Staff is Super friendly. Diego, the main dance instructor is very knowledgeable & funny. When you take classes there, you basically become part of a dance family. It doesn't matter if you have no dance experience or if you are already pretty skilled. You don't need to have a partner to attend classes read more

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World dance is an amazing studio and has something for beginners all the way to experts. Diego is very knowledgeable and provides guidance and support throughout the entire class. read more

Been one of Diego's bachata/salsa students for about a year and a half(bachata 1.5year, salsa 9months) now and it's been one of the best life decisions have ever made !!!!! He articulates/details his teachings very well with some added humour on top . He's always there to answer any questions you have whether it's big or little. The environment almost feels like a family vibe after you've been there numerous times. You can feel the passion, energy, inspiration Diego pours into his craft(dance, staffs, family, students). Couldn't have asked for a better bachata/salsa mentor!!! read more

Great place to learn all styles of Latin dancing and then some more. Structured format that builds upon what is learnt from previous class read more

World Dance - Dominican bachata class - Dance Schools Near Me - Burnaby, British Columbia

Salsa has always been my passion so I decided to go and try it. One of my friends told me about the complimentary classes at Studio Records on Granville St DT Vancouver. I was amazed by Diego's way of teaching. He was very professional, tolerant and funny. I knew right away, it's just matter of time until I'll pick it up. I purchased a classes package and started my Salsa level 1 follow with Salsa level 2 in Burnaby. So far, I feel comfortable with my dancing. The classes are super fun and have different variety of people where dance brings them together . You can come by yourself or with your partner. If you want to learn how to dance from a WORLD CHAMPION go to World Dance studio. I'm looking forward to many more classes with Diego and his team. read more

Price: $8-15/class Parking: Street and residential parking Experience: Great fun experience! Highly recommend! Would I return: Definitely! Still in the process of taking dance lessons. I found out about this company through Groupon. I purchased 8 dance classes for me and a partner and decided to give Salsa lessons a shot. I am very happy that I did! I have finished Salsa Level 1 which is a 2 month course consisting of approximately 10-16 classes and I am onto taking Salsa Level 2. The way the dance studio is structured is by punch cards. You purchase x amount of classes and you are free to attend all the different dance classes they offer as long as you qualify for the Level. For example, only those who have complete Salsa Level 1 would be allowed to attend Salsa Level 2 classes. They offer a variety of dance classes such as tap, salsa, tango and ballet. Each level runs for about 2 months. I would suggest calling World Dance Co ahead of time to know when the course starts for the dance class you are interested in. For Level 1 classes, the first class of the course is usually free which allows you to try the dance and determine whether you'd be interested in continuing. I really enjoy the format of this dance studio it is very flexible and the perfect setup for adults who want to learn some new moves. read more

I took an intro to salsa dance class The dance classes here can't start on time to save a life. The classes are also way too big and it's very difficult to even dance without running into other people. The instructor is a little too stage flourishy also...he doesn't have to be ON all the time, he can tone it down for a simple lesson. Got in here on a groupon, definitely wouldn't pay full price for lessons here. Won't be continuing to the next level read more

I fully agree with Raven's review. I'm likely in the same intro to salsa class. Definitely too much attitude and ego in this studio. I got really upset with the instructor last class. during our first class he spent a LOT of time talking about the studio and how he was going to teach the classes. It was explained the classes would be accelerated because of Christmas and also him going away with the performance team for some world championship competition. The classes have been anything but accelerated and definitely not run like he described. There was much more review than than how he described would be done. Part of it was likely due to his continuing to add "new" students after the first couple of classes. We got told in our last class that, "sorry we won't be able to cover off all the steps and you'll miss about 1/2 the steps. Nothing I can do about it..." Felt I wasted my time and money... I won't be going back. Glad I only paid Groupon pricing for this set of lessons. read more

I don't understand how this school doesn't have a higher rating, because it certainly deserves full five stars. A friend recommended this place and I first tried out a few classes before buying the 3 month unlimited pass, coz I got hooked and wanted to attend as many classes as I can! The first class of the beginner courses are usually free so you can check it out to see if this is your thing. I just finished Salsa and Tango level 1 and started level 2 of both . I LOVE these classes! The courses are very clearly structured, and the progressions make sense and, man, it is amazing how much you learn in one class and still manage to retain all the information. Diego is an amazing teacher! He is really good at breaking down information in such a way that us newbies can follow and progress, and he is very entertaining to listen to. I appreciate a teacher with a sense of humour ,as personally, I find it easier to learn this way. I have tried the first free class of Bachata as well, it was fun... but since it seems to be a more intimate form of dance I might skip this one, it gets awkward with strangers.Or not, we'll see. I also can't wait to try out the Mambo class. I have also been going to the belly dance and yoga classes. I like both of these as well. There are a few problems here though. The belly dance class, you can join any time.Though the teacher Sofia is excellent and tries her best to cater to regular students as well as all the new students coming in for the first time, it can be a tad frustating. Maybe if the new student intake was restricted to once in a couple of months like the other courses? Apart from that I really like the dance classes here and find them very good value for money. Yoga teacher is very good too. Skimming through the reviews here I see some one star reviews complaining about classes starting late, and though I understand their annoyance, it is kinda unavoidable since people learn at different paces and with that many students it will get late if the teacher cares about whether the students have got it or not. On the whole, definitely would recommend. Atleast try out the free classes. It is a whole lot of fun. read more

Found this studio randomly on a short trip to Canada and I'm very glad I did. I'm an intermediate salsa student (male/lead) from San Francisco. I also take hiphop classes regularly. I've taken intermediate salsa classes with John & Liz of Salsamania in Alameda, California; Ava & Rodolfo of Symbolic Dance Fitness in San Francisco, California; and Latin Dance Pro in Southern California. I have high regard for the quality of instruction from my California teachers; they've all had performance experience. But-- I learned more patterns in ONE class with Diego(?) at World Dance than I have in two years of classes in California. 11 patterns in one class, at Level 2! This is unheard of. I can't imagine Level 3 and 4. Yes, he went fast, but he took enough time to explain what made each pattern work and what didn't. Proper technique was a given. I can't say anything about the instructor's ego / attitude because I didn't notice it if there was any that night. He seemed all right, if not a tad frustrated with a couple people in class who were a bit slow. I've had far worse (egocentric) instructors. There was one thing, however, that was lacking--the quality of the followers. At Level 2, these ladies did NOT know how to follow, and yet there they were (several of them), telling me how to lead. There were around 20 ladies in class, and two AT MOST were halfway decent followers. How about you first do your job (follow) and let the leader lead, so we can dance properly? I only wish I could take more salsa classes here. I'll definitely come back next time I'm in Vancouver/Burnaby, even if I have to endure the insufferable followers. read more

I have had a really good experience here. There are free classes every month so you can try before you buy. However, those are usually very full so not 100% representative of a regular class. There are a ton of classes to choose from. The price is very good if you are taking advantage of deals, specials, monthly or yearly passes, etc. The things people have described as negative (the fluid class timings, late starts, and attitude) just aren't a big deal to me. Nobody's perfect, and although Diego does talk a lot, I found that it was usually many many details about technique. Diego is the main instructor, and there are other instructors for various styles (kids, fitness, etc). This studio is a great benefit for people who live outside of Vancouver, and overall, I rate it very good because the atmosphere is fine for me, and the quality of instruction is high. read more

Let's just get this out of the way... I'm a long time student at the studio, and I'm on friendly terms with both owners and employees. I've ALSO had many years to experience a multitude of teaching styles and classrooms from various local (and some international) instructors in that time frame. I can say with certainty that in considerable retrospect, Diego's style of teaching is, at the very least in my perspective, the best in the city for most people. He does start to challenge his students on a regular basis, which may not sit well with some people... especially if they are struggling with particular steps. Fortunately with the passes you can buy (monthly, yearly, limited or unlimited)... you can take any class you wish (or just the fitness classes, with the cheaper fitness pass). What I'm getting at here is that you can retake any level you wish, concurrently even, if you feel you need to bone up on previous steps. Admittedly, this doesn't help you at level 1, but it does get better. The classes do get cheaper, the more you buy. I won't say it's cheap, but it's certainly in line with practically any other monthly class of this variety. The unlimited passes are either a lot more expensive (under used) or by far cheaper (fully utilized, about $3/class)... depending on how often you go to the various classes. Regarding the late class starts...well, there is a bit of Latin Time that goes on, yes. That said, he tries to give you a full hour...and more often than not, the late class starts are due to students arriving late, disrupting the class, or not being otherwise ready to go at the start time. "Whenever you're ready!" is repeated at every single class... with good reason. Remember, as late as you might stay to finish a class, the instructor and his employees are staying even later to close up shop. You're not the only one put out by a late finish. The announcements... well, yes. Those can go on a bit long, although you forgot the fact that most of them are regarding upcoming parties and free lessons... things hosted for your benefit, as well as theirs. The Latin Cup announcements did add a bit more time than usual, but you have to understand it's kind of an exciting thing. Heck, they even go to the trouble of bringing in foreign talent (such as an international Bachata master) to teach classes and put on shows... these aren't experiences that you can get too many other places. As for being "ON" all the time, or having a certain bravado when it comes to his studio and methods... he is selling his studio at ever step of the way. That's just business sense. I have never heard him put down another instructor or studio. The free lessons tend to be very large, with almost no room to move... because people show up when the words "free" are attached to things. Regular classes usually have far more space. I haven't witnesses anything untoward in the studio, leastwise from the instructor to the students (or demonstrators to the students). Some students have, over the years, been less than appropriate towards other students or the staff... food for thought. There is joking between the owners and long time students, and given the level mixing that goes on, people could get the wrong impression of things. To be honest, if you're concerned with his attitude... having a confident demeanor to the point of almost being "over" is practically a job requirement for a dance instructor in Vancouver. Of all the instructors I've met, he's probably the least that way... and they are all nice enough people. I'm just speaking from personal experience here, so take it or leave it. My only complaint really stems from something they can't control, which is the ratio of women to men. This studio has a chronic shortage of women, for most of it's courses beyond level 1 salsa and level 1 tango. If they could swing a constant even ratio of men to women, I'd give them 5 stars. read more

I started dancing 3 years ago, and the way Diego's teaching made a beginners life so easy to grow. In a couple of months I had the confidence to go social dancing:)) The fact the family runs the business makes the atmosphere so pleasant to be, kind of extension from my house. The staff is amazing as well, especially Jailliy who is an amazing part of the team, and having an affordable annual pass, really hook me up to all the variety of styles the studio has to offer. Really the best place in town. read more

I've been to various studios across lower mainland for different dance lessons, World Dance provides me by far the best overall experience. Instruction: very detailed teaching, many tricks for both men and women to complete moves easier and SAFER. I've received compliments from women off other studios that men (myself included) that took classes off World Dance (Diego) are easier to be followed. Keep in mind, some instructor are great dancers but not great at teaching and explaining. I am here to learn, so are you, therefore having a great instructor who actually understands how to teach and pass on the knowledge is GOLD. Yup, Diego actually knows how to teach. Instructor's Personality for the curious Yelpers: He's pretty layback and funny. He's very proud and passionate about dancing and teaching dancing. Logistics: very convenient to get to via skytrain less than 5 minutes walk from Royal Oak / 10 minutes from Metro Town. Sometimes I drive, there are plenty of parking nearby. Venue: Spacious, enough room to fit 50~60 students to dance and practice. VERY Well lid (I've been to other studios that are darker, very hard to watch and learn.) Always clean, staff broom and mop the dance floor daily. (That's right, you don't want to slide & spin on sticky floors!) Pricing: Free: for the first class of every beginners course. Drop in: Market price. Punch cards: very affordable and good for beginners and busy schedules to hop in 1 to 3 hours a week. (sometimes you may dance more than 1 hour in a given night.) Unlimited Passes: Undercuts every studio in the lower mainland... seriously sho cheap. About Free classes: When it's free you will see a ton of people coming in and the studio becomes very crammed. However after the free class, literally half the room are emptied, becomes very roomy to dance on. Why my review is credible and reflect the actual experience: I've been taking classes for 9 months now with World Dance. I started out with punch cards taking 1 ~ 2 hours per week. Gradually as I completed beginner lessons I move onto more difficult lesson. In process, discovering other latino dances and started learning them, too. I burnt through the biggest punch card package in less than a month time. After the new year, i bought their unlimited pass. All the meanwhile, I regularly drop in to classes and social parties by other studios to check out other teaching styles and to meet other dancers in the community. I have first hand experience going to multiple studios (repeatedly) , and second hand stories on dancers who only dropped into World dance and because of logistics they have to goto other studios that World Dance is one of the top go-to studios in the Greater Vancouver area. If you simply wants to check out the studio, come in on a non-free session and sit on the side to spectate how Diego actually teaches. You will not be disappointed. read more

I've been going to tap class with Chloe since January and it's a lot of fun. Chloe is an excellent instructor and to watch her dance is pure pleasure. The number of students keeps changing but she manages to integrate new people well. She keeps the class interesting and pushes us to dance well. The hour is over very quickly although it would suit me better to start and finish on time if people would arrive on time. This studio is very convenient for me in all aspects, location, availability of classes, times etc. Erika the owner is very friendly and gets to know all the students quickly. The studio has a fun and friendly vibe. Come and try a free class here, you'll love it! read more

Completed Salsa Level 1, Diego is the head instructor whom teaches each move breaking down with each step and common errors beginners make. If you ever miss a class, no worries he will always review the pervious 2-3 weeks. Overall: Great Teacher, Great Location, 5 Stars. read more

I have enjoyed the salsa classes so far, almost finishing Level 1. My husband and I decided to take this class to learn some new turns and styles and as a way to do something fun as a couple every week. As a latin even though I am not a salsa dancer yet, I can recognize the quality of the instruction, I have seen other instructors in the area, and they do some pretty turns but their timing is often off, some of them don't go with the beat at all. I found Diego to be very good at dancing and as an instructor, he explains in a very comprehensive way and slowly. The review every week is great, with so many of us busy during the rest of the week, is hard to review at home and practice. The studio is spacious and clean, well illuminated. I also appreciate the dedication this family has to the business, you can notice they are all passionate about dancing, even the little ones. read more

I was definitely disappointed with classes here and felt it was a waste of my time. I will never go back. Didn't care for the attitude the instructor. At times he insulting and derogatory to the students. The instructor talks too much trying to make him and his studio sound so good and versus everyone else. Wished he would just focus on teaching and impress us that way instead. The instructor has no clue on how to start class on time. Every week the 7pm class would start typically up to 10 minutes late due to what he was doing before that. The last class of the Nov/Dec classes was supposed to end at 8pm but didn't finish until 8:30pm. This was due to his starting class about 10 minutes late and towards the end he couldn't stop talking about their going to the upcoming world latin cup and the group vacation they are taking afterwards. now why should the students who expected their class to start at 8pm have to wait until 8:30pm for it to start?? 1st class of the session the instructor went into detail how things would run but then never completely followed that format. Talked about how he'd have to accelerate things as we'd have a shortened session due to Christmas and their dance competition his teams were attending. We never got to be accelerated due to additional students that kept getting added and he had to keep repeating stuff from earlier on. By the end we never got to get all the steps taught to us and didn't appreciate comments the instructor made like, "I could finish the remaining classes in January but by then you would have forgotten too much." end result was waste of time, waste of money, and a big disappointment. will never go back... read more

I've been taking Zumba classes. Maria is fun and very approachable. She gives you step-by-step instructions. The music is a combination of fast and not-so fast songs so you have a chance to catch your breath. Some are in Spanish and some in the top 40s (like Bruno Mars 24K Magic). read more

The ink isn't completely dry on my review here; I'm roughly 4 weeks into the 8 week course for Salsa 1. I will confirm that these classes are quite well attended. One thing to keep in mind is that, if danced correctly, I've noted that salsa does not occupy a big "footprint" on the dance floor. This means that crowding is not always a bad thing (and you need to get used to it if you're going to go out dancing at clubs). If there are lots of people attending, you can be confident that you'll have quite a few partners to practice the steps with. I've been frustrated at times when I can't see around people who have gathered in close when the instructor is demonstrating a step. This says more about the lack of manners of the people standing in front of me; ever heard the expression "take a knee?" It would be nice if the instructor would correct them. What other people have noted about timeliness is completely true; if the class is listed as starting at 7, it's probably going to start around 7:10-7:15. The only good thing is that it will also end at 8:10-8:15, so at least one doesn't get shorted. Others have also noted that at least 50% of each class is devoted to reviewing and practising previous steps taught in the course. This might be annoying at first for the quick-study learner, but trust me, it can be very useful later on when you've got 30-40 steps under your belt and you're wondering "um, how does that one step go again?" Overall I would say that World Dance could be better, but at present, it's the best in the area. read more

My husband and I are taking Salsa 1 for the first time with Diego at the World Dance Studio, and here are our impressions. You can bring a partner, but if you don't have one, it's fine - people rotate. The studio, which is on the street level, is not very big, so it can get pretty crowded, but it's clean, bright and well kept. The space with a hardwood floor is totally open, so there are washrooms, a reception area, a small bar, a music console, chairs, clothes, dancers - everything and everybody is in one spot. The atmosphere is pretty hectic. Classes of various dances or levels are back to back, so people have fun, talk loud and make noise, and often there are kids participating, laughing, and learning along with the adults. It feels like a big lively family where everybody is welcome. However, if you can look past the noise and concentrate on Diego's lessons that he gives with a female partner, you will learn how to dance basic salsa pretty fast. We recommend you come on both days, Mondays and Fridays, as the two sessions overlap: the first part of each session is a repetition of the previous session, and the second part includes a new step. At the end of each session Diego provides a pattern, something like a short choreography, that you can record on your cell phone. This is a very generous gift from Diego, and it is extremely useful for practicing at home. If you practice at home, it makes a huge difference when you come back to class. So, ignore a 'mini' chaos in the studio, and focus on Diego. As a teacher, he is absolutely fantastic. His classes are very well structured, his explanations are consistent, detailed, precise and extremely clear. He frequently reviews learned steps, points out common mistakes, and never wastes one single minute of his class. He teaches many other Latin dances as well. We absolutely recommend Diego. Watch him, repeat steps after him, record his patterns, practice at home, and have fun! read more

I called World Dance Co for a Private East Coast Swing Dance Lesson and was referred to Diego ^^ He got us an appointment quickly and did a great job helping my husband and I choreograph a brief piece and dancing both our parts with us to help us get it I highly recommend him ^^ read more

I've been going to World Dance for just over a year. It's been hands down the best dance studio I've danced in. I'm at the studio 4 times a week and the owners, employees and dancers have become like family to me. Regarding the negative reviews, the reason the classes are so full, especially Salsa level 1 is because the first class is FREE, half the people that come to the free class don't even come for the rest of the course. Same thing goes for the other classes. As for the classes starting late, it's mostly because of students who come in late. Diego does his best to start and finish on time but that can't always happen if there aren't enough people at the time the class starts. He reviews all the steps that the class has learned, helps anyone who can't get the steps right, teaches new steps, does the announcements and lets the students video tape what they've learned. All of that in one hour, is really hard to do. A lot of jokes and teasing happens during class especially with the students who have been coming there longer than others, but they never become hurtful or rude. Some students do get a little bit nippy but that has nothing to do with the studio itself. The employees are anything but fake and rude, if anything they could be tired considering they usually work more than 4 hours a day, on weekends and stay at the studio usually over an hour after the studio has closed (which is usually about 10-11 pm) to sweep, clean and close up. The beginner Salsa levels obviously don't accelerate very quickly, especially during the Christmas season. It's a very busy time of year for everyone. Once you get to Salsa level 3, things starting getting a lot harder. Salsa level 1 and level 2 are the beginning of a whole other world. It takes a while to learn all the positions and movements of Salsa. There are always new and free classes starting, parties and other events. They're open everyday of the week and offer more classes than you can count. From kids ballet to Zouk and Casino Rueda. The prices are great especially with their deals, specials and unlimited passes and over all, the studio is very well taken care of and the atmosphere is very energetic and welcoming. read more

Diego is a great teacher! A friend took me to an intro Salsa class and I signed up the the same week. The instruction is simple to understand and the staff is friendly. In the few short weeks I've been attending, I've learned so many things that I have always wanted to learn. Since I started doing beginner Salsa, I have tried Bachata and West Coast Swing. All great fun! Can't wait to learn more! Note: My daughter took ballet and hip hop here as well and it wasn't as well organized and put together as the adult classes. read more

Been going on and off to this dance studio for years now. I am impressed by the variety of dances and degrees of difficulty available here, so it is easy to find something for everyone. From salsa to tango, from zouk to swing and kizomba. They also have classes for kids, and will definitely be bringing my daughter to the studio when she is a little older. The first class of each day never starts late. The following classes is true that sometimes start a little late (less than 10 minutes), but this occurs only because the instructor is more focused in giving useful advice to the students, rather than rushing them out the door. Complaining about more class time is like complaining about about 15 candy in a box of 12. read more

This studio has a lot of great classes to offer! Lots of different Latin styles. The instructors are knowledgeable and classes are fun, they also do salsa party's to practice what you have learned :) read more

This was the first time i ever went to dance class so i was pretty scared. The instructors made it very easy for me to feel comfortable. I did a punch card and i used it up in the first 2 weeks. Great way to stay in shape and have fun. read more

I just finished 8 classes of Beginners Salsa. The location is convenient with plenty of Street parking and parking across the street at the community center( not enough parking at the studio). I find Diego an excellent instructor who understands the learning process. He breaks down each step and hand movement so that every student can pick it up. He demonstrates the correct and incorrect positions making people comfortable with the lesson. He ends each class with a review demonstration, that we are allowed to record to accelerate our learning. I like the Friday night party after the last class that starts with a free lesson, students can practice their steps without feeling self conscious or intimidated. If you are looking for a fun activity to do in a comfortable atmosphere I would highly recommend checking out World Dance, especially their free lessons. read more

Found this studio on my eagerness to learn dancing (Ballroom dance was objective then), seeing ChaCha on the list so I went and check. Disappointed when I learned they don't have ChaCha class then but encouraged me to try Salsa. Not so interested then but sat down and watched the class, decided to just enroll anyhow and see how it goes. Got the unlimited pass for a year so it will encourage me to go on since I paid for it. Didn't regret the move since I learned a lot from Diego. Thought of just taking Salsa then and never thought I'd be able to take till L7 which included hundreds of different moves from L1. With that I learned some other dances including Tango which I never thought I would learn. Setback only is as what other reviewers has mentioned already is the level of learners in a class. I just wish that students will only be allowed to advance to a higher level if they're actually ready for it lest the class gets frustrating with students commenting on others' ability to lead/follow thus slowing the progress of the class more. Learning more moves than what one actually can handle wouldn't make them a better dancer. I believe in learning the steps first and be more confident doing it, then progressing to a more advanced level. Not having enough time to actually practice the moves after class learned for the day is another setback. Students should try to find a way of practicing it lest they forget it altogether. Overall, kudos to World Dance and to Diego (and, amazing how he can actually teach a followers' steps in detail as well) who tries to explain what made each pattern work and what didn't. Details in his instructions is not to be taken lightly. Y read more

Would NOT recommend. Dropped in to check it out before i signed up. The instructor is rude, the "professional" dance group are even worse. snobby stuck up. Too many people when instructing, The female dancers are catty and have that fake niceness when actually being a B- to you. (maybe because they think they're above you since they've danced longer than you have). Bad atmosphere, very negative. read more