Ms. Shari Claudette Fortino has over 37 years of expertise in dance performance, instruction and choreography. Among her many achievements, perhaps the most significant has been carrying the torch left by her father, John Soiu, as she furthers his legacy of both the Debonaire School of Ballroom Dancing and the Debonaire Special Dancers. Her dance instruction classes serve up to 500 students each year, teaching all forms of ballroom dance. [Watch a video]

Shari is the former producer, choreographer and co-owner of the Bakersfield Melodrama Theatre. She has collected seemingly unending credits in performance and choreography. She is also the former owner of the Vaudeville Express Singing Telegram Company, performing singing telegrams and vaudeville shows to the delight of Kern County audiences for the past 25 years.

Most recently, Shari has organized and leads a performance dance troupe for the popular swing group, Chesterfield King & the Sultans of Swing, currently performing throughout Kern County and southern California.