It’s no fun dancing close to someone who smells.Shower and brush your teeth before coming out, wear clean clothes and if it’s hot and you’re going to be dancing for a while, bring a small towel and/or a change of top.
Salsa is a contact sport!Partners are supposed to dance close together and many of the moves don’t work if you’re dancing at arm’s length.If your partner doesn’t smell (see above) get in close and stay close, unless the lead tells you otherwise.
Salsa dancing is a very social scene.Try not to refuse a dance if you’re asked, regardless of who is asking.
Try to dance with a variety of partners of different styles and standards.It will make you a better dancer.
Don’t be afraid to ask for a dance – see above!
If you’re not dancing, keep off the dance floor!
Be considerate of other dancers on the dance floor.If it’s crowded, you may need to take smaller steps, cut out the more extravagant moves and keep a careful eye on where the other dancers are.
If you go wrong, bluff it!Probably nobody will notice, but if they do, they may be coming up to you later and asking you to show them the new move!
The best way to improve is to practise.
Tips for Beginners
By all means have a chat with your partner, but not while the Instructor is trying to tell you something.
Look at your partner, not your feet.And smile – you’re doing this for fun!
If you’re not sure, ask, you’re probably not the only one who’s confused.
If you’re still not sure, ask again at the end of the lesson.The class has to move on at some time.
Don’t be afraid to ask more advanced dancers for a dance or a bit of advice.Very few will mind and many will take it as a compliment.We were all Beginners once.
Classes will only get you so far.Practise your footwork at home and take the opportunity to go to dances if you can, it really is the only way to improve.
Listening to Salsa music (or indeed any music) at home, in the car or wherever and counting out the beat will help you with your timing.
Tips on Dress
Avoid shoes that have a lot of grip or come off easily. Rubber soled shoes, including trainers, will make it difficult to turn and put a strain on your knees. Sandals without straps have a tendency to come off while flip-flops, which we have seen, are definitely a bad idea Leather soled shoes are ideal, but a hard, composite sole is also fine.
Loose clothing, such as open cardigans or jackets, can make it difficult to take a proper hold. Experienced dancers will usually cope, but a flapping cardie can really throw a Beginner.
Be careful with the bling! Chunky rings can easily scratch hands, while earrings, necklaces and bracelets can catch on your partner's clothes, leaving them with a damaged top or you with a very sore ear.
Other than that, wear what you're comfortable in, bearing in mind that it can get pretty warm.
Tips for Men
Simple moves done well look much better than complicated moves done badly.It’s not a competition to see how many different moves you can fit into one track.Yes, you have to practise your latest move if you’re ever going to perfect it, but keep it sensible.
Don’t put your partner into move after move that they don’t know and can’t dance.They won’t enjoy it, the dance will look awful and anyone watching will think you’re a slime ball.The odd move that they don’t know is fine and many ladies will enjoy the challenge, provided that the level is appropriate.
If you haven’t danced with your partner before keep it simple until you have worked out their level.If you have to, keep it simple for the whole dance.
You partner is (hopefully) a lady, not a sack of spuds. Your lead should be an invitation, not a demand and if she doesn’t do what you were hoping, don’t force it. Strong grips and overly forceful leads can be painful and even dangerous.
Latin dancing is about making the lady look good.The man is the frame for the dance, the lady the picture.
With few exceptions, if the dance goes wrong it is the man’s fault (see Tips for Ladies for the exceptions).You’re in charge of the timing and you lead the moves so, if the lady can’t follow, you either haven’t led properly or you’ve asked her to do something that’s beyond her. But hey, who cares? Smile and move on. It will come with practice.
Keep a very careful eye on the dancers around you and avoid leading your partner into collisions – high heels can cause some nasty injuries!
If you can’t think of the next move, don’t panic!There is no problem with repeating the moves you have already done, or doing a Basic for a while.
After a few weeks of Improver lessons you will probably reach information overload.Don’t worry, it will eventually pass.In the mean time, pick just a couple of routines or bits of routines that you really like, practise them and try to introduce them into your dancing.Forget the rest, you will be learning another routine next week anyway!
Tips for Ladies
If you want to be asked to dance, make yourself available.Sit or stand near the dance floor and look interested.Don’t sit chatting with a group of mates.
Don’t be picky. It's rude to refuse without good reason and if other dancers see you refuse, they are less likely to ask you themselves.
If the dance goes wrong, it’s nearly always the man’s fault (see Tips for Men).The exceptions are when you’ve decided to lead yourself, or when you’re so busy checking out the frocks on the dance floor that you would miss a lead if it was stamped on your forehead.Give the man a chance!
It may be the man’s fault, but don’t blame him!Most ladies don’t dance as a man and have no idea how difficult it can be to think of the next move and lead it properly in the middle of a dance, particularly at Beginner and Improver level.
Don’t just go through the motions.Smile, put a little styling in if you can and enjoy yourself!
