Becoming a Salsero

This is the third article in a series of 4.

In Learn to dance salsa - part 1 I looked at learning salsa by taking lessons and in "part 2" I discussed some of the advantages and disadvantages of learning to dance salsa by going to clubs.

This time we'll take a quick look at the pros and cons of learning to dance salsa by watching videos

So what exactly are some of the advantages of getting DVDs, watching youtube or subscribing to one of the websites that offers salsa instruction online?

• First of all there is a lot of choice.
  
  Almost all internationally known instructors have their own DVD on the market and there are several websites that offer videos as well. F.i. Salsa Bootcamp, Salsa Dance DVD or, one of my favourite sites, The Secret of Salsa. There are even more sites out there if these don't fit your needs/wants.
• Another advantage is that you can learn at your own pace. Whenever you feel like it you log in to your website of choice, start a DVD or watch youtube clips. As you can start and stop whenever you feel like it you don't have to worry about conflicting appointments, missing classes when you go on holiday, etc.
• A third advantage is that there is a low entry threshold. Some people are intimidated by the thought of having to go to a class or a club. Some people may worry (although unnecessarily so) about what other people may think or they may think that everybody else is an amazing dancer.
  

Unfortunately there are also some disadvantages so now I'll look at the flip side of the coin

• It is just you and the video. You will have to find a partner that is willing to come over and practise with you.
  
• There is no feedback mechanism. If you are doing something incorrect there you will not have somebody around to help you correct your mistake. At best this can lead to unpleasant dancing for your partner once you try new things on the floor but it could even lead to injuries. Both for you and your dance partner.

As with the other 2 methods I looked at so far learning to dance salsa by watching videos is not the perfect solution. Once again there are upsides and downsides and once again you'll have to see what is the best solution for you.

Soon I'll publish Learn to dance salsa - part 4. The article that I consider to bring forth the best solutions so check back for that or subscribe to the RSS feed to be sure you won't miss it.