Private Latin Dance Lessons - Conchita and Rod

Welcome to your private lesson webpage which will outline the steps we cover in each lesson and include corresponding videos for those steps as reminders.

​Feel free to check out my Salsa page here for more videos, like counting videos, how to move your hips in Salsa, understanding the salsa rhythm, how to look natural dancing Salsa, etc.​
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Go to my Salsa Page

Salsa Music Lists (Spotify)

Lesson 1 - Thursday 15 August 2024 at 4:00pm


In our first lesson, we learned three basic steps in Salsa:
  1. Forward & Back Step (I will also refer to this as simply Basic Step)
    1. ​Lead: push palms forward and lean chest forward
  2. Side Step - in one video, they call it Cucurachas
    1. ​Lead: push palms to side keeping frame locked in place
  3. Open Out Step - in one video, they call it Half Swing or Cumbia 
    1. Lead: push then release (like kitchen cupboard analogy)
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Below are four videos from different instructors covering the basic steps. As mentioned in class, I include different videos as people will resonate with a certain piece of instruction more than others.

Salsa Guidelines:
  • Conchita is responsible for keeping the distance between leader and follower (ie beach ball)
  • Conchita needs to follow, even if Rod is doing his own version of Salsa!
  • Rod is the leader and is responsible for providing leads/signals that make sense
  • Both Conchita and Rod are responsible for maintaining the dance frame - gentle push of hands towards each other, elbows stay bent rather than "rowing" hands/arms
  • Salsa music is an 8 beat count. We step on 1-2-3, pause on 4 (or quick quick slow) and we step again on 5-6-7, pause on 8 (or quick quick slow).

Your Homework:
  • Practise these three basic steps
  • Practise leading the transition in and out each step
  • ​Practise counting to the music

Videos for Lesson 1: Forward & Back Basic, Side Step & Open Out Step

Lesson 2 - Friday 23 August 2024 at 3:30pm


​This is what we covered in our second Salsa lesson:
  1. Revised Forward & Back Step 
  2. Revised Side Step
  3. Revised Open Out Step
  4. Learned Cross Body Lead - one of the most important steps in Salsa!

Videos for Lesson 2: Cross Body Lead

Lesson 3 - Thursday 12 September 2024 at 2:30pm


My intention for your third Salsa lesson is cover another important step in Salsa - the Single Right Turn of Follower (Clockwise Turn)...