Description courses

Salsa

The descriptions of the content of every level that follow will help you to decide which level to choose. Don’t forget  that it takes time to assimilate the various dancing techniques! And as you know there’s a difference between ‘having seen’ some material and ‘having assimilated’ it. That’s why we often recommend to repeat a certain level before moving on to the next stadium. The instructors will help you make a choice when necessary. Don’t be afraid to ‘get bored’, the combinations we’re using always change series after series (even in the same level), only the techniques and what’s behind the combinations stay … The salsa proposed here is salsa ‘LA Style’.

Salsa Beginners 1

This first series is really a ‘getting to know’ salsa dancing. We will work on some basic footwork and partnering, on a basic understanding of the rhythm. The elements of this series: basic step and open break; cross body lead; basic spinning techniques; ladies’ and man’s right side turn; different handholds; variation in tension; hairbrush; basic elements of leading and following; general attitude, posture and movement (Cuban motion). In this series we’ll also introduce you to rueda and bachata. We’ll start with some basic shines as well.

Salsa beginners 2

You’ll get to know the ladies’ pivot, left and right, using it in different combinations (cross inside left, cross outside left and right). We’ll go deeper into spinning (ladies one and a half turn, man’s hook turn, spotting). Combinations with social step and with crossed hands (right over left). Back spot turn. ‘Wristbreaker’ (or ‘touch and go’). Introduction of basic styling (hairbrushes, arm flick, variations on basic step) and we’ll go deeper into the Cuban motion. We’ll work more with rueda and bachata and you’ll get to know merengue. We’ll go on with some more complex shines.

We recommend to attend this series of classes twice.

Salsa intermediate 1

In this first intermediate series we’ll work on: basic combinations with copa; cross inside turn right; combinations from crossed hands left over right; double right turn lady (New York prep) and man. Single left side turn, lady and man. Spotting (in pivots or spins). Alternative left pivot. Back roll. We’ll go deeper into rhythmical elements: clave & tumbao (conga’s). Intro to chacha (on2) and salsa on2. More styling and more elaborate shines. Intro to leading for followers and following for leaders. Lots of attention still for Cuban motion movement (also through chacha, bachata or merengue).

We recommend to attend this series of classes twice.

Salsa intermediate 2

Double turns and 2.5 turns with other hand holds. More complex combinations with copa. Combinations with belly wrap. Neck roll ladies. Elaborate shines. Combinations from left hammerlock and right hammerlock. It is important that in this level leaders and followers master the material from the previous series as we are ‘playing’ a lot with all of the elements that have been seen. We’ll work  a lot on the ladies’ spins, spotting, pivots. Working on fluency in the combinations and dancing. Shines and working on Cuban motion to work on your personal style.

We recommend to attend this series twice.

Salsa advanced

Participants need to master all the material that has been proposed in the previous levels.  For the followers: double turns shouldn’t be a problem anymore, spotting is really good, balance in general is more than ok. You will be challenged in your balance with triple turns, double pivots, etc and in your following (leading will be more and more subtle and complex. Lots of attention to styling. For the leaders: all of the previous material is mastered. We’ll work more on ‘cleaning’ your dancing: reducing your leading to the essence and making it more precise.

Combinations will be new week after week, series after series, and will require an excellent knowledge of all basic techniques. The combinations need to be worked on privately as well in order to be assimilated.

Tango

beginners 1

Gaëtan Collaert will take you through the basics of tango in a series of ten classes. Here’s the content: introduction; how to connect with the partner and take the right posture; how to step (projection); the chest leading;
the 4 basics; the music timing and the pause; forward and back ocho; el arrastre (feet connection); the tango balance; el giro (lady turn with the man axis).

Bachata

beginners and intermediate

Bachata is one of the dances (with merengue, chacha, zouk, reggaeton, …) that are almost always present at salsa parties. It is danced on slower, often sensual, music. Originally, just like merengue, from the Dominican Republic. Great dance in itself and it will even have some important positive influence on your salsa as there’s more time here (as the rhythm is much slower) to work on the finishing of the movement and posture (Cuban motion, hands, …). Gaétan Collaert will present a series for beginners and an ‘intermediate’ series with lots of new material!

Salsa ladies’ technique & styling

Open level

In a series of five classes, Aldona will work with you on all the basic techniques and styling that you will need as a follower in salsa (for followers from beginners to intermediate 1 level). All of the elements that show up in the salsa classes in couple will be present here in a structured way: basic movement, posture, spins, pivots, upper body, arms, Cuban motion, basic shines, spins …

We recommend to attend this series twice.

Intermediate

Maria will lead you through essential elements to continue working on style and technique. Arm movements, footwork, elaborate shines, balance, spinning will be some of the topics …  For followers at intermediate 2 level or higher. It is recommended to attend the ‘open level’ first.

We recommend to attend this series twice.

Salsa Body Coordination

You’ll work with Maria on a whole catalogue of elements that will make your dancing stronger, richer: spinning techniques, isolation, body movement (Afro-Cuban elements like rumba), … These solo classes are meant for men and women! The ideal course to work on your body movement in general!

Being in a ‘beginners 2′ level is a minimum request to attend this series.

Introducing … bachata-merengue-chacha-zouk-reggaeton-rueda!

Very often at salsa parties you can see people leaving the dance floor whenever the dj is putting on something else than salsa. Simply because people are not familiar enough with chacha, merengue, reggaeton, zouk or bachata. That’s why we have started proposing these series of five classes in which we’ll teach you the basics of these dance styles. Every series of five will focus on three of those styles, which means that the content of the  ‘Intro’ series will vary series after series. The ideal classes to prepare you for the parties!

Chacha

A dance that is becoming very popular in salsa clubs is the ‘chacha’. The rhythmical structure is very close to salsa but it is slower (leaving more space to styling and basic movement!). Very elegant and fun dance, chacha is a great way to work on your style. Chacha has had a ‘first life’ in the 50’s as a ballroom style (which it still is) and is now present in the salsa scene in a more ‘informal’ way. There’s lots of absolutely great chacha music too, composed by the greatest Latin musicians. Come and discover the ’street style’ chacha with us in a series of five classes ‘Intro to merengue-chacha-bachata’.

Merengue

Merengue is originally, just like bachata, from the Dominican Republic. The rhythm can be very very fast. A nice thing though is to keep on dancing merengue in a soft, sensual way even though the rhythm is frenetic …

Zouk

Zouk is originally from Guadeloupe and Martinique, in Brazil and other Portugese speaking countries they’ll name it Kizomba (although there are many variations and substyles). Slow and sensual, zouk has also gained its place in the Belgian salsa scene recently.

Reggaeton

Very popular these days in Cuba, reggaeton is popular in the hiphop and reggae scene too as there are lots of similarities with these styles. Lots of samples, synths and drum machines but you’ll also find traditional bomba, plena and salsa rhythms inside. Sometimes called the ‘gangsta rap’ of the Caribbean …

Rueda de casino

Dance form inside the salsa scene in which couples dance in a circle and follow the indications of a ‘leader’ who shouts out names of combinations that the couples are supposed to execute. At the end of these combinations there are many changes of partner, which means that everyone gets to dance with everyone. A great social dance, excellent to work on rhythm, coordination, awareness of space and great to simply have fun …

Bachata

See more info above.

Mambo for switchers

There are many salsa dance styles. There is ‘our’ LA Style (also called ‘on1′ or ‘cross body lead style’), there are amongst others also the Cuban style and the New York Style (also called ‘on2′ or ‘mambo’). Even inside these styles there are distinctions! In this series of five classes we would like to introduce you to one of these great salsa styles, the ‘mambo’ or ‘on2′. Often danced by salseros who have quite some experience already. Come and discover ‘on2′ with Gaëtan!

‘For switchers’ means that this series is meant for dancers who already have experience in salsa but not in this style (you will learn much faster than ‘real beginners’).