Client Stories
No two people walk through the studio door for the same reason. These are the real stories of people who decided it was time to start their Salsa journey.“I just wanted something for myself again.”
Client Story
“When I first thought about learning to dance, I wasn’t even sure salsa was the answer.
I’d always enjoyed dancing — mostly just around my bedroom or kitchen — but my children were adults now and I finally had more time for myself. I remember thinking I’d love a professional to actually teach me how to dance properly.
At the time, I didn’t have a lot of confidence. Dance felt like something positive to focus on, something outside the routine of everyday life.
I knew I wanted somewhere adult-only and somewhere I could learn one-to-one. My biggest worry was whether I’d be able to pick up the steps and remember everything.
I just wanted to see how good I could become.
One of the things that surprised me most was the solo work. At the time, I didn’t realise how much those foundations would help when it came to dancing with someone else.
The hardest part was taking that confidence into social dancing. Shulagh had to remind me more than once that salsa is a social dance!
But eventually I found myself standing out at socials, with teachers and other students asking where I’d learned to dance.
The biggest win wasn’t just the salsa — it was the whole journey.
My confidence improved. I travelled further than I’d ever travelled for dance. Salsa introduced me to other styles and opened up a completely new part of my life.
I don’t dance salsa anymore.
But I’m still dancing.”
Jey
“We Didn’t Want the Salsa Club Scene”
“It all began at a friend’s wedding.
As the evening went on and the dance floor slowly filled, we looked at each other and realised something. We wanted to join in, but we simply didn’t know how.
We went home disappointed and more than a little frustrated.
Although we’d previously done some Latin and ballroom dancing, we felt it was time to try something different. We decided to learn salsa – but we also knew we wanted to find the right environment.
We weren’t drawn to the typical salsa club scene. Looking at photos and Facebook posts, it all seemed noisy, frenetic and rather intimidating. It just didn’t feel like us.
When we came across Shulagh’s Sofa to Salsa course, something felt different. The teaching looked thoughtful, and previous students spoke highly of the progress they’d made. It felt like somewhere we could learn without feeling overwhelmed.
Even so, we still had our doubts.
Would we be too old?
Would we lose confidence before the course even finished?
Those worries disappeared surprisingly quickly.
From the very first lesson, Shulagh’s calm, structured approach helped us relax. We realised we didn’t have to prove ourselves. We simply had to keep learning.
Of course, it wasn’t always easy.
For me, the travelling turns were the biggest challenge.
“I panicked and rushed them, probably because I just wanted to get them over and done with!”
For Tony, learning to lead without trying to force the dance was the biggest hurdle.
“Improvising was difficult too, but because Shulagh doesn’t teach routines, you’re encouraged to develop that skill from the very beginning.”
The first real breakthrough came when we realised we could comfortably dance without needing to memorise a sequence.
That was the moment we knew something had changed.
As we continued with private lessons, our confidence grew even more.
Today, things feel completely different.
If someone puts music on, we’re no longer wondering what steps to do. We’re listening for how we’d like to interpret it together.
Learning On2 opened another door entirely.
“Stratospheric!”
Looking back, we’re incredibly glad we took that first step.
If you’re considering learning with Shulagh, we’d simply say this:
Invest the time. Invest the money.
You won’t regret it.”
Tony and Lindsay