Tips for the girls

1)Don't be tense! Stiffness interferes with your following. Try to be as loose as possible and the guys will be able to lead you much better.

2) Avoid having 'spaghetti-arms':). Your hands should always have a least amount of resistance in them or else you will not be able to follow the leading;)

3)Don't anticipate! Each guy has different moves in his repertoire and you should not jump ahead and finish the combination as you think, because there is a possibility that he wants to do something else. Remember: He is the guy, he should lead:)

4)Be sexy, but don't overdo it! Try to impress with your movement, and not by wearing slutty outfits, skirts that show most of your bikini at each spin, see-through tops, or touching yourself during dancing....


5)Wear something comfortable! There's nothing more annoying to a guy trying to lead, than a girl pulling and adjusting her clothes and hair all the time during a dance.... Tip: Before you leave the house try a few basics and spins wearing your dress. If it goes up, (or down) then i suggest you lose it and go with something else instead:D


6)Be yourself and be unique! No two dancers should ever look the same. From outfit, to the way you move, try to show on the dancefloor what kind of person you are: feminine/ fiery/ playful/ mellow/ sparkly/ quorky/ misterious/ funny/ joyful/ energetic/ well-behaved/ bad-girl , or more then one:D


7)Always remember: Following comes first, styling comes after!


8)Don't put on a bored face when dancing with beginners! Try adding more styling to the simple figures they lead, or their basic.... The fact that you enjoyed dancing with them will give them joy, and incentive to learn more, and dance more.

Tips for the guys

1)Dance with each girl according to her level. Notice if she has trouble with some particular moves and try to avoid those. Don't force advanced combinations on beginners, you risk scaring them to a point they will not enjoy dancing with you, or even worse, you might enjure them.

2)When you dance with a lady, treat her in a special way. Make her feel like you are the only two persons on the dancefloor. She will surely appreciate it.

3)Keep eyecontact, and try not to think too hard about the next move you want to do. This concentration will make you lose your expressivity. Maintain your cool, be as loose as possible, and enjoy the dance. You'll see, this way the inspiration will keep coming:).

4)Girls looove inventive guys. Don't do the same pre-learned combinations to each salsa piece.... that's booring. If you know a song, try adding a piece of you in the leading. This will transform each dance into a unique experience for the lady.

5)LISTEN to the music! Girls adore musical leaders, that dance according to the song that is playing. Try catching the accents with some particular moves: a dip or a quick head turn (this of course if you know the song), and more importantly: STOP at the pauses. This will totally change the aspect and feel of your entire dance.

6)A good leader has to know the difference between 1 and 5 and other beats. If you start dancing on a beat, keep it till the end of the piece. If you cannot tell the difference, then you have a lot of 'homework' to do:) Listen to a as many songs as possible, and try identifying the 1. It will come to you in time.

7)Don't be shy to invite. If you want to dance with a girl, nomater how advanced she is, the only way is to ask her... Dance also with ladies that are inferior to your level. This will improve your leading and you will help them advance. Sometimes the most rewarding experience is to dance with a beginner, because trust me, they really appreciate it:)

8)If you consider yourself a beginner, don't let it show.... nervousness won't take you far. Don't ask the lady after each move:'Was it ok?','Am I on 1?'.... She probably knows that you are new to salsa and will appreciate your courage. So be bald and just do your thing.

9)Thank the lady after each dance, even if she was the one inviting you. It's common sense:)

10)Very important tip: Don't touch the ladies in intimate places! (except if you know them really well and have their permission). This kind of behavior is very frowned upon among the salseras. There's a big chance they will never dance with you again.

11)Remember where you began! There's nothing girls hate more than a cocky, stuck-up guy who olny dances with VIP's and is always showing off.... Stay humble, and smile even if you are dancing with a beginner.

12)Always bring at least 1 spear t-shirt with you to the party or practice. And of course a deodorant or cologne won't hurt:) But don't overdo it with the perfume.

I hope I gave you guys some good insights:) I'm eager to see your feedback, through comments.
You can also check out my universal tips for all dancers, or go back to the main page.

Top ten tips for dancers (all levels)

1)Pay attention to your partener!When you dance with someone be there 100%. Eye contact is also a must because that's how you show your partener respect.

2)Addapt to his/her level and try to enjoy every dance. Don't put on a bored face, even is he/she is not at the same level as you are.

3)If you make a mistake, just smile and go on. Don't feel bad that you made it and do not appologize for it:) Nobody was born with salsa shoes on, and everyone was a beginner once.

4)Dance with as many people as you can. The fastest way to emprove your leading/following is to try out different parteners, because they all have different styles. A good dancer is one that can dance well with anyone.

5)Don't be shy! If you like a song just invite someone. Guys and girls love to be asked to dance. In salsa world there are no rules about who should ask who. Don't forget: if you invite, you will be invited;)

6)Nobody cares about your level! Don't feel inhibited if your level is inferior to your partener's. Try to lose your 'scared-face' and just be charming. Your partener will surely notice your enthusiasm and you will get invitations more oftenly.

7)Try not to refuse an invitation only if you have a really good reason to do it (you promised that dance to someone, or you want to change clothes, or hydrate yourself), and if so explain it to the person who asked you, and later on invite him/her to a dance.

8)Don't be too insistent! If you are refused by someone and they give you a reasonable explanation just accept it and move on. Nobody likes to be dragged:'Comeooon, comeoooooon, come-oooon!'

9)Don't start small-talk during dancing! That can be done after. There's no bigger mood-killer then a chatty, or a non-stop-explaininer partener. And most importantly don't critisize the other person's moves. You risk never being invited again.

10)Be humble on the dancefloor. Even if you know you are a good dancer, don't let it show. Noone likes an 'I know I'm the best' or an 'Always with my nose up' guy/girl, beacuse in salsa there's always room for emprovement.

If you found my tips useful, or would like to add something to them, feel free to comment.
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testimonials

In this section you can read about different dancers' experiences: How has salsa changed our lives? What effect does salsa have on us? (I will start with a short confession:) )
'I cannot explain what i feel when I'm dancing... it's a rush, an eliberation, I forget everything, all my problems just seem to dissappear...
I just feel reborn after a salsa piece I enjoyed.... It gives me the sensation that nothing is impossible: I can reach for the stars, and touch the moon:)'

If you have a story or confession you would like to share, please leave a comment.
Or go back to my main page

Salsa... A way of life

Salsa dancing has become a worldwide trend. People from all over the globe come togeteher to experience this unique, thrilling, emotion-filled and energetic dance-style, because of the uncomparable feeling salsa gives them.
The challenge of leading gives men the perfect oportunity to be in control, and the ladies a great chance to be swept of thier feet and just do what they do best: be feminine. Salsa dancing is an art, a way of life, people who start it, nomater the age, ususally are hooked, they change their lifestyle completely and consider life before salsa an empty void.
Salsa can become a sweet addiction and can bring you the most meaningful and wonderful experiences of your existence. It gives you the perfect oportunity to meet new people, socialize and make friendships that last a lifetime.
If you want to read about how salsa has changed lives check out the testimonials section.
Want to be popular on the dancefloor? Here's my top ten tips on how to do that
For all you salsa loving girls:check out my ladies styling post

Lady styling (dos and don'ts)

Styling comes from the soul, and reflects each and every woman's personality. Do not try to copy anyone's moves just because they are popular. It will look fake. If you admire someone, find inspiration in them but don't be a copy-cat. Use moves that come naturally and are a match to your body type and dancing style. Feel free to combine them as you wish .
Don't be shy! Guys love original, 'crazy' stylings even if you are not the best spinner in the world. But be careful not to overdo it. Styling should complete your salsa not the other way around. And try not to let your personal moves enterfere with your following. Pay attention to your partener and his leading and introduce styling only if there is an 'opening' for it. Excessive moving can confuse the guys, and you risk being categorized as a non-follower or a by-yourself-dancer.
Very important tip: listen to the music and do your styling according to it. Don't force the same moves to every melody because it won't work and it will look silly. Fast songs require energic styling, while slower salsa pieces emply soft, mellow moves.
As a conclusion: experiment, mix and match, GO CRAZY on the dancefloor, don't care about who's watching, be original and most importantly BE YOURSELF and you will go from being the admirer to being admired;)
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