At every venue there are three 11 Week Absolute Beginners Salsa Dancing Courses every year. These
run during Autumn (Sept-Dec), New Year (Jan-Mar) and Spring (May-Aug).
An 11 week course is special: we build from the absolute
fundamentals of dancing. Over the course we progress steadily
(but with plenty of revision and repetition as we go along). Because of this I make a number of
commitments to you
to ensure you get a fair go at the course.
Here is a guide to the sort of things you will learn during
your 11 week Absolute Beginners Course:-
(This is approximate and will change slightly, in particular different things
are learnt on each of the three courses called 'Fusion', 'Cuban' and 'New York'.)
- Lesson 1, Rhythm and Simplified Stepping:
We will listen to lots of Salsa music and practise dancing in time.
We will also learn what latin-dancing looks like and do some simple moves.
- Lesson 2, Following Skills: We will keep practising what we learnt in week 1.
There will also be a new focus on the role of the follower.
- Lesson 3, Leading Skills: We will begin to see shapes and
patterns emerge in our dancing... this is because the leader will learn to change things.
- Lesson 4, Back-Basic and Dancing on the Spot: Exciting times...
we learn an authentic basic-step that reflects the origins of Salsa as a fun way to dance to fun music!
Real Salsa at last! Back-basic is best danced with some rotation - we also will learn what this looks like.
- ...After 4 Weeks: You will have had a go at an authentic basic-step and learnt
some fun moves that you can mix in too.
- Lesson 5, Combining everything: We will consolidate our learning
of the back-basic. The other moves we have learnt will become interludes/highlights in the dance.
- Lessons 6 & 7, Consolidation: We will do a thorough revision of the first
5 weeks. Dancing "range" will be highlighted.
- Lesson 8, Focus on Following: We will look again at how good following
enables the dance to be truly improvisational.
- Lesson 9, Focus on Leading: We will review and extend the different ways
the leader can change what is happening in the dance.
- Lesson 10, Focus on Smoothness: A good dance is often smooth/flowing.
We look at how relaxing into the dance can help this to happen.
- Lesson 11, Focus on Symmetry: A good dance often has interesting
shapes and symmetries. We look at how the leader can create them and the follower can aid in the process.
- Additionally during weeks 6-11: Individual dancing technique
will be developed through exercises in stepping, body movement and turning.
- ...After 11 Weeks: You will now be able to dance to a whole song
with improved flow, shape and imagination in your dancing. Individual dancing skills such as different
sorts of fancy turns will also have been developed during the last half of the course.
Like the look of it! Check out the
list of up-and-coming courses you can book onto.
