In 2019, Somerset City had exactly one weekly Cumbia class, held in the basement of a community center on Mercer Street. Today, five dedicated studios teach more than 400 students each week, and the city hosts the annual Festival del Río—the largest Cumbia celebration in the region.
This unlikely boom has turned Somerset City into one of the most vibrant Cumbia hubs in the Midwest. But with so many new options, knowing where to start can be overwhelming. We spent six months visiting classes, interviewing students and instructors, and consulting with the Somerset City Arts Council to identify the three studios doing the most to advance Cumbia culture through exceptional teaching, genuine community building, and accessible pricing.
How We Chose These Studios
Our selections are based on direct observation: we attended beginner and intermediate classes at all five Cumbia-focused studios in Somerset City, interviewed 14 current students, and spoke with festival organizers and local musicians. We evaluated each studio on instructor expertise, class structure, cultural education, affordability, and student retention. The three below stood out consistently.
Academia de Cumbia El Ritmo
Address: 442 W. Main Street, Downtown Somerset City
Director: Carlos Mendoza, 20-year Cumbia veteran from Barranquilla, Colombia
Flagship offering: Cumbia Fundamentals (beginner) and Ritmo Pro (performance track)
Price: $18 drop-in; $140 for 10-class pass
Walk into El Ritmo on any Thursday evening and you'll find 30 people ranging from college students to retirees rotating partners in perfect time. Mendoza opened the studio in 2021 after relocating from Miami, and he has built what several students described as "the most welcoming dance floor in the city."
"I came alone, nervous, with two left feet," said student Patricia Cho, 34. "Carlos makes you feel like you belong there from minute one."
El Ritmo's leveling system is unusually rigorous for a community studio. Beginners spend four weeks mastering cumbia básica footwork and partner connection before advancing. The performance track, Ritmo Pro, prepares students for quarterly showcases at the Somerset City Playhouse. Parking is available in the municipal garage across the street; first-time students get a free trial class with code PRIMERITMO.
Cumbia Fusion Studio
Address: 1890 Industrial Boulevard, Suite 300, River North Arts District
Co-founders: Ana Lucía Torres (Cali, Colombia) and Derek Okonkwo (contemporary/jazz background)
Flagship offering: Cumbia Fusion (Cumbia + hip-hop and house influences) and Cumbia Groove (live percussion accompaniment)
Price: $22 drop-in; $175 monthly unlimited
If El Ritmo preserves tradition, Cumbia Fusion Studio deliberately bends it. Torres and Okonkwo met while choreographing for a regional dance company in 2017 and opened this space in 2022 to explore what Cumbia could become.
Their signature Cumbia Fusion class pairs classic vallenato-style steps with hip-hop isolations and house footwork. Once monthly, Cumbia Groove features live percussion from local Latin jazz ensemble Los Tambores del Sur.
"It still feels like Cumbia—your abuela would recognize it," said regular student Marcus Webb, 28. "But it pushes you in ways traditional classes don't."
The studio's converted warehouse space has sprung floors and floor-to-ceiling mirrors. Street parking is free after 6 p.m. Virtual drop-ins are available via Zoom for $15.
Soleado School of Cumbia
Address: 67 Birchwood Lane, East Somerset
Director: Rosa Delgado, former cultural educator with the Colombian Ministry of Culture
Flagship offering: Familia Cumbia (multigenerational classes) and Cumbia y Cultura (history-integrated youth program)
Price: $15 drop-in; $120 for 10-class pass; sliding scale available
Tucked into a converted bungalow on a quiet residential street, Soleado feels less like a commercial studio and more like an extended family's living room. Delgado founded the school in 2020 with a explicit mission: teach Cumbia as culture first, dance second.
Each Cumbia y Cultura session for children ages 8–14 includes 20 minutes on regional Cumbia styles—cumbia costeña, cumbia vallenata, cumbia cienaguera—before any footwork begins. The multigenerational *Familia
