Salsa City Forum » News and Chat » Lost my confidence in a big way at Cuba last night!

I write this thread anonymously and with a bit of trepidation as I don’t wish to critical of anyone except myself. Nor do I wish to be discouraging to any one starting Salsa for the first time.

Up until last night I felt I had always I had come away from the classes with a sense of achievement having learned something new each time.

Last week I had really enjoyed the improvers class, and by the end I felt I had just about cracked the sequence of moves even if they still were a little rough around the edges.

But last night was different kettle of fish altogether. We did four or was it five variations on the cross body lead. Up to and including the third variation I was fine. After we were showed the fourth variation, I suffered a near complete blackout of the moves we had been shown. (Please note, alcohol was not the reason as I am T total).

I think the problem arose by me not being able to master the 360 turn in a closed hold where of course the foot placement is so important. Consequently, the only sequence I could remember after that was the first variation of the cross body lead and I apologise to the partners who were lumbered with me towards the end of the class.

This was not a nice experience and when Andy said ‘change partners’ for the final time I abandoned the class near the end due to the increasing look of boredom on my last few partners faces. Again, sorry if that left someone out there without a partner to continue the final rotation.

The class ended with the Bachata in couples which I would have liked to have had a go at as we had started the beginners with a few Bachata warm up steps. But by this time my confidence was shattered because I could only remember tiny fragments of the cross body lead variations in the Salsa.

I’m not sure whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, but I got the impression that at least 80% of the people in the improvers class had been to classes with these moves, several times before and many of whom are now ready for the next level. In away though it is good to have a few more experienced people in amongst those of us just starting the improvers as many of them are kind enough to offer advice to help you polish up the moves.

Thank goodness for the Easter break! Hopefully I will come back next week, refreshed and ready to give it another crack, but I do not want to have to experience that again!

Don’t worry about this a bit. I have abandoned many classes. All salsa-class sequences are too long. Made worse by the fact that you do the early parts over and over again and don’t have enought practice of the later parts.

The standard way of teaching salsa is not very good. It’s just the least bad way we have. Most of the people in any class are not very committed and after a few weeks will give up or move on to something else. In effect, they are subsidising the cost of the lesson for the committed dancers. Just get what you can out of the classes you participate in. If you learn just one thing, that’s a plus, be happy.

Blackout, we’ve all been there (or at least a lot of us have). Keep going - in an improvers class you are perfectly entitled not to get it straight away.

If it’s any consolation, I still lose the plot in lessons when the sequence is too long, and I’ve been dancing for nearly five years. I would like to see a lot more repetition, and shorter sequences, in most classes (whatever the level). At intermediate level this is one of Andy’s strengths - his sequences are half or a third the length of what some people attempt to teach.

I’d also suggest that you try going to other classes as well - for example Nathalie is very popular with improvers.

I think another issue -which is a consequence of the casual drop-in nature of salsa classes - is that there are too few different levels. Some of the ‘improvers’ in the class will have been doing it for months, while others will just have moved up from beginners, and they ought to be in different classes.

Hi blackout

Do not worry at all!!! We all have times in every aspects of our lives where our brains (and our feet!) just do not do what we want them to do! We all have our “off days” and these translate to salsa too.

The most important thing to do however, is not to let it put you off - just put it in the past where it belongs, and leave it there!

It is often the case whereby we get caught up on just one step (in this case, the 360 turn) and it can then put us off the rest of the class. This again is totally normal and natural - but don’t ever be afraid of speaking out in class or grabbing the teacher as they go around and asking for further clarification of a certain move. (you’ll be surprised just how many other people are also struggling with that same move!) or indeed, ask your partner for advice - especially if they have just danced with one of the more advanced students.

Alternatively, if during the actual class, the teacher doesn’t give you various options for the moves you’re struggling with, you can always choose to leave out certain moves which you are really battling with and do your own alternative. (just explain to your partner that you are doing this). salsa after all is not a choreographed dance form - the classes are based on choreographies simply because the teachers have to string certain moves together - but these are by no means set in stone.

If you do decide to do this, it would be an idea to ask the teacher at the end of the class to work with you briefly on the move that was causing you difficulty and/or to show you alternatives.

You will find in all classes that people of higher levels do the lower classes too - some use it as a warm up etc but also, and more importantly, people realise the benefit of getting the basic and improver steps as strong as possible, and even people of a very high level need to repeat and practice the basics often. But please don’t let people of a higher level put you off - just think that they all started off somewhere too and look at them for inspiration!

Also, at the end of the day, it is only salsa! (not sure if I should say that as a teacher?!)

Have a good easter break!

Nat
(and thanks tom for your kind comment!)

Thanks for the encouragement everyone.

Last week I found every time we added a move we rehearsed the sequence from the beginning and also the moves were generally quite different from each other which helped in remembering what came next.

Even though the Salsa is not a set dance, I do think that sequencing is good way of learning new moves as it shows how to smoothly link one move to another. Otherwise I think it would be more difficult.

I think that this week because the moves were generally all variations on the cross body lead and therefore similar it meant I had trouble remembering the differences between each one. The 360 turn was actually the one contrasting move in the sequence but because I was paying so much attention to Andy’s foot placement in the demo this is what foxed me and made me forget the other variations of the cross body lead.

I’ve seen the 360 turn in previous classes and think it’s one of those moves I’m only going to get right if see it demoed in super slow mo’, copy it in super slow mo’, then go and practice it until it’s engrained in my memory for the next time.

I relate this to being able to teach myself how to juggle. It was only when I saw juggling on the TV in slow motion that I managed to see where each of the three balls / clubs were at any one time and therefore understand how it was done.

Yes I might consider a different approach for a while ie concentrate on only going to the venues with fewer people, so that I feel less intimidated to ask a question if I have trouble with a particular move.

Sir Blackout,

Half the magic of a dance class is that we help each other learn. Sometimes you are helping someone because you are more familiar with the pattern. Other times, someone helps you....

For men in particular, much of the enjoyment of class is also tied to success with the pattern. Sometimes you have to temper this automatic expectation.

One hint though, it sounds like you are trying to complete a complicated turning variation by watching the instructors feet. Foot placement is critical for developing balance and “looking good”. However, more important, is the timing of the turn initiation. If you watch the instructors center(couple inches above the navel), there is usually a count when the center initiates a turn. Often you also notice the center (or shoulders) turning the opposite way (prep) just before the turn. When you begin to notice this, the secret is out (and you need to practice this timing without a partner). Although not every turn is initiated by the center (many improver level turns are). Good Luck

Thanks for the tips Pas. Just hope I don’t suffer the same fate as last week. Tonight will probably be the most difficult to push myself to give it another go since I started.
I suppose it’s a bit like falling off our bike when we were little and getting straight back on.

Remember, the Cuba Bar is the most chaotic salsa venue in Cardiff, with the greatest number of inexperienced and uncommitted participants. Many of whom are just “doing it for a laugh”. It’s unrealistic to expect things to always go smoothly there. Lighten up on yourself a bit.

Blackout,

Of course, when learning to ride a bike, you didn’t get to hold onto 20 different women in one hour. Dance classes do have their advantages.

Pas

You’re dead right Hugh, I need to lighten up and take myself less seriously. Actually Salsa has really helped me to do that like I never expected.

Last night was one of the best since I’ve started, so I now feel I’m back on track.

I quite agree Pas, and last night the classes were particularly ‘hands on’ and seemed to be enjoyed by all who were there.