SalsaSolamente
© SalsaSolamente 2008
Salsa dancing at its best - now in Kettering, Market Harborough & Rushden

Salsa Lessons

Lessons are split into four levels: Beginners, Improvers, Intermediates and Advanced.

Lesson Structure

Teresa and Mark operate drop in style classes where there is no need to book or bring a partner just turn up and participate!

Lessons are split into different ability levels, each running for an hour.  All classes rotate partners throughout the lesson to help you improve your salsa faster and get to know each other!

You will also find that more advanced dancers regularly join in with the beginners class to help reinforce the leading and following that is taught in the lesson. These people are approachable and are often happy to go over the routines in freestyle after each lesson. We would encourage you to build up your dancing ability by practicing after the lessons to the different styles and tempos of salsa music, which also gives you a flavour of the range of music that you can dance salsa to.

Beginner salsa lessons

Absolute Beginners & Beginner (Level 1)

A beginners lesson will introduce you to the dance, break down the basic footwork for Salsa, followed by partner work where a simple routine is taught to reinforce footwork and introduce leading (for the men) and following (for the ladies).

There is no set syllabus at beginner level however we aim to introduce the following within the Beginners classes. Remember - some of you will be absolute beginners where this is your first attempt to learn Salsa. We go over similar steps and routines each week in the Beginners class and it will become easier in the subsequent lessons that you attend at this level:

  • Solo and partner footwork (to include Basic step, Side step, Open step, Back step, Salsa step)
  • A basic routine in partner formation (to include the above + Basic turn, Basic spin, Cross body, Solo turns)
  • Leading and following (to include hand grips & changing of hand holds, hand and arm positioning, preparation & partner awareness)
  • Co-ordinating footwork with upper body movement (leading & following)
  • Timing, tempo & interpreting & understanding how to dance to the music

We recommend that you attempt at least 4 classes at beginner level before you join the improvers lesson where we concentrate on developing our footwork further, applying more complex routines and introducing styling.

There is no set duration to remain in a class, however we recommend that you feel comfortable with all moves taught at your level before you move on to the next level. You will benefit from reinforcing footwork and partner work to the speed of the music before you move up the levels.
Improver salsa lessons

Improvers (Level 2)

We recommend that you are familiar and confident with the fundamental Beginners footwork and routine patterns before you move to the Improvers class. This class builds on the foundation level introducing a longer, more complex and broader routine combination.

Moves that you will typically learn include:

  • Cross body & Cross body variations
  • More advanced combinations of spins and turns for man and lady including incorporation of Cuddle, Open breaks, Arm locks, Basic Copa and Styling

The focus at this level is on leading the lady into the relevant moves and increasing your repertoire of moves. At this level the man needs to demonstrate obvious and crisp leading as well as foot positioning. The lady must be willing to follow the man's lead. There will also be less stationary moves and an encouragement to begin to utilise the dance space.  You need to build these routines up to the speed of the music in the freestyle sessions before you consider the Intermediate class.
Intermediate salsa lessons

Intermediates (Level 3)

This lesson covers a more technically challenging structured routine which is faster paced to the previous classes and can include styling, spins and turns, and more progressive routine patterns and combinations. You must be more confident with timing and tempo of salsa music, and have an appreciation of good leading and following.

Advanced (Level 4)

This lesson presumes you have a reasonable repertoire of moves & sequences at intermediate level and that you are confident with timing and dance with ease to the salsa music in the club after the lessons. The class covers more advanced and technically challenging combinations including multiple spins and turns, and intricate routine patterns. Precise leading and confident following becomes fundamental with these complex routines to enable the moves to be executed successfully.