9 Reasons to Take a Dance Class at University of Waterloo This Term
Every term, a lot of people at the University of Waterloo tell themselves they'll finally try something new outside of lectures, labs and co-op applications. Then midterms arrive and the term is half over. If dance has been on your list, this is your sign. Here are nine reasons a weekly dance class at University of Waterloo is one of the best things you can add to your term, whether you're at UWaterloo, Laurier, Conestoga or not a student at all.
UW Mambo Club has been teaching salsa and bachata on campus since 2007, and we were the first to bring Latin dance classes to the University of Waterloo, and every one of these reasons comes up again and again with our beginners.
1. You don't need any experience
Most people who walk into a beginner class have never taken a dance class in their life. That's exactly who beginner classes are built for. You start with the basic step, counted slowly, and build from there one piece at a time. Nobody expects you to know anything on day one.
If you're worried about having "no rhythm", read our post on what to expect at your first salsa class. Rhythm is a skill you learn through counting and repetition, not something you're born with.
2. You don't need a partner
This is the number one question we get, and the answer is no. In partner dance classes, leaders and followers rotate every few minutes, so you dance with everyone in the room. Coming alone is completely normal, and it's actually the fastest way to learn, because you get used to leading or following lots of different people instead of one.
3. It's the easiest way to meet people on campus
Waterloo can be a hard place to make friends. Classes are big, schedules are packed, and half your friends might be away on co-op any given term. A dance class solves that in a very direct way: in one hour you'll say hi to, laugh with and dance with dozens of people. Because you see the same faces every week, those quick introductions turn into real friendships over a term.
It also mixes people you'd never meet otherwise. Engineering, arts, math, grad students, Laurier and Conestoga students, and people from the wider Kitchener-Waterloo community all end up in the same rotation.
4. It's a real break from screens and studying
For one hour a week, you can't check your phone, you can't think about your problem set, and you can't doom-scroll. Learning a new step takes all your attention, and that's the point. Most students leave class feeling more relaxed and clear-headed than when they arrived, which is a good trade for an hour in the middle of the week.
5. It's exercise that doesn't feel like exercise
An hour of salsa or bachata keeps you on your feet and moving the whole time. You're stepping, turning, shifting your weight and working on balance and posture, all while focusing on the music and your partner instead of a timer. If the gym hasn't stuck for you, a weekly class with people expecting to see you is a much easier habit to keep.
6. It fits into a student schedule
A good student activity has to work around classes, labs, shifts and assignments. Ours runs one evening a week, Wednesdays, right on campus in the SLC lower atrium, so if you're already at UWaterloo there's nothing to commute to. One hour, then you're done.
If you're coming from somewhere else in KW, you don't need a car. The ION light rail has a University of Waterloo station on campus, and it also stops at Laurier–Waterloo Park, which makes it a simple trip for Laurier students. See our location page for directions to the room.
7. It's affordable for students at any school
Student budgets are tight, so price matters. At UW Mambo Club, the student rate is $60 for a 10-week term, and it applies to students at any school: UWaterloo, Laurier, Conestoga or anywhere else. Non-students are welcome too, at $85 per term, as long as they're comfortable in a student environment.
Your first class is a free trial, so you can see if it's for you before you pay anything.
8. Salsa and bachata are skills you keep for life
Most hobbies stay in your room. Partner dancing goes everywhere with you. Salsa and bachata are danced in cities all over the world, so once you know the basics you can walk into a Latin night on a co-op term in another city, at a wedding, or on a trip, and dance with people you've never met.
Not sure which one to start with? Our post on salsa vs bachata breaks down the differences. The short version: bachata gets you social-ready quickly, salsa gives you a big range of turn patterns to grow into, and plenty of students take both back to back on the same night.
9. It plugs you into the Kitchener-Waterloo dance scene
A campus class is a low-pressure starting point, but it doesn't have to end there. Kitchener-Waterloo has a Latin dance community with socials through the year, and in summer there's free salsa on Thursday nights at Waterloo Public Square, starting at 8pm. Once you have a term of basics, those nights become a lot more fun, because you can actually join in. Our guide to Latin dance in Kitchener-Waterloo covers the wider scene.
How to make the most of your first term
- Come every week. Classes are progressive over the 10-week term, so each class builds on the one before. That's also why we don't offer drop-ins.
- Show up on time. The warm-up and the review at the start of class are where the basics really sink in.
- Wear shoes that can turn. Avoid grippy running shoes if you can. Comfortable clothes you can move in are all you need.
- Ask questions. Instructors would much rather explain something twice than have you guess.
- Say yes to the next song. If you go to a social, dance with people outside your class too. It's how you get better fastest.
For a full rundown of what beginner salsa classes cover, read our beginner's guide to salsa classes in Waterloo. If bachata is your pick, start with bachata classes in Kitchener-Waterloo.
Frequently asked questions
Are there dance classes at the University of Waterloo for complete beginners?
Yes. UW Mambo Club runs Bachata Beginners and Salsa Beginners every Wednesday evening in the SLC lower atrium, starting from zero.
I go to Laurier or Conestoga. Can I join?
Yes. The $60 student rate applies to students at any school, including Laurier and Conestoga.
Do I have to be a student?
No. Non-students are welcome at $85 per term, as long as you're comfortable in a student environment.
Can I take salsa and bachata in the same term?
Yes. Bachata Beginners runs from 6 to 7pm, right before Salsa Beginners at 7pm, in the same room. Lots of students do both.
What if I have more questions?
Email us at uwmambo@gmail.com, or check the details on our class page.
Your Wednesday, sorted
A dance class won't fix your midterm schedule, but it will give you one hour a week that's just for fun, a room full of new people, and a skill you'll keep long after you graduate. Kitchener-Waterloo students from every campus have been learning salsa and bachata with UW Mambo Club since 2007. Come try a free class and see for yourself.