FAQs
 

- Can I come and watch a class first?
- Can I try out a class before committing to a course?
- How do I figure out what level I am?
- Do I need a partner?
- Do I need to be fit ?
- Age of the students
- What to wear
- Casual Classes
- Can I do part of a course?
- What if I miss a class? Can I make it up? Do I lose the money?
- Can I start late in a course?
- What if my partner and i don't want to rotate in class?
- What about kids?
- Payment Methods
- Health & hygiene

 

Can I watch a class first?
Yes certainly you can. Be sure you are coming along during a term though as we stop all classes in school holidays
Please be aware too though that beginners are not particularly comfortable with people watching, so do try to be discreet. You may want to think about doing a trial lesson instead - you will get a far more accurate picture of what the classes are like and what you could manage.

What level am I?
This is always a complicated question which is quite challenging to answer when we're not actually on the dance floor with you, but here is a guide.
Salsa
If you've done Salsa before it is unlikely that you will have done New York style which is the newest most up to date style of salsa, so there will be a period of adjustment. If you come with a partner, simply start at level 2 but don't rotate partners for a couple weeks until you get used to it. If you are coming on your own, you might like to think about doing 1 private lesson first to help you transfer your information from what you already know to what we do. If you're unable to do so, simply come on in an see how you go - we can work out the next step from there.
If you've never danced salsa before, start at level 1
If you've danced before but not salsa - the fundamentals of any dance are crucial to the style. You will need that information in order to progress, but you may not want to learn it as slowly as we teach it in level 1, so consider a private lesson or 2 to catch you up to where the level 2's would be at that point.
Latin Fitness
Latin Fitness classes are open level; you would be dancing on your own so you can quite easily work at your own pace. If you are a beginner you should still be fine. Simply start at the feet and work with that and your rhythm. Try to ignore the arms and upper body options until you feel ready to try them. If you have danced before you can simply put in more energy and try more of the options given by the instructor during class.
Latin Dance Workout
This class is similar to Latin Fitness but is aimed at those who have danced before or who have completed a couple terms of Latin Fitness. It is similar in structure to a jazz or contemporary class, so again, it is up to you how much energy you put in. If you are a beginner and this is the only scheduled class you can attend, it will be a little challenging to start out but a little persistence will pay off.

Do I need a partner?
If you're doing Salsa, it is of course a partner dance, so it is always far better to bring someone along with you, but you are welcome to come on your own. We will try to partner you up in class, however we are unable to guarantee you a partner as we cannot know in advance how many other partnerless people will register for the course.
Whereas it is impossible to wind up at exactly 50/50 ratio every week due to absences and no shows, for the most part it is fairly even, and the partner rotattion helps.
We generally have more women than men in our salsa classes but occassionally the reverse occurs too! There's really no telling until you get there.
We rotate partners so that everyone can have a go, but do not force those who wish to stay together to rotate
We don't recommend the girls learn to lead at an early stage, as it will then make it awkward for them to follow when trying to dance socially; it is really too challenging for a beginner to learn both lead and follow simultaneously.

Do I need to be Fit?
You don't have to be fit to get started. At first it's no more energetic than a walk, but as you progress and you learn more, gradually you will become more active and gently increase your capacity. The good thing about it is that you will have so many things to think about you won't have time to notice your activity output increasing until the end of a class when you find yourself a little flushed and smiling!

What is the average age of the students?
Age is not something we ask our clients on registration, so we can't be accurate there. Also each term brings new people and they're always different, so the best we can do is hazard a guesimate. Our students tend to range quite widely between late teens to approximately 50 something, with the vast majority falling between 20's to 40's

 

What to wear
You should wear something comfortable.
Partner dancing classes:- Any smart casual attire with lots of room to move easily in is fine. Avoid jackets, pencil skirts, ties, long sleeved shirts or anything too warm or restrictive.
Shoes - Please avoid thongs, slippers, mules or open toe sandals; we recommend shoes with a low heel that have an ankle strap or are closed altogether, and are secure around your ankles. Sneakers/trainers are okay to start with, but will later prohibit movement. The best options are:- Walking shoes or soft jazz shoes are a great option as are proper Latin dance shoes. Try a few lessons first before you go out and spend the money on dance shoes though.
Latin Fitness or Latin Dance Workout :- Gym gear is not necessary but may be more comfortable as the class does tend to be a little more energetic in nature than a salsa class. Just ensure that your clothing is not tight or restrictive in any way.
Shoes - Trainers are okay to start with, but will later prohibit movement. Flat, flexible, enclosed walking shoes or soft jazz shoes are the best option. Try a few lessons first before you go out and spend the money on dance shoes though.
Remember to bring a sweat towel & a water bottle with you!

Casual Classes
Casual 'pay as you go' classes are not permitted. You may however opt to do a 'trial' lesson for your first visit and pay the balance to the end of the course should you decide to continue.

Why don't we do casual visits?
Our course syllabus is set up to learn material sequentially, and exercises are designed to reinforce previously learned material.
When students enter and leave casually, not only do they miss out on material, but they then affect everyone else in the class and everyone encounters a fair amount of frustration.
Progress would be slow and laborious for those coming regularly and no one really ends up with the skill they are paying to learn.
We feel this does not offer a quality service and serves no real long term purpose.
If your schedule will make a regular class impossible, let us know at the start of the course, we may be able to sort out a tailor made alternative for you.

Prefer NOT to rotate
We HIGHLY recommend that you do, but if you are really set on dancing only with each other, that is perfectly OK with us. When we call for a rotation though, please do pause and wave the person rotating on to the next spot, rather than have them waiting there unaware that you are not rotating.
That having been said, please do note that the most important aspect of any partner dancing is actually lead and follow - even more so than precise footwork. The ONLY way to learn lead and follow is to do it. If you don't rotate you will probably only ever be able to dance with one another, as everyone feels slightly different to dance with and with no experience of that you will not have allowed yourself to develop that particular skill.

What about kids?
We currently do not run any children's classes, but are happy for children to attend with their parents.
Children 16yrs and under
can attend free of charge as long as they are accompanied by their parent of guardian who is actually attending the class as a fully paid participant. One child per paid adult is permitted.
Children 16yrs and over are welcome to attend as a full paying participant.

Payment Methods
Please note we have NO EFTPOS facilities at all on site at our venues.
Online prepaid bookings are payable by VISA or Mastercard
At our venues only Cash payments are available

Health & Hygiene
Please remember to bring , a water bottle to keep hydrated and a towel, your deodorant and a spare t-shirt . It can get rather warm and it IS a contact sport.