Description
Salsa SocietyUniversity of Bristol
Hola bailarin@s! We teach salsa and bachata every week, for every level. Complete beginners welcome and no partner needed: partners rotate, and leads and follows are for anyone.
Salsa
- Day
- Wednesdays
- Time
- 7–10 pm, three levels
- Room
- Carpenter Room, Richmond Building
Bachata
- Day
- Thursdays
- Time
- 6.30–8 pm, open level
- Room
- Studio 3, Indoor Sports Centre
Membership
- Year
- £25
- Half year
- £13
- Gets you
- Cheaper classes, socials and events
Welcome to the Salsa Society
We are super excited to share Latin American dance with you! Along with our passionate teachers, we teach regular salsa and bachata classes, run special classes in other dance styles, and have socials where you can practise your social dancing.
We think our society is amazing, inclusive, fun, and just one of a kind! But you don't have to take our word for it. Here's what our members say:
- You guys are amazing, thank you!!
- They were really good fun and well organized!
- Loved it! Want more!
- Really enjoyed it :)
- THEEE BESSTTT
- I have so much love for salsa soc <33
- Loved making friends and having fun together
Classes
Drop in at your level during term time. Partners rotate throughout the class, so you don't need to bring anyone with you.
Wednesday salsa
- 7–8pmBeginnersFor absolute beginners: the fundamentals.
- 8–9pmImproversBasics down? Develop your technique.
- 9–10pmImprovers+More complex routines.
Carpenter Room, Richmond Building
Thursday bachata
- 6.30–8pmOpen levelDominican bachata, the traditional style with lots of footwork. Not sensual bachata.
Studio 3, Indoor Sports Centre
| Ticket | Non-members | Members |
|---|---|---|
| One class | £5.00 | £3.50 |
| Two salsa classes | £8.50 | £6.00 |
Every class needs a ticket, even if you're a member!
Get ticketsMembership
Membership makes every class cheaper and unlocks discounts across everything we run. Buy it on the SU site.
Full year
£25
For the whole academic year
Half year
£13
For half of the year
What membership includes
- Discounted classes: £3.50 instead of £5, or two salsa classes for £6
- Discounted weekend special classes
- Discounted club nights, dance events and socials
- Discounted Winter Formal tickets
- Discounted Salsa Ball tickets
- A place in the Salsa Family scheme
- Discounted shoes and dancewear through our partners
- The chance to audition for the salsa performance team
Can't afford to take part? Bristol SU's Activity Hardship Fund can help.
Special classes
One-off weekend workshops where guest teachers show us a whole new dance style. Members get a discount.
Lined up for 2026/27
Tango
Sunday 25th October
Dancehall
Saturday 7th November
Reggaeton
Sunday 6th December
With more to come!
Past guest styles have included:
- Kizomba
- Merengue
- Flamenco
- Reggaeton
- Samba
- Cha Cha
Dates go up on our events calendar and Instagram.
Performance team
Our salsa performance team is a fun way to take your dancing to the next level. The team learns a choreography to perform at the Salsa Ball and at other universities' events.
Auditions happen early in the autumn term, with training sessions running on weekends. Fancy it next year? Message us on Instagram!
Special events
Bristol Salsa Ball
Saturday 24 April 2027
The event of the year and not to be missed! Expect performances, live music and entertainment, amazing food and of course incredible dancing. Past balls have featured the Bristol Salsa Orchestra and guest teams from other universities.
- So much fun!
- Incredible atmosphere
- Really really fun night!! Wonderful entertainment!!
- Excellent experience!
Salsa Winter Formal: coming soon. Keep an eye on Instagram for details.
Equality, inclusion and wellbeing
Here if you need us
Our Equality and Welfare Officer, Elliss, is always available if you need to talk, with a dedicated, confidential email address: ubsalsawelfare@gmail.com. Elliss also runs our wonderful Salsa Family scheme.
Can't afford to take part? Bristol SU's Activity Hardship Fund can help.
Leads and follows
Salsa and bachata are partnered dances, so the steps vary depending on whether you lead or follow. We use gender-neutral language for both roles. Who says only men can lead and women can follow?
As a beginner, learning both roles at once can be confusing, so pick one to start with. Once you feel comfortable, try learning both!
Partners
Members get discounts with our partners.
MoveDance
Discounted dance shoes and dancewear
Dancewear Central
Discounted dance shoes and dancewear
Intirave Reggaeton
Discounted event tickets
Details on how to claim coming soon.
Accreditation
Our Bristol SU accreditation history:
FAQ
I've never danced before. Can I come?
Yes! Wednesday 7pm salsa is for complete beginners, and Thursday bachata is open level.
Do I need a partner?
No. Partners rotate throughout the class, so coming on your own is completely normal.
Should I lead or follow?
Whichever you like. Pick one to start, then learn the other once you're comfortable. Both roles are open to anyone.
Which salsa level should I go to?
Beginners (7pm) is for absolute beginners and covers the fundamentals. Improvers (8pm) is for once you have the basics down and want to develop your technique. Improvers+ (9pm) is for more complex routines.
Do I need a ticket if I'm a member?
Yes. Every class needs a ticket, but members pay less: £3.50 for one class or £6 for two salsa classes. Tickets are on the SU events page.
Do I have to be a member to come?
No. Non-members can buy class tickets at £5 (£8.50 for two salsa classes). Membership makes classes and events cheaper.
Can I come to more than one class a night?
Yes, and two salsa classes are cheaper as a pair (£6 for members, £8.50 for non-members).
What should I wear?
Whatever is comfortable. Smooth-soled trainers or flat shoes with a bit of slide work best; avoid very grippy running trainers and flip flops. Heels aren't needed. Bring water.
What kind of bachata do you teach?
Dominican bachata, the traditional style from the Dominican Republic, with lots of footwork. Not sensual bachata.
Where are classes?
Salsa: Carpenter Room, Richmond Building. Bachata: Studio 3, Indoor Sports Centre.
Are there classes every week?
During term time, except consolidation week.
How do I find out about socials and events?
Follow @ubsalsasoc, check the events calendar and join the mailing list.
How do I join the performance team?
Auditions happen early in the autumn term. Message us on Instagram to hear about the next ones.
I can't afford membership. Is there help?
Bristol SU's Activity Hardship Fund can help.
Can I get discounted dance shoes?
Yes, members get discounts with MoveDance and Dancewear Central.
The committee 2026/27
President
Alex Stretch
Vice President and Secretary
Mar Rivas Diaz
Treasurer
Lucia Bureo Villafana
Social Secretary
Enya McGuinness
Social Secretary
Yasmin Passmore
Class Coordinator
Pablo de la Torre Vega
Performance Team Manager
Mariana Lascurain
Social Media Manager
Ethan Lynch
Equality and Welfare Officer
Elliss Mayo
Get in touch
- Emailubsalsasoc@gmail.com
- Instagram@ubsalsasoc
- TikTok@ubsalsasoc
- Welfare (confidential)ubsalsawelfare@gmail.com
- Tickets and eventsSU events page
- Events calendarluma.com/ubsalsasoc
Terms and conditions
Click here to view terms and conditions
Membership Fee Inclusions
Prior to signing up to a Club or Society speak to the Committee to find out what your membership includes and if there are any further expenses throughout the year.
Service Standards
All Club or Society members can expect to receive:
- The opportunity to attend regular meetings, events, activities, trips and socials as arranged.
- The opportunity to stand for a committee position or vote in their elections (Bristol students only).
- For Sports Club – to attend regular training sessions and have the opportunity to be selected for the teams.
Code of Conduct
When joining a club or society you are agreeing to abide by the constitution, general rules, regulations and policies of University of Bristol Students’ Union and also the Club or Society Code of Conduct which sets out the level of behaviour & discipline expected of all Club & Society members.
Refund Policy
Any customer who pays for a membership subscription to a Bristol SU Society, Sports Club, Student Media and initiatives has a 14 day cooling off period from the time and date of purchase during which they have the right to cancel the subscription and receive a full refund. If you do decide to cancel within the 14 days, Bristol SU will refund your payment within a further 30 days of the cancellation. To request a refund please email: bristolsu@bristol.ac.uk
Data sharing (Sports Club members only)
Please be aware that Bristol SU may share data relating to the members of its sports clubs with the Centre for Sport, Exercise and Health (a department of the University). This information may be used for the purposes of communicating direct with these members and/or to cross-reference against SEH's Sports Pass membership records.
As part of Bristol SU's membership of British Universities & Colleges Sports (BUCS) Bristol SU may have to share data on to its sports clubs members so BUCS can, from time to time, communicate with these members.
Data sharing (Societies members only)
If you're joining one of the societies listed below please be aware that your name and email address will be shared with Bristol Hub for the purpose of keeping you up to date with their activities through their email “The Week”:
AIESEC Bristol, AMICUS Bristol, Anti-Slavery Society, Bristol Feminists, Bristol Friends of MSF, Bristol Marrow, Bristol Social Enterprise Society, Bristol Student Action for Refugees, Bristol University Amnesty International, Conservation Group, Bristol University Oxfam Group, Bristol University Sustainability Team, Bristol Volunteers for Development Abroad, Engineers Without Borders, Howard League for Penal Reform Student Society, International Affairs Society, Medsin Bristol, Model United Nations, and Vegetarian and Vegan Society.
For more information on Bristol Hub visit: http://www.bristolhub.org.
If you do not want your details shared with the Hub please email: bristolsu@bristol.ac.uk.
These terms shall be governed by English law and are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts. Nothing in these terms shall exclude liability for fraudulent misrepresentation.
Socials
Socials are where you practise your social dancing, explore Bristol's Latin scene and get to know everyone outside class.
Salsa Family: our scheme for members to meet and support each other, run by our Equality and Welfare Officer, Elliss.
For what's coming up, check the events calendar, follow @ubsalsasoc and join the mailing list.