After teaching Latin dances for 16 years, UCLA alumnus Nicole Gil is looking to build community in Westwood through new classes.

Dancer University, a Los Angeles-based Latin dance organization, hosted a salsa and bachata class in Westwood on May 23.

The event – organized by Gil at the restaurant Wolfsglen – began with a beginner salsa class from 8 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., followed by a beginner bachata class from 8:45 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and an open dance session from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Salsa, which originated in Cuba, is best known for its quick turns and intricate footwork. Bachata, a partner dance that originated in the Dominican Republic, features an eight-beat measure and slower movements.

Gil said she is the owner and operator of Dancer University, alongside Alayn Govea, who is her husband and helps teach the beginner bachata classes.

The event’s focus on partner dancing aims to bring together people who might not have otherwise met through dance, Gil said.

During the classes, the instructors encouraged the attendees to follow synchronized steps in partner circles. While some dancers stood in a circle in the center, other participants rotated to find new partners.

Gianna Perez, a fourth-year human biology and society student who attended the dance class, said she enjoyed having a space to meet new people.

“We don’t have many spaces like this in Westwood,” Perez said. “We just have restaurants and things like that.”

Wolfsglen partnered with Dancer University after seeing the strong attendance at their beginner-friendly monthly salsa and bachata socials in Broxton Plaza, Gil said.

Angelina Ochoa, a third-year English student, said she enjoyed the class’s emphasis on building connections with people from diverse backgrounds. She added that she has taken recreational dance classes at the John Wooden Center, where she often sees the same group of people.

“At Wooden, it’s mainly other people who I go to school with, but here it’s guys who are older, or of different cultures and backgrounds,” Ochoa said. “It’s nice to dance with a wider demographic.”

Gil said the event is part of a growing nightlife trend, with people preferring sober, experiential events.

“I haven’t seen anything like this in Westwood so far,” Ochoa said. “A lot of it is going to house parties, so it’s nice to do something social that doesn’t necessarily require drinking but is cool.”

Gil said she hopes the salsa and bachata event was successful, adding that she hopes to see more experiential programming in Westwood.

“In the salsa and bachata community, if you keep showing up, you’re going to be like, ‘I saw this person here, and I saw this person here’ – you will actually create connections, and you will also be even more bonded because you all love dance,” Gil said. “That does really make it exceptional.”