A Tale of Two Salsa Dancers

Meet Anna!

Anna started Salsa dancing three years ago. She quickly got hooked on the music and the rhythm, thinking that all she had to do would be keep turning up and one day she would be as good as the teachers – embodying that connection and chemistry which she had admired from afar.

After six months she found herself in the top level class at her local club – yet whenever she went to a bigger event in the city, she felt like a beginner again.

She was desperate to continue improving, to get to that holy grail level where she didn’t need to think and keep second-guessing herself, but when she asked the instructors what she needed to do to get better, they never seemed to give a clear and precise answer:

“Listen to more Salsa music”

“Work on your fundamentals”

“Take my spinning workshop next week”

“Do more social dancing”

“Go to a weekend festival or congress”

Thing is – she was ALREADY giving up 3-4 nights a week for classes and socials with all the local popular instructors who all promised “fun, friendly, and “for everyone” yet couldn’t see beyond their obvious favourites to ask her for a dance…although they had no problem plastering pictures and videos of her dancing with a variety of different guys all over Facebook.

(Something which her husband was starting to get quite upset about, although he had made it clear he wanted nothing to do with dancing)

She simply couldn’t commit another without disrupting her already precarious energy levels and risking their already strained relationship.

They other problem was that all the teachers were giving slightly different – sometimes contradicting advice.

All were trying to teach her “their style” with no consideration for what her body could actually do – she was not 25 any more and some of the over-flamboyant, sexy styling just felt weird and wrong.

She interpreted that working on fundamentals meant going back to the beginner class and just going forwards and backwards and side to side all over again. How was that actually going to help when it was spinning, balance and following the more intricate stuff she was struggling with?

She got increasingly fed up with the experience she was having:

• 27 women and 7 or 8 men in a class
• People who weren’t at the right level for that class
• Most of the time spent on helping the guys
• People walking in halfway through and struggling to catch up
• Big halls and community centres which all looked the same – boring and a bit depressing
• Being thrown around and even injured by guys who didn’t know their own strength

Confused and frustrated, she went to YouTube for answers…

Watching videos of some of the really famous professional dancers social dancing, it looked like a completely different dance to the one she was learning – full of dynamic body movement, musicality, crazy arm work and non stop spins and turns.

The ladies had beautiful arms which just seemed to flow from one spin to the next, and they were rock solid in three inch heels where she was struggling to maintain balance in flats.

They looked calm, graceful and elegant – whereas she felt clumsy and out of control on the dance floor.

They were responding to what the music was doing in real time, adding beautiful embellishments that perfectly fit with the music – did they already know all the songs inside out? Or could they predict where the music was going?

She kept wondering what they knew that she didn’t. And why none of her teachers were teaching that stuff in her classes.

She just assumed that they were “naturals”, and she most definitely wasn’t.

That it was still her fault that she wasn’t getting the experience she initially went looking for.

That this was just how it was, and despite her doubts, it was still the only way.

Or was it???

Meet Rachel!

Rachel started learning Salsa just eight months ago, a year after her somewhat messy divorce which left her emotionally eviscerated.

Because of her high public profile she didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of group classes, even though there were a couple of Salsa clubs advertising locally.

And actually, the thought of floundering at the back of a class with random strangers didn’t appeal at all, and she didn’t see how dancing with men who were probably beginners themselves was going to be enjoyable – or the best use of her time.

It wasn’t that she lacked confidence, or wanted to be a prima-donna. She wanted something just for her.

No distractions, no disturbances, no drama.

Most of all, she wanted a teacher who would respect her privacy and not post videos of her or tag her on Instagram, or use her name to gain a bit of extra credibility.

She had already tried a few lessons with a high profile ballroom teacher. She soon realised that he was only really interested in the “serious” competing couples and youngsters coming through. As she was only interested in dancing for her own enjoyment and personal fulfilment, she got the feeling he wasn’t that invested in her progress, and had only taken her as a client for the money and kudos it would bring to his swanky studio.

But the main bugbear was feeling that there was no real long term plan – that she could keep turning up indefinitely and not really know if she was getting anywhere.

That was when a close friend mentioned a very exclusive Salsa dance coach who only worked with a handful of carefully selected clients at any given time, but delivered the ultimate dance transformation experience – in private.

She saw it as a gift to herself after all the stress of splitting up – something that would bring her back to herself and remind her that she was a sensual, desirable woman.

It took a while, but after spending several months on the waitlist, she was finally accepted.

Getting started was SO exciting, she couldn’t believe how much progress she made in just the first month – even in the first session.

She loved the holistic appraoch – helping her with her strength, flexibility and lowering stress levels.

Covering breathing, connecting her body to the music, and getting really detailed about the mechanics of weight transfer and body movement.

Her coach explained that everything in Salsa is subject to the rules of anatomy, physiology and physics, and it’s so much easier if you work WITH your body and understand what your brain needs to keep your learning and creativity optimised and out of overwhelm.

What she didn’t initially account for was that dancing can be a mental and emotional journey as well as a physical one. So she really appreciates the extra insight gained through the more introspective work contained in the programme. It also helped defuse some of the emotional triggers that had been broadsiding her since the split.

The dancing has helped her to heal and she is determined to keep showing up for herself, to keep dancing through life.

In fact she dances everywhere she can.

She loves the discipline, focus and mental space she gains from working on herself every day, the control over her body, and the sense of accomplishment she enjoys.

She also loves the feeling of letting go and expressing herself to the music – something she felt too inhibited and self-conscious to do before.

Each VIP session with her coach feels like getting away to a secret world where no one can reach her, and where she can truly be herself.

The online platform makes it easy to practice – she never has to guess as her coach makes sure she gets exactly what she needs at any given time, and is always available to answer questions and give support. 

And now her zest for life is returning – she feels more centred and energetic, ready to go out and meet the world again, ready to start a new chapter.

Salsa dancing has set her free.

Start Your Own Salsa Adventure

If Anna’s experience sounds like your worst nightmare, and you’d rather eat worms than go through the mass market mayhem, the good news is you don’t have to.

There is an alternative option which is very like the one Rachel chose.

So if you’re ready to find YOUR self in Salsa,  you’re definitely going to want to read on…