Latin Dance Lessons
Raleigh, NC
Step onto the floor with confidence at Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Raleigh. Located at 6300 Creedmoor Road, just 10 minutes from Crabtree Valley Mall and 20 minutes from downtown, we offer fun, all-inclusive Latin dance lessons for dancers of every experience level.
We teach the time-tested curriculum designed by legendary dancer Fred Astaire who co-founded the company in 1947. Led by World Rising Star Smooth Champion Oksana Klyuchnyk, who brings over 27 years of expertise, our certified instructors will get you moving with confidence, whether you are stepping onto the floor for the first time or looking to refine your technique. No partner is needed! New students can start with two lessons for $59. Call (919) 872-0111 or click below to book your first dance lesson.
Latin Dances We Teach
We have nine unique Latin dances for you to pick from. If you’re taking advantage of our new student offer, you may want to choose two different styles and experience a variety of your favorite Latin rhythms. Pick one to start with, or tell your instructor what music you like and let them recommend one.
Salsa: Salsa classes feature fast, turn-heavy choreography are are and danced on an 8-count.
Bachata: Bachata is a beginner friendly dance with slow and simple steps side to side and a tap on 4. This is the easiest Latin dance to learn first.
Cha Cha: The Cha Cha is a playful and syncopated, built on the cha-cha-cha triple step. It is a competition favorite in American Rhythm.
Rumba: slow and romantic, Rumba is the foundation for the hip action in every other Latin dance. It’s a common wedding first dance style.
Samba: The Samba boasts a bouncing Brazilian carnival rhythm and is the most athletic dance on this list.
Mambo: Mambo is salsa’s predecessor, danced on the 2 beat with a New York nightclub feel.
Merengue: Merengue is inspired by a marching step from the Dominican Republic and you can usually master the dance by the end of your first class.
Paso Doble: Paso Doble is the dramatic Spanish bullfight dance, most often taught for competition and showcases. If you’re up for a challenge or want to sharpen your skills, we recommend this style.
Bolero: Bolero is the slowest Latin dance, blending rumba hip action with waltz-style rise and fall.
What Beginners Learn in Latin Dance Classes
Lessons for beginners start with the basics: timing for Latin rhythms, Cuban motion, and moves you can use on a real dance floor.
The rhythm. Count the music before you move. Most Latin dances run on 8 counts, and your instructor shows you where each pattern starts.
Cuban motion. The hip action that makes Latin dance genuinely look Latin comes from bending and straightening the knees, not from the hips. You’ll learn all about this in your first lesson.
Lead and follow. You’ll learn how to both lead and follow, ensuring you can do both at any given time.
First patterns. The salsa basic, bachata basic, and cha cha basic, plus an underarm turn, have you dancing with a partner within your first few classes.
Private Lessons, Group Classes, and Practice Parties
Whether you want to practice one on one with an instructor or in a group setting, you can do either (or both) at Fred Astaire. Our private lessons give you personalized feedback on timing and Cuban motion and are the fastest way to improve, which is why most new dancers start there. If you have a partner, you can join a salsa class or any of our other group classes together, or come solo and rotate partners, which builds confidence leading or following anyone at a social. Most students combine the two. Not sure which to choose? Ask one of our instructors where they recommend you start.
Couples and solo dancers are both always welcome. Private lessons run Monday through Friday, group classes meet Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, and weekly practice parties are a fun, low-pressure way to use the moves you learned with fellow dancers before you take them to a Latin night.
Latin Dance for Weddings, Social Nights, and Competition
Couples often choose rumba or bachata for a wedding first dance because either fits slow songs and our instructors are happy to build the choreography around your song. Plus, the salsa or merengue will get guests on the floor at the reception. Social dancers use salsa and bachata at Raleigh’s Latin nights, and our practice parties and studio events are where students build the confidence to go. For those looking to compete, our instructors coach American Rhythm and International Latin for Fred Astaire regional and national competitions.
New Student Offer: Two Lessons for $59
Try two lessons for only $59 with no commitment after that. If our studio and instructors feel like the right fit, we will build a plan around your goals from there. Schedule today by calling (919) 872-0111 or filling out the form below, or buy the intro offer online.
Sign Up for Latin Dance Classes Today
If you’re ready to start dancing at Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Raleigh, we’re ready to welcome you. Take advantage of our new student offer, 2 Latin dance lessons for $59, by calling (919) 872-0111 or filling out the form below. It’s a low-cost, no commitment way to see if our studio is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bachata. Its basic is a slow side-to-side step with a tap, so most students grasp it by the end of their first class. Salsa is faster and turn-heavy, so a first salsa class goes better once your timing is solid.
In competition, the five International Latin dances are cha cha, samba, rumba, paso doble, and jive. At a Raleigh Latin night, the ones you will see most are salsa, bachata, merengue, and cha cha. We teach all of these at our Raleigh studio.
Most students dance a social-ready bachata or merengue after 2 to 3 weeks of weekly lessons. Salsa turns and cha cha timing take a couple of months, and competition-level technique takes longer. Many of our students keep training for years because there is always another dance they’d like to learn.
New students pay $59 for their first two lessons at our Raleigh studio. After that, pricing depends on your goals, how often you want to dance, and whether you choose private lessons, group classes, or both. We walk through the options at the end of your intro lessons.
No, no partner is necessary. Many of our students come alone. In private lessons you dance with your instructor, and in group classes partners rotate so everyone gets practice leading and following.
Start with our weekly practice parties, where you dance with other students and instructors. Raleigh has salsa and bachata socials most weeks, and your instructor can recommend the ones that match your level and the dances you have learned.
It’s a great way to exercise and have fun at the same time. A 45-minute salsa or samba lesson is a cardio workout that also builds coordination and balance, and dancing releases endorphins and dopamine, which is you’ll leave class feeling awesome.
Comfortable clothes you can move in and shoes with leather or suede soles, which let you turn and pivot. Rubber soles grip the floor and make the dance harder than it needs to be.