About us
With us
Everyone is welcome, regardless of background, culture, age, religion, or lifestyle.
Dance classes
Dos Bailadores is a dance school specialized in Caribbean dances, Brazilian dances, Angolan kizomba and Oriental belly dance.
We do not teach you standard Ballroom and Latin dances, but give lessons in Salsa (La -style and Cuban), Rueda de Casino, Merengue, Bachata, Samba solo, Zouk, Brazilian Dance fitness (Axé), Bellydance, Kizomba, Afrohouse and (Ladies)styling. In our classes you will learn to master these spectacular dances in a brief time. The lessons are given in a relaxed atmosphere and by very experienced teachers. Personal attention is central to this. This makes our dance school a household name in the Randstad. Private lessons are also possible.
Everyone is welcome with us, regardless of background, culture, age, religion, or lifestyle. Our courses are suitable for all ages, so for children, teenagers, young people, the elderly, and seniors. Are you alone? No problem, we strive to divide our classes in such a way that there are equal numbers of men and women. Never danced before? You are also welcome to our beginners classes.
We regularly organize dance evenings and parties in our dance school where you can practice what you have learned. Conviviality is paramount and these evenings are therefore well attended.
Workshops & Bootcamps
In addition to the dance classes, we regularly provide workshops and boot camps. International guest teachers often provide these so that you can also get acquainted with other styles and dances.
Dance demonstrations, parties and communication training
We also provide workshops, dance demonstrations and shows for any party or corporate event. For example, our product can serve as a ‘relaxing intermezzo’ during or after an intensive training day, for example. We can provide a workshop, dance demonstration or show on location for both small and large groups. We are active in business but have also worked on television programs. For example, we have provided training and performances at Heineken, ABN/AMRO, Novib, Topaz, Randstad Uitzendbureau, the Social Pedagogical Service, the Holy Hospital, for various private clients and for the television program ‘Herrie in de keuken’. The various clients were very satisfied with the enthusiastic participation in and the impact of the workshops and performances.
We also provide communication training based on Caribbean dance. Communication is the basis for good cooperation and therefore the success of an organization. Also dancing, moving in harmony, is nothing but the result of effective communication. During the training, the participants learn a Caribbean dance in a brief period of time. Depending on the objective and wishes, the trainers can make a link to general communication processes or more specific communication problems for your organization. Themes such as leadership, mutual respect and effective communication run like a thread through the training. It also stimulates creativity, flexibility, and team spirit.
History of our dance school
The history of Dos Bailadores begins in 1992. In that year, the Caribbean Dance School ‘Dos Bailadores’ was set up in Leiden by two enthusiastic dancers with a multicultural background (Leo Martina and Monique Struch). The goal was to create a home for everyone interested in Caribbean dance and culture. In 1994, ‘Dos Bailadores’ was converted into a foundation with an even broader objective. Salsa lessons were given, but also other Caribbean dances.
With the takeover of dance school ‘Claudio Gomes’ in January 1999, ‘Dos Bailadores’ continues to operate under the name Centro de Dança Dos Bailadores. The specialty of dance school Claudio Gomes were Brazilian dances such as Axé, Forró, Samba and Zouk, but Salsa was also taught. The organizational and artistic merging of both dance schools resulted in a school where different dances and styles are taught under one roof. In 2000 courses of original Argentine Tango were started.
After 10 years in the chapel of the old Elisabeth hospital on the Middelstegracht in Leiden, we were forced to leave this location at the end of 2004. Fortunately, we quickly found a new location. Since February 2005 we have been giving our lessons at an even more beautiful and larger location at Perzikweg 2 in Leiden. In December 2005, this location was expanded to two beautiful rooms and the small location on Zandstraat in Leiden was closed.
Due to housing construction, we were forced to move again in September 2019 and entered a unique collaboration with the Leids dance center and DC dance in Leiderdorp. Dos Bailadores is still an independent dance school but uses these locations where we have built up the same atmosphere in our lessons and dance evenings.