Salsa in Toronto: Three Moves you Have to Learn as a Follower
If you live in Toronto, you are incredibly lucky because of all the cities in Canada Toronto is the best to learn Salsa. So if you’re looking to take a Salsa class in Toronto, here are three moves that you have to learn in order to be able to go to a nightclub, feel confident, and have fun.
The Right Turn and the Left Turn
It sounds basic but it is so important. It’s not just about doing the turns but about when you turn.Timing is important! Every dance will have turns but timing is key.
For example, we teach LA Style Salsa and for the right turn, a follower turns on the 5 and half count and on seven for a left turn. This might sound like jargon if you are a beginner but we make sure everyone who finishes the beginner class at our school knows these turns. Everything in Salsa is pretty much a variation of those turns, so you have to learn them.
Cross Body Lead Turn
This one has a lot of different names – Crossbody Lead with an Inside Turn, Crossbody Lead with a Left Turn – the name isn’t important but the move is definitely important. When you go social dancing, the crossbody lead turn will be one of the top three moves leaders will do, no matter what level. It’s the bread and butter of Salsa. We always teach this move in Salsa Level One because we know you can’t go to a nightclub if you don’t learn it. If you go to other schools, make sure that is one of the moves that is part of their curriculum. It is one of those things where you can’t consider yourself a beginner, if you don’t know it.
Small Combinations
By the time our students graduate from Salsa Level One, we make sure that followers are able to follow basic combinations because when you do go out dancing, it’s not just going to be one move and then a bunch of basics. Followers must learn to do one move after another. You are really learning to stay present and not get overwhelmed,
One of the worst feelings ever is when you follow a move and then the leader does another move and you miss it and then you miss the next move because you are unprepared. So if you are not taking classes at Toronto Dance Salsa, ask if they teach combinations at the beginner level.
Bonus tip – Look for Classes that have a Structure & a Curriculum
The best kind of experience is where there is a structure and a curriculum where week by week, you are learning material and building on the previous week’s knowledge. This way, you stretch and learn enough where you feel like you’re growing but don’t feel like you’re overwhelmed. My advice is to make sure you’re looking for schools that have a structure and a curriculum. Drop-ins are inconsistent but if you commit once a week and have the same teacher, the same classmates, you will learn more quickly and be out social dancing before you know it.
I can’t wait to welcome you to our big family, have you come in week to week, have fun, connect with new friends and let loose to amazing Latin songs. Click here to check our current schedule.
If you have any questions you would like me to answer here are some ways you can contact me: message me on Instagram (torontodanceSalsa), on Twitter (#torontodanceSalsa), on Facebook (Toronto Dance Salsa) or email me at [email protected].
