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Notestaf

(Compiled from a number of areas including friends, personal experiences and a variety of sources on the internet).

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Encomium to remember - B.Y.O.P. (Bring Your Own Partner)

Some very good info I saw on the web, and advice I have used and given for years

There are a few minor problems with some club. The first is that the dance floor are not that great. Though the places may be clean and well kept, the surfaces are not always ideal for dancing. The second problem is that the owners are not really interested in the dance crowd (what else is new). They (like all club owners) prefer the crowd who would rather spend more time ordering at the bar, than dancing up a storm on the dance floor.

Tips for Ladies:
Ladies, are you having a hard time getting asked to dance more than once? Do you see the good dancers always asking the ladies who dance well to dance over and over? Well, here are a few tips on following that will keep them coming back all night.

Tip #1 - Cut down the size of your steps anywhere from one foot to 1/2 foot length. This will give you better control of your balance and momentum. It will also increase you ability to react to the man's leads with more confidence.

Tip #2 - This is for turns. In being lead, female may find it helpful in the height of their arm or how high they hold their arms and how they control them. Holding your arms too high can make you misinterpret a lead. Your arm is being manipulated and you are adjusting at three points instead of one. By keeping the elbow no higher than your shoulder and at a 45-degree angle in front of you, you will be giving yourself a solid point of contact in which to be led. You will interpret and receive your information from your hand and not your elbow or shoulder. The forearm should be lose and flexible for movement forward and up. So what you have is movement from your elbow to your hand, and not from your elbow to your shoulder. In this manner the turns can be close and cleaner, the forearm is draped over the head neatly and sensually, instead of seeing what seem to be a disjointed or dislocated arm, swinging wildly over your head, elbow, armpits and all. The arm should never have to go behind you over your head. There are exceptions to the rule and you can adjust to what's comfortable, but in general if you follow this advise it can help you improve your dancing and the turns should work for you.

Tip #3 - Try not to anticipate when following. One of the biggest gripes of men is that the lady tries to lead. This is a misconception on the man's part in that the ladies don't necessarily try to lead but rather they try to anticipate what the man wants them to do. When this happens it feels to the man like the lady is trying to lead. Ladies, to avoid this remember to wait to feel the lead, be patient, do not anticipate. It's better to react too late to a lead than too early. If you miss the lead, most men will try it again with a stronger lead. Practice makes perfect. Private lessons might also help to fine tune your following abilities.
By applying these three principles of smaller steps, turning and non-anticipation, the Salseros will not let you sit down all night!


Tip for Men:
Men, if you want to impress your dance partners, a sure fire way is to remember to lead moves that highlight her. All too often Salseros try to impress by out dancing their partners. Not only does this not impress the ladies, it also turns out to be boring or intimidating. If a lady is not having fun dancing with you (she won't say anything to you, but she will tell her friends). She probably won't dance with you again. So remember Salseros, if you want to be in demand on the dance floor, make sure that your partner has fun, highlight her.
Want to get better? For those of you looking for a good Salsa Instructor, the best place to look is at the Salsa Clubs themselves. The best Salsa teachers are always at the clubs, staying up on the latest moves, meeting new people and dancing with partner, friends, and students. Most Salsa Clubs provide lessons by in house instructors on the premises before the dance starts. Some people try the ballroom dance studio's but are disappointed because of two major reasons. The first is that the ballroom studios classify Salsa as ballroom Mambo. Though Salsa has it roots in El Mambo, the ballroom style tends to be linear and rigid to the extent that it looks like a different dance altogether. Secondly, ballroom studios make their money by selling dance programs that contain numerous dances, which means you go in for Salsa lessons but you get dances such Fox Trot, Waltz, Swing, and Polka pushed on you as well. So remember the best place to find a good Salsa teacher is at the Salsa Clubs.


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