couple of questions

Y

yoyao

New Member
first, where can I find salsa lessions in orange county area? and what's a good way to improve yourself? I been dancing salsa for more than half a yr now, but when I am on the dance floor in a club, my mind went to blank, I am not really a leader outside of the class, and thanks to SDsalsaguy, I read your article on how to lead, which is very helpful, and you know what? I actually see you and talked to you in person, but I bet you won't remember me. second, is there any other BBS like this?
 
Hi yoyao, and welcome to the forums! First off, you’re not playing fair…there’s no picture of you or even a name in your profile so isn’t it asking a bit much to expect me to remember who you are? :wink:

I’m glad to hear that you found Learning to Lead helpful – you might also want to check out Lead Your Partner, Not Patterns! as well as salsarhythms’ Governor Gray Davis and Salsa Dancing and his 7 tips to master salsa dancing, PART 1, PART 2, & PART 3.

Anyway, a good list for instructors in SoCal can be found at http://www.salsaweb.com/la/instructors/instructors_list.htm

:arrow: My #1 recommendation if you can possibly manage are Enio Cordoba & Terryl Jones at Lets Dance LA. And yes, this is the Terryl who wrote the outstanding articles I have posted in the Articles Forum. If I lived any closer, these are the people that I, personally, would take from!

:arrow: Edgar and Teresa also teach in the Orange county area, and while his style is a bit too LA for my personal tastes, there’s no denying what a talented dancer he is. She’s just a sweetheart and has been a friend of mine for years.

:arrow: Salomon Rivera is also good and, although I question how leadable some of his more advanced patterns really are, his technical foundation is amongst the best.

Anyway, hope that helps and, again, welcome to the forums!

[WOW! This was my 500th post! Probably time to get a life, huh? :lol: ]
 
yoyao said:
but when I am on the dance floor in a club, my mind went to blank,
I am not really a leader outside of the class
Click to expand...
I had the same problem.

I started to write notes, after I got home from the lessons.
Just some keywords to help me remember the lead.

When I go dancing, I got the notes in my pocket,
so I can take a look if I go blank.

This has improved my dance and the fun big time.
The bonus kick in, because repeating the combinations
after the lessons make the body and brain remember.

Find out what works for you, and keep the lady’s smiling. :D
 
Speaking as a fellow beginner, my dancing improved dramatically when I just found a partner to practice with consistently. I have been getting together with a friend about twice a week for a few weeks now and this has helped me. We usually walk through whatever combination until we are certain we have the movement correct and then we slowly bring it to dance pace, usually learning one new combination per session and making sure we haven't forgotten any of the old ones.
 
Vin's strategy is an excellent one...mastering a move and working it into floor readiness, not just "forcing" it. And, as he also mentions, there is no substitute for regular practice!
 
Thanks for the reply, it is very helpful. SDsalsaguy, I am not gona reveal my identity. even I do, you probaly won't remember me anyway, I am an awful dancer :wink: hehhee LDLA seems has the best program, but it is kinda far from where i live and I am going to UK in the middle of sept. so I guess I won't be able to take lession from them until I got back. do you know any place in UK? I would be living in east anglia for a year.
 
yayao...I don't really know the UK scene so can't give you any recommendations, but here's a UK class listing – hope that helps.

And I still don’t think you’re being fair with the whole mystery identity thing! :wink:
 
yoyao said:
ok, I will reveal my identiy when I win an award in salsa dancing :wink:
hehehe
Click to expand...
:shock:
Well, in that case.......

I hereby award you the first ever Dance Forums “Salsa Dancing Star of the Future” award! :tongue:
 
I've been dancing just over a year now so it wasn't to long ago I was having the same problem yoyao. Here's my two cents...

You HAVE, I repeat HAVE to spend time dancing out in clubs. Leaving the safety of the studio I was learning at was painfully hard becuase I didn't think I was ready to be out in a club. And I wasn't :lol: But you have to experience it to become comfortable with it. Learning things like floor management and music in real-time (not slowed for teaching) is a must!

Practice...practice...practice. If I'm washing dishes, I'm dancing. If I'm folding clothes, I'm dancing. You get the point :D
 
Hey youngsta.

Ever see the movie, "Shall We Dance"? When I first saw it, before I started dancing, I thought the accountant-type star was nuts. Dancing on the subway, under desk at work, anywhere and everywhere.

Now I can relate. You should see the black scrape marks on my kitchen floor.
 
haha! Mine is probably as marked up as yours. Even if I'm on a plane and can't actually get up I'm visualizing it.
 
Welcome to the forums youngsta! AND some excellent points! I actually spent a half year (!) in studio working up my salsa to the point where I felt confident enough to take it out to the local clubs...and guess what? I then had to spend the next six months unlearning much of what I thought I knew and learning how to dance in "real life" situations!

One of my dance mentors (as in people I looked up to, not people who formally taught me) always said it was about how much "sweat equity" you had built up on the floor...

As far as the airplane thing, believe me, on long overnight hauls (i.e. to Europe, or cross-country red eyes) I've even stood in the isles and worked on basic side actions and isolations while most people are sleeping...talk about getting some strange looks!
 
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