FAQs: Salsa Class Rules & Guidelines for 2009:
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We do have some new policies that we will enforce throughout 2009 and beyond. #1 Rule: Please Close All Doors Please be sure to close/lock all doors to the main entrance when leaving the building. Please Do Not leave the main entrance doors open for more than 9 seconds...otherwise the silent alarm may sound, and security will be alerted. This is an important security issue for the building (i.e. computers had been stolen from the College in previous months). This rule also applies to the stairway doors and doors to the balcony (i.e. do not open the balcony doors). We ask all our students to please be certain when leaving the building to not keep the doors open for more than 9 seconds, and ensure the door closes completely. Thank you very much! Rules for our Classes: Fees (1) Our classes run in 4 week blocks. That is, a new set of lessons begins each month. Drop-ins are allowed on the first day only (...unless under exceptional circumstances). (2) No Drop-ins are allowed for Beginners after the first class. To ensure quality of learning for everyone attending, newcomers must sign up for the month by the second week of the course. Otherwise, you'll have to wait until the next set of classes. (3) Once a salsa course is paid for, no refunds are possible after the second class. We do understand that real life can get in the way of recreational activities. If you are unable to attend one or more of the classes (for any reason) during the period you have paid for, we can place you in the next set of classes or workshop. Alternatively, we can offer a private session or our salsa DVD in exchange, depending on the amount paid for. (4) Classes paid for must be taken within the first 6 months. As per #3 above, any missed classes must be used within 6 months from the payment date. After 6 months, all payments are considered used. As we have to pay rent for the studio, this is reasonable. Most of the time, students in our classes are eager to make up for missed classes within two or three weeks. (5) We expect our students will make every effort to attend the classes they have paid for. If you cannot attend, please show respect and let us know beforehand, so we can accommodate the class as necessary. If you cannot attend for unexpected reasons, please phone/email Sebastian or Yukiko, and leave a message as necessary. Most of our students do give us a call if they will be late, or if they cannot attend a class. (6) If you know in advance that you cannot attend a class, let us know and we can accommodate you as best we can. (7) We do have student rates, but these rates will only be applied to those with valid student I.D. (or other proof) AND who sign up for the full course. The student rates do not apply to those who simply drop-in on occasion (i.e. the drop-in rate $12). (8) Anyone who drops-in once and decides to pay for the entire course, will simply have to pay the difference remaining. If someone drops-in on the final class, the drop-in fee is $12, regardless if you sign up for the next set of classes. (9) For the Intermediate levels we do allow drop-ins at any time ($12 per person). (10) For a list of course fees, please click here. Which Should I Attend: Beginner Class? or Intermediate? The answer I use here refers specifically to our downtown Vancouver Classes (although we use a similar course plan for our Burnaby classes). To answer this question, you should understand how our classes are set up and what the different levels mean: The Beginner Levels Our Beginner Program is composed of three levels: Beginner Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. Each level is progressive and takes a minimum of four weeks, or one month, to complete. At the intermediate levels, we assume you have all the basics from our Beginner Program, which are described below. Our beginner "levels" are actually different "sections" of the entire Beginner Program. The fundamentals in timing, basic steps, and partner connection are generally the same between level 1, level 2, and level 3. The main difference between the beginner levels is the type of leadable patterns that we teach. At each Beginner level, we teach different types of steps and leadable patterns: (A) Level 1 focuses on basics, cross body leads and spot turns, (B) Level 2 deals with cross body lead-traveling turns (inside/outside turns), and (C) Level 3 focuses on circular type patterns (i.e. ochos). These are the three main types (i.e. "shapes") of patterns common in salsa. Thus, students must take three months of our beginner classes to complete the entire Beginner Program, before moving on to the Intermediate levels. Everyone learns at different rates. For our classes, four weeks is the minimum amount of training time to learn the steps and patterns for each level. Often, it is better to repeat the Beginner levels two or more times, before considering to join the Intermediate levels. This is normal -- the human body requires a certain amount of time to process and assimilate new information. It is only with repetition that allows a person to develop the necessary skills to progress to the higher levels. This is the very same reason why most martial arts training involves repetition! "Learning to dance" is very much like "building a house" -- if the foundation is weak, then the house will fall and crumble. With our beginner levels, you will learn enough material to dance several songs in a night, and at the same time allow you to develop the necessary skills needed for higher levels later on. The Intermediate Levels Beginners are not allowed to attend Intermediate level classes until they have completed our Beginner Program -- this is to ensure our Intermediate Level students can progress without being slowed down. Newcomers wishing to attend our intermediate levels must demonstrate intermediate level skills through an assessment by the main instructor. As with the Beginner Program, our Intermediate Program consists of three levels. At Intermediate level 1, we use elements from all three beginner levels and show you how to create new patterns and add style & variety to your dance. At Intermediate Level 2, we start working on double/triple spins and add in some old school salsa patterns, blending in some new school salsa moves, providing fun moves to your repertoire! At Intermediate Level 3, we add in directional/momentum changes, new tricks & styling to add flavor to your dance, all while constantly helping you to refine your lead/follow! At every intermediate level, we provide footwork to enhance your repertoire on the dance floor. We also occasionally offer special workshops to focus on some important detail in the dance (e.g. spins, body isolations, styling, musicality, etc). Please let me know if you will attend any of our classes. Any questions or concerns, feel free to ask me via email or phone or in person. |
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