La Candela Salsa

La Candela is a Salsa and Cuban dances school in Berlin, founded in early 2018 by Ido Flaishon, a veteran dancer and teacher in Europe who has been dancing and teaching since 2008. The school focuses on Salsa Cubana and the full Cuban dance repertoire, with two main purposes: to make Salsa accessible to anyone and help them build solid technique, and to allow experienced dancers to explore deeper into authentic Cuban dance culture, musicality, expression, and partner connection.

The school's teaching approach rests on three distinguishing factors. First, the methodology combines professional dance skills with trained teaching practice — classes are both fun and didactical. Second, most activities run in 8-week closed-group course formats, allowing progressive material and steady progression rather than drop-in randomness. Third, joining La Candela means joining a holistic community experience: structured classes, regular social events, international dance festivals, and shared meals together create what students describe as an active and welcoming international community.

Classes span all levels and styles. The Salsa Beginners Course promises to have you dancing Salsa within 6 classes with no partner required. The Salsa Academy offers structured blocks covering technique, musicality, and dance theory from foundational to advanced levels. Beyond Salsa, La Candela teaches Son Cubano, Son Moderno, Rumba (Yambú and Guaguancó), Reggaeton Cubano, Afro-Cuban dances, Rueda de Casino, and focused series in music and musicality, body movement, lady style, street Salsa, and fitness Latin dance. Private and group lessons are available for those seeking tailored progression on specific topics like rhythm sense, styling, or particular dance forms.

The teaching team comprises international-level professional dancers who are also certified or professionally trained teachers. Ido Flaishon heads the school and leads the Social Dances Teachers Course (next scheduled for March-April 2026). Other teachers include Agnita Januskeviciute, known for elegant feminine movement; Lynet Rivero, a choreographer from Havana specializing in Cuban folklore and contemporary Cuban dance; Christina Dragoi, focused on body movement across Cuban forms; and Dasha Selifanova. All classes are taught in English, welcoming an international student body.

The studio itself features a top-class sound system where every instrument is audible, a perfectly smooth parquet floor with cushion layer underneath to protect knees and enhance dancing, and a beautiful space designed specifically for the joy of dancing. Students rotate partners frequently in balanced leader/follower pairings, meaning you don't need to bring your own partner. The school also offers company and team-building events tailored to client needs, studio rental, and occasional parties, community events, international festivals, and concerts for students and community.

Expect a well-structured class led by an experienced international-level teacher, balanced partner rotation so you dance more, clear instruction that breaks moves into small details, and a warm, welcoming international community. Classes run in course blocks (typically 8 weeks) with progressive material designed to build your skills steadily.

Teachers include Ido Flaishon (director, dancing and teaching since 2008), Agnita Januskeviciute, Lynet Rivero (from Havana, expert in Cuban folklore and contemporary Cuban dance), Christina Dragoi (specialising in body movement), and Dasha Selifanova. All are international-level professional dancers with formal teacher training.

The Salsa Beginners Course is designed to have you dancing within 6 classes with no partner needed, and instructors break every move into tiny details to make learning easy from the start.