Getting ready for your first lesson.

You have booked your course, you are excited and motivated for your first salsa lesson, but you have all these questions and want to be prepared to get the most out of your dance class.  

Let us help you out. First of all, arrive 15 minutes earlier to avoid any unforeseen problems. Give your name to the receptionist so she can look up your booking on the registration sheet. Fill in your details.  

If you brought special dance shoes, while you wait for the class to start, put them on, so you are ready for the salsa class. If you don't have dance shoes then wear comfortable footwear. No thongs, sandals or loose shoes. Wearing the same shoes that you intend to go out and dance with are perfect as you will start to get use to dancing in them and won't feel a difference when you go to a salsa club.  

Casual clothes are definitely ok to wear, but Latin dancing has a touch of exotic tropical flavors so don't be afraid to put a little effort in looking good. You'll be meeting everyone in the class so if first impression is important to you, do your best. Anything that is comfortable is important as you will be standing and dancing for 1 hour.  

Chat with other people who are waiting as they are probably just as excited as you are.   When the Instructor calls out for the class to start, walk on to the dance floor leaving your belongings under the chair as they will be visible to you the entire time.  

Pay close attention to what Instructors are saying as they are trying to maximize your experience in the lesson you are about to take.  

They will go over basic concepts, and within 15 minutes you will be trying the steps to music. You don't have to get it perfectly, you just have to give it a go. The course is designed to help you out within an 8 week period. Be patient, listen carefully, and keep trying. There are no left foot dancers, only left foot Instructors.

Each week we will revise the steps so you get another chance to learn it. Your body is designed to accumulate muscle memory with repetition. All you have to do is show up to the salsa class, do the exercises and you will see the results happen naturally.  

We have experienced that trying moves with different partners speeds up the process of learning the steps, so we have the class rotating. In that way you get to meet new people and you get to practice the moves with a different person each time.  

After your salsa lesson collect your belongings and try to have some practice during the week wherever you can, at work, the bus stop, not while your driving. This repetition will keep your body remembering the salsa steps before your next salsa lesson.  

We have noticed over the years that week by week students forget the previous pattern. So on your next lesson we will revise the basic steps again, teach a new pattern and put the two lessons together. Each week will revise and learn new steps so progressively and easily you will be increasing your salsa dancing skills.  

If you want to have a go and learn to salsa, check out our "How to Salsa" page for a breakdown of the basic steps.   Enjoy!