Salsa Class

Teaching salsa to the students has been tremendous fun and a great opportunity to introduce them to something completely new & foreign to them.

For many of them it was the first time they danced a partner dance, so they were quite shy and self conscious about the whole experience. In Salsa, the girl is held close to the man, cultural differences aside; this appeared like something quite new to a lot of them. I emphasized this was normal and a part of the dance, and reminded them that they’re just dancing; there was no need to feel like they were intruding on another’s personal space.

Giggling abounded, and some laughed uncontrollably when they were taught some of the more sensual dance moves (hair comb, sweetheart position, body roll). What they seemed to enjoy, like many first time dancers to salsa, was the new found freedom in this new medium wherein regular social etiquette no longer applied. You could hold a stranger close because it was expected, you could make prolonged eye contact with her, and you could smile together, all while holding each other without feeling apprehensive about it.

They were taught the origins of Salsa, dance timing, basic steps, and some intricate turn patterns in both Salsa & Merengue. We used the simpler dance, Merengue, to warm up, and some of the moves that involved holding your partner very close proved to be quite enjoyable for the students.

This experience has hopefully opened their eyes to the world of social dancing and the fun involved in meeting new people through dance. Seoul has an enormous salsa community, so there are many opportunities to explore this dance further & make new friends, all whilst having a great time.


-Salsa Sam