A Basic-Steps Video

Thanks for stopping by. Are you simply curious about Salsa or are you a seasoned Salsero? Whether you are an experienced dancer, or a novice social dancer, like myself, I'm writing this blog to provide you with some fuel to begin your Salsa journey. In case you have a head start on me, I want to give you some food for thought and speed you on your cosmic Salsa way. I want to direct you toward the most important resources you will need to begin salsa dancing in a social setting. I will begin by giving you the top ten things you need to get started. At some point, I may ask you to comment on Salsa topics... so if the opportunity should arise, don't be shy. Pay close attention to the instruction in this video, and I recommend that you learn to dance Salsa on the "1" ... Soooo...The top 10 things you need to get started beginning with Salsa tool #1:
A salsa video that clearly shows the basic steps:

A Favorite Salsa Song

Salsa Tool #2 -- If you are an absolute beginner, or if you've been dancing for a few months, you should try to focus your attention on Salsa songs you enjoy... you need to select some songs you like... your preferred music. However, in my opinion, some Salsa songs are better for listening than for dancing. You should try to learn the music in that way, finding songs that work best for you... On this day, I present you with some tunes that will get your Salsa groove going. I recommend you watch the videos first. If you like that music, buy the songs and have a listen. You should search for the music you like, those that have a slow to medium tempo... so you can begin practicing... I suggest 3 starter songs that will help you with the rhythm and musicality of dancing Salsa. Good starter songs for dancing: Desde que no Estas- Rey Ruiz, I Love Salsa-N'Klabe, Yo Quisiera-OscarDLeon. Just for listening, you may want to listen to some tunes by Grupo Niche, Orquesta Guayacan, and Alquimia.

My Favorite Instructors

This is Salsa tool #3... I've been lucky, I've had some good instructors. Your favorite instructors should be people that you feel a connection with... you enjoy their style of teaching. If you make Salsa dancing a kind of permanent hobby, you will have several different instructors. Over a six month period, you may have taken lessons from 6 different instructors. That is a good thing as long as you are able to communicate well with your instructor. Dance teachers come in all colors, shapes, ages, and sizes. Dancing is a social experience... so look for the instructor who is patient and seems to have plenty of confidence. For starters, look for an informal instructor... just to get you dancing... you know, like your cousin, or favorite relative...

Don't forget about your favorite aunt or uncle... (or somebody else's favorite uncle) The point is YOU NEED TO FIND A PERSON WHO CAN TEACH YOU A FEW STEPS, and get you to relax with the dance... at the same time, you will be catching on to the rhythm of Salsa!



NOTE TO SELF: If by chance the new teacher you encounter, has a not-so-nice personality, take my advice and go find something fun to do... do not return to that teacher... find a better one.

Meditate on the following: Who will be my new Salsa instructor?

Let's kick it up a notch... Whenever you decide to take lessons that you pay-for, you should select the teacher according to the previous criteria. You would probably do well to take lessons from a non-profit Arts Center, as usually the owners and managers are teaching because they love Dance as an art form. That way you will not waste your time or money. Be careful of Big Named Ballroom studios that want to sell you an overpriced contract. If you live in a big city and it is within your budget, try a dance studio with an attractive, intelligent instructor like Erika Occhipinti. Erika has a dance studio in Tampa, Florida. http://www.tampasalsa.com/home.php
She also has published instructional videos on the Web. http://www.ehow.com/video_2376878_hold-salsa-dance-partner.html

Salsa Beat ... Now where did I put my clave?

Learning the salsa beat is sooo very important. Salsa tool #4 will make a big difference in your dance timing. You should learn to distinguish the different instruments. You may want to save the following links to your favorites. The first one is the Salsa Beat Machine: http://www.salsabeatmachine.org/ This cute piece of internet software is perfect for your practice sessions. I give you the following preferred settings: Set beats to approximately 143. The instructor should be set to: 1,2,3...5,6,7. The Clave should be set to: "Son" (also known as 3-2 clave). The piano: I-IV-V-I. The bass shoud be set to: "Tumbao + 1-5-8-5-1" The master Key should be set at C#. These settings will give you a slow, standard musical pattern for dancing Salsa. In the meantime you may want to find a hot Salsa band like the one in Houston called: SonTumbao. Here you have a link to their website with a few music clips.... http://www.sontumbao.com/ ... and ... http://www.sontumbao.com/_assets/son_Tumbao_Amor.mp3

http://www.sontumbao.com/_assets/son_Tumbao_Lloraras.mp3

Check your Style from the Bottom Up! (Part1)

Salsa Tool #5 – I’m not an expert on fashion, but I think I have made some good observations. Some people might think that choice of shoes and clothing is obviously common sense, yet Salsa fashion seems to be overlooked or undervalued so often. For some people fashion comes easy, yet for others, they are lucky if their socks match. This salsa tool can give you an edge on the competition. Take a look in your closet and inventory the options you have for going out Salsa dancing. Look carefully at your shoes and clothes. Remember… styles vary with an individual’s tastes and each person has plenty of options. If you have a budget for clothes, then maybe it is time to buy some new threads. As much as we want people to love us for who we are on the inside, everything about our outside speaks volumes about who we are as people. So, other than your charming personality, you really should seriously consider your options when it comes to choosing clothes. Before you go shopping for clothes, take a look at your shoes.




Shoes are the most important item you can purchase to aid you in learning to dance Salsa. You may shop for dress shoes that look good and have a smooth sole OR you may choose to shop at a specialty store for “Latin dance” shoes, sometimes called “Ballroom Dance Shoes”. Ladies usually fair better at dance-specialty shoe stores, than the guys do… I am sure that most men can find a nice pair of leather-soled shoes at the mall… the kind of shoe that permits some smooth moves on the dance floor. If you can purchase a couple of different styles... that would be the best way to go. Purchase a pair that are definitely casual, and a couple other pair that have a bit more style and class.

Guys, we are really lucky. Most guys I know, myself included, enjoy going out wearing some casual threads... especially for dancing. The average Salsa club has that feel of "I'm coool and the way I dress shows it." I am not exactly sure who started the dress-down style for Salsa... but if you enjoy going out in jeans and a T-shirt, then dressing for most Salsa events will be a piece of cake. Maybe "Street Salsa" has influenced informal attire seen at clubs, especially for the guys. Whenever you are watching people dance, check out how people are dressed. In my opinion, on average the ladies usually are dressed better than the men. Does any of this matter? Sometimes it does. I think the dress-down style of Salsa clothing is great, depending on the occasion. Just be sure you can separate true “casual” style vs. “I was in a hurry and I put on the first pair of pants and shirt I could find." At some point guys (men)… we may decide to dance in an upscale club that has a dress code. In that case, you should get some info about where you will be going, and make a good selection... especially if you want to impress Miss Cutieee who is always dressed fashionably and who always looks HOT!

I know that generally, the ladies are usually more concerned about what they plan to wear to a dance party, than the men are. So I may write a part 2, where I interview a couple of Salseras and find out about the ladies' views on fashion in the world of Salsa! I am not endorsing any product, but I found the following links that may be helpful to you:

http://www.salsa-dancing-addict.com/what-to-wear-at-a-salsa-club.html
http://dancingsalsablog.com/salsa-shoes-clothing-accessories/clothing/salsa-clothing-for-the-ladies/
http://www.ekclothing.com/
http://www.latindancestore.com/index.html
http://www.internationaldancedesign.com/
http://www.latindancefashions.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=123&zenid=a5e2749b6df5a891b656b71a1ea72ac6
http://notablyunique.com/
http://www.zappos.com/capezio-ben-black
http://www.exoticsalsashoes.com/
http://www.championdanceshoes.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=3&Page=2
http://www.latindancefashions.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1964