dance

Guillermo Rivera-Pagan has been teaching
ballroom dance for over 30 years. He
received his training and began his
teaching career in the 1960’s in San Juan,
Puerto Rico. In Boston, Guillermo continued
to teach dance on a part-time basis and
developed a full-time career in human
services. His work in this field progressed
from clinical counseling to managing
community agencies in the Greater Boston
area.

During this time, Guillermo tailored his
dance instruction to primarily
Latin/Caribbean dances. He taught private
and small group classes and also at special
events for elementary and high schools,
universities, and community sponsored
activities. In 1994 Guillermo began teaching
a dance class at Bentley College through
the school’s Multicultural Center.

In 1999, Guillermo began teaching Latin
dance full time. Today Guillermo is an artist-
in-residence at Bentley College in the newly
formed Arts Department, teaching three
beginner dance classes and an advanced
dance class. Guillermo also teaches Latin
dance at Brandeis University, and Ballroom
and Latin dance classes at Bridgewater
State College.

Guillermo is also a co-founder of
Salsalegre, a private dance group that
sponsors a once-a-month dance and
provides group and private instruction in
Merengue, two Salsa dances (Mambo and
Guaracha) and Cha-Cha.

Guillermo’s introductory course teaches
the principles of lead and follow and the
basic dance steps. The intermediate
courses emphasize more of the advanced
step patterns and turns. Guillermo also
teaches the Bolero, Bachata and Rumba.

A major facet of Guillermo’s instruction is to
incorporate the historical and cultural
aspects of each type of dance for his
students. He stresses the role of Stage,
Social and Intimate styles of dance. Most
students prefer the social style of dancing,
which is geared for people who simply want
to learn, be enriched, and have fun no
matter the setting.