There is an old Croatian legend and if I remember it well, it goes something like this: “Once in a thousand years, a masculine child will be born… And he will grow relentless and fearless in his pursuit of perfection…

About Hrvoje

Hrvoje started dancing at the age of five in folk dance ensemble. Four years later he enters in the world of Latin american and standard dances and starts his professional career. Next 17 years Hrvoje has been training with many instructors but the greates inspiration and role model was his mentor Sergej Milicija (Ukraine). He was expanding his knowledge in other cities in Croatia but also in other countries like Italy where he spent a part of his life. Hrvoje was state champion 14 times and winner of many other competitions. Since 2006 he is a dancer in a Croatian verion of popular TV show “Dancing with the stars”. Seven years ago he discovered salsa which he was also training in Italy and Slovenia. Hrvoje was also the first person who started to teach and promote bachata with his unique style.

In 2008 his dream of opening a dance school came true which is now known as “Dance studio Fever” and is one of the biggest dance schools in Croatia. He was also teaching and performing on regional festivals and on international congresses in Austria, Slovenia… His moto is “Don’t dream your life but live your dream”.

About Dora

Dora began dancing jazz dance at the age of 4 in Edita Cebalo Dance Studio, where she danced until the age of 12. After that she danced Latin American dances for two years and belly dance for a year. By discovering salsa she found her true passion. Dora has been dancing salsa for six years now, training under Hrvoje Kraševac for the last four years. She also dances bachata, cha cha cha and afro rumba. She has recently started attending international salsa festivals where she has been training with world-renowned instructors and is pursuing her dream in becoming a great salsa artist. She has finished studying at Faculty of Graphic Arts in Zagreb and has a diploma in graphic technology. In addition to that, she has also completed a course for make-up artists at the Public Open University in Zagreb.

Why we chose Hrvoje & Dora

A word about Hrvoje

There is an old Croatian legend and if I remember it well, it goes something like this:

“Once in a thousand years, a masculine child will be born… And he will grow relentless and fearless in his pursuit of perfection... Perfection of movement, rhythm and interpretation… Unable to give up and unforgiving to himself, forever he will chase a long forgotten dream of a perfect dance… That “fascination of a moment when everything disappears.” But as with every gift there comes an appropriate curse, so the prophecy continued… “He will never know peace… For he will never rest, never sleep and never tire until the day he turn his dream into a - daydream.”

Unfortunately, we human beings are inherently unable to reach perfection… simply… we are not designed to fly so high. Fortunately… after almost a lifetime of searching and losing himself in those ever so deceptive depths of ballroom dances… he finally found his peace, passion and true love in salsa. And he’s freakin’ great!

Hrvoje is amazingly strong technical dancer that doesn’t care much about balance, timing, steps, center of gravity, weight distribution and other boring stuff… His foundation is so strong that these come naturally as egg comes to a chicken.

Joke aside, he’s blessed with the rare privilege to forget the beat, rhythm, tempo and counts – for his body does that by itself – leaving him free to play with interpretations, musical punctuation, orchestral expressions, instrumental moods and who knows what else.

One would think that dancer of such abilities would lay back, relax and go easy on himself. Fortunately, nothing can be further from the truth. Almost like he is even more motivated, inspired and provoked, he spends his days in front of a disapproving mirror that for some strange reason – he never manages to please. No one understands why – because he is already so far off the charts, but if a search of a perfect interpretation is his mission and nothing less tickles his fancy – then so be it.

A word about Dora

Extremely fast when a show-off wants to impress the crowd and yet so irresistibly soft and light on her feet when a newbie “manages to navigate” her in a left turn – Dora is all a lady on a dance floor could be. We men are prone to flatter ourselves with inappropriate metaphors like “women are instruments that we play”… well, if women are instruments than this one is a first violin by far… and trust me, it’s playing by itself, and we have nothing to do with it. Ok… maybe just a little.

Dora is one of those dancers that remind us that it is not the steps we have to learn… but everything else. That’s Dora for you – Fast but gentle, elegant but sharp, sophisticated and very sexy. What more can you ask for? Or deserve.

Lots of things can be learned… well; almost anything on this world can be learned given the indefinite amount of time, and the same goes for dance… But for some things you have to be born for. Not made. Born. I could bet my head that her singing is horrifically unbearable because dance is what she’s born for.

A word about Hrvoje and Dora

We at Salsa Beach Splash Festival decided to feature Hrvoje and Dora because they are the best instructorscouple Croatia has to offer. Croatia is a small country… But their dance is inappropriately huge. Technical perfection and supreme musicality Hrvoje brings to the stage is perfectly balanced in Dora’s effortless performance and feminine grace. Polished to the last tiny detail, they are simply – spectacular.