Takeshi Young

Takeshi Young is a salsa dancer, instructor, and competitor based in San José, California, with a reputation for crisp technique, musicality, and welcoming teaching style. Over the years he has performed with acclaimed Bay Area teams—including Salsamania Dance Company and Pretty Boys & Girls—and has stepped onto some of the scene’s biggest stages, from the SF International Salsa Congress and Portland Salsa Congress to the US Salsa Open Championships and the World Latin Dance Cup.

Takeshi is the founder and director of Spartan Mambo, where he has coached dancers of all levels—training performance teams, preparing competitors, and building a supportive community that celebrates salsa as both art and social dance. His classes focus on strong fundamentals, body movement, timing, and connection, giving students the confidence to shine in socials and on stage.

Takeshi mostly dances salsa On2, but he is also a big fan of Salsa Caleña and is one of the few dancers who teaches the style outside of Colombia.