I highly recommend Silke! She is a fantastic dance teacher. She is patient and makes dance lessons fun and comfortable. My boyfriend and I took merengue and bachata lessons. He did not expect to be good at it but Silke instilled confidence in him and he did great. Now he loves dancing merengue with me! Go see Silke! read more

Wow! If you want to learn to dance..... if you want to learn how to do isolated moves.... And oh yeah!!! Have fun....call Silke. This teacher knows how to dance and most importantly teach you how to dance. A+ what a treasure !!! read more

Wow wow wow! Silke is a great dance teacher, she is incredibly patient and explains dance moves in simple terms while guiding you through the process of learning. I was interested in mastering some basic moves of salsa and bachata and ended up genuinely falling in love with cardio and sensuality of the dance. It gives you energy and something to look forward to by the end of your work day. My friend and her husband also booked dance lessons with her for the upcoming Anniversary party and loved Silke as a teacher. Step outside of your comfort zone and learn how to dance with Silke! I was glad I did :)) read more

Wordclass dancer and dance instrutor par excellence!! To start, Silke practices what she preaches. She works hard at maintaining her competitive ballroom dance skills and she teaches her students how to take our own dance skills to the next level. What I love about Silke is her patient, sharp eyes, and overall ability to tune into what a student needs. When a step/sequence is too complicated for me, she'll break it down to the sequence's basic components and ask me to focus on practicing the components before putting them back together. Silke is a perfectionis but not a drill sergeant! read more

How I ended up taking dance lessons with Silke was very random--invited by a girl friend for social dancing but I wasn't into it and the class name "Latin Bombshells with Silke" attracted my eyeballs immediately :) Though the randomness of joining her class did not bother me at all. I was HOOKED by her way of teaching and her great personality ever since, and I am now on her every single class!! :) Well not because I enjoy being called her "new gem", but Silke's energy and passions about dancing is like a magnet -- she makes you want to become a great dancer as she is! I've been with her all-girls Latin Bombshell performance team since May 2012, where we have been practicing a medley, including Paso Doble, Salsa, Cha Cha Cha, to prepare for a performance upcoming in SF Salsa Congress. Meanwhile, I also have been taking her Burlesque class and Rumba styling/choreography class, which gave me first-time-ever experience to perform at the dance studio showcase. The dance level of Silke's class could be varied. She is very patient with new-comers who may need detailed instructions about technique and styling. She is always paying attention to everyone and trying her best to bring the best of you :) which is not always seen in other dance teachers I tried. She not only just teaches in the front and gives verbal instructions and showing the moves, but also watches your body alignments and isolations whenever she can, so that she can pinpoint the reason why some moves don't look natural on you, or why you struggles, then figures out how to address the problems/challenges specifically for you. I feel very fortunate I met Silke randomly ;) and have been dancing and performing with her all-girls team (where I made great friends too!). I'll definitely continue as long as she teaches! :) read more

I started weekly lessons with Silke in early January. I found her to be warm & friendly, yet professional, knowledgeable and an amazing teacher. She doesn't follow a generic program, but rather customizes and adjusts as you progress. In only 4 lessons, she taught me not only some basic salsa moves, but several turns and patterns, preparing me for a trip to Colombia! In my last lesson, she even threw in some merengue moves so I could have a little more flexibility in music. She makes you feel confident and comfortable, and gently corrects you when you make a mistake, with a knack to create an exercise on the spot to help you overcome difficulties. At the end of the lesson, you can record her reviewing all you learned that day, which is invaluable when home trying to remember what you learned. I honestly don't think I could have found a better teacher to motivate me to learn how to dance. An absolute pleasure that I look forward to every week. read more

I was introduced to Silke by a friend. I meet Silke about 4 times a week on average since March 2012, for group classes and private ones. I go to all her classes whenever I can. Before meeting Silke, I'd been to various dancing classes with a couple of dance instructors. The styles of those instructors somehow didn't work for me very well. After all those, I still could barely dance. She's very analytical about physical and psychological rationales for dancing. Silke doesn't only tell me how I should dance but also tells me how I *could* do right and *why*. That's critical to me. Without understanding the rationale behind, it's hard to remember what I learn. When I can't correctly do some steps. She is able to find the reason behind it. When she points it out, it could immediately fix my problems. Often those instructions may seem irrelevant to me in the beginning. Sometimes her instructions are to let me feel about myself in a certain way. Those instructions DO work magically on me. Her explanations of the rationales help me to really understand and remember everything. Silke is a very patient teacher as well. She understands what it takes to become a good dancer and is very patient to her students. She also encourages me often. All these made it possible for me to grow and never give up. She's a super teacher. I say that because she doesn't only teach us dancing, she is a good friend too and a very energetic person. It's a pleasant experience to get along with her. She's so good that I refer her to my friends and coworkers. If you're looking for dance instructor, I recommend her to you as well! read more

Silke is one of the best dance instructors in this area, and she is my favorite. i started dancing as a beginner in mid 2009, and took group ballroom classes with several instructors. most of the time, i didn't continue with the same instructor after one series until i met Silke in late 2009. i was immediately attracted by her way of teaching, her latin styling, and her personality. i have been taking her classes since then for 3 years already, and i have been growing so much as a dancer. Silke always encourages me, inspires me, and brings out the best in me, not only in dancing, but also in other aspects of my life. Silke is a sincere, passionate, patient, professional and talented teacher. She is highly capable of developing students' dancing skills in every way, such as technique, styling, and expression. i feel very lucky to be her student, and recommend her to anyone who want to improve their dancing to the next level. read more

Silke is the best dance instructor! The first time we talked she totally understood what I wanted. After our very first dance lesson, I felt hopeful about my dancing. This was huge because I have very little rhythm! Silke is patient, explains movement incredibly well, is professional with a great understanding of dance. She's truly awesome! read more

Silks is a wonderful teacher. I have taken a number of dance classes, and she is one of the few teachers that talk about anatomy and the way the body moves naturally. She is a terrific dancer (which describes most dance teachers). What sets her part is her ability to teach. read more

I started dancing at the age of 7 with tap and jazz, and discovered ballroom close to 2 years ago. My ballroom instructor recommended Silke's Burlesque class to me as a way to improve my arm styling. I am captivated by Silke's energy and enthusiasm! She seeks to bring out the best in each one of her students. For performances, she makes sure that the choreography looks good on everyone, not only on a few, so that each one of us can shine. She is very encouraging to each and every one of her students. Silke excels at analyzing the reasons why a student is having difficulties with a particular step, and will then break the move down to a very detailed level, and explains the reasons behind the correction. I also take private lessons from Silke. She also highlights out how particular techniques that we work on will help with my Latin ballroom dancing as well. I find that my performance level has increased, with many more nuances. Silke's combination of positive energy and technical skills are the reasons I will definitely continue lessons with her! read more

Had a 1-hour session with Silke. She took time to slowly explain the steps. She has a pleasant demeanor and knows her stuff. Good luck Silke. read more

All I can say if you want to learn to dance Silke is the person you want to go too. She is a total pro and can correct common mistakes before they become habits, would definately recommend her! read more

My husband and I just completed our second Rumba class with Silke and we are hooked! She is a fabulous teacher. Her warm demeanor paired with patience, creativity and professionalism make for the perfect learning environment. Rather than saying the same thing over and over the same way, Silke takes the time to explain thoroughly, and if you don't get your 'Aha' moment she will try a different approach until you do. We are nothing but pleased. Can't wait until our next class! read more

You feel welcomed if this is your first time and under Silkes instructions you will quickly learn the fabulous dance routines that she creates! The environment is positive, lively and FUN! I can't express how fortunate I felt to be in Silkes dance class. A MUST TRY! read more

Let me just start by saying I am not a good dancer at all, with zero experience. But I just returned from Costa Rica and I wanted to learn some Salsa moves for the next time I return to Central or South America. I found Silke here on Yelp, and she has 5 stars for a good reason. She took the time to understand my level of experience (which is none) and made me comfortable with the beginners steps. I feel like I really got the most I could have out of my first dance lesson. By the end I had a whole knew understanding of the dance moves. Silke took the time to explain each detail in a technical but simple way that made a lot of sense to me. I would highly recommend her to all of my friends! read more

I have been taking burlesque dance lessons with Silke for a few months now and had the wonderful opportunity of performing with her burlesque group for my very first dance showcase ever. Silke has a background in other dance modalities ranging from Latin Ballroom to Zumba, so you'll see a nice mix in her dance choreography. She goes the extra mile after every class by posting a video online for students to watch and practice at home, which is VERY helpful, especially if you miss a class. read more

First time I took dance lesson with Silke was about 5 years ago at a studio called Steppin'out in Sunnyvale and I was immediately drawn to her by her amazing body movement and teaching style. I was a beginner then, but Silke made me feel that I can be a great dancer one day! I took a little break in ballroom dancing while pursuing salsa dancing for about 2 years and I have taken dance lessons with many instructors. In 2011, I was back with Silke and joined her Latin bombshell performance team. Among all the instructors I had, Silke really stands out as the instructor who can best explained how body movement works. She breaks it down to step by step so even the most intricate move can be learned easily! She also goes extra miles by video taping our dancing and provide very constructive critiques for each student. As a result, you can see every student under Silke's coaching improves dramatically as a dancer. Silke's Latin bombshell has been performing sexy and exciting ole routines around the bay area and at the San Francisco Salsa Congress. If you are a dancer, looking for a dance team to advance your dancing skills and to perform, come and check out the Latin bombshells. Silke is aslo very diverse in her teaching. She teaches a wide range of ballroom dances, sexy burlesque, salsa, and zumba too! I feel so fortunate that I met Silke years ago and I'm dancing and performing with her now! read more

Silke is undoubtedly one of the best dance instructors in the bay area. I've been taking her Burlesque classes which are ingeniously choreographed and are extremely fun. I also take private lessons with her in Latin technique, and I can't praise her enough in that area. My Latin dancing has soared since taking private lessons with her. She knows how to build a solid foundation as she is very detailed and thorough. She breaks each body isolation or dance move to its most granule detail and can pinpoint the reason behind struggles with any dance moves and how best to go about addressing any challenges. Not only is Silke an amazing dancer herself ( just seeing her dance is such an inspiration) but also she is an incredible and effective teacher which is the most important element. It is a privilege knowing her and taking lessons from such a high caliber dancer. Silke is a gem. read more

I started dancing recently at Cheryl Burke studio and saw the Burlesque group perform at the showcase, so was attracted to this type of dance. Silke was the instructor and enrolled this term and really enjoy her patience and demeanor. I like how she breaks things down and she has helped me get some steps I could not feel or get. I come from rowing background so can appreciate the technicality and Patience, since I am slow learner but eager. I really recommend her. read more

Silke is wonderful. My husband and I have been taking salsa lessons for several weeks now, and she is so sweet and patient with us. She is a great teacher- if one approach doesn't work, she simply tries something else until we get it. We look forward to our lessons every week. read more

Wish I can give more than 5 stars to Silke!!!!!! She is the most professional and friendly dance teacher I have ever met!!! :D I had few private lessons with Silke, and ever single one was perfect! She first started by getting to know what is it I was looking for, then she used her experiences to design the class that would benefit me the most!!! Not only she got to understand what is it I was looking for, she also started the class with a warm up routine that would help her understand my body movement. It's really like a class that is specially designed for me only! Every class went by super fast because it was just full of fun! Silke was so professional that she would see very quickly what moves would look great for my body type and really make my movements look beautiful~. I feel super lucky to find Silke, and if you are around san diego area, I highly recommend you to try one class with her! read more

I have performed and danced with Silke's Latin Bombshell team for the past 2 years. I've learned the basic fundamentals for cha cha, salsa, samba and rumba. I've found Silke to be well- knowledgeable in these styles of dances. She is detailed, organized and articulate in conveying information to her students. She is also mindful of her class time and uses every minute in the most productive way. Silke creates a warm friendly environment that is conducive to maximum learning. Her creative choreography is always entertaining and captivating. Her enthusiasm, passion and energy inspire all of her students. I feel very fortunate to have found such an amazing teacher, coach, and caring friend. read more

As someone who took lessons with Silke for many years...she's the best!! A lesson with Silke is a great investment in dancing; and she knows how to make the most nervous student feel on top of the world ....As Teachers go you couldn't do better read more

I took about a year of group lessons from SIlke in International Latin before taking several private lessons from her. For the group classes she created challenging yet entertaining routines while still being able to assist individual students with their technique. It was in the private lessons, however, where her expertise really stood out. Silke does an amazing job in assessing your skill level and she can quickly spot and come up with solutions for any steps or motions that might be giving you trouble. Men will greatly benefit from her explanations and demonstrations of proper leading technique and styling. I've taken lots of lessons from many different instructors in over eight years of dancing and Silke is definitely one of the best. Not only is she a great teacher, she's also very encouraging as well as being a great conversationalist. My only regret is that since she's moving from the area, I won't have many opportunities to learn more from her in the future. read more

I've been taking dance lessons on and off for over 10 years now so having been under the instruction of quite a variety of dance teachers I can confidently say that Silke is really one of the best. I had never been able to stick with just one style or one dance instructor until I found Silke. She goes above and beyond anything and everything that is expected from an instructor. Not only is she incredibly talented as a dancer herself (this lady makes me wanna move!!), she knows how to inspire each and every one of her students to want to be the best they can be. She is very passionate, enthusiastic, thorough, and most importantly, incredibly dedicated to her students and her dances. She will do everything in her power to make sure that you feel as good about yourself as you should. On top of all of this, her choreography is so much fun, you'll never want to stop dancing it! If you take a class with her (which you definitely should), make sure that you're sticking around the area for a while because I promise you, you will not want to go anywhere else. read more

If you are looking to improve your dancing capabilities or you are just learning to dance, you should try Silke as an instructor or coach. I've used Silke on a number of occasions and I always walk away with practical useful improvements to my dancing. She is easy to work with, quick to smile and makes learning fun. read more