THIS IS SALSA

Put simply, Salsa is dance music.
To us, though, it is much more than that.
Salsa is passion, energy, spontaneity, creativity, freedom.
Salsa is a way of life.

This page sets out to explain some of the things you need to know when considering booking a Salsarific holiday. You may already know most the information, or you may have never danced a step. Either way, we want you to get the most out of your holiday and the most out of Salsa.

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Dance Levels

Beginner’s level

This is for the absolute novice who wants to experience the exhilaration, passion and joy that is Salsa. Mastering the basic steps is surprisingly easy and with practice, help and tuition, turns, arm movements and more complex steps can soon be incorporated. Learning how to move your feet, arms, head and body whilst holding your partner all in time with the music can be tricky at first, but with a little perseverance, the results can be fantastic.

Intermediate level

Intermediate level is for people who have been dancing for a minimum of 6 months and have a competent knowledge of mambo, cross body-lead and basic turns. Intermediate dancers have the spatial awareness and ability to lead and follow without bumping into their partner - and people around them!

Advanced level

Advanced is for dancers with at least a years experience and who have the ability to dance many different styles (for example New York, LA, Cuban). They should be able to safely perform lifts, dips, fast turns and footwork and be confident, expressive and creative in their dancing.

When selecting your dance level for a holiday it’s always better to opt for a lower level if you are unsure – teachers will be happy to move you between levels if necessary to ensure that everyone gets the most out of their classes.

Dance Styles

There are as many Salsa dance styles as there are people dancing and Salsa continues to mix and include other influences as it develops as an art form. The three most common styles are Cuban, New York, and L.A. Cuban, and its sub-styles Casino and Miami, is characterised by its circular dance motion, complicated arm movements and dazzling technical dexterity. The L.A. style is based around a move called the “cross body lead” and involves “in-line” (dancers exchanging positions in straight line movements) as opposed to circular dancing. It does not involve arm movements as complicated as the Cuban style, but is sexy and flamboyant with lots of dips, spins and drops. New York style again does not involve the more complex arm movements; the turn patterns are fast and simple and are often designed to display the follower beautifully. The key difference of New York style is that it is danced ‘on the two’ rather than L.A. and Cuban, which are both danced ‘on the one’ (dancing ‘on the two’ means that the first step is taken on the second beat of the music rather than the first). The most important thing is that there is no “correct” Salsa style and many dancers combine moves and turns from a variety of styles in a single dance. The one thing that is common to all styles is that Salsa is enjoyable, passionate and fun!

Clothing

Comfortable and reasonably smart clothes are perfectly suitable and because you will probably become hot, a fairly thin material is recommended. As with all warm environments, natural fibres are much better than nylon or polyester. You should make sure that what you are planning to wear will stay in place and be comfortable when dancing energetically.

Shoes should be smooth-soled to enable you to spin easily, leather soles are best for this. Trainers should be avoided because the grip of the synthetic soles can put a lot of strain on your knees as you try to spin. Specialist dance footwear is available which you might want to consider if you become a regular Salsa dancer. Contact Salsarific HERE for details of recommended retailers.

Dance Partners

Salseros (Salsa Dancers) are incredibly sociable people who gather together to dance. So it doesn’t matter if you arrive without a partner - if you love to dance, you will soon find someone to dance with! On holidays that include classes, dancers regularly rotate partners to gain the most experience and to learn from others.

Ability

Dancers come in all ages, abilities, sizes, and backgrounds. What they have in common is a love of dancing. As a beginner, you can expect nothing less than strong encouragement and support from fellow dancers, teachers and students alike.