OK, this is for all you non-salsa dancers out there. The awkward walkers. The people whose hip gyrations call to mind Steve Urkel.
Doreen Beatrice is here to help.
She's been the director of Covington dance studio Step-N-Out for 14 years. She holds four different group salsa classes each week. And she's kind.
Here are her thoughts for beginners.
Anybody can learn salsa. And it's partner-style, which is way more fun than going out to a club and dancing by yourself.
Expect a different dance environment than you're likely used to. This is a good thing. People will dance in pairs to some great, feisty Latin music - no bumping and grinding to top 40 tunes here.
Start with the basics, then practice, practice, practice. You may feel awkward at first, but the more you do it - and the more partners you have - the better you'll get.
(We'd give you the basics here, but no one ever learned how to dance well from a manual - Beatrice suggests you maybe, ahem, consider some classes?)
Stretch beforehand, but expect to be sore. It might not seem like it, but salsa dancing is a great workout. A lot of hip action. Be prepared to use parts of your body you're (probably) not used to using.
Make lots of eye contact with your partners. Salsa is meant to be fun and flirty.
It's not exactly old-fashioned, but there's an element of chivalry to the dance. Men usually whisk the women onto the floor. That said, ladies shouldn't hesitate to ask the fellas. Only one rule: The dude leads.
You can salsa in jeans, but skirts and slacks just look better.
Just do it, you wimp. OK, Beatrice didn't say that, but she did say this: "It's a blast."
