Testimonials

A participant's blog entry about her experience during the September 2010 retreat @ Tee4Life

Interview with December 2009 Salsa Retreat participant Suzy @ TravelOjos

Laurie from Seattle, WA

A wonderful experience. The place we stayed was lovely with beautiful grounds, a very relaxing atmosphere and fabulous home-cooked Mexican food 3 times a day. The salsa classes, about 2 hours every day, were really good and I learned a lot. There were 8 women in my retreat and everyone was great. Getting to know other folks who shared my interest in dance and Mexico was one of the best parts of the trip. Nicolas, the tour guide hired to show us around, did a fabulous job and really helped us get a good view of Oaxaca and the culture. I highly recommend this retreat!

Debra from Durango, CO

I was invited to attend the retreat by a friend of mine. I enjoyed the whole experience! Alice, the retreat organizer, is such a fun person to hang around with and she did an excellent job in all the planning. There were events planned throughout the week but it was also okay if we wanted to go do our own thing. Even if you aren't a dancer, you can learn to dance at your own pace, have fun in the city, make new friends, and just enjoy the atmoshpere. This retreat was one of the best vacations I have ever had!

Ann from Cortez, CO

To say that participating in Salsa Retreat is a life altering experience might seem a bit of an exaggeration, but then again, it’s all a matter of what you make of it and what you take away from it. Everything was top notch – the lovely accommodations and delicious food at guest house; our guide/driver extraordinaire – Nicolas; invigorating and rejuvenating daily yoga; and last, but definitely not least, the fabulous salsa dancing. The instructors were excellent teachers as well as super fun dance partners and just all-around terrific guys. And Betty, our lead instructor, was a true inspiration. Oaxaca is the perfect city for this retreat. With many world-class salsa dancers around it’s easy to find lots of dancing opportunities. There is plenty to do and experience from absorbing the local culture while sipping margaritas on the zocolo to exploring the botanical garden and surrounding indigenous communities to shopping for mole, mescal, huipils, and local crafts in the markets. Salsa Retreat was one of the most fun and rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. I can’t recommend it highly enough. I’ll definitely be back for more!

Jennifer from Seattle, WA

I have traveled extensively in my life. The Salsa Retreat was truly one of the most unique and quality experiences I have had. From the simple beauty and charm of our accommodation, to the choice of dance and yoga instructors, local guides, and tours ... the retreat was organized really well, and the details arranged with lots of thoughtful, personalized touches that made me feel special and allowed me to relax and enjoy myself. Dancing Salsa was so fun with this crowd! I learned many new moves from the best! Beatriz is a top notch instructor, as are her staff. But it also felt like an exchange, as all of the instructors were from the area, and were fun, kind, and patient. I enjoyed meeting people who live in the community! When we went out on the last night, we were all out on the dance floor! The yoga provided a nice balance. Jenn is a great teacher and facilitated the class to really support our dancing, but also our individual needs and levels. Oaxaca is a beautiful, authentically Mexican city... a cultural center with lots to do and see from visiting ancient ruins, going to small crafts villages, to taking a cooking class. There are a few scheduled tours, and enough free time to pack more in if you’d like, or just relax in the garden. The food was spectacular! We even visited the program that supports local kids and where our collective donations will put a child through school for a year! If I had stayed longer, I would have volunteered there. I feel more confident and graceful in my dancing. I made some new friends from all over the world, many who live here in Seattle, and, I got to experience Oaxaca. What a great way to travel, explore and rejuvenate! An unforgettable and very special treat that I highly and thoroughly recommend!

Frances from Seattle, WA

A must do if you want a vacation that includes rest, relaxation, good food, exercise for mind and body as well as a cultural experience! This tour has a little bit of everything on top of all the yoga and dance. Oaxaca is an amazing place that is unlike the tourist oriented cities of Cancun or Playa Del Carmen. It is rich in culture and the people are hospitable and welcoming. The Oaxacan cuisine is simply amazing and the hot chocolate we were served every night is something I took back with me to Seattle as a practice. The guest house was a haven inside the city. A home away from home with a wonderful staff and a garden that is serene and quiet, protected from the hustle of the city around it. The tour is fantastic and alongside it, waking to yoga in the morning followed by a wonderful breakfast made to order is the best start to the day. Lunch is late in Oaxaca, but there is time to chill out or explore the city before heading over to Tumbao Academia for 2 hours of non-stop dancing - both individual footwork and with a partner. The yoga is a perfect compliment to the dancing - allowing the body to stretch and awaken in preparation for the dancing. The dancing culminates in a recital at the academia followed by dancing at La Candela with a live band and the company of the Tumbao troupe. I learned a lot about styling, footwork and made significant improvements to my partnering. Everyone loves to dance! I was able to work on my skills and feel confident in my ability to dance. All in all the trip was a blast! I would recommend it without hesitation and will definitely go again.

Thekla from Berlin, Germany

A wonderful experience. When I arrived in Mexico I had never even danced with a partner before. After 5 days of practice I was so happy and proud of my dancing together with my instructor. Oaxaca is a beautiful city, very colourful and lively. Yoga in the morning gave me the strength and the positive feeling for beeing open to such much input. I hope that I can come back again (I have eaten the chapulines, so maybe it will become true).