MEET THE EXPERTS

A wedding is many things, but it is most essentially a public act--and therefore a chance to show off on the dance floor. Couples looking for an unforgettable first dance would be well advised to seek out the devilishly handsome instructor Alex Da Silva, a master of teaching the flourishes--namely cleavage-baring dips and shimmies--that get a wedding crowd riled up. The Brazilian-born Da Silva’s specialty is Latin dance, particularly salsa, but he can teach everything from a classic waltz to a cowboy-style two-step. Da Silva, above with dance partner Alien Ramirez, takes all the mystery out of seemingly difficult footwork so that even dance neophytes look as smooth as glass. “I don’t let anybody look stupid on the dance floor,” Da Silva promises. “Some people teach steps, I teach choreography.” Among those who rely on Da Silva’s choreography are the Spice Girls and Fox TV’s “So You Think You Can Dance.” But off-stage he keeps his prices down to earth, charging $75 for a private lesson at his Hollywood Hills in-home studio. “I know that I can teach anyone,” he says. “I’ve taught a woman with one arm. I can teach anybody anything.” www.alexdasilva.com

--Elizabeth Khuri