Dance Shoes

Dance shoes are required to prevent damaging the floors. Our Seattle and Bellevue dance studios have well maintained dance floors. Beginners can start with jazz sneakers, jazz shoes, men’s dance shoes, or women’s 2″ – 2.5″ Salsa shoes. Our beginning class really focuses on the fundamentals and developing good solid technique so any of these options will work. Jazz sneakers are extremely comfortable. They’re similar to sneakers except they have a split sole and a synthetic base that’s easy to turn on. Popular brands include Capezio, Bloch, and Sansha. Jazz shoes are even lighter weight, the compromise being less support. Different brands and styles feel and fit different so try them on to see which feels most comfortable. Buy locally rather than over the internet. You’ll be supporting a local merchant and will be guaranteed a shoe that fits.

If you choose to buy jazz sneakers or men’s dance shoes, I recommend first purchasing an orthotic insole for improved stability and shock absorption. I personally like the Sport version for men and Sports version for women from The Walking Company. They have stores throughout the area. Superfeet also sells great orthotic insoles. REI carries a wide variety.

Men’s dance shoes and women’s high-heel Salsa shoes are of course dressier. A 2.5″ heel is standard for salsa. If you’re a tall woman you can go with a 2″ heel. Anything over 2.5″ is not recommended.

Five dance supply shops in the area are Dance Boutique in Issaquah, 660 NW Gilman Blvd. Suite C5 425-369-1880, Petticoat Junction in Lynnwood, Centerstage in the U-District (owned by Petticoat), Art’s Dance Shoes in Kirkland, and Experience Shoes in Pioneer Square. Salsaymotion instructors can provide you with a 10% off coupon for Dance Boutique in Issaquah. Art makes very high quality custom shoes.

Experience has has the largest selection of Salsa shoes, ranging from very reasonably priced beginners shoes to their Experience line: “Our premium dance shoes sets the standard for form, fit, and ultimate comfort. Imaginative, fashion forward designs to create a unique and singular statement. Conceived in passion to express and impress, meticulously constructed in the U.S. for high durability. Our Experience line provide an entirely new appreciation for the art of dance shoes.” They have a large selection of in the store or you can place a custom order, your choice of color(s), materials, heel-height, and style. And they’re offering a 10% discount to Salsaymotion students on non-sales shoes. Mention to Jim Hadley, the owner, that Larry from Salsaymotion referred you before he rings up your order to get the discount.

If you choose to go with dance shoes that have a suede sole, you’ll also need a wire shoe brush to keep the suede from matting down and becoming slippery. Use it before dancing every time.

Learning Tips

Don’t procrastinate! Salsaymotion has great instructors but I can’t emphasize enough that you need to practice at least 15-20 minutes a day to progress. Learning Salsa and Bachata is like learning any other art form or sport. If you practice piano once a week, it’’s going to take forever to learn. And you don’t need a partner. In fact, it’s best to practice by yourself when you’re just learning. You can focus on your technique without the variable of another dancer. When Samantha’s two sons were learning to dance, they didn’t have a partner for the first year! They just practiced footwork and technique, which is why they rank among the elite dancers in the Salsa world.

Guys often worry about learning lots of combinations in the beginning rather than focusing on good technique. What women really want is a good connection and a good lead rather than lots of poorly executed combinations. Remember, she’s the picture and you’re the frame. And it’s your job to make her look and feel good. Be patient — dance can be a lifelong journey. And don’t feel discouraged. Some people don’t even have two left feet and they do just fine. No excuses.

And a word of advice to both men and women. Dance to dance. Dance SIMPLY to dance, don’t dance for a reason or with an agenda. When people dance for ego, to have people look at them, for approval, or to feel good about themselves they separate themselves from the dance and from the music. Without getting too philosophical or Zen, dance is a metaphor for life in so many ways. Let’s just say that “doing to do” will lead you along a joyful experience whereas “doing to get” will not.

There are many Salsa and Bachata teachers out there. And all of them are the best . . . at something. No one teacher is the ideal match for everyone. This is America — you’re free to shop around and when you find one who fits your style, stick with him or her and learn everything you can. Each instructor has a different approach and a different style of teaching. For instance, we teach the progressive Basic while many Salsa instructors teach the traditional Basic. Our classes tend to be highly technical while keeping it fun. Other some dance schools may focus more on the social aspects. Nothing wrong with that, but if you bounce from one instructor to the next and approach learning like a dilettante, your experience will be half-baked and you won’t fully realize what an instructor has to offer. And look beyond just Salsa and Bachata for inspiration. It will make you a better dancer.

Private lessons are an excellent way to supplement group classes or take by themselves. Many people think that privates are mostly for advanced dancers. In fact, it’s most beneficial to dancers at a beginning level. This is the point in which we can focus on refining your technique and tailor the lessons to your individual needs. We are competition-level dancers who understand how proper technique can improve your dancing and make it more enjoyable for both you and your partner. We do our best to teach technique and give feedback in a group class but it’s impossible to provide the level of feedback and fine tuning we offer in privates.

Buy some Salsa and/or Bachata music to help motivate you. Look for slow to medium music when you’re just learning. Practice will feel more like play. Dancing to music forces you to pay attention to timing and rhythm. You’ll begin to develop a sense of musicality as you feel the music and your body becomes another instrument in the band.

FAQs

Q What is a Lead. What is a Follow.
A. Salsa is a partner dance where one person leads by initiating the moves and one follows. Men are traditionally Leads and women Follows but you’re free to choose which role to learn. Many of the best dancers learn both. In fact, in the 2009 Mayan Salsa Competition in LA, two men won first place!

Q Do I need a partner?
A No, we rotate partners during the class. This is especially beneficial when you’re just learning because if you stay with one partner, you tend to adapt to his or her bad habits. If you’re a couple and really don’t want to dance with anyone else, you’re not required to rotate but as stated, it may affect your progress.

Q What is Bachata?
A Here’s a beautiful example. Keep in mind, these are advanced dancers so don’t feel intimidated. As with our Salsa classes, we begin with the fundamentals and emphasize proper technique.

Q Can I take both Salsa and Bachata together?
A Yes, in fact that’s why we scheduled them back to back. Salsa clubs play a mix of both Salsa and Bachata. We intentionally structured The Salsa classes directly next to the Bachata classes so you can take both together if you want. Bachata will also help you learn Salsa faster by teaching body isolation and connection. And it’s double the fun

Q What should I wear and bring?
A Come with dance shoes and comfortable clothes. Don’t wear street shoes that can mar or damage the dance floors. If you’re taking the Basics class, you can get by with sneakers that are not worn outside but dance shoes will be more comfortable and easier to practice in. Sonny Newman’s Dance Hall has a water fountain but Dance Academy Of Bellevue does not. Bring a water bottle. SIGGs are really good because they are well built and are lined with a chemically inert micro polymer so as not to absorb or transfer flavor. If you’re shopping around for a good water filter, the Custom Pure MB Filter Series is an excellent choice. On a side-note, if you want to learn more about water, I suggest renting the documentary, FLOW: For The Love Of Water.

Q I’m not sure what class to take.
A If you’re undecided between two levels, say for instance The Basics and Partnering 1, make arrangements to come a few minutes early and one of our instructors will take you for a “test spin”. We’ll make sure you’re in the most appropriate class for your skill level.

Q Do you offer gift certificates?
A Yes, we offer beautiful gift certificates in whatever amount you choose. They can be used for either private or group classes. Please contact Kristee at 206.779.5910 to make a purchase.

Q Do you offer wedding packages?
A Yes, we offer a package of 8 private 1 hour lessons for $560. As with all our privates, we place a great deal of emphasis on technique to give you the fundamental skills to social dance. And then we teach you choreography to one song of your choosing or we can help you select a song. Our instructors have choreographed works for competitions and performances so a wedding dance is a piece of cake for them

Q What do you charge for private lessons?
A Privates for one person are $90 per lesson or $400 for a 5-pack. Savings increase even more by purchasing a 10-pack for $700.

Q Do I Need to register for the whole series?
A Yes, are classes are structured so that one class builds upon the next. You can generally catch up if you miss the first class because we review much of the material.

Q What is your refund policy?
A There are no refunds or make-ups for missed classes.

Music

You’re probably going to want some Salsa music to listen to while practicing. Here are a few suggestions:

Saboreando Salsa Dur En El Bronx — Wayne Gorbea & Salsa Picante

Aniversario Parte II En Vivo! — Sonora Poncena

The Originals: El Cantante — Hector Lavoe

Con Sabor a Salsa — Various Artists

Across 110th Street — Spanish Harlem Orchestra

La Sirena Rosa is an excellent source of Salsa and Bachata music too. Estavan is very knowledgeable about Latin music. It’s located on the Pike Place Hill Climb just below Western:
1501 Western, Seattle, WA 98101 206-682-8338

And be sure to watch Latin Music USA It’s an amazing documentary.

If you’re looking to purchase a home stereo, I highly recommend The Audio Connection. It’s a small business that’s been around for over 25 years. They sell home stereos that sound much more musical than what’s sold at the big name stores and for less money while offering great customer service.

Bodywork

From time to time we may need some work on our bodies to stay tuned-up. Here are some recommendations based on personal experience: Seattle Life Chiropractic Dr. Jeffrey M. Suver North City Chiropractic Health Clinic Dr. Charia “Cheri” Markos Healing Wisdom Kris Shaw, LMT Phiten 1532 7th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101-1704 (206) 340-0606