
Growing up school dances were really hard for me. I loved music – my first walkman along with my Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey cassette tapes were prized possessions. But dancing in public? That terrified me.
At every homecoming and prom I’d stand off on the sidelines, watching my friends lose themselves on the dancefloor, carefree and full of joy and I’d wish I had what they had. Confidence. Freedom. Whatever it was, I wanted it. Afterward, I’d go home and dance alone in my room, dreaming of what it would be like to one day join them.
As I got older, I found my own rhythm and confidence and by my early 30’s I could dance without a single care no matter where I was.
Then in January of 2024 a few months after a tough breakup, I started taking Salsa classes at Salsa Salsa and my relationship to dancing went through another transformation. Suddenly it felt like I was back in the body of 14-year-old me, awkward and afraid of being seen. I was so worried about “getting it right,” that I forgot what I had come to the studio to do in the first place, dance!
The moment I remembered that (and it took at least 6 months for me), my experience with Salsa went from - OMG I have to get better at this, to OMG I DON’T THINK I CAN LIVE WITHOUT THIS.
As I approach my one year mark of this dance adventure, I’m sharing a few reflections that may be helpful to someone at the beginning of their Salsa experience.
Comparing yourself to others misses the point: Your dance journey is uniquely yours and there is an incredible amount of magic in that. When you’re comparing yourself to other people, you miss out on that magic. The thing about learning Salsa is that it’s about a lot more than learning Salsa. For me, this experience has been a lesson in patience, connection, boundaries, community, expression, and of course pushing myself to learn and grow. It’s ok to want to be better but your path is yours. No one is doing your path better than you are. Stay true to yourself and the rest will follow.
Go to socials: Listen, the teenage wallflower in me totally gets it. Socials can feel scary. Classes are fun and super important to building your foundation. I kind of think of them as a classic toolbox. They give you the essential tools and techniques to get started. But socials are like power tools. They take your skills to the next level. They turn your screwdriver into a powerdrill. I started going to socials in my second month of classes and I made so many mistakes, from tripping my dance partner to tripping over my own feet. But I also made a lot of friends and experienced firsthand the benefits of stepping outside of my comfort zone. (Shout out to all of the patient leads who didn’t give up on me after an elbow to the chin:)
Connect with your classmates: You know what makes going to socials easier? Friends. Talk to people in your class. Find a low pressure social to go to together. Practice your turn patterns. Experiment with shines. One of the most cherished and unexpected gifts I’ve received in my first year of learning Salsa is the sense of community. It’s incredible to meet such a diverse group of people, all united by something so vibrant and fun.
Listen to Salsa music: 4 out of 5 of my Top Spotify Wrapped songs were Salsa songs. I’m not saying you have to be that intense but listening to Salsa outside of the studio will help your timing and that will inevitably help your moves which will lead to more confidence and ultimately, to more fun.
Trust your body: It knows how to move to music. Yes, you’re learning the foundations of a dance and mastering those foundations will absolutely enhance your Salsa experience. At the same time, you came here to dance. Let your body connect to the music. When I finally allowed myself to let go, I started having dances that were so fun I thought about them for days following. Don’t get me wrong, I still get stuck in my head all the time. But when I allow my body to lead me rather than my mind, I experience the kind of freedom I desperately longed for at those school dances I mentioned earlier.
I’m in awe of how much Salsa has given me in such a short time. Not only as a practice but as a way of connecting to myself and to others. It’s taught me to embrace imperfection and find joy in learning something new even when it’s messy. And it’s taught me this:dancing isn’t just about getting the steps right. It’s about letting go and finding freedom within. Whether you’re just starting out or deep into your Salsa adventure, trust yourself, lean into the process, and don’t forget to have fun. Afterall, you came here to dance.
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