Attending your first big Salsa Congress is HUGE! It’s a significant investment of time and money into your Salsa journey. So in some ways it’s also a statement that you’re no longer just a recreational dancer or hobbyist. It says that you’ve got serious.   Now Salsa congresses are a LOT of fun. But the big ones can be tiring – and overwhelming if you are not prepared for the experience. When you see this amount of Salsa talent and skill under one roof, it’s easy to feel insecure and inadequate. I want you to have an amazing experience, so here are my best tips for getting the best from y ..read more

You will never get serious results with a casual approach. And whether you like it or not, drop-in classes are a casual approach when it comes to learning Salsa – for teachers and not just for attendees. This perhaps is where the problem lies:  Here’s why:: There is no commitment involved and therefore no continuity. Anyone can turn up at any time There is rarely an underlying structure or plan for progression beyond each individual class There are rarely any pre-defined learning outcomes for each level which means no way of measuring progress. Almost anyone can turn up and teach – all ..read more

(Photo taken at I Like It Like That Vinyl Matinee Social, London Irish Centre, Camden) If you are at a Salsa club and having a break on the edge of the dance floor it’s natural to watch other dancers. For me it’s really interesting to see how differently people move and interpret the music. It usually takes about 10 seconds for me to spot the dancers I most want to watch, and usually I don’t need to look above their feet to identify those worth watching. So I thought I’d write this to explain what I look for and what impresses me when I’m watching social Salsa dancers from the edge of the dan ..read more

The vast majority of social dances are fun and enjoyable experiences. However, nothing about them is particularly memorable. But every once in a while you have a dance which you do remember for longer, and which brings a smile to your face for days, sometimes weeks and months after.  These are the dances where you and your partner grin at each other afterwards a bit speechless, and wonder what the hell just happened.   I’ve had a few of those dances just lately…the ones where you are just totally in the flow, where all the stars and planets align, and time/space outside of the dance ..read more

If you’ve been to a mainstream Salsa club recently you’ll know warm ups are fairly predictable – both in content and the fact that only a small percentage of dancers bother to arrive early enough to participate. Some folk are still trickling in in driibs and drabs, others are sitting on the sidelines changing their shoes. Some are having a good old chinwag with their friends. The beginners are shuffling around at the back nervously, already getting stressed before the main class has even started, realising they are already out of their depth and only a few minutes in.   If you’re lucky y ..read more

If confidence was actually real, there would be a way of measuring it. There would be a sure fire recipe for it – something which people could brew up for every difficult or scary situation they were facing. And you’d be able to buy it from the supermarket –  Imagine if confidence was a body cream you could slather all over, or hidden in the ingredients of a chocolate cake, or in a can of fizzy drink. If someone invented these products, they’d be a billionaire overnight.   Such is the demand for “more confidence”.   Or maybe what people really mean when they wish for “more confi ..read more

Learn the basic techniques for leading/following all the fun and flash armography we use in social Salsa. Master hammerlocks, drop catches, flicks, throws, and discover some cool combinations which will bring stylish flair to your partnerwork. However this isn’t just about copying my combos – I will show you how to use these techniques to improvise in real time. This will enable both leaders and followers to have more fun and develop their skills to a higher level. The post Artful Armography Part One appeared first on Salsa Intoxica Dance Studio ..read more

4 week mini-course for Improver level Salsa dancers to learn the key body isolations and how to integrate these into shines and partner work. Body movement makes your Salsa dancing richer and gives you more options to interpret and express the music. It is an integral part of the dance. For ladies it adds femininity and sensuality, whilst for men it gives you more of the Cuban flavour and takes your dancing beyond just stepping 123 567. The post Body Movement (Improvers) appeared first on Salsa Intoxica Dance Studio ..read more

Monday Moves is a brand new daytime Salsa Class that will get your week off to a fantastic start. It is designed for those who want to keep active, improve fitness, balance and coordination whilst learning some fun Salsa footwork. The post Monday Moves Daytime Salsa Class appeared first on Salsa Intoxica ..read more

This workshop will help those already dancing Salsa On 1 to expand their skills and dance On 2 timings with musicality and confidence. It’s open to improver level and above in both LA Cross Body and Cuban style Salsa. You’ll learn the main On 2 timings along with key stylistic differences, as well as classic Mambo footwork shines and partnerwork combos. Most importantly there will be plenty of time to practice so what you learn stays with you. The post Mambo/Salsa On 2 Intro Workshop appeared first on Salsa Intoxica ..read more