SUMMARY

Tuesdays: 6/3, 6/10, 6/17, 6/24

7pm Salsa (Level 1) Basics & Fundamentals

8pm Salsa (Level 2) Intricate Turn-patterns

9pm Nightclub Salsa Lesson (Open Level) - complimentary to all participants who are registered for Salsa (Level 1), and Salsa (Level 2)

9:30pm Social - a time to dance and practice with people from our classes and the larger NJ Salsa community. Our resident DJs are DJ JRS, and DJ Yogi.

SALSA (Level 1)

Our Salsa (Level 1) program is a series of beginner-friendly classes designed to prepare participants for social dancing.

Participants gain a foundation by acquiring knowledge and practice in basic steps, timing, coordination, dance positions, transitions, turns-in-place, traveling turns, and partner-work sequences.

Typically, new participants spend an average of 3-5 months before qualifying for Salsa (Level 2). Internalization of the material from class, and practice, both alone and in social, are instrumental in progression. Participants can ask their instructor for a written copy of the 18 movements in our Level 1 curriculum.

We strongly encourage everyone in our Level 1 program to begin social dancing from the very first class. The application of knowledge, especially when its fresh in the mind, is essential for progress. A good mindset is to focus on the little that you learned in class, rather than all that you still have to learn. Continue to make progress on the knowledge that you are acquiring along the way and you will soon begin to feel accomplished.

SALSA (Level 2)

Our Salsa (Level 2) program builds on the Level 1 curriculum, and assumes certain knowledge and proficiency. By the time participants enter Level 2, they should have developed a sense of proficiency with the 18 movements that together make the Level 1 curriculum.

While the instructors in the Level 2 classes dive deeper into the 18 movements for a more comprehensive understanding, they do not stop to teach the basic concepts and techniques of the fundamental movements, that material is covered in Level 1.

There is a flow in the Level 2 classes that is made possible because of the level of proficiency that the participants gained from the Level 1 program. In comparison to Level 1, Level 2 moves fast. For this reason, it is important to ask for an assessment before beginning the Level 2 program.

The Level 2 program uses shines (footwork and body movement practiced without a partner) to develop comfortability with dancing alone, to build agility, timing, speed, accuracy, and to increase the capacity to execute more advance turnpatterns.

This program also uses turning and spinning drills to increase rotational capacity, in both solo work and partnerwork.

Finally, this program sequences the fundamental movements, and their intricate variants, into patterns that are directly applicable for social dancing.

FOOTWARE

We suggest that you wear shoes, flats, or sneakers with the least amount of traction. NJ Salsa has a partnership with Fuego Dance for dance sneakers. If you would like to purchase a pair of dance sneakers that work for all surfaces, consider Fuego Dance footwear. When you enter the code: SocialDanceMovement (one word), you will receive 10% off your purchase at check out.

SOCIAL

After our classes, we host a social at no additional cost to people who are enrolled in our Salsa programs. The social begins at 9:30pm. We encourage the participants in all of our classes to practice by social dancing, since it is the practical application of the knowledge learned in class. See you on the dance floor.

PARKING

We have added complimentary valet parking as an option for those who attend our classes and social on Tuesdays.

NJ Salsa in Elizabeth Salsa (Level 1 & 2) June 2025