Rice Salseros

Salsa Classes (RSDS)

Rice Salseros offers salsa classes for all levels through Rice Social Dance Society. Our classes take place once a week. We do not teach ballroom salsa. We teach social salsa. This is what is danced in clubs and is the modern form of the dance. We will focus on giving beginners strong technique to build on. We will teach intermediate dancers to feel and enjoy the music while enjoying more tricky turn patterns. Advanced dancers will learn to control spacing, improve spins and turns, develop fancy footwork, and begin development of personal style. The best way to improve your dancing is practice and the best practice comes through social dance. Check out the salsa clubs in Houston.

 

Class Syllabi:
Beginning Intermediate Observations

Beginning:
Requirements: None.
We will focus on understanding the musical and timing issues in salsa. There will be a lot of energy put into learning the basic steps of salsa. We will use fun turn patterns to practice our skills and reinforce the basics. Introduction to lead and follow will be emphasized. After taking the beginning class, students will be able to understand the beats and rhythms of salsa, dance basic footwork and partnerwork patterns with lead/follow technique, and enjoy club dancing. Exceptional students will already be varying patterns and developing personal style.

Intermediate:
Requirements: (In order of importance) Ability to count beats, solid cross body lead (CBL), open break.
The most common misconception about an intermediate class is the idea that it is meant for intermediate dancers. An intermediate class is meant to create intermediate dancers. We will focus on CBL turn patterns in this class. Very strong emphasis will be placed on timing. We will explore LA style (On1) and NY style (On2). We will learn to control the energy of the dance, play with musicality, and develop style. One hour per week is not enough time to become an intermediate dancers. Students are encouraged to social dance as much as possible and dance with as many different partners as possible. After taking the intermediate class, students will be able to exhibit control and style, execute involved turn patterns, and dance on beat. Exceptional students will be executing multiple spins and showing musicality in their dance.

Advanced:
Requirements: Intermediate requirements, 1-1/2 turns for ladies, solid leads for men
The Advanced class will be NY style salsa. Members of this class are encouraged to participate in a December performance of a Rice Salseros choreography. We will focus on more complicated turn patterns, spacing, energy, musicality, and style. We will also place special emphasis on conversion of LA style patterns to NY style and vice-versa. At the end of this class, dancers will be able to execute multiple spins and continue development of their personal style.