Archive for the ‘Tips’ Category

You may be thinking going to Salsa class once a week for an hour is enough right. I mean I also go to the club once a week, so I’m getting better. Right?

Well….no.

There is only so much an instructor can do in a given period of time. It is your job to reinforce what you learned on your own time. If you fall into the bad habit hole it can be hard to climb back up. So let’s nip that in the bud to begin with by PRACTICING. Awesome! Well sort of.

When I started learning to play the bass I hated practicing scales (and still do). Now in my old age I can’t stress enough how beneficial that was for my playing. Another part of practicing is learning new things outside of class but we’ll discuss that in another post. Just like scales to music, the basic is the cornerstone of dancing salsa - not all those fancy moves. If you can perfect this move you can fool any pro.

And Now our Top Ten Practicing Tips

10) Mirror-Mirror

They shouldn’t just be used for your “Hey baby” face – although that can be important. Practice your basic in front of a full length mirror. If you feel awkward you probably look it. Go through the steps slowly. If you can perfect something slowly you will have high success rate when doing it faster. (more…)

We all want to get better and the good thing is we can! But if you’re like me, you may have lost sight as to how to do this. Well we sat down and came up with a quick guide to help coax you from being a wallflower and give you a nudge in the right direction. Enjoy!

• #7 Practice Polygamy:

  “But that’s illegal” yes i know, i’m kidding. Just dance with a bunch of people. Being a wallflower will only weaken your own abilities. Go and ask a lady to dance if they refuse then move onto the next lady. There is no shame in a pity dance, especially if you dance the socks off her.

• #6 Practice a new style:

  Yes get a new teacher. That doesn’t mean you have to drop your old teacher just go out and learn from someone else. Some may say a Jack of all trades is Master of none, but if you want to be universally appealing get out and learn all you can. No sense in sticking yourself in a box with no ventilation. So if you do LA Style, try N.Y. style. If you do N.Y. Style try Cuban Style. Or do cumbia or puerto rican style, texas style, london style, etc.

• #5 Learn about salsa:

  Check out the history books. Get Rosetta Stone and learn some Spanish. Eat Cuban food…okay well that probably won’t really help but it is delicious! Put salsa music on your iPod and acclimate yourself. You’ll find yourself singing along (if incomprehensibly) with the popular ones.

• #4 Do you lead? Do you follow? Can you do both?!?!

  Yes and yes….and yes. Learn what your counterpart is doing. Your training will skyrocket if you push away your “pride” and reverse roles. The more you know about how your partner dances then the better able you will be to lead them. I know our Puritanistic gender roles may get trampled on but to heck with them. They wore buckles on their hats, for pete’s sake. What do they know?! When you get into it, you will revel in the fact that a dance with the same basic can be so different on one side versus the other. Many people misinterpret equality as being the same. But here in salsa you will find that equality is not sameness but harmony. You find equality by making two halves a whole. A yin yang has two interlapping parts: one black, one white, one representing male and one female. The beauty is how they fit together not how they are the same in every possible way. BORING!!!

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Salsa is exciting, refreshing, and maybe a little intimidating for the beginner but if you want to stick with it then you have to obey some basic rules of Dance Floor Etiquette. This may not a be-all end-all list, however, many rules for the dance floor are socially obvious rules of conduct. So let’s get started.

• 10.) “Can I have some space please!?” Or “Arms width Apart please!!”

  This one goes out to the couples – Don’t Crowd up on Me. Salsa is a dance that while considered spot dancing is dynamic and moving. To execute the moves properly you need to have space to do it. Unless you’re dancing Merengue or Bachata, you should try to give yourself at least a 3 foot radius from other couples. It can be done in tighter quarters and believe me I’ve been in situations where we may have had a couple inches between couples but it’s not as much fun.

• 9.) Spinning Elbows of Death

  Sorry couples I have to call you out again. Please no crazy moves when you have no room to do them. Sometimes you will go to a club that is packed with people and there is little to no space between you. The fact that you know a crazy move doesn’t justify you using it. Leaders you need to be aware of your surroundings. Spinning the follower around like a weapon of war will get you quickly ostracized from the salsa community. Bumping into another couple happens all the time but elbowing them for 5 or 6 minutes straight will get pretty tiresome and ebb their patience.

• 8.) Spectators belong in the Stands

  “Hey salsa is cool. I enjoy it so much I’d like to stand directly in the middle of the dance floor and watch them all! Actually I think the 7 other people I came with would like to do the same. Sweet!” Don’t be that guy. This is not a regular bar/club scene where you can all stand in the middle of the dance floor and gyrate slowly. The dance floor is for the Dancers. The current method of exorcising these intruders is a united effort to threaten with a barrage of elbows, spins, and kicks. So watch it!

• 7.) Keep your eyes to yourself

  Don’t stare at your partner. It’s uncomfortable, it’s creepy, and it’s just bizarre. That doesn’t mean you don’t look at your partner. In fact the opposite is also a faux pa. Staring at other couples, looking at the floor, looking at yourself in a mirror are just as bad as staring straight into your partner’s eyes for a 6 minute song. The rule is: Do not stare at any one spot for too long. Theoretically if you stare at her chest you can see all areas around her BUT DO NOT DO THIS as it is socially awkward and you might get slapped. The best method for being spatially aware is using your peripheral vision. As a leader you need to watch for the followers reactions to leads and watch out for other couples. Now with that being said the “Salsa Stare” can be used effectively if used sparingly. When you do a cool move you can shoot her a stare, or if you being playful then yes engage her. But a deer in headlights is not your goal; she may be hot tamale or he may be a stud muffin but please you’re making me ill.

• 6.) B.O. is a NO-NO

  Sure we sweat and on women I find it irresistibly sexy for some odd reason. Sweating is natural, Stinking is too natural. Please, deodorant is your friend …and not the organic kind either. Oh and if you’re into the hippie natural crystal rubbing deodorizer then maybe you should stay home ’cause it doesn’t work. It may sound harsh but maybe in a few years they’ll ban BO in bars like they did smoking. Or have a BO section either way. Unless you just stepped on their foot, if you see your partners eyes watering up it’s probably from some noxious odor you’re producing. If the guy doesn’t lead you in anymore turns or the girl keeps running away, it’s probably time to freshen up there, buddy.

• 5.) Territorial Salsa Boyfriends

  Yes I understand she’s your girlfriend or wife. She’s also the only great follower at the club. Let her down from the tower to dance. Being over “protective”, bordering on control freak, will ruin your relationship. I know, guys, it can be hard to see your girl dancing with someone better than you or girls for you to see your guy smiling and flirting and talking….”you’re a jerk” says Katie. If you are really dedicated to your dancing then you need to dance with a lot of different people with varied styles. Plus in the end they are gonna have to come home with you ’cause you have the keys to the car …so :-P.

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