Natalia LeMoyne Hernandez and David Aloka
Every dollar brings them closer to victory and supports a cause that changes lives far beyond the dance floor. Donate below!
Natalia LeMoyne Hernandez
Colombian-born and raised by professional dancers and educators, Natalia has always lived at the intersection of art, culture, and learning. She spent over a decade in Buenos Aires—where her first son, Alex, was born—teaching English and performing with the Colombian Embassy’s folkloric dance group, proudly sharing her heritage through traditional dance.
After moving to the U.S., she became an ESL teacher and discovered how powerful educational technology could be for multilingual learners. That passion led her from the classroom to district leadership, and later to Google for Education, where she managed global programs supporting educators around the world. Today, she leads a thriving online community of over 4,000 K–12 IT and systems administrators across North America as part of CDW Education.
Natalia is dancing in honor of her son Alex, whose vibrant life was shaped by both brilliance and struggle. Diagnosed with ADHD at a young age, Alex faced the challenges of mental health and addiction, while still pursuing passions for soccer, politics, and public service. He was a gifted speaker, a compassionate friend, and an incredible older brother. He found joy and peace through soccer—once telling Natalia that playing the game made him feel the same kind of happiness he had once sought in less healthy places.
In Alex’s memory, Natalia founded the Alex Foppoli Memorial Soccer Tournament and Scholarship Fund, which provides financial support for children—particularly those facing mental health challenges, financial hardship, or limited access to extracurriculars—to attend soccer camps and join travel teams. The goal is to give young players the same joy, purpose, and belonging that soccer gave Alex, and to foster early intervention, connection, and healing through sport.
As a parent, Natalia knows the heartache of watching a child struggle—and the courage it takes to keep fighting for them. By dancing, she hopes to raise awareness around youth mental health, break the stigma around ADHD and addiction, and honor every family walking that journey with love and hope.
David Aloka
As a co-founder of gira|sol Dance Lab (girasol.dance), David Aloka was born and raised in Latin America: Puerto Rico, Colombia, y Venezuela and brings that heritage to Latin dance instruction. Having studied social Salsa, Bachata, and Argentine Tango in New York City, Boston, and LA, David has been teaching salsa workshops and classes in the Capital Region since 2013.
Beyond personal dance practice, David has also performed Afro-Caribbean Percussion with Ensemble Congeros, Troy Samba, and the Berkshire Bateria, and actively collaborates with dance companies, musicians, and theatrical groups to develop expressive-movement drive systems for the performing arts.