Salsa Open Advanced Level 6 with Latin Motion (17th August 2011)

After attending a class each from Levels 2 - 4 with Latin Motion, I decided perhaps it might be wise to aim higher and work my way down the levels since in my last 3 attempts, I have yet found a class that suited me. Instead of trying out Level 5 tonight, I skipped the level and went to the Open Advanced Level 6 class held at 6.30pm this evening at Space Bar on Liverpool St. Cost $20 for me as I'm still paying as a casual student. Might consider getting a term pass once I find the right class...

Advanced Level 6 was taught by Oliver Pineda (director and head instructor of Latin Motion AND 5 times world salsa champion) and Becky Lee whom I've met teaching the Level 4 class with Clement last term. It was a huge class of about 20 students, and surprisingly, more boys than girls - in Wellington, the higher level class you go, the less boys but it's the other way around in Sydney. Definitely a bonus for us followers because it means more advanced and experienced leads and less having to 'fight' with other female dancers or chase after leads just to get a dance.

I think I have found my class! The moves that Oliver and Becky taught tonight were more suited to my level - fresh new moves that challenged my dance skills yet still able to follow and carry them out. As this was an 'open' class, there is no progression or refresher of moves from week to week; each lesson starts with a brand new set of moves to learn for the evening. Becky was very good at ladies' styling and was showing the followers how to add in arm or hip movements into the moves, making the moves look cool and sexy. I've got lots more to learn in this area! Similar to the other Latin Motion classes, we swap dance partners often (with more guys around, it also meant no rest for me!) and stopped every now and then for the instructors to give us a pop quiz about the moves or carry out a leader-follower test (this is where the leads lead quite similar moves that start the same but end differently; it's a good way to test the followers if they are really following or predicting the lead which if the latter, would be obvious as it stops the dance flow). Phew, I'm hardly catching my breath with the continuous dancing and the music keeps getting faster!

So happy that I finally found my class and looking forward to class next week :)


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