★★★★★ 4.9 on Google · Summer Street, Downtown Stamford
Salsa Classes in Stamford, CT
Start solo. Learn the basic in your first lesson.
Learn salsa at Dance With Me Stamford, 20 Summer Street — about ten minutes' walk from
Stamford Station. Come alone or as a couple: in group classes partners rotate, and in a private
lesson your instructor dances with you. Start with a $49 intro — a private salsa lesson plus
a group class or social party.
Private Salsa Lessons·Latin Group Classes·Social Parties·Couples & Weddings
01Start HereEverything a salsa beginner in Stamford needs to decide, on one screen.
Salsa classes at Dance With Me Stamford are beginner-friendly Latin partner-dance lessons
taught at 20 Summer Street in downtown Stamford. You learn the basic step, timing, turns and how
to lead or follow, in private lessons any week and in the studio's monthly Latin group classes.
No partner or experience is needed.
The quick answer: start with the $49 intro — a private salsa lesson plus a group class or
social party. After that, group classes are $30, practice parties $20 and private lessons
$123–$155. Partners rotate in groups; in a private lesson, your instructor is your partner.
One honest note before you book: our group lineup changes every month, so there isn't a salsa-only
group class every week. Salsa itself is never off the menu — it's available as a private lesson
any week, Monday to Saturday from 1 PM, and our Latin and social group classes and practice
parties are where you try it with other people. That's exactly why the intro is built as a private
lesson first.
03Is Salsa Right for Me?Probably. Here's who walks through the door on Summer Street to learn salsa.
Who Our Salsa Lessons Are For
First-timers
"I've never danced salsa — or anything"
The most common student we see. The first lesson starts with timing and one basic step before
any turn, and nobody expects you to know how to lead or follow. Feeling a beat behind in week
one is normal. It passes.
Coming solo
"I don't have a partner"
You don't need one. In group classes and practice parties partners rotate every few minutes,
so you dance with the whole room; in a private lesson your instructor is your partner. Coming
alone is completely normal here.
Couples
"We want a real date night"
Salsa is one of the easiest dances to turn into a night out: a couples lesson teaches you to
lead and follow each other, not just the instructor. Dinner on Summer Street first, or after —
and it's fine if one of you is keener than the other.
50 and up · Returning dancers
"Am I too old — or too rusty?"
No. Salsa is danced socially at every age, and the pace is yours. If you danced years ago,
on1 or on2, your instructor finds where you left off. Not sure salsa is your dance? See our
adult dance classes in Stamford.
04Five Ways to LearnEveryone starts with the same $49 intro. What comes next is decided in that lesson, not before it.
Ways to Learn Salsa at Dance With Me Stamford
01
Private Salsa Lessons
The fastest way to learn salsa, and the one you can start any week. One instructor, your
pace, your goal — a first basic step, cleaner turns, or on2 if you already dance on1.
Booked Monday to Saturday from 1 PM, so a lunchtime lesson works if you work downtown.
Your $49 intro includes one. More on
private dance lessons.
Any WeekOne-on-OneFrom 1 PM
02
Latin Group Classes
Each month we pick a fresh lineup of evening group classes. When Latin and social classes
are on it, that's where you practise lead and follow with lots of partners — rotating, so
coming alone is the norm. Check this month's lineup before you plan around it. $30 a class;
see how group dance classes work.
Weekday EveningsPartners Rotate$30 a Class
03
Social Dance Parties
Where lessons turn into dancing. Music for every level, instructors on the floor asking
students to dance, and a room of people who started the way you're starting. Your intro can
include an invitation to the next one. $20 a party — more on
social dance parties.
Instructors on the FloorEvery Level$20 a Party
04
Couples and Date-Night Salsa
Salsa for two: a couples lesson teaches you to lead and follow each other, so you can
actually dance together at the next wedding, party or Latin night. Pairs easily with dinner
on Summer Street — before or after.
Date NightLead & FollowCouples
05
Wedding and Event Salsa
A salsa section in your first dance, a family number, or a Latin set for the reception —
choreographed to your song and your timeline. Monica and Earl are the instructors couples
name in their reviews. See our
wedding dance lessons.
05Who You'll Actually MeetCertifications across the Dance With Me network include NDCA, ISTD and DVIDA.
Meet Your Stamford Team
Salsa sits in our Social & Club styles alongside bachata, merengue and hustle, and the
Stamford team teaches it as a private lesson at any time. Our instructors are ballroom-trained,
which shows in salsa: the cha-cha and mambo technique behind clean timing and a light lead is
what they coach from your first basic. Dance With Me was founded by Maksim and Valentin
Chmerkovskiy of Dancing With The Stars; these are the people who teach on Summer Street.
S
Sasha Ivanov
Lead Instructor
Salsa & Bachata
International Latin Coach
Moscow-Trained
Aleksandr "Sasha" Ivanov is a professional dancer and dance teacher from Moscow who now leads
instruction in Stamford. Competition students coached by Masha and Sasha have been finalists and
medallists at WDC World and European Championships — and on a social floor Sasha dances salsa
and bachata with the studio's own students.
“Sasha and Masha are both incredibly skilled and detail-oriented, and they keep things approachable.”
Elle Pitcher · Google review
Mariia "Masha" Kurnosova is a professional dancer and dance teacher from Moscow who leads the
teaching floor and manages the Summer Street studio. Students who arrived with no experience
name the patience first.
“She was patient, encouraging, and she was relentless with her positivity and constructive feedback.”
Sarah Fabian · Google review
M
Monica
Dance Instructor
Choreography
Couples
First-Timers
The instructor couples name for making a first-time dancer feel at ease — and for building
a routine around what they actually want.
“She created the most beautiful choreography for our first dance, and helped us feel comfortable and confident throughout the whole process despite this being our first time taking dance lessons!”
A. · Google review
E
Earl
Dance Instructor
Patient Teaching
Tailored Choreography
Family Dances
Named by students for patience with nervous first-timers — the quality that matters most in
a salsa beginner's first few lessons.
“He was patient, encouraging, and tailored every step to our comfort level…”
Sonia Parekh · Google review
Full profiles and portraits for the Stamford team are being added. Ask for any instructor by name
when you book, or meet the team at your salsa intro.
$49 gets you started at Dance With Me Stamford: a private salsa lesson plus a group class or a social party. After that, group classes are $30, practice parties $20, and private lessons $123–$155 depending on your program. A $199 Social Membership covers unlimited group classes and parties. Full terms are on our full pricing and policies page.
Dance With Me Stamford rates
Format
Best for
Price
New student intro
Your first salsa lesson — private lesson plus a class or party
$49
Private lesson
Fastest progress, starting any week, couples, weddings
$123–$155
Group class
Practising with many partners, when on the monthly lineup
$30
Practice party
Trying your salsa socially, low pressure
$20
Social Membership
Unlimited group classes and parties
$199
You don't need salsa shoes to start — smooth-soled shoes are fine for your intro.
07No SurprisesFrom the walk over from the train to your first salsa social.
Your First Salsa Lesson, Step by Step
Your first salsa lesson is a private lesson: just you (or the two of you) and one instructor,
built around the basic step. Most beginners are dancing that basic to real salsa music by the end of it. Here's how
the intro runs.
Quick · quick · slow
Arrive at 20 Summer Street
About a ten-minute walk from Stamford Station, or park in the Summer Street Garage. Wear clothes you can move in and smooth-soled shoes — no salsa shoes needed yet.
Five minutes on what you want
A Latin night out, a date night, a wedding, or getting back to salsa you danced years ago — each starts in a different place, so your instructor asks first.
Find the timing
Salsa is counted in eight: quick-quick-slow, quick-quick-slow, with a pause on 4 and 8. You clap it, then walk it, before you dance it.
The basic step and your first turn
Forward and back basic, side basic, then a right turn with your instructor as your partner. For more, our guide to step-by-step salsa basics covers the same ground.
Your group class or social party
The second half of your $49 intro. Partners rotate, so you try your basic with people at your level — the moment most students realise they can actually do this.
A plan and a price — then you decide
Your instructor suggests what to do next: more private lessons, the Latin group classes when they run, or both. Some people stop at the intro; nobody chases you about it.
Most adults feel comfortable leading or following a salsa basic within three to five lessons,
and are ready to enjoy a social party in about six to eight weeks. One private lesson plus one
group class or party a week is the fastest route.
Lesson 1The basic, to music
Timing, the basic step and a first right turn with your instructor.
Lessons 3–5The basic stops needing thought
Lead and follow start to feel natural; first patterns join the basic.
Weeks 4–6Turns with other partners
Group classes and practice parties put your salsa to work with new partners.
Weeks 6–8Your first real social
Enough salsa to say yes when someone asks you to dance.
08On1, On2 or Cuban?Three ways to dance salsa, and which one a Stamford beginner starts with.
Salsa Styles: On1, On2 and Cuban
On1 (LA style) breaks on the first beat and is where most beginners start. On2 (New York
style) breaks on the second beat and feels smoother and more musical. Cuban salsa (casino)
moves in circles rather than a line. At Dance With Me Stamford beginners learn on1; ask for on2 or
Cuban styling in a private lesson.
Same basic · Three styles
Where beginners start
On1 · LA Style
You step forward on the first beat of the music, in a straight line ("the slot"), with the turns
and dips most people picture when they think of salsa. It's the easiest timing to hear, which is
why your first lesson here teaches it.
The New York sound
On2 · New York Style
The break moves to the second beat, matching the congas, so it feels smoother and more musical.
Stamford is a Metro-North ride from New York's on2 scene — if that's where you want to dance, say
so at your intro. Its cousin is mambo; our guide to
mambo versus salsa explains the link.
Circles, not a line
Cuban Salsa · Casino
Partners circle around each other instead of working a slot, with lots of arm work and a grounded,
playful feel. Group versions are called rueda de casino. More on every salsa style on our
salsa dance lessons page.
Salsa styles compared
Style
Break beat
Feel
Best for
On1 · LA Style
First beat (1)
Linear, flashy, lots of turns
Beginners — where lesson one starts
On2 · New York Style
Second beat (2)
Smooth, musical, on the congas
Dancers heading to the New York scene
Cuban Salsa · Casino
Usually 1, danced in circles
Grounded, playful, circular
Rueda fans, Cuban music lovers
"Most adults are dancing a basic with a partner in their first lesson. The pause on counts 4 and
8 is what takes practice — keep your steps small and let the music carry you."
Dance With Me StamfordInstruction team · Summer Street
09When You Can DanceThe honest version: how the monthly lineup works, and the salsa slot that never moves.
This Month's Latin Classes in Stamford
You can start salsa any week with a private lesson, Monday to Saturday from 1 PM. Group
classes work differently: each month we pick a fresh lineup of weekday-evening classes. Recent
months have included International Latin, Latin-Fusion and a social beginner-intermediate class —
but there isn't a salsa-only group class every month, so we point you to this month's calendar
rather than print a day here that might be out of date.
How to fit salsa into your week at Dance With Me Stamford
Private salsa lesson
Any week, Monday to Saturday from 1 PM — booked around you, including lunchtimes and Saturdays
Latin & social group classes
Weekday evenings when they're on this month's lineup — partners rotate, $30 a class
Social dance party
On the monthly calendar — every level, instructors on the floor, $20
Your $49 intro
A private salsa lesson first, then whichever group class or party is running that month
See this month's Latin classes
on the Dance With Me Stamford schedule, or call or text 203.674.8100 and
we'll tell you which class to pair with your salsa lessons.
Watch: Salsa Basics Before You Come
Three short tutorials from the Dance With Me team. Watch one tonight and your first salsa lesson
starts a step ahead.
10The Honest VersionThree formats, and who each one is actually for.
Private Salsa Lessons, Group Classes or Both? Which Fits You
Private lessons are the fastest way to learn salsa and can start any day from 1 PM. Group classes
are cheaper and social, but which Latin classes run changes monthly. Social parties are where you
practise with many partners. Most people who stick with salsa end up doing a bit of each — and the
$49 intro is built that way on purpose.
Salsa lesson formats at Dance With Me Stamford
Format
Best for
Partner
Price
When
Private lesson
Fast progress, any style, weddings, shy starters
Your instructor
$123–$155
Any week, from 1 PM
Group class
Meeting people, practising lead and follow
Rotates in class
$30, or unlimited with the $199 membership
Monthly evening lineup
Social party
Using your salsa, low pressure
Everyone in the room
$20
On the monthly calendar
Private + group
Most beginners' fastest route
Both
Start with the $49 intro
One of each a week
Why both? Salsa is lead-and-follow, and the quickest way to learn either side is to dance with
someone who does it perfectly and can tell you exactly what they felt — that's the private lesson.
The group class and the party then give you what a private can't: lots of different partners, which
is what a real salsa floor feels like.
Most Latin beginners end up learning both. The difference is the count: salsa is
quick-quick-slow over eight beats and travels in a line with lots of turns; bachata is a
four-count step with a tap or hip on the fourth beat, closer and slower to start.
Our honest advice: start with whichever song made you want to dance. If you want turns and
energy, start with salsa. If you want something you can dance by the end of one lesson, bachata
is gentler — then add salsa. You can mix both in private lessons. More in our guide:
salsa or bachata first.
Dance With Me Stamford is at 20 Summer Street, in the middle of downtown and about a
ten-minute walk from Stamford Station. Many students book the hour straight after the
Metro-North home: step off the train, dance salsa, and still be back for dinner. Daytime private
lessons from 1 PM suit people who work downtown, and Summer Street's restaurants make an easy
date night before or after.
Students come from Greenwich and Darien down the Post Road or I-95; New Canaan, Norwalk and
Westport are fifteen to twenty minutes away. From Rye or Port Chester, we're a short drive over
the state line. Running late? Call — we'd rather hold your slot than have you rush.
This month's full calendar, the team and every style we teach are on
our Stamford dance studio page.
Downtown StamfordGreenwichDarienNew CanaanNorwalkWestportRye, NYPort Chester, NY
Dance With Me was founded by Maksim and Valentin Chmerkovskiy of
Dancing With The Stars. That isn't the reason to book a salsa lesson — it's the reason
the standard of teaching is what it is. Salsa grew out of the same Cuban rhythms as mambo and
cha-cha, so ballroom-trained instructors teach its timing and lead with real precision.
You also get what a salsa night can't give a beginner: a private lesson first, prices on the
page, and a full ballroom floor at
20 Summer Street.
On Summer Street Since 2012
We opened on April 16, 2012 — the longest-running studio in the Dance With Me network — and a year later Mayor Michael Pavia proclaimed April 16, 2013 "Dance With Me Stamford Day."
Start Any Week
No waiting for a new course to begin. Private salsa lessons run Monday to Saturday from 1 PM, so your first lesson can be this week.
Come Alone, Leave With Partners
No partner needed, ever. Partners rotate in every group class, and social parties give you a room full of people at your level to dance with.
Prices You Can See
Every rate is published on this page, and your intro comes with no commitment — you get a plan and a price before you decide anything.
14Questions, AnsweredSomething not covered? Call or text 203.674.8100.
Salsa Classes in Stamford — Frequently Asked Questions
$49 to start at Dance With Me Stamford: a private salsa lesson plus a group class or a social party. After that, group classes are $30, practice parties are $20 and private lessons are $123–$155 depending on the program. A $199 Social Membership covers unlimited group classes and parties.
A private salsa lesson with one of our instructors at 20 Summer Street, plus either a group class or an invitation to the next social dance party. You learn the timing, the basic step and a first turn, and your instructor suggests a plan once they have seen you dance. Solo or with a partner, no commitment.
No. You can learn salsa at Dance With Me Stamford on your own. In group classes and social parties partners rotate every few minutes, so you dance with everyone in the room, and in a private lesson your instructor is your partner. Couples are always welcome too.
Yes. Salsa is one of the most popular first dances, and your first lesson starts from zero: counting the music, then the basic step, then a simple turn. Most beginners are dancing a basic to real salsa music by the end of their first private lesson.
Beginners at Dance With Me Stamford learn salsa on1 (LA style), which breaks on the first beat and is the easiest timing to hear. On2 (New York style) and Cuban casino styling can be requested in private lessons, which suits dancers who already know the basics.
Our group lineup changes every month, so there isn't a salsa-only group class every week. Latin and social group classes run on weekday evenings when they're on the lineup; this month's classes are on the Dance With Me Stamford class schedule. Private salsa lessons run any week, Monday to Saturday from 1 PM.
Yes. Private salsa lessons run from 1 PM, Monday to Saturday, which suits people who work downtown or prefer a quieter studio. Lunchtime and early-afternoon lessons are about ten minutes' walk from Stamford Station, and Saturday lessons run from 1 PM to 8 PM.
About six to eight weeks for most adults. Most people feel comfortable with a salsa basic within three to five lessons, and are ready to enjoy a social party or a Latin night soon after. One private lesson plus one group class or party a week is the fastest route.
Comfortable clothes you can turn in, and smooth-soled shoes. Leather-soled dress shoes work well; avoid rubber-soled sneakers, which grip the floor and make spins harder. You don't need salsa shoes to start — most students buy a pair once they're hooked.
Start with the one whose music made you want to dance. Salsa is faster, with more turns, and rewards a few weeks of practice; bachata is a gentler four-count step most people dance in one lesson. Many students learn both, and you can mix them in private lessons.
Yes. Couples lessons teach two partners to lead and follow each other, and we choreograph salsa for first dances, family dances and reception sets to your song and your timeline. Private lessons are the usual route, starting with the same $49 intro.
Dance With Me Stamford is at 20 Summer Street, Stamford, CT 06901, about a 10-minute walk from Stamford Station. The City of Stamford Summer Street Garage is a short walk away, and street meters are free after 8 PM and on Sundays. We're open Monday to Saturday, 1 PM to 8 PM; closed Sunday.
15Book ItA private salsa lesson plus a class or party, $49, and no commitment.
Start Salsa in Stamford
Your intro starts with a private salsa lesson — just you (or the two of you) and an instructor on
Summer Street — then a group class or a social party to try it with other people. You'll leave
dancing a basic, and with a straight answer about what to do next.
A real lesson, not a sales pitch
You dance salsa. That's the whole appointment.
No commitment past the $49
You'll get a plan and a price before you decide anything.
Smooth-soled shoes are fine
No salsa shoes, no partner and no experience needed.
