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Movers and Shakers Salsa & Bachata Dance Journeys

Get inspired by real stories from our students at Movers and Shakers Salsa and Bachata Dance Academy. Unsure about starting your salsa or bachata journey? Read their exclusive interview for insights and motivation!

Valerie Varghese

Valerie Varghese

Salsa Student

Get to know Valerie, one of our enthusiastic Salsa student in Movers and Shakers Dance Academy. With roots in both Cuba and New Jersey, she grew up surrounded by vibrant Latin music, but it wasn’t until recently that she rediscovered the joy of movement through dance. Valerie embraces every step with gratitude and a renewed sense of confidence with flowing rhythm.

Mayrin Mejia

Mayrin Mejia

Salsa Student

Meet Mayrin, a salsa student at Movers and Shakers who turned curiosity into confidence. Drawn in by the studio’s welcoming vibe, she found more than just lessons—she discovered a new way to challenge herself and grow.

Sevil Turner

Sevil Turner

Salsa Student

Sevil began her salsa journey at Movers and Shakers after hearing great things from a friend. What started as a recommendation quickly turned into a personal and rewarding pursuit of movement, growth, and fun.

Cecilia Lokhorst

Cecilia Lokhorst

Salsa Student

Cecilia Lokhorst brings excitement and a love for connection to her salsa journey. Always eager to embrace new experiences, she has found not only a passion for dance but also a supportive community that keeps her motivated. Whether she’s perfecting her steps or sharing meals with new friends, Cecilia thrives in the camaraderie that salsa has brought into her life.

Noah Smith

Noah Smith

Both Salsa & Bachata

Noah Smith embraces both salsa and bachata as a way to challenge himself and grow in confidence. He appreciates dance as a powerful form of connection, allowing him to communicate beyond words and step outside his comfort zone. What started as a new hobby has quickly become a passion he hopes to carry with him for life.

Megan Garcia

Megan Garcia

Salsa Student

Get to know Megan, one of our versatile students who has a background in other dance genres. With a background in ballet, modern, and jazz, this student had always been curious about social dancing. That curiosity led them to Movers and Shakers, where the experience of learning salsa solo became a surprisingly empowering journey.

Nick Hotz

Nick Hotz

Salsa and Bachata Student

Nick, who once referred to himself as "plywood" due to his lack of dance experience and skills, has transformed into a dedicated student dancer at Movers and Shakers Dance Academy. 

Zaira Paredon

Zaira Paredon

Salsa Student

Inspired by watching salsa dancers, Zaira decided to pursue her dream of learning the dance. Despite the challenges, she remains committed to improving, regularly practicing with...

Felicia Adessa

Felicia Adessa

Salsa Student

Looking for more fun and something new, Felicia decided to dive into salsa dancing. When the pace of class felt overwhelming, she practiced diligently and connected with...

Kyle Gray

Kyle Gray

Salsa Student

Kyle Gray joined Movers and Shakers to get outside his comfort zone. What he found was more than just a dance class— a place that helped him grow by embracing the unfamiliar.

Bobby Lara Pineda

Bobby Lara Pineda

Salsa and Bachata Student

Bobby is ready to dance to any music! He’s learning both salsa and bachata to stay in the groove. Salsa is where he shines, but he’s committed to mastering both....

Brandon Golshirazian

Brandon Golshirazian

Salsa & Bachata Student

Brandon’s motivation to learn salsa and bachata came from his culture, and love for music. As someone who grew up around Latin rhythms, stepping into the world of social dance felt like a natural way to express himself.

Cecilia Rivera

Cecilia Rivera

Salsa & Bachata Student

Cecilia embraced salsa and bachata as a way to unwind after work and stay active, finding both styles to be a delightful blend of exercise and distraction. She finds salsa more challenging but...

Patricia Stan

Patricia Stan

Salsa Student

"Joining Movers and Shakers has been one of my favorite things that I've done for myself since moving to LA!” Patricia Stan reflects on how her salsa journey has brought joy and...

Kyra Orr

Kyra Orr

Salsa Student

Kyra’s salsa journey began with inspiration from Ashley Torres, who encouraged her to take the leap into dance classes. Since joining Movers and Shakers, Kyra has honed her skills by focusing...

Rina Simon

Rina Simon

Salsa Student

Rina’s introduction to salsa dancing with Movers and Shakers was nothing short of amazing! She was hooked from the start, thanks to Danny’s incredible teaching style that makes learning...

Marco Venegas

Marco Venegas

Salsa Student

Marco took the leap into salsa lessons here in Los Angeles with a simple goal in mind: to learn how to salsa. While keeping up with the pace of classes can sometimes feel challenging, Marco has...

 Erfan Shabani

Erfan Shabani

Salsa Student

Erfan stepped into salsa with an open mind and a willingness to learn. With no prior dance experience, he embraced the challenge by immersing himself in classes, private sessions, and additional practice to refine his skills. More than just a skill, salsa has become a way for him to connect with others in a welcoming and supportive environment.

Olivia Fee

Olivia Fee

Salsa Student

Olivia brought her lifelong curiosity for salsa to life when she finally joined a class at Movers and Shakers—and it quickly turned into a passion. With a background in ballet, she found joy in the contrast and freedom of salsa.

Hashim Hassan

Hashim Hassan

Salsa Student

Hashim came into salsa with strong solo dancing skills—but craved the next level: partner work. At Movers and Shakers, he found not just the challenge he was looking for, but also deeper self-awareness and community.

Sergio Ramirez

Sergio Ramirez

Salsa Student

Sergio Ramirez took on salsa as a challenge to step outside his comfort zone, transforming his love for movement into a social experience. With a background in solo sports like biking and running, he saw dance as an opportunity to connect with others in a new way. His dedication to practice and continuous improvement has made salsa a rewarding journey of confidence, and community.

 Krista Wicklund

Krista Wicklund

Salsa Student

Krista Wicklund brings an infectious enthusiasm to the dance floor, embracing salsa as both a joyful escape and a way to connect with others. With a natural curiosity and a love for movement, she thrives in the vibrant energy of the dance community. Krista approaches every step with an open heart, making salsa an essential part of her life.

Elizabeth Mac

Elizabeth Mac

Salsa Student

Elizabeth’s love for salsa dancing began in her childhood, inspired by her Vietnamese parents who enjoyed dancing salsa, cha-cha, and rumba. Feeling left out at a salsa club in Colombia...

Mindy Dunlap

Mindy Dunlap

Salsa and Bachata Student

Mindy loves the thrill of fast spins and the energetic workout salsa provides. Though she’s dabbled in bachata, she feels most at home in salsa. She appreciates the supportive community...

Jin Gwoun

Jin Gwoun

Salsa and Bachata Student

Jin’s passion for dance led him to pursue both styles with equal enthusiasm, starting with both salsa and bachata. Salsa holds a special place in his heart as his first Latin dance...

Jessie Chen

Jessie Chen

Bachata Student

Jessie started with salsa but quickly found her true passion in bachata. For her, dancing isn’t just a hobby, it makes life way more exciting. She loves the upbeat and welcoming community...

Steven Daneshgar

Steven Daneshgar

Salsa Student

Steven took the plunge into the lively world of salsa, quickly finding a welcoming community at Movers and Shakers. He’s committed to refining his dance...

Alejandro Hinostroza

Alejandro Hinostroza

Salsa & Bachata Student

Alejandro is a thoughtful and vibrant student of Movers and Shakers Dance Academy. His love for salsa and bachata stems from...

Brian Samaniego

Brian Samaniego

Salsa Student

Brian discovered his passion for salsa after his very first class at Movers and Shakers Dance Academy. Drawn in by the welcoming atmosphere and expert instruction, he quickly became eager to learn more..

Javier Siria

Javier Siria

Salsa Student

Javier was drawn to salsa classes after seeing others dance, which ignited his desire to step onto the dance floor himself. He sharpens his skills by rewatching class videos, ensuring that every...

Sima Ghaddar

Sima Ghaddar

Salsa Student

Sima’s salsa journey began with a fun and exciting first experience that quickly ignited her passion for dance. She stays committed to improving her skills through weekly classes...

Sara Laimon Luke

Sara Laimon Luke

Salsa Student

Sara’s passion for Latin culture and partner dancing inspired her to take up salsa. Learning with Danny has not only enhanced her skills but also helped her embrace her inner...

Jair Plaisance

Jair Plaisance

Salsa & Bachata Student

Jair discovered his passion for dance through Bachata 101 and quickly fell in love with the experience. For him, dancing salsa and bachata is the highlight of his week, bringing joy...

Armin Mahini

Armin Mahini

Salsa Student

Armin joined Movers and Shakers to meet new people and learn a fun skill after moving to Los Angeles. Salsa classes pushed him out of his comfort zone, especially during exercises like practicing...

Claire Huestis

Claire Huestis

Salsa Student

Get to know Claire-- she stepped into salsa with a mix of curiosity and hesitation, but the structured learning environment quickly eased her into the rhythm of the dance. She found that consistency and practice are the key roles in her progress. For Claire, salsa is about embracing the learning process, letting go of hesitation, and fully engaging in the experience.

Naomi Frankel

Naomi Frankel

Salsa Student

Naomi took her first salsa steps at Movers and Shakers with a love for music and a desire to explore a global dance form. With an open mindset and a passion for growth, she embraced the challenge and found joy even in the unfamiliar.

Jonathan Biviano

Jonathan Biviano

Salsa Student

Jonathan's salsa journey began with a simple recommendation—but quickly grew into something more personal. With practice and a revived love for the dance, he found his rhythm both on and off the dance floor.

Daniel Loret

Daniel Loret

Salsa Student

Get to know our enthusiastic Salsa student, Daniel. He rediscovered his passion for salsa after taking a break from dancing for a few years. With a demanding job, he values the way salsa allows him to disconnect from stress and focus on movement and connection. Rooted in his Cuban heritage, he dreams of one day dancing in Havana, embracing the rhythms of his father’s homeland.

Domenica Romaniello

Domenica Romaniello

Salsa Student

Get to know Domenica, she joined Movers and Shakers looking for a fun new challenge—and salsa delivered. Inspired by great reviews and a personal desire to step out of her comfort zone, she dove into dance with curiosity and enthusiasm. She credits consistent practice as her biggest key to improvement, and the trust required in partner work.

Kendall Watanabe

Kendall Watanabe

Salsa and Bachata Student

Kendall began exploring bachata in Hawaii in 2018 and joined Movers and Shakers in Los Angeles in 2022. She enjoys the technical challenges of salsa and the intricate patterns...

Jonathan Cortijo 

Jonathan Cortijo 

Salsa Student

Jonathan took up salsa dancing to break out of his routine, and it quickly brought a spark of joy and excitement into his life. He approaches mistakes with a sense of humor, turning them into...

Ashley Rodriguez

Ashley Rodriguez

Salsa Student

Ashley Rodriguez grew up loving Latin dance. After experiencing the fun vibe and energy at Movers and Shakers, she knew it was the right place for her. She enjoys the fun connection salsa...

Gabriela Molina 

Gabriela Molina 

Salsa Student

Gabriela always dreamed of learning to dance, and salsa turned out to be the perfect choice. At Movers and Shakers, she’s discovered a lively and encouraging community...

Anthony Brooks

Anthony Brooks

Salsa Student

Say hello to Anthony, who's rediscovering his love for dancing after a long break. After trading dance for sports in high school, Anthony is back on the salsa...

Juan Perez

Juan Perez

Bachata Student

Juan is a dedicated student at Movers and Shakers Dance Academy whose love for bachata music inspired him to join the program. Through classes...

Marissa Cortes

Marissa Cortes

Salsa & Bachata Student

Marissa fell in love with salsa and bachata not just for the dances but for the vibrant community she’s become part of. Since joining Movers and Shakers Dance Academy, she’s met genuine, supportive people...

Nina Christy

Nina Christy

Salsa Student

Meet Nina Christy, a passionate Cuban dancer who embraced salsa to connect with her culture and impress her family with her moves. Living in Los Angeles, she saw salsa as the perfect way...

Helen Winter

Helen Winter

Salsa Student

Helen’s enthusiasm for salsa dancing shines through her journey at Movers and Shakers. She loves the supportive and vibrant environment, where she’s embraced video reviews...

Ricardo Vera

Ricardo Vera

Salsa & Bachata Student

Ricardo’s journey into dancing salsa and bachata has been an exciting adventure of stepping out of his comfort zone and meeting new people. Among the two dances...

Mark Antal

Mark Antal

Salsa Student

Mark started his salsa journey as a fun way to unwind and break up the week. For him, dancing is all about enjoying the moment—even when mistakes happen, he just smiles...

​© 2025 MaS Dance, LLC. Todos los derechos reservados.

© 2025 MaS Dance, LLC. All rights reserved.

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