alison cockrill

Alison Cockrill began formal dance training at age four and has been performing professionally since 1990, but what truly drives her is connection. Fluent in many dance styles and in love with all of them, Alison discovered salsa during a trip to Guatemala in the mid-1990s and has been teaching it since 1999. She believes social dance is about creating spaces where people feel welcome, brave, and joyful. In 2010, she started Seattle’s first all-Bachata dance night, helping build a community where dancers of all backgrounds could find their place. Her favorite moments as a teacher are when beginners realize they belong and say, just as she once did:  “I can’t believe this was here all this time.”