Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.s)
You may find the following questions & answers useful.
Q. What should I wear?
A. Casually smart clothes which do not restrict your movement. Remember - the better you look, the better you feel.
Q. What about shoes? Do I need anything special?
A. Dance shoes or dance trainers are recommended, but any lightweight shoes will do so long as they do not keep falling off and the soles are not too sticky. Flip flops or ordinary trainers are therefore best avoided. Jazz shoes are also very practical, but they are not usually so attractive if wearing a short dress or skirt.
Q. Am I too old to come to classes?
A. No. Not if you are fit & can walk without a zimmer frame! Even an 80 year old lady can perform or a fit one legged man can dance with the aid of a crutch. See the video clips right. -
Q. I don’t know anyone, should I try to bring a friend?
A. That is not necessary but your friends will be welcome. In our classes as we change partners frequently so that you will soon get to meet new people.
Q. Will there be anyone to dance with once I have learnt?
A. Dance venues vary considerably, so there's no guarantee, but there are plenty of places to go salsa dancing which consistently attract a large number of dancers of both sexes. At Ballroom events other than BestSalsa's Ballroom classes in Balham, you would be best advised to take a partner. You may wish to consider hiring a dance partner if you don't have one of your own.
Q. How do I know what Salsa level of lesson to attend?
A. If you have never danced salsa before, then you should attend a class for absolute beginners. After about 3-6 weeks, you may feel that you want to know more in which case try the improvers' class or both. Please remember that good dancing is about beautiful movement in time with the music & not simply "being able to do the moves". It is therefore advisable to stay at a lower level until you have tidied up your style as well as "can do the moves".
Q. What is the level of BestSalsa's Ballroom dance lessons?
A. We have managed to satisfy the needs of all levels from absolute beginner to about 1st Gold star so far. When there is sufficient demand we will consider hiring another teacher so that we can simultaneously teach more levels, but so far we normally start with the lowest level of whoever is there & progress on to meet the needs of the more advanced students whilst the beginners practice what they learnt.
Q. Why do I keep forgeting what I learnt the previous week?
A. The human brain does not easily retain information for very long. If you practice what you learn in the lesson for at least 30mins afterwards, and if you dance more frequently than once per week, you should retain what you learn far more than if you leave it for another week, especially if you take two 1 hour lessons rather than just 1 lesson.
It is a fact that it takes a lot of effort & a considerable period of time to good social dancing skills - especially for men. The most fun part of dancing is during this learning process. if it was easy, there would be no challenge.
Q. What style of salsa is best?
A. All styles can be good if danced well. We recommend that you start by learning Cuban style as there are number of elements that one needs to learn which are easiest learnt in Cuban style although LA style (Crossbody On1) is very popular in the UK. Once you have grasped the basics you may wish to experiment with different styles. See this Salsa Video Clips link for details.
Q. Do I need to book up in advance?
A. Normally no, but just lately we are experiencing a massive demand for our classes on Mondays, so it might be prudent to contact Barry in advance to make sure that there is space.
Q. Is it normally acceptable for ladies to ask guys to dance at a club?
A. Yes! If guys do not ask the ladies, there could be a number of reasons. E.g. in the early stages most people usually feel awkward and don’t like to ask. Once people feel comfortable, they usually start to relax and dance with whoever they like. This could take some months or it could happen on day one depending on how confident the person asking is.
A. There could be one or more reasons for this. This is common for guys, as guys should be the ones asking usually. Make sure that you know how to dance or you may not get asked again, or for guys you may be rejected if you can’t dance as well as the person you are asking. You need to be seen near to the dance floor. If you sit quietly somewhere near the back people will assume that you are resting and do not want to dance. You need to look like a dancer - dress smartly, make eye contact with someone looking at you and smile. Guys often feel intimidated if ladies are in a group all chatting amongst themselves. If you have had food with a strong smell (Garlic, Onions etc.) brush your teeth, gargle, eat mints and/or chew gum BEFORE going dancing. Do not continue eating or chewing gum on the dance floor. If you have been at work first - especially a manual job, then bring a flannel and a change of clothing with you and wash before turning up at the club/class.
Q. What are the health benefits of dancing?
A. Like most other forms of regular exercise - if you dance regularly, you should feel an improvement in appetite, sleep pattern, libido, energy levels, mental alertness, self confidence & self esteem. Dancing also helps alleviate mild depression, helps you to relax and reduces stress levels, anxiety, pain sensations levels of anger and tension. All this leads to reduced risk of heart related illnesses & a longer life. You may find more about this on this website’s home page.
Q. Is there such a thing as Dance Etiquette, & if so what do I need to know?
A. Yes there is. Dance etiquette are the conventional rules which govern the social behavior of dance by its participants. Such rules include the way in which the participants should look and the way in which they approach, dance with and leave their partner. Etiquette can vary between different styles of dance. E.g. After each Ballroom dance, it is customary for the man to escort the lady back to her seat after dancing with her, but that is not normal in salsa or modern jive clubs. For further details see Elements of Dance Etiquette.