sprite-bulb Info:

sprite-i2i  Improvers to Intermediate i2i Program

i2i Knock The Rust Off


The Salsa Rapido Improvers to Intermediate salsa courses (i2i) are designed to take post-beginner salsa dancers into the world of freestyle salsa dancing so you can get into dancing at the salsa clubs.
As with all Salsa Rapido courses, it is a genuine foundation course spanning the regional styles and popular moves.
They are intensive and offer real progress and achievement within a fun, friendly and supportive environment where experienced and less experienced participants help each other.
The program is designed as a compliment to your existing classes or as a stand alone path to club/social dancing and advanced salsa levels
Each course consists of four hours of actual tuition on one day. This does not include coffee breaks, lunch period, Q&As or practice sessions!

Pricing:
The price for an i2i Flavours course is £49 per person, but with the offer code 'rusty' it's
£39 singles and £69 couples.

Summary:
The Salsa Rapido® i2i Flavours is a series of salsa courses aimed at Improver and Intermediate salsa dancers.
Held at Salsa Soho in London on Sundays 11am – 5pm (not every week) and Saturdays 10.30-4.30pm
Location: Salsa Soho 96 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0JG
Leicester Square or Tottenham Court Rd tube stations.

Google Map Link

All bookings are in advanced via www.streetbeat.co.uk

Corona Virus Statement update. (23/12/2022)
All courses are booked on the basis that we will be swapping partners. This reflects salsa culture and improves the course in many ways.
We still need to be cautious so I ask that if you have any possible symptoms of flu or Covid please postpone your course date.
We regret that we can no longer offer free transfers for those with coronavirus. Please see T&C regarding transfer fees.

sprite-i2i  i2i Deep Salsa

i.2.i. Deep Salsa
A new Improvers Plus level Salsa Rapido course.

This course is not and bunch of moves, styling or footwork. It’s for dancers who are looking to energise their salsa through looking at things in a different way.
It uses models and exercises that you will probably not be familiar with.
These will allow you to discover the underlying psychology and ways to change the way you dance or to recognise that no change is necessary.

Salsa Rapido® Method:
The ethos of Salsa Rapido is the same at all levels. It’s the Fast, Fun and Progressive approach to salsa.
In other words I want to get you better, faster, while having a heap of fun.
If you think teaching should be a dry, boring, authoritarian and pedagogical experience, be warned you’ll hate this!

Level
All Salsa Rapido® i2i Flavours salsa classes are not suitable for absolute beginners.
Improvers level is
My definition of an intermediate is someone who regularly dances freestyle salsa. If you're not there yet don't worry. Improvers level is inbetween Beginners and Intermediate.
As an absolute minimum I would assume you can lead/follow a Cross Body Lead / Dile Que No and can manipulate the foot work sequence into several popular patterns e.g. Mambo (Forward 'n Back), Rumba (Side Step).
I’m the first to admit that’s a wide group of levels but I’m working on the basis that those who dance in clubs should know enough to lead/ follow and can operate at ‘club speed’. Improvers can handle the info but struggle to implement things as fast simply because they haven't had enough ‘real time’ dancefloor experience.
If you’re not sure call me.

Itinerary:
11.30am -5pm at Salsa Soho, 96 Charing Cross Road,
Advanced booking only please.

What’s on the course:
What is an advanced dancer:
What motivates a dancer to go from Intermediate to advanced? Motivation
Getting the most from each dance.
Rapport.
The Buzzsaw of Tension Release.

Deep salsa:
Reactive leading - turning mistakes into opportunities.
Avoiding the blame game
The follower’s game - (trust me you’ll love it) Adv Body language

Moves:
The random move machine - Divergent thinking
Making the moves your own
Within his combos
Finding the state of Flow

Musical Interpretation to energise everything:
Find the beat
Making beats work for you
M.I. framework

sprite-i2i  i2i Rueda Flavour

La Rueda De La Casino
This salsa course is a crash course into La Rueda De La Casino - the Cuban wheel dance. It introduces participants to the moves, the calls and the sheer fun of La Rueda. All of which are brilliant for freestyle salsa.
From a teaching perspective Rueda gives the student excellent ‘class pace’ or learning speed. Also it gives special awareness and a sense of fun.
It’s a must! Besides you've already done many of the moves wherever your style!

sprite-i2i  Booking and Payment

Booking is required- In order to balance the numbers of men and women attending we insist on advance booking only via our on-line booking system.

Payments can be made via credit and debit cards using our on-line booking system, which accepts all major card types.
Our on-line booking system is as secure as possible.
In fact we no longer see your credit card details, ever!
Our system rounds up the details of how many people, how much to pay and which date etc. Then you and this information is sent to our payment company called Stripe who process your card details and then send you back to us.
The drawback with this system is that we cannot take your credit card details over the phone.

sprite-i2i  i2i Spins Flavour

i2i Spins Flavour salsa course at bar Salsa!
The i2i Spins Flavour explores the salsa techniques, salsa moves and combinations based on various techniques for spinning (rapid rotation) including:
Spins vs turns
The natural mechanics of spinning in salsa
Best and worst practice
Hook Turns & spins
Travelling Spins
Multiple Spins various
Please note:

All Salsa Rapido® i2i Flavours salsa classes are not suitable for absolute beginners.
All i2i Flavours salsa lessons start with the compulsory Salsa Rapido® framework section which introduces/ reinforces core concepts of event led salsa dancing.

sprite-i2i  Bar Salsa Soho

The Salsa Rapido courses may be held at other locations depending on the date.
You can check the location here...
View Course Dates
Please go to the correct one :-)

Our main location is:
Salsa! Soho

96 Charing Cross Rd
Leicester Square,
London WC2H 0JG

Map Link

Tube: Leicester Square or Tottenham Court Road

sprite-i2i  What level am I

Am I a beginner or Improver
In ascending order the general levels are:
Beginner, Improver, Intermediate, Advanced.

Beginners:
If you have never had a salsa class before, or you have tried a couple of salsa classes you are a beginner. No expertise in another dance qualifies you for salsa although you can expect to find many aspects of the course easier.
An excellent natural definition of a salsa beginner is that you cannot keep the footwork sequence going consistently unless most of your attention is focussed upon it.
Improvers:
An improver has generally completed 6-10 classes (weekly 1 hour) and can consistently keep the footwork sequence going while thinking of other things. You will have experienced spins, turns and various combinations but probably have not mastered them or cannot remember them.
Usually improvers are not confident of dancing in a freestyle situation and lack practice.
The Improver level Course is called the i.2.i. "improvers to intermediate" and is a direct follow on to the 1-Day Intensive Course for Beginners
Click here to visit the i.2.i. FAQ
Minimum levels for i.2.i.courses:
All participants must be able to :

  • Keep the footwork going whilst concentrating on something else.
  • Manipulate their FWS to make a range of basic steps.
  • Have experienced a range of moves.
  • Lead or follow a 'Cross Body Lead' or 'Dile Que No'
  • I strongly recommend that a minimum of four hours tuition has been completed prior to the i.2.i. Courses.


Intermediate:
Once you can dance freestyle in a club you naturally become an Intermediate. You’re getting so much practice that a gap opens up between those who freestyle and those who don’t. You’ll still make mistakes, and get frustrated about various things but it’s a nice place to be so well done and enjoy :-)
Advanced:
The quick answer is ... if you’re reading this you’re not! But if you are advanced you’ll know it. You won’t need medals or camera crews, but you’ll be able to look good any time any place anywhere, and most importantly you’ll be able to make anyone you dance with feel great.

Tips:
If you have reached that freestyle salsa level but have had a break from salsa of months / years you are just a rusty intermediate and you should not go back to beginners level. If you are not sure call us or try one of our regular weekly classes and have a chat about your level.

Don’t be overeager to become advanced. (from a man who created Salsa Rapido!) What I mean is enjoy the journey. There’s fun to be had at every level. Those beginners you leave behind in your race to improve may have become your friend for life.

Ride above the cliquedom and politics and give a little back. An advanced dancer who can’t dance with a beginner isn’t advanced.

And finally... If you’re really not sure, call me. I’ve been having this conversation for a loooong time and can usually clarify things for you.

sprite-i2i  Corona Virus Statement

Corona Virus Statement update. (05/09/2021)
All courses are now booked on the basics that we will be swapping partners as before covid 19. This reflects salsa culture and improves the course in many ways.
Covid has not gone away so I ask that:
If you have any possible symptoms of Covid you postpone your course date. I will not charge transfer fees. Please let me know ASAP.
Anyone showing symptoms similar to covid 19 will not be admitted.
If you can test before coming please do. I will test myself before every course.
If your booking or gift voucher was affected by lockdown please note that I have extended gift vouchers and suspended booking indefinitely.
Restriction required by the government or venue may change at short notice. We will comply with all. This may lead to postponements or delays and I ask for your flexibility as I offer mine.
Course dates may have to be postponed at short notice.
Ultimately, the responsibility for our own safety and those around us rest with ourselves. I ask that we err on the side of reasonable caution.
Meanwhile stay safe :-)
Regards Alastair

sprite-i2i  Minimum level required

Please note that the Salsa Rapido i.2.i. program is not for absolute beginners.
It is a course to bring post beginners into the faster paced world of freestyle salsa.

Minimum standard guidelines
All participants must:
Be able to keep their footwork going whilst concentrating on something else.
Must have experienced a range of moves.
Must be able to lead or follow a 'Cross Body Lead' or 'Dile Que No'

I strongly recommend that a minimum of four hours tuition has been completed prior to joining the i.2.i. Program.
If you're still not sure contact me (daytime only please 07939012231).
More info on levels at What level am I

sprite-i2i  i2i Travelling Flavour

i2i Travelling Flavour salsa course at bar Salsa!
Travelling – large movements across the dance floor give salsa an amazing dynamism. From the humble CBL or ‘Dile Que No’ to slides and glides there’s heaps of fun to be had moving off the spot. So break on through to the other side of the dance floor.
The i2i Travelling Flavour explores the salsa techniques, salsa moves and combinations based on various techniques of travelling (large movements across the floor) including:
CBL/ Dile Que No variations
Travelling on any beat in any direction.
Around the world / Guapea combos
Second beat based combos CBL On2 / Sacala

Please note:
All Salsa Rapido® i2i Flavours salsa classes are not suitable for absolute beginners.
All i2i Flavours salsa lessons start with the compulsory Salsa Rapido® framework section which introduces/ reinforces core concepts of event led salsa dancing.

sprite-i2i  Am I an Improver

An improver has generally completed 6-10 classes (weekly 1 hour) and can consistently keep the footwork sequence going. You will have experienced spins, turns and various combinations but probably have not mastered them or cannot remember them.
Once you can dance free-style in a club you naturally become an Intermediate.
Please note that if you have reached that free-style level but have had a break from salsa of months / years you are just a rusty intermediate and you should not go back to beginners level.
If you are not sure call us or try one of our regular weekly classes and have a chat about your level.

sprite-i2i  i2i Core Moves for Improvers

i2i Core Moves for Improvers
Core moves does what it says on the tin. Short easy combinations of common moves that draw from all five categories of moves: spins, travelling, shuffling and turns, footwork patterns and garnish (no prior knowledge of these terms are needed).
These core moves form a comfort zone of competence. In short you can get out there and do some stuff! Leaders can lead some moves and followers have experienced enough of them to lose the fear of ‘hitting the breaks’ when confronted with an unknown move.
The moves vary in each session so repeat to get more moves and a real sense of your hard won progress.

The primary goals of this are to:
Experience core moves spanning all five categories of moves.
To fluidly connect simple moves into combos through ‘rapport’
To create awareness of, and tackle anticipation (aka back-leading) through attention and presence.


Along the way I’ll present a bunch of conceptual tools that allow dancers to fine tune their skills and apply them to many similar moves and therefore learn faster.
Apart from reinforcing the core Salsa Rapido concepts such as:
- The seven basic rules of salsa
- Understanding and dealing with errors
- Where style comes from and applying it
- Using ‘events’ to hone dynamic moves such as spins and travelling
- Building Rapport to tune into your partner and find Flow

sprite-i2i  Why have waiting lists

We want to offer the best course possible and that means balanced numbers of men and women (see why have balanced numbers).
Please don't be put off by the waiting list as we nearly always offer places to everyone on the list.
Generally ladies book early (they're organised) and men book late! The waiting list covers the gap in the middle.
We also use the waiting list to make up for last minute transfers etc.

sprite-i2i  i2i Move Crunch

i2i Move Crunch Flavour.
Move Crunch takes leaders and followers through fundamental moves and combos.
All five categories of moves are identified and the most common examples of each presented.
Moves are presented with in the framework of 'Events' and 'Rapport' based leading and following.
This is not only faster so we get more done, but gives the fastest method of acquiring repertoire.
Followers practice the skills of presence, pre-active attention and anti anticipation raising confidence and the skill of following unknown moves.
So often in salsa moves are presented and big combinations or combos. From You Tube clips to salsa classes at salsa congresses and weekenders, big combos are the ‘standard packaging’ of repertoire.
This course will unpack those long, impossible to remember moves!
Also:
How we remember moves and make them danceable straight after the class.
Most importantly, making a combo your own.
Please note:
It doesn't matter which order you take the i2i Flavours.
All Salsa Rapido® i2i Flavours salsa classes are not suitable for absolute beginners.
All i2i Flavours salsa lessons start with the compulsory Salsa Rapido® framework section which introduces/ reinforces core concepts of event led salsa dancing.

sprite-i2i  Am I a beginner

If you have never had a salsa class before, or you have tried a couple of salsa classes you are a beginner. No expertise in another dance qualifies you for salsa although you can expect to find aspects of the course easier.
An excellent natural definition of a salsa beginner is that you cannot keep the footwork sequence going consistently. Please also see 'Am I an Improver' and the i.2.i. course level requirments

sprite-i2i  i2i Essential Rueda for Improvers

i2i Imps Essential Rueda
La Rueda De La Casino the Cuban Wheel form of salsa
This salsa course is a crash course into La Rueda De La Casino - the Cuban wheel form of salsa where traditional rueda moves are called by the caller and danced simultaneously by everyone. It introduces participants to the essential popular moves of rueda, the calls and the sheer fun of La Rueda. All of which are brilliant for freestyle salsa regardless of regional style.
It’s a must! Besides you've already done many of the moves wherever your style!

Essential Rueda covers the core moves and skills required to join in.

Core Rueda moves:
- Pa'l Medio aka Adentro y Afuera
- Arriba, Abajo
- Casino / Guapea
- Enchufla
- La Prima
- Dile Que No / Dame (c.b.l.)
- Sombrero
- Vacilala
- Paseala
- Sacala
- Setenta

We will also cover many variations and extensions of these moves.
Rueda gives many useful core skills to salsa dancers including:
- A sense of fun and loss of pretentiousness.
- Presence and adaptability through letting errors go.
- Spacial awareness.

sprite-i2i  i2i Smooth and Naughty

i2i Smooth and Naughty

I believe most people aspire to a smoother style where dancers seamless shift from one move to the next in complete balance with each other and the music.
Dancing in a smooth, fluid way looks and feels great, but that’s just the start of it:
- You can dance faster
- Dance in smaller space
- Dance to slower tracks
- Re vitalise you same ‘ol moves
There are several methods used in this course. Paradoxically, one way to get really smooth is to get crisp. Hitting that beat and timing events with precision. Another way is to draw upon the concept of Flow and Peak State.
Of course you never only dance smooth. So the Sharpening up serves a second purpose.

Sometimes we define rules by breaking them - Naughty! I group all the rule breaking techniques into a group of moves called Garnish, as in the pretty stuff on the edge of the dish.
It includes:
- Freezes
- Dips 'n drops (doing them safely)
- Six beat moves (multiple spins and footwork)
- Transition steps

There's loads of useful stuff on this course so come and enjoy :-)

sprite-i2i  i2i Salsa Music and Psyc

i2i Salsa Musical Interpretation & Psyc

Partner dancing is expression through interactions with our partners and the music.

Interaction with the music is termed 'musical Interpretation' and our interaction with another human is psychology, hence Music and Psyc..

This course is not a bunch of moves, styling or footwork drilled through to a count.
It may bring up your thoughts feelings and beliefs that challenge you.

This course is for improver level and above salsa dancers who are looking to energise their salsa through looking at things in a different way. It goes to the heart of the question: Why do we dance? If it’s for fun, how can we have more fun and what stops us?
The answer is that it’s surprisingly easy to have better dances more often.
There’s also the opportunity to use salsa to build your confidence and resilience.

It uses models and exercises that you will probably not be familiar with but these will allow you to discover the underlying psychology and ways to change the way you dance or to recognise that no change is necessary.

Musical Interpretation: Using the music to inspire and influence your dance.
Often overlooked, musical interpretation is your best friend when you work with it and your worst enemy if you choose to ignore it.
There are two approaches to any discussion of musical interpretation: The first is deconstructive where we pull the music apart to understand how it fits together. The second is holistic where we explore how the music makes us feel and how it inspires our nuanced movements. This course covers both approaches including:

Salsa Timing: beats, bars and breaks
The Salsa Rapido holistic framework of musical interpretation (how to use the music)
Historical timeline of salsa music including salsa club sub-genres (bachata, merengue, cumbia, son, etc...)
The instruments of a typical salsa band and their rhythmic contribution.
Simple techniques that add musically inspired interpretations to any move.

Each point on the course is made through moves and exercises so you'll be dancing all day.
Feel free to call me and chat about it if you've any questions. 07939012231 Alastair

sprite-i2i  What If I need to pospone

Once booked, you are committed to coming and if you don't show no refund will be given.
However, if you need to postpone please call us (don't email) with as much notice as possible and we will do what we can to help. Our priority is to those attending the course regarding balanced numbers of men and women etc.
We do charge a fee for transferring a booking:-
Transfers with 3 days or more notice = £10 per person.
Transfers with 2 days or less notice = £15 per person.

sprite-i2i  Follow up

Hi everyone,
I hope you've recovered from the Salsa Rapido 1-Day Intensive for Beginners.
If you didn't make it get in touch and reschedule :-)

Options to follow up:
The next level is called the 'i.2.i knock the rust off' course. it's designed by me for you. IT'S A four hour course, usually on Sundays 11.00-5pm at Salsa Soho.
It doesn't that you haven't practiced just get shuffling around the kitchen holding a cuppa-chino and you'll be fine!
They are designed by my for you so you are the right level :-)
Click Dates and Booking below for dates etc.
The price per person is £39 with the code 'rusty'

2025 Events:
Mambalsa Dance Curious events date T.B.C.
For Info and courses on the Mambalsa Project please visit www.mambalsa.com

Thames Salsa Cruise - four hours cruising and dancing the Thames
Late Spring 2025 date T.B.C.
Details at: www.www.streetbeat.co.uk/tsc

Streetbeat 30th Anniversary party date T.B.C.

Reviews
As a self employed teacher I rely on good reviews. Pls review the course (not the catering) via the link below.

Pls email any criticisms & suggestions, they're always welcome salsa@streetbeat.co.uk
If you'd like to say something nice especially on Google:
Google Review and/or TripAdviser Review   

Videos
The videos are at Youtube
Please like share and subscribe.

to link to this page copy :
www.streetbeat.co.uk/Salsa-Rapido-Improvers-Day-Courses/Info::-Follow-up
Kind regards to all Alastair

sprite-i2i  i2i Smooth Styling Flavour

Smooth Styling
"I believe most people aspire to a smoother style where dancers seamless shift from one move to the next in complete balance with each other and the music."
This course aims to:
• Polish your salsa leading and following skills and develop true free styling (as opposed to choreographed salsa)
• Take your salsa style somewhere new and different so you gain an objective view of where you want to go with your salsa style
• Deliberately take the genre of Salsa somewhere new and exciting.

Background:
For this course our starting point is London style salsa of the mid nineties, a fusion of Miami Cuban and Columbian. Most of the good male dancers were afro Caribbean and brought a fluidity and smoothness that reflected soul, reggae and funk.
By taking that smoothing of the moves and applying confidence and rapport it make the perfect dance for slightly slower rnb influenced salsa.

sprite-i2i  i2i Musical Interp and Garnish

I've combined two course into one as they work so well together.
Musical Interpretation: Using the music to influence your dance.
Often overlooked, musical interpretation is your best friend when you work with it and your worst enemy if you choose to ignore it.

The course covers:
Salsa Timings.
The Salsa Rapido framework of musical interpretation ( how to use the music)
Historical timeline of salsa music.
Salsa club sub-genres (bachata, merengue, cumbia, son, etc...)
The instruments of a typical salsa band and their rhythmic contribution.

Garnish- the pretty stuff on the edge of the dish, and so it is for salsa....
A collection of salsa techniques that appear to break the rules including:
Freezes;
Dips 'n drops (doing them safely);
Six beat moves (multiple spins and footwork);
Transition steps;
The body language secrets of salsa dancing including Reactive Leading.
The terms may not be familiar to you but their effect on the dance is!
Learn how to use them and how others abuse them.

All Salsa Rapido? i2i Flavours salsa classes are not suitable for absolute beginners.
All i2i Flavours salsa lessons start with the compulsory Salsa Rapido? framework section which introduces/ reinforces core concepts of 'event led' salsa dancing.

sprite-i2i  Alastair Sadler salsa teacher

Alastair Sadler has been teaching salsa since 1995 and has clocked up over 15,000 classes.
From the start he has developed and refined the progressive teaching method called Salsa Rapido.
Many of his projects have helped define salsa in the UK:
Salsa instructors forum (a workshop where instructors could exchange good teaching practice an ideas).
The One Day Intensive course (The world's first and most successful intensive course, still running weekly)
Salsa university (an all-dayer concept but weekly with five advanced classes in different styles)
In addition to teaching he runs The Streetbeat Salsa Co. and edited the Email Salsa News from 1999 -2007.
Salsa Camden - London's highly successful Rapido & Rueda venue where we ran the UK's first ever weekly Bachata course and in 2018 ran the first Blend format event.
In 2001 he choreographed & performed a solo demo (dancing salsa with a mop and office chair) at congresses and events throughout Europe.
His TV credits as performer and/or choreographer include Baby Father I & II, Casualty, Happiness, Auf Weidersehn Pet and the BBC Ident ( He was the big guy at the front in the white shirt!)
In 2014 he created Mambalsa, the first new partner dance of the 21st century.
Since 2011 he has realised his love of comedy and performed Stand Up at The Edinburgh Fringe festival taking five shows in 2015/16/17.
I still have many new projects to run such as Mambalsa, Salsa Liquida and teacher training courses and a book! So watch this space for another 20+ years :)
It's all been possible through the support of my partner Felicity aka DJ Felicidad.

sprite-i2i  History of i2i salsa courses

Sept 2013 launch of Salsa Rapido i2i Flavours.
This upgrade solves several problems: Currently I offer one opportunity to do the i2i Beginners Consolidation per month. Which means people have to wait up to four weeks for the course and if they miss that one it's two months! I also want to create a learning environment where people are learning peer to peer. i.e. a supportive and friendly group with experienced and less experienced participants. Once participants have attended any one of the i2i courses they can do all the other flavours for half price, within six months.
Extended to full day 11- 11.30am. This will mean a proper lunch break.
The first part of the day is effectively the old Beginners Consolidation course. My much loved/hated exercises designed to ram home the fundamental Salsa Rapido concepts and skills now renamed Salsa Rapdio Framework.
After lunch we add in the flavour of the day. La Rueda, Smooth Styling, Musical Interpretation and Big moves. (I'm thinking of adding to this list)
For the i2i flavours I'm aiming for reasonably balanced numbers rather than the precise balance we have on the beginners.
I'm currently working on the notes and video clips for the course :-)

Jan 2008 sees the launch of the i.2.i. course (improvers to intermediate) and chance to develop the content of the B.C.B.
There is too much content for a single day, so a themed course can cover much much more within the i2i.
I wish to maintain each sessions independence so dancers can get a lot from just one session, but even more with several. The themes will help to focus on specific areas in detail, whilst maintaining the Salsa Rapido method's foundation course status.
When the 1-Day intensives were established in 2002 (we believe these were the first regular full day courses in the world) The B.C.B. Beginners Consolidation and Beyond was created. Since then hundreds of dancers have been propelled into club competence. The most common feedback is 'When I went back to my local club, loads of people said wow what a difference!'

1998 - Alastair ran a 10 week course titled Deep Salsa for intermediate dancers in London's West End (Later repeated in Sweden on a non-Salsa Rapido influenced scene)
The course was designed to explore and test a number of concepts. The main objective was to discover the differences between an average follower and an advanced follower, and the leading, following and style techniques that enabled dancers to achieve advanced level.
The conclusions were both startling an obvious, and they formed the basis for the Salsa Rapido Framework and affected the Salsa Rapido curriculum at every level.

sprite-i2i  i2i Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions for Salsa Rapido course bookings.
These Terms and conditions are designed so that your course runs smoothly within the best environment possible.
Please do not contact me via email as they often get missed, call me (office hours) on 07939 012231

Coronavirus (Covid 19) amendments to T&C 25/08/2022
If you or persons within your booking show symptoms of flu or covid 19 prior to the course date you are obliged to contact Streetbeat Salsa (Alastair) by phone 07939012231.
Anyone showing flu or covid 19 symptoms will not be admitted into the venue.
Transfer fees will be charged for rescheduling.


Regular Terms and Conditions
Transfers:
Once booked you are committed to the date of the course. If however, you wish to transfer to a later date or put your booking on hold we can do so. Transfers do attract a transfer fee. These transfer fees are dependent on how close to the date of your booking you make the transfer. Transfers can only be made via the telephone within office hours (Mon. to Fri.) prior to the course. Transfers with 7 days or more notice = £5 per person. Transfers with 3-7 days notice = £10 per person. Transfers with 2 days or less notice = £15 per person.
No-Shows: No-Shows is the term we give to those people who do not arrive at the course at the given time and have not contacted us by 5pm on the day before the course to transfer. No-Shows are not refunded or made alternative offers, as their actions disrupt the balance of the class.
Refund Policy: We will only refund in the unlikely event of The Streetbeat Salsa Co. cancelling the course. No further compensation will be offered.
Health and Safety: We expect all participants who have physical or mental problems, which may affect their performance or the performance of others to seek professional medical advice prior to booking and inform the instructors prior to the course.
Should any problems occur during the course, participants must immediately stop and inform the instructors immediately. The Streetbeat Salsa Co. accepts no responsibility for injuries etc. sustained during the course.
Exclusions: Participants may be asked to leave with no refund for the following reasons:
Dangerous, Disruptive or offensive behaviour;
Poor personal hygiene;
Inappropriate dress likely to cause injury;
Apparent alcohol or drug use, before or during the course;
Inappropriate level i.e. to far above or below the stated level of the course.
Any breach of the above terms and conditions:
Copyright: The Streetbeat Salsa Co. reserves all rights to the material presented at the course. N.B. The verbal content is scripted and therefore subject to copyright. No recording or photography of the course is allowed.
Photography and Filming: These terms and conditions also include your agreement to the filming/ photographing of the course and you hereby give all consents necessary for the reproduction, exhibition and use of the material recorded. The Streetbeat Salsa Co. are entitled to cut and edit the film as we deem fit.
Changing partners: Changing Partners is essential and non-optional. See FAQ 'Do I need a partner?' for details.
We look forward to seeing you on the day.
Alastair Sadler - The Streetbeat Salsa Co.

sprite-offer Offers:

sprite-news Events:

BOOK NOW for the Improvers level course-
i.2.i. Knock the Rust Off
Sunday 16th Feb. 2025 Salsa Soho, London
Sunday 16th March. 2025 Salsa Soho, London
This is the Improvers i2i course aimed at people who feel their salsa is a little rusty or as a direct follow on from the Salsa Rapido 1-Day Intensive Courses.
I've called it i2i Knock the Rust Off and that's what it does.
There's lots of moves and technique presented with the 'why' as well as the 'how to'.
It's fun and tiring but worth it as you'll be boosted towards intermediate and beyond.
I've posted more info at: i2i Knock the Rust Off
It will build on the generic basics of salsa including:

Core moves
Footwork
Musical interpretation &
Flow and expression
And much more...

Course starts 11am at Salsa Soho until 5pm (doors open 10.30am)
Cost: £39 per person with the offer code 'rusty' :)
Use the above link to book.
Alternative dates: View dates
More dates:
Sun 24th Nov

sprite-news News:

Year End, Year Beginning
It was 8am and Fliss and I were in bed watching the winter solstice sunrise over Stonehenge live streamed onto my phone and I thought wow! For some reason unknown to me, I found myself making a connection to the traditional and probably ancient wedding saying of: Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.....
An end of year blog that includes:
- Convalescence and Loss of friends
- The Salsa Rapido 1-Day Intensive courses
- The Mambalsa Project
- Dance as a well-being practice
- Dance's partially recovered from lockdown.

Stonehenge is certainly old enough and my smartphone is new enough (just!). Something borrowed and something blue were protections thought to ward off the curse of the evil eye!
We certainly borrow the vast majority of our culture and ideas from earlier generations. Many of the crowd at Stonehenge danced to find a spiritual connection with the moment, possibly even to find trance: Trance is the term used by science to describe that animated connection to a higher level of consciousness that has been a part of dance since the beginning of time. Rave dance, Ecstatic dance, Christian Shakers, Mambo’s of Cuba and not forgetting the Whirling Dervish of the Middle East all dance for trance. I’m not sure if as a teenager, I ever found trance stomping away to Status Quo in the Woodchurch Village hall in rural Kent but it was pretty close.

It seems fitting to witness the transition of the blue grey sky of the predawn solstice, into the yellow white of morning. Blue is often used to mean loss and sadness. Appropriate as we lose the old year and restart with hope renewed. The ancients used the symbol of a robin representing the new year, killing a wren of the old year. Hence we have robins on Christmas cards. I don’t buy the story that robins represent red coated Victorian postmen. Why not just have postmen on the cards! Remember that in polite Christian society, it was never encouraged to discuss such pagan things, or maybe they were too busy decking the halls with boughs of holly and other evergreen pagan symbols.

I suggest that loss is a necessary part of change. This year like most these days, there are people we’ve lost. Notably on the salsa scene we’ve lost Melvin. I think he came to every live gig we’ve ever promoted since 1995. I’ll never forget his saggy old cardigan and his pipe. I knew he was a percussionist but I didn’t realise until after his death that he’d played in bands in Cuba before the revolution in 1959. I wonder if he’d played with Enrique Jorrin, the Cuban composer and bandleader who in 1953 created cha-cha-chá. My belief is that in order to get the American tourists to dance in time he played the strong cha cha cha beats on a guiro (grooved gourd). I bet Melvin knew!
We also lost Tina. Tina was somewhere between mid forties and ‘don’t ask’. A typical North London mum with all the stuff that goes with that. Sadly she took her own life. There were no obituaries on the salsa scene even though she’d been a regular at Crouch End and then the Cuban in Camden Market. There is still shame surrounding suicide. As a psychotherapist I’ve trained in suicide and know it’s diverse and nuanced. The go to, stereotypical reasons suggested are usually inaccurate and just a way we can avoid its emotional burden. We protect ourselves through judgmental distance. Better to judge from afar rather than empathise with their thoughts and feelings. That might take us ever closer to our own edge! It’s a superstitious silence, taboo. I miss Tina and I wish I’d been there for her. I’m writing about her because she was a salsa friend and I feel her loss.
Post Christmas and New year is often a very tough time for many. If you or someone you know is struggling, get help. Samaritans tel 116 123 or explore counselling BACP https://www.bacp.co.uk/search/Therapists

This year has been one of convalescence for me. I had no idea what that meant before this year as I feel it’s a concept that’s slipped out of fashion. My chemotherapy treatments finished Nov. ‘23 leaving my red and white cell count low. They’ve slowly returned and I’m currently cancer free and expected to remain that way for many years. Even if it comes back there’s a heap of other treatments available including a new pill!
Can you imagine having a cancer diagnosis and being told ‘Just take two pills a day’ before meals!’ For me convalescence has been more about letting a lot of stuff go. The treatment and associated fears etc. take a toll, so they don’t just disappear when the treatment ends.
This week is the end of my convalescent year and I’m literally taking it easy after robotic surgery last Monday. I’ve sadly had to let go of Herman and Little Herman, my two hernias. It was Herman, who in 2018 first took me to a GP with a lump (Herman). This led to a blood test and a diagnosis of lymphoma. Importantly, this was years in advance of any symptoms and I was fully prepared for treatment when it finally became necessary. Thank you Herman. The op. went well and I was only in for a night. I’ve five small holes in my belly which are bruised like far away galaxies. They’ll shrink as will the belly, I hope! The only time it’s hurt has been when I’ve sneezed. Then it feels like a flaming hot knife being thrust into one of the holes.

And talking of burning issues.....
The Salsa Rapido Gift vouchers are flying out which is a good sign. The Salsa Rapido 1-Day Intensive started in 2003 and is still going strong. One of my better experiments! The course has evolved into a fusion of the essential basics of salsa dancing with the additional ‘Why’ we do this stuff from a perspective of dance and well-being psychology. It’s still a lot of fun and that’s important because having more fun, more often, counters life's stresses.
2025 year is very special for Fliss and I. It’s thirty years this April that we started The Streetbeat Salsa Co.
I’ll be sharing some memories along the way and of course they’ll be the Thames Salsa Cruises.

Mambalsa has had its best year ever. I’ve done the first full day Mambalsa workshop outside of London in Norwich. The Spring Dance Curious event was a resounding success and I’ve run several Mambalsa courses at the Nightingale Cancer Support Charity in Enfield. The weak spot in the Mambalsa project is marketing and maintaining all the connections necessary to really get the ball rolling. This seems beyond my skill set so I’m going to take on someone/s to get the word out there. Mambalsa is something new, relevant and tested, so it’s time for a roll out! If you're interested in P.R./ marketing and could help, please contact me.

Looking ahead there’s lots of opportunities in dance, but I feel social partner dance has to shift away from some of its traditional values that hold it in a timewarp of style and sleaze that no longer seem as relevant to the current generation. People don’t need to dance to meet someone as there’s a multitude of apps for that. What’s the point of being the top dog in the dance hall if there’s a thousand better dancers on TikTok! The sands are shifting and a dance needs to shift toward becoming a well-being practice.

I know I haven't taken time to open that up and explain it fully but trust me the research has been done and there’s going to be a book on the way.
Dance, according to Sport England’s Active Lives survey, has only partially recovered from lockdown.
We were at around 8% of the population regularly participating in dance. That dipped to 6% during the covid years and is now back to 7%. In London that means we’re 90,000 people short of pre lockdown levels. Will dance return and flourish? I don’t know for sure but I know it will be different. From Danzon to Cha-Cha-Cha, Son to Salsa and now perhaps Mambalsa? Dance is always on the move. Back in the village hall in Woodchurch Kent, where I stomped to Status Quo all those years ago, they’ve a weekly salsa class! They’ve also got a long established Morris Set (group of Morris dancers)!

It might be the time to let things go but dancing seems to stick around regardless. Besides, some stuff is worth hanging onto.
However you celebrate, have a good one :)

I'm delighted to release the Salsa Rapido 1-Day Intensive dates for January to March 2025.
They are almost weekly on Sundays and I strongly recommend you book ASAP to save disappointment.
I'm working on some Mambalsa workshop dates. Mambalsa is not salsa so please click here for details

Here's a permanent link to the dates page so you can check them at any time:
https://www.streetbeat.co.uk/dates

The i.2.i. Knock the Rust Off is the Salsa Rapido Improvers course.

There may well be a few adjustments to the schedule as 2025 comes into focus.
I haven't confirmed dates out side of London yet!
The Thames Salsa Cruise returns in Spring 2025.
At the moment we have a proposed date of 18th May 2025 which will be confirmed before tickets go on sale in Jan 2025.

We wish to invite as many groups of salsa dancers from across the land to come on this iconic event that's been running every year (except lockdown) since 1998! Music is mainly classic salsa with a small dash of bachata etc. presented by DJ Felicidad (The UK's longest running female salsa DJ)
Groups are formed mainly by dancers and teachers who want to add something special to their dancing year.
We never have classes on board as we don't wish to clash with anyone's style or method. It's just a salsa party for lovers of salsa and non dancers wishing to see the sites and enjoy the vibe.
We make it as easy as possible to bring a group.
We think of a group as five or more but if that doesn't happen no problem. We're grateful you've made the effort.
We set up a discount code word for your group so no one has to gather the money and everyone gets a discount.
Tickets will be £20 or less with the group discount and I'll add detail as soon as I have it.
Please message me on 07939012231 Alastair and I'll set a group up for you.
regards Alastair
I’ve just finished another six week Mambalsa course at the Nightingale Cancer Support Centre in Enfield and what a lovely group it was.
I was aiming for a gentle introduction to Mambalsa without too much emphasis on the well-being aspects of Psych. Ed. but they came up anyway.
Often the classes would end in a group discussion about recovering from cancer and I have to admit it was great to share those stories and feel a paid up member of that club.
Every group teaches me something about dance and life. This group showed me that like a hummingbird, beauty has no relationship to size. We took the lid off our creativity and relaxed and moved freely within the ethos of Mambalsa dance. I’m being deliberately cryptic but confidentiality prevents me from sharing any detail.
I will take the chance to share the last two tracks we danced as a way to illustrate that Mambalsa is danced to any 4:4 time music:
- Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen - complete with head banging and Zimbabwean Wellington Boot dance! (I’ll just leave that to your imagination)
- Would You Be Loved by Bob Marley - A perfect song to end on.
I’m already missing all my Mambalsa Dancers from the Nightingale and can’t wait for the next group.
Alastair
I’d like to offer my sincere apologies to all my clients affected by this.
Some courses have been cancelled including the next Mambalsa Dance Curious event and some courses will be smaller than usual (which is not a bad thing).
All bookings are secure as they are made on the Stripe platform and no data has been lost or breached.

Full explanation:
This Autumn’s bookings have not started well with a host of I.T. problems slowing down and eventually stopping the booking process.
In late August my web host (the company where my websites reside) decided, as part of their preparations to be bought out by a bigger company, to ditch many of their accounts that weren't easy to transfer to their new host. I received a polite email saying streetbeat etc. would be switched off on Sept 12th. Why they had to choose the height of the holiday season to do this is quite beyond me. No doubt I wasn’t the only one, because as hundreds of companies backed up / down loaded or shifted their sites, I noticed that my web pages would often take over two minutes to load. This effectively interrupts the booking process as new visitors lose confidence in the booking process.

I found a new host 34sp.com who offer excellent customer support via telephone which is a rare thing these days. The only drawback was that their minimum version of PHP (effectively the operating system of the host) was PHP 8.1 and my site was PHP 7.4. This meant many of my pages didn’t work and none of my back end worked. It was time to stop whatever I was doing and dive deep into upgrading first my IT skills and then the site!
I know it’s a cliche, but I like the phrase ‘build back better’. This I have done and the new streetbeat and mambalsa sites are near completion. The booking confirmation system is fixed and the connection to the Brevo email platform is up and running.

I’ve learnt a lot through this process such as IT is like a sand dune of ever shifting upgrades and technologies that need to be constantly navigated. I’ve also revisited an old debate of whether to delegate or self code. Assuming a developer was available at short notice, the cost would have been considerable and the time taken arguably longer than self coding.
My I.T. department is slow, under skilled, overwhelmed and unsure of himself, but that’s OK because it’s me. So maybe the best lesson learnt is to be kind to yourself.
By the way, if you’re reading this, it’s working!
In my latest blog post "Me and Bar Salsa!" I write about why this long standing venue is very special to me on the eve of my thirtieth wedding anniversary.
There's also a potted history of London's salsa scene.
Me and Bar Salsa!
Yesterday I received an email from TripAdvisor informing me that I had been awarded a Certificate of Excellence.
I had no idea that there was such a thing but now I've got one I'm a big fan.
It's the chance to thanks to everyone who's taken the time and trouble to say some kind words about my Salsa Rapido 1-Day Intensive course.


Click the image to visit TridAdvisor


Reflection: (You may prefer to read this on the Salsa Rapido Blog)
When I embedded TripAdvisor into my site I was hoping for praise but open to the possibility of harsh and unfair criticism, and in fairness I've received a one star review from someone who wasn't on the course and a two star review from someone who enjoyed the class but didn't enjoy the fajitas at lunch! May I just add that fajitas are not compulsory and anyone can eat wherever they wish. Lunch isn't even part of the deal so bring a packet of crisps in if you wish but don't blame my course if they didn't have your favourite flavour! (I'm so over it now)
Anyway, I overcame my fears and gave it a go, realising that feedback is good and TripAdivsor offers a third party review that's useful for the pubic when booking.
Many months later and I've received mainly five star reviews.
This tells me that:
My presentation is engaging and entertaining.
People are way nicer than I deserve.
Salsa Rapido is a mature enough method to stand comparison to traditional classes.
I'm really good at asking for five star reviews.

On the last point my hobby of stand up comedy led to five shows at the Edinburgh Fringe where at the end of a show we would have a 'bucket speech' to encourage the audience to give a tip (our only source of income)
Cliched line like "Take some change, fold it and put it in the bucket" were common.
One time I got a waif-like act to kneel down holding the bucket while looking as mournful as a Dickensian child.
Another time a showed the audience picture of my cats on my phone and asked "which one should I 'economise' first?" Well it works for charities!
The result was seldom any different. It was the show that counted.
Dance school says ballet is racially problematic and too gender binary!
I saw this article in the news and throught I'd offer a few thoughts so here's my latest Mambalsa blog blog posts titled: Dance school says ballet is racially problematic and too gender binary

I've decided to share my recent experience of cancer in a personal blog.
This may be upsetting for many people and I advise caution as to whether you read on.
First I need to address the question: why blog about cancer on a salsa dance website?
Like so many brands on the salsa scene, behind the Streetbeat/ Rapido/ Mambalsa brand is an individual person, who made the jump from dancer to dance teacher. My treatment will affect every aspect of my life including the Salsa Rapido courses and Mambalsa Project. I may physically change as a result of chemotherapy and when someone asks a question about these changes I'd like to answer in a brief and polite way with an invitation to read my blog to get my personal insight if they wish. In other words cancer affects me but it doesn't define me!

Follow this blog: Use this link to add you email to my blog following list:

The blog is a continuation of my 2022 Brighton Marathon blog hosted on Blogger.

24/01/2024 The Last Post

05/11/2023 Round Five Biddy Beep

18/10/2023 Round Four Round Up

01/10/2023 Round 3/4 Review

30/09/2023 Happy birthday Homewood School

05/08/2023 Round Two Update

26/07/2023 Would You A&E it!

26/07/2023 Labels, Trauma, PTSD and Self-diagnosis

21/07/2023 Sepsis vs Sadler A Week in Hospital

06/07/2023 Icky

02/07/2023 Day Three Sitrep (Situation Report)

26/06/2023 Three days to Chemo C-3

24/06/23 Capitano Chemo
In the run up to treatment starting I find myself getting silly to offset the anxiety.

07/06/2023 Scanaxiety
When the prospect of chemo becomes a reality.

24/03/2023 Who's Lynne and what's she FOMO about?
A catch up post from 2019 to 2023. Probably the best place to start :)
Summer's a great time for a wedding and this wedding was a wonderful fusion of dance styles.

Here's my latest Mambalsa blog blog posts titled: mambalsa-wedding

Well I did it! I ran the Brighton Marathon 2022
Here's my latest marathon/ lockdown blog posts titled: Alastair's Marathon
If you want to sponsor me here's the link to the charity fundraising page (open until end May 2022): www.justgiving.com/alastairsadler
Salsa Rapido Method has it's own blog at Salsa Rapido Method
and not forgetting Mambalsa at: Mambalsa
I've set up a new section on the site for Tripadvisor reviews of the 1-Day Intensive Course.
If you've been on the course recently and would be kind enough to review it please go to
link
Thanks in advance :-)
For suggestions and suggestions please email me at salsa@streetbeat.co.uk

sprite-blog Blogs, Tips & Articles

sprite-tv  Gallery of Video Playlists

sprite-cameraImage Gallery

Open Image Galleries

Please Share

admin_master
Cookies: This site uses cookies to deliver its services. Read more