About
Sophia Blitz
Founder. Owner. Instructor.
Sophia's teaching style evolved around the core value of respect-- for oneself, one's partner,
and the community around. Whether teaching a class or private lesson, she helps her students
discover how to respect and connect with themselves, their partner, and the music. Even
Sophia's beginner classes are taught with advanced explanations so that students can learn the
underlying principles of how to lead and follow effectively.
Sophia's pedagogy is the product of 8+ years of regular social dancing (e.g. Salsa, Bachata, and Zouk), 5+ years of competitive ballroom dancing, and a number of instructor training programs in Salsa, Bachata, and Zouk. Sophia's approach to teaching dance emphasizes the experience of the dancers and dynamic nature of social dancing with a partner. By building the acuity of your senses, you learn to listen and communicate more clearly and more kindly with your partner.
Recognizing that the fundamentals of partner dancing can apply beyond the dance floor, Sophia layers life lessons into her dance classes. Many of her students who have found that taking dance classes with Sophia can offer lessons in much more than just dance. What can an improved connection do for your experience of dancing? What about for your experience of life?
Connection. Dance for it. Live for it.
Classes
Bachata Classes
Bachata Schedule
Argiro Dance Studio | Argiro Student Center | Fairfield, IA
Wednesdays
- 8:00pm Intermediate Bachata Class ($5-10 per class).
Thursdays
- 8:00pm Beginner Bachata Series Class ($30 for 4-week series).
Bachata Beginner Series
Bachata Beginner Series is a 4 week progressive beginner class for new and beginner bachata dancers. Each week, class will build off what was covered previously. Attendance is expected for all four weeks. If you miss a class, please make an effort to learn and practice what you missed. After completing the beginner series, you will have the opportunity to test into the intermediate class, or continue retaking the beginner series. Anyone who has completed the beginner series is welcome to drop-in to the beginner classes. New students are asked to start on the first day of class each month.
Beginner Curriculum
Week 1: Introduction to the basic (open to anyone)
Week 2: Left and Right Turns (must have taken week 1)
Week 3: Turn Variation "The Cuddle" (must have taken week 2)
Week 4: Turn Variation "Hammerlock" (must have taken week 3)
The Beginner Series of classes will introduce bachata, the basic footwork, left and right turn footwork, open position frame, closed position frame, how to establish and respect boundaries in frame, basic turn variations, including lead’s turn, follow’s turn, cuddle, and hammerlock. Check out the Bachata Beginner Series Playlist on Youtube.
Intermediate Classes
Intermediate classes are drop-in friendly, but will often build from one class to the next. They will cover different variations from the basic rhythm, body rolls, body movement, shadow position, fake turns, hip-led turns, hand tosses and numerous combinations. We will rely on foundational elements covered in the beginner class. Check out the Bachata Class Recaps Playlist on Youtube.
What is Bachata?!?
Bachata is a style of music and partner dance originating in Dominican Republic and popular around the world as a latin social dance. Latin dance nights featuring salsa dancing frequently include bachata music as well. Many social dancers find that it is easier to start by learning bachata before going on to learn salsa.
Bachata has a range of music and dance styles including Traditional Bachata, Urban Bachata, Sensual Bachata, BachaTango, BachaZouk, and other bachata fusions. All of these styles of Bachata evolved from the step-step-step-tap basic covered in this beginner series.
Some of my favorite music artists to dance to include Aventura, Romeo Santos, Prince Royce, Monchy y Alejandra, Daniel Santacruz, Karlos Rose, Xtreme, Frank Reyes.
Where can I find Bachata music to practice at home?
Here are some of my favorite Bachata playlists on Spotify
Salsa Classes
Salsa Schedule
Argiro Dance Studio | Argiro Student Center | Fairfield, IA
Thursdays
- 7:00pm Beginner Salsa Series Class ($30 for 4-week series).
Salsa Beginner Series
Salsa Beginner Series is a 4 week progressive beginner class for new and beginner salsa dancers. Each week class will build off what was covered previously. If you miss a class, please make an effort to learn and practice what you missed. After completing the beginner series, you will have the opportunity to test into the intermediate class, or continue retaking the beginner series. Anyone who has completed the beginner series is welcome to drop-in to the beginner classes. New students are welcome to join any "Week 1" class.
Beginner Curriculum
Week 1: Introduction to the basic (open to anyone)
Week 2: Right Turns (must have taken week 1)
Week 3: Alternating Turn Variations (must have taken week 2)
Week 4: 7-Handholds and Haircombs (must have taken week 3)
The Beginner Series of classes will introduce salsa, the basic footwork, right turn footwork, open position frame, closed position frame, how to establish and respect boundaries in frame, basic turn variations, including lead’s turn, follow’s turn. Salsa Beginner Series Playlist on Youtube.
Intermediate Classes
Intermediate classes are drop-in friendly for students who have tested out of my Beginner Series. The intermediate classes will often build from one class to the next. They will cover different variations from the basic rhythm, hip-led turns, hand tosses and numerous combinations. We will rely on foundational elements covered in the beginner class.
What is Salsa?!?
Salsa is a style of music and partner dance originating in various forms throughout Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Colombia. Salsa has its variations, Salsa On1, Salsa On2, Salsa Rueda, Casino, and more... These classes focus on Salsa On1.
Where can I find Salsa music to practice at home?
Here are some of my favorite Salsa playlists on Spotify
Connection Dance Workshops
Wednesdays 7pm-8pm
Argiro Dance Studio | Argiro Student Center | Fairfield, IA
Connection Dance Workshop
Through dance, explore connection with the self, each other, and the world around us. Together we create a space of authenticity, presence, and acceptance of any feelings of worry or self-doubt. Allow yourself to be supported in your pursuit of joy and connection in dance.
Each workshop will be different. No partner dance experience necessary. Come to one. Come to some. Come to all.
The space we create together is where the magic happens. For this reason, the doors will be closed once we begin and late arrivers will not be let in.
Classes are $10, with a sliding scale to $5. Please pay what you can. Make payments before class begins, either in cash or through PayPal or Venmo, including a note that the payment is for a "connection workshop".
Classes will often involve movement in close personal space. Observe respectful hygiene, shower before attending, wear clean clothes, and avoid strongly scented perfumes/colognes.
Do bring... a bottle of water, clean indoor soft-soled shoes that won't leave black scuff marks on the floor (or just bring socks).
Where can I find the music from class?
Here are some of my Connection Workshop Playlists on Spotify. Any playlist that starts with 'CW' is a Connection Workshop' playlist.
- CW All - All Connection Workshop music: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5qvSnhdZ8ncxQiavz6TDiX?si=oqTTL4Q9SOaqfcgNfdPrEQ
- Shared Playlists https://open.spotify.com/user/sblitz03?si=pG6BmuTPT6aublIJDrzudw
Class FAQs
Where do I go?
Classes are at the Argiro Dance Studio in the lower level of the Argrio Student Center on MUM campus. Please show up a few minutes before class to change your shoes and to sign in using the online form welcome.blitzstudio.dance It helps us start on time!
What should I bring?
- Comfortable clothes that allow movement
- Dance shoes, suede-bottom shoes, clean indoor shoes, or socks
- Bottle of water
- Payment (varies by class)
- No large jewelry. Please don't wear large rings, bracelets, or other jewelry that may snag on your own or another's clothes while dancing
- YOU!
No partner necessary, but always welcome!
How do I pay?
Beginner classes are purchased as a 4-part series for $30 on the first day of class. New students wishing to try the class for the first time may attend the first day of the beginner series for $8, completing the remaining $22 of the payment if they choose to continue the series.
Intermediate classes are $5-$10 per class per person, paid at the door.
Connection Dance Workshops are $5-$10 per class per person, paid at the door.
Cash, PayPal, and Venmo are accepted. For digital payments, add a note or comment
including the name and date of the class, such as "Bachata Beginner class mm/dd/yyyy".
Complete the payment before class begins.
PayPal: paypal.me/SophiaBlitz (use friends and family payment)
Venmo: https://venmo.com/Sophia-Blitz or @sophia-blitz
Where can I find the music and videos from class?
Spotify Shared Playlists
https://open.spotify.com/user/sblitz03?si=pG6BmuTPT6aublIJDrzudw
YouTube Playlists
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY-sN-7aDMWI7En-9njqg2Q/playlists
Reviews
"Sophia is a gem in our local dance community and one of my first bachata instructors. She's attentive to the level differential of the students in her workshops and focuses on the way we move ourselves as dancers and connect with our partners. I've taken a few classes from her in the Iowa City and surrounding areas and leave each time with a critical nugget to practice and improve in my social dancing. I have my roots in the swing dance community and what's great is I've been able to apply what I've learned in our bachata lessons back to blues, east coast, and lindy hop! She blew my mind this past weekend in her science of turns class. I left with ideas for about 80 variations to the basic inside/outside turns and key points for how to more clearly communicate with my partner. Thanks for traveling up to teach us in Cedar Rapids Sophia! I look forward to my next class with you soon."
David May 2018
"As far as dance instructors go, Sophia is really top notch! The best I've ever worked with."
Stephen March 2018
"Sophia is so fluid. It's like dancing with water."
anonymous March 2018
"Sophia is super fun!"
Ilia February 2018
"Sophia is a great teacher!!! Seriously. She makes it very easy to understand."
Nelson February 2018
"Sophia has made living in Fairfield in the winter survivable."
anonymous February 2018
"Sophia makes me a better dancer."
Chris December 2017
Contact
For scheduling, questions, comments, feedback, or to sign up for email updates, send an email to
sophia@blitzstudio.dance.
YouTube
Subscribe on Youtube for lesson recap videos and more!
Jump to
Event updates and cancelations will be posted on the Blitz Studio Facebook page and in the Facebook group.