Salsa City Forum » Salsa Music and Dance » Advice please!

Hi everybody. I have trained in ballet yet I have become to tall to do it professionally. I am now looking for an alternative dance form that I can enjoy and I think salsa may be it! Some questions; are there classes anywhere in the South Wales area on a Friday night, Saturday or Sunday? Also, is it best to come with a friend (I don’t have a partner) or is it ok to come alone? And finally, can you give me some idea of what a salsa class is like; format, numbers and venues etc. Please bear in mind that I am a complete beginner!
Sorry about all these questions,
Look forward to a reply xxx

Hi anon 494,

Well where to start? Salsa is so diferent to ballet but I think you’ll enjoy it, I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t actually.

You say South Wales... could you be more specific? There is a Friday night class on a Friday in Cardiff, no classes on a Sat but La Tasca in Crdiff is open from 11pm - 2am and is the only venue for salsa on a Saturday and there are classes in Newport on a Sunday night too. All depends where you live really and where you wanna go. There are salsa classes 7 nights a week if u want them!

Check out www.dancalatina.com and www.nat.heminc.com and also www.vamosabailar.blogspot.com for various listings of classes etc.

You don’t need to bring a partner as most classes use the format od rotating partners so everyone gets a chance to dance. There a lot of people who go alone and its very friendly. Salsa is very sociable and you meet lots of new friends but by all means take a friend with you if you’d rather... they might love it too!

Numbers depend on which class or venue you are at. The format also depends where you are but most beginners classes are taught similarly going over the timing, basic footwork etc and how to dance with a partner etc etc.

I hope you find what you’re looking for!!

Lisa

Thanks for the reply. I am looking for something preferably in the Cardiff area. I’m so sorry but I have even more questions;
What’s the average age in these classes?
Is the general atmosphere that of a “club”? I think I would prefer this-presumably there are some with better atmospheres than others?
Hopefully you can answer these as well as you answered the last load!
Many thanks xxx

Hello again!

Well in Cardiff a real club atmosphere is Bar Cuba on a Tuesday night... full of students but a good laugh and there is dancing til 1am. Risa on a Thursday night is very good too... the classes are held upstairs and then the social dancing is downstairs in the bar area which is also very good... the most club like place I would say is La Tasca on a Saturday night, like I said there aren’t any lessons but its an authentic spnish restaurant and the dancing starts at 11pm.

You get a real mix of people there from 20 up to 60! But its great fun and you also get the latin crowd too.

The other classes for example on a Friday and Sunday are brilliant but they’re not club like, far more subdued. The age range varies from each place but generally there are people there from all age groups.

Hope that helps!