When you go out to a salsa club, dedicate a couple of songs to finding your favourite couple in the room and watch them dance. It will assist you with ideas about new turn patterns, body movement, musicality and partner dynamics. You may think it doesn’t affect you but watch often enough and you will see your own moves start to sharpen, your body movement and styling start to come out and your range of musicality will increase.

I prefer watching at congresses because you are looking at some phenomenal dancers and it is really inspiring. You may have to get over your “inadequate” feelings watching such good dancers. I remember the first congress I went to I couldn’t dance for the first night. I saw Milton Cobo dancing with Grizelle Ponce, who are still two of my favourite dancers, and that was traumatic! I couldn’t bring myself to dance after that experience. But I had to re-shift my thinking so that their dancing would inspire me to improve instead of shake my confidence. And I went out and danced all night the next day, trying a few styling moves I had seen.

You can also watch videos on the web. YouTube and MamboTV are two great websites for this but there are also thousands of clips online that will inspire and motivate you.

Happy watching!

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I am not sure if I have considered in the past if I have had a “Perfect Dance” and I agree with DC Earl that there really can’t be a perfect dance. I have thought a great deal about who have been my all time favourite dancers and I also have a top list of my favs. I am sure my list will constantly change with every year and every new dancer I meet.

Here are a couple of my favourite male congress dancers that I have had the pleasure of dancing with:

Super Mario: By far one of the most fun dancers on the scene, Super Mario is just plain fun. He doesn’t take himself too seriously and every time I dance with him he has amazing fun new turn patterns that keep you on your toes, but at the same time, flow well together. Every congress we laugh at the crazy line up that starts as soon as he walks into the room. He may be underrated as he doesn’t quite look like the typical salsa pro but looks can be deceiving. Ladies, ask him to dance at the next congress and you will have a blast!

Milton Cobo: Now I only had the pleasure once to dance with him but I have never seen him turn down a dance and Milton Cobo always looks at you like you are the only dancer in the whole world. He doesn’t notice the crowds around him – he just loses himself in the dance. Amazing body movement, very sexy styling…I definitely am wowed by his smoothness and skill.

Have you had a perfect dance? Any favourite dancers on your list? Share!

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