Francisco Avina

Teaches at Lou Conte Dance Studio

Frankie began his Chicago company career with Hubbard Street 2, moving to River North for a year, and subsequently into Hubbard Street for three years. Frankie has been involved with numerous corporate industrials such as Adidas, Canon, Nike, Reebok, Asics, Nintendo and Aveda. Other professional credits include Celine Dion's A New Day, Newsies, Batman and Robin, Michael Jackson's Sisterella, Fame L.A. and The World Billboard Music Awards.

His choreography credits include Giannai Versace fashion show (Singapore), 10th Annual American Choreography Awards (Los Angeles), Nickolodeon’s Kid’s Choice Awards with Justin Timberlake,three pieces for Hubbard Street 2 in which one he won a national choreography competition. In the summer of 2007 while in Mexico City he choreographed Disney’s High School Musical La Seleccion, which led to Disney’s High School Musical Mexico-The Movie. He completed the first piece set on Danceworks Chicago entitled “Track 4” under the artistic direction of Julie Nakagawa. For Luna Negra's 10th anniversary, both he and Stephanie Martinez collaborated together and created their first piece "AviMar". Frankie is also the resident choreographer for "Digital 9" in Shibuya Tokyo, where he returns five times a year to set new works for a cast of 80 dancers. He choreographed "Yo Mexico" utilizing more than 350 artists including dancers, aerialists and musicians. It was performed in the Zocalo at the foot of the National Palace and viewed by over 1.5 million people.