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.

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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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Thanks to over 200 people who came out to enjoy the evening.  Olivier and Elise taught the beginner salsa class and Evan and I taught the intermediate salsa lesson.  Ladies, we needed you!  There were at least 5 men who could have used a partner so ladies, come early to the outings so you can enjoy the workshop and get to meet some great dance partners.

There were tons of new faces and dancers of all levels.  As well, it was great to see some old friends and those who have been out of the salsa scene for a while.   Thanks to all my great dances including Rob, Teddy, Bryan and of course Evan and all the new dance partners I met.

Our next outing is the last one of 2010 and it is our TDS Christmas Party at Acrobat on Dec 18th, 2010 at 8:45pm.  There will be performances by the TDS Pro Team, the TDS Students Team and the TDS Reggaeton Team.  Looking forward to seeing everyone there!

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We have just posted an Intro to Dancing Salsa ON 2 workshop on Saturday March 7th from 5:15 – 7:15pm at Empress. Open to those who have finished level 2 or with permission, this workshop is taught by Teddy Olaso from United Salseros and is $35 for students and $30 for helpers.

Here is a description:
This workshop will focus on introducing the proper fundamentals of dancing On2, covering proper footwork, musical pacing and timing. Musical tips will be given on how to feel the On2 beat much more effectively and how to enjoy it differently from dancing On1 so one understands the music better. Students will convert commonly used turn patterns On1 to On2 timing so they can focus more on the timing rather than the choreography. Since most On1 turn patterns were originally based on On2, transition will be easier and less complicated. However, an intermediate level turn pattern On2, along with styling (body isolations & hand movements) body movements that go with the accent, will also be introduced at the end of the class.

You can register online through your profile. We are still looking for one more workshop topic for April so get in your request soon!

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Our classes are adult salsa classes. It doesn’t mean we haven’t had older children or teens in the class but it is focused on adult learning. There are a few dance schools that offer salsa for children specifically so children dance with children which works well.

We have on occasion had a parent come with their child and they didn’t rotate. This is fine. We have also had parents enroll their teenage child (14 was the youngest) with the understanding that the teen would rotate with adult students. We have also had two teenagers sign up together as partners and they didn’t rotate. All of these scenarios can work and did work very well for these families.

Salsa is a sensual dance. If it is a children’s only class that element can be take out. In an adult class there would be some focus on this. As long as parents are aware of this, it can be a great learning experience for kids and teens!

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We had almost 250 people in attendance and when I left people were still unstoppable, dancing the night away.

The evening started off with 3 separate lessons. Kimberly and Velina taught the absolute beginners the salsa basics with turns. Rob and Sara taught the level 1s a sexy routine and Evan and I challenged the level 2s and up.

Our former student, helper and club instructor Kerem made his DJing debut last night as DJ K and he rocked the house with my favourite salsa songs. The feedback was excellent and we will be sure to have DJ K come back and DJ for us in the future.

I would say 80% of those who came last night had a costume and it was amazing to see. Over 30 people entered the best costume competition and with 7 finalists it was a very tough call. However Roger Chandhok won the competition as a remarkable twin copy of Michael Jackson, moon walk and all! Roger won two tickets to see the Willie Colon concert next Saturday at the Docks.

It was also the birthday of Sara, one of our instructors, and we all celebrated salsa style with a 2 part salsa dance – Happy Birthday Sara!

Photos will hopefully be up by tomorrow so check the events section of the website to see the awesome costumes!

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Here is the hygiene excerpt from that article:

“You do not want to be the male or female who others do not want to dance with because of hygiene. Knowing that salsa is a close body contact type of sport where you touch others in a hot, sweaty environment, please be considerate and adhere to the following guidelines. Fresh breath is a must. Bring breath mints or gum to any dancing event. Antiperspirants and/or deodorants are also a must. For excessive sweating, try Drysol. It can be bought at any Shopper’s Drug Mart and really works in controlling sweat. Some people bring a change of shirts if they know they are going to perspire a lot. Others use talc powder for damp palms. Some bring small towels or handkerchiefs/bandanas. Take breaks often and keep yourself hydrated. Avoid heavy cologne, perfumes or oils as they can get musty in that environment and others may be allergic.

Following these tips will allow the salsa experience to remain a positive one for everyone involved. Remember that good manners, respect for others and awareness of the environment you are in will go a long way.”

The post Uh Uh – Hygiene and Salsa! appeared first on Toronto Dance Salsa.

If all you do is take a one hour salsa lesson once a week, you will likely not learn too quickly and it will be a little difficult for you to go salsa dancing and feel comfortable and smooth.

The general rule of the thumb is 3-4hrs of practice for every 1 hour of class time. That may seem like a lot of time but an evening of salsa dancing at one of our outings or a local club will fly by and before you know it you have put in the required pratice time without it feeling like homework! That is the beauty of salsa dancing – it is so much fun and once you go out a couple of times and get used to the salsa scene you will find it fun, social, energetic and it will enhance your life.

Other ways of practicing include dancing at home with a partner or on your own. You can use a DVD or just a mirror and some music. You have YouTube to assist you visually and you should try to listen to salsa music wherever you go. Try a Saturday practice session at Trinity Church or our own Monday practice session. Go on the forums and see where the students are heading to and post questions for your knowledge. Really get involved and you will find an amazing new world that is social, musical, fun and exciting!

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Below is their bio for anyone interested in learning about this new band…

“Those who witnessed up close and personal the “Salsa Explosion of the 1970’s” in New York City and Puerto Rico remember and agree that the majority of the musicians and bandleaders were mostly youngsters.

Now, inspired by the masters of salsa is the new group from New York City that goes by the name of “La Excelencia.” Percussionists Jose Vazquez-Cofresi and Julian Silva formed the band, featuring a young ensemble that would appeal to their generation, while performing and creating “salsa dura” (hardcore salsa) with a positive social message.

This debut CD “Salsa Con Conciencia” (salsa with a conscience) delivers 10 original scores, showcasing the versatility and depth of the band. The tracks swing with beautiful harmonies and powerful arrangements of free-flowing horns and lively percussions.

Lead vocalists Rene Leslie and Edwin Perez command the spotlight with arresting readings full of social messages that enlighten the listeners to everyday situations in peoples’ lives.

Tasty choruses complete each track, delivering high-octane rhythms, without losing essence and true roots of salsa. These young-bloods are the real thing. -Rudolph Mangual (Latin Beat Magazine)”

Let us know if you have discovered any new salsa bands and we will be sure to check them out!

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