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Toronto Dance Salsa
About Us
- Who We Are
- Toronto Dance Salsa Volunteers
- Toronto Dance Salsa Dancers
- Testimonials
- TDS Changing Lives
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- TDS In The News
Who We Are | Instructors
Sharon Galor, President,
Toronto Dance Salsa Inc.
Sharon began her salsa journey in 2000 when she stumbled upon a salsa club in Toronto. By the end of the evening she was hooked and the decision was made to develop her dance skills. After only a year of dancing, Sharon was assisting with group and club classes around Toronto. At this time, Sharon began competing in such events as the Ottawa Salsa Congress, the Bar One and the Berlin Competition. She also began performing at special corporate events, private functions, weddings and festivals such as the fFiIDA International Dance Festival and the Junction Arts Festival.
In 2002 Sharon began instructing. With a background in Adult Education, Sharon created syllabuses with a focus on easy to understand techniques that are user-friendly for even the most novice student. Sharon's enthusiasm for dancing is contagious and her classes are well-known around Ontario for being engaging, interactive and easy-to-follow.
In 2005 Sharon established Toronto Dance Salsa Inc., specializing in Salsa, Bachata, and Merengue instruction. As President, Sharon has multiplied the student base to about 1500 students per semester and has continued to develop additional programs to encourage the growth and development of her students and volunteers.
Between the extensive group classes, private lessons, corporate workshops and special events, Sharon has now taught thousands of loyal students and is one of the most experienced and popular salsa instructors for beginner to intermediate students in Canada.
Evan Carmichael,
Senior Salsa Instructor, Salsa Wedding Dance Choreographer,
DJ at the TDS Sunday Socials and Outings
After taking a few years of ballroom dancing, Evan found his way into salsa because it was more fun, less structured, and easy to find people to dance with. He took his first class in 2005 and fell in love with the music, dancers, and salsa community. Every night of the week he could go out to find a different club in Toronto playing salsa. He continued dancing on visits to Europe and decided to commit to improving his style and technique.
Evan became a helper for Levels 1 to 5 with Toronto Dance Salsa in 2006 and began teaching in 2007 alongside Sharon when they introduced the new Level 6 curriculum. He has since gone on to continue teaching Level 6 along with helping teach other levels and club classes. He performed in Toronto Dance Salsa's first performance group and has also helped instruct corporate and special event salsa workshops as well as private lessons. Evan is also the Toronto Dance Salsa Wedding Dance Choreographer.
One of his favourite parts of teaching with Toronto Dance Salsa is watching the students develop from taking their very first salsa class to having the confidence to ask others to dance and improving their skills from one level to the next.
Tracie Yee,
Artistic Director of the TDS Performance Division, Salsa and Zumba Instructor
Tracie is a creative, dedicated and energetic dance and dance fitness instructor and choreographer. Starting her dance and music training at a very young age, Tracie fell in love with salsa in 2002 when a friend took her to a “salsa night” at a club in her hometown of Winnipeg, MB. After moving to Toronto later that same year she started taking classes at Soles Dance Studio and was soon teaching group classes there. After Soles closed its doors she continued to teach and perform, dancing for companies such as Las Gatas Entertainment, The Orient Dance Company and Tropicaliente Latin Dancers. In 2008 Tracie resigned from her “day job” to teach and perform dance full time. She is the current Artistic Director of the Toronto Dance Salsa Performance Division, where she directs the TDS Professional, Helper and Student Performance teams as well as teaches On-1 nightclub style salsa dance group and specialty classes.
As a performer Tracie has made performance appearances on stages in Canada in a variety of genres ranging from Traditional Chinese Folk to jazz to Brazilian Samba, and on nationally broadcast programs such as MuchMusic’s MuchOnDemand (salsa) and CTV’s eTalk (Zumba). She is a performing member of The Dance Migration (showgirl style Brazilian samba) and also performs and trains with her dance partner, Daniel Guajardo (salsa and Argentine Tango).
Tracie believes that for a dance artist the learning never stops and continues to hone her skills by training with some of the top dance and movement instructors in Toronto, Brazil (Bahia) and Argentina (Buenos Aires). Tracie is also a certified Zumba Dance Fitness instructor and teaches Zumba Dance Fitness and other dance cardio classes at fitness facilities throughout the GTA.
Sara Sharifpoor,
Salsa Instructor
Sara's dance history began during her university years, when she decided to compliment her scientific background with passion and soul. She began to take lessons at the University of Toronto to learn swing dancing. Her love for Latin tunes quickly drew her towards the salsa community. As a result, Sara joined Toronto Dance Salsa in January 2006. Within a few days not only was she captivated by the expressive nature of salsa dancing, she also began dancing at the Toronto salsa nightclubs several nights a week. She had officially joined the salsaholic group!
After completing several different Toronto Dance Salsa classes, she finally joined the company as a volunteer in April 2006. She assisted in several beginners classes and learned leading in addition to following. Sara also completed specialty classes including Ladies Styling. She is still completing the final levels in Toronto Dance Salsa and also training to become an instructor. She also instructs at the Toronto Dance Salsa outings. Sara has attended several international salsa congresses and is also performing at the Toronto Salsa Congress in October 2006. She continues to explore her passionate side through salsa and challenges herself to become a more skillful dancer both as a follower and as a leader.
Emely Faith Tapar,
Salsa Instructor
Emely's salsa adventure started on a quiet night out with the girls in 2003 to Babaluu's. Not knowing what salsa was about she impressed her friends with her ability to follow. With the high-energy Latin rhythms and the challenging yet very fun to watch turn patterns, she was quickly addicted to the salsa world. In 2005, she joined Toronto Dance Salsa to learn proper techniques and improve her style.
Growing up, Emely took part in many Filipino folk dancing performances and theatrical performances. Always fascinated with body movement, she enjoys many sports and has a career in the fitness industry; teaching classes and personal training. With her high energy and passion for dance, Emely can be found dancing everywhere, even when the music is not playing.
Dancing never stops for Emely. She is a proud member of the Toronto Dance Salsa performance group and performed in a very successful outing in July of 2006.
Olivier Riboux,
Junior Salsa Instructor
Olivier's salsa journey started in January of 2008 to escape the boredom and monotony or the harsh Canadian winter. He has yet to look back. Since then, he has learnt from the professionals of Toronto Dance Salsa, United Salseros and from numerous world-class salsa instructors at congresses around the world. He has show-cased his talent on stage and on the social dance floor in Toronto, Montreal, Laval, Quebec City, Vancouver, Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai... Although he started dancing at a later age, he has an inate ability to understand body movement and rythm. He tackles dance with a holistic approach combining the philosophies of sports, martial arts, and other forms of dance movement such as Persian, modern, etc.
Although he takes dancing very seriously, Olivier's #01 rule is to have fun, which is evident on the dance floor. Along with the fabulous Elise Sokol, Olivier took First Place at the 2010 amateur competition.
Olivier is proud to be the newest member of the TDS instructor and performance team.
Who We Are | Additional Instructors
Laura Selenzi of Arabesque,
Belly Dance Instructor
Laura's diverse training includes over twelve years of bellydance, as well as a sampling of Latin, Hip Hop, Bollywood, and Odissi. After finishing a degree in fine arts, Laura continued to study with some of the world's best bellydancers including Aziza, Rachel Brice, Suhaila Salimpour, Aida Nour, Randa Kamel and Toronto's Yasmina Ramzy. She is a currently lead dancer with Arabesque Dance Company, Canada's leading Middle Eastern dance ensemble. As a teacher, Laura combines a sense of humor with her knowledge of anatomy, technique and learning methods. She strives to inspire people of all backgrounds to truly connect with their own bodies while having fun and working up a sweat. Laura is currently working towards becoming a Registered Massage Therapist which she anticipates will add further depth and understanding to her teaching.
Learn more about our Toronto Belly Dancing Classes.
Daniel Guajardo,
Argentine Tango Instructor
Born and raised in Mendoza, Argentina, Daniel started his training in the arts at a young age, taking courses in oil painting, martial arts and (Argentine) folkoric music and dance. Living in Canada since 1994, Daniel, like many others, fell in love with salsa on a night out at a club (La Classique). Immediately he began to learn all he could about salsa music and dance and soon he was teaching, performing and competing, winning competitions such as Berlin 1998 (first place, dance partner Karina Elizondo), Mambo Salsa competition 2000 (first place, dance partner Teria Morada) and Toronto Fit One 2006 (first place champion, dance partner Natalli Reznik).
In 2002 Daniel was introduced to Nelson Avila, world reknowned Argentine Tango dancer and choreographer, and started to dance Tango professionally with Nelson’s dance company Tango Revue. With the company, Daniel performed 3 full length stage productions until the company was dissolved in 2004 when Nelson left Toronto to join the cast of the Broadway production of Forever Tango in New York.
Over the last 10 years, Daniel has not only continued to train, teach and perform salsa and Argentine Tango on stages throughout Canada, but he has also been involved in many movie and video projects and has had the pleasure to work with such stars like actors Antonio Banderas (Take the Lead – 2005), Edward Norton, Danny De Vito (Death to Smoochy – 2002) and singer Amy Sky (“Phenomenal Woman” music video - 2000).
With his varied experience in performing, teaching, choreography, and dance training background, Daniel blends all aspects of his dance experience every time he steps on the dance floor. He is known for his unique style, intricate footwork and musicality.
In addition to teaching salsa and Argentine Tango, Daniel continues to train and perform with his dance partner, Tracie Yee.
Learn more about our Toronto Argentine Tango Classes.
Who We Are | Assistant Instructors
Winnie Fung,
Assistant Instructor
Affected by the dance hype that was created by a wave of reality dancing television shows in recent years, Winnie initially decided to begin some Latin ballroom. When she was told classes had been sold-out, Winnie looked for an alternative to feed her curiosity for dancing. She turned to Toronto Dance Salsa in January 2007 and was instantly hooked since the first class of Salsa Nightclub Level 1.
Winnie's background in classical piano and flute training has largely enhanced her enjoyment of listening and dancing to various genres of Latin music. Her exposure to Salsa dancing has significantly added to her artistic awareness. In addition, she finds Salsa dancing to be a great way to de-stress from her academics and work.
Winnie took classes with Toronto Dance Salsa every semester since then and was happy to join the team of TDS helpers in January 2008. She continues to develop her Salsa dancing skills on the TDS Performance Choreography Pro Team.
Lisa Koo,
Assistant Instructor
Lisa started salsa dancing when she moved to Toronto and was looking for a dance school where she could continue taking ballroom dancing lessons. She came across Toronto Dance because they offered ballroom dancing lessons but also noticed that they offered salsa as well. She was impressed with how fun, festive and established the salsa scene was in Toronto and decided to sign up for salsa classes.
Lisa went on to complete Levels 1-6 with Toronto Dance Salsa and continued to take Ladies Styling classes at Dance to Live and performance groups with MAS Mambo where she performed at social and charity events. She has attended various Salsa Festivals and Congresses in Toronto and Montreal and regularly goes to practice sessions and salsa clubs in Toronto and Vancouver.
She is excited to be a part of the Toronto Dance Salsa family and loves how it offers a structured and welcoming environment to dance. She remembers how important it was for her to dance with lots of people when she first started learning while being introduced to the salsa scene/clubs in a friendly and non-intimidating way. Thank goodness for Toronto Dance Salsa!
Jessica Ma,
Assistant Instructor
Jessica began her career in art and sport training in artistic gymnastics. While growing up, she tested the waters of swimming, figure skating and tennis. Finally, she discovered a temporary niche in rhythmic gymnastics. After seven years of successful competition – including both provincial and national championships under her belt – as well as competing worldwide, Jessica retired and decided to follow her true passion: dance.
Jessica began her dance career with the competitive styling of jazz, ballet, acrobatics and tap. After several years of competition, Jessica found herself performing for pleasure, and soon joined the VYbe Dance Company. She continued her love of performing with their PRO team, expanding her dancing skills in more modern, “urban” styles of dance, including lyrical jazz, hip hop, and even some krumping!
Finally, in the summer of 2008, Jessica was introduced to the wonderful world of salsa. Her first experience at Acrobat Lounge was both terrifying and exhilarating. However, at the end of the night, she was, as most are, instantly hooked! Inspired to learn – and eliminate the overwhelming fear – she began classes with Toronto Dance Salsa. Now, in the spring of 2010, Jessica is proud to join the TDS family in her first semester as an Assistant Instructor. She is looking forward to continuing to learn, improve her technique, and now, help others spread the contagiousness that is s-a-l-s-a!!
Who We Are | Other Contributers
Tony Hanyk,
Creator of The Salsa Addiction Centre Blog
It was after a nasty, wrist-breaking fall that Tony decided to find an outlet to improve his balance and flexibility. A friend had suggested TDS and in the Fall of 2008, Tony signed up for his first salsa class. He was immediately hooked and has soon found himself going dancing anywhere from three to five times a week.
Having spent most of his adult life playing in rock bands, Tony has found that the same rush that one feels playing live on stage is also felt when you execute a flawless chain of turn patterns. He accredits his dedication to salsa from the many years spent rehearsing and performing. In August of 2009, his dedication led him to become a TDS Helper and won the Helper Award in January of 2010.
Tony finds that being a Helper has not only improved his dancing, but it has been an amazing experience to be a part of assisting other students on their path. Meeting so many new people has also made going to the outings, congresses and clubs that much more enjoyable. Ask Tony about the benefits of salsa and the very first thing he’ll talk about is how wonderful the community is for dancers. In October of 2009, Tony was asked to blog for TDS. Being relatively fresh to the salsa scene, the salsa addiction centre blog’s focus will be centered on the evolution of a dancer. He hopes that the articles will help orient new dancers and entice interaction with the more
experienced.
DJ Duck,
Creator of DJ Duck's Top 10 Caliente Latin Hits
Rob has been a lover of music since the age of 5 when he was given his first Fisher Price turntable. He was exposed to all facets of music and embraced all types of music that sounded good to the human ear. Eventually as a hobby, this led to a huge collection of music and in good faith he has permanently borrowed his parents old record collection! Rob has been DJ-ing house parties, clubs, weddings and corporate events for over 15 years. He has developed an ear that has shaped him to become a music producer and audio engineer. He founded his own company, DJ Duck Productions and has worked with many independent artists around the world.
A couple of years ago, Rob accompanied some friends to El Rancho and was fascinated by the various movements and rhythms showcased by the dancers that night. His interest in Latin dancing peaked, however he was apprehensive to learn the art. This past year Rob overcame his initial fear and enrolled in salsa lessons with TDS with his cousin Jeff and good friend Sorubi. The threesome were always interested in learning salsa and participating in the lessons together has made the experience of classes even more fun. Taking part in these classes has also given Rob an unexpected perk. In his many years as a DJ has hasn't really explored the Latin area of music. When Sharon asked Rob to take over the top 10 salsa hits, he has now broadened his repertoire as a DJ and looks to rapidly grow his Latin collection, with maybe a CD mix to come soon as well.
On a personal note, Rob is a wonderful person who is always there for his friends, makes them laugh and makes the people around him better. It is clear that this experience with TDS has allowed him to develop an appreciation for all he has learned and he hopes that he can continue to share his enthusiasm with others.
Who We Are | Toronto Dance Salsa Volunteers
At Toronto Dance Salsa we have an amazing family of over 70 volunteers who are committed to assisting our students. Our volunteers are current or former senior Toronto Dance Salsa students who have caught the salsa bug and hold a great passion for sharing their love of salsa with others. All our classes have at least 6 volunteers who take their own time to walk around the room providing advice and guidance during the lesson and are also available to join the rotation if we have an absent student which assists us in maintaining an even number of male and female dancers in each lesson.
The following volunteers make up the 2009 fall semester’s family of Toronto Dance Salsa Volunteers:
- Ali Ebrahimi
- Andrew Fraser
- Angela Lou
- Anthony Fajardo
- Bryan O
- Carl Walkey
- Daniel Drappel
- Darko Markovic
- David Charing
- Ed Lam
- Emmett Biffin
- Fabio Fiallos
- George Reichert
- Girija Dhekney
- James Kalfin
- Jane Chacko
- Julia Brodyansky
- Julie Copp
- Karen Chambers
- Karina Bogdanova
- Karl Quan
- Katia Herard
- Kelly Elliott
- Leon Van Es
- Linda Ballarin
- Lisa Mercuri
- Loveliza Tuazon
- Lynna Kwan
- Mane Diaz-Granados
- Manuel Alvarez
- Maria Pallotta
- Mark Ahumada
- Marta Slowik
- Matthew Ruscica
- May Lim
- Maysa Tani
- Melissa Knapp
- Miroslav Kacmar
- Olivier Riboux
- Olu Ogundare
- Raissa Bernabe
- Rado Dimitrov
- Rob Hsu
- Rob Dacpano
- Rosa Ferraro
- Rosamaria Pallotta
- Sadaf Virji
- Sandi Kendal
- Saurabh Gandhi
- Stephanie Vicencio
- Steve Lee
- Steve Taylor
- Sylvie Bardin
- Tatyana Grudkin
- Therese Maceda
- Tony Hanyk
- William Choi
For further information about becoming a Toronto Dance Salsa Volunteer please contact us for details.
Here are some photos of our past and current volunteer team:
Alex
Rado
James
Brett
Marta
Rosamaria
Miroslav
Tatyana
Sadaf
George
Matt
William
Ed
May
Olivier
Karl
Anny
Alon
Alex
Carrington
Andrew
Sumeet
Kae
Mike
Lidia
Ariel
Alexandra
Chris
Jacqui
Branco
Stephanie
Sophia
Kevin
Who We Are | Toronto Dance Salsa Dancers
Tracie Yee
A diverse dance artist with over 20 years of performance experience, Tracie’s love of live dance and music performance started at a young age, performing as a Traditional Chinese Folk dancer and a solo classical pianist in her hometown of Winnipeg, MB.
Throughout her high school and University years Tracie put her love of stage performance and her music and dance talents together for the world of Musical Theatre, honing her directing and choreography skills on stage productions of shows such asAnnie, Anne of Green Gables, The Sound of Music, Wizard of Oz, and Fiddler on the Roof.
Living in Toronto since 2002, Tracie has continued to nurture her passion for live music and dance performance, making performance appearances on stages throughout Canada in a variety of genres ranging from Traditional Chinese Folk to jazz cabaret to Brazilian samba. Over the years she has performed with dance companies such as Las Gatas Entertainment (company member), Tropicaliente Latin Dancers (performer: “Fuego Latino!” and company member), The Orient Dance Company (company member) and The Dance Migration (performer: “Journey to Brazil”, “Roots of Bahia” “BrazilEiro” and “Agua Azul: a special presentation for Luminato Festival 2008”, and company member).
Since becoming the Artistic Director of the Performance Division of Toronto Dance Salsa in November 2009, Tracie now devotes her artistic and performance passions towards teaching On-1 Salsa, Argentine Tango and fitness group classes and directing the TDS Professional and Student Performance teams.
She also trains and makes performance appearances with her dance partner, Daniel Guajardo (Salsa and Argentine Tango).
Emely Tapar
Being born Filipino must mean a party! Everyone is always singing and dancing! Emely started “dancing” at such an age, so young she can’t even remember, twirling around the living room pretending to be a ballerina. Performing was her second life growing up. She sang with the church choir, acted at the community theatre and performed traditional Filipino folk dances at every community event.
After arriving in Canada, Emely shied away from public performances and focused more on athletics. Her love for sports, and movement in general, led her to study and have a career in fitness and wellness management. She was introduced to salsa through her college girlfriends, when the group decided to take a night off studying and hit the dance floor at Babaluu’s. She is yet to look back! Eight years later, Emely can be found dancing up a storm at most salsa events. She has devoted her time to learn from top salsa instructors around the world by attending numerous salsa congresses. She trained with United Salseros for some years, performing with their intermediate and professional dance teams. She has performed at numerous private parties, work functions and organised and emceed social events.
Emely’s approach is to infuse as much fun and personality to her dances. Theatre acting does have its benefits! She has consistently improved her dancing by bringing various elements of other dances such as tango, hip-hop, modern to add more “flavour” to her Latin dances.
She joined Toronto Dance Salsa in 2005, performed with their first ever helper team in 2006, and is now a very proud member of the teaching staff and the professional dance team.
Sara Sharifpoor
Sara’s love for performing choreographed routines began in 1998, where she choreographed a traditional Persian number at her high school’s multi-cultural assembly. While for many years her love of performing remained silent, her love for dance only grew stronger. In 2006, Sara joined Toronto Dance Salsa to explore the Latin dances. She quickly grew as a salsa dancer, participating in all socials, helping students in TDS classes first as a volunteer and then as an assistant instructor learning to lead in addition to following. In 2007, she joined the TDS team as an instructor and continues to inspire students on the dance floor.
Sara’s salsa performance career began in 2006 at the Canada Salsa Congress, as a “pawn” in the “Chess Routine” choreographed by Teddy Olaso from United Salseros. After attending several workshops and performances at several Salsa Congresses both here in Toronto and in New York city, Sara decided to pursue her dance career by complementing her teaching experiences with showmanship. She joined the TDS Pro-team in November 2009 as a TDS dancer. Under the supervision of artistic director and choreographer, Tracie Yee, Sara has participated in a variety of numbers ranging from the flirty “black and white” routine, debuted at the Toronto Dance Salsa 2010 New Year’s Eve Ball, to a “Chair Cha Cha” number where she performed as a firm feminist, creating both athletic and artistic lines, dancing around a chair. The most recent Cha -Cha routine was performed at the Toronto Dance Salsa 2010 Amateur Competition, and was well received amongst the Toronto salsa community, displaying a creative twist to more standard salsa numbers. She continues to improve her athleticism, dance technique and performance skills both as a social dancer and as a performer.
Winnie Fung
Winnie began salsa dancing with Toronto Dance Salsa in 2007 with no prior dance training. After completing all the progressive classes, she joined the TDS Helpers’ Performance Team in Fall of 2008 and performed for the first time at iFreeStyle.ca’s 3rd Annual Salsa Christmas Gala. In 2009, she took part in the iFreeStyle.ca’s 8th and 9th Intermediate/Advanced Performance Class as well as Dance to Live’s Ladies Choreography Class to further her salsa performance skills under the instructorship of Caryl Cuizon and Paula Videla-Rodriguez respectively. Her participation in these groups has lead her to the stages of various venues and events in Toronto such as the Dovercourt Sunday Social, Acrobat, 2SOME Dance events, Toronto Salsa Festival, Canada Salsa Congress, and August Mambo Nights in Bermuda.
Winnie became a member of the TDS Pro Team in November 2009 and has enjoyed working with choreographer Tracie Yee. When Winnie is not training in salsa, she continues to expand her dance repertoire by taking ballroom and jazz dance lessons.
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly discovered her passion for dance through the rhythms of salsa music while in Cuba. Since then it inspired an interest that stayed with her ever since. Kimberly joined Toronto Dance Salsa in 2005 as a student and went on to become an instructor in 2007. When she was offered a position on the TDS Dance team in 2009, she was both excited and scared. Performing didn't feel natural at first, but with practice, a growing self confidence and the support of the rest of the team, she discovered a new and exciting side to her love of dancing.
Kimberly is looking forward to growing and challenging herself with new and exciting choreographies with the Toronto Dance Salsa Professional Dance Team.
Who We Are | Testimonials
These are just a few of the thousands of testimonials we have received from our students…
Svetlana Vladusic, Level 1 (Sunday)
The instructor (Sharon) was outstanding. She was able to reach all the students and accommodate all different learning styles, with great results. Bravo!
Jennifer Pereira, Level 1 (Wednesday)
Caryl was EXCELLENT! Just a really great teacher. Also, loved the assistants - the guys were great!!
Fatima Huang, Level 1 (Friday)
Sara made it fun and light. It was an enjoyable experience.
Thu Mi Vo, Level 1 (Sunday)
I really enjoyed the salsa classes because they were very fun. Emely is a very funny, enthusiastic and helpful instructor. The helpers were very friendly as well. I was able to learn salsa in a dynamic, energetic and comfortable environment. I'm definitely going to miss it!
Carlo Giancola, Level 1 (Wednesday)
Sharon is a very good teacher, extremely patient. We were never bored or confused , very thorough. The experience was outstanding and I cannot wait to take level 2 with Sharon again.
Nathania Norrie, Level 1 (Wednesday)
Caryl is a fantastic instructor. She made the classes fun and enjoyable. Both, she and the helpers were very patient and friendly. I look forward to continuing with these classes.
Dan O'Donohue, Level 2 (Saturday)
Just about everything. Sara is so enthusiastic and good at instructing. Torontosalsa is lucky to have her! Also, Sharon you are excellent as I recall from my memory of Level 1 at the Northridge last fall. I am looking foreward to doing Levels 2 and 3 this winter with you! :-)
Warren Collict, Level 1 (Sunday)
Emely's enthusiasm! The helpers are great and very approachable.
Scott Abernot, Level 1 (Thursday)
I enjoyed learning the dance moves. Honestly, it is more difficult than what I had originally thought, yet it is fun. It was great to meet new people, too! It gave me a new social outlet.
Joe Trombino, Level 1 (Wednesday)
Sharon and all her volunteer helpers did a great job and were all very helpful and showed a lot of patience in teaching us beginners the proper footwork, timing and movements with our partners. The classes were lively and full of a lot of energy which made learning the dance steps much more fun.
Jennifer/Salvatore Privitera, Level 1 (Wednesday)
Caryl is a fantastic instructor-she is fun and gets the group involved...really a talented and beautiful person!
Chris Wong, Level 2 (Monday)
Everything - Sharon is an excellent instructor who kept the pace of the class at a manageable level while making it easy to follow the steps for each new moveset. Sharon's intuitive teaching style and keen eye for detail made learning new moves/combos both fun and educational.
Amisha Sheth, Level 3 (Sunday)
Sharon is an awesome instructor, funny, patient and one hell of a dancer. I also like how structured and organized the classes were. I never had to stand around waiting to try a move because there was always a helper to try them with. Can't wait to start level 4!
Siobhan Sweeney, Level 3 (Tuesday)
Sharon makes everything really easy to understand and follow. I don't consider myself a "natural" dancer, but it is so easy to learn the routines and movements in these classes. I loved that I could feel comfortable and relaxed - not at all intimidated or nervous. Toronto Dance Salsa really has a way of teaching so everyone feels at ease.
Winnie Fung, Level 4 (Thursday)
The people are SO friendly, and the instructions are made easy to understand. I absolutely LOVE taking classes with you guys!
Daniel Wang, Level 1 (Tuesday)
Instruction was put in a way that we found easy to follow and grasp. We've had dance champions teach us ballroom before but we found you (Sharon) taught better.
Darian Cheng, Level 4 (Wednesday)
Caryl was very enthusiastic about the course material and the people were very friendly and enthusiastic as well
Chris Wong, Level 1 (Sunday)
Emely's class was well structured and the pace was excellent. It was also very conducive to learning as at no point did I feel overwhelmed by the material, but at the same time, felt challenged and motivated. Emely's enthusiasm and step-by-step instruction was highly appreciated to those with no previous dance experience. All in all, a perfect Salsa introduction!
Olivia Marasco, Level 1 (Saturday)
I loved the relaxed atmosphere. Learning how to dance salsa can be very stressful because one becomes very self-conscious. But Sara is great at what she does. Her explanations were always very clear and easy to follow and she made learning salsa a lot of fun. I will definitely be in level 2!!!
Alvin Lin, Level 1 (Sunday)
Helpful, attentive, nobody left behind, not intimidating, lots of time to practice new moves, but above all LOTS OF FUN!
Jennifer Warren, Level 1 (Tuesday)
The pace of the class, Emely and especially the helpers. All of them combined made this class so much fun and I actually learned to dance!!
Albert Alejandro, Level 2 (Saturday)
Sara kept it really fun and lite. Everyone had no trouble understanding her instruction and seemed to really enjoy dancing with each other.
Anastassia Filenkova, Level 1 (Tuesday)
I loved that all the moves were broken down into simple steps by Sharon; I feel that this made learning easy and efficient. I also loved that helpers further assisted in improving the steps, and in addition sometimes challenged the students by trying slightly different moves.
Karen Chambers, Level 3 (Monday)
I love learning new combinations that incorporate the moves that we have learned from level 1 on. I enjoy it when the helpers teach you something new. The classes are also a great opportunity to meet new people.
Edwin Kelly, Level 2 (Friday)
The pace was excellent, fast enough that you did not dwell on mistakes yet smooth enough to learn our patterns.
Sebrina Bromfield, Level 1 (Monday)
I really liked how Sharon and Ildi gave demonstration and explaination of each move. They simplified it very well. I also really enjoyed all the helpers for the monday night classes. They would always circulate to help everyone, and they had great friendly spirits! Great group, and great class overall!!!
Malumir R. Beavis, Level 1 (Saturday)
Sara's an amazing instructor, and overall it's such a fun experience each week. I also really appreciate the mid-week practices.
John Yeh, Level 2 (Wednesday)
The instructor and helpers are excellent! I like the Toronto Dance Salsa organize the bi-weekly outing. It's a great way for the student to practice and meet other Toronto Dance Salsa students.
Angela Penir, Level 1 (Saturday)
Sara's instructions were pretty straightforward and just at the right pace that anyone could pick up right away. It was fun and exciting!
Colleen Ross, Level 2 (Saturday)
I thought we learned A LOT this level, but it was at a really good pace. The amount of helpers were wonderful!
Alfred Kee - Advanced Body Movement & Styling
The Advanced Body Movement and Styling class was one of the best group classes I've ever had in Salsa. Caryl is a great instructor, and I think the fun and diverse group of the people who took the class made it an even more amazing experience. Classes like these are few and far between, and really teach people to "dance" with the music. This is refreshing as many people get stuck in learning turn-pattern after pattern without developing their own style on the dance floor. I think Caryl brought out the best in all of us, and showed us how we can continue to grow in our dancing apart from just learning patterns. I still have so much I can learn and am inspired to do so. I can't imagine that anyone in the class would deny that we all had a blast! If there was a level 2 to the class I'm certain that all of us would sign up. *hint hint*. Thanks for keeping salsa fresh and exciting for both Nina and I!
Sean D'Souza - Advanced Body Movement & Styling
I judge the value of a salsa class by its ability to provide me with practical moves that add to my personal style and put smiles on my dance partner. This class has successfully done both! Bravo to Caryl, the amazing instructor who has a true talent for body movement.
Jessica Wignall - Salsa-Nghtclub 2
Caryl was fun, energetic, professional, and an excellent instructor. I look forward to ladies' styling classes with her, and wish we could continue with her in level three! The helpers are always helpful, especially Mark, who gives me helpful tips that I use to improve my technique and to fix my mistakes.
Mark Vidulin - Salsa-Nightclub 4
Thanks for another great level, Sharon! I'm finally starting to feel like one of the dancers who knows what he's doing rather than just a bewildered novice. Looking forward to Level 5
Roy Reedon - Salsa-Nightclub 4
Sharon G. Is excellent. Absolutely fantastic. She made it fun and not too stressful, event though I struggled at times. I will definitlly recommend and I will more than likely continue later this year.
Judy Kuban - Salsa-Nightclub 2
The classes are very easy to follow, which helped me to gain confidence in my salsa dancing! I've enjoyed meeting new people and look forward to my weekly dance session! Thanks!
Unknown - Salsa-Nightclub 2
Sharon ...a great instructor... better explanations than in other school's classes. Liked that Sharon tried to teach more than just the moves...styling, leading, following, etc... Very approachable.
Anna Sipos - Salsa-Nightclub 1
I really enjoyed Sara's class - she is a teaches with great enthusiasm and sense of humour, and really knows her stuff!
Jim Pumple - Salsa-Nightclub 1
I had a great time. I have been at other salsa classes and this is the first time that I feel that I'm learning how to lead....and that is why I'm driving for 3 hrs to come to the class....it's great!
Matt Bartley - Salsa-Nightclub 1
Sara is absolutely awesome!!! Would retake level 1 just to have her teach.
Bertrand Rodricks - Salsa-Nightclub 1
Sharon, Your instruction was easy to understand. Your tips to remember the steps were very helpful. You made an effort to reinforce a step if the class was finding it difficult to pick up. And most of all having helpers volunteers during each class was very valuable. My thanks to Sara, Emely, and Farnoosh who assisted in improving my dance steps.
Karen Chambers - Salsa-Nightclub 1
Classes are excellent and Sharon's teaching style makes learning easier. She is able to break down the moves so that we can understand what to do.
Shanaz Karimullah - Salsa-Nightclub 1
Sharon your love for the sport showed in the way you taught your class. Your technique simplify what seem to a novice (like me 9 weeks ago) to be very intricate and utterly out of my league.
Barry Ip - Salsa-Nightclub 1
Thanks for teaching, Sharon. I had an awesome time learning. I had my doubts about coming in because dancing was new and everything was unfamiliar to me. But once we got things going, I started enjoying it so much more. I'm loving it now! Thanks for eveything. I'll see you in Level 2!
Jesse Phillippe - Salsa- Nightclub 1
The dance instructor Sharon and all of the helpers were very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. What more can you ask for? It was amazing that there were always enough partners for everyone. It gave the impression that you were a well organized group. I learned so much during my classes that I've decided to take it to the next level. Thank-you.
John-Paul Gionet - Salsa-Nightclub 1
Both Martha and I enjoyed each and every class. So much so that we put off other things to make sure we could attend. We are currently starting Level 2 because we loved it so much. Our instructor Caryl was amazing and we miss her already, but we also look forward to getting to know our new instructor Sharon whom upon first meeting seems just as energetic.
Linda Domenichini - Salsa- Nightclub 1
Overall, a fantastic program. I have taken many dance classes in the past and this program is great for both the beginner and those who are comfortable with choreography. Sharon does a great job
Patricia Tallidis Salsa- Nightclub 2
Sharon is great! Really breaks down everything , step-by-step; her gracious and fun personality puts everyone at ease. The guys were able to laugh at themselves. I LOVE that you divide the class up into singles and couples and rotate the singles. Great way to meet people and get feel for various styles of leading and following.
Tony Rick Salsa- Nightclub 2
Instruction was excellent. It wasn't intimidating. The fact that you could switch partners or remain with the same partner is a good idea.
Carrie Fleury - Salsa- Nightclub 1
it's a lot of fun to learn how to salsa dance with my husband and we really appreciate the flexibility of the make up classes given that we've often had to travel out of town on business lately
Lucy Iacobucci - Salsa- Nightclub 1
Consistent build on dance steps learned every week so you really feel the progress you are making. A reflection on an excellent instructor and course designer.
Kristen Beckley - Salsa- Nightclub 1
Everyone was very friendly and fun which made it an atmosphere that was something to look forward to attending each Friday, even after a long day at work. Sharon is an excellent teacher and has developed a great teaching style and class environment. Thanks for everything!
Liane Fainsinger - Salsa- Nightclub 3
Very efficiently and effectively run. Sharon has great energy, enthusiasm and lots of smiles, not to mention excellent dancing and teaching skills! Thanks for everything!
Sean Desouza - Salsa- Nightclub 1
This is a great course to learn those critical first steps! I consider Salsa to be a difficult dance, espiecially with our busy schedules. Thanks for easing me into this scene!
Melanie Stranix - Nightclub 2
Caryl - she's awesome and makes it fun!!!!
Shanine Dennill - Nightclub 1
The Pace and the instructor. I thought that it would be fast paced for me as I have poor coordination but Carol is brilliant. The tips in a social environment is extremely helpful
Karen M Wed Salsa-Nightclub 4
I have spent some time in the salsa clubs learning the basics of Salsa, taking club lessons and learning what I could from my dance partners. It wasn't until I joined Toronto Dance and took classes with both Sharon and Caryl that it all came together for me. They, each in their own way, make classes easy to follow, fun and relaxed . I also really like the fact that there are so many helpers in the class. I have taken enough clinics, and classes around town to know that they absolutely are the best at what they do . I have encouraged all my friends who are just starting out, that this is the place go and these are the people to help them.
Mo K Wed Salsa-Nightclub 1
Salsa 1 was a great experience . Caryl's teaching was excellent and her energetic presence and humor really loosened everyone up, making lessons fun but very effective. I can't wait to start Level 2 !
Christianne J Mon Salsa-Nightclub 4
Sharon and Gina are great! Sharon makes the class fun yet focused and we get through the material without a hectic feeling. Good stuff. No complaints here.
Sun Salsa-Nightclub 2
Jeremy M : Excellent job of breaking each step , AND teaching the lead. Nice to include synopsis of moves at end of course. I think it's great that outings are arranged to practice the steps in the club setting.
Sue G : I liked the pace of the course and added lesson of a new dance at the end of the semester. I look forward to Level 3. Thanks to Sharon 's patience, she's an excellent teacher.
Sun Salsa-Nightclub 1
Cindy D : It is the best dance school I have ever been to and will recommend you to every who is interested!
Rohit B : It's been a great experience learning from Sharon , she's an amazing instructor . Really appreciate all the help we got from the helpers....it's great to have them around.
Stephanie Y Wed Salsa-Nightclub 3
Sharon is great! Thanks to all the helpers as well, especially Gina, James, and Jack.
Paula G Wed Salsa-Nightclub 2
It was great to be able to go to a different class if you missed one, it really made you feel like you mattered.
Thurs Salsa-Nightclub 1
Andria C : I have to say it was a great experience for people who have never tried dance classes before. The helpers really helped in getting to know the steps and get the feel for the music.
Lucy D : Sharon was an excellent teacher and very thorough and detailed . The class was excellent, and I have recommended it to many people.
Natalie T : Everything was great!!! Sharon is a great teacher. The people were fun in the class and Sharon made sure we all knew to dance at the end :)
Sun Salsa-Nightclub 1
Lauren C : Caryl was excellent with teaching , her approach and the pace was just right for us to enjoy and it was a very fun class!
Shanine L : I loved the pace and the instructor. I thought that it would be fast paced for me as I have poor coordination but Caryl is brilliant . The tips in a social environment are extremely helpful.
Peter C Tue Salsa-Nightclub 3
Sharon , you're teaching is excellent . I especially love the way you break things down , then repeat it until everybody has grasped it, even including me! I wouldn't have believed it was possible, you are actually succeeding in teaching me how to Salsa dance! Four months ago I visited my first Salsa club, El Rancho. Watching how incredibly well most of the people danced, I figured I was at least a year away from feeling comfortable dancing beside them, but I'm already there!
Lee G Tue Salsa-Nightclub 2
I have been very impressed with the professionalism and level of service throughout my level 1 and 2 classes. I was particularly pleased by the effort made to catch me up when I missed a few classes.
Lisa R Mon Salsa-Nightclub 1
Thanks a lot for last night's salsa outing . I thought it was really fun and very well organized . Thanks to Jean and Chuan for making me and my friends welcome. I really appreciated the way you made us feel welcomed.
Natasha N Tue Salsa-Nightclub 1
Your organisational skills in providing many options for substitute classes and being quite flexible differentiates you from the other dance schools around Toronto.
Aysa M Sun Salsa-Nightclub 1
[After attending the first class.] I was a little bit scared at first as I've never taken any dance lessons in my life but it was really fun in the end. I enjoyed it very much!!
Norman W Thurs Salsa-Nightclub 2
Toronto Dance use concepts of teaching that creates a solid foundation to adapt with any kind of dancing. The students are extremely lucky to be in your class, with teachers that care for and set a good guidance for infinite growth. You not only teach them how to dance but also show them how to learn , which I feel is an important part of being. Your students with the teacher's inspiration can create the next generation of exciting dancers! Your outings are a great idea . I had a fun time meeting and dancing with so many Toronto Dance students (from different classes) and teachers. There was a definite warm welcome with this school.
Louise N Sun Salsa-Nightclub 1
I'm so glad to have found out about Toronto Dance. I can't say enough good things about the organization. After reading the other testimonials, it was hard to be original. I encourage people to take the time to read them. They ARE all true. I look forward to every class and to taking more classes. The outings are a stroke of genius . They make taking the classes that much more worthwhile. Long live Toronto Dance!
Who We Are | Changing Lives
Thank you for visiting our new section called "Changing Lives". We are dedicating this section to true stories of our students who have changed their lives by taking salsa lessons with us. Whether you have met someone special, new friends, increased your self-confidence, became fit or enjoyed any of the amazing benefits that salsa dancing and our classes can provide you, your story should be told!
Please visit our forums and enter your story under "General Salsa Dance Discussions" or email your story to us at info@torontodancesalsa.ca. We will choose a selection of stories to be showcased in this section!
Thank you for sharing your lives with us!
Jimmy Proposes To Rebecca In Class!
Congratulations to Jimmy and Rebecca for their recent engagement. Jimmy asked Rebecca to marry him during their Sunday Level 5 class and brought many tears to their fellow students!
Jason's Life Changed with Toronto Dance Salsa!
"Toronto Dance Salsa has changed my life because it helped me tackle my fear of dancing and rebuild my confidence. I had an extremely rough year iand my confidence was already at "rock bottom". I thought that I would never get out of the rut that I was in. When Karina referred me to this school, I had no idea what to expect. Was I ever glad that she referred me! I never knew that dancing could rebuild my confidence, change my attitude, and be so much fun at the same time! Sharon Galor is an excellent teacher who simplifies the dance steps, she's always smiling, and always has a positive and encouraging attitude. I have discovered the joys of dancing, learned to have fun again, and enjoy my life because of her. I have applied this new feeling of self-confidence to other aspects of my life. My family sees a big difference in me now. I have recommended this school to many of my friends Thank you so much Sharon! I will see you in Level 3 and for many more classes and salsa outings to come!" ........ Jason Schlesinger
The Toronto Dance Salsa Helper Team's Debut Performance
Talk about changing lives! Most of our helpers had never danced prior to their first Toronto Dance Salsa class. Not only did they learn to dance in such a short amount of time but they were able to showcase their new talents in an amazing performance at the final outing of the summer, attracting an audience of over 200 people. Congratulations to everyone!
Ran and Leah are engaged!
Ran and Leah met a year ago in Northridge Club's level 3. Fast forward to one year later and they are in love, engaged and planning their dream wedding. Congratulations Ran and Leah!
Friendships forged
Sharing a new passion with your long time friends or forging new friendships, that is what salsa is all about!
Who We Are | Contact Us
Toronto Dance Salsa Inc.
416-913-5497
info@torontodancesalsa.ca