Nonetheless, more than patience is required. It's not easy to teach people how to perform as rigorous and demanding a dance as Salsa. I asked German how he picks the moves he is going to teach, because from class to class his choices may vary, depending on who is present.
"I try to choose the moves that match the level of the people," he told me. "I look for moves that are challenging but not overwhelming. I try to give them practical moves that they can use in a nightclub setting."
While I have seen some other teachers work more than I have watched German, only once did I ever see him demonstrate a move with a partner who could not follow him. Especially when he needs to teach the men how to lead their partners through a move, German will ask someone to help him demonstrate. Although there are people who come back every week, he does not pepper his class with ringers.
Thinking maybe he looked for something in the way women move before he picked them to help demonstrate, I asked German if that might be so. Of course not. "I usually just pick the lady closest to me and try to demonstrate that 'almost' anyone can follow a good lead. If there are not enough ladies, sometimes I will pck a guy who leads pretty good and dance the part of the lady."
Dance floor etiquette is another issue German strives to cover in the free classes. I have watched women walk away from men who were hurting them. I have felt the solid impact of women being thrown into my back, or forced to trip over me, because their partners were callously throwing the ladies across the dance floor. I asked German if he has ever had to expel someone from the class for being too rough. "No," he reassured me. "I am happy to say that most of the male students that I have had the pleasure to teach have been gentlemen."
At least one movie has filmed scenes at the Club Tropicana (I wish I could have been there, but don't look for me on the big screen yet). Knowing this, I asked German how he feels about movies like "Dirty Dancing", "Shall We Dance", and "The Way She Moves" (at least part of which was filmed in Houston and featured Houston dancers). Do these movies really capture the kind of nightlife we live in Houston?
"No. They portray dancing as a background for romance, but they are not really about dancing."
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Teacher's Advice
Michael: What would you say to someone before they visit their first club, to help them enjoy the experience and not be frightened by it?
German: Don’t come to the club to compete with other dancers. Come to enjoy the music and the rhythm and have a good time. If you come to learn to dance, come for yourself and your own enjoyment and not for other people.
Michael: How should a gentleman approach a lady he wants to dance with in a club?
German: Only invite to dance at first. They can both decide if they want to introduce themselves after that.
Michael: Do you have any specific CDs you would recommend for people to practice to at home?
German: No. Just look for music that strikes a feeling or passion and makes you want to dance.
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