Absolute Beginner Salsa

With Salsa Secrets

Dreams of Dancing Salsa become reality

Absolute Beginner Salsa is for those with no salsa dance experience! Absolute Beginner is series of 6 classes. After this point, many students choose to continue their journey. We run the series in September, January, and April. If you’ve found us between series, join our newsletter to be notified about our next enrollment.

January 2025 Series

6 Weeks Beginning Wednesday, Jan 15th, 8-9:30pm
Portsmouth NH
$120 per person

Quantity:

Let's Dance

Truth: Dancing is Life Changing!

You’ve probably seen the buzz articles about dance leading to improvements in physical health, mental well-being and even cognitive longevity. That’s all true. But, what’s also true is that dance brings up an opportunity for us to be our most vulnerable, every single time we show up on the dance floor. That vulnerability isn’t about dancing with others or for others, its about YOU. We’ve found that dancing salsa is a modality for healing and expanding beyond what we thought possible into who we really are.

Salsa is a Game with Rules

In order feel free enough to be really vulnerable and experience all the great gifts the dance shares with you, you have to know the rules of the game. The ‘rules’ are understanding the roles of the leader and follower, becoming confident with the common footwork and movement patterns, and developing a solid foundation from which to create flow.

Salsa is a Lifelong Learning Process

It’s impossible to learn salsa and dance well in just one class or one series. To dance well, requires commitment and consistency. The primary difference between a beginner dancer and an advanced dancer is thousands of repetitions. Our philosophy is to provide a strong foundation that creativity, fun, skills and your personality shine through.

Love Notes

Love Notes Studio Classes

I have always loved and enjoyed dancing, albeit mostly in the privacy of my kitchen, family weddings and parties with close friends. It wasn't until I was fast approaching 60 that I finally decided to take the time to get some formal instruction. Eight plus years later, my husband and I are still taking and loving classes with Piotrek and Krystal. Salsa Secrets is a very special, unique place where dancers of all ages and levels not only receive instruction from the most gifted of teachers but also feel welcomed to let go, have fun, make friends and enjoy being part of a vibrant, local dance community.

-Kathy Forbes Fisher

Four of us are taking salsa classes together. We love it! Piotrek is a wonderful teacher as is Krystal. Salsa is fun and good for your physical and mental health and for your soul. Anybody can do it. Be adventurous and check it out, especially you dudes.

-Michael Behrendt

It has been just about a year since I started with salsa secrets. It has made such a huge impact in my life. I have met amazing friends and had such fun and laughter through the dance. Piotrek is by far the best instructor I've ever had and I have had a few through salsa training. I would suggest to anyone that wants to grow through the dance to give yourself the pleasure of taking lessons. It has been the best thing I've ever given to myself enjoy.

-Chris Gray

The instructors are marvelous. The curriculum is thoughtful and each lessen leaves me with a sense of accomplishment and Wonder at being invited into this special dance community.

-Diane Caron

I've tried dance lessons before, but this is the first time I actually feel like I'm learning to dance. Piotrek and Krystal are special teachers and classes are really fun and motivating.

-David Mansur

When I first started attending these salsa classes, I never thought I had the discipline and the commitment to really dance the way I've been dancing. I just wanted a place to go to where I could make a few friends while having fun dancing a little.
After getting past level I, not only did I meet new friends, I've gotten very confident to the point where I'm actually dancing with almost everybody at every Latina salsa club I attend. (OMG)
The two instructors (Piotrek and Krystal) are AMAZING!!! Their salsa teaching is kind of therapeutic to the extent that they make you forget about all your problems at home and just mainly focus on the salsa experience.
I just want to let you guys know that I enjoy every moment of this experience. It is soooo addictive and I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for getting me hooked. Because of you, I am proud to say that I am a salsa dancer at Salsa Secrets.

-Evans Obas

I thought I was just signing up for Salsa to have some fun, meet some new friends, learn to dance and get some exercise that I enjoyed. Well, I get all of that AND MORE! What I didn't expect was that, your style of teaching also includes the brilliant art of being more awake. It's not just dance, its an opportunity to show up, full on! Heart open! Take off the mask and connect all of yourself to another. Be beautiful, present and in love with what's happening. This, I'm learning, is much more important than the dance steps. Seriously, one of the single greatest things I've ever done. Thank you for the light you bring to this world through dance. You are masters on many levels. I am so grateful. ♥

-Linda Leland

Our Values

Acceptance - Our hearts are open to anyone who’d like to join us on the dance floor. We accept everyone exactly as they are as a person and a dancer.

Individuality - We have students from age 19 to age 80+ within our company. Everyone shows up with their own goals and desires. We embrace the essence of you!

Joy - We are all seeking more joy. Finding the things that bring about the greatest joy is vital. For many, salsa brings great joy and that’s what we encourage you to share on the dance floor!

Technique - We offer the highest quality of technique to help you really become grounded in the dance. We believe that strong fundamentals are the key to both dancing well and having fun.

Healing - We highly value the part of dance that takes us beyond the physical movement. Dance is transformative in every way and we are extremely passionate about sharing this with our students.

Commitment - We are committed to supporting you through your process and meeting you where you are. We care about each and every student.

Community - We are so grateful to have a beautiful community of dancers in Portsmouth and Newburyport and even online. Everyone within that community has been the beginner shoes before. This community is open and loving. We couldn’t have dreamed of more!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need any dance experience?
This class is for the ABSOLUTE BEGINNER, no experience is required.

Do I need a partner?
Nope, singles and couples are more than welcome. We rotate partners throughout the classes, so you’ll have a chance to dance with and meet lots of people.

What about shoes?
As with most dance studios, street shoes are NOT allowed on the dance floor. You want a shoe that is comfortable and doesn’t grip the floor, so that you can pivot. Students have been successful with Tom’s, ballet or jazz flats and our favorites Taygra Dance Shoes. Taygra is a great company based in Brazil creating minimalist dance sneaks that pivot on just about any surface and really hold up to lots of repetition.

What should I wear?
You are more than welcome to wear whatever feels comfortable to you. Some students wear yoga pants and others wear casual dress clothing. Many students find it comfortable to dress in layers.

How do the levels work?
Our company is designed so that your first year of learning is dedicated to Fundamentals. The curriculum in the second year is Advanced Beginner, the third year, Intermediate and the fourth and beyond Advanced.

What happens after Absolute Beginner?
At the end of 6 weeks, you’ll choose whether or not you wish to continue. If you do, you’ll show up at the same time, same day, same place and continue your lessons.

What happens in the summer?
The summer is all about fun! We offer workshops and lots of free events within the community including Salsa in the Park - Portsmouth!

What is the structure of the individual classes?
Classes are 90 minutes in length. We begin with a brief warm up, followed by spin drills and footwork also known as shines. We then introduce the responsibilities for any given topic for the leader and the follower. Then we integrate those responsibilities into partnering.

Do you have social dances?
We have social dances the third Saturday of each month at our Portsmouth dance studio. Our salsa socials are open to the entire Salsa Secrets community. It is common to have beginners and advanced dancers at every social. Everyone who’s an advanced dancer today was once in your shoes. We encourage everyone to dance together!

Where is your dance studio?
Our Portsmouth dance studio is located at 2800 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth. This is the plaza with the Beach Plum Restaurant. The studio is located in the center of the strip malls where the two wings of the building meet. This space is share with Jubilation.

What happens if I miss a class?
When you pay for your package in full, you get one class for free, which means, if you miss one, you don’t lose a penny.

Is Absolute Beginner Salsa necessary for me?
Even if you have some dance experience with another style of dance, we still recommend taking Absolute Beginner Salsa, as the language of movements is different from other styles. Your relationship with dance isn’t a sprint, but rather a marathon. There are always details to work on. If you still think you belong in another level, let us know and we will talk about possibilities.

What happens if I have dance experience, but my partner doesn’t?
It’s wonderful that you are already dancing and your partner is interested in joining you. The last thing you want to do is overwhelm your partner and prevent them from wanting to come back. It’s always best to start at the level that makes the partner with less experience most comfortable. You will continue to progress and develop the fundamentals of your technique.

How long before I am dancing well?
The only difference between you and an advanced dancer is MORE REPETITION! On the very first night of class, you will be dancing. The more you enjoy that sensation of dancing and the process of developing as a dancer, the better your experience!