Salsa & Bachata Bootcamp 2021
Hey Team Fit,
Are you ready to give your fitness routine a refresh? We have the most amazing way to do just that. Just in time for Valentine's day, we are all set to launch an exciting, fun class here at the Salsa City Fitness Studio in Troy.
A 4-week Bootcamp with beginner-friendly routines and two short 'n sweet sweat sessions ~ Salsa Dance and Bachata Dance ~is everything you need to keep your fitness routine fun & exciting this spring!
Classes begin Wednesday, March 3rd - Salsa Dance 7:15-8.00 P.M. and Bachata 8.00-8:45 P.M. COUPLE RATE: $100/ one format , $120 both formats
SINGLE RATE: $80/ one format, $100 both formats
Paid in advance of the first lesson of the month. Enrollment is limited to provide for a higher level of teacher interaction with each student. Join in person at The Salsa City Studio in Troy or dance with us online.
The best part is, you can sign up for this class from anywhere, that's right, you don't even have to leave the comfort of your living room because we are doing the class in person as well as virtually.
The class will be taught by Tim & Terry Rapp - Read more about their fantastic journey below.
Salsa and Bachata go together like peanut butter and jelly. Salsa is usually faster, party music; Bachata is slower, with a more romantic feel.
Clubs often switch on and off to give dancers time to catch their breath and get in some slower dances.
Salsa has its roots in Cuba and Puerto Rico; it is rich in cultural history and has a unique music style that makes you feel you are on a hot tropical beach somewhere!
It is an energetic and fun partner dance with lots of flashy twists and turns, to upbeat Latin music with many different percussion rhythms and brass instruments. We will be teaching LA Style Salsa, which is the style that you have probably seen on Dancing with the Stars on ABC.
Bachata grew out of the dance styles of bolero and merengue and originated in the countryside and rural neighborhoods of the Dominican Republic. It's more of a sweet country dance.
It is a Latin "slow" dance with unique variations and tempos. We will be teaching a simple version that is playful and romantic and is an easy dance to get beginners moving and having fun while learning something new.
Each class will begin with a footwork warm-up followed by partner work that builds upon the previous week(s) class. Dance students will learn skills and techniques that enable them to have fun and look good on the floor while avoiding injury for themselves and their partner.
2020 was tough, especially because of the social distancing norms. One of the worst-hit by these restrictions was our social life. If you have been in a funk and miss those nights on the town dancing with your friends or your boo, this is a chance for you to do something for you.
Still need an excuse to dance the night away? Here is why you should sign up asap.
D rop those pounds
Weight Loss
The fast beat and rigorous movements of the dances are the perfect way to tone up. Some dancers can lose as much as 200 cal in 30 mins. Even as a beginner, you can do wonders for your body with dance. The more consistent you are, the more intense the dance gets and the more calories you burn, so get your groove on.
Muscle Building
Ever admired the svelte but firm bodies of dancers? These dances target every muscle in your body. From keeping upright and balanced to stimulating your core, you can tone your arms, hips, legs, and butt. The rigorous movement helps sculpt muscles toning them to perfection.
Lower cholesterol
Did you know Latin dance moves to aid in lipid control and lower your cholesterol levels in your system? It is also a fun way to control blood sugar.
Aid joint and bone health
Dancing prevents osteoporosis for both men and women. It's even more beneficial for post-menopausal women whose estrogen level can drop and cause joint ailments. Dancing lubricates joints to prevent arthritis.
Improved posture
A good posture is the first step of dance. It helps to prevent back and neck problems.
Happy Feet and Happy You
Dancing is good for our mood; like exercise, dancing releases endorphins, aka the happy hormone. So, if you're happy and you know it, do the salsa.
Overall benefits
Dancing can help exercises your lungs, cardiovascular system, and your heart. Getting your blood pumping and flowing can significantly improve your skin and also save you from certain illnesses.
A new lease of life
Spice things up
Regardless if you're single or in a relationship, dancing salsa brings people together.
Research shows that long-term partners have found that dancing together strengthened their relationship and brought them closer together.
Dancing teaches you to communicate better with your partner and work together as a team.
If you're single and not looking for anything serious, bring a date, a friend, or just a positive attitude, there's plenty of fun that goes on around the dance floor!
Null the lull
The pandemic put a plug in dancing at clubs, bars, and overall social gatherings. Toss that dull pandemic energy out because we are here to make sure you dance the night away. We have social distancing guidelines in place. So get your masks and get ready to 5,6,7,8, dance it off, and feel great.
Sitting on the couch Instagramming on your phone and stuffing your face at dinner is a perfectly acceptable way to spend your free evenings; but, how much more fun would it be if you could spend that same evening out dancing instead? You'll be socializing and getting some exercise without feeling bloated or dull the morning after.
Fun and done
Hands-down, without a doubt, salsa dancing is fun. We have enthusiastic instructors, and a bunch of fun people signed up to enjoy with you. It's like a party every week. Get your groove on. No one's judging you, so don't worry about how you look. Just relax and smile because you're dancing salsa!
Bragging rights.
With little to no traveling, shopping sprees, bar hopping, visiting family, or anything fun, let's face it, the feed is feeling a bit flat. Knowing how to dance salsa and putting in all the hard work that goes into it entitles you to some bragging rights. Even if you're a beginner dancer, you're still better off than the person who didn't sign up. Right? So get on the gram and show off your weekly progress. After all, if it's not on social media, it didn't happen.
N ot Nervous Nellie
Dancing builds your self-esteem.
Dancing helps boost your confidence and self-esteem because you get used to interacting with members of the opposite sex, you feel good about yourself when you get that routine down after putting in all that hard work.
You learn how to move your body.
Moving on the dance floor trains your body to flow with the rhythm. After the first bit, it won't feel so awkward. You'll go with the flow when the music starts playing and find yourself more comfortable dancing in other social settings too.
C atch someone's eye
Doll up
This is more for the women, but I'm sure there are guys out there that appreciate this point too. For most of 2020, we have been stuck wfh in sweats; the most dressing up we did in 2020 was shuffling around the grocery store in jeans and a hoodie. It's nice to have an opportunity to dress up and look nice and make use of sparkly necklaces and sexy dresses that we don't get to wear as often as we'd like to.
Make new friends
Broaden your friend circle. There are tons of salseros and salseras you can talk to and hang out with. Even if you only see each other at dance, and even if social distancing norms are in place, it's still a great way to meet different people and to break out of your comfort zone.
E nergize your brain Cells
Dancing sharpens your brain
Getting the moves all co-ordinated requires complex brain activity.
It's like doing a word or number puzzle and getting fit at the same time.
Improve your hand-eye coordination and reflexes by accessing areas of your brain that haven't been used before.
Dance the blues away
Just one thing can stop this train in its tracks—an unwilling partner.
Never fear; we have a few tricks up our leg warmers to help you out.
Here are five ways you can reach an agreement to take this class with your partner.
Meet them halfway
Offer to try a class they have wanted to take for a while with them, or plan one weekly activity they enjoy as much as you enjoy dancing.
Trade-in
Exchange dance class for your movie vote/ tv show binge vote/ what to eat vote.
Put a date on it
Turn Salsa night into date night. Do dinner and drinks before class and pretend it's a club.
See you on the other side.
If your partner isn't up for it, that's okay; you can't force someone to enjoy something they don't want to do, but that shouldn't stop you from coming for class. You can totally maintain a dance hobby without your significant other. Start your lessons, share the results; you might just be surprised when they want to sign up next time.
All set to sign up?
Classes are scheduled for four weeks
Starting Wednesday, March 3rd
•Salsa instruction: 7:15-8pm
•Bachata instruction: 8-8:45pm
COUPLE RATE:
•$100/ one format
•$120 both formats
SINGLE RATE:
•$80/ one format
•$100 both formats
SIGN UP FOR 4 WEEKS OF ONE CLASS
We can't wait for you to try our boot camp! Don't forget to share your sweaty selfies so we can cheer you on!
By Sargam Merchant for Salsa City Fitness.
Know Your Instructors:
Tim & Terry Rapp
Terrie Rapp:
Terrie has had a long-time interest in the arts, beginning with the church choir and learning to play the flute in elementary school. During high school, she continued to sing at school and joined the band. She also performed roles in two school musicals. College found her bringing her musical skills again to the church environment; it was here that she met Tim, a singer, and guitar player, who also had a love for the arts and would eventually become her husband.
Over the next twenty years, the pair welcomed eight children into their family. Music moved in and out of their lives as time and circumstance permitted. A dream of a family singing group took shape during that time, and there were a variety of opportunities to share an inspirational ministry of song.
Once the children became more independent, Terrie and Tim turned their attention back to growing their own relationship. Without the other one knowing, each took a look into ballroom dancing lessons. Eventually, Tim found an independent studio, and Terrie enthusiastically agreed to join him in group classes. Little did she know where that decision would take her!
Since then, Terrie has described dancing as fulfilling the "dream she didn't even know she had." Ballroom dancing opened up a whole new realm of experiences. The fact that there are so many styles to accommodate so many music genres meant that she and Tim could enjoy dancing just about anywhere that had music and a floor. Tim even convinced her to compete a couple of times. They were also involved in a 'Dancing with the Stars’-type fundraiser.
Terrie had to take a bit of a break from dancing with the arrival of child #9. But she couldn't stay away for long. She joined a ladies' Latin styling team in Cincinnati to improve her skills, and when her instructor formed a couples' salsa team, Tim came aboard. That team evolved very quickly into a bachata performance team. Terrie and Tim stayed with the team for four years, traveling to salsa and bachata congresses all over the country, taking workshops by the day, and appearing on stage by night, with hours of social dancing afterward.
The highlight of Terrie's dancing came through another fund-raising event in May 2019. Tim's dad was on the board of a community symphony orchestra that had decided to use the 'Dancing with the Stars' format to solicit donations. His father suggested that they perform as entertainment while the votes were being counted. Tim choreographed a four 1-minute act bachata routine that was so much fun to dance - they are very proud of their accomplishment.
In summer 2018, a few of the bachata team members had initiated social dance instruction in Dayton under the name Dayton1 Salsa. Terrie was asked to participate as an instructor and taught beginner level students. Then Covid-19 hit and greatly reduced the options for dancing – both at her home dance company and in Dayton. So Terrie is grateful for the chance to introduce new people to the joy of dance – and maybe set them on their own 'dream journey!'
Tim Rapp :
Tim has a profound love for music and performance arts that began at a young age listening to the radio and TV, attending musical shows and orchestral performances. As a child, he turned heads in church, singing along with the hymns in a loud voice. Growing up, he sang and performed in school plays and musicals and learned to play acoustic guitar. He used money he earned from mowing grass to purchase a used PA system for his guitar and microphone. He performed for family and friends at events such as the local annual fair. In college, he directed a church folk music singing group. He also sang and played his guitar for the weddings of his college friends.
In college, love for music was the ingredient that brought him and his future wife Terrie together as she sang and played the flute and blended well with his voice and guitar playing style. Over the next 20 years, they married and had 9 children, and formed a family singing group, the Rapp Family Singers. They shared their music with many church festivals and other events related to their shared faith.
As their children became older and more independent, Tim and Terrie signed up for dance lessons at an independent ballroom dance studio. They found their mutual love for music was completed when expressed through motion or dance. They have continued their lessons since then and have had a number of coaches and instructors. Tim studied ballroom with top dance teacher/coach Michelle Stone (dance competition adjudicator for US Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance, USIDTD, and wife of Edward Stone, who developed the American Ballroom dance syllabus for Arthur Murray). He was trained in LA Style Salsa by "Edie the Salsa Freak" Espinoza, an internationally known and recognized expert in Salsa dance instruction.
In 2015, Tim and Terrie became members of the Atrevidos Dance Company. They were trained in Salsa and Bachata and have performed with ADC in over 30 performances across the country. Tim was made the dance team captain of the ADC bachata student team in 2018 and has assisted in creating and teaching team choreography, and both have lead team practice sessions both at home and on the road before performances. Tim and Terrie have together choreographed several of their own performances with assistance from their coaches. In 2018, Tim also became a member of and performed with the ADC semi-pro team and started teaching private lessons in salsa and bachata dance styles.
Tim was asked in 2018 to teach for the Dayton Latin Dance community (DaytOn1) and taught group lessons in both salsa and Bachata. He also offered private lessons to students in that community who wanted to accelerate learning the dance styles faster than they would learn in weekly group lessons alone. He is known for his ability to make learning dance fun and easy for everyone and for encouraging students to practice and grow between lessons as the primary way to acquire muscle memory necessary for success on the social dance floor!