"Welcome to salsa classes in Brussels with Maria! Should you like to explore salsa "on 2" (mambo) dancing, whether you are a complete beginner or an advanced dancer, you will find a class here that is suited to your level. If you are into salsa musicality, rhythmicity or eager to master a specific dancing technique, stay tuned for the thematical workshops or enquire for a private class.
Feel great on the dance floor and enjoy dancing! :-)"
Salsa has been an inseparable part of Maria's life and being passionate about New York salsa "On 2" (Eddie Torres' mambo style), she has been teaching salsa "On 2" classes with an emphasis on musicality for the past two decades. Since she moved to Belgium in 2008, she has been teaching salsa classes in Brussels on a regular basis.
Her salsa journey started in 1999, when she came to Javier Parrado Harrera's Colombian salsa class in Warsaw, Poland. After just a couple of lessons she was completely sold on to salsa music, the dance, its rhythm, the moves, and the joy it brings! Since then, Maria has attended many salsa festivals and congresses around the world. She kept on improving her skills in dancing various salsa styles (LA, NY, Cuban, Puerto Rican), cha-cha-cha, Cuban rumba and the dances of the Orishas (Afro-Caribbean deities).
Besides the following technique, she learnt how to lead in salsa partner work, which has given her the ability to teach "both sides" of salsa dancing in couple. Over the years she has been greatly inspired by Frankie Martinez, Eddie Torres, Juan Matos, Franklin Diaz, Griselle Ponce, Burju Perez (Hacha y Machete) and Candy Mena - to name just a few.
Together with a like-minded group of enthusiasts, she co-founded two salsa schools in Warsaw: Salsa Factory (at that time teaching mostly salsa "On 1") and later Montuno Ayé (with the focus on mambo). When she moved to Brussels, she started giving salsa classes and performances with Talal Benlahsen. Later, she started teaching regular classes for salsa schools in Belgium mostly in Leuven and Liège. Throughout all these years she has been teaching numerous workshops and giving performances at salsa congresses across Europe.
As a music school graduate, she has always considered music interpretation and rhythmicity to be very important aspects of salsa dancing. That is why she puts a strong emphasis on them during her classes. These two aspects finally made her a salsa instructor fully dedicated to teaching New York salsa "On 2". The eight years of her childhood spent in music school taught her to put effort into technique and gave her a solid base for a very methodical teaching approach.
Besides being known for her smooth following technique, Maria has an original salsa styling, as her dancing incorporates some elements of ballet, jazz and moves of Afro-Cuban origin. With over 20 years of experience she has developed a very clear way of explaining moves and techniques. This, together with her enthusiastic teaching style, make her classes a true joy to attend!