I arrived in Medellin on Sunday and immediately breathed a sigh of relief. I knew immediately that my experience with the Somoloco salsa immersion would be much different than my prior three days in Santa Marta where traveling as a solo blonde American was difficult – I don’t speak Spanish, and no one there spoke English; neither my Verizon international phone plan nor my eSIM worked; no one accepted credit cards, the water was undrinkable and the hotel did not supply any…I could go on.
My plane descended between the lush green mountains of Medellin, and I glanced appreciatively at the pretty, modern, clean city. Sebas, the local manager of Somoloco, picked me up at the airport, so I didn’t have to worry about wifi or taxis. The weather was beautiful – a mild, breezy 72°F, which is why they call it the “city of eternal spring.”
I settled in my hotel/apartment in El Poblado and admired the beautiful valley view from the picture window, then set off to explore Comuna 13 – the main tourist attraction in Medellin. I also had opportunities to do more sightseeing in the afternoons after my classes during the week (see below).
PROLOGUE
My reason for being in Colombia was that I was invited to participate in the Somoloco salsa immersion, with an emphasis on “learning salsa after 50,” as well as experiencing and promoting the benefits of salsa dancing.
I hadn’t danced salsa before – just a couple of months of west coast swing about ten years ago. But David Schafran, the founder of Somoloco, insisted that my demographic had much to gain from the immersion. I was about to put that to the test.
SOMOLOCO
Somoloco offers travelers a full immersion in salsa and culture in Colombia. Students don’t just learn steps—they live the experience. Daily classes, neighborhood socials, and live music performances allow visitors to feel the heartbeat of the city through dance.
Beyond technical instruction, Somoloco emphasizes community, rhythm, and cultural context, ensuring that participants leave with not only refined skills but also a deep connection to the people and traditions that make Colombia’s salsa world-famous. For many, spending time at Somoloco is transformative, blending exercise, culture, and social interaction into a single, unforgettable journey that lingers long after the final spin.
STYLE
I had chosen On1 salsa style, a linear form of salsa danced by breaking forward on the first beat of the music. The leader steps forward on count one, and the dance follows the rhythmic structure of 1–2–3, 5–6–7, with pauses on counts four and eight. This timing aligns closely with the strong downbeat of the music, making On1 feel energetic and immediately responsive to musical accents. The dance is typically performed in a straight slot, with partners moving back and forth rather than in a circular pattern.
The style is known for its sharp, fast turns, clean lines, and strong emphasis on spins and direction changes. Dancers maintain an upright posture and precise footwork, often incorporating dramatic styling influenced by jazz, ballroom, and performance dance. Because of its visual clarity and dynamic energy, On1 salsa is especially popular in stage performances, competitions, and large salsa congresses.
Developed and popularized in Los Angeles, On1 salsa reflects a show-oriented aesthetic that values speed, athleticism, and musical hits. It is commonly danced to modern salsa and salsa dura, and it appeals to dancers who enjoy a bold, expressive, and high-energy approach to partner dancing.
CLASSES
I was signed up for the morning classes, which included two 1.5-hour private classes with a short break in between. There were approximately ten students of various ages in the morning studio; I’d say most were between 35 and 50 and had danced before. I was definitely the only 68-year-old and beginner. Yikes.
They introduced the teachers, who were SO young. I’d say early to mid twenties. I guess that makes sense… dancing as a profession is for the young.
A pretty young (22) Colombian woman named Isabella came and got me to start teaching me the basic steps to learn before I could start with a partner. She was so sweet and so patient. I felt like I caught on really fast and was able to master putting several steps and turns into a piece of choreography. It was a lot to memorize, and it transported me back to my days dancing ballet as a young woman.
Mid-morning break with Eli and Joey from California.
After a short break, Alex came to get me for my partner classes. I found partner dancing harder to catch on to, and it was a bit more challenging dancing with a partner shorter than me.
But I persevered, albeit amid many laughs. I found that to be the case with Somoloco – it’s okay to make mistakes, and even expected. No one is better at laughing at me than me, so it was fun.
After the morning classes, we had a “musicality” class in which we learned the history and culture of salsa music. Salsa music originated in the Caribbean, especially Cuba and Puerto Rico, drawing from son cubano, mambo, and Afro-Cuban rhythms. It reflects African and Spanish musical traditions and evolved as a popular social music before spreading internationally through Latin American migration and cultural exchange.
I got to play the bongos!
By the end of the first day of classes, I was exhausted. I loved my teachers, Isabella and Alex. I couldn’t believe how much I’d learned in one day – it’s what I thought I might accomplish in a week. I freely admit my body and brain were fatigued, but in a good way. They worked me hard, and I felt like I was making great progress, and left with a joyful feeling of self-confidence.
That evening, we joined with the afternoon students for dinner out at Mondongo’s, a traditional Colombian restaurant. I had a fabulous time getting to know the morning and afternoon students from all across the U.S., Canada, Germany, and Switzerland; one afternoon student even looked around my age, and another was also a beginner. There was one couple, but the rest had come as solo dancers.
My steak was scrumptious, and the atmosphere in the restaurant was lively and festive.
The next four days of classes went mostly the same, with progress being made each day.
Except for day three… I had a minor setback on the 3rd day. The day before, I’d done my regular classes AND then a group class at night. Plus, I hadn’t slept that well that night. So I was pretty tired during the first class, had trouble concentrating, and I was making a lot of mistakes. Isabella was patient, but I’m a perfectionist, and so naturally I was hard on myself.
When it came time for the second class, I told Alex that my first class hadn’t gone very well. He said we’d just take it easy and have fun. And that’s just what we did! We both laughed at my mistakes, and my energy returned.
GROUP CLASSES
We were offered three optional group classes. I decided to do the first group glass at 6 p.m. on day two. It was completely different from the On1 style that I had been learning. I think it might have been “rueda” style. We danced in a circle with the teacher calling out to change partners every few minutes. The timing was different and confused me; I didn’t like dancing in a circle, didn’t like constantly changing partners, and, quite frankly, some of the moves were bizarre.
The second group class was on day four, Linea style, intermediate level. I skipped it and met everyone at the social dancing venue (see below).
The third group class was right before the second social dancing/competition on the last night. It was in Spanish, which I don’t speak, so I skipped it.
For me, I didn’t like the group lessons, but most of the other students, who were more advanced, seemed to love them.
SOCIAL DANCING
Dancing with Somoloco teacher, Nelson
Full disclosure, when I arrived at the first social nightclub, I was quite intimidated. It seemed like everyone dancing was intermediate or advanced. I literally pulled my chair behind Sarah, a fellow student that I’d become friendly with, and hid. My teacher, Alex, wasn’t there because I would have been comfortable dancing with him.
Somoloco teacher, Alejandro – he was so much fun!
But the other male Somoloco teachers found me out! One by one, they came and led me to the dance floor, and I had fun, even though most of them did not do On1, and I had a bit of trouble following. I can’t say enough good things about the Somoloco male teachers, especially Alejandro and Nelson – they are so kind and nice!
Joel from Canada – the best lead!
Also, I would be remiss if I did not thank Joel (Canada) from the afternoon class. He was one of the more advanced students and was an excellent lead – I was able to completely follow his On1 leads – it was so much fun and gave me so much confidence!
Fancy moves from Eric!
Also a lot of fun was dancing with fellow student, Eric, from my morning classes. Normally very shy, he’d had a bit to drink and was suddenly outgoing, doing some fancy-ass moves and spins that I could barely follow, but had me laughing like crazy!
Even though I wasn’t as polished as the other dancers, I felt like I held my own as a beginner.
That night at the club, there was also a birthday celebration for Daniela, one of Somoloco’s employees. The whole nightclub sang the Colombian version of happy birthday and gave her two cakes (which were sliced and passed around to everyone). Then she stood in the middle of the dance floor, and dozens of men came up and did a small bit of dancing with her. She was such a fantastic dancer and effortlessly followed every lead, cue, and turn. It was so touching! I loved the whole ceremony.
There was a second social dance on the last night, which I went to, but didn’t like quite as much as the first. It’s hard to recreate the magic.
FINCA
On the last day, we were treated to a visit to a finca (farm) of one of the teachers, Ana Marie, high up in the Medellin hills.
She gave us a tour of the property and some hot chocolate with three traditional Colombian snacks – pandebona (cheese bread made primarily from cassava (yuca) flour and masarepa (corn flour) queso cheese and eggs), buñuelo (small, round fried dough fritter), and arepa de chocolo (sweet corn griddle cake topped with cheese).
WHAT TO WEAR
Here’s what I wore to my Somoloco salsa classes and social dancing.
- Days 1 and 2: I wore leggings and a tunic top to classes.
- Day 3: I wore a tank top and a dance skirt with red flowers to classes.
- Days 4 and 5: I wore an asymmetric fringed Latin dance skirt to classes.
- Social Dance 1: I wore a hot pink Latin dance dress. I was really overdressed for the venue, but the photos and video came out great.
- Social Dance 2: Black skinny jeans and a ruffled top.
It’s important to bring comfortable dance shoes. I brought the three above. I bet you can’t guess which pair gave me the most trouble? The ballet slipper shoes (far left) were not broken in and dug into my right foot, causing blisters and deep cuts which I had to bandage and baby for the rest of the week.
SIGHTSEEING
I had time on most afternoons to do some sightseeing around Medellin – sometimes with group tours and sometimes by myself. Here are my recommendations for the Top Ten Things to Do in Medellin.
EPILOGUE
The Somoloco salsa immersion was one of my most unique travel experiences!
Traveling solo to Colombia can be difficult. Somoloco is an amazing gateway for people to have a real, authentic experience in Colombia, with support where otherwise it could be really challenging for a solo traveler, especially if you don’t speak Spanish.
Check out the Somoloco dates and availability here. Use code PATTI70 and receive one night’s free stay in Medellin.
Somoloco was the highlight of all my Colombian travels, including Cartagena, Santa Marta, Medellin, Guatape, and Bogota.
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About the Author
Patti Morrow
is a travel influencer and founder of the award-winning international blog Luggage and Lipstick. TripAdvisor called her one of the “20 Baby Boomer Travel Bloggers Having More Fun Than Millennials” and she was named one of the “Top 35 Travel Blogs” in the world.
She is also the star of the upcoming TV series “Destination Takeover” which is scheduled to premiere in the near future.
Patti is the author of the book “Girls Go Solo: Tips for Women Traveling Alone,” and has over 150 bylines in 40 print and online publications, including The Huffington Post, International Living Magazine, Washington Post Sunday Travel, Travel Girl, Travel Play Live Magazine, and Ladies Home Journal. She has traveled extensively through six continents looking for fabulous destinations, exotic beaches, and adventure activities for her Baby Boomer tribe.
Disclosure: The author was honored to be the guest of Somoloco during her stay, but as always, the opinions, reviews, and experiences are her own.
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