Three Moves Every Salsa Follower Must Know
If you live in Toronto, you are incredibly lucky because of all the cities in Canada, Toronto is the best to learn Salsa. There are many clubs and events in Toronto where you can go out and dance. So here are three moves every Salsa follower must know to be able to go to a nightclub, feel confident, and have fun.
Turns
It sounds basic but it is so important. It’s not just about doing the turns but about when you turn. Timing is important! Every dance will have turns but timing is key. For example, we teach LA Style Salsa and for the right turn, a follower turns on the 5 and a half count and on counts seven and one for a left (also called the reverse) turn. This might sound like jargon if you are a beginner but we make sure everyone who finishes the beginner class at our school knows these turns. Everything in Salsa is a variation of the right and left turns, so turns are the first move every Salsa follower must learn.
Cross-Body Lead Turn
This one has a lot of different names – Cross-Body Lead with an Inside Turn, Cross-Body Lead with a Left Turn – the name is not important but the move is vital. This move allows you and your partner to move across the dance floor. It’s the bread and butter of Salsa. We teach this move in Salsa Level One because we know you can’t go to a nightclub if you don’t learn it. If you go to other schools, make sure that it is part of their curriculum. Unless you want to be stuck dancing in the same spot all night, the cross-body lead turn is the second move every Salsa follower must know.
Mini Combinations
By the time our students graduate from Salsa Level One, we make sure that followers can follow basic combinations. You need to know this because when you are social dancing it is not going to be one move and then a bunch of basics. Followers must learn to do one move after another. You are learning to stay present and not get overwhelmed. You end up feeling awful if you miss moves because you are unprepared. So if you are not taking classes at Toronto Dance Salsa, ask if they teach combinations at the beginner level, because it is the final move every Salsa follower must know.
Bonus tip – Look for Classes that have a Structure & a Curriculum
The best experience in Salsa classes is when there is a structure and a curriculum. Week by week, you are learning material and building on the previous week’s knowledge. With a structure and curriculum, you can stretch and grow but not be overwhelmed. Drop-ins are inconsistent. You might end up learning right turns numerous times but always miss the classes where they cover cross-body leads. So you are not getting a rich experience. If you commit once a week and have the same teacher, and the same classmates, you will learn more quickly and be out social dancing before you know it.
If you want even more tips check out Salsa Dance Tips for Beginners. I cannot wait to see you on the dance floor.
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