How to remember Salsa Moves

Do you ever get home from a class only to find you have completely forgotten the moves you were performing very well only an hour earlier. I do too, and I am teaching them!

Here is a solution; video them on your mobile phone. At the start or end of the lesson the instructor often performs the whole routine, this is the time to get your phone out ready to record. Once the routine is on your phone you can play it back and forth until your heart (and memory) is content.

If you are at a non Salsa Squad class you may want to check with the teacher first but feel free to shoot away at any of ours.

Also, whilst you are participating in the class you are developing an awareness of the routine. For the routine to pass from you head into your muscles you need to practice, and the sooner you practice the better.

So, after the class try performing the routine immediately during freestyle with as many different people as you can.

I know that the temptation is to go back to your old favourite moves but this will only hinder your improvement as a dancer….so be brave and try to nail what you have just been taught….you will advance a lot quicker.

Another useful tip is to remember how to START the move. Unless you have the correct hand hold configuration to begin with you wont be able to perform the move. For example, do you start with a 2 hand hold, right to left hand hold, cross hand hold with right hand high, etc etc.

Eventually, your goal is to be able to make moves up ‘on the fly’ almost without thinking too much but this is a higher level of development that only comes with continued practice. Until then just focus on a handful of moves and add the odd new one now and then.

As always, continue to spend time working on getting the basics right. These act as the foundation for your dancing. When these look and feel good everything else you do will look good too.

http://www.salsasquad.com

Be brilliant at Salsa Basics

The Green Bay Packers tale. Most likely you’ve heard this story before. It has become legendary and can be applied to many areas of life. The Packer franchise had been losing for almost ten straight years. They were at the bottom of the standings, and morale was sagging.

Enter Vince Lombardi as the new coach. He is charged with the challenge of turning this franchise around, and he’s all pumped up about it. He began leading practices, inspiring, training, motivating. But at one point in a practice, he just got so frustrated with what was going on with the players that he blew the whistle.

“Everybody stop and gather around,” he said. Then he knelt down, picked up the pigskin, and said, “Let’s start at the beginning. This is a football” He went on, in the most elementary of ways, to explain the basics of football.

Sometimes it’s good to get back to basics.

Moving on to the next level in salsa before becoming comfortable with the proceeding level is like erecting a building on a bed of sand. If the foundations aren’t in place the whole thing will collapse.

Even advanced dancers continually practice the basic steps as they aim to improve their timing, body movement and styling.

That’s all folks, I’m off now to practice my back step….

http://www.salsasquad.com

How to Make Someone’s Night

Can you remember your first ever salsa class? For some of you that will have been this week and others too long ago to remember!

You turned up scared to death of what was to come, did the Salsa  lesson and then sat down hiding in a corner hoping no one would see you during the freestyle. Then someone from one of the ‘other class’ arrives at your hiding place, offers their hand and takes you onto the dance floor. You say sheepishly ‘be gently with me, this is my first time’.

The person eases you in gently with some basic footwork before asking what move you did in the class. ‘I cant remember’ you reply, ‘Criss Cross Lead or something like that?’

They smile and gently reply ‘Let’s give it a go and see how we get on’

Four and a half minutes later you sit back down feeling like you have just completed the walk of fire!

At work the following morning you are waxing lyrical about how you went to salsa last night and got to dance with an Improver!

For you that person made your night if not your whole week…..

When we become more proficient dancers it is natural to stick to those dancers who are at our level. And why not, we pay our money and want to get as much fun out of the evening as possible.

But taking 4 1/2 minutes out of our night (boys and girls), giving it to a beginner and dancing Salsa at their level will bring them more enjoyment that we can ever imagine.

http://www.salsasquad.com

Ladies, how to get more Salsa dances.

Many ladies tell me they want to dance more after the Salsa Class, but men don’t ask them enough. I am sure this isn’t just the case with the Cheltenham Salsa scene. Here you will find 9 of the best techniques for putting this situation right.

#1: On your way in, say “Hi” to men you pass.

That’s all, just “Hi” – as you walk in from the car park, as you stand in line to get in, as you walk to a table to put down your hand bag and coat, as you get a drink from the bar, as you walk to the ladies and back. Just a “Hi”, with a smile, to many men. Even other men – to whom you didn’t say “Hi” – will notice you doing that. That’s often all it takes for you to appear approachable to men, and for you to get lots of invitations to dance.

If you just say “hi”, you will be highly unusual among women (and men) today – in a positive way. At public dances and parties the vast majority of people avoid looking directly at each other. If you simply say, “Hi”, and smile, you set yourself apart as someone who is outwardly friendly. That’s rare in Britain’s social climate, for both sexes!

#2: Don’t waste your time asking men who are hiding.

Men who want to dance often stand near the dance floor. Simply say “Hi” to some of them, smile, and keep walking and circulating. The men who are having a breather from the dance floor will often stay far from the floor, sitting at the sides, or congregating around the bar. Don’t waste time circulating there.

#3: Discover the ‘traffic lanes’.

Sitting in corners with your girl friends wont get you dancing. Look for where most dancers walk onto and leave the dance floor. When you are ready to dance, stand at this area on the edge of the dance floor – on your own. A woman standing alone is – by far – more comfortable for men to approach. Look at the dancers, this shows that you are enjoying what is happening on the dance floor and want to be part of it

#4. Body Language

Refrain from folding your arms. Put your drink down. Move your body slightly, but noticeably, to the feeling of the music, just enough to indicate you are ready to dance. Moving to the music is one of the easiest, non-verbal signals any woman can use to effortlessly attract more invitations to dance.

#5. Do not, DO NOT, look at any men while you’re standing ready to dance.

Looking around makes you appear overly eager and desperate. Men tend to avoid such women. Instead, simply look out at the dancers already on the floor.

At this time, do not say “hi” to any passing men. You wont need to – they will say “hi” to you.

What if you want to dance even more? Is it okay for a woman to approach men to dance? Yes, in these liberated times, that’s perfectly fine and very common, but here’s a tip:

#6. Never ask a man to dance, instead tell the man you want to dance with him.

Simply say, “I’d like to dance with you.” Just that, in exactly those words with a friendly smile on your face. Most women have a lot of experience telling men what they want. And men are used to hearing what women want. So when you tell a man what you want, both of you are in socially familiar territory.

Then it is up to the man to take action. The man might walk you out onto the dance floor right then. Or he might say, “Sure, later”, and find you later on. Or he might say, “Maybe later”, and not find you later, or ever. If that happens, you won’t be terribly embarrassed and neither will he.

#7. Add a touch to your words.

Always use exactly the words, “I’d like to dance with you.” Then – as you say that – touch the man on his hand, arm, elbow, or if you really want to make an impact use one finger tip to caress the top button of his shirt. I guarantee you will get a lot attention from that man, so choose him wisely!

If you are still not getting enough invitations to dance, you can…

#8. Tell several men at the same time.

Walk up to any small group of men and say, “I want to dance with you … and you … and you, too!” Then prepare yourself for lots of fun. And be sure you are wearing comfortable shoes because you are going to be dancing non-stop!

#9. Take part in the Class.

By taking part in the Salsa Class you are already breaking the ice. This will make the fellas more comfortable asking you, or vica versa.

Sure, some of  these techniques involve moving  outside your comfort zone. As you do so I guarantee that your confidence will increase in other areas of your life as well. Have fun!

Paul

http://www.salsasquad.com