Take a deep breath, and decide you’re about to dance bigger and bolder.
1. The Mindset
Speed starts in your brain—believe it or not—not your feet. If you second-guess yourself and say you can’t handle fast choreography, your brain is going to hesitate. Fast salsa is all about confidence in yourself. Think fearless. Think bold. Think of hitting every beat. Before you go for it, say to yourself, “I can move quickly and stay clean.” Your body is going to believe what you tell your brain.
2. The Music
Don’t just do the salsa dances. Study them! Incorporate faster songs into your daily routine when you’re driving, getting ready, or cleaning your room. Clap to the beats. Figure out the counts. Salsa has layers to it: vocals, percussion, and accents. The more you familiarize yourself with the style, the less you will find yourself getting nervous during the fast sections.
3. The Footwork
Speed comes from controlled, small steps, not big, messy ones. Focus on keeping your weight forward, knees soft and controlled, and your steps staying underneath you. If your feet are all over the place, it is going to look chaotic and make you feel lost. Work on having the basic steps down before adding the turns.
4. The Core
Your core is going to be your secret weapon when it comes to salsa. Your turns will feel tighter and more controlled when your core is tight and engaged. Thinking about pulling your belly button in towards you while pulling up through your spine, like a string is pulling you up. Fast salsa is all about energy and support.
5. The Arms
Most dancers start to slow down because their arms are slowing them down. Your arms should be finishing at the same time as your feet. Make sure the movements are intentional. When learning fast sections, focus on marking the arms full-out every time to avoid improvising at full speed.
6. The Reps
You can’t cheat when it comes to speed. Repetition is going to be your best friend. Run the fast section multiple times back-to-back. Start at 75% tempo. Then 85%. Then full out. Keep going until you’re tired. Stamina is going to create confidence in your dancing.
7. The Face
Salsa is all about being playful, flirty, and expressive. Even when you are feeling stressed and your heart is racing, your face should be saying, “This is easy, and I’m having fun.” Practice your facials when you rehearse to build a consistent character.
8. The Recovery
If you mess up, keep going. Don’t stress about it. Fast choreography doesn’t leave time to spiral and freak out. Train your brain and body to jump right back into it.
