FIRST IMPRESSIONS, MAKE LASTING IMPRESSIONS - I saw Dennis Pasamba 17 years ago, while out watching dancers dance at various clubs (but personally met him 16 years ago) when he appeared with a dance partner and started to dance salsa. Then all of a sudden he started doing hip-hop and breakdancing moves while, at the same time, whirling, twirling, flipping and dipping his partner to the Latin beats. PERFECTION, AWESOME, PHENOMENAL AND EXHILARATING! WOW.....A dance exhibition I will never forget. That was no ordinary salsa.........Dennis Pasamba! During my years as a Latin industry promoter of the Chicago Salsa Congress/Mambo Mondays @ Slicks, Dennis was one of the most sought after dancers for Chicago representation as a premier dancer/choreographer/teacher and artist of dance. After a 10 year hiatus from dancing, I decided to rekindle my love of dance with a more trained approach. So, I sought out Dennis Pasamba who is known as "The Best" and met with him for an assessment. I didn't know what to expect, but he was kind, considerate, patient and knowledgeable of what I was trying to accomplish and made me feel like I was important. After we started to dance, I began to feel better as I heard him make comments. I had developed lots of bad habits which he readily made me aware of and help me to correct. I continued to take private lessons which has been a very educational, healing, and continuous learning experience as he is tired less and selfless in his efforts to make you a better dancer and person through dance. Dennis' "changing lives through dance" approach, has really changed my life as I was depressed and not at my peak when I first came to see him. As a dance artist, Dennis' demonstrated dance style (lyrically), makes him creative and unique in his awesome execution of different dances, which he can signature as his own. Not only is Dennis a very talented and gifted dancer/choreographer/performer, but also a phenomenal teacher. He has a charisma that when he speaks to teach/educate you about dance techniques and other related matters, you listen with confidence knowing that he knows what he is talking about. He is very soft spoken and I can feel that he wants to help me to be better. During the private lessons, whatever the routine/dance is, he works with you to perfect it until you are confident that you have accomplished that dance. His group classes are very helpful and highly recommended in that he takes care to assure that all in attendance will do well, by making mistakes and learning to correct them while in class, not on the dance floor. He individually works with the group to be sure that the routine basics are understood. What a phenomenal teacher! As a student (at 60+), I am amazed at how far I have come in the knowledge of dance and dance itself as Dennis is a "dance man". I have learned many dances and have had the best time of my life learning them with him. He has really made me feel and be a different person as I have rekindled my joy and love of dance. I must say that Dennis through his love and passion of dance.........has really changed my life! So, if you need grace and style in your rumba, pick up the phone and text Dennis Pasamba! You are never too old to dance! read more

If I could give Dennis more stars I would. I trained with him many years ago and reached back out this year to help us prep for our wedding dance and to give my new husband with zero dance experience (or rhythm) lessons for our big day. My husband committed and at the same time set a very ambitious goal for himself. He wanted to learn Bachata, Salsa and our wedding song/dance (Waltz) all at once. We purchased a dance package and went to work. By the day of our wedding my husband was able to dance each style with confidence and more ease than he ever thought he would be able to. He went from dreading the sound of Latin tunes at a party, to taking me by the hand to escort me onto the dance floor. Needless to say all eyes were on him the day of our wedding and left everyone who knows him speechless during our special dance. Prior to Dennis we tried a group class with an instructor in our neighborhood as it was next door making it convenient, but with my past experience in my classes with Dennis this instructor did not compare. At first, we did not want to spend money on private dance lessons as this was not in the wedding budget, but are so happy we did! This was the best thing we spent money on as it was more of an investment on us, and many future outings. The best part for me was to watch him grow and develop his dance moves and to watch the fear he once had disappear! His new confidence is sexy and now loves to get dressed up and actually look for places were we can dance. My husband went from "dancing is not for me" to "can we go out on Saturday, I want to dance". I truly believe what made our experience a success was Dennis' attention to detail. He observes and analyzes the best way each dance student learns best and once he's narrowed that down can tailor his lessons to make it easier to grasp any dance moves. His passion for dance is contagious and his experience is evident in his training. You will not be disappointed and can't wait to go back to learn more new moves to share on the dance floor. read more

It was about 8 years ago when I decided to spend my weekend in a more constructive way than simply hanging out with buddies and co-workers at the local bar pretty much just buying each other rounds of beer, listening to a local rock band. At the end of the night, everyone was drunk and unable to say anything intelligent, it was not a pretty sight. I then decided to look into dancing. As I started going to the salsa clubs, I was mesmerized about the new environment and how great some of the couples looked dancing, I realized that my native way of dancing ( a bit of cumbia) was really not fitting well with how the ladies were used to dancing. After making a few friends I met Sharif one of our great local salsa dancers and he mentioned that he was taking classes with this one instructor that was really good and had a great style. A bit intimidated, I went to the studio and met Dennis Pasamba, a very friendly outgoing and experienced instructor who made me feel at home in his classes. I learned a lot with Dennis over time, I realized that my old cumbia habits were getting on the way and Dennis helped me brake that pattern and learn how to properly lead. In order to become a better dancer I took some private instruction with Dennis since he also offered great plans which worked well with group classes. I've met a lot of people and had a great deal of fun over the next few years dancing. Pasamba's contribution had a lot to do with that, I highly recommend taking his classes, not only as a tool to learn how to dance well but as a way to learn good coordination and have a great work out. Salsa dancing has been my hobby since I took his classes. Thank you Dennis, you made a difference in my life and you are a great friend! read more

Hi! My name is Ray, I am 34, originally from Romania. I have started to ballroom dancing seriously about 2-3 years ago, and I am being trained how to do the lead and the follow part. Everyone at the studio where I dance at knows that about me, and they suggested to start a Same-Sex Group Class weekly. When I first told Dennis about it, he told me that he isn't just excited about it, but also has experience in Same-Sex dancing, also in teaching Same-Sex couples. So I was the one who stated to organize the Same-Sex Club Style Group Class at Dance Center Chicago and also the monthly Same-Sex Ballroom Dance Party. After talking a lesson with Dennis, he opened my eyes about how to be able to dance other genres by connecting to your partner in his or her own style. He also explained how to take this knowledge and apply it to other dances. He encouraged me to do the styling that I know how to do and what feels natural to form, not just with my hands and arms but also with my body. Of course I could use a little tweaking, but Dennis was able to tailor the lesson to my individual needs. Now I don't have to think about how to switch the feeling and the connection between genres, because all I have to do is to adopt to my partner. Dennis also showed everything I learnt how to do as a follower and as a leader, improving my dancing so much more. He really helped me to communicate more through dancing, not just with the partner that I have, but also with the audience. I wasn't afraid to ask any questions throughout the lesson, because he was very welcoming to my curiosity. He dosent just teaches steps and patters, he teaches you how to express yourself through the quality of movements. read more

To say Dennis Pasamba is an incredible instructor would be a complete understatement and insult to the person I've come to know and appreciate. For years I've had a bucket list goal to not only learn, but become fluent in Latin Social Dancing. Knowing that I wanted to change my life, I looked for someone who'd be able to help me along on that journey and someone who'd be as committed to my goal as I am. Dennis came highly recommended by a friend of mine and I reached out to see what he was about. It's a decision I'll never regret. First off, Dennis's energy is everything, he's incredibly warm, welcoming, and supportive to all levels committed to learning the craft. As a student, I've found his classes to be extremely informative, fun and engaging, and often times they end leaving me wanting more. I really appreciate Dennis's ability to emphasize both the large and small picture between technique and execution and the ability to communicate that clearly to each student in the class. I truly feel I am bettering myself by being a part of Dennis's platform. In my opinion, Dennis mirrors the best leadership qualities shared with the highest teachers out there. He understands and knows his craft, he's able to inspire others through his own ability and understanding, and most importantly, he's able to instill that information on to his students with passion and confidence. Whether you're looking to learn the basics of dancing, needing a dance (dances) for your wedding, or are an advanced dancer looking to brush up on your skills, I couldn't recommend Dennis Pasamba more. Do yourself a favor and see for yourself what the hype is about. Dennis Pasamba is badass! read more

This is a review for Dennis' Salsa lessons. My husband and I took beginner Salsa I with Dennis this past June 2016 at Dance Center Chicago. The class was on Monday evenings for one hour and included about 8 people. Really great experience, fast paced, learned a lot. Dennis did a great job of demonstrating, offering tips and techniques, notifying of common mistakes and pitfalls and how to avoid them. We had such a nice time, we decided to sign up for Salsa II for the month of July 2016. Again, offered at Dance Center Chicago but this time it was a 2 hour lesson. Especially nice for learning new moves and having time to practice, make mistakes, get a critique and improve before leaving. So far this class is even more rewarding than the beginner. It's a very intimate setting and as a result Dennis is able to give even more critical direct feedback for improvement. We are really looking forward to seeing our progress over the next few weeks and trying out our moves in a public setting. Dennis is really focused on teaching us the skills required to truly social dance, impromptu, and begin to piece together the moves and combinations we've learned into large more elaborate sequences. I highly recommend Dennis as a Latin dance instructor. And will likely hire him for private lessons in the future for additional Latin dance styles or to expand our knowledge of Salsa. read more

I can't say enough great things about Dennis Pasamba Salsa in Chicago. If you're looking for salsa classes in Chicago, this is absolutely the place to go. I came in as a complete beginner with no dance experience, and Dennis made learning salsa feel easy, fun, and super approachable. He breaks down each step with clear instructions, making sure you feel comfortable with the timing, footwork, and partner connection. What really impressed me is how patient and knowledgeable Dennis is. He teaches both beginners and advanced students, and covers different salsa styles like New York style salsa, LA style salsa, Cuban salsa, and even bachata. Every class builds your confidence and helps you get ready for Chicago's amazing salsa social dance scene. The group classes are fun, welcoming, and full of positive energy. Dennis also offers private salsa lessons if you want to progress even faster. Whether you're learning for fun, for social dancing, or for a special event like a wedding, Dennis Pasamba is hands down one of the best salsa instructors in Chicago. If you're searching for salsa dance classes near me, salsa lessons Chicago, or the best private salsa instructor in Chicago, I highly recommend Dennis Pasamba Salsa. Amazing experience all around! read more

I began taking lessons with Dennis over a year ago. Although I had some experience dancing salsa, I had many bad habits. I was tough to lead and I didn't read cues very well. As a result I found myself getting frustrated and not having as much fun dancing as I could. Dennis is like no other dance instructor I've ever had (and I've had PLENTY). Dennis is the philosopher of social salsa dancing. I always thought of salsa dancing as knowing how to perform "the moves". He flipped a switch in my brain that taught me that as a "follow" I just do what I am guided to do. The lead does all the work and if I read his cues correctly, I just end up dancing! Dennis has taught me that salsa (and any other social dance) is a beautiful physical communication between Lead and Follow. His approach is unique. He breaks down the subtle communication the Lead gives so your body follows naturally and logically. In a sense it is a very organic process. The new studio is fabulous! Dennis is a great motivator and a beautiful person. I highly recommend his studio to anyone wishing to up their game or learn salsa dancing. read more

I have been taking Salsa and other dance for over a year and got curious about learning Bachata. Dennis' studio is one of the only places in the city to learn Bachata and also one of the most reasonably priced. The studio is small and personal, you won't feel like you're being herded. The small class size allows each student to get personal attention and instruction. Compared to group classes where there are 50 students Dennis' group classes feel like a private lesson. While Dennis is kind and patient instructor, you will be pushed and every second of your class will be full of dancing, not lots of talking and socializing to waste your time and make you come back more and more to learn less. Come here if you are serious about learning to dance. No partner needed, you will switch. If you are a newbie don't be intimidated, your first class or two may be tough but trust me, I've been to places that coddle you and don't challenge you and it's much better to be pushed and deal with some frustration in the beginning than to waste $$ and time that you don't need to. Keep up the good work Dennis! read more

If you're looking for a fun experience and a dance to impress your guests I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND going through Dennis! I always wanted to take dance lessons for our wedding and have a choreographed first dance that was fun and most importantly fun to watch, but with COVID-19 our wedding seemed unlikely to happen. Once we were told our wedding was a go, I immediately began researching dance instructors in the Chicago-land area that had a wide variety of dancing styles. Most places offered classic ballroom dancing but I knew I wanted something more and once I found Dennis' site and read such great reviews I had to call him! We only had 10 days until our wedding and my ask was a tough one: teach my fiancé (who's never danced) and I how to dance to a latin-themed song. I didn't think it would be possible, but Dennis created an incredible dance routine, worked around our schedule, and most importantly taught my beginner fiancé how to dance! We had such a fun experience during our classes and the dance turned out so well! Our guests were so impressed and it was the highlight of the night! read more

This review is for Dennis' salsa lessons. My fiancé at the time (now wife) and I took intermedia salsa classes and private classes with Dennis for about 1.5 months. After our first intermedia class, we had such a great experience we decided to take some private classes. We wanted to do a salsa song for our first dance, we had a destination wedding last week (May 12, 2017). Everyone loved our first dance. We learned a great deal from Dennis, he was really patient teaching me to lead which was not easy, also footwork, form, hand placement, styling etc... I highly recommend him. He loves dancing and it shows in the way he teaches. He is a really positive person and he is funny so it helps you feel comfortable in his class. I feel like every class he challenge me to become a little better which truly helped me. He always answered all my question. He made sure we took videos of everything we learned at the end of the class so we can practice at home too. My wife and I are really happy with what we were able to learn in only 1.5 months. Thank you Dennis, we will see you in the near future. read more

I ended up working at a dance studio over 15 years ago when my daughter wanted to take ballroom lessons. I was captivated by dance while my daughter took to it like a duck to water. I got a lot of enjoyment out of it, but always felt uncomfortable without a set routine. Social dances weren't really that fun for me. I felt intimidated. I started taking lessons from Dennis recently. His teaching style helped me strengthen my skills at following, and how to feel comfortable with the energy of each partner. The other day I decided to try a Hustle course and due to his teaching I was able to start at the Intermediate Level and feel comfortable. That doesn't mean I don't make mistakes, but I now know how to adjust and be ready to follow the next move. I have confidence now. I love social dances. His style of teaching is fantastic, easy to learn and he will keep you dancing. I also now have partners that want to dance with me which is a blast since I am easily over the age of 50. Dancing and learning with Dennis is the best thing I've done for myself lately. Nancy read more

My name is Tony and I've been here since September (2023) and Dennis's group classes are consistent with variety, challenge, and ofcourse fun! He explains everything in full detail so theres nothing left to question, making it easy to understand and apply correctly. So I've recently began taking privates with Dennis and I'm so happy I did, he exceeded way beyond what I expected. And my dancing has seriously improved. Here, Dennis (and Elena she is the best!) zeros in on my specific dancing strengths and areas that need improvement, while introducing style, musicality along with creativity that is unique to me and my style of dancing. I couldn't be happier and strongly suggest to those who wanna up their game. His socials are a blast and the house is packed with plenty of dancers of all skill levels and everyone respectfully understands this which makes the experience all the more fun! Dennis is dedicated to his studio and the success of all his students. His knowledge for dance and teaching style is in a class by itself. Highly recommended!! read more

I know I have reviewed Dennis once before already but feel compelled to do so again. I started taking lessons in October. In only 12 hours of private lessons, I have made big, positive changes in my style, confidence and ability to follow most leads. I notice it and so do my old and new dance partners. It was hard at first, to unlearn all of my bad habits (still a work in progress) and start over at the beginning it felt like again. I so wish I had taken the time and made the small investment to take lessons early on. It makes a huge difference. It is much easier to learn the right way first! I am committed to sharing what I am learning from Dennis with others and asked him to consider teaching in my hometown, South Bend, IN. Dennis has made the trip multiple times now and is holding workshops routinely for us there. I can't thank him enough for his passion and desire to help other dancers learn and grow. He has a huge heart and his love of dance is infectious and will motivate anyone to work harder than they thought possible. Thank you Dennis! read more

After trying a dozen Argentine Tango instructors I finally found someone who could teach me how to lead. Dennis's in depth knowledge of tango is staggering. He made some unbelievable promises of results. After 3 weeks I have to say he delivered on every one of them. I'm homophobic but Dennis solved this by providing a partner to dance with me during instruction. All of this for rates that are very reasonable. So reasonable that I was able to do 2 hour sessions to accelerate my acquiring dancing skills and get on the dance floor sooner. Either I am crazy or this guy is a genius. Two warnings though. Like working with any genius, they can throw a lot at you and become frustrated when you are struggling to learn the techniques. The second warning is that Dennis is only about social dancing when it comes to tango. If you want to do a show or compete in tango Dennis would not work well as your instructor. Bottom line: I wish I had known about Dennis 2 years ago when I first started trying to learn tango. I made no progress before him. read more

I was learning at Latin social dancing events for a long time and had cultivated some bad habits. A few hours with Dennis, changed everything about the way I dance. His patience with me (I march to the beat of my own drum). His encouragement, uplifting words and most of all his respectful attitude makes me feel very inspired. I had met him couple of time at dancing events and he agreed to be my dance partner for a contest, in spite of knowing I am a beginner and have a lot to learn. I felt so honored when he said yes. I had heard what an amazing dancer he was, now I am finding out what an amazing teacher he is too. If he can teach me how to follow and dance amazingly, believe me he can do wonders with anyone else. I am a tough nut. He is a very caring person, unpretentious and unassuming. He has boosted my confidence levels greatly. You will not be disappointed and you will come out of a session with him feeling so uplifted and accomplished. I highly recommend him to everyone that wants to learn how to dance with confidence. read more

Dennis is easily one of the best instructors I've ever had. As a person, he brings a lot of positive energy to the table, makes the lessons fun, yet, very effective. He does a great job balancing pushing your limits with making you learn as much as you can, as fast as you can without overwhelming you as a student. Also, he tries to maximize the time you pay for and does everything he can to get you the best bang for buck when you take lessons. He encourages everyone to always become the best dancer they can be without feeling pressured. He's one of the few where I learned more than what I thought I could in a given amount of time, and and makes me want to practice outside of class to be ready for what's next, and keeps me motivated to keep on learning more all the time. Other instructors I felt were not challenging me, or pushing my limits, where Dennis wants to make sure you get everything you can out of each lesson. You won't be disappointed at all with Dennis. Also, he is very fair on pricing. read more

Dennis Pasamba is the go to instructor for polishing your dance skills as well as taking your dancing ability to a higher level and I have recommended Dennis to several dancers just for these reasons. A few years ago I took an extensive number of Salsa classes with Dennis that also included ladies' styling and returned to him over a month ago to learn Kizomba and Zouk. My recent return to Dennis' classes is an endorsement when it comes to his teaching ability and passion for dance, ex. from the way he explains a dance's movements, musicality and the importance of connections. He breaks down the steps in an easy to understand manner for both leads and follows, ties it back to one's prior dance experiences where appropriate, and spends time coaching students on movement, frame, footwork, pacing and mood. He focuses on building upon one's dancing skills in a patient way that helps one gain confidence which is so important so one does not feel intimidated or inept. read more

I have been learning kizomba for the past year and have had an honor to dance with many great instructors. I always notice many of the their strong points in guidance. I will genuinely say that Dennis in my top 5 and feel that he is one of the most phenomenal dancers and teachers. They say that if you can do, teach!?!?! He is clearly the exception. Beyond that fact that he is a patient and fun instructor. His greatest attribute is he understands body movement and always makes you think and guides your trouble shooting abilities so you can have an amazing social dance and pick up the moves quick. It's not about just learning combos and go dance. He is great at giving you cue points to see where your move lacks and gets you to do it quick. Another thing, He really makes so you don't have time to think about the steps, more of a feel what is right and makes sense in partner dancing. Partner conversation if you will. Do I recommend Dennis?!?!? YES I DO! read more