Authentically Latin Fun Community Rapid Learning Dance classes that deliver teaching excellence in a fun and friendly space TAKE YOUR FIRST STEP Established in 2004 & with over 18 years of teaching experience, learn from some of the most highly trained teachers in Australia!
Danzar Latino2024-02-07T12:56:43+11:00

Our motto:
to offer the highest quality of teaching
in a fun & friendly space 

Imagine you could be moving to music, learning a new skill, getting fit and expanding your social network all at the same time… Salsa, Bachata & social dancing allows you to achieve all of this and develop a skill you’ll truly love!

At DANZAR LATINO
we offer classes that use one of the most advanced teaching methodologies in the industry
to deliver authentic Latin dance classes in:

  • Cuban Salsa (Casino)
  • Afro-Cuban (Rumba, Orishas etc)
  • Colombian Salsa (Caleña/Cali Style)
  • LA Salsa (On 1)
  • NY Mambo (On 2)
  • Bachata (Moderna & Dominican)
  • Reggaeton & Body Isolations

We’re also dedicated to creating a welcoming space for all students, where you will become part of a fantastic social community, feel a sense of achievement, and have a tonne of fun!

DANCE STYLES

CUBAN SALSA
/ CASINO

This is a dynamic and fluid style of dance that combines elements of traditional Cuban Son with modern Salsa based turn patterns. This is a great style to develop your body movement and flavour!

COLOMBIAN SALSA /
CALI STYLE

Cali, Colombia is known as the Salsa capital of the world and is home to this highly energetic and impressive dance style. Cali Style is renowned for being sharp and technical and is perfect to develop your footwork and musicality!

CUBAN RUMBA /
GUAGUANCO
This is a highly rhythmic and expressive genre of dance that is comprised of three styles; Yambú, Guaguancó and Columbia. This dance style is emblematic of Cuban culture and is a great way to develop your body movement and styling!

AFRO-CUBAN

There are many styles of dance that fall under this genre, which has its roots predominantly in Central and West Africa, and of course Cuba. Aside from developing your body movement and coordination, these styles will help you to embody different emotions and characters!

WEEKLY
TIMETABLE

WEEKLY
TIMETABLE

VIDEO GALLERY

TESTIMONIALS

TESTIMONIALS

  • We can’t thank Sanu enough for being an incredible dance teacher! He helped choreograph, teach and perfect our wedding dance and our incredible lift. Our guests are still talking about how amazing the dance was and everyone has said our dance was the “WOW” factor for the night. Sanu is very down to earth and besides being an amazing teacher would always be there to listen to us even on our down days. We could not have envisioned a more beautiful, choreographed dance and looking forward to returning for further classes.

    thumb Bianca Wilson
    November 15, 2023

    We took lessons in preparation for our wedding for both our First Dance and my Father-Daughter Dance. We cannot recommend this school highly enough!!! Sanushka is absolutely amazing, he is highly skilled teacher who is able to adapt his teaching to all levels of dance, who has excellent communication skills and his classes were truly enoyable. He offered excellent ideas and suggestions for choreography and music, helping us to work our what we did and didn't want. We had the best time at all of our lessons, and our dances were just incredible - everything we could have hoped for! We will definitely be back! Highly recommend!

    thumb Jessica Biernacki
    February 23, 2022

    Sanushka is a fantastic teacher. His personable attitude, ability to make you feel comfortable, along side his vast knowledge of dance has made working with him on improving my dancing such great fun.

    thumb Kimberley Brown
    March 27, 2022

    When I first started taking classes at The Secret Garden of Dance I had already been dancing for about two years. But taking classes with Sanushka marked such a turning point in my dancing journey. Sanushka is not only a great dancer, he is also an amazing teacher. He found completely new ways to fix some of my issues and gave me invaluable feedback, which really allowed me to take my dancing to the next level. Beyond his teaching methodology, I also really enjoyed how much I learned about the history and culture of each dance. As someone who loves history, I always leave the classes feeling intellectually stimulated and with a deep sense of respect for these amazing cultures! Looking forward to continuing learning there! Highly recommend it to anyone 🙂

    thumb Livnat Segev
    April 23, 2020
  • A great dance studio, Sanu and team tool the time and effort to mentor and teach us to dance for our big day, very accomodative and a great place to learn

    thumb Yianni K
    June 30, 2022

    This studio is the hidden gem of dance in Melbourne! I was so impressed by Sanushka's style and methods of teaching from a workshop I attended in Cairns that I specifically moved to Melbourne to learn from him and his studio. He teaches you so much more than just steps; he teaches you about the music, how to understand it and really breaks things down in a way that I have never seen from any other teacher. Not only this, Sanu has taught me how to learn effectively. I am now travelling in Europe and am able to apply so much of what he has taught me to really step up my game when learning from other teachers and studios. Caroline is the co-director along side Sanu who is a phenomenal dancer and teacher who has learnt from the best. Her precision and technique is so impressive and she also breaks things down in a way that helps you learn really efficiently. I honestly owe so much to these magnificent teachers for the amount of joy they have passed onto me through dance and music. Whether you're a complete beginner or advanced in any style of dance...get in touch! Sanu, Caroline and the team are so welcoming and approachable that you will feel comfortable to ask any questions or doubts that you may have. When I return this will be my first stop 🙂

    thumb Emi Stumpo
    November 10, 2022

    I have been dancing salsa for 5 years socially and attending different dance schools. The instructors at this school by far have helped me grow my understanding of movement, timing, precision and musicality at a rate I didn't think was possible. So many lightbulb moments. The teachers are patient, articulate and FUN! I highly recommend this school of dance as you will not be disappointed!

    thumb Melly Moo
    April 2, 2021

    We had a great experience at The Secret Garden of Dance. Initially super anxious about our wedding dance, Caroline's patience and fantastic teaching skills transformed us into confident dancers. Her step-by-step guidance and encouraging approach made the learning process fun too. On our wedding day our the dance went off without a hitch, earning us tonnes of compliments from our guests. We're grateful to The Secret Garden of Dance and especially Caroline for turning our anxiety into dance floor magic. If you're seeking a top-notch dance studio with a friendly atmosphere and exceptional instructors, this is the dance studio to go with!

    thumb Ashleigh Alebakis
    December 5, 2023

TEACHERS

Sanushka
Ranasinghe

Founder and director of
The Secret Garden of Dance & Danzar Latino

Sanushka has been a professional dancer and teacher for over 17 years and is the founder and principle teacher at The Secret Garden of Dance and Danzar Latino. He has taught and learnt over to 50 styles of dance, including Salsa, Afro Cuban, Swing, Tango, Hip Hop, Michael Jackson, Latin American & Ballroom. Sanushka has also performed, competed, conducted workshops & judged at various events including the World Salsa Solos (Brisbane), Sydney Cuban Salsa Congress, Melbourne International Latin Festival, Byron Bay Latin Fiesta and the Victorian Salsa and Bachata Championships.

Sanushka’s success as a choreographer and teacher was brought to the public attention in 2012 when one of his bridal couples Frankie and Ryan made worldwide headlines for their jaw dropping Lindy hop/Swing routine. Their wedding dance went viral on YouTube, was featured in major newspapers, online forums and editorials both in Australia and the UK and was televised on the major TV networks in Melbourne.

Sanushka’s love of music and dance started at an early age with Michael Jackson and he has inspired him immensely and has helped him achieve his unique style. He also incorporates other styles of solo dancing including Hip Hop, Funk, Reggaeton, Cubaton & Dancehall.

Sanushka also has a strong musical background and he brings this experience to his lessons, developing his students timing and rhythm. He’s also very passionate about the peripheral elements of dance, such as its rich diversity, culture and history.

Caroline
Puriri Komarnicki

Co-director and senior teacher at
The Secret Garden of Dance & Danzar Latino

“Sanushka not only taught me everything I know and made me into the professional dancer that I am today, but has also equipped me with vital skills as a student, dancer and teacher. He taught me the value of breaking limiting beliefs such as ‘you have to start from the age of 3 to be a professional dancer with a background in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary etc’.” Caroline began learning how to play music at the age of 3 and later on decided to pursue flute in which she completed up to Grade 8 through the Australian Music Examination Board, and guitar for pleasure. She later completed a degree in Sound Production & Audio Engineering, as well as Electronic Music Production.

Just over 3 years later and Caroline is now teaching and dancing full time at The Secret Garden of Dance, has taught at overseas events and has worked with some of the industries best in her primary style.

Having an extensive background in music and sports, Caroline then decide to begin dancing at the age of 21 as she wanted to learn how to “properly express herself to the music she loved and do it justice.” From her very first lesson, Caroline was enamoured and inspired and soon after decided to be the best that she could be and take it beyond what she had ever imagined.

FAQS

Do you run classes in terms / courses?2019-08-09T09:00:23+10:00

Short answer: Yes we do (but you can also drop into any class casually)
We run 6 week short courses in a term structure, allowing our students to build on the previous week’s material. However, we welcome casual drop in students as well. We introduce new material and dance content every 2 – 3 weeks so you won’t feel like you’re drowning in class! We have various levels that allow our students to develop their dancing, so you will never hinder your progress.

Do I need a partner to attend a class?2020-05-07T03:32:11+10:00

Short Answer) No you don’t!
We welcome all students whether you chose to come on your own, with a friend, family member, partner or a fellow dance student.

What should I wear for classes?2019-08-09T09:01:31+10:00

We recommend you wear active wear, casual attire and avoid clothes that are too tight or restricting. Some students come straight from work and others are in shorts and t-shirt. We also have bathrooms where you can get changed.

What’s the best footwear / shoes for your dance classes?2019-08-09T09:00:49+10:00

Recommended: Sneakers, trainers, walking shoes, flats, low heels with ankle support, Ballet flats, Ballroom and Latin dance shoes
Please avoid: Stiletto heels, heels with no ankle support, heavy boots, shoes with thick rubber soles, sandals/thongs/jandals/slip ons/flip flops!

What’s the duration / length of a dance class?2019-08-09T09:01:10+10:00

Short answer: 1 hour
Our classes are typically 1 hour in duration, whether it’s a private or group class. We may start or end the class 5 minutes earlier to complete payments, make another booking or answer any questions.

What payment methods do you offer?2020-05-07T03:38:52+10:00

We accept cash, eftpos, credit card (Visa & Mastercard only) and online bank transfer

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