Dancefree is addictive...beware of staying here longer than expected

having taken one free class at dancefree (thursdays!) i decided to book in for a week of private lessons and then go to the group sessions in the evenings too in attempt to kick start my moving away from having two left feet. within three days i’d booked another two weeks of classes and i am going to be desperately sad to leave medellin when they are up. people have moved here to learn at dancefree (and perhaps live in such a cool city) and it isn’t hard to understand why. the classes are as varied as the teachers/instructors who, despite appearing as dance gods to a mere bopping pleb like me, have the patience of saints and the humour and smiles to make you feel instantly at home both in the private and group classes. during the private classes, depending on your level, you may be ironing out the little errors in your basic steps or happily twirling around the dancefloor for the hours that you are there, but you’re always learning - i find that my mind is as tired as my legs after a two hour class. in the group classes, after an often hilarious warm up that should destroy any inhibitions you used to hold, the focus is teaching a set of steps and getting you to practice it with as many people as possible. it’s well worth learning some small talk in spanish as you’ll be meeting lots of locals as well as a fair number of visitors too, but even if you’re not down with the lingo then ‘hola' and a good smile goes a long way. before and after the group classes there’s always time and opportunity to find partners to practice with and it is such an easy going atmosphere that you could walk up to anyone and ask for a dance. if you’re a little shy, don’t worry because the instructors will make sure you find someone to practice with, both after the lessons and during the events that are on a couple of times per week. in short, people go to dancefree to learn, dance, and have fun. if you’re in el poblado just for a couple of nights then you’d be crazy not to check out one of the group classes. if you’re here for a week or two and want to get your shoulders rolling, your spins tighter or get the low-down on the colombian style you’d do well to book in to the private classes. if you’re here for longer than that and have signed up for the long-haul, then please don’t tell me - i don’t handle jealousy well. - sam p., april, 2015