7 Salsa Lesson Strategies For New Dancers

Have you ever had a great idea, but the wrong approach?  

Dance lessons is a great idea.  Like, really, really great.   But sometimes things don't click, we lose interest, and then it becomes something that "we tried once".  

Spoiler alert:  You will need to take some dance lessons to get better at Salsa, but it also takes a strategy.  Here is your salsa lesson strategy. 

7 Salsa Lesson Strategies For New Dancers

1. Don't Believe The Hype

You aren't born with dance ability, just like you aren't born with speaking ability. You take lessons to gain information.  Salsa is just a new language you have yet to master.  

Recommendation:  Great dancers are great students. 

For more on this subject, we recommend:  Permanently Delete These 6 Salsa Lesson Misconceptions

2. Start Private Before Public:

Private dance lessons let you work at your own pace, improve your ability to lead or follow, and can keep your motivation up.  A professional dance instructor is like a personal trainer for your dance ability.  You can't sneak out of the class when you're working one on one.  

Note:  Group Classes are definitely encouraged, once you have established some basics on your private lessons. 

Recommendation:  The road to great Salsa dancing starts with a Private Lesson.

3. Nightclub at Your Own Risk

Freeways are great when you know how to drive, and salsa clubs are fun once you know how to dance. A Salsa club may be your goal, but can still be tricky when your dancing is a work in progress. 

Recommendation:  We recommend using the studio practice sessions at Arthur Murray to set up your big debut at the Nightclub or Dance Event. 

For More Tips On Salsa Clubs, we recommend:  Salsa Club 101: The Basic Survival Stuff You Need To Learn

4. Salsa Dance Advice

Any salsa dance advice should be considered “under review” until you talk to your salsa teaching professional.  Peer to peer advice can have the right intent ("getting better"), but the wrong delivery ("you really need to get better"). 

Recommendation: Smile, say thank you, and then report any feedback to your dance teacher. 

For More on Dance Advice you should avoid, we recommend:  7 Terrible Tips All Dancers Should Ignore

5. Watch What You Watch

Watching advanced salsa dancers move with ease and style can be exciting, and also overwhelming.  What you see is a great result, what you can't see is the process that they went through.  

Recommendation: Don't question the process you're in.  It may not look advanced now, but it's how you'll become an advanced dancer in the future. 

For more on making Dance comparisons, we recommend:  5 Dysfunctional Comparisons of a Dance Student

6. The Pace Of Your Progress

Basic things like smiling, eye contact, and conversation get more difficult with faster music. Things like hip motion and arm styling will be there, but once your foundation is set and automatic. 

Note:  Closer appointments make for faster improvement.   

Recommendation:  Your Salsa lessons will focus on the most important skills first, like timing and basic footwork.  

7. Learn The Salsa Cheat Codes

The fast track to learning the Salsa is through a variety of easier dances. Things like Rumba, Merengue, and Cha-Cha are like cheat codes that give your salsa more upgrades, much sooner. 

Recommendation:  Being able to dance a variety of Latin dances not only improves your Salsa skills, but it also keeps you on the dance floor longer. 

For more information on getting the most out of your Salsa Dancing, we recommend our e-book: