Yes Dance SB

Our Story

Yes Dance is a community of dancers offering a safe and fun space to learn and connect. Our goal in the community is to provide a healthy and fun downtown experience to the local Santa Barbara community through latin dancing.

Starting Tuesday July 2, 2019
Every Tuesday ~ Three rooms . 5 Different Classes. You can chose your level and your class type. Everyone can join the social at 9 pm. Tuesday four hours of learning, connecting laughing and dancing from 7 pm to 11 pm.
Classes; 7:00 pm- 8:00pm and 8:00 pm-9:00 pm
Then Open Dancing until 11pm
Price: $39 a month for all the classes and socials (about $3 per class) Best deal in town.
Place: Veteran Center @ 112 Cabrillo Blv, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Motivation:

Yes Dance!

Started in January 2013 inspired primarily by Melissa Zaragoza. She was a student at UCSB when she was the leader of Salsa event at Hillel which was an alcohol free event. That salsa event took place every Monday and about 100 to 150 students were going every week dancing from 9 pm to 12 am. It was so amazing, However, when she went to her geology camp for her degree during the summer time, the event stopped. In her return few things have changed including a much larger cost to pay for the facility and it was not possible to continue as it was for the prior 5 years. That broke my heart really. I could not believe that such a friendly, healthy fun would stop for lack of support. When she graduated, she came to my house and handed me $500 that they have collected during her time at the salsa event and she entrusted me with it. That touched my heart dearly as she was a graduate student who did not have a job for few months after graduation, she had no obligation to save that money. In fact nobody even knew she had collected that much. The fees were only $1 for her classes. After I had finished my dissertation at UCSB, I decided to put energy into honoring her work, dedication, and honesty. I want to replicate that 150 young people dancing for three hours without a drop of alcohol. Then the amazing people from the Ayni Gallery open the door to our dreams. Now it has been more than a year and Melissa and Victor Contreras have been the main teacher every week and they have done so for free. I feel that we as a community maybe giving the wrong message if we don't put money or value to the most healthy fun alternatives exist. Please be part of the healthy transformation, come, participate, donate, share, help it grow. Lets transform the way we socialize!

In April 2017, we relocated to the Paseo Nuevo Mall. Although we cherished our time with the AYNI Gallery and at the Veteran Center, we were two years at Paseo Nuevo and now Back to Veteran Center. Help us find our permanent home. We look forward to creating new and fun memories with all of you where ever we are!

YEY DANCE!
I will be waiting for you :)
www.yesdance.org
[email protected]
Sincerely,
Monica (Yes Dance Founder)