Book private dance lessons in San Diego

Dance Performances in San Diego

There is nothing like watching a professional dance performance in any of the great arenas of San Diego. The city of San Diego has a highly skilled art and dance scene. Depending on your area of town, you can see the City Ballet at the Spreckels Theatre in Downtown or a show at the Old Globe at Balboa Park. 

During the early winter months such as September to December, there are regularly scheduled festive performances. You have your choice from the classics such as The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. If it’s earlier in the year, they still have many performances lined up welcoming all ages. 

As an adjustment during the pandemics, some venues like The City Ballet are now offering Drive-In performances. It’s a whole new experience, while still being at the edge of your seat! The San Diego Ballet is absolutely incredible and you instantly notice the performers’ talent.  Another option to watch seasonal classics and professional performances is at Liberty Station. 

If Ballet isn’t your cup of tea, check out the college teams of San Diego State University or the University of California, San Diego. Both schools have their own dance teams that regularly compete in San Diego and other parts of the country. These teams are nationally recognized and it’s easy to see how skilled they are on the dance floor. 

One way to pack in a whole bunch of performances into four nights is to attend the Big Salsa Festival, though currently postponed until 2021. Every year they host many of the big names in Latin Music. The live bands and inspiring performances will hook you instantly! You will get to see how the professionals do it and that seed inside you will start growing. Everyone leaves that festival weekend wanting more!

Dance Styles

One challenge you will find is deciding what dance style to start with. Of course, you can always add your own flair by combining many different styles, but we will start off by mentioning a few. 

Originating in the 1930s and 1940s, Jazz style dance mostly kept to social gatherings. Their influence from Caribbean and African ritual and celebratory dances is still visible today. Jazz style dance is emphasized in the movement’s improvisation and polyrhythm. 

Swing is a fun one too! Generally, with a live band and quick movements, the swing is a partner focused dance with twists and turns sure to get your heart racing. There are tons of variations like Lindy Hop and the Charleston Swing but when you see others moving, you will definitely want to learn too. 

Another style of dance is Hip-hop, a more recently founded style of dance that originated as street dance most commonly in the United States. Since its inception, it is easy to say it has come into the mainstream and become very popular among all ages and backgrounds. The High tempos and strong beats will get you off the wall and onto the dance floor in no time. 

It would be a great omission to not mention the gorgeous, flowing, dance style from the Dominican Republic called Bachata. The rhythm of the music will make you start swaying your hips and moving through the dance floor all night long. The twists and turns will draw you in every time and after the song ends, you’ll be ready for the next song. 

Sitting on the sidelines is no fun, especially when the dancer in front of you looks like they are having such a good time. Get inspired and try to learn some of the moves. There is no harm in mixing different styles together into your own individual dance rhythm.

Dance Clubs & Studios

San Diego has the clubs and it has the dance studios. The problem is which dance style to choose from. Which style is most attractive to you? 

Bachata San Diego should be your first choice for group studio lessons if you want to learn a Latin style of dance. They offer Salsa footwork lessons on Thursdays and other events throughout the year. Whether you attend one of their events are just get some lessons, Bachata San Diego will show you a step or two. 

Swing is another dance style you should definitely try out and in San Diego, the long-standing group in Bankers Hill is the Firehouse Swing Dance. Since 1998, Firehouse Swing holds a meetup every Wednesday night from 6:30-11:30 pm. Join the fun, meet some new people, and learn some new moves. 

Private Lessons

Seeing how the professionals move and the emotion communicated through dance leads to a lot of inspiration. Shifting your weight or giving a look to your partner can tell them you want to change directions or that you’re going to try a specific move. From watching professionals, you can see how they do this. Sometimes it is almost imperceptible, but it is there. Watching how the pros do it can inspire you to want to dance just like them. When inspiration strikes, you need to take full advantage.

You have probably tried those studio classes that are expensive and all you’re doing is looking at your feet or the instructor’s feet and you’re not sure whether you were supposed to move left or right. For those with two left feet or just no experience dancing, private lessons are a great option. 

San Diego offers everything you could ever want, including communities like SuperProf. When you visit SuperProf.com, you will see that there are so many dance instructors that want to teach you how to move like a pro. 

Maybe Bachata caught your eye or maybe you’re more into learning the Charleston. There is someone on SuperProf that can show you how to perfect that move you saw at the City Ballet, or maybe you want to broaden your knowledge base into a new style of dance. There are personal instructors for any type of dance you can think of. All you need to do is move on over to the next step!