Every year there are 6 months in which you can start an 8-week course with us. These months are January, March, May, July, September and November. Check our yearly schedule for the exact dates, and keep in mind that the starting dates are usually in the beginning of these months. When our schedule for a specific month is not yet available, we are working hard to make it happen 🙂
Can I join a course, once it has already started?
In our class formula, the build-up of the classes is important. We advise to join for a full course period. If you still want to start when the season has already begun, we’d love to discuss options with you: give us a phone call: 0628816606! Examples of options are to; buy one private class, learn from another student to get up to speed, or you might already know some basics.
Join a try-out class first?
Of course! Every week we offer try-out classes for beginners. Also, during the start of every course season, you have the possibility to join a beginners try-out class. We also host various events where you can often join a free and fun introduction class. Want to stay updated with our events? Follow us on Instagram and check our event calendar.
No worries! If you signed you up for a try-out class and you missed it, just send us a message on WhatsApp by email. We’ll take care of it and register you for free in a new try-out class.
We offer a premium customer service to make this possible. You can find more info about this service by visiting the Premium Membership page. Find the Premium page under schedule in the menu bar. When you register for this subscription, we help you to switch classes to another day so you don't have to skip a valuable class.
How does payment work?
Payment is done when you sign up for a course and can be done by iDeal or creditcard (see our terms & conditions for details). Paying in installments is a service we do not currently offer.
Oh yes we do! Come to our events and learn it faster and to meet awesome people! Our community is super important to us, and you’re very welcome to join our recreational and educational events. Even if you don’t know anyone (if you don’t, don’t be scared, just join! – everybody is super open and we all dance with everybody). Check out the event page on our website and follow us on instagram.
It is possible to join one of our beginners try-out classes as a single class.. However, we are known for our smooth learning journey. In order to create this valuable experience we focus on our 8-week courses. The idea is that you commit to a course with 8 lessons in order to really learn the ins and outs of dancing. Then join learn by starting in course level 1, all the way up to becoming an (assistant) teacher. Depending on your situation and experience, sometimes an exception to start at a higher level is possible! Send us an e-mail or a WhatsApp and we’ll get in touch with you to make a plan that works for you!
Generally more followers want to join our courses than leaders. We solved this by working with an automated waiting list. This helps to create balanced course groups with leaders and followers. During the course period we also work hard to solve group balance when students suddenly can't join one class due to personal reasons. We do this by asking replacement dancers. Even if we still have small differences during class, we maximise your dancing time by rotating dance partners often. All good 🙂
Can I start without any experience?
YES! Our mission is to make dancing fun and easily accessible for everybody, especially during your first dance class. During our classes we keep in mind that there might be a difference in dance experience per person. By giving everybody personal attention and finding the middle ground. Our teachers are trained to create a safe space to learn from mistakes and inspire your fellow students to have patience for each other. You’re very welcome to come dance with us, even if you think you have two left feet, 'think' you can't dance, or if others told you this is not for you. We know everyone has a dancer within, and we can help you get to know this side of you! 😉 Surprise yourself, we all started somewhere!
For beginners, we always recommend starting at Level 1, even if you’ve danced casually during your travels.
Our curriculum is designed with a specific progression, and starting from the basics ensures you build a strong foundation. The pace is fast, and we quickly progress to higher levels of skill. We also teach Rueda de Casino (unique to Cuban Salsa), which is essential to learn from the beginning before advancing.
If you have a strong dance background, such as private lessons or professional training, please contact us so we can discuss the best level for you.
I don't have a dance partner, can I still register?
Yes! Every season we have people that register by themselves without a dance partner. It’s a great opportunity to meet people very fast within the community and we have seen throughout the years that a group takes form easily.
There is a slight advantage to signing up with a 'couple ticket'. This way you can skip a potential waitlist and make sure you can attend the course. Find a friendly neighbour, roomie or invite a friend to join you and do the course together!
Every partner leads and follows in a different way. Changing partners is therefore one of the best ways to learn to dance in a flexible and fast way. However it’s not mandatory. If you rather not switch, tell this to the teacher so they can take it into account. Know that for some specific parts of the class like Rueda de Casino, switching partners is inherent to this style, so you wouldn't be able to join that part. You could however keep practising the partner dance exercises.
What's the average age of students?
The average age of our students is 28 years. One of our main goals is to stimulate young Amsterdam to dance salsa together! There are many options for salsa schools that focus on a higher age. However, we very much welcome young-minded people, you can decide for yourself where you would feel most comfortable!
Not sure if I can dance with these hips of mine..
A lot of people doubt if their hips might not be loose enough, but don’t worry! Many of our students were surprised in their first classes about their own capability to shake their hips. You might also notice that you’ll feel more flexible in your body as the course progresses. Dancing influences more things than we think.
What should I wear to class?
Clothing in which you feel good, look sharp and smell fresh! We advise comfortable shoes like sneakers. If you want to wear heels, that’s also great! For higher levels we do advice shoes with a slippery sole, because of all the turning you’ll do. Last but not least, dancing is intensive movement, so bringing an extra t-shirt and even a little towel could be a good idea. Make sure your breath is also fresh.
Do you offer private classes or workshops?
Yes! Booking a private class is amazing if you don’t know exactly which level you are on, or if you and your partner would like to learn to dance in private. You can contact us through our contact page and let us know what you are looking for. We also do workshops on request for parties, company events etc. We’ll get back at you as soon as possible.
Your academy offers professional education, but can I dance for fun only?
Officially we are a registered Teacher Trainer Academy. However, you are free to join our courses if you have no professional ambitions. When you follow the full program at Salsa te Gusta you will learn all about dancing and teaching. The first course levels are aimed to give you the fundamentals needed as a dancer. The higher the level the more you learn about the big picture. Very gradually our course program is designed to teach you more about group dynamics, giving feedback and methodology. This way we empower you to share your passion. In conclusion, you will become a great dancer, able to share your passion with friends, or work as an (assistant) teacher in our school, independently or for other dance schools. You can choose yourself if your ambition is to focus on your own skills as a dancers, or to develop your teaching skills.
