
Salsa Dance Classes Christchurch
Learn to Dance Salsa from current NZ Salsa Champions in Christchurch New Zealand
Salsa dancing is a contemporary and social street-style dance that is completely freestyle, which means it's not choreographed. It's the most popular partner dance globally and can be performed with a partner or as a solo dance. Salsa provides an opportunity to dance with anyone anywhere in the world. We firmly believe that anyone can learn to dance Salsa, making it an excellent way to have fun, stay fit, and meet new people!
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Salsa 101 Start Dates:
★ Salsa 101 Beginners: Thursdays 6:15pm - Starting: 14 Dec 2023 - ENROL NOW >
★ Salsa 101 Beginners: Tuesdays 6:15pm - Starting: 23 Jan 2023 - ENROL NOW >
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Salsa 201+ Start Dates:
★ Salsa 204 Imp-Int: Tuesdays 7:30pm - Starting 12 Dec 2023
★ Salsa 201 Imp-Int: Thursdays 7:30pm - Starting 14 Dec 2023
★ Salsa 205 Imp-Int: Tuesdays 7:30pm - Starting 23 Jan 2023
★ Salsa 202 Imp-Int: Thursdays 7:30pm - Starting 26 Jan 2023
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Salsa 301+ Start Dates:
★ Salsa 337 Int-Adv : Tuesday 8:35pm - Starting: 23 Jan 2023
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Salsa Online Classes:
★ Online Footwork Classes Available here >
N.B. You won't be able to join in the middle off a 'Salsa course' unless you've above beginners, this is why we have a Free 1st Salsa class only on the start date, last chance to join a new beginner course is on week#2. For levels above beginners 101 you will need to pass an assessment or a grading to join levels above beginners, read more about this below.

Salsa 101 Courses
Beginners Level
- Free 1st Class on Week#1 Only
- Teachers Tuesdays: Reuben & Robyn
- Teachers Thursdays: Reuben & Grace C
- Modules: 101
- Duration: 1 hour, once a week every week for 8 weeks​
- No Partner Required
- Everyone welcome
- Start Dates above
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When to Join?
It's best to join when the course starts (week#1) and you can choose your course on Tuesday or Thursday. You may join up to week#2 at the latest, if you miss these first 2 weeks you will need to join a new course unless you do a private lesson to catch up. tip: Check the timetable for week numbers. Be sure to Enrol online & you will get a Free 1st class and bonus reward will be emailed to you to improve your dancing.
Salsa Class / Course Level:
Learn Partner-work x8 Fundamentals 'Layer 1' & x11 Footwork/Shines​
This Salsa class is designed to cover the basics of Latin dancing with a focus on pure Salsa. It's perfect for absolute beginners or those who have some prior experience in Salsa and want to start from scratch. Our Salsa courses are designed to be progressive, and after completing the Beginners level, you can continue to progress through the levels of Improver, Intermediate, and beyond. Salsa is an authentic street-style Latin dance that provides a fun way to keep fit and socialize with new people!
Done Salsa Before?
We highly encourage anyone with prior Salsa experience to join this level, as teaching styles and information can vary greatly between dance schools. At our school, we have a fast-paced progression and teach a mix of Cuban, New York, and Portorican styles, also known as Salsa Porto. This level is considered the most crucial to master and is worth repeating several times. If you are a confident dancer and have a good grasp of the basics, you may still need to take a grading to join higher levels, regardless of your actual level. Alternatively, based on observation, we may place you in a suitable class. Please see the level flow chart below
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Early Bird Deal
A Special Course Deal will be available close to the start date and up until midnight of the start date. So snap these up because they are at a great price and are only available in beginner courses! See Pricing here >
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Salsa 201-208 Courses
Improvers - Intermediate Level
- Beginner Grading Required to Join
- Teachers Tuesdays: Reuben & Robyn
- Teachers Thursdays: Reuben & Grace C
- Modules: 201 - 208 (8 Modules)
- Duration: 1 hour, 1-2 times a week for 4 weeks x8 Courses (32 Classes Total)
- No Partner required
- Start Dates above
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Requirements to Join & Grading:
You will need to complete & get a grading from the beginner 101 course before you can join this level (see above beginners about the grading & progression or click here for full info on grading options) . Once you pass the grading you can join any of the 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 207, 207 or 208 courses in any order. You can choose to do 1 or 2 courses at a time on Tuesday or Thursday or both! You can choose to do 1 course per week or 2 courses per week and learn twice as fast and get through the level quicker. All courses are very different and offer different Shines, fundamentals & variations. You can see the timetable to see what courses are on right now. Please see the level flow chart below
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Enrolment Not Required
Typically, progression from the Beginners level to this stage occurs after successfully completing a grading. As a result, enrollment is automatic and not necessary. Nonetheless, if you are new to our classes and are visiting Christchurch, and would like to experience a casual class, or if you already have experience in this dance style, you have the option to register - enrol here >
Please see the level flow chart below
Salsa Class / Course Level:
• 1 hour, once a week or twice a week for 4 weeks x (8 Modules) = 32 Classes of this level
• Learn: Partner-work x10 Fundamentals 'Layer 2'
• Learn x22 Footwork/Shines
• Learn x6 Spinning & Turning Techniques
• Learn Body Movement
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Level
This Salsa level is focused on the On1 NY linear partner-work fundamentals, which are the building blocks of all higher-level Salsa moves and combinations. Our teaching system emphasizes progressive learning, which means that you will not be taught a random move of the week but rather will learn in a way that builds upon previously taught elements. This makes it easy for you to transfer the skills you learn to On2 Salsa, also known as Mambo.
In these classes, you will learn Salsa turn patterns, spinning, musicality, and body movement. They are aimed at those who have just finished the Beginners level up to an Intermediate level. Improvers and Intermediate levels are the most important levels to learn and master after Salsa beginners.
The material in each 4-week course is progressive from Beginners, so it is essential not to miss the start of this level if you are progressing from Beginners. Your actual level will depend on your comfort and ability to recall the main fundamentals at this level. Generally, if you have completed the Beginners level and have done at least 8 classes at the Improver/Intermediate level and feel confident with the material taught, then you would have progressed from an Improver to an Intermediate dancer.
The first two weeks (Week #1 and Week #2) of any 4-week course will generally be focused on fundamentals, while the last two weeks (Week #3 and Week #4) will be more Intermediate-level material based on the previous two weeks.
Course Content & Types:
Shines Updated 21-3-2023
• Salsa module 201 = 4 Weeks (Partner-work Right Turns + New York Shines #1)
• Salsa module 202 = 4 Weeks (Partner-work Left Turns + Cuban Shines #1)
• Salsa module 203 = 4 Weeks (Partner-work Right Turns + Spining & Turns)
• Salsa module 204 = 4 Weeks (Partner-work Left Turns + New York Shines #2)
• Salsa module 205 = 4 Weeks (Partner-work Right Turns + Porto Shines #1)
• Salsa module 206 = 4 Weeks (Partner-work Left Turns + Cuban Shines #2
• Salsa module 207 = 4 Weeks (Partner-work Right Turns + Colombian Shines)
• Salsa module 208 = 4 Weeks (Partner-work Left Turns + Porto Shines #2)
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Salsa 301-345 Courses
Intermediate & Advanced Level
- Salsa On1 (Salsa Porto) & Salsa On2 (NY Mambo)
- Teachers: Reuben & Miléna
- Modules: 301 - 345 (45 Modules)
- Duration: 1 hour, once a week with endless content
- Start Dates above
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Salsa Class Level:
Salsa Intermediate & Advanced On1 & On2
• Duration: 1 hour, once a week for 8 weeks x (45 modules) = 360 Weeks
• Salsa Porto & NY On1/On2 Turn Patterns
• Salsa Shine Series
- Partner-work & Footwork / Shines
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Requirements to join & Gradings
- UPDATED Jan 2023
Starting in 2023, we have updated our requirements for joining the course. To join, you must complete all 8 of the previous '8 courses' from 201 through to 208 and feel confident at the Intermediate level. Additionally, students should be comfortable with a double spin & all the shines from the previous level. Grading is no longer required to join the course, but it is available for those who want direct feedback and potentially achieve higher markings with Platinum levels.
We have also recently integrated the 'Mambo Conversion Class' into the regular course structure. Week#1 follows the same format as the rest of the course, with both On2 shines and partnerwork. Regular classes will continue to be offered on both On1 and On2 timing.
Week#1 of the Salsa Int/Adv level is an excellent starting point as it introduces a new shine series. If you're unsure about your level, we recommend asking a teacher for guidance. Please see the level flow chart below
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Int Advanced Salsa Course Details
The Salsa Intermediate Advanced course offers 45 module courses, numbered from 301 to 345, which can be completed in any order. These courses cover a diverse range of topics, providing over 7 years of content to learn and are regularly updated to keep up with the evolving global dance scene. This level emphasizes timing, leading skills, styling, variations of fundamentals, positioning, body isolation, and complex moves and combinations. Here, students learn to experiment with the structure and fundamentals taught in beginners and improvers Salsa.
The course follows a New York Style Salsa System that can be danced on1 or on2, and our syllabus includes over 400 shines to learn.
In 2021, we have redefined this level to cater to the Intermediate through Advanced levels. The new curriculum includes the conversion of moves from Salsa On1 to Mambo, providing dancers with the ability to dance with any style Salsa On1 or Mambo, also known as Salsa On2 or Puerto Rican On2. The course starts with On1 Salsa and converts to On2 at the end. After class, students can practice doing these moves in either Salsa On1 or Salsa On2, depending on their preference. This course represents our highest level, providing ample opportunities for growth and learning. Once students reach our highest levels, we encourage them to go back and perfect their fundamentals rather than focusing solely on harder combinations. This is where true growth and development as a dancer occur.
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What is Mambo / Salsa On2?
Mambo is a variation of Salsa that is danced on the 2nd count, also known as 'Salsa On2'. This style originated in New York and is incredibly popular around the world. It's worth noting that despite the difference in timing, Mambo is still considered a form of Salsa. At Salsa Latina, we teach both Mambo and the regular Salsa style, which is danced on the first count, known as 'Salsa On1'. Our current system primarily focuses on the New York style, which includes the same shine system as the regular Salsa classes. Therefore, learning Mambo is simply a matter of understanding the music and adjusting your steps accordingly. With a bit of practice, it's easy to master.... read more >
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Salsa Int-Adv Performance
A great way to take your dancing to new heights is to join one of our performance teams, these start at the beginning of the year annually. if there are no teams & courses to join keep taking regular classes till these start up. You'll need to be at least up to improvers level and above.
See the performance couples page here >

Salsa Dance Class Syllabus & Style:
Our unique 'Salsa Latina Foundation System' is based on modern linear Salsa fundamentals, which have been carefully constructed and refined by some of the world's best Salsa dancers. Our structure is primarily based on New York Salsa fundamentals and incorporates elements of LA, Puerto Rican, Spanish, Cuban, and Afro styles, resulting in what is known as 'Salsa Porto Style'. We specialize in On1 Salsa and On2 Salsa (aka Mambo). Our focus is on modern improvised freestyle street-styled Salsa, where good leading and following are key. At our school, we emphasize leadable and followable moves, and we do not teach moves that cannot be properly executed through leading or following
The 'Salsa Latina' Salsa Foundation
At the start of our Salsa classes we start with a warmup & Salsa Footwork aka 'Shines' to learn the essentials in mastering the feet, then we partner ladies & guys up aka 'Partnerwork'.
#1 Salsa Partnerwork:
Begin with the basics and establish a sturdy foundation to achieve quick progress. Consider it like constructing a house, build a good foundation first is key. Mastering the essential moves, called Fundamentals, will allow you to easily execute all Salsa "combinations & turn patterns" since they are just variations of these fundamentals. Our school does not teach random moves of the week; rather, we have a meticulously designed program that advances in a coherent and organized manner, building upon previously taught elements to attain optimal results.
#2 Salsa Footwork / Shines:
You will also Learn Shines (footwork solo dancing) with its New Syllabus of 'New York Shines', which was developed by some of the top New York & Puerto Rican Salsa dancers. Salsa Shines are essential for any balanced Salsa dancer to find their own balance 'literally' as well as flavour, skills & technique. There's hundreds to learn, there's no other Salsa school in NZ that has the same extensive system.
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Free Salsa Practice Times 2023+
This is a chance to practice all those moves you've been learning in class. You can turn up to either of the practice times, and its FREE for current Salsa Latina Salsa students. Usually these are between classes or at the end of a class or the end of the night which is a longer practica time slot.
★ Tuesdays 5:55pm (20mins)
★ Tuesdays 7:15pm (15mins)
★ Thursday 5:55pm (15mins)
★ Thurdays 7:15pm (15mins)
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You will Learn
- 18 Salsa Fundamentals, 9 in Beginners & 9 in Imp/Int
- x400 Shines 'Salsa footwork'
- x700+ Turn patterns, moves & combos
- Basic Timing & Counts for Salsa
- Latin Dance Partnering Technique & hand holds
- Body Isolations & movement
- Spinning techniques
- Partnering & Lead & Follow Technique
- Extra tricks
- Styling & Expression
- How to dance the dance!
- Timing & understanding music & musicality
- Salsa On1 & On2 (Mambo) Demo recordings of content welcomed at the end of class for Intermediate levels.
- 8 Years of content to learn in total as of 2019. Note even after 8 years there will be new and updated content as we progress, Salsa is an ever evolving dance style.
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The Ultimate Salsa Program:
Unlocking Rapid Progress in Your Dance Journey. This new program is designed to accelerate your learning process and take your Salsa and Bachata skills to new heights. We've incorporated special techniques & training methods that go beyond the traditional once-a-week class.