Candelas by the Bay is offering Beginner Salsa lessons this summer every other Wednesday from 6:45 – 8:00pm. The next lesson will be on July 20th.
If you have ever wanted to try salsa or just want to try something new, beginning salsa lessons with Marilyn Klisser will bring joy and fun to your evening.
The most important thing to know is that you do not need a partner. Go by yourself, go with a group of friends, go with your family, go with a date – it doesn’t matter.
The second thing you need to know is that this is for the absolute beginner. Marilyn dedicates her lessons to those who have never danced before. She told me that she “teaches in a way so that people get it immediately. The steps are basic, but at the end of it people are really dancing.”
This is how it works. You show up at Candelas and tell the hostess that you are there for salsa. The hostess will offer you the $5.00 ticket (just salsa), the $10.00 ticket (salsa and a drink, which my thrifty husband thinks this is the best deal), or $20.00 which includes a drink and dinner (the dinner is from their Happy Hour menu).
At about 7:00, the D.J., who is set up behind the bar, kicks up the music and Marilyn calls all dancers onto the floor. The women stand behind Marilyn and the men stand behind Francisco Chavarin, who is real estate agent with Wills Allen Real Estate here in Coronado, so that the group of women are facing the group of men. Then Marilyn starts teaching the steps and the men follow Francisco while the women follow Marilyn.
I had so much fun dancing next to the other women. It’s like being at a wedding when all the ladies get out and dance the macarena.
Once everyone has a good feel for what they are doing, Marilyn and Francisco have the men form a circle and they put the women in an inner circle. Like middle school teachers, Marilyn and Francisco are in control and their is no awkwardness, they just start pairing people up before you can feel lost.
Two key points about this second half of the lesson: you never dance with one person more than two minutes and there is very little contact. I go with my husband Ken, but I do not partner dance with him any more than I dance with anyone else. Every two minutes, Marilyn calls out “Ladies, shift,” and the ladies move over to the next guy. The man holds out an open palm and the woman places the center and ring finger in the palm. Marilyn insists no grasping, no thumbs, just lightly set up the dance position. It’s all very polite.
Really, I can’t tell you how fun this is. In addition to the fun though, it is also a wonderful workout, both physically and mentally.
Here are some other things to know. This is not a pick-up event. It’s from 7-8, so it’s light outside when you start. There are all ages here from 18-80. While there are some places in San Diego that are nice to dance and a nice place to meet people you might want to date, our Coronado venue is very low key, with tourists jumping in when they see all the fun that folks are having. You many very well be dancing with someone young enough to be your son or old enough to be your mother. The focus is on the dancing and a relaxed good time.
Originally from Luxembourg, Marilyn has always had a love of dancing and of teaching. She also has a passion for helping others. She has a non-profit called “Dance Away Dementia.” Her mission is to promote partner dancing for the prevention of dementia. Marilyn explained that: “Partner dancing is social, you burn calories, it’s good for your cardiovascular system, good for rejuvenating neural pathways because your are learning something new and you are learning to react quickly.” Below is a video she recorded with Coronado residents at the Community Center to explain her mission.
