SALSA

The descriptions of the content of every level that follow will help you to decide which level to choose. The instructors will make a choice for you when necessary. The salsa we teach is salsa 'LA Style'.

BEGINNERS 1

This first series is really a 'getting to know' salsa dancing: the music, the footwork, basic body movement, some sequences, technical elements and some ‘neighbour’ dance styles. These are the details:

1.Footwork

  • understanding the ‘shifting of weight’action
  • feet pointing forward, using the ball of the feet, feet in front of your partners’ feet
  • small steps
  • feet ‘mark’ the 123-567 correctly

2.Posture & general body movement

  • standing up, shoulders relaxed, looking up, connect with dance partner, hands up
  • ‘Cuban motion’
  • General principles
  • Applied in bachata, merengue, salsa

3.Partnering principles

  • basic principle of leading and following
  • what leading means
  • what following means
  • ‘dancing with your dance partner and dancing with yourself’
  • dancing on the line (or ‘slot’) (1 line for the lady, 3 lines for the leader)
  • variation in tension
  • closed (frame)
  • open (open break!)
  • ‘holding your partner’
  • different ways to ‘hold’ your partner (open and closed position)
  • work on a good ‘frame’ in closed position
  • general principles as for hands
  • no thumbs
  • four fingers, ‘hook’
  • flexibility in the contact: stay in contact although the position is changing (‘magic glue’)
  • ladies do not decide when contact is broken (remember the general principles of following)

4.Rhythm & music

  • Increase sensitivity for music
  • Accent (the “1”)
  • Tempo
  • Style of music and adapting to it
  • Listen to salsa at home
  • Several basic musicality moves: mambo jazz, stops

5.Techniques

  • Spinning
  • Basic principles
  • Tension
  • Preparation
  • Spotting
  • Upper body leads
  • Ball of the feet
  • Half a turn, full turn left and right (lots of home work)
  • Spotting
  • Basic principles (half a turn, full turn)
  • Using it from the start (even when there are no turns)
  • Crucial in turns and ladies’ pivots

6.Dance movements

  • Basic step, side step, open break in open and closed position
  • Ways to go from open to closed and vice versa
  • Hairbrushes with pizza
  • The open break:
  • General (small step, increasing tension (ladies, respond!))
  • Movements with open break (‘catch the back’, ‘roll in’)
  • Cross body lead: leading and following
  • Open and closed position
  • Rubber band
  • Foot work
  • Variations (closed to open or one hand hold; cross block)
  • Right side turn: leading and following (different handholds, closed and open position)
  • For follower (different handholds; difference with ‘hairbrush’)
  • For leader: under the hand or passing hand in the back
  • ‘Hammerlock’
  • Other movements with open break (‘changing positions’, ‘continuous’ & back spot turn (aka ‘360°’))
  • The ‘Ladies’ pivots’: left side
  • General
  • Applied into cross inside
  • Leading: footwork, hands
  • Following: spotting, line, preparation
  • Basic shines: side taps; suzi q; suzi q turn; stepping forward 1357 and backward; zigzag; ‘cross over’, right side turn; half left half right & half right half left

7.Styling

  • General posture (hands up!)
  • Basic hand styling
  • General (tension, ‘egg holding’, decrescendo)
  • Solo: side step circles left & right; ‘butterfly’
  • Partnerwork: On 5 in ‘catch the back’; On 1 after cross inside; with ‘cross block’
  • Working on general body movement:
  • Footwork: small steps, feet pointing forward, using primarily ball of the foot (wearing good shoes), small and efficient footwork
  • Cuban motion (feet, knees, keeping upper body still for now)
  • Control of arms and hands
  • Shoulder shake

8.Neighbouring dance styles

  • Intro to bachata and merengue: used also to work on Cuban motion (body movement)

REPEATING “BEGINNERS 1” OR MOVING TO “BEGINNERS 2”?

In general ‘beginners 1’ and ‘beginners 2’ should be considered as a unity: it is the level in which we work on the basics of salsa. The best way to choose between repeating ‘beginners 1’ and moving to ‘beginners 2’ is to think about this:

Did you feel comfortable in the ‘beginners 1’ classes? If yes there should be no problem to move on to ‘beginners 2’

If you have some doubts speak with the instructors and ask their opinion.

BEGINNERS 2

Of course many elements of the ‘beginners 1’ classes will come back here and will be developed further.

In this level we’ll go deeper into the general body movement, we’ll work a lot with ladies’ pivots and all combinations coming out of that. Spinning will be developed. Some more styling.Lot of working on spotting, practising is very important. The rhythm! We recommend to attend this series twice.

  1. Footwork
  • Check feet again: small steps/pointing forward/moving balance left-right
  • Connection with the rhythm
  1. Posture & general body movement
  • Working a lot on Cuban motion (using bachata, chacha, merengue)
  1. Partnering principles
  • Check on all of the elements of ‘beginners 1’
  • holding hands (no thumbs), relaxed arms unless there’s an open break coming up
  • the ‘frame’
  • Importance of dancing on the line (as the pivots are being used constantly!)
  1. Rhythm & music
  • Working a lot on ‘finding the 1’, on listening to the music
  • Listen to salsa music at home!
  • Insisting more on musicality: accents, ‘feel’ of the song, ways to start and to end
  1. Techniques
  • Spinning
  • Repeat basic principles and develop
  • Half a turn, full turn, one and a half turn, left and right
  • Spotting
  • general principle of spotting
  • Practise with spins and pivots
  • Both men and women, both ‘spotting back’ and ‘spotting forward’
  • Spotting with 1.5 turn
  • Ladies’ pivots
  • Left and right (‘normal right’ and ‘alternative right’)
  • 1.5 turn and also 1 (belly wrap or shoulder block)
  1. Improvisational skills
  2. Should be developed from beg1 and beg2 on: master the different techniques first and then improvise with it!
  1. Dance movements
  2. Many new moves and combinations coming in!
  3. Cross inside (open & closed) with hand styling for the lady; cross outside (shoulder leading, hand throw)
  4. Cross inside left-left with arm flick after the pivot or shoulder check and 1.5 turn
  5. Cross inside left over right to shoulder check + 1.5 turn (spotting!) (endings with double hairbrush or split hairbrush or sombrero)
  6. Cross inside to belly wrap (ending one hand up, two hands up)
  7. Cross inside to neck hold and butterfly move
  8. Cross inside accompanying the lady
  • Ending with tunnels
  • Cross outside
  • Sheheshe pattern (or cross to hand drop) with hand drop (‘yogi bear’)
  • + windmill
  • + hand toss
  • Back spot turn
  • Basis move
  • Man turning left or right
  • Enchufla + bst
  • Open break movements: going under the right arm of the lady
  • Movements starting with left over right
  • Movements starting with man going under left arm of the lady
  1. Styling
  • Checking elements of ‘beginners 1’!
  • Hand flick
  • Hand styling after the pivot
  • Cuban motion
  • Working more with shines: slide, shift, two corners, four corners, variations suzi q, flare, etc etc

We recommend for the ladies in this level to attend the ‘open level’ Ladies’ styling classes!!

  1. Neighbouring dance styles
  • More bachata and merengue
  • Intro to chacha

INTERMEDIATE 1

In this first intermediate series we'll work on: basic combinations with copa; cross inside turn right; combinations from crossed hands left over right; double right turn lady (New York prep) and man. Single left side turn, lady and man. Spotting (in pivots or spins). Alternative left pivot. Back roll. We'll go deeper into rhythmical elements: clave & tumbao (conga's). Chacha (on2) and intro to salsa on2. More styling and more elaborate shines. Lots of attention in this level for musicality (connection music-dance). Intro to leading for followers and following for leaders. Lots of attention still for Cuban motion movement (also through chacha, bachata or merengue). Very important is that you put all of this material into practise! In other words it’s not just that you’re simply attending classes of this level but you’re also using this material, you are mastering it!

We recommend to follow this leveltwice or more.

  1. Footwork
  • Continuing to work on basics: small steps/pointing forward/moving balance left-right/connection with the rhythm
  • More shines.
  • Using footwork patterns in partnerwork or solo.
  1. Posture & general body movement
  • Continuing work on Cuban motion
  1. Partnering principles
  • Check all elements of beg1 and beg2:
  • holding hands (no thumbs), relaxed arms unless there’s an open break coming up
  • the ‘frame’
  • importance of dancing on the line (pivots! Cross!)
  1. Rhythm & music
  • Dancing on the 1 shouldn’t be a problem anymore on this level
  • Correct yourself when you’re dancing ‘on the 5’
  • Listen to salsa music at home!
  • Playing with musicality: recognizing the accents & the feel of the song and putting it into your dance (adapt your way of dancing and your moves, your styling etc).
  1. Improvisational skills: keep on developing that through practise!
  1. Techniques
  • Spinning
  • check basic principles: spotting should be no problem at this level; single turn left and right idem
  • one and a half turn, left and right, man and woman
  • Double turnleft and right from different positions
  • New York prep:
  • Principle
  • Leading and following
  • Spotting
  • Check the basics: ‘spotting back’? ‘spotting forward’?
  • Spotting with 1.5 turn
  • With double turn
  • Ladies’ pivots
  • Checking material of ‘beg2’
  • Left and right (‘normal right’ and ‘alternative right’)
  • 1.5 turn and also 1 (belly wrap or shoulder block)
  • Copa
  • Basic principle leader & follower
  • List of copa’s with different handholds; followed by left pivot or not
  • Basic ladies’ styling
  1. Dance movements
  2. Double turn from different handholds (two hands, one hand)
  3. Double turn ending into hammerlock (snake or ‘S-turn’)
  4. Combinations with copa’s from different handholds, blocking

different body parts

  • Simultaneous turn (aka ‘barrel turn’)
  • Overturned cross (ladies’ styling) in all possible handholds (back to back, facing each other etc)
  • Basic hand trick movements
  • Double turn to pizza and copa or not; double turn to pizza and handdrop
  • Recycling all patterns of ‘beginners 2’ (and even ‘beg1)
  • Coca cola
  • Basic dips

It is important to keep on using the material of beg1 and beg2. It is as important to improvise with that material (in order to do that you’ll have to master the leading and following even better than when you are simply reproducing routines that you’ve seen –and that the ladies know, don’t fool yourself!)

  1. Styling
  • Awareness of when to lift hand, of when to add styling and when not.
  • Hand flick
  • Hand styling after the pivot, with overturned cross, with ‘coca cola’
  • Complicated shines, slow and fast, introducing lots of styling
  1. Neighbouring dance styles

From this level on (even from before this level it is always a good idea) we highly recommend to attend also classes of other dance styles: bachata, tango, chacha, merengue … You will learn a lot from these other styles, your salsa dancing will become more rich and varied, your body movement will improve etc etc. Try to go to bootcamps, try to attend festivals or guest workshops when you can. And go to parties every evening of course ;-).

PASSING TO INTERMEDIATE 2 OR REPEATING INTERMEDIATE 1?

In order to do ‘intermediate 2’ classes:

Followers

•Double turn is NO problem anymore (you are not losing stability, or rarely; you recognize the leading for double turn)

•Triple turns should work out (more or less)

•You understand when to have more tension and when to release.

•You have no problems with the rhythm (or almost none).

•Your basic styling is certainly ok (hand flicks, hand styling, footwork).

•When you’re lead into a pivot (left or right) you stay on your line. Even a double pivot, if lead well, is ok.

•Your body movement is more than ok.

•You react as you should to copa’s.

•You’re practising regularly.

Leaders

•You can lead a double or triple turn without problem.

•You can execute minimum 1.5 turn to the right on your own.

•You can lead copa’s, back spot turns, overturned crosses without problem.

•You have no problems with the rhythm (or almost none).

•You have been starting improvising since a while (i.e. you’re not simply executing the moves the instructors have taught you).

•You are practising regularly, of course.

•Your body movement is more than ok, your footwork and leading is small and efficient.

-> If you have doubts about having these necessary skills already, attend ‘intermediate 1’ classes until you have them. Ask advice of the instructors to see what they think.

INTERMEDIATE 2

Double turns, 2.5 turns and triple turns with other hand holds. Elaborate combinations with copa. Hand tricks. Dips and lifts. Combinations with belly wrap. Neck roll ladies. Elaborate shines. Combinations from left hammerlock and right hammerlock. It is important that in this level leaders and followers master the material from the previous series as we’ll be 'playing' with all of the elements that have been seen. The ladies' spins, spotting, pivots should be very good. We’ll work on fluency in the combinations and dancing.

We recommend to attend this series twice or more.

  1. Footwork
  • Shines solo and for partnerwork.
  1. Posture & general body movement
  • Continued attention for this
  • Attend other dance styles
  1. Rhythm & music
  • Listen to salsa/bachata/chacha/merengue/son etc at home!
  • Musicality was important in ‘int1’, it’ll be even more in ‘int2’
  • Anticipating the accents
  • ‘accents moves’: mambo jazz, multiple turns, stops, dips, lifts
  • Musicality moves: decrescendo, arm flicks, using elasticity
  1. Techniques
  • Spinning
  • check basic principles: spotting should be no problem at this level; single turn left and right idem
  • one and a half turn, left and right, man and woman
  • Double & triple turnleft and right from different positions
  • New York prep
  • Principle
  • Leading and following
  • Men spin left and right as well
  • Spotting
  • Check the basics: ‘spotting back’? ‘spotting forward’?
  • Spotting with 1.5 turn
  • With double & triple turn
  • Ladies’ pivots
  • Double ladies’ pivots
  • Copa
  • Copa with right pivot
  • ‘Reversed copa’
  • Fake copa’s
  • Half copa’s
  1. Dance movements
  2. More turning patterns
  3. More handtrick patterns
  • Dips & lifts
  • Half moon patterns
  • Over overturned crosses
  1. Styling
  • Hand flicks, neck rolls, butterfly, betty boop, different mambo jazz’s.
  • Hand styling after the pivot, with overturned cross, with ‘coca cola’
  • Shines
  1. Neighbouring dance styles

Same remark as for int1: we highly recommend to attend also classes of other dance styles: chacha, bachata, tango, mambo, merengue … You will learn a lot from these other styles, your salsa dancing will become more rich and varied, your body movement will improve etc etc. Try to go to bootcamps, try to attend festivals or guest workshops when you can. And go to parties every evening of course ;-).

In order to do ‘Advanced’ classes

If you’re able to attend the int2 classes without problem and you think going up a level should be possible.

ADVANCED

The description for this level is very simple: before entering into advanced all technicalities should be mastered, so that in the classes we can focus without losing time on new routines, quality of dancing, impro skills etc. So participants need to master all the material that has been proposed in the previous levels. For the followers: triple turns are not a problem, double pivots idem, spotting is perfect, balance in general is more than ok. You will be challenged in your balance with triple turns, double pivots, etc and in your following (leading will be more and more subtle and complex). Lots of attention to styling. For the leaders: all of the previous material is mastered. We'll work more on 'cleaning' your dancing: reducing your leading to the essence and making it more precise.

Combinations will be new week after week, series after series, and will require an excellent knowledge of all basic techniques. The combinations need to be worked on privately as well in order to be assimilated.