Salsa Connectica

12/03/2025

Seeking to Offer a 2-Hour Intro Latin Dance Workshop ($10–$15) for Beechwood Residents

Hello Beechwood Neighbours!
I would like to offer a $10–$15 beginner Latin dance workshop (Salsa • Merengue • Bachata) for the residents in our Beechwood Community. I WOULD LIKE SOME HELP FINDING A VENUE.
To save time, here’s an update on venue availability based on suggestions I’ve already received:
❗ Manor Park Community Centre – Winter programming is full
❗ New Edinburgh Field House – No availability for my workshop at this time
❗ Café Miracle – Closes early, not suitable for an evening class
❗ Soca Kitchen – Also closes early
❗ 1 Up Lounge – Minimum spend is too expensive for a low-cost community workshop
With those options unavailable, I'm looking for another small local space or a private venue that can host a small group.
About Me (Local Instructor)
My dance company, Salsa Connectica, has been featured on:
• CBC Radio
• The Ottawa Citizen
• Ottawa Magazine
• Both university newspapers
• Rockcliffe’s Neighbours Magazine

I’ve been teaching and organizing Latin dance workshops in Ottawa for over a 15 year period.
Locally, I last taught a workshop on February 12, 2023 at the New Edinburgh Field House for Valentine’s Day. It was warmly received, and the New Edinburgh News later described me as a “community builder.”

Some additional past teaching & performance highlights include:
• Social Latin Dance Sampler Workshops – National Arts Centre (Culture Days, 2011)
• Workshops – 59th Annual Tulip Festival (2010)
• Weekly Social Salsa Classes – Ashbury College (2011)
• Weekly Social Salsa Classes – Mambo Nuevo Latino in the ByWard Market (2010–2011)

I’ve been a resident of the Beechwood area (North Vanier, Landry Street) since 2018, and I love creating meaningful, joyful opportunities for neighbours to connect.
Workshop Details (Proposed)
🕒 Duration: 1.5–2 hours
💲 Cost: $10–$15
👥 Who: Adults & teens (12+), no experience needed
👟 What to bring: Non- marking comfortable shoes with smooth soles + a water bottle
This is a light, social, community-focused workshop designed to be fun and accessible.
Interested?
If this is something you’d enjoy, please comment below or send me a message.
Once I have a sense of numbers, I’ll finalize a date and find an affordable space that works for everyone.
Thank you, neighbours!
— Raza M. (Salsa Connectica)

06/24/2023

Salsa at City Hall is back this year starting Wed. July 12th from 6-11 pm. The first 2 hours consist of free dance lessons.
https://www.facebook.com/OutdoorSalsaOtt

Salsa @ City Hall was a free summer Latin dance event, held at Ottawa's City Hall.

05/21/2023

(le français à suivre)
Happy Long Weekend Everyone,
As Salsa at City Hall approaches the first week of July, I wanted to offer a FREE 1-hour intro Latin Dance Class (Salsa, Merengue & Bachata) + a 30-Minute Practice Session to our community this Sunday at 3 pm at the Rockliffe Gazebo.
In addition to being a public servant, I have been occasionally teaching Latin Dance in Ottawa through my dance company, Salsa Connectica. We've taught classes and workshops at the New Edinburgh Fieldhouse, the Boarding School at Ashbury College, the 2018 Global Affairs Gala, the Tulip Festival etc. Join us.
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Joyeux long week-end à tous,
Comme la salsa à l'hôtel de ville approche la première semaine de juillet, je voulais offrir à notre communauté un cours GRATUIT d'introduction aux danses latines (Salsa, Merengue et Bachata) d'une heure + une séance de pratique de 30 minutes ce dimanche à 15 h au gazebo de Rockliffe.
En plus d'être fonctionnaire, j'enseigne occasionnellement la danse latine à Ottawa par l'entremise de ma compagnie de danse, Salsa Connectica. Nous avons donné des cours et des ateliers au Complexe de New Edinburgh, au Pensionnat du Collège Ashbury, au Gala des Affaires mondiales 2018, au Festival des tulipes, et bien plus encore. Rejoignez-nous!

11/21/2018

Salsa Connectica will be teaching a mini bachata lesson at the Art of Giving Gala this Friday night. Join us

Join us again this year for a memorable night at GAC’s grand annual GCWCC fundraising soirée! - The Art of Giving! Expect a dazzling night filled with live entertainment, a silent auction and other surprises, bringing together Canadian government employees, the diplomatic corps and the Capital re...

02/18/2018

Have some fun and interesting things to say when on break from dancing. Focus on listening to what your dance partner has to say too.

02/11/2018

This Valentine's spice things up and invite someone out to Latin dance

01/21/2018

We hope to teach a high school workshop this spring. Teens need help breaking the touch barrier in a respectful way.

10/24/2017

Connection Tip:
When you bring a date to a Salsa Social, you don't have to change partners. You will have more time to gauge their interest in you and more time to create an experience and thus create greater attraction.

09/17/2017

Most Latin Dance socials are just socials.
You spend the evening socializing through dancing and conversation on break. You are geting close to someone you don't know and you may like it but what to do when the song is over and someone else cuts in. So then what! But if you want a deeper connection and more dances with your dance partner, connect on an intellectual and emotional level. This can lead to repeat dances and an opportunity to meet again on the dance floor at another time or even a chance to connect outside of dance i.e going for coffee or taking in a sight around town such as the Art Gallery. Go for it.

09/08/2017

Get your fashion sense and hygiene on to meet more people.

09/07/2017

Sometimes it is good to observe the dance floor before you dance. See who came alone and who came attached and go from there.