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Repetition Makes the Master
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Learning how to practice is a key to learning any art. Repetition is the key. When
one move has been committed to the body's "muscle memory" then the next move can
be learned. This takes repetition. In practice, a student should not move on to
the next move until the last one has been done well at least 3-5 times in a row.
We recommend repeating a move until you are no longer challenged by it. |
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How Can I Learn Faster |
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There is no short cut to learning to dance except, dancing MORE. Although, learning
dance concepts should be secondary to the process of learning from/through the movement
itself, here are a few suggestions:
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- Practice footwork alone: spending about 30-40 minutes, several times per week, just
practicing footwork without a partner can make a significant difference in your
progress. Not only does it improve the footwork itself but it helps to strengthen
your knowledge of the rhythm. Your ability to execute more difficult steps is dependent
on your ability to keep the rhythm while dancing.
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- Listen @ home: If you are having difficulty hearing Salsa's rhythm, buy Salsa music
and listen as often as you can. Students who have difficulty hearing the rhythm
are often unable to distinguish one instrument from the rest of the group. An exercise
We recommend doing at home is to concentrate on hearing one instrument at a time.
Lie down and close your eyes if necessary. It may help to start with a piece that
has a cowbell prominent in the mix. The cowbell is present in the chorus of many
Salsa pieces and often plays straight time on the 1 and the 3 beats. When you can
do this, continue to listen for other instruments and it will teach you about the
basic structure of the music while enhancing your ability to listen while dancing.
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- Watch accomplished dancers: Having models who you wish to emulate in your dancing
is a great help. When out practicing, take some time to watch dancers you enjoy.
Watch for good posture, clean footwork, good flow and phrasing of steps. It is bound
to have a positive effect on your dancing and you may find yourself imitating these
positive attributes.
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- Learn another discipline: If you are willing to go the extra mile, learning another
discipline that involves body co-ordination such Tai Chi, jazz, ballet, aerobics
will help to expose you to different ways of moving the body and enhance body awareness.
A martial art may be particularly useful because it involves co-ordinating movements
with another person.
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Consistency
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In the beginning stages of learning Salsa, consistency is extremely important. As
with other disciplines, a lack of consistency can cause students' skills to regress
rather than advance. This means something different to each person, since individual
aptitude levels vary. For some, missing outside classroom practice opportunities
hinders learning. For others, the same effect is caused by missing the occasional
class and then attempting to catch up on the new steps learned. For yet others,
advancing to higher level courses too quickly can also cause the student to regress
in previously established skills. A steady but not necessarily quick learning pace
is preferable.
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Dance Floor Amnesia
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If it's your first time out on the social dance floor as a lead, and you don't experience
at least some 'Dance Floor Amnesia', you are either unique or fibbing. It's a most
common occurrence amongst leaders, including girls who lead. What happens is, you
begin dancing a basic step, continue dancing the basic step, and can't figure out
how to 'make it stop' ie. by doing something else. Nothing else comes to your mind.
You wrack your brain for all those steps you learned in class and keep drawing blanks.
It will pass. Few people get to skip this experience, so just grin and bear it.
Here's a few tips for dealing: 1) just stick to the basic 2) don't think about what
your partner is expecting 3) if you do the basic for long enough, another step will
come to you without you thinking about it. |
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Lead and Follow
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To both partners, we would like to stress the importance of being attentive to your
partner while dancing. While the fundamental idea that Man leads -- Woman follows
is true, there is a lot of communicating that CAN happen through movement and make
dancing with a partner even more enjoyable. When a women can follow well, the expertise
in her dancing can affect the character of steps executed and also inspire other
steps which the man will lead. To Achieve this, the utmost attention is required
of both roles - lead and follow.
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Dance Etiquette
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Dancing is a close contact activity. We understand that sometime the line between
inappropriate and appropriate can change as partners change, so please feel free
to communicate with your partner if you are uncomfortable. If you have any questions
or concerns please address them with our instructors (or someone else you trust)
immediately so that the issue can be resolved without disrupting our friendly dancing
community. |
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Here are some etiquette tips for social dancing and classes:
- Treat your partner with concern for their enjoyment and safety. Leaders place themselves
between their partner and harm's way.
- Switching partners is not required in the social setting, especially when one has
brought one's own.
- It is discourteous to shortcut or race someone else to the person you wish to dance
with.
- Unsolicited teaching and/or correcting your partner is very uncool in a social dance
situation. We recommend working out stuff at practices or classes, not at social
dances.
- It often happens that the two partners dancing socially are not at the same level.
It is important that the more experienced partner dances at the level of the less
experienced partner.
- Avoid apologizing for dance mistakes that did not cause personal injury. Just dance
your best.
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Some personal hygiene hints for dancing:
- Have a shower before going dancing
- Avoid onions and garlic before attending any dance class or function.
- Bring mints.
- Wear deodorant.
- Bring an extra shirt and towel if you sweat a lot.
- Smile, be warm and personable, be nice, and have fun!
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The Follower's Gift |
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A genuine smile to indicate when you are smiling inside can be the nicest thing
a dancer can do for her partner. So many of us are sensitive to the notion that
something we do may displease another. A smile can alleviate any nervousness your
partner may feel about this. Clear your mind of any expectations of your partner
that could be perceived as judgments. Perhaps focus and work on your own challenges
and this may result in some pleasant surprises
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The Leader's Gift
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With unfamiliar partners, start with moves she knows, and slowly, gradually introduce
more difficult patterns. Don't insist on repeating steps she's having trouble with.
This will not instill her confidence in your lead or in her own dancing. Be sure
of every step she makes so you are sure she is still corresponding with you. Pay
attention to your partner and the manner in which she executes steps rather than
have your mind be completely preoccupied with what you will execute next.
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This is a lovely gift. |
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