AmsterDance is the student dance association of Amsterdam, a place to dance with fellow students and to combine sports with fun! We organise classes in various dance styles, with a focus primarily on partner dancing, because dancing together is the best, right! We strive for a social, open environment for all. You can always pop by for a friendly visit, or join two of our activities during our association evenings on Wednesday or Sunday to get to know AmsterDance! If you want to visit, please send an email to secretaris@sdvamsterdance.nl.

Dance Lessons and the Beginner Course

Every 6 months we start our new Beginner Course where you learn the basics of different Ballroom and Latin dances and Salsa. At the end of each course we have a closing celebration to which you can invite your family and friends, show off what you’ve learnt and receive a certificate! Following the Beginner Course, we offer courses for all levels, from sociable group lessons to serious competition training. So, whether you are an experienced dancer or just starting out, anyone can join in!

Activities

Aside from dancing you will get to know a lot of nice people at AmsterDance! On many activities we combine dancing with getting to know our fellow AmsterDancers, such as our Dance Cafés and Galas. Of course, we are not only all about dancing.We do lots off the dance floor too, such as social drinks, dinners and holidays together. You also get to meet dancers from across the Netherlands – our twelve sister associations travel all over the country to visit each other’s Galas!

Furthermore, you can get lost in your creativity or boost your professional skills in one of our many committees: from organising events to writing the almanac or running marketing and promotion.

Whether you’re just wanting to dance now and then, regularly train or prepare for competitions, everybody is welcome at AmsterDance!

Dance Styles

AmsterDance offers a wide variety of dance styles targeted mostly at partner dancing in Ballroom and Latin dancing.

Ballroom dancing consists of 10 dances, separated in 5 Latin-American and 5 Standard
dances. The classical dance styles, that were originally danced at formal balls, have developed into both relaxed social dancing and a competitive sport. Ballroom dancing thus grew into a style that is danced all over the world in large competitions and social dances.

Each of the ballroom dances has its own unique character with its own music genre, ranging from rhythmic Cuban music (Cha-cha-cha) to smooth waltzes (Slow Waltz) and upbeat swing (Jive). Ballroom dancing certainly takes many forms. The large variety of styles is not just fun to dance to, but also makes for a perfect basis for many other partnered dance styles.

Aside from Ballroom dancing you can be introduced to a wide range of other styles via AmsterDance, including Lindy Hop, Salsa, Bachata and West Coast Swing. AmsterDance is the place for all dancers in Amsterdam.

Student Tournaments

The exciting highlights of the year are the three student dance tournaments. The twelve student dance associations of the Netherlands organise the yearly Student Tournament of the Netherlands (NTDS) and bi-yearly a European Student Tournament (ETDS) with dance associations from Germany and the Czech Republic, among others. A whole weekend long you can dance with 500 students on an enormous dance floor. It begins on Friday evening with a blind date, where solo dancers can find a partner for the event. On Saturday and Sunday, everyone does their best on the dancefloor in competitions and there is a huge dance party in the evenings! The tournaments are open to everybody; there are categories for all levels.