Salsa City Forum » Salsa Music and Dance » Frequently Asked Questions

I've put up a page of frequently asked questions for new salsa dancers in Cardiff. If you would like to add to the answers or if you think I've missed a good question, please add your comments below.

Good idea, Hugh.

You could try recommending some salsa CDs for beginners. Compilations I'd recommend are Salsa (World Music Network/Oxfam), Salsa Clasica (Nascente), African Salsa (Earthworks).

You could perhaps have 'how to improve quickly' - I'd suggest:
- Practise the basic steps at home and concentrate on dancing in time to the rhythm
- Take smaller steps
- Try different classes
- Go to more than one class a week
- Start 'free dancing' sooner rather than later - don't just go home after the class
- Dance with a variety of different partners
- Dance with Kevin rather than Tarzan ; )

Might be a good idea to have something on salsa etiquette as well - such as
- don't monopolise partners
- don't go into an intermediate/advanced class if you're a beginner: you won't learn anything and you won't make yourself popular
- take no for an answer (but don't let it get you down)
- don't dance drunk
- don't dance too close unless you're sure your partner wants to
- try to dance in one area of the dance floor without encroaching on other dancers' space, and so on.

Also, "How long does it take to learn salsa?" I'd say for men it can take a year or more to become a reasonable dancer. For women it can take a lot less time, maybe as little as a couple of months.

I agree with Bailamos about the FAQ idea...well done Hugh.

Regarding music - aside the completly illegal P2P software "sharing" networks such as Bearshare or Kazaa which you would never see me using or recommending... a-hem where you can download (steal) 1000's of songs for free (although there is this tiny copyright, theft problem but sod it) the best place for UK salsa music is Mr Bongo's in London.

This is the UK's only specialist Latin Hip Hop salsa shop. It has a top 10 and all sorts of other cool stuff (sells lambada too)

This was a regular place of mine when I live in the promised land of London - now I am forced to use their website but I really recommend them.

www.mrbongo.com

Thanks, Guys. This gives me the idea to do a page of "salsa tips" at a later date. I want to keep the FAQ to absolutely basic questions that are asked by people who have never been to a salsa class so we won't have to keep repeating ourselves in the forum.

Further tips and suggestions are welcome.