Salsa classes & events in London

London's salsa scene is the largest in the UK by a wide margin, and the most stylistically varied — on1 and on2 New York-style, Cuban casino and rueda, and Colombian-flavoured rooms all have their own weekly nights, and most weeks you can choose between three or four socials any given evening. The bigger central rooms in Soho and Camden draw a high standard of regular dancer, while neighbourhood classes across north, east and south London feed a steady stream of beginners into the scene. Weeknight class-plus-socials are the easy entry point; the headline Friday and Saturday parties — often with live bands or visiting DJs — are where the scene shows up in numbers. Whichever style of salsa you prefer, London almost certainly has a regular night for it.

Where to start: pick a beginner class-plus-social on a weeknight near a Tube line you use — one lesson, then open dancing. Try whichever style appeals; you can switch once you know what you like.

On1, on2 or Cuban — which should I start with? They are all welcoming to beginners; pick by location and timing rather than agonising over the choice. You can cross over later — many London regulars dance more than one.

Do I need a partner? No. Partners rotate in beginner classes and at every social — turning up alone is the norm.