Spin, step, connect

Miguel Canal dancing next to the Halifax waterfront’s Salt Yard

Building community through dance

On select Friday nights this summer, the Halifax waterfront next to the Salt Yard will be filled with the unmistakable rhythms of Latin dance music. It’s part of the free salsa, merengue and bachata dance lessons and social dancing hosted by Latin Dance Nova Scotia. The waterfront series, now in its second year, is free and open to all.

“Dance is a powerful way to connect people,” says Elvira Meléndez, the founder of Opportunities for Leadership and Action Halifax (OLA). A PhD student in industrial engineering at Dalhousie University and originally from Panama, she created OLA with her husband and close friends as a platform for bringing together members of the local Latin community to give back, both in their new home and to their countries of origin.

Miguel Canal, Elvira Meléndez and Arturo Bravo

“Halifax’s Latin community is quite connected,” she says. “Last year, Latin Dance Nova Scotia approached us about collaborating and we immediately saw it as an opportunity to support their beautiful work in the city.”

Latin Dance Nova Scotia was created by Miguel Canal and Arturo Bravo in 2024. Miguel, an architect originally from Peru, also created a similar Latin dance community in Saskatoon.

“When I moved to Halifax,” Miguel recalls, “I noticed there was a specific need for happiness without the constriction of other interests. I know that dance can bring that if the environment is well prepared.”

Supporting initiatives like these sessions aligns perfectly with OLA’s mission to promote Latin leadership.

“Latin Dance Nova Scotia leads the waterfront dance classes with vision and passion,” Elvira says. “Our role is to amplify their reach, offer logistical help, connect them with resources, and promote sustainability, always respecting their identity and leadership.”

One way OLA amplifies these fun Friday nights is with its #CommunityThroughDance Instagram hashtag.

“Dance is part of our DNA in Latin America,” she says. “It’s how we celebrate, connect and express joy.”

Each session begins at 6:30pm with a free one-hour beginner-friendly lesson. Social dancing follows until 11pm. Participants don’t need any experience or even a dance partner, reassures Miguel. In addition to teaching the dance steps, organizers and volunteers share dance etiquette and provide clear guidelines and careful monitoring to make sure the evening is fun, safe and inclusive for all.

That element of inclusion is key. Divisive labels come down when we interact with others and get to know them in the beautiful environment that dance can bring, Miguel says.

“Everyone is invited and everyone belongs,” Elvira says. “Dance becomes a bridge between cultures, between generations, and between newcomers and longtime residents.”

The Latin community has always carried its stories in rhythms and used dance and music to survive colonialism, displacement and migration, she says.

“At OLA, we see joy as a community strategy. It doesn’t erase suffering, but it reminds us that even in the darkest times, we can still move, still breathe together, and still choose to build a world rooted in care, connection and hope.”

Daniel Guevara and Elvira Meléndez in traditional clothing

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To confirm dates for the 2025 waterfront dance sessions, check @latindancens and @olahalifax on Instagram.

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