One of my major influences, Teddy Olaso (Artistic Director and Co-Founder of United Salseros from Toronto, ON, Canada) gave some of his thoughts and I generally agree with him. As always feel free to comment and share
1. Dancing On2 is NOT superior to dancing On1. Musicality is musicality no matter what timing you are on and technique is technique no matter what timing you use. However, most of the people I met who I consider exceptional dancers dance On2, but those are the only people I've met. It's the dancer -- not the dance.
2. If you can follow off-time, ladies, you can certainly follow On2...take my word on it.
3. Try not to assume that if a leader is not leading you properly or the follower isn't following properly that is their fault just because your teacher told you (or did not tell you in class)..a little humility will help you learn faster and avoid running into a Simon Cowell of the Salsa scene that will give you a reality check.
4. Dancing with most advanced dancers alone will NOT make you better. Yes, that's part of it because it allows you to use what you know easier, but make no mistake, more advanced dancers consciously or unconsciously compensate for you, and most people - especially those with ego problems - wouldn't know. The true test is when you can dance with people of all levels and still be able to use most of your basic choreography.
5. Leaders, I barely barely ever hear of women (and I hear lot of) that the leaders don't have enough turn patterns or choreography. Top of the complaints are no timing, all over the place, no leading technique, and roughness. Followers, I never have heard of guy complaining that followers don't have enough styling. Typical complaints are not following, too heavy and rough, no balance (turns are off) and back leading. The moral of the story is that what most people worry about is not the main concern of the other party involved.
6. Performance Team training alone will make me a good social dancer. Err...no! Unless your performance team training involves good practical social dancing (not just memorizing the routine) technique, timing and musicality, you will be standing around the entire congress after your moments of glory on stage.
7. If take this dance or this movement discipline, my Salsa will improve. Yes and No. Yes, if the training your embarking on involves very specific somatic exercises that specifically addresses coordination, centering, relaxation, suppleness, posture, etc. No, if all your going to be learning is a bunch of new moves (without any emphasis on the following) because you will simply take all your existing problems to that new discipline, and then you'll have even less time to have qualitative practice.
8. My favorite nonsensical comment that I hear..."Well, you all look the same and similar." My favorite two responses: "Well, who are they supposed to look like (not imitate) if they learned from me, the school next door?" and "That's funny, I can say the same thing for people who don't take lessons or learn from other schools."
9. What you see on the dance floor will not necessarily what you will feel on the dance floor. Someone can look super smooth and feel rough when you touch them and another can look really flashy and nice until you dance with them and feel like a prop for their performance!
10. Resistance in partner work for Salsa (or partner work dance in general) does not mean you have to be stiff or to actively "push or pull" against your partner all the time in a traditional sense - it must be balanced with varying levels of pressure AND softness in order to be quick, clear, adaptable and comfortable. Your partner work should be able to be as light as beach ball (exceptionally light pressure), a nerf ball ball (medium) or a Pilates/exercise ball (high); they all have pressure and resistance. Partner work should be the same, depending the nature of the dance and the choreography involved. A big topic certainly...
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