1 workshop = $35 plus HST
2 workshops = $65 plus HST
3 workshops = $90 plus HST
4 workshops = $115 plus HST
5 workshops = $125 plus HST
Helper price = $25 plus HST each

Dips Dips Dips Workshop
Sat 11am-1pm Empress Jul 21
Learn how to kick your dancing up a notch by adding a few fancy dips. This workshop will teach you how to use your core to execute and balance dips effortlessly on the dance floor. We will also focus on turn pattern options for proper lead ins and outs of dips in a social setting. For dancers who have completed Salsa Level 3 or higher.

Salsa Tricks Workshop
Sat 11am-1pm Empress Jul 28
A perfect workshop to be paired with our Dips Dips Dips workshop. Learn how to jazz up your turn patterns with some fun tricks to add to your favourite turn patterns. This workshop will teach you how to execute some simple turn pattern tricks with ease on the social dance floor. For dancers who have completed Level 3 or higher.

Dominican Bachata Workshop
Sat 11am-1pm Empress Aug 11
Danced with syncopations (steps in between the beats) depending on the mood of the dancer and the character of the music, Dominican Bachata has become a popular variation to the smooth style of Bachata. Learn footwork, turn patterns and rhythmic free style moves and alternate between the closed romantic handhold and the more playful open position. Completion of level 1 Bachata or assessment required.

Salsa On2 Workshop
Sat 11am-1pm Empress Aug 18
Salsa On2 is a variation of salsa popularized in New York city (hence also called “New York” style), which was heavily influenced by jazz and mambo in the 1960s. In this smoother, more elegant dance that more closely emulates ballroom dancing, you will learn how to look effortless as you and your partner flow across the dance floor. In Salsa On2, dancing begins on the second beat, with the leader breaking back on beat 2. You will learn to recognize the signals of On 2 timing, progressing to more Latin Jazz Songs. Completion of level 3 or assessment required.

Body Movement, Flow and Isolations
Sat 11am-1pm Empress Aug 25
Learn body movements, flow and isolations in accordance to the mood of the music that will take your social dancing to the next level. You will be given key exercises that you can then practice on your own to really extend, isolate and highlight your body movement. Afro-Cuban body movement will also be covered. Look fantastic while entertaining your partner and others on the dance floor. Completion of level 3 salsa or assessment required.

The post 2012 Summer Saturday Workshop Series! appeared first on Toronto Dance Salsa.

The evening began with 3 different lessons.  Lisa and Eunjoo provided the absolute beginner dancers with a fun intro to salsa class.  Sara and Roger taught the beginner/intermediates a sexy combination.  By the way, this was Sara’s last time teaching a club class.  Sara has completed her PhD and will be moving into a full time role in her field.  We will sorely miss her and I know she had a great time teaching the class.  May and I taught the intermediate class up on stage with a huge crowd and that was fun (almost lost my voice!).

Social dancing began at 8pm while the competitors, judges and performers prepared.  Winnie Fung was our Stage Manager and did a fantastic job organizing the evening.  The judges arrived and were briefed, we drew numbers to see the order of the competitors and everyone was getting their makeup done professionally by the fabulous ladies from Mary Kay.

At 9pm sharp, the awesome Tracie Yee in her gorgeous orange dress started the night.  She was truly an amazing emcee – engaging, entertaining and natural.  She kept the evening flowing beautifully and allowed enough time for the judges to tally up their scores.

Our judges for this round were Teddy and Rene from United Salseros, Angus from iFreestyle, Jennifer from Steps and Oscar from Latin Groove Productions.  Thank you so much judges for your input and support!

We had 8 couples compete:  Nina and Branco, Ileana and Martin, Monique and Joseph, Alexandra and Yuri, Anny and Tony, Sandra and Vig, Stephanie and John and Sanaz and Khemara.  Each couple was fantastic – you could really see the effort that was put in for the freestyle round which is difficult to do without knowing the song that is coming up.

While I tabulated the judges’ scores we had six amazing performance by the TDS Cabaret Team, Latin Grove Productions, TDS Reggaeton Team, Sumeet and Crystal from United Salseros, Daniel and Sandra’s Argentine Tango performance for TDS and the amazing TDS Pro Team debut performance with Jessica and Olivier.  A huge thank you to everyone who performed – you should all be so proud!

It was finally time for Tracie to announce the 5 couples who will be moving on to the finals and in no particular order they are:  Nina and Branco, Ileana and Martin, Anny and Tony, Sandra and Vig and Sanaz and Khemara.

Thanks to DJ Suave for the great tunes, Evan for keeping the evening running so smoothly and everyone else who made the night so memorable for almost 400 participants.  I can’t wait for the finals on Sunday June 26th at 6:45pm at Six Degrees Nightclub!!

The post TDS Amateur Competition Preliminary Round! appeared first on Toronto Dance Salsa.

5 Things I wish I would have known when I started salsa dancing.

1.  Its OK to go alone.
90% (completely unscientific stat) of the people who go to salsa nights are there to just dance.  Many of us go alone and leave alone.  Heading to the club was something I kept putting off because I had no one to go with, but after my first time I saw how may people come alone and it was out almost every night afterward.  Always try to do the club lesson to meet all the other people who are new to dancing and start building your “salsa friend” base.

2.  Latin Nights and Salsa Nights are different.
While both are lots of fun I made the mistake of going to Latino Nights expecting to salsa dance and barely hearing salsa.  Latino nights are more like club nights with not just salsa but also reggaton, merengue, reggaton, bachata, reggaton and other varieties of latin music like…reggaton.  These nights are great fun, but are different from salsa nights in both the crowds that come out and the vibe you will feel.  If you are not sure what kind of a night it is ask your teacher, call the promoter and ask what kind of music they will play.  If they say reggaton its probably a latin night, but this can vary depending on your location.

3  Its OK to say No.
This applies a lot to ladies, but once in a while to guys too.  If you don’t want to dance with someone its OK to say no, my feet are tired, sorry I am a bit dizzy or anything like that as long as its done nicely.  I have had it happen to me and its hard to not take it personally.  There are a lot of reasons why, but as a beginner its can be deflating.  Try to keep this in mind.  Salsa is a scene and the ‘dancers’ tend to recognize one another and while new faces are welcome people might need to see you dancing a few times before they realize that you are a ‘dancer’ as well and not just trying to pick up.  Ladies if you do say yes and half way through the song you feel uncomfortable (your are dancing with the 10% see point one) don’t be afraid to use one of the above excuses to detach from the dance.

4.  Be prepared,
Salsa is high energy, you almost have to think of it as a workout.  In all my time of dancing I have consistently heard complaints about breath, sweating and odor.  Make some rules for yourself.  Here are mine.  I always add extra deodorant under the arms (double up), bring deodorant with you and keep it in your bag or the car, every two songs new gum or mint, hydrate – most bad breath comes from dehydration and no amount of breath stuff can help if you have mouth pasties.  Lastly if you are a sweater like me bring some extra shirts or take a break every 3rd song.

5.  Be the fun one
I must admit to always feeling a bit of jealousy when I talk to girls who rave about how fun someone was even though they didn’t have a lot of moves.  If you are dancing, try to add some funny little bits to your repertoire of styling. Personally I love adding a little shimmy, butt shake or cheeky grin at the end of moves, but that is my style.  Observe yourself in other situations when you are being funny and see if you can put that on the dance floor.  Be the fun one to dance with.

Article by Ivan (Salsero)  Ruiz
Ivan is a local dancer and instructor in Vancouver.  He is one of the organizers of the Vancouver International Salsafestival and has a blog called SalsaMe.  You can contact him or find out more about him at his blog:  http://salsame.tumblr.com/

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“Although I only began learning salsa six months ago, joining Toronto Dance Salsa I already feel like I’m part of a welcoming and exciting community. I have enjoyed all the classes I have taken so far, with Sara in Level 1 and Sharon for Levels 2 and 3. The atmosphere in the classes is always friendly and fun, and the material is taught at the perfect pace, with lots of opportunities to practice. And I love dancing with and hearing the advice of helpers, who really are helpful. Having said all that, it comes as no surprise that I’m developing a salsa addiction, the benefits of which are incredible. In the last few months I have met so many interesting people and got to dance with many of them at the Sunday Socials (at which I am now a regular) and some of the outings. And, it seems like the salsa addiction sparked by TDS is contagious, because I’ve already got several friends as enamored with it as I am. All in all, I am excited for my salsa journey to continue!”

– Nina Gheihman, Level 3, Toronto Dance Salsa Testimonial

Keep the feedback coming our way – email me at info@torontodancesalsa.ca with your comments!

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Don’t hesitate to be specific.  Telling your partner you love a specific move or styling that they use is great feedback as well as a positive lift to the dance.  I always try to tell my dance partners that I enjoy dancing with what I enjoyed about the dance.  Whether it is the smoothness of the lead, the lightness of their follow, the energy they demonstrate or the shines they use, compliment, compliment, compliment.  It will brighten up someone’s day.

This is especially great when you see improvements in your partner.  You see the hard work that they have been putting towards developing the dance technique with additional salsa classes or salsa practices.  When you point out their improvements all that hard work will have been worth it for them and you will inspire them to continue to develop.

You never know when someone is feeling down about their salsa progress and these compliments are a great boost.  Whenever a student tells me about a compliment they received they are so affected by it that it makes me realize how important a little positive reinforcement can be on the dance floor.  So go out dancing and let the compliments begin!

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“Casino Rueda: My Latin dance journey started with Casino Rueda.  During my college days in India, we performed a Casino Rueda choreography for our college cultural function, it was an epic success and we got a lot of appreciation. Later we were even invited as guest performers in other colleges. That is how I fell in love with Casino Rueda and this was long before my girlfriend introduced me to the world of Salsa.

Later in Toronto, in the midst of my Salsa journey, I happened to see “Casino Rueda lessons by Tracie and Daniel” posted on the TDS website and thought I would give it a shot. I am so glad I took that course. It was totally different from a choreography class because we had to remember the Spanish names of the moves and we had to execute it when the circle leader calls for it. Some of my favorite moves were; Enchufla El Pulpo, Festival de Pelota, Setenta complicado, Toma Electrica, Sombrero (hat), La Flor (the flower).

The class was so lively with non stop dancing and it was a faster pace than a regular salsa class, at least for a non Spanish speaker like me!  Every class was so much fun and so full of laughter that it made my day brighter and I would always long for the next week’s class.  It  became very addictive on me.

If you would ask me to chose either Salsa Dancing with a partner or Casino Rueda in a circle, I’d opt for Casino and I wish it was just as popular. But even now, I would add my Casino moves like Enchufla, Sombrero(hat), etc into my Salsa social dancing which will always impress my partners. I feel that the Cuban body movement is very stylish, and I always tend to adapt them into my Salsa dancing. Guys you have my word, no one will ever regret taking a Casino class, especially with Tracie and Daniel, as they are the best… :)”

For more information on the Casino Rueda Class we are offering please see the Student Performance Team class on our Spring 2011 semester schedule.

The post Vignesh’s Casino Testimonial appeared first on Toronto Dance Salsa.

Dips and Tricks Workshop:
Want to kick your dancing up a notch by adding a few fancy dips and tricks? This workshop will teach you how to use your core to execute and balance dips and tricks effortlessly on the dance floor. For dancers who have completed Level 3 or higher. Sat Feb 26th 12:30 – 200pm. $35 for one workshop, $60 for both. $25 for helpers.

Shines & Styling for Men and Women Workshop
Learn new ways to get your feet moving to the salsa beat as well as how to use your body to interpret the music through styling. You will learn a fun and challenging shine routine (suitable for both men and women) and how to style the routine in different ways so that it sensual and feminine for women and strong and masculine for men. For dancers who have completed Salsa Level 2 and up or have passed an assessment. Sat Mar 5 12:30 – 200pm. $35 for one workshop, $60 for both. $25 for helpers.

The post New Workshops Just Posted! appeared first on Toronto Dance Salsa.

Hopefully you all had a great holiday and are ready to get back into the swing of things. If you haven’t registered for a TDS class yet here are some great classes for our winter 2011 semester:

Salsa Nightclub Level 1 to Level 6
Argentine Tango Level 1 and 2
Zumba for Fitness
Cabaret Salsa Performance Class – Sold out
Helper Only Performance Class
Ladies Styling
Latin Belly Dance Fusion
Reggaeton Funk – Sold out
Bachata
Belly Dance Bootcamp

Please note due to the popularity of Belly Dancing we just opened an all new class with Christina on Saturdays at 4pm at Empress called Latin Belly Fusion which takes the fun hip shaking steps of Latin Dancing with the sensual moves of belly dancing and fuses them together in fun mini choreographies.

If you are looking to get out and practice we have our regular Sunday Social every Sunday from 6-9pm at Empress Studio. As long as you have had your first salsa class you are welcome to attend and practice your moves in a comfortable, friendly setting.

We also have another outing to Acrobat Lounge scheduled for Saturday January 29th at 8:45pm. Beginner and intermediate salsa lessons will be taught from 9-10pm. Come out and meet new people.

Hope to see you salsa dancing this semester!

The post Welcome 2011! appeared first on Toronto Dance Salsa.

1) Outings and Socials – we still have a few events in the next week for you to go and practice your moves and learn some new moves.  Our big TDS Holiday Party takes place this Saturday Dec 18th at 8:45pm at Acrobat Lounge.  A beginner and intermediate lessons are available from 9-10pm where you will learn fun new combinations and meet new people. There will be performances by the TDS Pro Team, the TDS Student Team and the TDS Reggaeton Student Team to get you motivated and inspire you.  We also have our last social of the year on Sunday Dec 19th at Empress from 6-9pm.  We will then be off for 2 weeks and resume socials on Jan 9th.

2) Salsa clubs and practices – there is a salsa club open every night of the week.  Some of them even offer free lessons at around 9pm before the crowds get there so take advantage.  My favourite clubs are Babaluus in Yorkville, Lula Lounge for live music, Acrobat and Alley Katz.  There is also a Toronto Salsa Practice every Saturday at a downtown church so take advantage of these great events and dance, dance, dance.

3) Record yourself – before you forget all the moves you learn take a camera and record yourself doing these moves.  That way you can play it back and remember how to execute the moves.

4) Watch youtube videos – youtube salsa videos are super inspiring and, while it is difficult to learn from a small clip, it will still get you listening to music, watching dance moves and thinking about salsa

5) Practice on your own or with a friend/partner – practice at home if you are not yet comfortable going out.  You can practice your basics, turns, cross body leads, shines, body movement, styling and musicality.  You can also purchase our beginner DVD and work on your moves with the DVD.

Hope you keep dancing during the holidays!

The post How to stay dancing after classes end. appeared first on Toronto Dance Salsa.

1) Peridot Lounge – Saturday February 21st – 81 Bloor Street East (at Yonge)
Beginner and intermediate lessons from 10:00 – 10:30pm

2) Plaza Flamingo – Friday March 6th – 423 College Street (at Bathurst)
Beginner and intermediate lessons from 9:30 – 10:30pm

3) Acrobat Lounge – Saturday March 21st – 2464 Yonge Street (at Eglinton)
Beginner and intermediate lessons from 9:00 – 10:00pm
Debut performance by the TDS Professional Dance Team at 11:30pm

As usual we also have our weekly Sunday practice sessions called “socials” at Empress Walk from 6-9pm so come out and make new friends, practice your moves and get a great workout.

Hope to see you all at these events!

Sharon

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