Alex Da Silva allegedly used ruses to lure women

Alex Da Silva, famous salsa dance instructor and choreographer for Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance”, was arrested over the April 4th on suspicion of sexually assaulting the women over the last six years. Da Silva lured at least four women into the bedrooms of his home, where he allegedly raped them, by using ruses such as telling them he wanted to show them new clothes or needed help fixing his computer, police said Monday.

Authorities said the women were students of Da Silva’s at the time of the alleged assaults. He was arrested while teaching a class, said Det. John Eum of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Da Silva, 41, is being held in lieu of $3.8-million bail and is considered a flight risk because of his strong connections to Latin America, Eum said.

Da Silva is a well-known figure in the salsa dance communities, news of his arrest traveled quickly. “It’s big news in the salsa scene,” said Darrell Alatorre, owner of Mama Juana’s restaurant and dance club in Studio City.

“Everybody knows who Alex Da Silva is, he really was respected. That’s the shock you’re going to hear,” he said.