Ithaca College

Salsa, merengue, and bachata for beginners:

LATIN DANCE PHED39901 (FALL 2009)
M W 9-10am
1 credit
IC Fitness Center Aerobics Room

No partner needed. Pre-registration April 13-17 highly recommended, as this class will fill fast. Taught by Kurt Lichtmann '82 and Isabella Hanu '12. Offered by the Ithaca College Department of Health Promotion and Physical Education. 

Salsa, Merengue, and Bachata: These Caribbean partner dances are currently the hottest, most popular club partner dances in Central New York, and possibly the world. Salsa gets the most play, and we will spend most our class time exploring it. No previous dance experience required, and no partner needed: we will rotate partners frequently. Meet people!  Our approach to dance is student friendly: entertaining and fun. We are offering solid traditional and contemporary approaches to these dance styles, with plenty of great music. Our goal is for you to rock out, and be a sought-after and admired dance partner at any Latin dance scene, locally or anywhere. This is not a ballroom Dancesport class - we are teaching popular club styles.

Although oriented at TOTAL beginners, we offer some extra material for quick learners (want even more? Ask!). We are non-judgemental instructors. We encourage questions, and give plenty of individual attention. More information at www.ithacadance.net

In addition to innovative teaching methods, a unique aspect of our approach is that we continually revisit specific ways that both lady and fellow can look good & feel good on the dance floor. You are DANCERS, not just leader & follower! And there is lots more to a dance style than step patterns.There is drama, expression, lyricism, and the emotional connection to both your partner and the music.

Women with considerable dance experience often feel confined in traditional leader-follower dances. But in contemporary salsa style, it is a whole new ballgame: you will be amazed at the vastly expanded parameters for women, and for dance partnerships, in modern salsa.

Quizzes, grades: This is an IC. course for credit, meeting twice a week. Standard attendance requirements apply. There will be four written quizzes, and four dance evaluations, with letter grades for mid-term and final grade.

Questions? email the instructor at klichtmann@ithaca.edu. If you cannot enroll becuase the fourse has filled, please email the instructor to get on the wait list.