What to expect for my first time at a salsa dance class?
I am a 23 year old guy. I have been thinking that taking a salsa dance class would be a good way to go out and meet some new people and hopefully some good looking girls. I’m concerned that people thought it might be wired that I’m there. I don’t know if people my age go to these things or if its gonna all be older people. Also I can’t dance at all I dance like a white guy haha. I want to learn and mainly want to meet some girl and knowing how to dance would be a good thing too. So what can I expect for my first time?
Well, the best bet is that the teacher will focus on telling you on the history of salsa. The teacher might tell you that salsa was derived both from Cuba and Puerto Rico. Cuba had a lot more dances that led to our modern salsa today…rumba, guaguanco, son, cha-cha (or guajira), and danzon. Puerto Rico had the descarga, bomba, and plena. The salsa also had African roots from several African countries. In the 1950s, the "mambo" was popular in Cuba because of the mixture of Afro-Cuban rhythms and jazz. After the Castro regime ruled Cuba, Cubans fled to the United States (and some Puerto Ricans as well). From there some moved to Miami but most went to New York. Fania Records at that time (I think this was 1970 or so) wanted to name all of those Afro-Cuban and Puerto Rican mixture of rhythms. These rhythms were incorporated into American jazz and pop and that was why they called it "salsa."
Then, the teacher will probably teach you the several common holds in salsa. There is the practice hold, which places partners’ chests about 3 feet apart. There is the classic closed hold that you often see in ballroom. But most of the time, you will be in 2-handed open hold.
He will also teach you how to lead with your arms and face if you are a leader.
The teacher will then turn on the music so you will hear what salsa sounds like. He will likely say that salsa sounds like jazz and pop music which is mixed with Afro-Cuban rhythms, as I mentioned before. So that means bongos and congas, a timbale set, claves, as well as trumpets, a piano, a bass, plus a lead singer and a background chorus.
Finally, the teacher will teach you a few basic steps. Most likely he will teach the forward- basic step featuring 6 steps. For the man you go forward LF, RF steps in place, close LF to RF, and then the next 3 steps are the opposite. If a follower, you do the natural opposite footwork. The teacher is going to use the counts "1 2 3, 4 5 6", or "1 2 3, 5 6 7", or "Quick quick slow, quick quick slow" as counting cues for the salsa basic step.
This is what you will likely encounter in yoru first salsa class.
Dance and Music Classes and Lessons in Phoenix, North Phoenix and Scottsdale AZ- Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop. Tap, Musical Theater, Piano, Voice, Guitar www.benderperformingarts.com 602-971-9170
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Dance and Music Classes and Lessons in Phoenix, North Phoenix and Scottsdale AZ- Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop. Tap, Musical Theater, Piano, Voice, Guitar www.benderperformingarts.com 602-971-9170
video trailer depicting moore2salas's Gary Moore and S. Waymann
Im a beginner looking to learn