Recently, “salsa”, the Latin dancing style, has become popular in Vietnam, especially in Hanoi, attracting many young people. If you’ve ever wanted to try salsa dancing, then follow VOV’s reporter to Beso Latino, the Latin Kiss Club, located at 20 Hang Tre Street, Hanoi.

No experience necessary. No partner required. The salsa classes are designed to teach absolute first timers the basics of salsa dancing, and you only need one class to be able to hit the dance floor.

“I joined this salsa class because I have long been fascinated by Latin American culture. Salsa dancing, with its attractive and sexy moves, really inspired me.”  

- “I love dancing and used to be a dancing teacher in my country. When coming to Vietnam, one of my friends introduced me to this salsa class. And here I am. Now, salsa is my new passion.”

“Salsa Dancing is highly attractive and addictive” is what club members Le Ngoc Huyen from Hanoi and Kim Bo Won from the Republic of Korea said when asked about their passion. This social dance is playful and fun to learn.

For an average tuition fee of just 250,000 to 500,000 VND for an 8-session course, aspiring salsa dancers from all walks of life and at all levels of skill can come together to enjoy this dance and music.

Beso Latino’s dance instructor Huynh Trung Hieu has 5 years of experience in teaching salsa. 

He said "When you learn salsa dancing, you can see yourself in every move you make. Salsa doesn’t require difficult techniques like dance-sport or hiphop. It’s a mixture of several kinds of dances, wild and natural, but very attractive. Just turn on the music and move along with the beat. You will feel so happy and relaxed.”

Salsa is a rhythmic Latin dance with its origins in Cuban culture. When dancing salsa, dancers often add their own flair by moving their hips and upper body in coordination with the basic foot work. 

The basic salsa step takes 8 beats to complete, but you don’t step on all 8 beats. Your feet move on beats 1, 2, and 3 and then pause on beat 4; you step again on beats 5, 6, and 7 and pause again on beat 8. Sensing the beats is one of the most important skills for newbie learners.

Hieu elaborates: "The most important thing in salsa dance is developing the sense of beats. In salsa, the first and the fifth beat are a little bit hard for a newbie to distinguish.  Some people have a great sense of timing and rhythm from early on. Others have to work doubly hard to produce the same results. Be patient and practice day by day. Every time you dance, you will feel the beat and then sense the beauty of salsa.”

Learning salsa not only improves your physical health, it will also spice up your life. Even if you’re satisfied with your current group of friends, learning how to salsa is a good way to gain tons of new friends. If you’re shy or don’t get out much, this is an opportunity to break out of your comfort zone and expand your social circle. 

Nam Phong from Hanoi said: “Learning salsa makes me healthier. And I’ve met many new friends who have the same passion for dancing. Practicing salsa makes my life more meaningful.”   

Going to the cinema, sitting on the couch playing games, window shopping…how much more fun would it be if you spent that same time salsa dancing, socializing, and getting exercise, without feeling bloated or hung-over the next morning? Sound good? I think so.

VOV5