FAQ

A: That is totally up to you. Some people learn faster than others. However if you have had previous partner dance training, you may pick it up a lot faster. A good sense of rhythm and music timing will help as well. Most important bit is that you get a very good foundation for your dancing. Basics are everything, and as we say;

-Flash is trash, without the basics!

As an example; the wider and stronger the base of a structure is → the more you can build on top of it without it falling over. Think of your salsa dancing pretty much the same way. The more solid your base is,  the easier you will be able to understand more challenging and complex variations.

Beginners

Beginners should take every opportunity to go out dancing. The more exposure you get to the dance and the music, the better you will understand what you are doing in class. Watching others dance is a part of learning also. Set realistic expectations as you cannot expect to become a great dancer in a short time if you only go dancing once a week – to your class or course. If you want to "get good", you have to put in the work! Remember, it's not how long you have been dancing (eg. 2 years - once per month)... What really counts is, how many times per week you are out dancing or rehearsing. Just like studying; you could have gone to uni to study medicine for 7 years, but if you don't study outside of class/lecture... how do you think you'll do?

Followers

Followers: It is important to understand your role as followers.  Guys role is to lead you in a manner that you will be able to understand and therefore follow.  However your patience here is necessary in order for beginner leaders to learn.  "Leading and following" technique is the "language" we use in partner dancing and as any other language it takes time to learn before communication starts to flow.  As they are learning their own steps just as you learn yours, they are also having to think about their followers and their steps, their own timing and yours... in order to ensure clear communication.  At the very beginning leaders feel overwhelmed and this is very normal and natural. This is the most crucial element of partner dancing and it takes time to perfect!  In the mean time ladies, please allow some time and do not anticipate your next step :-).

Leaders

Leaders: You are leaders in partner dancing which means you indicate to your follower what, when and where. Additionally as leaders you will learn how to do so in a comfortable manner keeping biomechanics in mind.  Of course we will teach you all about that!  Please do set realistic expectations as this crucial skill does take some time to learn.  The beginning stage can be a little overwhelming as you will also be learning your own steps and keeping track of the timing of the dance.  

The key to succeed with salsa dancing is simple - the more often you practice (correctly!), the better you get - so go out dancing every opportunity you get!

A: To register and guarantee your placement in a course, PRE-PAID bookings are essential. Your payment options:

• Online cerdit card payment
• Eftpos, Credit card or Cash payment at the studio

In order to take advantage of any of the special offers we must receive your payment prior to cut off date. Unfortunately we cannot not hold or reserve any course placements. No deposits or part payments are accepted.

Click HERE to register for a course.

A: All group classes are 60 minutes.

A: We recommend anything from casual attire to gym or dance wear. As for shoes, a pair that is snug on your feet and will keep your heel and ankle in place is the best option. Keep in mind that you might be turning or spinning, therefore your feet need to have stability and feel secure.

Sneakers will work for the first lesson but may cause a problem with gripping and could affect your knees later on. Thongs are not recommended. If you are wearing high heels, you must wear heel protectors. Heel protectors are available to purchase at the studio.

For Zumba classes, any sneakers will do.

More about what shoes to wear HERE

A: Not at all, we rotate partners throughout the class so everybody gets to dance with everybody. We do our best to ensure an even enough ratio. However, keep in mind that some people may miss a class during the course which could result in some days having more so uneven numbers. Should this be the case, we then rotate partners more frequently. If you do not wish to rotate, simply let your instructor know just before class commencement.

A: If you missed the first class of your course you can still join. However make sure you catch up either through asking your class mates or instructor what has been covered to not hold the class back. If you still feel you really need to cover what has been taught at that particular course you may take a private lesson to catch up with the rest of your classmates. Note that the full course fee still applies after course commencement. Also keep in mind the same course will be available at a later date.

A: If you happen to miss a class or two during your course, you can catch up by doing the following;

• Ask a fellow course participant what we covered while you were away. Then refer to your instructional DVD (applies to Beginners Salsa course participants only).
• If we are running more than one course per week at your desired level you may be able to catch up on the missed class.  Please turn to your instructors for advice.
• Book a private lesson to catch up.

Make sure you find out what you missed so you don't fall behind.

A: Unfortunately the courses are not transferable. However, if you have joined the Beginners Salsa course, you can always join any of the other Beginners Salsa courses to catch up on that particular lesson/s you missed.

A: As teachers we want our students to excel with their dancing and get the most out of their classes. The only way to do so is with a structured syllabus courses. This way we can monitor what is going to happen in each class, everybody is learning the same thing at the same pace and we all learn the same teminology.

This structure makes it easier for everyone to progress to new and exciting things later on. Courses will benefit both the leaders and the followers because is set up to learn material sequentially and exercises are designed to re-enforce previously learned material. When students come and go casually, they miss out on material which will affect everyone else in the class that attends regularly and you may encounter some frustration. Progress would also be slow for those coming regularly and no one really ends up with the skills they are paying to learn. We don't believe this kind of service offers quality and serves no real long term purpose. With a syllabus you will see how all the steps, moves and styling make sense, build upon each other and come together in different variations. This way we all "speak the same dance language" and everybody wins!

A: At the moment all our courses are for adults, but we have participants from the age of 18 to 70. However, we have had participants as young as 15 joining our courses.  Supervision by a guardian is recommended.

A: Yes you can! If you wish to simply try a class in a course, you can just pay for that particular class. Please refer to our Price Structure page HERE for information on how to do one class only in a course. However, keep in mind by joining the courses you will get to know your fellow students better!

A: We ask that you do not videotape the class or the instructors, however you may videotape yourself doing the steps or turn pattern straight after class. If you wish to have a record of some of the classes, our range of instructional DVDs are a great source and are available for purchase at the studio or at our online-shop.

A: Yes, you may sit and watch the last 10-15 minutes of a class only. At LDS we respect the privacy of our students trying to learn. Most people are not very comfortable learning while being watched.

A: We have lots of people looking for dance partners! Every week someone asks us if we know someone who wants to practice. Ask your fellow students if they are interested in getting together to practise. When Gian first started salsa dancing, he would ask everyone in his class, girls and guys. Guys can get together and practice your steps and timing. Girls, do the same! Even better, agree to go out as a group any of the salsa nights or come as a group to one of our social parties or practice nights.

A: Latinissimo (LDS) and SalsaDance.co.nz are recognized as New Zealand's leading salsa dance professional. The LDS salsa syllabus system and idea has been adopted by salsa dance schools across New Zealand.

When joining any of our courses you will be exposed to the following;

• Our carefully designed syllabus courses make you understand what and why you are learning what you are learning.
• You will understand the structure of the dance you have chosen.
• Every class is structured to build on your previous knowledge learnt in the syllabus courses.
• The syllabus is updated frequently.
• Professionally trained instructors in their dance styles that have been carefully selected for their personal qualities.
• Dedicated instructors providing quality instruction through positive reinforcement, while being actively involved in the students physical and mental development as a dancer.
• The LDS Crew is very friendly and extremely passionate about everything and anything dance.