We offer 15 weekly group classes. From absolute beginner to master level classes, all are welcome.
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Progressive Level System
Each class runs on a progressive format, each week's material builds on what was pervasively taught. Start with our beginner class at any point during the cycle (but it is recommended to start with week 1). If you have previous partner dance experience start with a Level 1 class and we'll find the right placement for you.
Level 1
Absolute Beginner
This class is for absolute beginners with little-to-no dance experience & will allow you to develop a strong foundation in Cuban Salsa in an extremely fun, stress-free atmosphere. In each class of the four week series, students focus on developing dance fundamentals including rhythm, coordination, balance, mindset, & the specific technical aspects of Cuban Salsa, including basic steps & turn patterns, partnering technique, & the fundamental motions of Cuban Salsa. Students will also learn social dancing etiquette, floor-craft, & partner safety in an extremely warm, relaxed, social & fun environment. While this class is designed for complete beginners, all levels of dancers who would like to refine their footwork & partner dancing conversation, all while renewing their connection to the basics are welcome & encouraged to attend.
Please note this class is offered on Sundays, Tuesdays, & Wednesdays. Anyone registered with a Fuákata beginner class package may attend all three sessions in the same week and have them count as a single class credit.
Level 1.5
Advanced Beginner
This class is for advanced beginners that have completed our 4-week absolute beginner series & further extrapolates from key foundational motions in Cuban Salsa. In each class of the four week series, students focus on improving & fine-tuning the core introductory elements of Casino: Exhíbela, Dile que No, Guapea, Enchufla-based patterns, closed & open position transitions, & compositional variations. Students will become autonomous leaders & followers while also reinforcing specific footwork & key technical nuances for overall fluidity on the social dance floor. Drills will be incorporated to further develop partner conversations. Rueda de Casino, an interactive group dance involving rapid partner exchanges, will also be introduced with the goal of increasing & fortifying responsiveness in both lead and follow roles, along with spatial orientation & kinesthetic awareness. Upon completion, students will have all the necessary tools to transition into the intermediate level.
There are two Level 1.5 classes per week, but advanced beginner students may also attend the Level 1 class on Tuesdays as apart of the "3 classes week " new student package deal.
Level 2 & 2.5
Intermediate & Upper Intermediate
This progressive class is geared for those that have danced Cuban Salsa before & allows you to further solidify, fine-tune, & expand upon the basics covered in both Levels 1 & 1.5. Here is your opportunity to refresh all of the beginning motions at a pace that is comfortable for you while continuing to cement a solid foundation in this exciting, interactive, & fun dance. Students will be able to execute moves at the intermediate level with specific attention to patterns involving both Vacílala & Paséala & their variations. Linear & lateral Guapea footwork patterns will also be introduced. This high-energy class focuses on combinations, leading & following technique, styling, body motion, & fun salsa suelta footwork. Lead better. Follow better. Dance better.
Level 3
Intermediate-Advanced
This progressive class series is divided into two parts: 30-min of Casino partnering & 30-min of Rueda for dancers at the intermediate/advanced level with emphasis on connected & separated patterns, styling, body movement, & footwork. Precision, technique, & body mechanics are thoroughly dissected & articulated, allowing students to comfortably execute more complex concepts. Students will also fuse other Cuban traditional & popular dances into the proposed framework, all while dancing to rhythmically dense Timba as a means to combine intricate patterns with dynamic, rhythmic variation. The second part of class includes 30-min dedicated solely to Rueda de Casino group dancing & picks up precisely where Level 2 concluded with more intricate turn patterns, interconnected group moves, & unique partner exchanges. The curriculum includes patterns commonly danced in both Havana & Santiago de Cuba.
Levels 4 & 5
Advanced
Fuákata’s most advanced weekly group class offering focuses on delving deeper into the creative aspects & possibilities of Casino from Havana & Santiago de Cuba, which will include but not be limited to: advanced partnerwork (non-cumulative) with an emphasis on technique & style; Rueda: group moves & patterns (cumulative) & call/response technique; Triples: one lead/two followers, &/or two leads/one follower; Salsa Suelta: footwork, body motion, & isolations. We'll be dancing to rhythmically dense Timba as a means to combine intricate patterns with dynamic rhythmic variation (on1, on2/contra-tiempo & on3).
Traditional Son
Level 1
Considered Cuba's first global choreographic export, Son originated in the eastern (Oriente) provinces of Cuba in the late 19th century & became Cuba's national rhythm & dance in the 1930's. Bringing together West African, Hispanic & local creole musical characteristics, its derivatives & fusions, particularly Salsa, have spread across the world. As Casino's slower & subtler precursor, Son imparts on the devoted dance student the essence of form, connection, & sensuous Afro-Cuban flavor, all while establishing a strong framework for musicality or understanding of Cuban music fundamentals needed to dance & interact with your partner. This class will expose students to the fundamentals of traditional Son Cubano, with considerable attention to its structural application to Casino: further strengthening lead & follow roles while making partner dancing more interactive, musical, engaging, sensual, & flavorful. Students will learn about Cuban music & dance in a historical context, as well as become familiar with the defining characteristics of Son, including contra-tiempo (on 2) timing, clave & other key Cuban musical concepts - will be able to distinguish Son from other Cuban musical genres & will be able to execute its defining footwork & traveling patterns, paseos, caídas, tornillos, etc.
Modern Son
Levels 2 and Up
Son Moderno is an evolution of traditional Son Cubano & provides new dynamics that correspond also to the evolution of the music itself. While Son is widely regarded as Cuban historical patrimony, the music & dance have continued to evolve at the local level both prior to & after the revolution, frequently combining with Timba/Casino & other styles. This class will expose students to contemporary tendencies in Son, with special emphasis on the intersection of Son with Casino, applying Son timing & choreography in Timba, & an orientation to modern Son ensembles. A solid understanding of contra-tiempo timing is a key pre-requisite to this class, as well as familiarity of concepts detailed in our Level 1 Beginner Son Cubano series.
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