WHAT I TEACH
Follow Technique | Lead Technique | Styling
MY APPROACH
Social Dance as Language
During over 2 decades of teaching across dozens of countries & cultures, it has always stunned me how rarely social dance is introduced and thought of as LANGUAGE - a way to connect with each other and have a playful conversation on the dance floor. I have met far too many followers being afraid of "disobeying" the lead and far too many leaders being stressed, carrying the sole responsibility to make the dance fun.
As any other language, lead-follow communication requires equal engagement from both sides. Even if the roles are different, the responsibilities for making the dance fun fall equally on both partners.
As a language, lead-follow communication has its own structure to make us understand each other. And the need for well explained and structured dance technique classes grows together with our world wide salsa dance community.
So I dedicated the last years of my career to mastering the art of teaching dance as a language, not just patterns. And I truly love seeing dancers' AHA moments when simple detail and change of perspective can drastically improve not just the dance technique, but the whole dancing experience.
Below you can find the framework I work within - 9 building blocks that constitute our salsa dance language. So we can keep it alive, make it grow and enjoy it on the dance floor anytime and anywhere, even with those we can't converse verbally. The true magic of social dance lays in the word "social":)
TECHNIQUE
STYLING
BUILDING BLOCKS
Timing
Timing is not just knowing where the beat is — it's the body arriving there reliably, every time.
The feet create the rhythm, the rest of the body creates the melody: the transitions between beats that give the movement its shape and flow.
Reliable timing comes first. Lead-follow communication relies on the common timing. Relying on one person to keep timing for both breaks the communication. The lead request is sent in advance so the follow response can be executed on the right timing. If timing is off, lead-follow communication collapses.
Body Coordination
Every dance style has its own body coordination, shaped by the music genre, history and culture it grew within. Latin music's rhythmical complexity, rich history of Latin America and expressive culture shaped an expressive dance — the richness of the movement reflects the richness of where it comes from.
Body moves as one integrated system. Latin body coordination is grounded, multidirectional and built from 4 levels: base (knees and hips), feet, upper body, and arms. Hips and knees control weight transfer, feet direct timing, upper body orchestrates lead-follow execution and arms facilitate communication. Each part has a role and they work together to keep the movement smooth and reliable. When body coordination works, the dance feels effortless. When it doesn't, it feels forced and limited.
→ Check my online course LATIN BODY COORDINATION that in details covers technique and drills to practice body coordination.
Posture & Balance
Posture is how the body is held and carried through space. Three elements work together: the lower body as suspension, vertical alignment of the spine, and a strong core as the engine. When posture is right, everything else has a stable platform to work from.
The movement through space it's triggered at the core, not by leaning. Leaning tilts the axis and compromises balance.
Holding balance at every single step means being ready for any request: direction change, rotation, pause. The next step is a choice, not a fall. With right posture and owned balance, partners become more receptive to each other — lead-follow communication comes alive.
Rotation
The art of changing directions — with various entry points, pace, and exits. The technique of preparing, executing and landing a turn. Three phases, each with its own discipline.
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Preparation: compact the body around aligned axis — 5 elements from the ground up: feet, hips, ribcage, arms, head.
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Rotation: balancing between momentum and staying in the axis, controlling pace, engaging the core and back, framing the arms and relaxing the shoulders.
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Landing: slowing down, releasing the body composure and landing instead of falling.
Rotation can happen on the spot or travel through space. Traveling turns add a layer — the axis moves while spinning, requiring spatial awareness, direction and timing control on top of the rotation technique itself.
Spinning technique differs from Latin body coordination — it came from performing arts. The body shifts from grounded and multidirectional to compact and lifted. The skill of switching between the two is key.
Mastering direction changes makes the unpredictable dance playful and exciting, regardless what comes next.
Frame & Connection
Lead-follow works as request & response, where each side takes ownership of their requests and responses.
Requests and responses are communicated through the body, physically by contact points and visually by body position and gestures.
While frame provides intentional container for this communication, contact points are meant to communicate requests & responses.
They have various functions depending on placement and distance from the body axis. They can be used actively and passively. Active contact point grants the partners access to each other's cores so the request and response can flow through the connection. Passive contact point closes that access without disconnecting. Knowing when to switch between active and passive connection is what makes a conversation partner, not a passenger.
Space & Distance
The space between partners is dynamic — it shifts with every movement. Tracking the partner's axis and adjusting distance accordingly is what keeps the communication alive. F.ex. during traveling rotations, the space follows the rotating partner's axis, not the other way around.
Distance between partners' cores determines what can be led and how. Too close crowds the partner's movement. Too far breaks the connection. Managing the shared space on the dance floor — giving room to finish, adjusting for the next request — is part of the technique, not an afterthought. The right distance makes the dance comfortable. The wrong one turns every move into a struggle.
Expression
The intention behind the move and energy that fills it up. The personal flavour. The same move can look different every time. A wide movements repertoire can look flat. The difference is the dancer and the willingness to infuse personal story and emotions into moves. Dance expression can be deepened and expanded with the right practice tools.
Structure without expression is correct but feels empty. Expression without structure is chaos.
Body & Arms Movement
Visual decoration. Movement alterations and additional elements on top of existing technique f.ex. body rolls, hip rolls, footwork, decorative armswork, dynamic rotation pace and various landings. The playful frosting on the cake — but only when the cake holds.
Musicality
Responding to and co-creating with the music, beyond keeping the beat. Accents, breaks, phrasing, playing with instrument layers. While timing gives the beat, musicality embraces everything else the music offers. The difference between dancing to the music and dancing with it.
Here are exemplary packages to give you an idea of what we can create together.
Every package can be delivered solo or with a dance partner. Formats, content and duration can be adjusted to the audience, level and goals.
Reach out and let's build something that fits.
TEACHERS TRAINING
6–8h over 2 days · For Teachers · Leads & Follows · Solo & Couples
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Technique & styling elements review
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Structuring technique instruction
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Teaching progression for leads & follows
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Scanning students and diagnosing gaps
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Common gaps and blind spots
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Exercises and drills per block
Suggested PROGRAM: DAY 1 1. Latin Body Coordination & Timing - solo 2. Posture & Balance - solo & couple LUNCH 3. Frame & Connection I - couple 4. Frame & Connection II - couple Day 2 5. Rotations - solo 6. Rotations - couple LUNCH 7. Space & distance - couple 8. Chosen Styling - solo or couples
FESTIVAL WORKSHOPS
2–4h over 3 days · For Students · Leads & Follows · Solo & Couples
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Mix of technique & styling
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Focus on 1-2 elements per class
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Powered with drills ready to take home
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Common gaps and blind spots covered
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All delivered in fun & inspiring package
Suggested CLASSES: 1. Latin Body Coordination & Movement - solo 2. Frame & Connection in leading and following - couple 3. Rotations technique - solo & couples 4. Expression, Styling & Musicality - solo
FOLLOWERS WEEKEND
6h in 2-3 days · For Students & Teachers · Follows · Solo
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Understanding lead-follow concept
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Difference between follow technique and styling
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Deep dive in each elements with exercises and drills
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Regaining confidence and ownership on the dance floor
Suggested PROGRAM: DAY 1 1. Latin Body Coordination, Timing, Posture & Balance 2. Frame & Connection 3. Armswork Day 2 5. Body Movement & Expression 6. Rotations 8. Musicality
6-MONTHS PROGRAM
12-18h in 6 mo · Students & Teachers · Leads & Follows · Solo & Couples
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Deep dive in technique and styling
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Detailed elements review
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Progression structure for leads & follows
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Common gaps and blind spots
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Exercises and drills per block
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Assignments after each block
PROGRAM One 2-3h block per month, solo & couples: 1. Latin Body Coordination & Timing, 2. Posture & Balance 3. Frame & Connection 4. Rotations 5. Space & Distance 6. Styling
Suggested PROGRAM: DAY 1 1. Latin Body Coordination & Timing - solo 2. Posture & Balance - solo & couple LUNCH 3. Frame & Connection I - couple 4. Frame & Connection II - couple Day 2 5. Rotations - solo 6. Rotations - couple LUNCH 7. Space & distance - couple 8. Chosen Styling - solo or couples
PRIVATE TRAINING
Custom · For teachers & Students · Leads & Follows · Solo & Couples
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Assessment & feedback on all 9 blocks
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Mapping strengths, weaknesses, potential
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Exercises and drills adjusted to your level
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Action-plan for your next dance goal
Customised PROGRAM Tailored to your goals, current levels, physical capacity, commitment and budget. I love working long-term with students that are passionated and motivated to grow 🤩 If that's you - I'll be happy to guide you through ❤️
PICK & MATCH
Custom· For any audience · In any format
Build a package from scratch.
Choose your audience, define the goal, pick the format — I design the content to fit.
