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What is salsa dancing?
A couple dance almost like swing, but with mambo-steps there is more
style and a incredible feeling! Salsa is a very social dance where you
meet new people through the dance.
What kind of shoes do I bring to a class?
For a beginner class, don't worry too much about that. We recommend
that you wear the shoes that you would wear if you were going out to
dance. It's ok to just wear socks too. For an intermediate class, it
might be smart to use light shoes with a leather sole or something,
to make turning easier. Avoid using shoes with soft rubber soles.
What do I wear to class?
Not very important (avoid coming completely naked). Some people dress
for class, others come straight from work. We suggest
-Loose and comfortable clothes.
-Deodorant please, and maybe a mint! The same when
you go to dance in the clubs: please wear deodorant. This is partner-dancing,
and your arm may be lifted in someones face..
What options are available for learning salsa?
there are a number of options available to teach you how to dance salsa.
The method you choose will probably be determined by your budget, location,
schedule and how quickly you want to learn. The following list the different
types of lessons offered and some benefits and drawback of each type.
click HERE to read more
Do I need a partner?
No. You do not need a partner. most of our students are singles. Every
class has frequent rotations so you will have the opportunity to dance
with partners of various levels (this is one of the things that makes
it fun to go to classes).
What if I have my own partner?
It is the unanimous opinion of the best teachers that rotation in group
classes accelerates the learning process of everyone in the class. By
rotating you'll improve faster. When couples choose not to rotate ,
you have a case of the blind leading the blind. More often than not
these couple gets frustrated and gives up after a few lessons. By dancing
with various dancers of different levels you get a better perspective
of what a good lead will feel like , because you'll have something to
compare it to. In large classes you may rotate through 10 partners or
so and than jump back to your partner over and over. Start up the rotation
from your partner and by the time you rotate to each other you will
have an idea what you both need. Invariably couples that stay together
get lost together.
What is casino rueda?
Originally a cuban version of salsa, it is another opportunity to learn
salsa. It's the easiest form of salsa; It is both easier to lead and
follow because you don't have to think a lot. Plus, the moves you learn
can be applied to regular partnersalsa. And it gives you an extra hour
to get used to the rhythm and begin to feel the music. To top it all,
it is a blast and there’s a great community of people who are
very welcoming and give you an instant circle of people to dance with.
More detalis here
Are there different styles of salsa?
Yes, but that does not mean that they cannot mix. The two most widespread
styles are the Los Angeles and the New York style. The LA style has
a basic step that is slightly simpler than the NY style. As a result
this style spread faster worldwide. However, New York style is slowly
becoming the most popular. NY style dancer's slightly different basic
step gives the dancer a more relaxed, elastic style. The dancing looks
and feel more natural. It is most important for you to know that we
teach lead and follow: When you go out dancing, you don't just dance
with one style, you dance with whoever asks you! For men this mean:
if you dance LA style you should be able to lead anybody. Ladies you
should be able to follow anyone that can lead. Period.
Which styles of salsa do you teach and why?
We mainly teach New York style salsa and casino rueda. We want our students
to be able to dance with anybody, anywhere in the world. We recomend
that you learn New York style first. Learning to dance Salsa New York
style is like learning to drive a manual - it guarantees you far better
understanding and control of the vehicle. It is very easy for a NY style
dancer to learn LA-style. It's like jumping into an automatic after
driving a manual car - very easy. The reverse scenario is a bit more
challenging to say the least! If you only learned LA style first and
then want to learn NY style, you will have to start with a beginner-class.
If you only learned NY style and want to learn LA style it will only
take you minutes. Although you may hear otherwise, we are the only instructors
in Tromsø that master this style. We introduced this style to
Tromsø and already it has become the dominant style on the dance
floor. We have personally studied with Eddie Torres, the father of this
style, 'the mambo king'. On level 3 we introduce all our students to
LA style to proove this. More details here
Do men and women learn the same?
No at first, dance is a bit more difficult for men because they not
only have to learn their own part they have to lead the girl. In the
first couple of weeks most of the info is geared towards the guys. By
then it changes though. Now the lady has to begin to do multiple spins
and turns and follow a beginner guy's lead. Besides, ladies should dance
like ladies. Men should..not!
How long will it take me to learn?
Truthfully no one can tell you ahead of time because everybody has a
different learning rate. Some practice after class, others don't. Is
it possible to be dancing after one lesson? Yes, it happens.
Can I learn just by dancing and dancing?
Yes, to a certain degree, but without proper instruction you will have
the same level after 4 years as you could have had after 4 months. That
would be a pitty if you really wanted to become good.
How do I choose an instructor?
"...find out who they are and what their background is,
because anyone today can say that they are a teacher but that doesn’t
mean that they’re qualified" Eddie Torres quote
Unfortunately not everybody offering to teach salsa are qualified. You
risk being taught in slow motion, which could be waste of time and money.
But what is worse: you also risk being taught no/wrong techniques so that
you are unable to dance outside of the class. Check the instructors background.
Warning lights should go off if the main argument is that the instructor
is born and raised into salsa. Loosely translated this means "what
you learned from me I invented myself and does not work with anybody else."
Even the mambo King himself Eddie Torres, learned from somebody else and
practiced hard. Nobody are born with danceshoes, like nobody are born
with skies on their feet. A great way to judge an instructor is by his/her
students. An experienced and good instructor should have created a lot
of good dancers. Ask good dancers who they learned from. Also, find out
who your instructor learned from and was inspired by (Web-adress, pictures,
videoclips, refrences). It might save you money and frustration to do
some research.
What should I expect from my instructor?
As a beginner student you will often not know what to expect. Rule number
one: Your instructor should not only hold classes, he/she should teach
people how to dance. Your instructor should be able to encourage the
students and be understanding. A caring and fun class atmosphere will
greatly enhance the learning experience. A dance instructor must have
excellent understanding of the material he/she is teaching. In the case
of Salsa, this includes being able to teach both the men’s and
woman's steps and the concept of lead and follow. Also, an experienced
instructor will be able to warn you about common problems students have
with each step and how to prevent them. The instructor should be able
to break down the step, and verbally explain each segment of the pattern.
They should be able to pinpoint the problems the students are encountering
and help them through it using explanations, examples and demonstration.
A good instructor should be approachable and open to answering your
questions.
How can I get to know the music better?
One more thing that will help your dancing is listening to the music.
Buy a few salsa CD's, and listen to them as often as possible, even
as background music. This will help you get the most out of your dance
classes. If you are comfortable with the rhythms and the music you will
find it a lot easier to dance. There are also special timing cd's available.
These will teach you the rythm of salsa and the different Latin types
of music such as chacha, merengue.
I have never danced before, I have no rhythm,
I'm not a dancer..
Sorry, no excuses. Many great dancers started with two left feet and
have ended up winning dance competitions!
Rhythm is not a sense like smelling or hearing, it is something you
can learn.
More Questions?
Please email us¨
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