DAF Studio

Had a great Zumba class here today. The space is great. Definitely going back for more dancing :)

This is a really good studio. It’s nothing fancy, but a great loft space and sound system, a real dance studio with plenty of class offerings. I came here looking for an alternative to the Zumba classes I was already taking, to fit into my schedule. I paid $ 12 for a single class, which is not bad at all. I really enjoyed Sonia’s class. She was great. I found Alain’s class harder. I’ve been doing Zumba for a while but I found his choreography difficult, very fast and hard to follow, and much more athletic and hip-​hop influenced than I prefer. I have zero formal dance training and it seemed to me the average Zumba-​goer would get tripped up with his steps. He has a big following though, and people just love his classes, so that’s clearly just a matter of taste. I preferred Sonia’s class, which has a lot more salsa, more fluid moves, though it was rigorous and I worked up a major sweat. I will definitely go back but I will probably stick with Sonia’s classes for now.

I came here on the recommendation from my local Zumba instructor in Austin. I needed to experience Zumba in Miami at least once while I was in town and this was the perfect location to do it.
Alain Guerra is an excellent instructor. He came to our local Austin studio for a master class one time, so I knew how action-​packed his class could be. I love that his music is pre-​mixed and does not stop. He challenges everyone to go further and the class was very upbeat.
The space itself was amazing– it felt like going out to a nightclub rather than an exercise class. The staff was very friendly and the cost of a one-​time class was $ 12. If I had been in town a little longer, I might have opted for a class card.
Overall, it was a blast and a perfect space to get my Zumba fix. I will definitely come back next time I am in town.

This is my favorite place to social dance Argentine Tango in Miami. I go there at least two Fridays every month. There are always a lot of good dancers there with whom to social dance. The class is good and the cost is included in the admission, $ 15. BYOB. My only complaint is that I don’t like the bright spot lights on the dance floor. I think those lights should be pointed toward the tables where people are opening wine bottles and looking for a dance partner. You don’t need bright lights to dance. It would also be nice if they played a few non-​Tango songs each night. Some other milongas do that. The class starts at 9(ish)pm, and the party starts about an hour later.

DAF Studio opened in 2008 in what was once a theater space, and it still has that theater feel: wood floors and high ceilings. It’s located in the heart of Little Havana’s cultural district, just across from Domino Park. The place is spacious (2000 sq ft) and inviting, with a mirrored wall and windows that face SW 8^th St.
If you want to learn Latin dance, you have found your home. In addition to classes in salsa, tango and Zumba, you can also find classes in Afro-​Cuban folkloric dance (my favorite), bata drumming, ballet, stretch dance (basically Cuban modern dance technique), and Bikram yoga. Plus, they have special arts and dance programs just for kids, including an arts after-​school program.
The prices for classes are inexpensive, and if you buy a package you get the best rate. Instructors are excellent, and the atmosphere in classes is welcoming versus competitive and intimidating (although the teachers can be strict, in a good way — they really want you to improve).
It’s easy to find parking on the street (or in the lot to the rear of the McDonald’s on SW 8^th St.). After class you can stop and get a café con leche or a batido (fruit shake) across the street at El Esquisito, and hang out with the new friends you met in class!