Syracuse's salsa family

Five years after La Familia de la Salsa emerged on the dance scene, the organization has become one of the largest and highly successful Latin dance groups in Central New York.  Brian Bromka, Founder and Artistic Director, formed La Familia around the same time he decided to leave his career as a real estate investor and begin teaching Salsa.  His passion for Latin music and culture inspired him to connect with others through dancing.

Photo: Donna Ho

Brian Bromka, Artistic Director and Founder of La Familia de la Salsa

La Familia started as a competitive dance group until many people requested that Bromka offer Salsa lessons.  Roberto Perez, co-founder, says his classes have been booming now more than ever with approximately 150 students attending weekly lessons and even more attending monthly dance events with other Latin dance organizations from Binghamton, Rochester and Ithaca.

“People are getting more and more interested and I think we’re expanding a little bit,” Perez said.  “My classes are getting bigger and bigger and the same with Brian’s classes.”

The dance lessons are held in different health clubs throughout the Syracuse area.  La Familia offers classes for various levels and techniques, including beginner’s salsa, ladies styling, and cardio salsa.

But Bromka says La Familia isn’t only about dancing, it’s about embracing different cultures and creating a community like a family.

“Our motto is 'bridging cultures through dance, one step at a time,' so everything we do is founded on bridging cultures,” Bromka said.

More on the Web:

• LaFamiliadelaSalsa.com