Here is the first excerpt from the article:

Salsa Dancing Etiquette – A Guide for Salsa Students and Dancers

Salsa clubs have their very own code of ethics and conduct that may sometimes not be apparent for new dancers. To make your dance experience as well as your partners’ and the dancers around you more enjoyable, please take note of the following salsa club guidelines and tips.

• Positioning yourself on the dance floor
You have just arrived at the salsa club and are anxious to begin dancing. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the surroundings and the dance scene. Every club is different in terms of where it is appropriate to socialize, stand and dance. The edge of the dance floor is a great place to position yourself when you are ready to begin dancing. Try to refrain from bringing glasses or bottles close to the dance floor as it can be dangerous. Be aware of the dancers and give them enough space to maneuver. Do your best to always navigate yourself around the edge of the dance floor (not through the centre) and take your time to ensure you do not bump into a dancer. There are many instances when a female is being spun and is bumped into by a passing patron/worker/dancer. This can be very dangerous and frustrating. Try not to congregate or socialize in groups around the dance floor. Most clubs have an area around the bar or to the sides for this and it will be less obstructive to the dancers.

• How to ask someone to dance – the male and female perspective
Gentleman, there is a right and a wrong way to ask for a dance. Please be polite. A smile and a general inquiry of “Would you like to dance?” is usually the best method but if you are not comfortable it is also appropriate to offer your hand (with a smile of course) to the lady. Once she accepts, an introduction of yourself will put her more at ease and create a connection.

Ladies, don’t feel that you have to wait for the men to ask you to dance. It is quite appropriate for you to do the asking. Remember that most men are very open to dancing. They may just be uncomfortable with doing the asking or afraid of being rejected. They will be relieved to have this task out of the way. If you have a good connection on the dance floor, the chances are great that the man will take over the asking task in the future.

More from the salsa etiquette guide in my next blog post!

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What does everyone think of these limitations. I can understand the minimum age limit because they are looking for adult dancers but is 30 too young an age limit to set? Are there not amazing dancers over the age of 30 who are still young, flexible and talented enough to compete with the twenty somethings?

If I think of the best salsa dancers in Canada and even in North America, they are almost all over the age of 30. This is mainly because it takes years of experience to become smooth and versatile in this dance. The other reason is because most people learn salsa as adults so it is not like ballet where a 15 year old dancer already has 10 years of dance experience.

Most other dances including ballroom, ballet, tap, jazz have dancers starting at a young age so this age limit may make sense. But it seems a shame to limit the competition when the 30 somethings will bring with them finesse, confidence, experience and a maturity to the competition that could really add an interesting element.

Oh well such is life! Comments??

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One of the conversations we had is how drama-free the TDS team is in comparison to many salsa groups. From past experience I know that just like work or school, salsa groups have lots of drama, competition, romances and friendships gone wrong. But with our TDS core team of instructors and helpers which has more than 60 people in the group, it is very rare to hear of any incidents. Everyone is really there to be social and enjoy the fun, stress-free environment. This is what I love most about what I do. Seeing students catch the salsa bug and grow and develop into helpers and really come out of their shell and become different people. They may move on to other groups in the future but I can be proud that their initial first years of salsa experience were positive, passionate and gave them a really good base of friendships, dance partners and dance experience.

Thanks for the great conversation and evening ladies – you all rock!

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It is deceiving to watch a great couple dance together. Everything looks smooth and simple and easy to execute. The reality is that becoming that smooth takes a lot of hard work and practice.

So there is no short answer on how long it takes to learn how to dance. It depends on whether you are leading or following or if you have prior dance experience. Even certain sports experience can assist in your learning capacity. I have found over the years that those with martial arts experience and gymnastic experience will learn faster generally. It also depends on whether you are naturally musical and how strong your memory is to master moves and choreography.

There are many factors that determine how fast one learns to dance. The key point is that everyone can do this. I started my salsa dancing with zero dance experience, no athletic background and no musical talent to speak of and with determination and drive I was dancing well in 6 months. I went out dancing every night of the week though and practiced at home, but the results were obvious after 3 months.

Anyone who takes a full level 1 class and practices the moves regularly will find they can already feel quite good on the dance floor after 9 weeks. Just a little practice and a regular class can make a big difference and improve your dancing.

Keep at it and you can reap the benefits of dancing!

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