When we first set foot in the world of dance, and particularly in the world of social dance (e.g. salsa), we all had the desire to progress quickly. Why progress?
I think it is above all to gain self-confidence when dancing with ” someone else “. The second reason would be for me, that it allows you to have more fun and not to concentrate on the movements, but on the play you have with your partner.
Once you’ve said that, how to make rapid progress.
Here are the 7 tips that I think will help you move forward quickly.
Ps: This applies to Salsa but also to Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, Tango, Rock, Hip-Hop, Ballroom dancing…
N°1
Going out dancing: Dance is a living art. It must be brought to life!
Go out dancing more often. The pleasure in salsa and couple dancing is that you can go out alone. You always end up making friends in a short time. So say goodbye to your doubts. I guarantee you won’t get bored.
For those who don’t know where to go out there are plenty of Facebook groups: AgendaSalsa, Salsa Paris and in France…
There are also some very well done websites that reference these parties and other events in France.
Neil Murray has invested a lot of his time to offer a very complete platform https://www.latinatime.fr/.
Olivier Faurax offers a simple and effective list on https://salsa.faurax.fr/.
In short, go for it!
N°2
Listening to music: as often as possible, morning, noon, evening and even while sleeping lol
Today, access to music is very simplified. Youtube, Deezer, Spotify… offer a lot of playlists to discover new tracks or to listen to classics again. If you don’t have any of those go to my Youtube Channel to have Salsa, Timba an Son Playlist.
Listen to as many of them as possible, so that they no longer hold any secrets for you. Identify the instruments, search for and translate the lyrics. Make sure that the music speaks to you personally and becomes natural to you. This is the best way to work on your musicality.
N°3
Dancing with everyone, beginner or professional: dance is a state of mind.
You don’t make progress alone and staying in your comfort zone.
Dancing with everyone puts you in a predisposition to be open to others and to yourself. You will make the most of your abilities and those of others. Of course you will not progress with everyone in the same way. It also depends on the partner. Each one has to adapt to the other and set compatible mini objectives: simple figures, ballads, closed position, the look, musicality, … In short, conviviality helps a lot.
So please don’t dance only with people you know!
N°4
Take lessons: You can learn on your own or deepen your knowledge via videos… but nothing will ever replace a teacher and a real pedagogy.
There is no age to learn and even my Maestros continue to take lessons.
Our perception of movement and the perception of the other are completely different. The teacher will have the ability to make you evolve according to your desires and also to reduce this difference.
Many courses or training courses are available all over France, in associations or schools. However be careful, being a good dancer does not always rhyme with being a good teacher. They are two different jobs!
So as everywhere else, ask the opinions of others, dancers, djs, Google lol… Try and choose the course in which you feel the best and the one where you think you can improve the most. In France there are really, really good teachers, so take advantage of it. Maybe you will even get more involved and become a volunteer <3
N°5
Go to a concert: This will allow you to work on your listening skills and give you musical breaks.
Watch artists play, feel the vibrations of each instrument, makes us connect all our senses. We are no longer reduced to concentrating only on our listening. Our hearing is thus reinforced by vision, physical perception (touch), speech with songs and also the sense of smell which will make you travel if you smell the Cuban cigar, rum, the woodwork of the place…
The music is meant to be listened to live and danced to. Dance is a moment of sharing between artists and dancers, not between dancers and a speaker.
(Ps: In the party the connection is made with the DJ who has chosen this particular piece for you from the whole Cuban discography!)
Going to the concerts is also a tribute to the artists who make this culture last against all odds. The concerts are unique, unlike a CD. The live version and the improvisations are exclusive to the moment you witness. Personally I will never get tired of going to concerts.
On 25 November 2018 Alain Perez will be in Paris at the New Morning. He is one of the greatest Cuban talents of the moment.
Go there if you can 🙂
To get your tickets: https://www.weezevent.com/alain-perez-y-la-orchestra-paris
N°6
Make friends and “Live” the dance: Salsa or dance is a state of mind, live it, breathe it, laugh with it, sleep with it…
We dance on music but with people. It is important to value this notion. If some people consider the world of dance to be superficial, it is because they themselves maintain a barrier so that it remains so.
Dance is a moment of meeting, of sharing, of life. Don’t be afraid to open up to others. There is nothing better for personal fulfilment and in dance. Be happy to go dancing, because you will meet your friends and not just perform. Try to really get to know people and not just their Facebook names. Because from experience, they have a lot to teach you.
N°7
Work: You can’t improve without working, because no one is really a genius.
In order to improve, you have to make an effort. You’re not “good” because you’ve taken two or three courses, but because you’ve repeated them 100 times each and reinvented them as you go along. Do you want to improve? There’s no secret, work hard!
And as in the previous point, if you open up, you will meet game partners who will want to work with you. And if you don’t have the time, imagine, visualize and get creative.
Recently one of my students, who is very motivated, reminded me of how I used to be. He created a model to imagine his future partner.
Alfredo eres un Crack!
I used to tie a towel to the doorknob myself to represent the dancer’s arms. Even ask your colleagues to lend you their hands. That’s what I used to do with my colleague Caroline to prepare my classes hahahaha.
In short, when you want to, you can. The only limit is your imagination and your will.
There, I hope this will have helped you. Many things are obvious to me and to others, but perhaps not to you. Keep one thing in mind: Dance is the physical expression of being alive.
So shout out loud with your dance steps and on the dance floor!
For those who are interested in trying out my classes and coming to the parties I attend, feel free to send me a message through our contact page or on fares.shanguito@bailacubano.com and check out the agenda below.
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Guirooooooo! Fares Shanguito
