What People Are Saying
"From our first lesson, Charles put me in touch with my natural human ability to connect with music and express it. He is an absolute Salsa guru and an expert in Bachata, Merengue, Kizomba, and so many more dances. He breaks down movements into patterns that are easy to remember and his tips and analogies are now ingrained in me. Social dancing is no longer terrifying but is fun and relaxing - which, as Charles says, dancing should be!"
— Val McIntyre - Three-year student of Charles Maina, mom of two boys and Customer Service Representative, Brooklin, Ontario
“I just discovered this fantastic new dance studio in Courtice. Charles Maina has completely changed how I dance in just a couple of lessons. I’m no longer thinking about routines and just focusing on my connection to the music. From Hip Hop to Kizomba, African Dance, Bachata and Salsa for all levels. This is a great place if you are looking to learn to dance, build your core and posture, become more flexible or just looking for a fantastic workout!”
— Monique Muller
"I have danced at a few studios with different instructors and I have not had as much fun, or learned as much, as I am with Charles. His organic style of teaching makes me feel comfortable and helps me find my own style and work with it. I highly recommend his classes for both new and seasoned dancers.”
— Franca Calabro
“I have been on my dance journey for about six years now. In all that time, I have had various dance instructors (both group and private lessons) but still struggled with Salsa.
The first private I had with Charles removed some of the mental blockages I felt I had with learning Salsa. Charles took me right out of the ‘Salsa Box’ and had me moving and finding the beat of music that I enjoyed (R&B, Old School Rap, etc.).
As I related more to moving to that genre of music, Charles smoothly transitioned the same moves and groove into Salsa music. Charles showed me that all these regular dance moves are in some way part of Salsa. For example, when we’re walking everyday, we are constantly shifting our weight the same way we do in dance.
In a very short time with Charles, I am feeling more comfortable and confident with dancing Salsa, as well as finding my own unique dance style. I am looking forward to my dance journey with Charles and excited to learn more styles of dance. Thank you, Charles!”
— Rose
"Charles, you bring joy to my heart. Your relaxing and fun disposition makes us forget we are "old people" as we do exercises we thought never possible at our age. We are all stronger and more capable than when we started your classes. Your manner is professional and you don't show judgement. Most of all, I love the dance style you use for the warm-up and stretching, the sweeping movements and the wonderful music you choose. I try to never miss a class and hope that you will continue to teach us for many years to come. Such a joy!”
- Chris K.
“The effort you put into the program helps me in my battle against Parkinson’s Disease. Numerous students including myself have shown visible improvement. Your knowledge of the body functions and how they affect balance and mobility is excellent and your instruction and variety make classes fun. I make every class I can.”
- Bill T.
"Charles is an amazing instructor and he makes our classes so much fun! He makes it so interesting that you always want to be there. He is so helpful. We all appreciate him so much.”
— Carmen W.
"We started with a beginners class, but we soon got more advanced. We soon filled the whole room we had with eager participants. This was not just something to do to fill your time with, this was a workout! Throughout the last number of months I have gained strength, more mobility, and more knowledge about muscle function. Charles is a professional in my opinion, and an entertainer. We have lots of fun! Charles notices everything we are doing, also our progress and leads into steady progression, pushing us gently to better things, maybe cartwheels some day? Charles is a very happy person, patient, always answers our questions, he goes the extra mile. A grateful student.”
-Audrey K.
“I will start off by telling you who I am. I am a senior woman who has a mobility issue due to severe arthritis in my knees. I joined Charles‘s class. He instantly took all the time to hear about my issue and ensures that I’m doing the correct thing. He makes classes fun. He uses dance to promote fluent movements and to help us to keep a beat. Charles talks about how to use balance carefully to avoid any falls, which is a real issue for seniors. He has helped me so much to strengthen and to use proper movements when walking or standing and sitting in every day life. If you have an opportunity to take a class from Charles, absolutely do it. He is amazing. I highly recommend this man and his programs.”
- Simone H.
"Charles is very friendly and hands-on, always willing to give you one-on-one help to achieve your best results. We are now able to begin our classes standing behind our chairs and moving to a sitting position after our warm-up. He has taught us how to get up from a sitting position to standing without aid just by showing us how to use our body correctly and work with the right muscles. We always have great stretching sessions and he explains how to use our different muscles properly. I always look forward to my classes with Charles and always feel better at the end of our sessions.”
— Fran D.
“For a long time, I had the feeling the something was missing from my dancing. I kept taking class after class, learning figure after figure, and going to social after social, but nothing was changing. No matter how hard I tried, I still wasn’t dancing the way I wanted to. I was moving, but I had no style, no confidence, and no sabor. Thankfully, I found Charles and everything changed! His unique, multi-disciplinary approach has really worked for me and reignited my love for dance. The more I work with Charles, the more I see myself improving and the more I’m becoming the dancer I’ve always wanted to be. Charles is a talented artist and exceptional teacher and I can’t recommend him highly enough. Invest in yourself and your art by working with Charles – you won’t be disappointed!
— Tamara Sirota
“I am 90 years old and attend mobility and balance classes because I had a hip replacement. Charles is by far the best instructor I’ve had. The first challenge I had was when Charles said we would rise from our chairs without using our hands. I said, ‘I can’t do that.’ He said, "‘Yes, you can’ and by God I do it easily now. He has strengthened muscles I didn’t know I had. He explains every move so we understand what is happening to our bodies.
My daughter and son-in-law dropped in to see what we were doing at his classes. She said she couldn’t get over how hard the exercises were that we were doing and she said everyone was smiling. He has a way that we work our butts off and enjoy every minute of it because of Charles.
We all love him. I can’t imagine coming to class without him leading us. I talk to everyone and they all feel the same way. We are much stronger and happier because of Charles. Thank you so much!”
- Helen. B.