We've booked summer camps twice here with our twins. Each time, I've been equally impressed. They do such a wonderful job here in keeping the kids active and excited to perform. The first year, we took our kids to the Bethesda school since the Petworth location was already booked. We planned ahead for this summer and booked our kids at the Petworth school. Both locations had the same high quality of instruction. We have somewhat shy kids, and both locations really helped them gain that confidence to perform. We also really like that the schools are bi-lingual. We have been teaching our kids Spanish, and like that they continue to get this language integrated into their daily learning. The school offers a wide range of classes. The first year, the class was more about modern dance and hip hop (by the way, hilarious with 4 year-olds). This past class, was tap dancing (again, pretty entertaining). This is one of the better summer camps. I can tell my kids love it, even if when I ask them, they only give me 2 word responses like, "It's good!" read more

As a first-timer (meaning my review may be updated in the future) Salsa with Silvia was fantastic. I visited the Washington location through their beginner unlimited month, and so far, I've attended three classes. Let me give you the run down: Booking online is made so easy through MindBody. If you're like me and love group fitness or activities, the app is the best way to add, modify, and delete sessions from your calendar. When purchasing the monthly pass, (which was only $90 for the first time!), you'll be able to select any session that piques your interest and directly add it to your digital calendar. Upon arrival, the friendly receptionists will get you signed in and tell you which studio you're in. You can wait in that seating area for a moment if you are early, or head right on in and use the cubbies for storing your items. Literally my ONLY recommendation to the team would be for the receptionists to share where the bathroom is located... It took me until the second session (the same night) to realize it was behind the door at the back of the Studio A. My first class was Dance Fitness with Mario Cervantes. The class was nothing short of awesome. He had such a radiant and contagious energy that got the whole class moving in this full-body cardio session. My tip for newbies: take plenty of water, take a small towel (you WILL be sweating), and take advantage of when he changes the song. It was soooo fun. And the proof is in the pudding: I burned 700+ calories in 45 minutes. My second class was immediately after with Richard Gil. This was Tier I. Intro to Bachata. The class size was on the smaller size, so the teacher and his assistant were able to provide professional and detailed corrections to our movements and technique. While I still had lots of fun, it was clear that Richard cares about how his students learn and apply proper bachata principles. I really appreciated this welcoming, uplifting, and constructive atmosphere! My third class (yes, in the same night! I was wore out) was Tier I. Intro to Salsa, which was back with Mario. The class size was bigger, so there was less individualized instruction, but the energy was again incredibly engaging. He used humor, passion, and experience to get everyone moving towards the correct Salsa movements and techniques. Overall, a really wonderful experience. I'm super excited to have something to look forward to each week and will definitely be adding onto this review as I engage with more teachers and take more classes! read more

Be careful with booking here. They double charged me for a class and refused to refund my money despite displaying clear proof I was double charged. read more

Was visiting DC for the weekend & felt like I wanted to do something else instead of museums and found Silvia's event on Eventbrite for their first ever Saturday morning Yoga & Salsa Social Dancing event! One can either choose to do just the yoga, or social OR best of both worlds! I had a flowy strengthening fun yoga class with Anya & enjoyed DJ Aldo's amazing music & dancing! I've started learning a bit of salsa on 2 and despite them being a salsa on 1 studio, they welcomed me so kindly! We all enjoyed dancing with each other, had met such fantabulous people with great vibes! I recommend this studio so0o much! I can only imagine how awesome their regular classes are! read more

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I was looking for a place to take some private salsa lessons and after asking a few people Salsa with Sylvia was a place I was given a couple times since moving here. I finally signed up for a private class to test and see if I might want to do more. This isn't a DC Metro review but metro sucks so I was 3 minutes later even after leaving early to get there on time. Getting anywhere sucks on Metro on weekends. Sooooo much time waiting between trains. Anyway, I arrived and was introduced to Camille. Took us a few to get set-up and into the lesson. She asked what I knew and to show her and told her what I was interested in learning. More simple turns and nothing too fancy. I thought we had a good lesson and I learned a lot. I didn't grow up dancing but I like to go out and do what I can. Hope to take a few more Salsa and bachata lessons. read more

Salsa With Silvia | Washington - Dance Studios Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I'd like to start by saying that I don't often write reviews on Yelp. I do, like many others, read them to help me get an idea of the restaurant/company/etc in question (don't we all?). That being said, I want to give my personal experience with Salsa with Silvia, and in particular, Joffre as an instructor. I grew up dancing and continued throughout high school but, as it happens, hung up my dance shoes as the real world and workforce set in post-college. The pandemic has clearly been a devastating time for everyone and the isolation of 2020 really hit home for me. Coming into 2021 and now into my 30's, I'd been wanting to get back into dance to have something fun and social to do, and heard about Salsa with Silvia online. I read through all of the wonderful reviews and decided to finally bite the bullet and take a class....and I am truly so grateful I did. I took Joffre's Monday salsa class - not only were all of the students warm and friendly but Joffre himself was an excellent teacher. I was hooked and couldn't wait to go back. That was in March and since then, i've been going weekly and learned and improved so much - I've even fallen in love with bachata, which'd I'd honestly never heard of before! I want to make my point very clear. Every single class, every single interaction I have had with Joffre has been instructive, fun and most of all respectful. I have always felt safe and comfortable and coming to his classes has become a haven after a stressful work day. He's patient with every student, no matter their skill level, and teaches in a way that is very easy to understand. At the end of the day, I wanted to share my personal experience and reiterate how thankful I am that I've found this studio. I've made more friends through the salsa community here than in the the last 3 years of living in DC combined. Thank you so much to Silvia, Joffre and the entire SWS team for bringing such a wonderful experience to myself and so many students!! read more

Wonderful experience. Great date spot and a place to meet new people. Eesha was excellent. She just taught us in a way that made it so easy to follow. I've taken a few salsa classes in the past but it was always confusing. She taught in a way that was very natural and soon enough we were all spinning! Highly recommend. Will be looking at regular classes. read more

Perfect date option, or to meet people. Really nice vibe and well worth the money for a little drink and a lesson. Would definitely recommend for people who are beginners or more. Very relaxed atmosphere, friendly, fun. read more

Update as of Oct. 2021: It is my understanding that Joffre is no longer employed at this studio. I do want to leave the below information for posterity, because my experience was negative, and as I do not feel the situation was well handled. **WARNING FOR WOMEN** I'm one of a group of four women who reported bad behavior by one of the instructors at this studio, Joffre, to the studio's owner, Silvia. Collectively we shared that Joffre: texted students (using studio contact system) without explicitly getting permission to do so beforehand; used "private lessons" and requests to "be his new dance partner" to get women alone pursue them romantically/sexually; had women engage in sexual acts with him in the studio (because he knows where the cameras are / where they can't be seen); gave women rides home and used this as an opportunity to pursue them romantically/sexually; non-consensually attempted to kiss women in some of these instances; was pursuing several SWS students within the same/overlapping time frame. We reported this to Silvia in writing in 2018. She responded by creating a new "code of conduct" that allowed/encouraged student-teacher dating as long as the relationships are 1) "consensual" and 2) disclosed openly to Silvia. Due to teacher-student power dynamics, and the fact that Joffre advocates to keep the relationships a secret (because he is pursuing multiple women at the same time), I believe these criteria are impossible to fulfill, and that the policy was a superficial action that did not create meaningful change or protections for women. Silvia defended Joffre in an in-person meeting with me (as I was the one who sent our collective letter), during which she evoked racial and gender stereotypes (e.g., "Men are just that way," "he is just Latin," "women are emotional"). Although I explained to her that there was an incident where Joffre non-consensually attempted to kiss me in his car, she seemed to deem that complaint -- because we had previously exchanged consensual/friendly text messages -- to be invalid. She and another SWS colleague, assuming that the reason I was upset was because I actually wanted to date Joffre, gave me some "advice" that amounted to I should play hard to get (WOW, JUST NO). In a follow-up email, Silvia reiterated that the testimonies of four current students and at least one current teacher (I also believe there were previous complaints) were not enough grounds for any repercussions, writing: "As an employer, I cannot fire people that are being accused of something without the proof." Due to that decision, the overarching problem of this instructor repeatedly targeting students for personal relationships persisted, continuing to be an "open secret" amongst teachers and staff (the other teachers are wonderful, and some have also had talks with Silvia about Joffre's behavior). This went on for years and I would estimate has affected dozens of women. Note: This is not a moral judgment about dating, as people are free to "date" whomever and however many people they wish. However, there are myriad issues with power dynamics between students and teachers, which is why these relationships are usually outright banned. In cases where students agree to go out with their instructors because they'd rather not cause drama, they don't want to be ostracized by their community, are enticed with free lessons/instruction, want to improve or be on a team, are infatuated with their instructor, are being directly lied to by their instructors, are being asked to keep the relationship a secret, etc. -- this does not represent true consent. This type of behavior, while it might not be criminal, should absolutely stay out of people's places of employment, especially when they are charged with teaching young women. From ConsentAwareness.net: Consent means 'freely given, knowledgeable and informed agreement.' Assent means 'agreement on the face of it.' So, when someone tells you a lie, you can be agreeing on the face of it but you're not knowledgeable or informed. You can assent and agree, but that doesn't mean you're consenting. read more

Hi my name is Keelin, and I am a former student of Mario, Joffre, and Cat's classes, and Joffre's current dance partner and assistant of 2 years now. The Salsa with Silvia studio has been my home for 2 years, as it has been home to many others. Particularly considering the global pandemic that we have collectively gone through, I think that one of the greatest lessons the last year has taught us is that we are social beings, and we need community, which is what the studio has brought to everyone that has walked through the doors. The main reason I am writing this review now is in light of the disturbing posts that have been shared and circulated throughout these spaces. I have spent majority of my weeks over the last 2 years at this studio - truly nonstop - and I have never felt anything other than respect, care, and professionalism from Silvia as a studio owner and Joffre as an instructor and partner. His classes and teams are a joyful, fun, safe space, where I, among others have learned and laughed together. I have continuously heard from people how Joffre's classes and practices are the highlights of their days (and mine as well). Through a global pandemic and beyond it, Joffre has been a constant for his classes and teams, always respectful and responsible, cultivating a safe space for people to come, from wherever someone's day is bringing them, and be their authentic selves. This has created nothing but a community filled with honest, kind, caring people, that I have encountered. This has been my continuous experience with SWS over the last 2 years. I hope people continue to contemplate and consider the gravity of their words and actions. The bottom line is: Silvia, Joffre, and the entire SWS community is a wonderful place to be, and I truly encourage you to come and see and feel it for yourself read more

Since the time of writing my original review, I spoke with the studio owner, Silvia. I felt that she listened and heard my concerns and those of other women who have spoken with her about their experiences. She took swift action after our conversation. For what it's worth, I took classes here for two years and was on one of the performance teams. I loved the community of the studio -- people getting together to learn and have fun. I can speak highly of my time there other than my experiences in my original review. The studios are clean, the teachers are knowledgeable and fun, and the programming rotates to keep things interesting. Going with a 3 to average my experience. read more

My fiancé and I took salsa classes at this studio all summer long with Kelly. We had such a blast but had to stop when our graduate programs started up again. Needless to say we can't wait for summer to go again! I'm one of those rare Latinas that never learned how to dance salsa and always just watched at family parties. My fiancé is not latino but has great rhythm and loves to dance so he wanted to learn salsa for our wedding. We started in beginner and after a couple of weeks moved up to intermediate. Kelly was an amazing instructor, has so much energy, and really pushes you to learn. We loved her. In fact we only took classes with her the entire time! The space is small but honestly it teaches you how to dance in a small place. What DC club have you been to that has a huge floor space? None. So I appreciated that we learn in a small but comfortable size space. Cool thing is we went out to practice our new moves on a Saturday night and ran into other students out too. Great way to meet new people, socialize, and get up and moving. read more

I had a nice time here! A lot of the students are super friendly and the front desk staff is very good at explaining things, and making things clear. I took my class with Annabelle. This is where we lose a star. Annabelle is clearly a good dancer - she's teaching the class. But, she uses a lot of "punch down" humor on the students, and throws in weird AAVE references that feel inappropriate. I'll go back and try again, but this was certainly off-putting. My class size was manageable, and we had plenty of space to dance, which was nice. The rotating partner structure is also helpful. I just...don't see the value in being mean to people who are trying to learn something. Maybe people think it's cute. read more

Great for beginners and some amazing instructors. I've attended the studio for a while - it has some great instructors that really do a spectacular job. Some amazing pros teach there - personally I love Gina - who is literally an international dance judge and overall spectacular instructor (her fundamentals and technique are unparalleled and like no instruction I've seen in the area), Mario - an amazing professional dancer with the best presence, David teaches awesome sensual bachata, Camille who rocks the styling, and Joffre who is just overall amazing (as well as a bunch of other amazing people!). On the whole the instructors are what make the studio great and I've stayed for a long while just because of them (the studio does not provide any advanced classes - which is a crying shame). If you are a beginner, you should try it - if you are intermediate and up, you may have to hire the instructors for private classes (Gina in particular will make you look gooooooddddd)!! Thank you all! read more

I have been lucky enough to meet some amazing new people through this studio, and MOST of the instructors are kind, professional, and provide new and experienced dancers with training that's good for their level. However, there is one instructor (Joffre) who will use his classes as his own personal tinder. He will offer up personalized training as a way to meet women, new dancers with less experience in particular, and then attempt to start relationships with them. This has happened to many of my friends, and he attempted the same thing with me before I was aware of his history(offering me rides and personal training for free). As far as I know, the owner Silvia is aware of this abuse of power, and has done next to nothing to help the situation. While this studio is a great place to meet new people, be part of a community, and learn salsa and bachata, I want to warn other young women of that one instructor and the fact that the owner would rather support him than the students who attend classes. read more

I have mixed feelings about this studio. It is small as others have noted. Basically, there're only 2 rooms, and a reception area. I decided to try a 4 week beginner series and the first 2 classes were good - I liked the instructor Jason. He was patient and about his business. The 3rd class was with a substitute who was a no-show (he forgot!) so we had to all turn around and go home. They rescheduled the class for the following week and that time he showed up. Very different teaching style from Jason. He moved a lot quicker and wasn't as patient. He contradicted some of Jason's teaching/instruction and seemed to have no idea what we had done in the previous 2 classes. We lost the continuity and it was off-putting to me. There's one more class left in the series and apparently there's going to be yet another substitute so I expect there will be a similar issue. Why can't we stay with the same instructor? It feels like a bait and switch. They also don't seem to put a cap on the class size. The 3rd class was pretty packed and a handful of people showed up half way through the class and they were let in. Then some students show up in the middle of the series and throw everything off because they missed the first couple classes. I think it should be clear on the website that it's a progression and you should plan to start from the beginning of the series. Otherwise, one minute you're dancing with someone on your level and the next minute you switch partners and you have someone who has no clue what's going on! I'm debating on the final class. I'm not sure if I'd want to continue after that given these issues so maybe I should focus on finding another studio. read more

I've rented from Salsa with Sylvia before and the first time I rented, i didn't love the customer service. Everything felt rushed and there was little communication. This time I rented a around, I was coming from out of town and came to the studio and the experience was completely different because of Whitney Smith (studio assistant/front desk associate) who was AMAZING! She welcomed my group and I, asked us if we needed everything and did our best to help us with the time issue that was made when we booked the studio. She cleaned the studio up and down before and after and made sure our group didn't leave anything when we left. If Whitney continues working with Salsa with Sylvia (DC location), I will continue to book and recommend to others! The 4 is because of my first experience being a 3 averaged with this time being a 5. read more

I joined Salsa with Silvia in its Georgia Avenue location in January of 2018. During the first 5-6 months of 2018, I was at the studio pretty much every weeknight and all day on Saturday. The studio offers an unlimited-class plan, and you bet I signed up for that and took full advantage of it. My plan of taking as many classes as possible in a short amount of time to improve my dancing skills fast was one of the reasons why I was at the studio all the time when I first joined. The other reason was the people I found there - and they are the reason I keep going to this day. Incredible human beings have worked at SWS over the years, who have helped me feel comfortable as I engaged in a new and at times challenging activity. Among the front-office people, I must give a shout-out to Gary. For a long time, he was the face of SWS for me, the person I reached out to if I needed anything. I miss you at the Georgia Avenue location! Among the instructors, I'm sorry for picking favorites (all instructors are great in their own way), but Joffre has always been my guy. Not only is Joffre a very good dancer, but he is also an excellent instructor. He knows how to break down and explain the moves (including teaching how to respect personal space and make sure nobody gets hurt while executing moves); he meets the students where they are (skill-wise) so nobody feels discouraged nor bored; and he tries to make sure everyone is having fun as they work on their dance skills. I felt challenged in Joffre's classes, but also reassured whenever things got difficult and potentially frustrating. He has certainly helped me become a better dancer and I am grateful for that! Finally, SWS is the place where I found a safe, fun, open community and made very good friends. SWS has become a part of my life, a place I associate with happy things! read more

Finally after some time, I feel ready to write this review. I took Silvia's salsa teacher training course back in 2019 with an excitement to take my dancing to the next level. I have been dancing salsa since 2014 and I wasn't sure if I wanted to actually take the next leap and teach yet, but I was curious to start building a teacher foundation. After the experience however, I realized it was a mistake. And now, I cannot recommend this studio. The course itself I think was the first time Silvia and David were hosting it, it was extremely disorganized and not thought out. Some of the material was okay, but they threw so much at us in a short amount of time (7 weeks) and expected us to be experts by the end without any support. Silvia is also one of the coldest and most unsupportive people I have ever met. For the last class, she told us we were having a "test." I remember the week before I asked her who we would be teaching and how I should prepare, she did not give me very much information. When I walked in the week, I expected we would be teaching the other trainees like we were the 6 weeks prior. Nope. She threw actual student volunteers at us without informing us or letting us prepare. For me, it was very nerve-racking. She placed me to go last and by the time it was my turn, there were more students in my class than the trainees before me, which made the experience even worse. During our feedback session at the end, with both her and David, Silvia looked me cold in the face and told me I was too insecure to be a teacher. Mind you, I paid a lot of $$$ to take this "teacher training," just to be torn down as a dancer. I suggest Silvia does NOT host a teacher training again. Also, there is a lot of great dancing in DC. While you can learn some great foundations here and some of the teachers are wonderful, I do suggest looking elsewhere to become an advanced dancer. read more

I did a 4 week salsa class pass with friends and have gone to a social event. I like this dance studio, but they are focused more on cramming as many people as possible in the room. A lot of times it is hard to see what the teacher is doing. For the amount of people in the classes their should be a teacher and teacher assistant walking correcting common mistakes and asking individual questions. Alas, the studio rooms are too small to accommodate these things. read more

I signed up for Salsa With Sylvia for the summer. I first signed up for ten classed and then took the unlimited deal for a month. Overall, it was a great summer experience. I came as an absolute beginner and improved fast to the intermediate level. 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! read more

BEWARE WHEN PURCHASING SALSA WITH SILVIA GROUPONS!!! I hadn't take classes at Salsa with Silvia for some time (actually 2018) and saw a Groupon, so I decided it was time to check out classes again and saw an Advanced Salsa series that I was interested in. I contacted the studio to let them know that I purchased a Groupon and ask how do I use it to register for class. The individual stated that I needed to provide him the Groupon number and he would add the classes to my account which would then allow me to register for class. All good! This was done and I took my first class. So, imagine my surprise when I received a call a couple days later informing me that my upcoming classes were cancelled because the Groupon is good for the Bethesda location only! Needless to say, I'm livid. As a studio, if you have multiple locations (to which btw, people may not even be aware of), and you intend a Groupon to be used at only one of those locations (the one most people may not be aware of), it would be helpful to state this information clearly on the Groupon to avoid misleading customers. But to cancel my classes and then call to let me know that my classes are canceled, I found this to be completely rude, disrespectful, and lacking in customer service! I will complete the classes I've already paid for and won't be back. There are too many other options available in the DC-Baltimore area. read more

I've been going to this studio on and off for about 6 months, and I'm just not a fan. I I spend about $250-$300 per month on salsa and bachata (privates, group, and entrance fees for social dancing). There are better studios, with equivalent classes at the same or better price, with much better customer service. The studio offers a drop in rate, a 10 pack, private lessons and monthly all you can take style subscription. I used to take drop ins, but tried the monthly subscription and private lessons. My main problem is the lack of customer service here. I always feel like I'm lucky to even get to spend money there. I have never once felt like a valued customer, despite my repeat business. When I have spoken to the owner, she communicates in a terse and condescending manner. For example, I bought a 10 pack and didn't realize that they expired in 6 months. When I lost some of them, I asked the owner about it and she was unsympathetic, despite the fact that I'm a semi-regular. They claimed they sent emails, but I didn't receive them. They send so much spam, I imagine these official notes got caught up in my spam filter. They will lose about $2,500 of my business by haggling over a few expired classes that I paid for. They also make you register through an app called Mind Body. I personally don't like the app or the interface, so it's a headache. That said, I realize other small businesses use the same app. The class quality is mixed; some of the instructors are excellent, but others are a bit...bizarre. I think the salsa classes are better than the bachata (but they did make changes to bachata so we'll see). Joffre is a great instructor. Overall, I just can't get over people who are rude and cheap, which has been my experience with the management, so i won't be continuing here. read more

I love this studio! I signed up for my first monthly unlimited class membership in December and have been taking salsa classes consistently since then. The format of 4 week classes, ranging from absolute beginner to intermediate levels, is brilliant. But, honestly, I'm compelled to write this review because I just took my first class with instructor Jason Potell and he is FANTASTIC! He truly broke down the technique for every move he taught, for both the leads and followers. He also stressed the importance of completing steps in certain ways to stay safe and avoid injury. In fact, he was the first instructor who corrected my arm placement and mentioned that using the correct placement will prevent shoulder injury. My right shoulder has been hurting lately, and now I know why and how to prevent further injury. I feel my technique has already improved after just one class with Jason. I'm so impressed, I went to sign up for every class he teaches and was so disappointed to only see two classes on the schedule. Even though I'm almost done with their third level, I would retake every single level from the beginning if Jason was the instructor without hesitation. To the studio: is there any way to add more classes instructed by Jason to the schedule? I would truly be so thrilled if this was possible! read more

I started taking classes at the Salsa With Silvia studio in June after I graduated from my Master's. I was extremely intimidated to start attending classes (not to mention uncoordinated) but I signed up with a friend who was also interested and that helped ease me in. I bought the $90 salsa for beginners pass (offered in both spring and summer 2015), which gives you access to an unlimited amount of classes for 90 days (it is an AMAZING DEAL). this pass allowed me to sign up for the beginner, beginner with styling and intermediate salsa classes offered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Not only were the people in the classes extremely approachable, but there was also usually an equivalent female-to-male ratio and I almost always had a lead that I could dance and practice new moves with. I have been able to take classes with Joffre, Jennifer and Kelly, all who I believe are great instructors with different teaching styles. There is also a wonderful salsa community who goes out to different clubs and lounges towards the end of the week including: -Cafe Citron in Dupont -Eighteenth Street Lounge (ESL) in Dupont -Habana Village in Adams Morgan -Lucky Strike in Chinatown I absolutely love it and I'm sad that I have not found that sort of community now that I'm in San Jose, California. But it's only my second week here so only time will tell ;] **Located off of 6th and Kenyon (walking distance from Petworth and Columbia Heights Metro Stations) **Opening a bigger studio this fall (GREAT NEWS) read more

I have nothing but great things to say about this studio. I have been coming here for over a month now and I took salsa classes with different instructors. All the instructors are really good at their job, plus they show genuine joy from dancing and teaching others to experience the same thing. Still, hands down Mario is my favorite instructor! read more

A got a package of private beginner salsa lesson for my boyfriend as a Christmas gift. They were very affordable, and have a schedule that is accommodating. And, as a teacher, Joffre is great. I dance salsa, but my boyfriend does not, and Joffre was super patient and fun. From what we experienced, I can't complain. However, when we showed up for our third private class, there was a substitute teacher (they sent an email 30 minutes beforehand, but we were already in the car headed to the studio). We expressed that since we had been taking classes with Joffre, we'd like to continue working with him, so did not choose to take the class with Jennifer, the substitute (though I'm sure she's great). Jennifer put us in touch with Joffre via email, who did not reply to 2 emails to schedule another class. I'm really disappointed, and sad that we weren't able to use our last class. read more

My boyfriend purchased a 3 pack of private lessons for me (us) for my birthday. We had been wanting to learn salsa for awhile, and I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity not only to learn, but learn specifically with him! Our lessons were with Joffre on Saturday evenings, and I can't say enough good things about him. He is an excellent teacher for both the lead and the follow, and he explains the moves in several ways so that you can really get a good grasp on them. What I appreciated most was when we messed up, he was so patient in helping us figure out what we were doing wrong. Sometimes it's easy to feel stupid when you mess up what someone told you literally 5 seconds before, but he had a really pleasant demeanor that didn't make you feel silly. He was very observant and picked up on little things we could be improving. He also frequently gave us little tips before starting a move to point out frequently missed steps and cues to look for when starting to practice them. That was supremely helpful. I really appreciated his energy and enthusiasm for teaching, and he really made our time worthwhile. We learned a lot and feel like we have a great foundation to move forward from now. Highly recommend! read more

After having read so many good comments about this place, my boyfriend and me went very excited to our first class. I´m pretty sure this a great place; unfortunately, I think we didn´t get the best teacher. We had a class with Kelly and was a really bad experience: she has no patience at all, does not speak clearly (as me , I noticed that several students were not native speakers which makes really hard to understand her) and even worse, she uses a sarcastic humor which does not get along with someone who is starting to learn salsa and needs confidence. I can only recommend people who is beginning to dance salsa and might be shy to NOT taking a class with Kelly. read more

I attended salsa classes with Joffre, and I really enjoyed learning from him. He is a wonderful instructor who explains things well and is very patient. Moreover, he is extremely kind and professional with all his students. I've always felt respected and appreciated by Joffre, which made learning salsa an enjoyable process. Salsa With Silvia even organizes events which are a great place to practice what you learn in class and meet fellow dancers. I highly recommend attending this school and taking classes with Joffre! read more

Silvia is an awesome teacher! I've been doing salsa for almost one year and she's definitely helped my skills improve. I've learned combinations, styling, better timing and confidence for the dance floor. She's very combination-focused so if you're looking for some new moves, definitely check her out. She has a genuine desire to help you improve. She has two assistant teachers, Kelly and Jennifer, that are some of the most enthusiastic salsa dancers that I've met. They are knowledgable, patient and fun. They probably spend every free time they have looking up salsa moves that they can learn and teach their students. They understand that you'll only get better with practice so they plan outings so that you can practice your social dancing. Parking isn't hard to find and it doesn't cost! read more

Hi, I would like to say that overall my experience at SWS, was absolutely great. From the moment you enter people are really helpful and give you guidance on when or what level you should start. I took the absolute beginner class, and it was just the best, the instructor (Joffre) was great, very patient and ready to help. His class was really fun, which made the whole experience a great way to start for me. After that I just kept taking classes with almost all the instructors. Kelly, Mario, David, Camille each of them had their unique way to teach, very professional and very helpful. I wish they had more advanced classes but I totally recommend this studio if you are new to the salsa and bachata dancing scene and want a first good experience! read more

If you're looking for a great place to learn how to dance Salsa and Bachata, then Salsa With Silvia is that place. I've been coming here for about a year now and I haven't had a bad experience yet. Overall, the staff and instructors are wonderful. They're friendly, professional, and knowledgeable in all things dance. Most importantly, they're patient. Thank you to Gary, Gina, David, Joffre, Camille, Mario, Kelly and anyone else I may have missed. See you guys soon! read more

I was fortunate enough to find Silvia when I first moved to the DC area in the beginning of 2010. I was already into Salsa and had been dancing for a few years but she DEFINITELY bumped my skills up a few levels. Can we say, "Multiple spins and aerial tricks?!" Oh yeah...I can do those! Lol. My appreciation for the style grew as well. I am a true Salsa addict. Like, I stalk it with no shame. It loves me. You have no choice but to have a great time in Silvia's classes. This woman's energy is AMAZING! Silvia is also very patient with her students. In a class ranging from the very beginner to the intermediate, no one is left out. Everyone is attended to. Also, everything that she teaches can be applied in the social scene immediately. If you're not taking advantage of the many classes that are being offered, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?!?! Besides...the instructors are HOT! Hope to see you in class. :) read more

Great and fun experience! Groupon price was an incredibly good deal. Good work out too ! Mario is the best instructor- charismatic, energetic and very entertaining. He helped make us feel comfortable and we improved in very short time. We looked forward to coming back. read more

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 Sylvia's, and will be back for another lesson from David soon! read more

I got the Yelp deal $80 for $115 and I used t to sign up for classes. I have only taken Joffre's classes which is on Mondays(evening). I must say, Joffre is a wonderful instructor. I have been dancing salsa on and off for a while, and though I was familiar with the basic steps and turns, I could not say I was much better than a beginner. After just 3 or 4 classes, I could see the difference in my dancing, my turns were smoother, I could combine different patterns. It definitely is worth the money. Apart from just the steps, Joffre also teaches different ways to style it, so you literally get two packages for the price of one.You do not have to take a separate class on styling. If you have trouble with any step, he takes time to break it down for you. The class is small, usually about 8 - 12 people and so it easy to get that communal feeling where everyone knows everyone and its easy to plan a salsa club outing with the students( esp for people like me who don't have any clue as to where to go for salsa). You never feel left out. read more

Completely unprofessional and unacceptable. Booked a class online, took a cab from DuPont circle and the place was closed for my first beginner class. No notice on the website or door stating that the class was canceled. Waited 15 minutes for someone to open the door, but no one ever showed up. Called Silvia herself on her cell phone and received no call backs. Total waste of time and money. Don't bother. read more

I have now taken lessons at Salsa with Silvia for over 3 months and several classes. I have no hesitation in saying that SalsawithSilvia is one of the best Salsa schools in the Wash DC/MD area. I live a bit north of DC, so when I was looking at places to learn Salsa, I came across Silvias, which was bit of a drive and the Yelp reviews of some of the reviewers were a "hit n miss" so I decided to try out one class in the summer. I really enjoyed the class. From then on, I have taken classes at several places, but keep coming back to Silvia's. Silvia herself is extremely prompt at responding to e-mails. She is also quite accommodating at making changes to billing, scheduling etc. I found it very easy to communicate with her. 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. The studio is a bit small, (they tell me they are moving to a bigger place in the next few months) but they still mange the classes really well and rotate partners often. They focus a lot on technique. Since they themselves participate with the students in the dance classes, they are able to point out the mistakes for each person - which I find very helpful. I can go on and on about them, but I would just say that they are really good instructors. It would be wonderful if they added some practice time after the end of the classes. All in all a great place to learn Salsa in the metro DC area. read more

SWS teaches salsa On1. I have attended SWS for several months now. A fun studio and a positive learning environment but the quality of instruction varies greatly between instructors. On customer service: Customer service from both my instructor and Silvia was great. On Instruction: Instruction with Joffre is honestly excellent and you will learn a lot. Also enjoy Jason's instruction. In intermediate class with Kelly, the instruction was okay. She is fun and friendly, but her instruction lacks many technical or fine tuning tips. I do agree with other reviewers that frequent pauses to tell stories and jokes derailed class. However, the biggest shortcoming for me was that instruction was almost exclusively towards the lead's steps and that student's errors weren't really corrected. Overall a fun studio, check them out! The students here are friendly and go out dancing together. But you will probably reach a plateau in learning curve because the fellow students tend to be more novices. I have also tried an On2 studio in DC that was, quite honestly, excellent! read more