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Dance schoolAbout the Club
Maria Diaz is a professional dancer, choreographer, instructor, educator in Los Angeles and beyond with more than 14 years experience. She recently worked in Dancing with the Stars and performed at the Hollywood Bowl as part of Disney's "Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl." NOW on Disney Plus. As a Colombian native, she is the Pioneer of Colombian Salsa (Salsa Caleña) on the West Coast, she specialized in Latin dance styles like Salsa, Bachata, Cumbia & more. She combines a grounded understanding of kinesiology with professional dance practices. Maria has taught at UCLA and various high schools, and loves working with underserved youth and families to ensure all communities have access to dance.
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Reviews
Peter & Julia
★ 5
Maria taught us our first dance (salsa!) for our wedding and we couldn't have asked for a better teacher. She was patient, professional, and made our dance feel like our "style" despite our recent introduction to salsa dancing. We look forward to checking out more of her group classes too
Source: Google
Teju TV
★ 5
Maria and Alexis are simply hands down the best teachers and performers! I hired them for my birthday party, and they simply crushed it! They made it so much fun, and they made the experience extra special. If you’re looking for a salsa instructor, or someone to teach a fun and interactive lesson for a party—you’ve found your person. They are both amazing! I'm just truly grateful for them. They are both so professional and kind!
Source: Google
Priscilla Song
★ 5
I had been to a few dance classes here and there over the years, but mostly I would leave them feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. When I started to look into dance lessons in earnest, I really was looking for a teacher who created a safe, comfortable learning environment to go at my own pace. Maria is that teacher!
I've enjoyed my one on one lessons with her because she is patient, she explains things well, and she normalizes the ups and downs that come with learning something new. She was able to get me to a point to be able to join one of her group classes, which has been a fun experience too. That's not something I could have imagined myself doing even like a year or two ago, but Maria helped make that possible. I'm so glad I found her!
Source: Google
Kristine Diaz
★ 5
Dancing with Maria has been one of the best things I could have done for myself. As a mom of a young toddler I was looking for an outlet and hobby, while I grew up social dancing occasionally I had never taken a formal class. Maria put me at ease quickly, explained things thoroughly, is super kind and made a fun environment to dance. Months later I take her weekly bachata and salsa classes as well as privates. I highly recommend her classes they’re smaller and less intimidating than other places I’ve tried. So thankful I found this place!
Source: Google
Alex Garfio
★ 5
My fiancé and I have always enjoy dancing, but when it came to salsa, we felt a bit lost and uncomfortable whenever the salsa songs came on. Thankfully, we found Maria! From our very first lesson, she made the process enjoyable and easy to pick up.
Maria’s teaching style is patient and encouraging, focusing on the basics while building our confidence step by step. She has a unique ability to break down the movements in a way that feels natural and easy to grasp. By the end of our sessions, we not only felt comfortable dancing to salsa but also had a blast doing it.
We highly recommend Maria to anyone looking to improve their salsa skills, whether you’re a complete beginner or just want to refine your technique. We’re already looking forward to our next lesson with her!
Source: Google
Fabian Fuertes
★ 5
Maria is an extraordinary teacher, hands down. My fiance and I have been taking lessons with her for a couple years now, and we keep coming back because it’s fun, we continue to grow, and we even enjoy some laughter along the way.
In my opinion, it’s rare to find an instructor who is flexible enough to teach many subjects in multiple ways. She has a really great eye for diagnosing a problem and offering multiple solutions. She meets us where we are, gives great feedback, and remains positive. In addition, she will give you great tips and homework to consider.
She’s pretty flexible with scheduling, but can be busy at times given her professional career. We highly recommend her to anyone and everyone. Just don’t try to take our weekly spot with her, thanks! 😉
Source: Google
Edwin Quiyuch
★ 5
I have been taking classes with Maria for over a year now. I had no prior dancing experience when I started taking her private lessons, so i didn’t know what I was getting myself into. She has gotten me to a level where I feel comfortable dancing with others. Started initially learning cumbia and then gravitated to learning salsa and bachata along with her group lessons. In my opinion what sets Maria apart from others is her patience and professionalism. Coming from someone with two left feet she never gave up on me and had the patience to go at my pace. She makes learning fun and goes at the pace you feel comfortable at while also encouraging you to believe in yourself. I would gladly recommend Maria to anyone who is trying to learn how to dance and is trying to get past that initial fear.
Source: Google
Gale Cortez
★ 5
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Johnny Perez
★ 5
I Can not talk about other instructors because I saw all the reviews and decided to go with Maria! I was so naive in the art of dancing! I had gone to other classes (not private) in other places before and got frustrated and bored but with Maria today was our second day and she taught me so much! From the smallest details! Like how to and not how to hold a women’s hand! I had so much fun and i am excited to learn more! Amazing teacher! Every word she speaks is a lesson! Highly recommended!!
Source: Google
Angel Anaya
★ 5
Alguien sabe cuánto cobra por mes ?
Source: Google
Alexis Romero
★ 5
My wife and I have been working with Maria for over a year now and the progress has been great! We’ve gone from zero experience dancing to confidently performing our First Dance at our wedding. We got several complements from our guests about our choreograph and dance skills, which is thanks to the work we put in with Maria. We have done a mix between group and private classes and found them both very helpful. Maria’s years of experience is noticeable and comes through in her instructions. Her lessons are clear and easy to follow. She has been able to, through observation alone, pinpoint where we struggle and provides thoughtful individualized feedback on how to improve our techniques. Honestly, working with her is a pleasure and a blast and we look forward to continuing to learn from her. 1000% recommend her.
Source: Google
Jose Carrasco
★ 5
🌈 A queer student experience🏳️🌈I was looking through a long list of salsa instructors when I first moved to Los Angeles when I came across Maria. As a queer male I was looking for an instructor that could not only teach me to follow in a salsa dance but also create a space in which I could feel comfortable and safe doing so. As soon as I introduced myself and specified my goals, Maria was very welcoming and was happy to teach me from a variety of dance styles. I have learned so much and I am so happy I have Maria as an instructor. The dance world can seem very binary with male to female partners, but dance and music is for everyone and I want other queer individuals to not shy away from learning the beauty of dance because of how they identify. From group classes to private classes, you will have a great experience. Don’t worry about what level of dancer you consider yourself to be, Maria is such an amazing teacher that you will learn at your pace and work towards being the best dancer you can be. Finally being able to dance salsa at weddings and parties is the cherry on top and I owe it to Maria for helping me come out of my shell.
Source: Google
Ana Orellana
★ 1
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Darwin Espinal
★ 5
Muy buen lugar 100•\•
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Raul
★ 5
I've been taking dance classes with Maria for the last year and I have to say, she is the best dance teacher I've ever had. I came into Salsa not knowing much and feeling really uncomfortable going out and dancing because I was afraid of looking like a fool. However, in the span of a year, not only has she helped taught me a crazy amount, but she has really helped overcome that fear of dancing out in social settings. She is very structured with her teaching style and breaks down each of the moves really well. If you have no experience dancing, or even if you do, I definitely recommend hitting her up! You wont regret it!
Source: Google
Corentin
★ 5
Great instructor! Took bachata with her. Always a blast learning with Maria :) She makes it fun to learn and listens to what you're trying to accomplish to tailor the class for you. One of the best in town
Source: Google
Agustin Castaneda
★ 5
I've always wanted to learn to dance and I've taken several dance classes: salsa, bachata, hip hop, tango, etc but I never felt like I actually learned. It was mostly choreography which made it hard. Maria teaches individual loves and how to incorporate them into different combinations. I finally feel like I'm learning to dance. I take private salsa dance classes with her and I also joined the beginner salsa/bachata group classes. I highly recommend her. I don't do too many reviews but she deserves the support. Feel free to reach out if you have questions for a student of hers (copied this from my yelp review, I’m not a bot LoL)
Source: Google
Alexis Villegas
★ 5
I decided to take classes with Maria after I attended a friends event and watched everyone having a blast dancing bachata and salsa. Eventhough I had no previous experience with dancing, she was able to help me understand the basics of bachata and salsa. After just a few classes with Maria I gained the experience and confidence to dance outside of a class setting. I definitely recommend taking dance classes with Maria :)
Source: Google
Brandon Zuniga
★ 5
My grandma taught me how to dance salsa when I was a kid, but I completely forgot since moving to the US. So, I wanted for a long time to (re) learn how to dance. I wasn’t sure about taking classes since it is very different from my sport of boxing, but in just a few classes I was able to learn a lot. At least I'm not an embarrassment anymore. She is teaching me the new and old school styles of dancing and clearly knows what she is doing. I’m not the guy with the best rhythm, but she's making me look good. If you are unsure, give it a try. It is worth it.
Source: Google
Alex Franco
★ 5
No llevo mucho tiempo agarrado un día por semana clases con la maestra Maria Diaz y siento que he aprendido bastante claro echando muchas ganas y practicando un poco en casa y Gym de ves en cuando y los consejos y pasos de ella avanzó cada vez por favor mi gente les recomendó si ya sabes bailar un poco o casi nada veras que aquí aprendemos más.
Source: Google
Haimeng Zhang
★ 5
Thank you, Maria, for introducing me to salsa! I had no experience in salsa when started and Maria is patient, inspiring, and professional, and has shown me the beauty, elegance, and joy of salsa dancing.
Source: Google
Eleanor Petry
★ 5
I got a private lesson for me and my partner with Maria.
She's a great teacher. It was a fantastic experience! I hope to book her for more lessons soon.
Source: Google
Byron Mendez
★ 5
Maria is a great latin dance teacher. I started taking Salsa dance lessons with Maria without knowing anything about Salsa dancing and within a couple months I moved from Salsa basics to also taking Bachata lessons. Her patience was incredible and her innovative techniques made dancing fun.
Anyone looking to take Latin dance lessons should definitely consider taking classes with Maria.
Source: Google
Evelyn Cortez
★ 1
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Hazel Lopez
★ 5
I took the group lessons with Maria Diaz this weekend and it was a blast. I had so much fun and learned a lot on the first visit. I definitely recommend taking these classes either in group or private. Maria is an incredible dance instructor and makes the learning experience engaging. 5+ star review! : )
Source: Google
Oscar Jimenez
★ 5
Buying private lessons from Maria was a great investment to develop my salsa dancing skills. I danced a little before the pandemic and wanted to get back into dancing salsa. Maria met me at the skill level I was at and built upon my prior knowledge. In about 3 months, Maria instilled in me the skills and confidence to go out social dancing. I learned how to sequence patterns based on my partners’ skill level. Maria taught me the progressions from least difficult to more difficult. This allows me to lead partners I have never danced with ease and grace. I learned much more than footwork and patterns. Body mechanics were incorporated into our dance sessions making me look comfortable and natural as a dancer. One thing that separates Maria from other private lessons is that Maria keeps notes of every session and knows where we left off and where we are heading. I have taken lessons with other salsa instructors that don’t know what we did last time and forget what we have worked on. Maria was always prepared and ready for every session. Maria also helped me keep notes which was very valuable for my development and growth. This allows me to play around and create my own patterns. I plan on continuing private lessons with Maria in the near future.
Source: Google
DI360MX 3
★ 5
Maria eres la mejor y salvaste mi vida y la de mi esposo... si no hubiera sido por ti mi boda no hubiera sido tan perfecta y hermosa como lo fue, hiciste la mejor unión de baile y cultura de nuestros dos países... tienes buenos precios y la técnica que usas es muy fácil de asimilar.... muchas gracias y te contactaré pronto para aprender nuevas cosas, pues nos gusto mucho lo que aprendíamos preparando la boda... you ate the best .
Source: Google
Tatiana Garcia
★ 5
I have been taking classes with Maria on and off for the past three years. I have moved around due to work to different parts of the state and have taken classes with many other instructors and can honestly say none compare to her. Not only is she the most cost effective and flexible with her schedule but also the most structured and organized teacher. She has notes on each of her students so that each class progresses from what was worked on the class before, that can come in handy especially when I lose track of what I already learned. She truly cares about students making progress in her classes by doing check ins and ensuring that we are working towards our individual goals. I have recommended her to other friends and every single person feels the same way about her. She is definitely one of a kind! Maria is extremely patient and detailed oriented which is very useful when you are starting with zero experience. She is very very flexible with my schedule letting me change meeting days and times every week if needed to. She also lets me choose the style and focus of each lesson, so I am able to choose if I want to focus on one style or add different styles of dance to the class. I could go on and on about how amazing she is but I hope that this is enough to convince anyone wanting to learn latin dance to go to Maria.
Source: Google