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What do we teach in our SALSA/ BACHATA 4-week series?

What you need to know: Our classes are typically broken down into 4-Week cycle series. For best results, please be sure to follow our tier system for better progression. In addition to our 4-week series, we also offer ongoing practice classes to enhance your social dancing skills. Be sure to also check out our specialized workshops, designed to drill specific material and help you become a better dancer. Our social dance events are a great way to practice your skills and gain more experience on the social dance floor. In addition, we also offer private lessons where you can select an instructor and learn in a one-on-one session.

BACHATA SYLLABUS (by style)

Bachata (Classic) Syllabus
Sensual Bachata Syllabus
Traditional Bachata Syllabus

Intro to salsa 4-week series salsa on 1 syllabus

Tip: In addition to our 4-week series, we recommend that you take our series along with our ONGOING PRACTICE CLASSES. These are the classes that don’t have the words 4-wk series in their class title.

Week 1 Intro To Salsa

During Week 1 we study foundations of lead & follow, Musicality & Rhythm & Basic step.

Week 2 Intro To Salsa

During Week 2 we study right hand turn follow, Right hand turn lead (underarm).

Week 3 Intro To Salsa

During Week 3 we study the all mighty Cross Body lead (CBL).

Week 4 Intro To Salsa

During Week 4 we review what we’ve learned in previous weeks.

Beginner one 4-week series salsa on 1 syllabus

Week 1 Beginner 1 Salsa

During Week 1 we study Outside Cross Body Lead (CBL) and the Suzie Q.

Week 2 Beginner 1 Salsa

During Week 2 we study Broken Left Turn (BLT) with hair comb/drape.

Week 3 Beginner 1 Salsa

During Week 3 we study Hammerlock with Enchufla (Back Break). Footwork: crossover.

Week 4 Beginner 1 Salsa

During Week 4 we review and give you styling tips, right turn variations and practice patterns

Beginner Two 4-week Series Salsa Syllabus

Dance shoes are strongly recommended at this level! Click to purchase.

Week 1 Beginner 2 Salsa

Footwork: Forward Slide/Backward Slide. Partner work: Enchufla Double.

Week 2 Beginner 2 Salsa

Now we start looking into back breaks: Single Hand Copa, Double Hand Copa.

Week 3 Beginner 2 Salsa

Cross Body Lead (CBL) With Hand Toss. Footwork: Double Suzie Q.

Week 4 Beginner 2 Salsa

Review, Styling tips, Right Turn Variations, Practice patterns.

Intermediate one 4-week series salsa syllabus

Dance shoes are strongly recommended at this level! Click to purchase.

Week 1 Intermediate 1 Salsa

Double Cross Over. Partner work: Shoulder Check with single and double hand lead.

Week 2 Intermediate 1 Salsa

Partner work: The Wrap. Right Turn behind the lead’s back.

Week 3 Intermediate 1 Salsa

Cross Body Lead (CBL) with Hammerlock. Outside CBL with double turn for follower.

Week 4 Intermediate 1 Salsa

Review, Styling, Practice patterns. Reminder to check with your teacher before you move on.

Intermediate Two 4-week series syllabus

Week 1 Intermediate 2 Salsa

Footwork: Grape Vine. Partnering: Drop Catch + Windmill combo.

Week 2 Intermediate 2 Salsa

Now we build on what we know: 180 Cross Body Lead, Simple Dip, Titanic.

Week 3 Intermediate 2 Salsa

Make sure you work on core strength! Intro to double turns and application during partnering.

Week 4 Intermediate 2 Salsa

Review, Styling, Practice patterns. We are not providing a video here because your instructor will teach his or her own variation implementing a lot of what you have learned throughout the levels. WHAT’S NEXT? Check our Accelerate Series.

Advanced Salsa on 1

Our advanced Salsa Classes (Tier IV classes) don’t follow a specific syllabus. The instructor creates advanced Salsa patterns that require advanced skills. Be sure to have taken the prerequisite classes from previous Tiers before you jump into these classes. If you are new to the studio and believe you are an advanced dancer, please schedule a tier consultation so you can be tagged to be able to register for advanced level classes.

BOOK A TIER CONSULTATION

Bachata (Classic) Syllabus

This style is the classic Bachata, which will give you the foundation. For best results, we require that you start with Bachata before you dive into Sensual Bachata & Traditional Bachata.

Intro To Bachata (Classic) 4-Week Series Syllabus

Week 1 Intro To Bachata

History/ tier system (solo) basic step, basic in place, basic turn , forward & back. (In partner) what does it mean to lead and follow? Open position in basic, basic follows turn and leads turn, basic in place (talk about pressure needed to indicate it) forward and back with different hold.

Week 2 Intro To Bachata

(Solo) hips! Break down basic hip movement in opposition to step and practice it in the basic, basic in place, and now add box step and rotating basic in place, body control rolling through the feet technique. (In partner) follows turn to closed position, box step in closed or open, rotating basic and switch spots in closed, back to back turn.

Week 3 Intro To Bachata

(Solo) break down basic upper body side to side movement in bachata, apply it to steps already learned. (In partner) options: introduce getting to closed in box step(circle arm on 5), caminando, half rotation in closed but open follow by 8 and then move forward and back, tossing to closed, tossing to follows turn.

Week 4 Intro To Bachata

(Solo) give a short footwork pattern for the first time; cross basic , box step , basic turn, rotating basic in place. (In partner) REVIEW and arm styling on basic in place, switch spots in open with follows turn, hair comb time to social dance!

Beginner Bachata (Classic) 4-week series syllabus

Week 1 Beginner Bachata (Classic)

Body movement review + in depth hip explanation In partner: Review core concepts from intro (connection, turns, closed position, toss) add delayed turn and/or inside prep for follow, box with swivel, and half completa with open to move forward .

Week 2 Beginner Bachata (Classic)

Solo: Learning sequences with music: box step, in place, side to side, forward and back in combinations. In partner: Open basic, two handed turns: hammerlock, elbow connect, using frame rotation in closed to open frame of follow and varieties of that .

Week 3 Beginner Bachata (Classic)

Footwork sequence In partner: Shadow position, crossbody in closed into inside prep turn, caminando with variation in timing.

Week 4 Beginner Bachata (Classic)

Footwork sequence. In partner: Shadow position, review combination, how to put techniques to create a social dance.

Intermediate Bachata (Classic) 4-week series syllabus

Week 1 Intermediate Bachata (Classic)

Prep step turns and hand tosses which include: behind the back (hammer lock), drapes or sombreros, rainbow arms, arm wrap and diagonal arm styling.

Week 2 Intermediate Bachata (Classic)

Cuddle position with walks at different tempos. Slide steps and step tap connected with your partner.

Week 3 Intermediate Bachata (Classic)

Prep step turns and hand tosses which include: behind the back (hammer lock), drapes or sombreros, rainbow arms, arm wrap and diagonal arm styling.

Week 4 Intermediate Bachata (Classic)

Front body waves from squared position and cuddle. Combing combinations from previous weeks.

Sensual Bachata 4-week series syllabus

The Sensual Bachata Classes are Tier IV classes, which means you won’t be able to register for them unless you have completed our Beginner & Intermediate Level Bachata (Classic) Series first. Please note, this syllabus is just a guideline/base. Your teacher may choose to combine moves in different order.

Beginner Sensual Bachata Syllabus

Week 1: Connection Exercises & Waves
Week 2: Lead and Follow Shadow Position
Week 3: Paseala & Pinza
Week 4: Combining combos

Intermediate Sensual Bachata Syllabus

Week 1: Rompe and shadow position
Week 2: Madrid Step
Week 3: Upper & lower body isolations
Week 4: Combining combos (Or Dips & Cambrets)

Advances Sensual Bachata Syllabus

Our advanced accelerated programs are for students who have gone through all previous levels or have previous experience.

Traditional Bachata (Dominicana) Syllabus

This style has a prerequisite. Only after taking our Bachata (Classic) classes, you can dive into Traditional Dominican Bachata.

Beginner Traditional Bachata Syllabus

Week 1: Basic steps, body movement, simple turns and rotations and connection tips
Week 2: Different variations of turns and rotations, partnerwork moves, and footwork
Week 3: Various footwork and syncopations
Week 4: Hip movement

Intermediate Traditional Bachata Syllabus

Week 1: Body movement, bachata technique fundamentals and partnerwork combinations
Week 2: Partnerwork combinations with footwork, syncopations
Week 3: Hip movement and different regional styles of Traditional Bachata
Week 4: Partnerwork footwork and combinations

Intermediate/Advanced Traditional Bachata Footwork

Our advanced classes are for students who have gone through all previous levels or have previous experience.

Meet the owner

Find our how owner Silvia Alexiev started from the basement of her house and now has the largest Latin Dance Studio in the DMV.

Meet the instructors

The Salsa With Silvia instructors are very friendly and experts in teaching salsa and bachata at all levels. Find out more and pick your favorite instructor.

Our success Stories

The Salsa With Silvia studio has been acknowledged on local TV as well as awarded a grant by the DC government and Mayor Bowser.

LEARN ONLINE

Dance is a journey of self-growth. We’ve seen our students grow from absolute beginners to confident social dancers and even performers. It takes practice and consistency but the results are remarkable and the friendships built on the dance floor last for a lifetime.

View student stories

PARTIES & EVENTS

The best way to practice your skills while having fun and socializing with new and old friends.

Social dance parties
Speed dating events
Date night events

SEE WHAT’S COMING

PRIVATE LESSONS

The most productive way to build a solid foundation and advance is through working one-on-one with one of our amazing instructors.

Salsa, Bachata & more
Ballroom dance private lessons

BOOK YOUR PRIVATE LESSON

Salsa with Silvia is THE PLACE TO BE. Whether you’re looking to improve your dancing, rent their beautiful studio for your private event, or bring your kids for an experience. You will leave feeling satisfied and happy that you took the step to come in. There is a reason this studio is the #1 Latin Dance studio in the DMV. You can feel the love that was put into the studio from starting out in just a basement to two studios! The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. The teachers are patient, understanding, and energetic.

Miriam K, Google review

My partner and I came here for our first private salsa lesson. I was a little anxious as I have no dance experience/rhythm and also wasn’t sure how they’d handle two men learning two dance together. Our instructor, David, was absolutely awesome. He didn’t miss a beat (..) and had such an easy way of interacting with us. He made even a nervous nelly such as myself feel calm and confident. The studio was also very nice and modern. We could not have had a better experience with Silvia’s, and will be back for another lesson from David soon!

Andrew P, Yelp review

I took my first salsa lesson with Mario and it was excellent. It was obvious that he is a professional and very good at what he does. I’m an adult male and i was a bit scared because have never been inside a dance studio. He was able to teach me some dance steps and I look forward to having additional classes. The facility is new with a very nice design and professional operation.

Don M, Yelp review

The teachers are experienced and patient, and there are different levels that you can choose from. You can either stay at your own level, or try others at the same time, its very flexible.
They also teach Bachata and not Just Salsa, so you can enjoy both as I did.
The stuff is really nice, and they also have a Social party once a month so you can practice your moves. Best studio I tried!

Adi A, Yelp review

Salsa with Silvia is more than a dance studio. Lots of magic happens there. You’ve got all the basics- amazing instructors, good variety of classes in style and level, a professional business, and a safe and reliable environment. In addition, you learn how dancing is about much more than just moving your body. By joining the studio you enter a community, so you meet amazing people and make new friends. The owner Silvia is always engaged and she is always willing to help.

Zey, Google review

I have now taken lessons at Salsa with Silvia for over 3 months and several classes. I have no hesitation in saying that Salsa with Silvia is one of the best Salsa schools in the Wash DC/MD area. The instructors at the studio are just amazing. I have taken classes with three of them, Kelly, Jennifer and Joffre, and I enjoy each of their classes.

Md U, Yelp review