This profile is in active compilation — some details are awaiting a cited source.

Aládùn Dance Co. (Aládùn Afro-Latin Dance School) is a Kansas City Afro-Latin dance school built around salsa On2, bachata, and Afro-Cuban movement — running weekly leveled classes out of City in Motion in Midtown, monthly socials and pop-ups, and the free Saturday salsa lesson at Johnnie’s Jazz Bar & Grille in Power & Light.

Description

Aládùn Dance Co. — operating publicly as both Aládùn Dance Co. and Aládùn Afro-Latin Dance School — is a Kansas City dance school and community organized around Afro-Latin social dance: salsa danced On2 (“on the two”), bachata, and Afro-Cuban movement.12 The organization describes itself as “passionate about expanding the Afro-Latin dance scene in Kansas City,” offering “weekly Salsa classes, monthly socials, pop-up events, and nightclub lessons” in a “fun, engaging, and low-pressure environment where they can socialize, learn salsa, and connect.”1

Weekly leveled classes run at City in Motion Dance, 3036 Gillham Rd in Midtown KC (the Hyde Park / Gillham corridor) — a host venue Aládùn teaches in rather than owns. The published class grid is Salsa Wednesdays (Level 1 at 6:30pm, Level 2 at 7:30pm) and Bachata Thursdays (Level 1 at 7:30pm, Level 2 at 8:30pm).23 (Schedules drift; confirm before any public display — on the current cadence.)

Beyond the school’s home classes, Aládùn runs the recurring “Salsa Saturday” lesson-and-social at Johnnie’s Jazz Bar & Grille in the Power & Light District, where a free salsa lesson (7:30–8:30pm) precedes open social dancing.45 The group also hosts monthly socials (salsa/bachata/Kizomba) and nightclub pop-up lessons at venues around the metro, including the Kansas City Dance Club in Overland Park.6 An On2-focused class series and performance/practice culture surface consistently across its social channels under lead instructors tagged as @_paigemaeann (Paige Mae Ann) and @julesfrancais (Jules).78

Aládùn slots into the broader KC Afro-Latin landscape alongside Latin-night venues and Latin-focused studios; see social-dancing-in-kansas-city for the scene overview, and johnnies-jazz-bar for the multi-scene venue that hosts its Saturday social.

Ownership and history

The principals most consistently associated with Aládùn’s instruction are Paige (handle @_paigemaeann) and Jules (handle @julesfrancais), who appear as the named leads on the school’s On2 salsa content across Instagram and Facebook.78 No public source located in research explicitly names a single founder/owner of record, the legal entity, or the founding year — these remain the key open gaps.

The “Aládùn” name is West-African-rooted (Yoruba), consistent with the school’s explicit Afro-Latin framing — joining the Afro-Cuban and African-diasporic threads of salsa and bachata to its teaching identity — though the school has not published an origin statement explaining the name.

Timeline

YearEvent
Aládùn Dance Co. founded / first classes
2024”Salsa Saturday” at Johnnie’s Jazz Bar documented (Visit KC event listings, mid-2024)
2025–2026Weekly salsa/bachata classes at City in Motion; recurring socials + nightclub pop-ups; active across IG/FB/YouTube/Square

Map note

Pin the host venue City in Motion, or list Aládùn as a community/roving entity (as with The Ballroom KC / Steppers of KC) rather than placing a standalone studio pin.

Sources

Disputes

None at this time.

Footnotes

  1. aladun.square.site — Official Aládùn Dance Co. Square storefront. Asserts: business identity as “Aládùn Dance Co.”; mission to expand the Afro-Latin dance scene in KC; “weekly Salsa classes, monthly socials, pop-up events, and nightclub lessons”; low-pressure community framing; active operating status. ↩ ↩2

  2. instagram.com — Official Instagram (@aladundance), “Aládùn Afro-Latin Dance School.” Asserts: dual name (school + dance co.); salsa + bachata + Afro-Latin styles; class location at City in Motion Dance, 3036 Gillham Rd, KC, MO; leveled salsa (Wed) and bachata (Thu) schedule. ↩ ↩2

  3. instagram.com — Aládùn IG reel, “Bachata and…” Asserts: bachata class programming; City in Motion location context. ↩

  4. visitkc.com — Visit KC event listing, “Salsa Night @ Johnnie’s Jazz Bar and Grille.” Asserts: recurring salsa social at Johnnie’s Jazz Bar & Grille; free dance lesson block; Power & Light location. (Aládùn’s Saturday “Salsa Saturday” affiliation per the Dance-Social compilation record.) ↩

  5. social-dancing-in-kansas-city / Dance-Social-Compilation-Strategy — KS.City research record. Asserts: Johnnie’s Saturday “Salsa Saturday” runs with DJ Yohann + Aládùn, free 7:30–8:30pm lesson; Johnnie’s is a multi-scene host venue (salsa + swing). ↩

  6. m.facebook.com — Aládùn Facebook video, “Aládùn Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba social tonight.” Asserts: monthly social with salsa/bachata/Kizomba; Kansas City Dance Club lesson (7:30–8:00) in Overland Park; pop-up/nightclub lesson model. ↩

  7. instagram.com — Aládùn IG reel, “On2 classes with Aládùn @_paigemaeann @julesfrancais.” Asserts: On2 salsa instruction; lead instructors tagged as @_paigemaeann (Paige Mae Ann) and @julesfrancais (Jules); current activity. ↩ ↩2

  8. facebook.com — Aládùn Afro Latin Dance School Facebook post. Asserts: On2 classes with Aládùn; same lead instructors (@_paigemaeann, @julesfrancais); KC salsa-dancing tags. (Does NOT name a formal founder/owner of record — gap basis for.) ↩ ↩2

See also

On the record — ks.city/registry/aladun-dance-co · record updated 2026-06-23