Salsa Oswestry: February 2022

Although this is a beginner's guide to salsa there is no direct advice on how to learn the basic salsa steps. To do this you need to shut down this blog and go and experience salsa life!

However, what we can do here is advise you on how best to go out into the salsa world and avoid beginner pitfalls...

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The Music

Salsa music is very different to general music in the UK. There are several percussion instruments playing at once with different rhythms - so how can you hear the beat? By listening to lots of salsa music, as often as possible. Getting used to the rhythms helps you to find the beat in your dancing.

Where can you get great music from?

Head over to our recommended salsa playlist for a great starting point, and enjoy!

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Which salsa dance style?

There are different types of salsa music and different types of ways to dance to the music:

New York, or LA Style - an elegant, linear style of dancing
Cuban Style - grounded, cheerful and the origins of salsa dancing

It doesn't matter which style you choose, it's all about learning the salsa basic step safely and confidently. You can change styles later or you can learn to dance both, just don't feel restricted and make sure you explore exactly what you like. There is only one rule when dancing salsa regardless of your style:

STAY IN TIME WITH THE SALSA STEP!

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The first dance lesson

Your first time at a salsa lesson can be a bit daunting, but don't be put off. The lessons are designed to be fun and informative and are geared to making sure you become a confident dancer. You don't need a partner to join in, many people come alone and make new salsa friends.

The first lesson will teach you the basis salsa step and perhaps a simple dance pattern with a partner. You may also be introduced to other styles of latin dance including merengue and bachata.

It is worth knowing that men (Leads) have more to learn. In addition to learning the steps they also need to learn how to lead. This is a reason why the Lead normally seems to be a bit 'behind' their partner for a while who appears to learn the steps faster. Patience is key to success.

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The 8 week introductory course

When you commit to learning to dance salsa it's a great idea to make sure you attend all the classes on the 8 week introductory course. Some dance classes ask you to pay for the course up front, but we like to offer a pay-as-you-go system.

The most important thing on the course is RHYTHM, not the turns or fancy moves. Practising your basic step in time is crucial.

Each week you will follow a basic pathway of turns and flourishes that will increase your confidence and your dancing ability. By the end of Week 8 you can expect to be able to construct a simple salsa dance from a sequence of movements that can be adapted for dancing to an entire salsa track!

You will also be introduced to other styles of dancing, such as merengue or bachata, that are fun and will give you more confidence when dancing salsa.

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Dancing, dancing, dancing...!

Even with all the classes, salsa dancing is best learned by.... really salsa dancing! It is important to dance regularly and with many different dance partners.

Why different partners? So that you don't get used to one Lead or Partner too much! Staying with one person can be comforting to begin with, but there is a tendency to learn that person's habits and this can make dancing with others quite tricky. The beauty of dancing salsa is that everyone interprets the music differently and this make everyone feel 'different' when you dance with them.

From experience we know that many rookie dancers don't want to embarrass themselves on the dance floor, but DON'T BE AFRAID! We all started somewhere and we all remember how difficult it could be at the beginning. No true salsa dancer will laugh at you or criticise you if you don't dance as perfectly as everyone else!