Website: JJ Salsa Rengue
JJ Salsa Rengue has a special place in my heart because I'd started my dance life with them. Some of the beginner habits they have emphasized, so foundational to good dancing, have stayed with me till now. Habits like keeping the thumb out of the way rather than to press down and endanger your partners, magnet tension in leading and following etc will be some of the imprints they have left on me. In essence, they make the experience of social dancing smooth and fun.
Their strength lie in leading and following principles and imbuing beginners, (with absolutely no background in dance but who are willing to practise regularly), with confidence to go down to the dance floor and encouraging their classes to just start dancing at Union Square, the regular hangout place of salseros and salseras, with our classmates. (An absolute must if we are to have any confidence at all to start dancing.)
JJ Salsa Rengue has a special place in my heart because I'd started my dance life with them. Some of the beginner habits they have emphasized, so foundational to good dancing, have stayed with me till now. Habits like keeping the thumb out of the way rather than to press down and endanger your partners, magnet tension in leading and following etc will be some of the imprints they have left on me. In essence, they make the experience of social dancing smooth and fun.
Their strength lie in leading and following principles and imbuing beginners, (with absolutely no background in dance but who are willing to practise regularly), with confidence to go down to the dance floor and encouraging their classes to just start dancing at Union Square, the regular hangout place of salseros and salseras, with our classmates. (An absolute must if we are to have any confidence at all to start dancing.)
Classmates from Intermediate Class
I remembered being absolutely paralysed my first time in union - clutching desperately to my bag on my knee to prevent anyone from asking me to dance, content simply to sit and watch. But thanks to the support of my classmates: Karen, Bella, Henry, Dennis, Louis, Lucius, Alex, Vincent etc and more senior dancers like Derrick, Ukigeta, Kenneth, Jenny, Belinda, Berenda, Cilia, Valerie, Cedric and of course my then-friend, Mr Maybe-Right etc, they helped me take a deep breath and have confidence to dance on the dance floor. It's a pity most of them are no longer dancing now though... I miss you all... :(
My friends' and JJ Salsa Rengue's support of my first plunge is really important as it normally marks the important transition phase in the beginner's life - from just been amazed at the grace of other dancers (though we rather die than try!) to taking those first, ugly-duckling, small dancing steps that are such big steps of a dancer's progress.
And this is where Jackson and June (JJ (geddit? geddit?) Salsa Rengue's founders and instructors) are so amazing in.
I remembered being a beginner and contenting myself with a fruit punch in hand and watching others dance. Suddenly a lithe hand took away my drink and pulled me to the dance floor. (My friends said that I have this deer-in-the-headlights look on my face.) When I recovered my sense to look up, behold there is Jackson. I was absolutely terrified but really enjoyed my dance with him and it was one of the first few times I've experienced really good lead.
It is this spirit of taking care of their students when they spot them on the dance floor and not minding less desirable and fun dances with us just to give us good experiences that really endear the instructors to their students' (at least mine!!!) hearts.
Their lessons are light-hearted and fun (though this does not mean that JJ will allow mistakes in their classes.) They will point out the mistakes by demonstrating them (without singling out the erring student) and then showing the correct way to execute the dance patterns and they have a focus on leading and following principles. June's warmth, patience and approachability which was also extended to their waiting room (at least in their old studio, I have yet to see their new studio) combined with Jackson's humour and antics make each class a fruitful and fun session.
Thank you, JJ Salsa Rengue!
Period of my taking lessons from them: Feb '07 - Mar '08
My regular classes with them: Salsa beginner - intermediate 3; bachata beginner; merengue beginner
Ad hoc workshops: Spins
Website: JJ Salsa Rengue
My friends' and JJ Salsa Rengue's support of my first plunge is really important as it normally marks the important transition phase in the beginner's life - from just been amazed at the grace of other dancers (though we rather die than try!) to taking those first, ugly-duckling, small dancing steps that are such big steps of a dancer's progress.
And this is where Jackson and June (JJ (geddit? geddit?) Salsa Rengue's founders and instructors) are so amazing in.
I remembered being a beginner and contenting myself with a fruit punch in hand and watching others dance. Suddenly a lithe hand took away my drink and pulled me to the dance floor. (My friends said that I have this deer-in-the-headlights look on my face.) When I recovered my sense to look up, behold there is Jackson. I was absolutely terrified but really enjoyed my dance with him and it was one of the first few times I've experienced really good lead.
It is this spirit of taking care of their students when they spot them on the dance floor and not minding less desirable and fun dances with us just to give us good experiences that really endear the instructors to their students' (at least mine!!!) hearts.
Their lessons are light-hearted and fun (though this does not mean that JJ will allow mistakes in their classes.) They will point out the mistakes by demonstrating them (without singling out the erring student) and then showing the correct way to execute the dance patterns and they have a focus on leading and following principles. June's warmth, patience and approachability which was also extended to their waiting room (at least in their old studio, I have yet to see their new studio) combined with Jackson's humour and antics make each class a fruitful and fun session.
Thank you, JJ Salsa Rengue!
Period of my taking lessons from them: Feb '07 - Mar '08
My regular classes with them: Salsa beginner - intermediate 3; bachata beginner; merengue beginner
Ad hoc workshops: Spins
Website: JJ Salsa Rengue
No comments:
Post a Comment