Just dancing with my baby

THE music was on and her daughter was securely strapped in, so for Florencia Rodriguez, dancing with her newborn daughter was the next logical step.

Surprisingly, both mum and bub loved the result and Baby Salsa was born.

Baby Salsa is a low-impact form of exercise in which parents can learn the basic steps to popular dances and meet other families.

"I'm sure plenty of mums the world over dance with their babies, but we've made it into a formalised curriculum," Ms Rodriguez said.

Since that first experience Ms Rodriguez has gone on to hold a pilot program in Northcote.

The response was so overwhelming that she decided to relaunch the program in three new locations, including Glen Waverley.

Each session is 45 minutes long and participants learn steps to the salsa, cha cha and merengue.

"There's no bouncing or jumping or anything," Ms Rodriguez said. "They're easier steps. Everything's done a little bit slower."

Ms Rodriguez said babies were soothed by the gentle repetitive movements and would often fall asleep.

Source DANIEL TRAN

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Posted in cha cha , Florencia Rodriguez , Merengue , salsa classes , salsa dancing , salsa dancing babies , tiny steps

The Benefits of Taking Salsa Dance Classes

photo credited to meet up (dot) com

Learning something new can be an unsettling experience. Not so with dancing – the pace and the rhythm get to you right away. Soon, you’ll find yourself doing what research says, only humans have ability for – unconscious entrainment. That is scientific lingo for what most of us do unknowingly – swaying and tapping feet to the beat of music. Although the instinct may be an inbuilt one, you can hone it by taking dance classes, particularly in salsa. Not only will you learn a new skill, it’ll help in other ways, too.

Get into shapes

Any activity that gets your heart rate up is a sure fire way to keep your body fit. With salsa, you’ll get a full body workout at no extra cost, in a manner that’s definitely more enjoyable. The forward and backward movements exercise the front and back of the thighs, the buttocks, hips and calves. For better results, dance with a partner – that’ll ensure all the upper body muscles are exercised, too. As you lose weight and get into shape, you’ll find people curiously asking about what you’ve done to get so fit.

Let go

As you begin your salsa classes, you’ll come to realize that it takes your mind off a lot of things. Things you’d otherwise mope over are pushed into the background in the excitement of the dance. As you push all your pent up feeling into moving with the music, you’ll find that it helps you release a certain amount of steam – which otherwise would have remained bottled up. When you hear your new friends talk of events in their life, you’re sure to find something to learn and adopt in yours. Slowly but surely, you’ll find your entire perspective change.

Make friends

A salsa dance class is an excellent opportunity to interact with other people. There’s none of the usual initial hesitation that’s common in other social settings. The simple fact that everyone at the class enjoys dancing, that everyone’s learning, maybe even making the same mistakes, adds an element of companionship. You’ll get to make new friends and interact with people from diverse backgrounds – and who knows, maybe even find that elusive soul mate.

Become stronger

As you master a wider range of movements in salsa, all the stretching and bending will make you more flexible. The increased stamina and fitness will ensure you fall sick less often. Salsa will help you put the zing back into your life. Perhaps the most important of all - the inner joy you experience will gift you with a poise and aura that’ll work wonders for your self esteem.

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Posted in dance salsa , latin dance , latin music , salsa classes , salsa dance , salsa dance classes