Olawale “Wale” Oladehin has had a unique journey in dance. Wale attended Princeton University, where he joined a breakdancing group, Sympoh. It was his first experience with dance as a creative and educational outlet. Wale had the opportunity to combine different dance styles, including Poppin’, Krumping, Breakin’, and House, with a focus on originality. After college, Wale moved to Boston and continued his passion for dance. In Boston, he began training in Salsa and Afro Cuban with several companies, including Salsa Y Control, MetaMovements, and Masacote.

After several years of training, Wale joined Masacote as an instructor and performer in their professional Salsa company. Masacote’s emphasis on musicality and culture helped Wale better appreciate the interconnectedness of music and dance. With Masacote, Wale has had the opportunity to perform in Canada, London, Istanbul, and across the US. More importantly, Wale met his future wife and the love of his life, Ashley, through salsa dancing.

Wale is currently an Executive at Amazon. As a Director of Solutions Architects, Wale leads a global team of technical experts who help customers develop solutions using cloud technologies. Along with leading an international team, Wale also mentors youth interested in pursuing STEM careers. Wale believes that the skills he’s learned through dance, such as collaboration, improvisation, performance, and storytelling, have influenced his professional career.