March Break On2 Salsa Class

(Beginner-Intermediate On2)
@ The Martha Hicks School of Ballet
2384 Yonge St, 2nd Floor
Thursdays, 9 pm – 10:30 pm

30 Sessions (March 17/11 – Dec. 15/11)

$449 before Feb. 20 / $499 after

Limited to 10 People (class is almost full)

This is normally offered only at our most advanced levels, but now is your chance to learn to dance On2 right from the very start at and incredible price that you’d think it is an April Fool’s joke!  You will literally be saving hundreds of dollars if you bought these at our regular price of $20 per class! Not only are you attending 30-sessions on Thursday nights, but you are also entitled to attend another 30 Level 1-3 classes on either Mondays or Saturdays! That’s an astounding 60 classes!  All Thursday classes are directly taught by Teddy Olaso, along with teaching assistants.

All UnitedSalseros’ classes include functional choreography backed with solid foundational technique taught with cutting-edge instruction. The importance of quality – not quantity – is continually stressed throughout the program.  The class is even suitable for individuals who are even proficient dancing On1 since the instructor can always adjust the level of challenge for each individual and those who are just coming into the class who missed the earlier classes as this is same class as the New Year special we offered need NOT to worry that they are behind since there is consistency in the exercises that we do so students can learn, internalize and refine everything they are learning. Successful completion and meeting the standards of this one-year intensive allows the student to enter our Level 4 programs.  The class will cover exactly what the Pyramid illustrates above to ensure an organic approach to learning.

Please contact Teddy at Teddy@unitedsalseros.com / 4168091072 before registering to determine if this and the other classes offered are suitable for you.

Dancing On2 – What Is The Big Deal?

If you have never danced On2 before, don’t let it daunt you! At UnitedSalseros, the only difference between Dancing On1 and On2 is how music is interpreted – that’s it! Aside from the musical interpretation and feel, as well as how you start and execute your steps to the timing, all the foundational technique, choreography, etc., that we teach On1 is exactly the same thing. We only teach On1 at a more beginner to intermediate level because Toronto is still predominantly an On1 community as earlier Salsa styles were mainly danced to this timing. However, as most dancers advance, many start to dance On2 as their rhythmic preference. It does not make it superior – it’s just a preference. While most dancers who we know and consider at the advanced level dance On2, it does not mean that On2 dancing is superior to On1 dancing by default. You can convert ANY choreography On2 to On1 and vice-versa, and also be just as musical. So, then what’s the big deal? Mainly, as far as our style is concerned, it’s the musical feel – and even that is different for everyone! We wouldn’t want to further confuse you by even trying to explain to you how that ought to feel –
approach it with an open mind and totally immerse yourself into it without reservations. The worse thing that could happen is that you will end up liking both On1 and On2, giving you more choices on the dance floor!

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UnitedSalseros’ Difference:  A Somatic Way of Learning

Re-Discovering What Is Already Natural

Have you ever wondered what causes lack of coordination, clumsiness, stiffness, or the meaning of the phrase “trying too hard,” especially when executing body isolations and styling figures in general?  Yet why do others seem to be able to do them with very little effort?  What sets them apart?  What are those factors that make someone exceptional?  Why even with so many lessons nothing changes other than an increase of the amount of choreography for most people?  Are you constantly told to “just practice” and “you’ll get better in time” without a specific process to get there?  And so you try again and again, but you don’t land that performance spot you wish; you clearly see that there’s a gap between you and the people you use as an inspirational model for dance.  You wonder why your dance opportunities are limited and only receive “small talk” compliments at best.  Worse, you may be even oblivious to any these problems that limit you.  Perhaps you are one of the lucky “fast learners” and have never experienced any of these challenges.  But then how do you improve technically and artistically from any Salsa lessons or type of dance you are learning?  We are not referring to your pick-up ability, nor is it about how fast or powerful you can be--which are important factors but are really just part of a larger equation.   Instead, what exercises are you learning that will enable you to go beyond your natural limits when it comes to controlling the size, speed, direction and energy of your movements?  Or are these exercises only done within the context of the choreography being taught to you wherein these elements can be easily missed let alone be improved upon on its own?  In these classes, Afro-Cuban choreography, technique and, most importantly, the right mental framework to train will be covered to produce real change with qualitative practice right before your very eyes.

Somatic movement is an umbrella for many distinct disciplines; it involves techniques and approaches that focus on the individual developing and deepening a sense of the self within the body.  Somatic isolation is similar yet also considerably different from regular body isolation or styling classes.  While it shares the basic directional and routine breakdown of a regular body isolation or styling class, it equally focuses on theory and exercises on how to make your movements more even (lines), centered (wholesome), supple (relaxed), and with even or contrasting energies (sharp, smooth, or a combination).  Hence, this will create natural and effortless movements that many refer to as someone being “gifted” or born with.  These classes are rarely, if not at all, offered in Salsa classes as it requires instructors who are knowledgeable with the mechanics of the human body and its relation to the nervous system, muscles, etc., as well as students who are patient and determined enough to create lasting change. Simply doing one class after the other or another type of dance will have minimal success as one will end up only doing different types of choreography with exactly the same problems, unless there are specific somatic exercises to address these problems or one belongs to the 1% of the population that is naturally gifted enough to pick up movements flawlessly!