The Weakest Links in Salsa Dancing

Every Salsa Dancer having taken Salsa Dance classes are very familiar with this topic: the weakest links in Salsa determining nearly everything happening in the Salsa classes. The influence of the weakest links in Salsa diminish as you get higher in the Salsa Pyramid and become none existent at the top. This difference has mainly to do with economic gain and a firm power base.

The weakest links in Salsa are the people who are not able to keep up with the general Salsa Dance instruction. They need extra attention to get as far as their fellow students, but most of them will refuse to take extra or private Salsa classes to quicken their dance progress. Some Salsa instructors stick to the “85% rule”: they will continue with his or her next instruction after 85% of the class masters a dance technique, combination or turn pattern. This 85% rule will be applied by Salsa instructors having a large number of students. A Salsa instructor will spend more time helping the weakest links during instruction when the groups are small.

The 15% consisting of the weakest links have more options than spending money on extra classes or Salsa privates:  

The Best Salsa Teacher is Social Dancing

The fastest students are not only the ones having a natural dance talent or practicing their dance moves on a daily basis; the fastest students are the ones going to Salsa clubs or Salsa Socials more than once a week. Your dance level will improve with 'Salsa Mileage'.

Dancing with the Strongest Links

The 'weaker' Salsa students can practice together with the 'strong links' outside of their regular Salsa instruction. The key is to become good friends with these strong links, be very patient, and dance with them at Salsa parties.

Video Tape & Write the Dance Moves

Many make the mistake of only taping what they have just learned. Writing the dance moves down helps a lot with the process of digesting and mastering the dance techniques. Write in codes to make it easier: a Cross Body Lead becomes a CBL.

It is very common for the weakest links to complain to their Salsa instructors and blame them for not advancing in the same pace as their fellow students does. Consider the following advice: the first thing you should do if something goes wrong is to examine your own actions before blaming others. If you are 100% sure that you have done everything in your power to avoid or remedy a bad situation, then it is time to see what others have done to make the situation worse. If the majority of the Salsa Dance class 'has it', then it is not logical to blame the teacher for you 'not having it'. Check your own ego!

Watch this “Salsa/Hip Hop Mocumentary for some fine examples of what Salsa dance choreographers have to cope with (sometimes).