Surviving salsa and finding rhythm

I once went to a salsa class and was standing around as they announced that the group would be divided into beginner and intermediate classes.

I thought to myself: I’ve traveled around Cuba, had a couple nights out where I’ve twirled someone. Beginner? My latin ego blushed. Please. Where do the intermediates go?

What ensued was 90 minutes of stress and embarrassment. I was not intermediate.

But it went like this.

The 16-odd group of us went to one side of the hall. We had already done a warm up together which was straightforward and easy to follow along (thinking maybe ‘expert’ for the next lesson)

That easy warm up definitely set me up.

We paired up in a circle and the instructor in the middle then demonstrated our first move.

He took her hand, started counting for timing and began.

He stepped, he twirled, spun, stepped backwards, twirled again, one final step and then she was back in front of him in the same position they began

My mind. What. Was. That.

Does anyone need to see it again? He asked.

Two hands, in the group, were raised. Two! (They were not both mine). 

Most were already looking set to start. They already knew it!

He went through it once more. 

I was calculating how to do the first spin when I realised my partner had already turned to me and smiling asked, you ready?

And so we began.

This story doesn’t have some miraculous turn around. I did not enjoy myself.

I was in the trenches for the next 75 minutes.

But I did return the next week, changing to the beginner class, earning my rightful stripes.

So here’s a couple of quick insights about what the brain is going through when we’re learning something new like salsa and what mine wasn’t doing so well.

Most people can often grasp the tempo of music, hear the beat for when the steps need to happen but it’s in the execution of that knowing that’s the real challenge.

In other words, feeling like you know when you should step, but getting jumbled as you go to do it.

This relates a lot to the front of our brain (frontal lobes) where we decide how and when to move, or not move. Often when the frontal lobe isn’t firing powerfully enough we fail to have distinctive starting and stopping of movement. This can mean being indecisive about beginning, being jerky, or missing the beat altogether.

What about being stiff and rigid?

Stiffness is often put down to being inflexible but the root of that isn’t the lack of stretching, it’s the fact the brain simply doesn't have a really clear understanding of where each part of the body is. Stiffness is a contraction of muscles and that contraction actually gives the feedback needed up to the brain.

There are many great movers that can’t touch their toes.

And then what about being flat-out overwhelmed?

A key part here is the cerebellum at the back of our brain. This part is like the kingpin for better multitasking but also assists our ability to learn new movement patterns. If we feel overrun from learning something new that we can’t grasp, we can freeze up which may mean this part of our brain has already reached its capacity.

So what’s the takeaway?

The overall key here is that you can’t ever avoid the learning curve, but you can shorten it when you understand how the brain creates and coordinates movement. 

Here’s an idea that will help get your brain in gear before you move to help you learn faster.

Listen to music, but don’t just listen. Move your hands in time with the beat, your feet, hands and feet alternating, particularly both sides - even if you’re just sitting. And warm up as many of the joints as you can before you go to a class. Making circles with your feet, knees, hips, all of it.

These two things alone seem simple but they’re giving your brain the key stimulus it needs to help it not only recognise tempo but also teach it how to translate that into precise, accurate movement.

Probably don't jump into the intermediate class first up either.