Salsa City Forum » News and Chat » Starting Salsa

I am seriously thinking about taking up salsa lessons, but I am a bit hesitant because my rudimentary dance skills leave alot to be desired.

Is it ok for someone who is no good at any form of dancing to learn the style, or am I better of learning another style of dancing first.

Thanks

Dave

You don’t need any dance skill to start learning salsa - good teachers will teach you from scratch. Don’t be discouraged if you find the first few lessons hard: it takes quite a while to develop the basic skills.

After a few months you will either be hooked or you’ll discover that you have no talent for dancing - in which case you can do leroc instead ; )

What other styles were you thinking of? Jazz? Tap? Disco? Line dancing?!

Jump straight into salsa. It’s a good introduction to dancing. Many excellent salsa dancers would never have got into dancing at all if it wasn’t for salsa.

Hi Dave, I started at the end of February and now I’m well and truly hooked. Read my thread ‘Addicted to Salsa’.

Yes you will probably find the first few lessons quite difficult, but who knows you might find you’re a natural. But either way stick with it’s just a case of being bold!

A good place to start for first timers is The Wharf on Sundays as it has a nice friendly atmosphere and is’t as intimidating as some of the other venues.

HI Dave,

Anyone can learn salsa and you don’t have to have any dance training at all which is the best things! But it always helps if you can count to eight ;)

In fact, some types of dance training I think can make salsa harder. For example, I come from a ballroom background and the whole style is so different to salsa, right down to the hip movements so I think if u haven’t danced before salsa is a great choice!

Its fun, sexy and enjoyable. All you need to enjoy salsa is a smile!

Hi there dave

I totally agree with the comments - especially with lisa saying about how former dance training can actually sometimes get in the way slightly - I trained as a classical dancer (ballet, tap and modern and then went on to perform and teach these forms of dance) so when I then started salsa, I found it incredibly difficult to dance with a partner and follow his lead, rather than do what the teacher had just told me to do! (or even worse, I wanted to interpret the music in the way I thought best!) I’m glad to say, I did eventually learn how to follow (although I’m still guilty at times of wanting to lead - as you guys out there will all know!!)

Of course, it did help me to have rhythm and knowledge of how my own body moves etc, but by no means is this something you need to have before attempting your first salsa class - these are things that you will naturally learn throughout the classes.

As a teacher and dancer of salsa, my advice to you would be to “go for it!” and above all “enjoy!”.

I would say that salsa is one of the best ways to get into the dance scene - I would definitely recommend it. Salsa can be danced on so many different levels that it suits so many individual needs. Just go with an open mind and let your feet do their thing!!

Have fun - let us know how you get on! (or if you come to any of my classes, say hello!)

Good luck

Nat

I would love to be able to dance, but It currently feels as if I have two left feet. I am a fairly big person and I can be a bit cumbersome, will this problem disappear over time and does it pose a big problem initially when starting to learn.

I am scared that I will make a fool of myself really, I know I am a complete beginner but I don’t want to appear totally hopeless. Where and when would the best class be for me to start??

Regards

What more can we say? Read around the forum to get a flavour of the various nights. Now it’s up to you.

Hi again Dave,

Like you, I was tentative when I started back at the end of February and the first lesson I found I was looking at my feet all the time.

But at first it’s probably best to focus on someone who has been a few times and who clearly has good rythmn. Once you are able to duplicate what they are doing you will feel a lot more confident and it goes from there.

As I said in message 4, ‘be bold’ I would suggest you start at The Wharf on Sundays. Go on, give it a go. Maybe see you there.