Cuban Salsa Beginners Course

A 5-week progressive Cuban Salsa course, covering footwork, body movement, partner-work with a special focus on the group partner dance: Rueda de Casino. Your purchase covers the full 5 sessions.

📅 Dates: the following 5 Thursdays: 10/9, 17/9, 24/9, 1/10 and 8/10
🕗 Time: 19:00–21:00 (Arrive 18:45 )

📍 Location: Bishopsgate Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4QH

➕Each class followed by a free optional social 21:00-23:00 at different location

💸 Reduced Cost Spots at £45 and Free Spots

A small number of reduced-cost places are prioritised for:

• Queer Latinx people

• People on Universal Credit (or similar benefits)

• Those on minimum wage or low income

We also offer up to 2 free spots each month for:

• People seeking asylum

• People in precarious situations without access to public funds

Spots are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
💌 Contact us: hello@queersalsa.co.uk

💙 Suitable for Complete Beginners & Beyond

It's ideal if you're completely new to Cuban Salsa, returning after a break, coming from another Salsa or Afro-Latin style, or exploring a new dance role. If you already have experience in Cuban Salsa, we'll offer optional variations on the core material to keep things engaging. You're also welcome to get in touch about volunteering as a Guardian Dancer, attending classes for free and offering extra 1:1 support where needed.

💙 What you’ll learn

• Core Rhythms, Timings and Footwork of Cuban Salsa and Rueda

• Key Principles of Leading/Following

• Foundational partner moves of Cuban Salsa & Rueda

• How to Social Dance and Improvise

This is a progressive course, so each week will be building on from the other. This course might not be suitable if you know you are likely to miss more than one session.

Each class is roughly split into thirds: footwork and timing; partnerwork; and Rueda de Casino.

💙 Week by week breakdown

If you are a complete beginner and don’t know what any of these mean don’t worry you will learn on the course!

• 10/09 Week 1: Foundational Rhythms & Dile Que No

• 17/09 Week 2: Enchufla & Enchufla Doble

• 24/09 Week 3: Sácala & Adios

• 01/10 Week 4: Prima, Hermana y la Familia

• 08/10 Week 5: Vacilala & Dile Que Si

💙 About Cuban Salsa & Rueda de Casino

Salsa was born in Cuba, created by enslaved African people and their descendants. Rooted in African rhythms, movement, and ways of dancing together, Salsa is a dance of joy, survival, resistance, and collective celebration. It carries histories of struggle alongside playfulness, creativity, and deep community connection.

Cuban Salsa, also known as Casino, developed in Havana's social dance halls. It's a circular, grounded style that emphasises rotation, rhythm, improvisation, and shared connection. Unlike Cross-Body Salsa, which travels along a line, Casino moves around a common center. Rueda de Casino grew out of social Casino dancing in Havana, when groups of friends began dancing together in a circle and playfully changing partners. Rueda turns salsa into a shared group experience.

💙 Welfare & accessibility

Community Guidelines

Please make sure you are familiar with our community guidelines

Steps Free Access

Classes take place in the Upper Hall at Bishopsgate. The venue has step-free access via a lift, as well as accessible toilets and water points nearby.

PA’s Attend Free
Just let a member of the team know on the day when signing in to the class.

Large Cohort, Fast Pace
The class cohort will be fairly large. This course moves at a fairly high pace and is physically demanding. You're welcome to take breaks at any time, there are chairs inside the hall and quieter spaces outside if you need to step away.

Community Care Host(s)

At every class there will be a Community Care Host(s) in pink hi-vis who you can approach at any point for support related to accessibility, welfare, the venue etc.

Volunteer Guardian Dancers

More experienced dancers who join the class to give you extra support 1:1. If you already have Cuban Salsa experience and would like to join the course for free as a Volunteer Guardian Dancer check out the info on our website with the sign up process there.

💌 For any other questions or adjustments you might need, please contact us: hello@queersalsa.co.uk