UWCE Latin/Salsa Dance Class

Held at: 122 State Street 3rd floor studio

This is a tentative syllabus for the course. The material covered may deviate from the syllabus as necessary depending on many factors, including how well you absorb the material and how well the class is progressing as a group.

Description:

New and experienced dancers alike, learn to lead and follow with skill and confidence! Learn the music, basic patterns, styling, turns, and common moves for Salsa, Merengue, Rumba, Cha Cha, Bolero, and other related partner dances. Beyond just steps and patterns, you will learn the movement and partnering principles needed for making any dance move possible. You will actually remember new dance moves and know how to apply them to many different dances. No dance experience required. No partner needed. Dress comfortably for a movement class.

Goals:

Students will know basic moves and be able to identify the music for at least four different dances - Merengue, Salsa, Rumba, and Cha Cha. Students will develop good dance habits, emphasizing the importance of posture, frame, and connection. Students will recognize how those good habits help in the Leading and Following of moves, and how those good habit also demonstrate respect for your dance partner and for other dancers. In addition, students will understand the responsibilities and duties involved in skillful Leading and Following, as well as how to avoid collisions on a crowded dance floor.

Background:

Ballroom Dancing refers to the many different styles of Partner Dancing in general. Ballroom Dancing is done across the country and around the world. Once you learn Rumba, for instance, you can dance Rumba anywhere, even with people whom you have never met.

There are two main categories of Ballroom Dancing - American Style and International Style - each with two sub-categories. In addition, there are other popular dances (that I call Club dances) that do not fit into those categories:

American Style

• Rhythm: Cha Cha, Rumba, Swing, Bolero, Mambo
• Smooth: Waltz, Tango, Fox Trot, Viennese Waltz

International Style

• Latin: Cha Cha, Rumba, Jive, Samba, Paso Doble
• Standard: Waltz, Tango, Fox Trot, Quickstep, Viennese Waltz

Club

• Merengue, Hustle, West Coast Swing, Salsa, Bachata, Argentine Tango, Nightclub Two Step, Lindy Hop, Polka

The distinction between “American Style Waltz” and “International Style Waltz”, for instance, is not very important for the new dancer. However, knowing that there is a difference may help to clarify your outside-of-class reading and web surfing and YouTube video watching.

Resources:

Movies:

You may enjoy watching these ballroom dance-related movies for personal enrichment.

Mad Hot Ballroom [2005]

Documentary about the NYC public elementary school ballroom dance program.

Take the Lead [2006] (Antonio Banderas)

Hollywood interpretation of Pierre Dulaine’s Dancing Classrooms program (featured in Mad Hot Ballroom).

Shall We Dance [1996] - in Japanese with subtitles

An outwardly successful yet unhappy man reignites his passion for life.

Shall We Dance [2004] (Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez)

Tasteful Hollywood remake of the Japanese original, yet without the Japanese cultural context.

Strictly Ballroom [1992] - Australian movie

This staple ballroom dance movie has been popular among ballroom dancers since its release.

Dance With Me [1998] (Vanessa Williams)

A young man meets his father for the first time and brings vitality to his dance studio.

The Tango Lesson [1997]

An independent film ostensibly about passion for Argentine Tango.

Dirty Dancing [1987] (Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey)

An American pop culture phenomena, this movie still resonates with audiences young and old.

Dirty Dancing Havana Nights [2002]

Set in pre-revolution Cuba, this movie is not a sequel or continuation of the original Dirty Dancing, rather it is a similar coming-of-age story set in a much different cultural context.

Course Agenda:

Material is cumulative, building on the skills and moves you learn during each previous week. Each week will include review.  I am always happy to answer questions.

Week 1 (26 Jan):

Touchless Dancing

Basic Etiquette (being a respectful dance partner)

Good Habits (using your back muscles)

Proper Open Facing Dance Position

Cuddles and Hammerlocks

Week 2 (02 Feb):

Please return “Instructor’s Waiver” and “Welcome Packet” (see Resources, above)

Personal Space and The Three Socially-Acceptable Regions of Contact

The Salsa Basic, the Music, and Chase Turns

The Merengue Basic and Music

Floor Craft

Week 3 (09 Feb):

Negative Space

Sliding Door, Tunnel

Finding the Beat

Keeping the Rhythm

Intro to Rotational Hip Action

Week 4 (16 Feb):

Two-Hand Up Turns

Salsa: Cross Body Lead plus Turns

** Field Trip ** (Saturday, 19 Feb):

Social Dance: USA Dance-Madison’s Mardi Gras Dance ( www.usadancemadison.org/calendar )

Week 5 (23 Feb):

Confidence, Assertiveness, and Certainty

Rumba: Basic, Opening Break, Under Arm Turn

Week 6 (02 Mar):

The Incredible Lightness

Rumba: Crossover Breaks

Salsa: Basic, Opening Break, Under Arm Turn

Week 7 (09 Mar):

In Class Showcases - work with a partner for about 30 minutes of class to develop a short routine (of Salsa, Rumba, or Merengue) that you will then showcase for your classmates during class.

Guided Practice Time with Personal Attention

** Field Trip ** (Thursday, 10 Mar @9pm):

Club Dancing: Salsa night at the Cardinal Bar (21+)

** Field Trip ** (Friday, 11 Mar or Saturday, 12 Mar): (date to be announced)

Social Dance: UWMBDA ( www.uwmbda.org )

-- No Class -- (16 Mar):

Project (due 20 Mar): Find a brief ballroom dance performance video (approximately three minutes long, amateur or professional) on YouTube and write a half-page to one-page paper about it. Topics can include but are not limited to any/some/several of the following: what you like, dislike, enjoy, despise, find encouraging, expressive, (in)sensitive, boring, exciting, and/or dramatic about the couple’s dancing, choreography, costumes, music selection, and/or characterization. Please focus on how the video makes you feel over describing what it looks like or attempting to decipher the moves. Send me a link to the video, as well as your paper, via email (my address is at the top of this syllabus).

** Field Trip ** (Saturday, 19 Mar):

Social Dance: USA Dance-Madison’s Third Saturday Dance ( www.usadancemadison.org/calendar )

Week 8 (23 Mar):

Post Spring Break Comprehensive Review - Everything so far from Salsa, Rumba, and Merengue

Isolations and Footwork

Week 9 (30 Mar):

Cross Hand Turns

Week 10 (06 Apr):

Power and Confidence

The Safety Dip

** Field Trip ** (Friday, 08 Apr or Saturday, 09 Apr): (date to be announced)

Social Dance: UWMBDA ( www.uwmbda.org )

Week 11 (13 Apr):

The Cha Cha

Cha Cha: Basic, Opening Break, Underarm Turn, Crossover Breaks

** Field Trip ** (Saturday, 16 Apr):

Wisconsin State Dancesport Championships ( www.wiscstatedancechamp.com )

Week 12 (20 Apr):

Salsa: More Cross Body Leads

Rumba: Cross Body Lead

Cha Cha: Forward and Back Locks, Cross Body Lead

Week 13 (27 Apr):

In Class Showcases - work with a partner for about 30 minutes of class to develop a short routine (of either Salsa, Rumba, Cha Cha, or Merengue) that you will then showcase for your classmates during class.

The Hustle

Week 14 (04 May):

Final Day of Class

Material to be determined...

** Field Trip ** (Thursday, 05 May @9pm):

Club Dancing: Salsa night at the Cardinal Bar (21+)

** Field Trip ** (Saturday, 21 May):

Social Dance: USA Dance-Madison’s Third Saturday Dance ( www.usadancemadison.org/calendar )