Salsa City Forum » Salsa Music and Dance » Getting the right mix of abilities in class

Recently I’ve found that the mix of abilities in classes is so varied that it’s affecting my enjoyment... even to the extent of not taking certain classes. I realise that teachers will not find this easy, especially where dancers are ‘in between’ but they should be capable of making sure this does not affect the class. I also think teachers have a responsibility to the class to get this right. I’m not being elitist... Hey we’ve all been there!!! But when you have beginners/improvers and better dancers all mixed together, it just doesn’t work well for the more able. Teachers used to be more strict with this and usually sorted it out, but seemingly not now. Has anyone else found this the same as me? It seems to be the same wherever I go.

I find this too, almost everywhere. In my opinion, as you improve as a dancer you get diminishing returns from public lessons as they are usually run. Luckily, once you have the basics, understand the timing, and can keep the beat, there is a huge body of knowledge you can access very economically, stored on VIDEO.

Thanks Hugh... can you recommend some for me to watch and practice to?

I’ve learned stuff from videos by Eric Freeman at Salsaville and Josie Neglia at Latin Dance. If you order salsa DVDs or videos from abroad, make sure they are for the correct region and format for your equipment.

Has anyone else got any recommendations?

Josie Neglia Advance Salsa Combinations 8 & 9 (first one is combinations and the second one is Drops and Flips) is quite good. She’s got a lot of cool moves but you would have seen about 50% of them on the dance floor. Her styling is really good - especially for the ladies.

Salsa Brava Advanced DVD is very funny to watch and if you like LA/NY style flashy moves you can go for it. You get about 15(?) combinations and I like the way they explain things (a bit cheesy at times). Prob. Better than Josie Neglia (my personal opinion).

My fave? Alex Da Silva’s DVDs. I really like his Sexy Moves and Int. Moves DVDs. His Advanced Salsa DVD got some combinations, some ladies shines and drops etc so it’s probably the best if you go for Int. & Sexy moves. He only show about 10 combinations per DVD. The moves are really good but he could have explained a bit slower.

All those DVDs are multi region (region 0) and I ordered direct from them so they were much cheaper than buying from UK based stores (some people are gonna kill me!!!) Normally takes about 2 weeks to get them!

Men Styling - Salsa Brava and Alex DaSilva ones are really cool. There’s loads out there for ladies but Josie Neglia’s DVD is very easy to follow according to my girlfriend. I think if you get ‘Latin Hips’ styling Video you’ve got the best one cos it explain everything about salsa styling in DETAIL (can put u to sleep).

Alot of the UK dancers use Super Mario DVDs. They are good but everybody got them!!

The only thing is finding time (and if you haven’t - partner) to practice and like in any salsa places it’s only a matter of time before other people know your moves. Also it’s down to personal preference regarding dancing style. I got all those DVDs so above is my personal opinion only. Happy Dancing. Good luck...

Dean Maynard has a good couple of videos.

Moves, moves moves. Is ment to be advanced (intermediate at most in reality). 10 shine patterns, 10 move combinations. Very linear and “New Yorkish” but well broken down very well for men and womens step. His timing is actually off on the video (VERY DISAPPOINTING) but if your good enough to follow the routines then you should automatically be good enough to correct his crap timing.

BEFORE ANYBODY STARTS ABOUT ME CRITICISING THE GREAT DEAN MAYNARD... (thought I’d get in quick) Watch the video first, his timing and counting are RUBBISH!

Hey FiFi,

I agree!! Something should be done about the lessons. Don’t get me wrong, when I’m social dancing, all I wanna do is dance and enjoy myself and I will dance with anyone of any level and always have a great time... well mostly!

I don’t always find the lessons enjoyable as you’re trying to learn new things and it’s highly frustrating when the guy doesn’t lead it or what have you but unfortunately I just don’t think there is the space or the teachers available to really split the classes.

I don’t know where u dance but certainly at The Wharf and The Toad, Andy asks everyone to warm up to a song and show they can do certain moves... he always says if they can’t they should go to improvers. Yet, watching people, a lot of them can’t but nothing gets said. I can understand that u can’t really say to people who have been dancing for years to go back down a level but they can certainly control the amount of beginners who move up levels when they really shouldn’t.

The only reason I get really arsey about it is because I have been physically hurt on numerous occasions by men who don’t know what they doing... no fun there!

But, hey ho, it’s the same wherever u go... I just try to enjoy myself as best I can... after all it should be fun shouldn’t it!

But I do know how annoying it is when u don’t feel like ur learning anything from the lessons.

Having read all the different submissions on the level of dancing and which videos to watch, I have been dancing for over three years and only got into it because people where helpful and spent time and put up with me treading on toes, bashing into people etc, all of which I still do but with more control and style.

I think it comes down to honesty and the teachers. People should know their limits and respect others.

I work in health and safety a lot and competence comes into all aspects, understanding ones own level is often hard to do but if you have doubts you should not attempt or consider doing risky things and the same should be said of those taking part in classes. They should be honest with how competent they are and what level they really are. They should step out and let others, whom are able to, enjoy learning new things. The one aspect in the Cardiff dance scene that is lacking is advanced classes. I think the reason behind this was so many people attempted to do them who where basically crap, and I include myself. It was unfair on those who wanted something more taxing.

I have stopped doing classes in Cardiff because of the number of people attempting higher levels who do not have some of the basics to do the class and the tutors are spending so much time explaining the basics, such as cross body leads etc It becomes frustrating.

To solve this for myself I have the odd private class to work on new moves etc and tidy my poor style, and I go to other nights around the country.

I do think that the tutors should be strict and if people can’t do the moves and hamper the flow they should be told to step out. This is the practice I have seen elsewhere and it works. People just need to know their limits and not attempt things they are not skilled in and spend time to fine tune moves, count to 4 or 3 or 2 whatever but make things work for them. They also need to understand space and control and, if male, how to lead and, for the women, how to be lead.

It should also be fun, then, when it is the social free dance, people of all levels should mix and ask each other and, if need be, put up with the odd interesting dance. You never know, you might enjoy it, learn something, or even meet someone new. But, all in all, know your limits!!!

Mighty

I find it a bit annoying sometimes.

Sometimes I’ll do a class as a follower, and I’ll dance with people who obviously can’t do the improvers lesson -- who mess up, who have no body motion, who wouldn’t know what an isolation was if it jumped up and bit them in the bottom and said “hi, I’m an isolation” -- who are WORSE THAN ME -- and yet who go on and do intermidiate classes!

I work hard and think about what I do. Yes, I have a lot of sympathy for teachers who have to make their lessons accessible to the lowest common denominator and yet have to make them interesting to the old lags. It can’t be easy.

But there’s got to be more to it. There’s got to be musicality and rhythm and technique. Sometimes it seems that it’s all about the moves and not at all about the feeling.

I danced in a class with a guy who seemed to think of himself as a good dancer a few weeks ago, yet he hurled me through turns so forcefully I was having to catch myself on my heels and was constantly off balance. If it’s all about showing off I am not sure I want any part of it.

This is making me really upset. I don’t know what to say.

OH SCREW IT! I’m going to dance solo around my living room to “Richie’s Jala Jala” and forget all the horrible dancefloor rhinos and arrogant idiots and try and remember why I love this music and this dance!

Hey Hugh and Joe many thanks for the links, they’re just fab, waiting for my orders!!!

Hi Lisa, didn’t consider the possibility of injury, but good point and the teachers should be tuned in to this.

Hi Elena, good guy dancers just don’t throw you around, but some teachers specifically raise this point and amazingly the guys do listen, even if it is forgotten a few minutes later. The point is that the dance is several notches better when both have that empathy and timing. Good choice of music, reminded me to give it an outing.