Since starting my blog I am always interested to see what others around the world are writing about when it comes to salsa. I found a funny blog post from someone named Kristy Gustafson from New York who accepted a date to go salsa dancing without actually knowing how to salsa. Click here to read her funny and entertaining blog.
What was interesting is the length she went to prior to her date to learn how to dance and incorporate herself into the culture (high heeled shoes, new cute dress, new salsa music, lessons, practicing at home, etc.). This is likely an issue many people face as salsa has become so popular and is a great idea for a date.
So here is my advice on this subject. be honest with your date about your abilities (or lack thereof) on the dance floor. Most clubs have a beginner lesson prior to the social dancing at about 8pm or 9pm. Make plans to go early to this lesson so you can practice your basic steps. This way even if you have both learned different styles of salsa prior to the date you have some common steps to work with during the date.
Try not to wear new shoes or uncomfortable shoes. If you can’t walk comfortably for an hour in your shoes there is no way you will be able to dance in them. Low heels with a slippery sole is the best bet (leather soles are great, 2 inch maximum heel for your first salsa adventure). Wear appropriate clothing. Although you want to look great, is your shirt too low or your skirt to hight? I went salsa dancing once when I first started dancing with a skimpy top which popped open during a spin – I learned my lesson quickly 🙂 Make you sure you do the salsa test on every outfit: spin and bend backwards in a dip-like stance and see if anything pops out!
One thing many beginners don’t know is there are different styles of salsa. Kristy who wrote the blog spoke of learning to dance on 2 and then her surprise at learning that everyone danced on 1. In addition to the different beats you can dance on there are also different styles. Click here for a breakdown of each style. Make sure you know what style is common in your area and which you prefer visually (youtube has great videos). In Toronto most people are still dancing on 1 with the New York/LA Style dance style being more prevalent nowadays. That doesn’t mean this is the style you need to learn but just research your options.
Hopefully this helps for all you daters out there 🙂
