Hello, my young virgins (just play with me, okay), hail! For  I have returned after being away. It’s been a while, and after spending a fair bit of time trying to access the password (waves to my cyber BFF Giles), I’m back!

Now, since I’ve been back, I’ve been deluged with requests for Salsa and Bachata classes in Nottingham, and exactly what do we mean by the terms ‘Absolute Beginners’, ‘Beginners’ and ‘Intermediate’ course levels. Of course, it can all be found at the website. However, just to make sure that we’re singing from the same hymn sheet, let’s go through the terms, shall we?

Absolute Beginners Salsa: The assumption is here, that you can walk, and nothing more. This is important, because we do take you from walking, to moving in beats, and listening to the rhythm so you know what you’re dancing to. Amanda will introduce you to the various types of salsa out there in passing (New York versus Cuban, and a bit of Miami,  but the idea is to encourage one to know the basics of good, clean salsa). This process takes eight weeks, and each week is important. This is the class to do if:

• You’ve done the odd salsa class – and attended it periodically – never practised in between the classes  and that was years ago.
• If you’ve stopped salsa for years and are completely unsure of beats in steps, in music, not able to follow the music (you will know).
• If you can’t (and don’t know the difference!) between mambo, rumba or even walking in a beat.
• Took a boozy holiday to Cuba, Dom Rep, Puerto Rico – learnt it at a hotel, in between the food, sand, sea and s- something else.

If that’s you, run – do not walk- to the beginner’s classes on July 19, 2010 on Station Street.

Beginners Salsa: Amanda assumes that you are aware of the basic steps – and if you’re directed to rumba, mambo, turn before seguing into a fan, you won’t look at Amanda and go “Que?”

This is important, because this is where ignorance can harm. If you’re not moving well, or efficiently, your leader is going to have issues – of the spine, and shoulders, et al, because it’s a struggle moving an inert body on the floor. If you’re a leader, you might harm your follower with incorrect signals and your over confidence- coupled with not enough ability- can (literally) be a punch in the mouth for your follower.

After one has done absolute beginners, beginners salsa  (quick check list: can you dance to a beat, know your mambo from your rumba, confident in doing the basic steps, able to take direction by body signals from your leader, or lead your follower with confidence) and your moves are done without shuffling key steps? Does your tutor look on you without having to correct your position, or your musicality (this is your ability to ‘feel’ the music and interpret it with the basics well and truly sussed). If so, congratulations, you are for the immediate classes! That’s another post, however.

For Absolute Beginner’s Bachata, the questions directed to you will be the same ones directed to the Salsa people upthread, so no laughing for you in the penny section over there. If you can do the dance whilst knowing the punctuation of the hip, as well as the spins, holds, turns, able to feel the beat and interpret the music, well, yes, you too will get booted to intermediate classes and yes, chaps, that’s also another post (keep up).

Before you start day dreaming about ‘Intermediate’ classes and doing your own star turn in your own rendition of Dirty Dancing – remember that it takes practice to commit all these steps to muscle memory, and the way to being flawless on the dance floor is the same way to Carnagie Hall.

Practise, practise, practise.

You really didn’t think I’d come back off my holiday to tell you something different, do you?