Ottawa has a number of dance studios and bars where you can learn Latin Dancing. Not only do you get to learn and exercise while dancing but also it’s a great way to meet new people in the city!

Here are some places in Ottawa that offer Dance lessons –

Ritmo Bailey

Address: 12 Byward Market Square, Ottawa, ON K1N 9C3
Business website: https://www.ritmobaileottawa.com/

Located conveniently in the Byward Market area, Ritmo Bailey is a good spot for dance lessons. While the place itself doesn’t serve any drinks, I like the fact that there are a number of bars and restaurants located nearby.

• Variety of Latin dance lessons throughout the weekly.
• Attracts a mixed demographic.
• No alcohol or food served. (The water dispenser is there!)
• Has Latin dance socials on weekends as well.

University of Ottawa Salsa Club

Address: University Centre 85 University Private, Ottawa, ON, K1N 9A7
Business website: https://uosalsa.wixsite.com/uosalsa

University’s Salsa Club is one of the biggest dance groups in Ottawa and has events regularly on a weekly basis. The event is open to everyone and there is a small fee for attending the lessons and the socials.

• UOSalsa club provides same-day lessons for both salsa and bachata.
• There are lessons for beginners as well as experts.
• The lessons can get quite busy however the socials are less crowded.
• Attracts primarily younger demographics.
• LGBT friendly crowd.
• Lessons are very affordable
• Events usually happen on a Tuesday.

Mill Street Brewery

Address: 555 Wellington St, Ottawa, ON K1R 1C5
Business website: https://millstreetbrewery.com/

Mill Street Brewery has weekly salsa nights which include lessons followed by social. The Brewery is one of the few places where not only you can get food and drinks but they also have a decent amount of dance floor for the lessons.

• Targeted more towards beginner-intermediate level folks.
• Different instructors every week.
• Attracts a mixed demographic.
• Lessons usually take place on a Monday.

Amigos

Address: 858 Merivale Rd, Ottawa, ON K1Z 5Z4

While popularly known as a Dive Bar, Amigos has a large dance floor where they do weekly Latin Dancing lessons. The place does a beginner dance workshop before their socials and is relatively more affordable than other places that offer dance lessons.

• 10 minutes away from downtown Ottawa.
• Lessons are usually on a Tuesday.
• Attracts a mixed demographic.
• Has pool tables, musical jukebox and slot machines.
• Drinks can be purchased but no food.
• Affordable lessons

Studio X

Address: 250 City Centre Ave Bay 122, Ottawa, ON K1R 1C7
Business website: https://www.studioxottawa.com/

Studio X is another Dance studio that offers a variety of Latin dancing lessons. While I found the dance lessons to be great, they are relatively more expensive than other places that I have been to.

• Offers lessons on different types of Latin dancing.
• Attracts more intermediate level folks.
• Lessons can be quite pricey if you are paying at the door.
• No alcohol or food is served at the venue.

Here are some tips before you head for your Latin dancing lessons! –

• Make sure you are going to lessons at your level of comfort! If you are new to Latin Dancing, it is recommended that you go for beginner lessons to have a good foundation and only later try practicing advanced moves.
• In Latin Dancing, people usually dance in pairs which involves a lead and a follower, with the lead usually expected to know the moves. It’s a bit easier to be a follower than to be a lead.
• Do carry cash with you as some places might only be accepting cash as payment and charge you additional fees for paying with a credit card.
• Check if the event is still happening! Sometimes the venue changes the dates or the type of lessons before the event takes place so check their Facebook or Instagram if they are still doing the lessons.

Sommet Edelweiss is a ski resort located not too from the Ottawa-Gatineau region. Depending on where you live in the Ottawa metro, it could be anywhere between a 30-45 minute drive.

In this guide, I have tried to provide all the necessary information that you might need to begin skiing at Sommet Edelweiss.

What To Wear For Skiing?

The conditions at the Summit are not only just cold but windy as well, so I recommend that before you head there, you are wearing proper winter clothing. Here is what you should be wearing –

• A balaclava or neck warmer
• Thermal tops and pants – Warm innerwear
• Cold weather socks
• Ski pants – These are waterproof/windproof lined pants
• Windproof/Waterproof Winter Jacket
• Windproof/Winterproof gloves
• Sunscreen for your face

Some gloves have pockets for handwarmers to be placed. This can help keep your gloves warm during cold weather for a few hours while you are skiing.

A head warmer like a beanie won’t be needed if you are wearing a helmet.

Do I Need To Have My Own Ski Gear?

It is possible to rent ski gear from the ski resort. Unless you are planning to take skiing as a hobby, I do not recommend that you buy your ski gear. For a one-time event, it is a lot cheaper to just rent ski gear from the resort.

Your ski gear should consist of –

• Pair of skis
• Ski boots
• Helmet – It is recommended that you wear one for safety
• Ski Poles (Optional)

Unless you are going for the fast moving slopes, you won’t need to have ski goggles. Though they can also help you if it’s going to be sunny.

Before handing your skis, the staff working at Edelweiss are going to adjust the skis based on your weight and height. Make sure that the height/weight information that they have about you on file is correct. If you own your ski gear then the staff can do the tune-ups for a fee.

Make sure that your ski boots are fastened properly. If the boots are too loose then there is a chance that your feet might come out while skiing and there is a higher risk of injuring yourself as well.

There are lockers available at Edelweiss Ski Resort and if you plan to use them I recommend that you bring dollar coins with you to lock your stuff. I didn’t have any coins with me so I just put my stuff without locking it up and noticed a lot of other people were doing the same.

Is It Worth Going For Ski Lessons?

Yes, if you have never skied before or are new to skiing, then it is recommended that you sign up for ski lessons. I personally found the ski lessons very useful. I have done skiing before without an instructor and found it quite hard and scary, however when I did it with the instructor, it was much easier and I wasn’t terrified like before.

Here is what beginner ski lessons will teach you –

• Going uphill with your skis
• Coming down safely
• How to get up with your skis
• How to change direction
• How to slow down and turn
• How to stop

Even if you are in a group, the instructors are able to give you individual attention.

Do I Have To Make Reservations?

It is recommended that you book your rental/classes in advance. This can be done by calling the resort a few days before your visit. During peak season, there can be really long lines at guest services.

If you do not book your lessons, you might be able to join other classes on arrival or if there are instructors available for your group.

Is There Any Restaurant At Sommet Edelweiss?

Yes, they do have hot food and drinks available. I found the food relatively affordable compared to other restaurants in the region which can be quite pricey.

The cafeteria has the following items: hamburgers, hotdogs, pizza, fries, poutine. Menu items might change depending on timing and season.

Additional Information

• Pricing: 2 hour lessons with rental will cost about $100 per adult.
• You can also take snowboarding lessons
• Make sure to arrive at least 30 minutes before your rental/lessons begin
• It might be a good idea to moisturize your hands/face beforehand.
• Parking is free at the resort
• The official website for advanced bookings is Sommets.

Address: 538 Ch Edelweiss, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0

While at first glance, Amigos might seem like a typical sports bar, it offers much more than meets the eye. As you step inside, you’ll encounter a dive bar-like atmosphere, and just beside it, there’s a hall that transforms into a lively Salsa dancing spot!

Timings and Ideal Hours

Usually the salsa dancing events happen on a Tuesday however occasionally Amigos might host additional Latin dance events on the weekend.

Dance lessons for the event usually start around 7:30 pm. Their peak time however is around 9-10pm on a Tuesday night and the place can get very crowded!

There are other salsa dancing places in Ottawa to consider if Tuesdays at Amigos doesn’t work for you.

Cover Charges and Entry Fees

There might be a cover involved at this venue. On my last visit, I paid around $10 which seemed reasonable as it had good music and crowd.

Sometimes, when I have showed up late, there wasn’t any cover involved however when I have showed up early I have had to pay an entry fee.

Dance Lessons

The event usually starts with intermediate level dance lessons followed by the social where you are free to practice your moves and dance with people.

I would recommend the dance lessons if you have never danced to salsa before as they can help you later in the night during the social.

The Crowd

Usually for the Salsa Night, the event attracts a mixed crowd. While it’s primarily younger demographic, you would definitely see older crowd as well at the venue.

Don’t be surprised or intimidated to see well experienced people dancing during the event.

Genre of Music

Since they are doing Salsa Nights on Tuesdays, the venue primarily plays Salsa Music. After every few songs, they try to switch to Bachata as well.

During the night, sometimes the DJ might end up playing other genres like Reggaeton and Merengue as well.

Entertainment at Amigos Sports Bar

If you don’t feel like dancing, you can always head to their dive bar area where they have a bunch of pool tables, slot machines as well as juke box machine!

Make sure to bring some change with you as the pool tables are not free. You might be able to obtain change from the server.

They also have a few TV screens if you are a sports fan!

Unfortunately Amigos doesn’t serve food but you are free to order food from other venues and bring it to the bar. Usually you will see people order food from Domino’s Pizza.

Social Hangouts at Amigos

I think this could be a really good place to have a social event! There are a bunch of things to do at the Sports Bar to keep everyone entertained! They also have a decent sized patio as well.

Address: 858 Merivale Rd, Ottawa, ON K1Z 5Z4

Rating – 8/10