Learn to dance salsa, immersed with live percussion
Beginner salsa dance classes in Ballston (VA) and AfroCuban rumba percussion in Brookland (Washington, DC).
No partner needed. No experience needed.
Live percussion, every class
Live percussion every class — Vincent is a trained percussionist as well as a dancer, and he plays congas while he teaches. You learn to hear the music, internalize it, and feel it, not just count it.
From zero means from zero — In our “from zero” and “desde cero” class series offerings, we assume you have never danced or played an instrument. Timing and technique are taught from scratch, every time.
Listen first — In salsa, AfroCuban, and Afro-Puerto Rican music the singer leads, the percussionists answer, and the dancers respond. We teach dancing as a response to the music rather than a pattern imposed on it.
Classes
Beginner Salsa from Zero
Tuesdays 7:30–8:30pm · Oct 13, 20, 27, Nov 3 · Inspira Dance, Ballston
Four-week series · $80
A complete beginning. Basic step, timing, turns, and partner connection, taught to live percussion. No experience or partner needed.
Beginner Salsa Series: Level 1
Tuesdays 7:30–9:30pm · same four dates · $120
Everything above, plus a second hour: shared footwork with the advanced beginner group, then guided practice.
Guaguancó desde Cero — Rumba Percussion
Thursdays 8:00–9:30pm · Oct 15, 22, 29, Nov 5 · Brookland Arts Loft Studio, DC
Four-class block · $60 · Instruments provided
Block 2 is for students continuing from Block 1. AfroCuban rumba from zero: clave, catá, and the foundational drum parts. Enrollment closes after the first class.
Who teaches this
I'm Vincent Emanuele, and I grew up in Rockville, Maryland.
My involvement in dance originally came from my mother, who danced professionally in New York City and later ran her own dance school while I was growing up. I started tap at twelve years old. I've been performing salsa at the semi-professional level and professional level since 2009, starting with Proyecto Barrio (Atlanta). Most recently, in 2025, I danced at halftime of a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden with the Mambo Royalty All-Stars, directed by Eddie Torres Jr. and Princess Serrano — truly representing the roots of salsa and mambo in New York.
I've cross-trained in ballet, studied Afro-Cuban dance in Havana and Cienfuegos, and spent four years in Puerto Rico studying percussion and dancing salsa with Yambori. As part of Yambori, we competed in The Summit Championship in 2023 representing Puerto Rico in the Pro-Am division. I also trained privately with Puerto Rican salsa icon Tito Ortos in San Juan and earned his salsa certification in fall 2024. In early 2026 I moved back and settled in Maryland.
I've been teaching since 2016 — ten years. You don't need any of that background to start; you just need to show up. In the from Zero series everything is taught from zero, in a group, and it's a lot of fun. And yes, I play the congas while I teach.
“Vincent is one of the most disciplined, hardworking, and dedicated people I’ve ever met. As a teacher, he is attentive to detail and breaks movement and musical concepts down to their core, so you understand not only what you’re doing, but why. Whether it’s the history behind a movement, the Orishas in Afro-Cuban traditions, or the artists who shaped modern-day salsa, he gives you context that makes what you’re learning feel richer and more meaningful. One of the things that really sets Vincent’s teaching apart is the musical depth he brings through percussion. I’ve studied different dance styles since I was 7, and if I were starting salsa from zero again in the DMV, this is where I would go.”
— Andrea, Roots of Salsa teaching assistant and student since 2025.
What students say
"Vincent is a knowledgeable and experienced instructor who will make you feel welcomed and comfortable."
— Danielle M.
"Beyond teaching the fundamentals of salsa, he takes the time to share the history, culture, and stories behind the dance. Salsa is so much more than steps. It's history, culture, connection, and expression."
— Noelia B.
"I learned more from Vincent in one day on the nuances of the clave than I had after years of salsa training."
— Roberto P.
Location
Inspira Dance (dance class location)
4238 Wilson Blvd, Suite 2220, Arlington VA 22203
Ballston Quarter, Level M2, next to Immersive Gamebox. Metro: Ballston-MU. Garage parking on site.
Brookland Arts Loft Studio (percussion class location)
3305 8th St NE, Washington DC 20017
The Lofts building, not the main Dance Place theater at 3225. Two blocks from Brookland-CUA.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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No. Most people come alone and we rotate partners
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No. The beginner “from zero” series assumes you have never danced salsa, or anything else.
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Comfortable clothes and shoes with a smooth sole that you haven't worn outside (ideally). Bring water.
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A way of timing salsa developed in New York and Puerto Rico, but really rooted in Cuban dances such as Son Cubano. Don’t worry, everything is taught from scratch — you do not need to know what this means to take the class.
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The practice hour includes the footwork part of the advanced beginner class for the first stretch, then guided practice and social dancing while the more advanced group works on turn patterns. This is highly recommended, as it will reinforce what you learned in class and accelerate your progress.
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No. Instruments are provided, and we will rotate frequently.