Matthew David Parker on the Salsa Turn Technique

While in salsa dancing competing or performing with a dancer doesn’t have to be about perfect technique, the turn technique is very important according to Matthew David Parker. Practicing is important if you intent to perfect your turn technique and what better time to do that than when fresh? The more you practice, the more polished your turn technique becomes. But how can one perfect their turn technique?

There are simple cues that one can follow but you have to remember that the results aren’t instant. If you practice the following consistently, you’ll notice an improvement in your dance technique with time.

Spot forward. Generally, you should spot your turns in the direction you’re moving to avoid getting dizzy while dancing. You should only spot your partner if they are spinning you on the spot, changing directions or giving you an intense dose of multiple turns.

Shift your weight unto the foot you’re stepping on. It may seem like something that should come naturally but the truth remains that as soon as people start dancing, they forget how to walk properly. If you’re stepping on the left foot, be sure to put all your weight on it. The same goes if you are stepping on the right foot. It’s also important to ensure that you shift your weight instantly as this helps propel you forward thus enabling you to pivot or turn any time. Dancers make a mistake of remaining back-weighted rather than front weighted and this hinders their ability to turn properly.

Turn your feet out and step forward. Always remember to turn your feet out when you step. Never ‘pigeon toe’ and turn your feet in. Even when you think you should step forward, it’s important to always step forward when pivoting or turning. Many dancers when moving or finishing their turns forget this and instead land their foot backwards. Correcting this requires pointing the instep of your foot and toes forward towards the direction you’re moving in.

While anyone can practice the above on their own, it’s always advisable to seek the help of a qualified and experienced salsa instructor. Matthew David Parker is one such instructor. He finished his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Louisiana State University in 2009 and proceeded to open his dance studio, Lafayette Salsa Dance Studio, in 2010. He has since helped many aspiring dancers achieve their potential and become great dancers.

Matthew David Parker on the Importance of Grooving Solo in Salsa

In partner dancing, particularly salsa, Matthew David Parker says that we dancers commit to gathering their senses around the music as well as moving together. But while that’s the case, many dancers often overlook the importance of grooving solo in favor of movement techniques and partnering skills. Not to say that this is not important, but in order to master shared groove, both partners have to learn how to bring their groove to the partnership.

Unfortunately, in salsa dancing, people often misunderstand the significance of the ‘leader is the frame and follow is the picture’ ideality. Follows assume a role of just following and don’t think while the leads forget to respond to their partner well. As a result, partners end up not owning to musicality and their movements while dancing. 

There are several effects of trying to groove with your partner when you haven’t mastered the art of grooving solo and these include;

• Dancers don’t know what to do when not following or leading a specific movement and, as such, lose the groove when space opens up in the partnership.Dancers feel the groove in their basic steps but when it comes to more complex musicality or movements, they lose it all.
• Dancers tend to rely on their partners to establish musicality and/or timing. They hear the music but don’t know how to respond as they give little beyond what’s required to movement execution.
• Dancers tend to get bored while dancing as they can neither really feel the music or truly connect with their partners.

When it comes to learning salsa dancing, learning how to groove solo is one of the essential elements one should consider. It improves enjoyment, confidence, expression, creativity, improvisation, musicality and body awareness, thus allowing one to develop better shared groove with their partners.

But how do you start practicing grooving by yourself? There are several techniques that one can take advantage of and all of them can be learned in a salsa dance studio with a professional instructor. One of those places is Lafayette Salsa Dance Studio which was founded by Matthew David Parker. He is a graduate of Louisiana State University where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts. He founded the studio in 2010, a year after graduating from the university. He has helped many people develop their salsa dance skills and he can also help you learn how to groove solo.

Matthew David Parker on Multidance

As a renowned salsa dance instructor and founder/owner of Lafayette Salsa Dance Studio, Matthew David Parker is quite knowledgeable on the topic of salsa dancing. In this post he explores the question of whether it’s enough to learn just one style of dancing. But here’s the thing, learning one dance is confusing enough without adding one or more dances to the mix. Nevertheless, wherever there’s salsa music you are likely to hear other types of music including kizomba and bachata. The dilemma comes when you don’t know how to dance all the three and someone asks you to dance. What do you do then?

If you intend to enjoy yourself at social events, learning the basics of the three dances is important. It may seem like a challenging and daunting task but the truth is, doing so opens up a whole world of possibilities That said, outlined below are a few tips that will help you avoid overloading yourself with information.

Time management and regular practice. It’s important to have a plan that allows you to practice for a few minutes every day. Practicing for as little as 10 minutes, in addition to your usual class time, can go a long way in improving your dance skills and making you the dancer you desire.

Write down moves. This helps in two ways; for starters, it helps you retain what you learn and, secondly, the notes you write serve as an easy reminder on your notebook or phone whenever you forget something during practice.

Dance with advanced dancers. Asking an advanced dancer to be your partner is a great and effective way to learn timing and how to remember your steps. If you go with this option, remember to tell your partner that you’re a beginner and that you’d like to learn. Doing so will allow your partner to help you with the basics.
Be patient. The important to remember when learning how to dance is that like every skill, you have to start at the bottom and work your way up. Don’t rush anything, just go with the flow. Enjoy yourself and, with time, you’ll become the accomplished dancer you’re looking to be.

Keep it simple. Learning the basic steps in every style is enough when you are a beginner. First learn one step, practice it for two more dances then learn another one. Don’t worry about your partner, just concentrate on being a better dancer.

That’s all. It doesn’t take much to shine at social events where different styles of dances are involved, according to Matthew David Parker. And, if you’re in doubt, you can always enroll in dance classes.