About Us

We are Ottawa's premiere Latin dance school, focusing mainly on salsa, merengue, cha cha, and bachata, all of which are extremely popular in Latin social events throughout the world!

Our mission is to bring the energy and passion of Latin dance to Ottawa. We believe that as long as you have music in your heart, anyone can learn and enjoy the magic of dancing! (Yes, really!)

We will provide you the highest quality instruction available, as well as lots of opportunities to practice what you've learned. This way, you will be able to go out and participate in local salsa events as soon as possible, where you will find a wonderful community eager to share their love for dancing.

We take our inspiration from the original Queen of salsa — Celia Cruz. She is famous for her sunny disposition, her warmth and passion, as well as her trademark of shouting "Azúcar!" ("sugar" in Spanish) in between her singing. We were inspired by her positive attitude towards life and her desire to share the joy of dance and music with as many people as possible.

Passionate about dance, and passionate about our students!

Our team

Jeff — Jeff is originally from Vancouver, where he trained with former Mayan World Champion Alfonso Caldera before moving to Ottawa for a job he could not refuse. Jeff's unbridled passion for salsa and his love for the Ottawa dance scene lead to the creation of this school. With over 22 years of musical training and 8 years in dance education, Jeff is eager to share the joy of dancing with as many people as he can. Talk to Jeff at jeff@azucarottawa.com

Ana — Ana is our definitive proof that anyone can learn to dance. Discouraged from pursuing dance from a young age, she grew up convinced that she had two left feet. Thanks to Jeff's infinite patience, she took up salsa in 2008 and is now one of our most enthusiastic teachers. While Jeff is the (clave tempo-ed) heart of Azúcar!, Ana is its brain, also dealing with the less artistic aspects of school management and administration. When she's not teaching or running the studio, you'll find her in most of our classes, lending a hand as well as honing her own style. Talk to Ana at ana@azucarottawa.com

Jongeun — Jongeun has been teaching Salsa over 7 years to give back what he got from dancing Salsa. He used to be a dancing machine, 4 hours non-stop, and is now using that passion to give others chances to enjoy more cheerful and lively life. Jongeun is currently focusing his energy on teacher training and development. Talk to Jongeun at drsalsa@azucarottawa.com

Emilie - Emilie has trained, performed and taught in Canada (Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Sault Ste-Marie and Corner Brook), United States (Sandpiper, Florida), Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Emilie travels regularly to keep herself up to date on new beats, rhythms and dance moves that she brings back for her students. Her passions are dancing, choreographing, teaching and performing. She loves to mix all her styles, marrying the classical and street dances in a unique, exciting way with the grace of classic and the energy of street. She is also a nationally certified, experienced fitness and yoga teacher.  Emilie is known for her energy and smile. Her contagious enthusiasm of dance permeated every aspect of her life. From the way she walks down the street, to the way she views life: it’s a stage, and she will dance as long and hard as she can. Talk to Emilie at emilie@azucarottawa.com

Ali — At 3 years old, Ali's mother signed her up for a dance class at a local school. That first hot pink tutu started a love of dance that has continued her whole life. As a child she competed in various dance styles across eastern Canada and the United States before transitioning into Rhythmic gymnastics where she competed nationally and internationally, including the 2001 World Aesthetic Group Gymnastics Championships in Tallinn, Estonia. Retiring from competition when she went to university, Ali became a nationally certified level two sports coach, helping her spread her love of music and movement. The energy and beauty of Latin music have made salsa and the salsa community Ali's passion, at times it's hard to get her off the dance floor. Talk to Ali at ali@azucarottawa.com

Darnell — Darnell has always had an interest in Latin dancing, but as an engineer the thought of tapping into a yet-to-be-discovered artistic side of his brain was downright intimidating. That changed 4 years ago, when he decided to dive into the world of salsa, having no idea how hooked he would become! His background in piano has helped him pick up on the rhythm and musicality in Latin music. To help improve his technique and acquire a wider range of stylistic influences, Darnell enjoys taking weekly classes and has also studied international ballroom, performed in partner choreographies and attended various salsa congresses where he has had the opportunity to take workshops with artists from around the world. Talk to Darnell at darnell@azucarottawa.com

Don't know who to talk to? Send your general inquiries to info@azucarottawa.com