One of the most frequently asked questions among new students: What is my dance level? A logical question, especially because every dance school has its own system when it comes to teaching and dividing levels.
So we are going to answer this question in a way that applies within our dance school. We think it is important that a student knows what his or her level is, what they are going to work towards, and whether they have achieved it.
What are important aspects to look at
There are 4 aspects we look at to determine the dance level:
1. Control
What is a dancer’s self-control like, how much control does he or she have over their body? Here we mainly look at balance and motor skills. We always rate a dancer with good balance and good motor skills higher in terms of dance level. That is also why dancers with experience in other styles (and not necessarily salsa) are often rated higher.
2. Knowledge
Very important is knowledge of the basic salsa steps and figures. There are a few steps and combinations that form a basis of salsa dancing (a foundation). A dancer who has this knowledge and can perform it without thinking too much is always rated higher. Some people, for example, practise with YouTube before they walk into the dance school, which can definitely be a plus!
3. Experience
The more experience, the higher you are rated. Even if you haven’t taken any classes all that time. This has to do with a term called ‘muscle memory’. The more often you do a movement, the better it goes. Your body stores this information so that next time you don’t have to think about it: think of riding a bike.
4. Technique
Finally: Technique. Actually a combination of all 3 points mentioned above, but then again not. Someone can have 10 years of experience, but never have received an explanation of the technique of certain combinations in that time. Every dance also has its own technique, which makes it unique and challenging.
What is often overestimated
What is very often overestimated is the dance group a student was in at another dance school. Students often think: But I danced at Intermediate at my previous dance school. That may well be true, but every dance school still has its own definition of what a Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced is. Also, one dance school pays more attention to the quality of the classes (for example technique, but also musicality) than another.
Your dance level can be one of the following 5
We generally work with 5 different levels
- Beginners
- Improvers
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Expert
It is difficult to know which footwork and partnerwork you need to know to be allowed to join certain classes. But you can get an idea this way:
You are a beginner if: You have no dance experience yet or have taken a few classes at another dance school
You are an Improver if: You have at least half a year of dance experience and you can do the basic turns
You are an Intermediate if: You have at least 1-1.5 years of dance experience, the men can lead with a feel for styling and the timing of the music, and the ladies can do a double spin
You are an Advanced if: You have 2 years of dance experience or longer, you master the basic techniques (leading, following, weight transfer, etcetera) well and you can perform complex combinations just fine
You are an Expert if: You have more than 3 years of dance experience, can dance On1 and On2 and can follow the most complex Watapana combinations. In addition, you master both the basic and advanced techniques.
Finally
It is always better to rate your level lower rather than higher. After all, it is never wrong to master the basics even better; this helps you with the complex steps and figures in the end. If you rate yourself too high, you may end up lagging behind and causing irritation, which is of course not the intention.
Hopefully you now have a better idea of which dance level you actually are. Of course, it is best to let one of our dance teachers judge. Join one of our open days so that we can give you advice on this.
Also read how can I improve my level
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