[Sascha Kettern] Why SALSA? Why did you fall in love with that special dance?

[Louise] I started salsa in Luxembourg 5 years ago. I was looking for an evening activity and a way to meet people and a friend of mine suggested I join a salsa class given by a friend of his - César. As I used to dance ballet when I was younger and had always enjoyed dancing in general, I decided to give it a go. One cold day in January I went along, pretty nervous and all by myself to Beginners 1, to see what it was all about. And from the very first lesson I was completely hooked. I found the atmosphere in the classes very convivial, the people were great and the music totally addictive. I did every class in every level and went out dancing as much as possible. One day César suggested I help him on a regular basis and maybe do a show with him. The rest is history!

[SK] Do you have an idea why men often need more time to learn dancing than women?

[Louise] Yes, because they have to do one extra job to do - the leading! Most people say that men are less gifted at dancing than women. I’m not sure I really agree with that…whilst it may be true that they are less willing to express themselves and relax on the dance floor, I really think the hard part is learning how to lead the lady. They have to think about the rhythm, do the right steps, step on the beat, lead half a beat in advance and think about what figure they want to do next - all at the same time! That’s not easy ladies, believe me I’ve tried!! And we ladies can sometimes be a little intimidating so it takes time for the guy to build up confidence and relax into the movements.

[SK] Do you think that is possible to learn some SALSA movements by reading instructions (in a book for instance)?

[Louise] Hmmm. Well I’ve never tried that way but I would have serious doubts that you could learn to dance properly from a book. Maybe you could learn the basic footwork and the theory about how to lead and follow but you know what everyone says - practice makes perfect! And besides, it would be no fun learning with a book! And the whole point of dancing salsa is to have fun and meet people!

[SK] Do you see important differences between SALSA and other dances?

[Louise] I don’t really know other dances very well but in my opinion, if you compare salsa to Rock, Waltz, Tango etc, one difference could be that salsa has become a more social dance, and reaches out in its appeal to a wider range of people. You can go to almost any town now and find somewhere to dance salsa. And I think its easier to learn than a dance like the Tango and requires less physical ability than something like Rock & Roll. And I would say the scope of possible movements and styles in wider than for a dance like the Waltz.

[SK] Do you think that it is possible to dance 50% of your figures without seeing anything? (blind) - I mean, is it important at a certain level, to know exactly what he intends to do? a certain level, where leading is not the most important thing...?

[Louise] I would say that leading and following is ALWAYS the most important thing in social dancing (a stage choreography is a different matter), perhaps even more so at a higher level where the movements get more complicated and are often faster - you could suffer a broken arm/wrist/finger or even neck if you try to guess! I don’t think you can ever truly predict what movement the guy will do even when he is your regular dance partner. With César sometimes I can guess what he is just about to do because I’m so used to dancing with him, and can tell from his expression or the way he builds up the movement, but I’m not always right so that’s a dangerous game to play!

[SK] How would you describe the differences between the German, Luxembourgish, French or British SALSA scene? (if you don´t know something about the GERMAN salsa scene, you can also talk about other countries)

[Louise] I can tell you about the British Salsa Scene as this is my homeland and I’ve been to many salsa events in the UK recently. Basically its booming! The UK is one of the (many) salsa hot spots of Europe. Some of the very best teachers - like Leon Rose, Super Mario, Susanna Montero, Marchant Birch are based there and the London salsa scene is thriving. Check out www.salsa-uk.com <http://www.salsauk.com> , www.mambocity.co.uk <http://www.mambocity.co.uk> and www.salsalife.co.uk <http://www.salsalife.co.uk> for more details. The French salsa scene seems to be the most concentrated in Paris where the level of dancers is very high. Most dancers here dance on the ‘2’ beat. Personally, I get the feeling that in Paris dancing on ‘1’ is seen as ‘old fashioned’. Closer to home, Metz and Nancy are developing some solid salsa activity now. I’ve seen interest really grow there in the last few years thanks to a few dedicated teachers. And finally, right at home - Luxembourg. Well, again salsa has become much more popular here over the past few years thanks to the efforts of teachers like César and the level of dancers is getting higher and higher. We still have a way to go until we rival Paris or London but we’re doing fine and I expect great things from Lux salsa dancers in the future!

[SK] Tell us about your life. Do you greet your colleagues at work with a double spin when they shake your hand or do you forget about SALSA until the next lesson?

[Louise] Ha ha! Can you imagine if I went into the bank where I work and started spinning around the partners or doing body rolls and hip shakes whilst walking from my desk to the conference room!? I would be immediately rushed to the nearest mental hospital! But seriously I wouldn’t say I forget about salsa until the next lesson either - I regularly listen to salsa music at home and there are rehearsals, lesson preparation, and of course salsa parties and congresses to go to! If I just forgot about salsa in between lessons I would never be able to keep on teaching at the same level. I need regular practice and inspiration just like everyone else - perhaps even more than everyone else! And of course, salsa is a real pleasure and passion for me, not just an occasional hobby or an afterwork pastime. Viva La Salsa!