Salsa Rhythms - Expert Advice; Safety

Safety - 

Key points to remember: - Safety in dancing - Efficiency in foot
placement - Mastering your floor space

Good dancers have a sense of awareness about themselves in
relation to others on the dance floor. In developing this
awareness apply the following whether you are in a dance lesson,
practicing by yourself and especially at a dance club.

In Salsa any step back should be a small one, period. This
applies to the man as well as the woman. If your step back is
large you will run into problems such as:

- Stepping on other dancers around and behind you - Getting
stepped on by other dancers - Not being able to comfortably stay
on time to the music (both you and your partner)

Measure your step by placing the toe of your back step (the foot
going back, right or left) lightly against the inside heel of
your opposite foot (keep your weight on the ball of your back
foot and the heel off the floor) then step forward with your
opposite foot (heel to flat).

Example: Step back with your left foot and forward with your
right then step back with your right foot and forward with your
left. At first be sure to watch your feet as you do this, then
practice without looking down until you can "feel" the
appropriate distance. At first, practice this SLOWLY you will
find that you will gain speed naturally and conserve the amount
of space you use on the dance floor. This is an extremely
important point because keeping your steps small respects the
space of other dancers and protects you from injury in crowded
floors. This also helps you avoid "losing" the beat as you are
dancing with your partner. If on any video you see the
instructors taking large steps back, it is only for the purpose
of letting you see the footwork on a larger scale.

Questions? Email: fernando@salsa-rhythms.com
www.salsa-rhythms.com