Latin dance education. He has built partnerships with DC Public Schools and DC Public Charter Schools while piloting innovative after-school programs in Arlington and Washington D.C. Students participate in classes twice weekly, learning to choreograph and perform Latin dances while developing academic and social support networks.

Since 2010, Loaiza has mentored and trained more than 1,000 student graduates from Montgomery County Public Schools to become Latin dance coaches. These young adults have grown into confident leaders and role models, with many returning annually to support programming while balancing college and career responsibilities. One former student began as a shy high school sophomore, later returned as a coach and eventually launched her own youth dance initiative focused on Latinx cultural pride and wellness.

His board service includes Leadership Montgomery LMCORE Class of 2020, co-founder and CEO of Achilles Soccer Foundation in 2018, and appointment to Maryland’s Workers’ Compensation Commission Advisory Committee from 2011 to 2017.

Loaiza has served as instructor and trainer for the National Capital Chapter of the American Red Cross since 1991.

As producer and director of the Annual MCPS Latin Dance Competition at the Music Center at Strathmore, Loaiza has created a signature cultural experience that has sold out every year since 2010. From 2014 to 2018, he organized the Kennedy Center Regional Latin Dance Competition, positioning Maryland as a leader in youth-centered cultural arts initiatives.

“I continue to champion the Latin dance and arts education industry through professional innovation—developing scalable, standards-aligned curricula, launching mentorship pipelines for student alumni, and fostering long-term partnerships with schools, nonprofits and cultural institutions,” Loaiza said.

Honoree profiles were written using an artificial intelligence program and supported by honoree nominations, applications and letters of recommendation. Each profile was reviewed, fact-checked and edited for accuracy by The Daily Record’s editorial staff.

This is an honoree profile from The Daily Record's Hispanic Leadership Awards for 2025. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree.