About The Salsa Lab

Meet the Founder

I’m Michael Horne, founder and lead instructor of The Salsa Lab.

I began dancing salsa in my early twenties and have been active on the social dance floor for around a decade. While I’ve explored a range of partner dances, salsa and kizomba are the ones I keep coming back to — one for its energy and playfulness, the other for its slower, more connected feel.

For me, the magic of salsa happens in the moment: sharing music, movement and connection with another person. Every dance is different, and that spontaneity keeps me coming back to the floor.

I regularly attend salsa festivals and socials around New Zealand, and seek out local dance communities whenever I travel. These experiences bring new ideas, inspiration and perspectives into my own dancing and teaching.

In my classes, I focus on strong foundations, partner connection and social confidence, while paying attention to the small technical details that can make a big difference. I’m also exploring rumba and other Afro-Cuban traditions, with the hope of bringing more of this into The Salsa Lab over time.

I believe that, just like our students, we're never finished learning. I continue to develop my dancing and teaching through mentoring, ongoing learning, and resources from instructors and dancers around the world. Online learning has opened up ideas and perspectives beyond our local dance community, which I can bring into my own practice and teaching. The Salsa Lab is something I'm learning and growing alongside the people who dance with us.