Ballroom and Latin Dance Studio. Salsa and Argentine Tango.
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4 steps for Four Step – dance story

Real story. Nothing made up.

A Note: in Ballroom Tango there is a figure (step) called Four Step.

During a private lesson a lady student is dancing with her teacher Ballroom Tango. Stops and turns to the teacher:

Student: “I feel I missed something..?”

Teacher: “Yes, you’ve missed Four Step”.

Student: (with a puzzled look) “I do not think I missed that many”.

Teacher: “No, you missed just Four Step”.  Continue reading →

Best lead is no lead at all

I very often say to my male students: “The Best Lead is No Lead at all”. That sounds a bit funny and controversial at first look. But let me tell you what I mean: The Man should lead his partner the way she does not feel any pulling, pushing, carrying around, hand squeezing or wrist twisting. But instead She should feel like she is dancing by herself enjoying the freedom of movement and the beauty of rhythm, music and motion. And it all should be in sync with you, Gentleman, the way you want it and the way you intend it to be. It should be a very subtle, very sophisticated lead, in other words “no lead at all”. – Egor Belashov, Dance with me Toronto

Dance story – Bachata vs Ciabatta :)

Dear students of Dance with me Toronto!

You are lots of fun!!! You are my inspiration!!! Cannot help but share a story that made my week 🙂

Last Tuesday one long term client of DwmTo is coming for the first time to a lunch recreation group. We are doing Bachata, a Latin dance originated from the Dominican Republic.

My student: “Never heard, but at least the name sounds familiar – Ciabatta.” Other students: “Ciabatta is a bun, this is Bachata!”

Next day he comes to his private lesson excited and says: “I really liked that dance called Chikitta.” Me: “It is called Bachata!”

At the end of the lessons my student: “Can you do me a favor? Show me one more time the basic of Chewbacca!” Me: “That sounds more like Star Wars”.

Before that I heard only Bachacha instead of Bachata. Well, within just 2 days my dance vocabulary expanded a lot: Bachata – Ciabatta – Chikitta – Chewbacca – Bachacha! 🙂