u/BleuPrince

In the Salsa beginner class, the instructor calls is Cumbia but when I search Cumbia online, I mostly get Cumbia, a music genre from Columbia. Then there is Cumbia dance but it doesnt look similar. I saw a Cumbia step in salsa on youtube, but its just looks like back step basic with more hip movement and a slight rocking motion, which is also not the move I am looking for. It didnt glide across the room. So what do you call this move ?

Lead: (follower just does it opposite)

Step1 : left foot step back (like back basic). Hold hands on the right only.

Step2: then right foot step to the left (your knees will bend slightly and your legs will cross), Slide your hand horizontally from right to left, the follower will get the message you are going horizontal.

Steo3: then bring left foot together to the right foot. (infront and left).

Step5: (repeat opposite sides), right foot step back.

Step6: left foot step to the right

Step7: Bring your right foot together with your left foot.

Most Salsa beginner course are between 4 weeks to 6 weeks. Prices differ greatly. Need to learn some of the Salsa jargon so I could ask some intelligent questions when I enquire from the school... what can the students expect to learn.

What should a beginner ought to know after completing a beginner course ? Which moves/ combo or other stuff. After completing a beginner course, is the dancer expected to know the musicality, shine, body movements, etc ... ? Will beginner be expected to know Suzzy Q?

Came across several schools offering free private dance class, no idea why its a private class rather than a group class. Is it better to get a dance instructor of the opposite role so you can dance together? Or is it better to get a dance instructor of the same role, so he can gives additional tips on how to "lead" properly, what signals to do etc... and I assume dance instructors are flexible, they can lead and follow either way.

Saw a dance school offering workshops, I think could be intermediate/advance specializing in shine, body movements, partnerwork, etc... by specific topic. A little bit more expensive compared to other school.

I am not in Latin America or the US, my city doesnt necessarily gravitate to any specific Salsa style. There are Salsa On1, Salsa On2, Casino, Rueda... Many of the Salsa school teaches Bachata and other dances too.

What do you think ? I went to a free beginner class. I think the instructor is an excellent dancer but maybe not the best teacher. There were brand new students. He went straight into warm up, basic, sides and back, at tempo two. fast. After warm up, we started learning the steps basic, sides and back. half tempo and tempo one. he also added alot of his own style/flare .... idk it felt like it was too boring for him to show the basic steps. He will say you can do this, or that too, go in a diamond shape, you dont necessary need to go forward and backwards, the class dont really understand those extra style, we never tried any of his fancy foot work too. It's a beginner class. Then he taught us cumbia move (i know the move, but i cant find it online.... everytime i type cumbia it thought its a different dance or music), turn right, never taught us how to turn left, taught us a hand movement (no name) how to flick/push the hand of the follower, then she will move her hand gracefully over her head/ hair. We didnt even get to practice turning right with our partner. Students for the next class started to arrive and we jusf ended the class.

I went to a beginner Salsa class, teacher was just teaching Basic (front and back), Sides and Back moves. Then we dance with a dance partner, lead open chest hands out while follower put their hands on the lead's open palms.

Because the hands are going up and down wildly, you cant really feel any small movements when we change dance moves. Dont think this is right, so when I want to move my left foot forward Basic, I just extend my left hand forward and when I move my right foot back, I move my right hand backwards to indicate I am going to take a step back. Because there is so much hand movement, I dont think shifting body weight to indicate change in movement can be easily noticeable.

When watching videos of Salsa dancing, I noticed people dont hold hands in an open palm position most of the time, lots of turns, the hands dont go too crazy unless when you shine, like when u let go of the hands and start freestyle.

We still had fun, regardless.

Are we holding hands and the follower wants to shine and freestyle ? What should you do ?

I turned up to a free beginner Salsa class in my city, it was fun, good vibes, supportive, fun, most were like myself, first Salsa dance, first dance class ever, a few had been dancing a week or two.

They taught how to count (rest on 4 and 8), Basic (front and back), Sides and Back moves. 60 minutes. Practice with music.

Then they offered Level 1 Salsa class for some fees. I went to another branch, same school for free beginner Bachats (just to try out). There were a few dancers which had enrolled in Salsa classes. Same vibe, good, supportive, fun.

Immediately after the Bachata class, was talking to a Level 1 student about Salsa, ask him to show some moves.... could not remember the moves, not even Basic (front and back). Then a Level 6 Salsa student was damcing with the teacher, just to demonstrate a bit about Salsa. Err... it was better than basics, some turns, the girl was moving alot in the upper body (not taught in free beginners class), but it wasnt fluid, not very confident with the footwork. The teacher was great.

The classes were held at a library and at a bar, both did not have mirrors (not a dance studio). Is it important to have mirrors when learning to dance Salsa ?

My goal is just being confident and decent to dance socially, dont plan to lift the girl or any too crazy moves, not interested in competition dancing. Single atm. Will that be difficult finding people to dance at Salsa nights at clubs ?

This Salsa school does give a good feel vibe, friendly... I am not sure about the technical aspects of the classes. It seems , one needs to practice dancing regularly out of class or you could easily forgst or get confuse with othet dance styles.

Any tips and advice for beginners. thx

edit: forgot to mentioned. You dont get the same teacher every week. It's "a bit" like group exercise at Fitness Centres/ Gym where a different teacher leads the class. It's a Salsa dance school though with several branches, at a church hall, library and at a bar. So, you might be getting a new teacher each week. Your teacher wont know you. It has this good vibes, friendly environment, fun.... like in most group exercise.

The Iran war started on 28 February, lots of bombs were dropped, many targets were hit, there were rumors of many Islamic Republic leaders were killed, a few apparently survived such as Esmail Qaani, former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, current Supreme leader Motjaba Khamenei, etc... I remembered Abbas Araghchi, the Foreign Minister who was at the time outside the country dismissed the rumor of the death of Ali Khamenei, as far as I know, he is alive.

Then Trump announced on TruthSocial the death of Ali Khamenei, one of the most evil people in history was killed in joint US-Israel airstrike. Moments later Iran state TV confirmed the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Why didnt they continue to lie or deny his death ? If IRGC is running Iran through an incapacitated or rumored to be seriously injured or in a coma or even dead Motjaba Khamenei which nobody has seen or heard since after taking the role of Supreme Leader, why even bother ? Why didnt the IRGC just rule and run Iran through a dead but unconfirmed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei which will also equally nobody will see or hear.

Why did they confirmed the death of Ali Khamenei and not bury him but is not forthcoming on the whereabouts and condition of Motjaba Khamenei ?

What can IRGC do with a incapacitated Motjaba Khamenei that it cant with a dead Ali Khamenei ?

Sometimes I see people asking why havent the Iranian people (I assume they meant ordinary Iranian civilians) not overthrown the Islamic regime ? I think the ordinary people did tried, most recently in January 2026 and were met with brrutal crackdown, many lost love ones and many protesters were massacred. They were unarmed civilians. There continues to be armed IRGC/Basiji/ Faraja (police) on the streets ready to shoot any protesters.

But my question is why havent those Iranians in the IRGC (those with arms), in the military etc ..Why havent they, those with arms revolted and rebelled against their commanders, leaders and the Islamic regime ?

There are many many examples in history where armed groups overthrew the government such as General Pervez, Musharraf from Pakistan, General Hafez al-Assad from Syria, Lieutenant Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasar from Egypt, General Abdel Fatteh el-Sisi from Egypt, General Prayut Chan-o-cha from Thailand, attemped coup against Recep Tayyip Erdogan from Turkey in 2016, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi from Libya, General Brice Oligui Nguema from Gabon etc... each case slightly different, but they all had guns.

Are the military personnel, the IRGC, etc ... still receiving their paycheck ? Is that even enough in the current climate of hyperinflation ? Do they as individuals not have any grievance against the current leaders ? Do they not know anyone, maybe their children, their nephew, niece, cousins, neighbors got caught up in the recent uprising and revolution and got hurt, killed, arrested etc ... shaken their loyalty to their leaders ? Are they content being lead by an invisible cardboard leader ? Are other generals happy to be taking orders from Vahidi ? Are IRGC happy that Araghchi is negotiating or communicating indirectly with the big satan ? Even a teacher of the month tried to assasinate the US President, surely there are a few armed IRGC/Basijis that are crazy enough to want to assasinate Islamic regime leaders.