If you are as impatient as I am you will want to become a master salsa dancer in a few days. However, realistically, this is simply not going to happen. Although salsa and dance in general is an art form that takes dedication, time, and practice, there are a few critical steps to take that can save you months in achieving your salsa dancing goals. Here you will discover the answer to the common question that many beginners ask, how long does it take to learn salsa?
First of all, the time it takes to learn salsa to a beginner’s ability will depend on the resources available and the commitment you make to learning new things. It goes without saying that you need to be a part of a salsa dance club and attend at least twice a week to really develop your salsa dance moves. Finding a good salsa club can also help dramatically with the time it takes to progress. If there are more than 30 members per session, it may not develop as quickly as it would with only half that number. Just think how valuable your salsa lesson really is! Can you afford to waste time and money? After all, salsa teachers often have a hard time providing one-on-one guidance to larger groups, which means they’re less accessible to answering your questions and helping you develop your style.
Cuban salsa is generally easier to learn from absolute beginners, but if you have danced before, you may adapt to the crossover style of salsa faster than absolute beginners. Either way, it’s best to settle on a particular style and stick with it, which will speed up the learning process.
Attending the salsa club twice a week is the minimum and if you can, you should dance more. If this is not possible, even by watching videos, studying illustrations, or reading about salsa dance steps. This can develop your salsa ability and will really shine when you are dancing in your salsa club.
The Internet provides everything you need to get started. You will find many salsa videos and websites dedicated to salsa. While these can be helpful, you certainly need some structure to your learning; otherwise, you will end up wasting your time and ruining your chances of developing salsa techniques faster than other beginners. Most salsa courses are low one-time prices and contain step-by-step salsa videos, guides, and illustrations for you to learn every day. These downloadable courses really complement what you learn in your salsa club and most beginners who manage to master salsa have taken some kind of additional course.
The beauty of these courses is that you don’t really need to dance when you follow them. The information and videos provide enough instruction to shine when you’re dancing and are great to watch when practicing a salsa routine. You will find courses in a variety of prices and skill levels, a great entry level course that my friends and I have had great success with is a course that teaches you how to learn salsa in 3 weeks. The videos are great to download to your computer or iPod to watch before and after attending your salsa club.
So to answer the question, how long does it take to learn salsa? Well I would say it will take about 2-3 months to dance to a skill suitable for most professional salsa partners. This assuming that you attend a salsa club at least twice a week and follow a high quality course.
CLICK HERE to discover a beginner’s case study and access the same salsa course.