Celebrating 10 Years of Salsa with Silvia in Washington DC & Bethesda, MD
In April 2016, Silvia Alexiev opened the doors to the first official Salsa with Silvia studio in Washington, DC. Four years later, in January 2020, she launched her second location in Bethesda, Maryland. Today, the studio has grown into one of the biggest Latin Dance studios in the DMV area, serving students of all ages, levels, and backgrounds. Learn more about the history of the studio here.
Last Saturday, on April 18, 2026, she brought together students, instructors, staff, family, friends, and supporters of the Salsa with Silvia community for a 10th anniversary party to celebrate this momentous milestone in the dance studio’s history. The event featured a 90-minute all-level salsa workshop, live music, DJs, performances, social dancing, a complimentary toast, finger food, raffles, and much more. The guests dressed to impress in what turned out to be one of the biggest and most memorable events since the dance studio’s inception in 2016, with more than 150 guests in attendance throughout the evening.
Silvia Alexiev with her husband and two daughters.
Who is Silvia?
Born in Bulgaria, in Eastern Europe, Silvia arrived in the United States on February 9, 1999, to work as an au-pair in Washington, DC. One warm summer day in 2004, a few years after her arrival, a good friend took her salsa dancing – and the rest is history. She was immediately intrigued and fell in love with the vibrant rhythms and moves of Latin American dance styles. Although she had been dancing her whole life, as a classically trained Ballroom dancer since the age of 10, this was something different. She quickly realized that she had to lose her ballroom frame and shake those hips and shoulders to get into the groove of the mesmerizing salsa music that would become the new backdrop and soundtrack of her life.
Since then, she has never looked back. Slowly but surely, she started training, first alone and later on with friends, and then competitively as part of different practice teams, until she suddenly found herself teaching classes to a continuously growing number of students. Through word of mouth, she built her reputation in Washington, DC, and before she knew it – she had more students than she could handle, so she had to train some of her students to become instructors. This would be the start of her new career and life as part of a global salsa community, which would come to include travel and competitions that would take her from New York and Los Angeles to Puerto Rico and different cities in the U.S., as well as other countries across Europe and Asia, competing at some of the largest salsa congresses in the world.
Along with her dance pursuits, she also built a 10-year career as a Lead TV Producer for organizations such as NASA TV, USAID, and the Library of Congress, practicing her passion for digital art and media. With a BA in Web and Graphics Design from the University of Maryland, and an MA in Film & Video from American University, her life has been filled with creativity across different professional spheres. In 2014, she finally took the big plunge to leave her full-time job, bet on herself, and wholeheartedly dedicate her time to build her own dance business.
What’s next for Salsa with Silvia?
Ten years into its journey, Salsa with Silvia has become more than just a dance studio. Throughout the years, students have confided in Silvia and shared stories about how her classes have helped them come out of depressions, strengthen their confidence, leave their worries behind for an hour or two during difficult times in their personal lives, or simply just break out of their shells, socialize, and meet new people, all while learning a new skill. Others have even expressed that it saved their marriages, particularly during the pandemic, when the studio converted into a temporary school and classroom for kids – reinventing itself to stay afloat while navigating an international crisis that nearly took them out of business. Thanks to the steadfast support of loyal students and supporters, they were eventually able to rebuild their operations, reopen both locations, and come back stronger than ever. Today, she is a proud business owner with a versatile, talented, and dynamic team of 30+ local employees in the DMV area, including receptionists, instructors, kids’ teachers, managers, and marketers, who you may have seen or met either at the front desk, classes, or behind the scenes.
Silvia Alexiev with Salsa with Silvia staff.
Salsa with Silvia continues to put a smile on people’s faces. The school has something for everyone through each phase of their life – from speed dating for singles, wedding private lessons, baby ballet, and kidscamps to monthly social parties, last dances, and everything in between. As the seasons have come and gone, she is grateful for her incredible network of members who have stuck with her through thick and thin, and ups and downs in shifting economic landscapes, from one studio opening in DC to another one in Maryland. Her goal has always been to leave a legacy. She wants to be remembered as someone who made an impact. With Salsa with Silvia, she has brought the joy of dance to her community for over a decade, making people come together, and dance together to the tunes of salsa, bachata, and reggaeton. One thing is sure, the beat won’t stop and the music isn’t slowing down at 3232 Georgia Avenue or 4731 Elm Street, and we can’t wait to continue the party with you on the dance floor for another 10 years.
