At the Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center, vibrant Latin music fills the studio, setting an electrifying tone as dozens of dancers circle the floor.
“Our point really is just to dance salsa and bachata,” said Sally Schafer, the president of the Salsa Club at the University of Washington (UW). “To teach each of those dances and provide community space so people can get to know each other through the dance.”
Every Tuesday and Thursday, Salsa Club allows students and community members to learn the intricate steps of salsa and bachata.
Guided by instructors Colibri Del Valle and Santiago Garcia’s demonstrations, pairs rotate and practice, mastering new steps with focused enthusiasm.
The dance originated in Cuba in the 1920s and was heavily influenced by Afro- Caribbean beats such as mambo, guaguancó, and danzón.
By the 1940s, salsa found a new home within the Latino communities of New York City.
Combining rich Latino traditions with modern influences, salsa became the vibrant, globally celebrated dance known today.
Meanwhile, the rhythmic Bachata dance emerged in the 1960s in the Dominican Republic.
In the bars and brothels of Santo Domingo, the dance faced early stigmatization and was even outlawed as it was considered too vulgar.
Despite this, bachata persevered and gained recognition in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s, driven by waves of Dominican immigration.
For UW Salsa Club members, this legacy is more than just history; it’s a shared passion that brings communities together.
Club officer and UW graduate student Christina Aristides recalled her first experience dancing salsa with her cousin, a moment she said ignited a “lifelong connection.”
“I’m Cuban,” Aristides said. “I just fell in love with it, and I think it was good for my self-confidence too, because it made me feel good knowing I have this skill…It helps me with that sense of self-worth.”
The club emphasizes the unique connection formed through salsa and bachata dancing, making the experience even more special. As members learn new dances, they rotate partners between each move.
“You end up meeting a whole bunch of people, having one-on-one interactions,” Schafer said.
Mauricio Laine, an officer and graduate student who has been dancing for around seven years, highlights the importance of connection formed through partner dancing.
“When you are dancing with someone, it’s a non-verbal communication,” Laine said. “You adapt to your partner dancing through the music. I think that connection creates a fun activity and fun environment.”
Seattle’s local salsa scene is also vibrant.
The Salsa Club often collaborates with Baila District, a salsa and bachata studio located in University District.
Guest instructors regularly come to teach at meetings, and performance groups often showcase their skills at the club’s quarterly socials.
Salsa club members practice the new moves they learned in class.
Photography: Curran Nielsen
Laine said there is also a WhatsApp group chat for Seattle salsa dancers with over 500 members, where salsa and bachata events are announced. The Facebook group ⸺ Seattle Salsa Scene ⸺ has over 7,500 members from the Seattle area.
The salsa club prides itself on being welcoming and beginner-friendly.
“We want it to be casual, we don’t want it to be intimidating,” Aristides said. “Everyone’s happy to switch partners and get to meet new people. I think we’ve really created a really good atmosphere.”
Club member Ally Lam, who joined the club with no prior dance experience, agreed.
“It’s been a really awesome way for me to get myself out there,” Lam said. “I like that it’s very beginner-friendly.”
Dance instructor and club officer Colibri Del Valle emphasized how switching partners builds connection with other members.
“You can kind of laugh together when you mess up,” Del Valle said. “It’s nice when you get the routine. So I think that the dance is a way to kind of relax you.”
The UW Salsa Club offers more than just dance lessons.
In addition to their twice-weekly meetings, the club hosts quarterly socials with DJs and performances by groups like Baila District.
After meetings, members often head out to grab food together, further strengthening their sense of community.
The club also has a non-competitive dance team that begins to meet in the winter and performs at their Spring Social.
The team holds auditions at the beginning of the winter quarter and meets outside of club meetings to practice routines. Aristides is one of the team’s main directors. The team started two years ago.
Salsa and bachata have deep cultural significance, offering a bridge between heritage and community. For many members, joining the club is more than a dance experience; it’s a way to connect with the Latino community and celebrate shared traditions.
“I’m Colombian,” club member Ana Maria Useche Caicedo said. “[My] family taught me how to dance salsa and bachata. So that’s kind of as far as I knew, dancing with my family or like with my friends. I wanted to join in case any other Hispanics were here and also, because I love the music.”
For Del Valle, the experience has also deepened her relationship with her heritage.
“It’s very nice to have a kind of Latino community,” Del Valle said. I think that as someone who’s part Colombian, and I never learned how to salsa before, I feel much more connected to that side of my family.”
UW Salsa Club is a cultural club open to students and community members of all backgrounds.
“We advertise to anyone on campus and are trying to actively get people into the dances that haven’t really done the dances before,” Schafer said.
The club will continue to meet following the winter break.
For community members interested in joining the Salsa Club at UW, class dates and highlights of various dance steps are featured on their Instagram.
With every step, the club continues to strengthen its mission of creating a welcoming and fun environment for all who join.
“Having that space is really powerful,” Schafer said. “It’s very much just a social activity, so people can kind of just bring their full selves and have a good space on campus to [just] be.”
Curran Nielsen is a senior at the University of Washington studying journalism and international studies. She is passionate about community-focused stories that highlight the diverse perspectives in the world.