Meet our team

About Salsa Therapy

Salsa Therapy has been running classes in Wellington for 16 years and has the longest-running Bachata classes in Wellington.

Our senior teachers have vast experience in multiple dance styles.

We specialise in helping everyday people become confident social dancers. Our focus is on teaching the right technique and connection with your partner to help you improve faster. Classes are an inclusive and friendly environment where people can make friendships for life.

For those who want an extra challenge, we also offer performance projects. Our performance team has represented NZ at the Bailando Sensual Bachata Festival in Sydney, Australia for the last three years and performed many times at the national NZ Salsa Congress as well as other local events.

Join our Salsa Therapy family and discover an amazing community.

Meet the team

Lilia

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
SALSA | BACHATA
LILIA DE CASTRO – Dance teacher, performer, and choreographer, originally from Bulgaria. She has been involved in dancing since the age of eight. Her training includes Jazz, Ball Room, and Bulgarian Folklore. At the age of 16 she fell in love with CUBAN Salsa and since then Latin dancing has become part of her life and therapy for her mind. Her vast knowledge includes Cuban Salsa, Bachata Traditional and Sensual style, Merengue, Reggaetón and Brazilian Zouk. Lilia moved to Wellington in 2005 and since then has been teaching and helping people overcome their fear of dancing. In 2007 Lilia and her dance partner started Salsa Therapy Dance School. Lilia has performed locally and internationally on many occasions, taught workshops, and choreographed many performances for Salsa Therapy performance teams and Las Bachateras. Lilia trained teams for Sydney Sensual Bachata Festival working with Daniel and Desiree and Sara Panero teams.
Adam

SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
BACHATA | ZOUK
ADAM began dancing Cuban Salsa and Bachata in 2007 and in 2010 he discovered Brazilian Zouk. Since then, he has learnt from many of the world’s top Zouk teachers, both in New Zealand and abroad. Adam has been teaching Salsa, Bachata and Zouk with Salsa Therapy since 2012, and more recently under the WeZouk brand. He has extensive experience teaching, training, competing, choreographing and performing in the styles above. He also has experience in Bolero, Forro, Samba de Gafieira and even Polish folk dancing. This diverse experience gives Adam an excellent understanding of the fundamentals of partner dance and the techniques specific to each style. He is a vibrant, selfless and welcoming member of the Salsa Therapy team who brings endless energy to his teaching and dancing.
Jay

SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
SALSA
JAY brings a good twenty years in Latin dancing under his belt. He started his teaching career in Karate for sixteen years when one of his students convinced him to try Salsa. He actively avoided dancing in the past, because of the fear of self expression and feeling awkward. Soon after he started his Salsa training he discovered the similarities with martial arts like coordination, basics, timing, rhythm, balance and body movement etc.
Jay expanded his knowledge by learning Cuban Salsa with Salsa Bomba, a local dance school at the time. Then he mastered Rueda de Casino, Bachata and later on he did Zouk and Kizomba with local and international teachers. Eventually he left his martial arts career and replaced it with Latin dancing. “Let's face it - it's a much nicer experience dancing with a partner than having them trying to kick you in the head”.
In 2012 he was invited to join the Salsa Therapy teaching team as a Salsa Instructor. With his expertise, Jay helps students to understand the body mechanics and movements and achieve their desire in their dance experience. He knows that every person learns differently, so his aim is always to find different ways to help individuals to understand the movements.
Fiona

INSTRUCTOR
BACHATA
FIONA began her dance journey in 2007 as possibly the palest person to win a Bollywood dance competition. This wild cultural adventure made her realise a passion for dance for mental and physical health as well as creating a strong sense of purpose and community. Since then, she has learnt Tango and Reggaeton in Argentina and Bachata in Spain, training with some of the world’s greats in both Sensual and Dominican Bachata. Highlights include being part of World Team Projects and winning the New Zealand Latin World Dance Cup in 2016. She likes to focus on the mechanics behind movements and to help you find your own unique flavor in your dance.
Mike

SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
BACHATA
MIKE has been deeply immersed in Bachata since he started training with Salsa Therapy in 2015. He continues to extend his knowledge with other teachers, both local and overseas. Mike runs Bachata practica and socials and is one of the lead organizers of Capital Bachata connection , a dedicated Bachata festival celebrating and promoting local teachers and schools.
In 2019, Mike brought his unique style and musicality to the Salsa Therapy teaching team. He is primarily interested in the fundamentals behind movements, the flow of intention, and communication between the leaders and followers. His teaching skills are focused on helping students understand the mechanics of Bachata moves as well as the concepts behind them.
Jono

INSTRUCTOR
SALSA | BACHATA
JONO’s first serious movement training happened at Hagley Theatre Company in Christchurch 2008 where he started his training as an actor, took contemporary dance lessons and choreographed a piece. He then moved onto Toi Whakaari to continue his actor training where he studied voice, devising theatre, script work, singing, dancing and of course movement. He graduated in 2012 with a solid foundation in most facets of performing arts.
Jono came to Salsa Therapy in early 2019 to start his Cuban Salsa journey and within a few months he started Bachata too. Jono brings his depth of knowledge in the performing arts and keen interest in music to his teaching. He is very interested in dancing on different timings and has a love of creativity. He strives to help students find their own way into dancing Salsa.
Corina

INSTRUCTOR
SALSA
CORINA discovered the world of Latin dance in 2020 when she stepped into her first taster class and never looked back. From there on she quickly picked up Cuban Salsa, Bachata, and Kizomba in the following years. Even though she is a social dancer first and foremost, she took part in several Salsa Therapy performance projects. Corina likes to look at different flavours and styles of dancing to keep things interesting - she is learning how to lead Cuban Salsa and regularly challenges herself with new styling and footwork pattens.
Corina’s focus lies mainly in mastering the art of following for social dancing - how to be an attentive follower and effectively form connection with leads of different experience levels and varying styles.
Angie

INSTRUCTOR
SALSA | BACHATA
ANGIE has her fine unique islander style from her Pacific Island roots. She discovered Salsa Therapy in 2016 during the International Dance Festival event in Te Papa where she became hooked on Bachata. “Sharing my knowledge and passion for dance is the best thing in the world and teaching Cuban salsa has allowed me to do that.”
Richard

INSTRUCTOR
SALSA
RICHARD has been dancing Salsa for over 21 years, since attending his oldest brother's wedding in the Dominican Republic. After being introduced to Merengue and Bachata during that trip, he discovered Salsa on his return to the UK and has never looked back. He studied Salsa under multiple teachers and instructors during early 2000. Richard's teaching focuses on Salsa fundamentals and partner connection so you are more likely to see him helping out in our Beginner and Improver classes.