Student Spotlight:

Nishima Gupta

Salsa Student

Nishima's love for salsa began when she snuck into a Latin club as a teenager and fell in love with Latin music and culture. Now, she's committed to mastering salsa, practicing tirelessly to perfect her moves.

She’s found a close-knit group of friends at Movers and Shakers, making unforgettable memories together. The welcoming atmosphere of the academy has become her home away from home.

Nishima shares her salsa dance journey through the following interview questions.

1. How did your interest in salsa dancing begin?

At 15 years old, I snuck into a Latin club in Atlanta where I was introduced to all the different types of Latin dance styles. They were all so different from dance in South Asian culture, and I wanted to learn! As I got older and started to love Latin music and culture even more, salsa and bachata became huge interests of mine, and I finally wanted to commit to properly learning.

2. How do you deal with mistakes while learning to dance salsa?

Practice - over and over and over again until I get it right.

3. What’s a favorite memory bonding with your classmates outside of salsa class? What made it special?

So many memories! I found my cute little crew from Salsa 101, and spending time with them outside of class has been a BLAST. My favorite memory is our friend AJ stuffing 10 of us in his giant car after 2AM tacos to take us home. A true, mushy gushy bonding moment.

4. If you could invite any celebrity, alive or fictional, to join you for a night of salsa dancing in Los Angeles, who would it be and why?

Um, easy. Justin Baldoni. He's the love of my life.

5. How would you describe the atmosphere and community at Movers and Shakers Dance Academy?

So welcoming and has become my home away from home in many ways. It feels so good to be in a dance studio after YEARS of not being in one.