What Social Salsa Dancing Looks Like

Absolute Beginner Salsa

In this class we will teach you all the basics of Salsa. The foundational moves. No experience or partner required. You will only take 3 months minimum of these classes before moving on to the Salsa 2 classes. We will share with you the 5 Rules of Dance and how they apply to Salsa . We will share the secrets of how to move your partner and connect.

We always start with a warm up where we review the basics steps and rules of Salsa. We then show you a fun and easy Salsa movement with a partner and put those basic elements to practice. These lessons are designed for people with very little Salsa experience. We use a drop in style of teaching, which means you can start any week. This class will help you understand the moves, alone and with a partner. You will be able to do a dance move by the end of it, that you could practice outside of class too.

The syllabus of the class is a module by module syllabus. Which means that all you need to know to successfully complete the class is taught to you when you attend the class. No previous experience is required. Our reviews of the information needed is not based on attending a previous class or a future class. All modules are stand alone.

To become proficient in that level we recommend you attend this level for at least 3 months, as we have a rotating 14 module syllabus. Students come to a class and continue in this level until they have been exposed to all the modules before moving on to the next level. It is much like a yoga class, the teacher may change the positions but all of them are the same level of difficulty. Students tend to stay in this level until they feel they have a good hold of the basic elements and they are dancing without thinking.

Here are some of the moves we will cover:

The High Five
The Cumbia
Tandem Turns
Connection
Open Hand Turns
Ladies First
Hairbrush Turns
The Waiter
Cuatro
Underarm Turns
Block The Sun Twice
Open To Open
Double-Double
The Cuddle

Salsa Bootcamp - Offered a couple times a year.

We will cover these basics. You will need to take at least 5 of the lessons in this level and continue drop in as many times as possible until you feel well versed in all the basics steps and you are moving without thinking.

5 Basic Steps
Connection
5 rules of dance
Open Hand Turns

It will be a fun journey!

Salsa Combos

This class focuses on the basic combinations of leading and following, basic turns and steps, rhythm and connection, you will be able to get on the dance floor as soon as possible and most likely during the 20 week syllabus not only at the end. We also spend time helping you learn about rhythm… there is no dancing without the understanding of rhythm! Last but definitely not least, we teach you how to establish the great connection needed to have a wonderful dance communication with your partner while reviewing all you learn. These moves are like all the ingredients you need to make your own salsa recipe.

Here are some of the moves we will cover:

Triple Turn
Cross Body Lead Turns
Inside Turns
Outside Turns
Cascade
Cape
Hammerlock
The Fake
Ocho
Left Turns
Cumbia double Spins
Dbl Spins
Hook Turns
The windmill
and many more

This class helps you link the moves you know into "leadable" combinations. We will also teach you easy to do moves that you can incorporate right away to your repertoire. All this in a fun social environment.

Workshops, Bootcamps, and Intensives

Periodically we offer more in depth training on specific topics.

1 Day Salsa Intensive

Duration: 6 hrs

In this intensive we spend a full day working with all the salsa moves that are easy to review and bring on to the dance floor. We work with props and different ways to learn the techniques. It is a deep dive into the techniques, fundamentals and understanding of salsa, musicality and steps. You will leave with 5 to 7 moves that can be danced well and a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to become an advanced dancer. It is the world of a group lesson and private lessons combined, You will have the benefit of a group lesson environment with lots of people to dance with and the detail, depth of focus of a private lesson.

Salsa Mix Bootcamp

Duration: 3 hrs

In our Salsa Mix Bootcamp we focus on linking moves and transitions. You will leave this bootcamp with the ability to dance a full song and understand how to connect every move you know. You will also have a shine which is a dance off segment where you can show off your partner or show yourself off. The class is structured in a way that you can drop in. It is easy enough for people regularly taking level 2 classes yet complex enough to look like a more seasoned dancer. We follow a customized warm up and share the class content in a way that can stand alone or can allow you to build on your skills. No Partner is required.

Cuban Salsa & Rueda Workshop

Duration: 2 hrs

Rueda is the cuban square dancing. Rueda originated in Cuba, and the basic steps are similar to Cuban style salsa. However, instead of each couple dancing individually, couples dancing Rueda form a circle (“rueda” means “wheel” in Spanish) and perform moves together to the calls (and often hand signals) of one person known as the caller or “cantante”.

There is a strong communal aspect to Rueda, as all the dancers have to work together to execute the complex patterns and partner switches. This makes it very fun. Rueda is done in the nightclubs of Cuba and around the world. All you need to know is some basic moves and you can join the team effort.

The Rueda moves are easy to build on and because of the nature of the caller repeating the moves very quick to pick up. This is an all levels class because all you need is to learn to walk and we will teach you the rest. If you do have salsa background it will be an asset, and you may be upgraded to a different role, like caller or cantante. We accept role reversals too so if you are a leader that wants to follow or a follow that wants to lead you are welcome to join this class as well.