Discovering Ral’eau Salsa Dance Company
My girlfriend and I were looking for salsa classes nyc and discovered Ral’eau via a LivingSocial deal in August 2011, and began attending classes in October. As far as the class is concerned, Ral’eau earns 5 stars. We enrolled in the 8 week, beginner course, which is a great pace, and a lot of fun. I walked in with literally zero experience dancing salsa. One of the best parts of class is that near the beginning, the instructors will demonstrate a pattern that seems complex. I will inevitably gawk and say, “Well this is it…this is the week when I can no longer keep up in class.” Fast forward 20 minutes, after Ral’eau breaks the sequence into smaller pieces, and I’m saying “Wow! I just did that!” Another plus is that Ral’eau reviews last week’s material at the beginning of each class, which offsets the “dance-move-amnesia” that sets in after sitting in an office all week. Ral’eau classes rarely feel crowded, and are set up to accommodate both attendees that come individually, as well as those that come as couples. For those that come individually, leads rotate so attendees get to dance with different people, which is a more realistic emulation of dancing at a salsa club. Couples can choose to rotate too, but are not forced to, which is nice. My girlfriend and I have tried both, and enjoyed both options. For those that choose to rotate, the ratio of women to men is usually 1:1, or very close. This leaves very few instances where someone is without a partner. If someone is without a partner, it lasts only a few minutes, until the next rotation. Ral’eau and the other instructors provide a good pace for novice salsa dancers, starting with the basics and gradually adding more complexity. They also offer 5 (I think) different skill levels of different salsa lessons nyc, which seems to allow for smoother transitions. E.g., “Beginner — Advanced Beginner — Intermediate,” as opposed to “Beginner — Intermediate.”We have enrolled in our second 8-week cycle of salsa classes and have matriculated to the advanced beginner class. We’re having a lot of fun learning, and it’s a great way to start our Saturday evenings.
