Frequently Asked Questions about LBSS
JOINING THE SOCIETY
How do I join the Society?
You can join the society by going to our society page on the SU website. Once you have logged in with your student login details you will find a link on the right hand side under the heading 'Join'. http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/societies/society/latinballroom/
If you want to sign up for group classes, you will need to pay for membership first. Once paid just return to the above website and on the right hand side under the heading 'Pay For Classes Here' you will see a list of all of the classes currently on offer with the prices displayed next to them. Select the class level you want (remember if you did Beginners in Semester 1 you should sign up for Continuing Beginners in Semester 2) and pay for it here:
http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/societies/society/latinballroom/
I've only just found out about you - is it too late to join?
You can join the society at any time in the academic year. Group lessons for the Autumn term start the week beginning 10th October 2016. If you do miss out on joining this semester's group lessons you can always join our second semester group lessons beginning in February, which will also have a class for complete beginners.
You can join the society by going to our society page on the SU website. Once you have logged in with your student login details you will find a link on the right hand side under the heading 'Join'. http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/societies/society/latinballroom/
If you want to sign up for group classes, you will need to pay for membership first. Once paid just return to the above website and on the right hand side under the heading 'Pay For Classes Here' you will see a list of all of the classes currently on offer with the prices displayed next to them. Select the class level you want (remember if you did Beginners in Semester 1 you should sign up for Continuing Beginners in Semester 2) and pay for it here:
http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/societies/society/latinballroom/
I've only just found out about you - is it too late to join?
You can join the society at any time in the academic year. Group lessons for the Autumn term start the week beginning 10th October 2016. If you do miss out on joining this semester's group lessons you can always join our second semester group lessons beginning in February, which will also have a class for complete beginners.
I am not a student or am a student from another University, Can I join?
Our society is part of the University of Nottingham Students’ Union. We are also affiliated with Nottingham Trent University, allowing Nottingham Trent students to compete for our Team. If you are not a current or ex student at UoN or NTU, you will not be able to compete with us. However, you can still apply to join our society and take lessons with us.
If you are not a current student of the University of Nottingham, you will need to purchase associate membership to the Students Union. The cost of associate membership is £5 and this is paid in addition to your £12 society membership. This can be bought here... https://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/societies/associate-membership/
ALL applications for associate membership need to be approved by the Society President before membership is granted. Please bear in mind when applying that we have limited places in our classes which are sometimes oversubscribed and we must give priority to University of Nottingham students, staff and alumni.
Also, please bear in mind that we run our classes in eight-week courses throughout each semester (Oct - Dec and Jan - March). We don't run any classes between April and September, and we can't let you join midway through a course: you'll have to wait until the next course starts. If you would rather dance the whole year round, our society may not be the best for you.
Our society is part of the University of Nottingham Students’ Union. We are also affiliated with Nottingham Trent University, allowing Nottingham Trent students to compete for our Team. If you are not a current or ex student at UoN or NTU, you will not be able to compete with us. However, you can still apply to join our society and take lessons with us.
If you are not a current student of the University of Nottingham, you will need to purchase associate membership to the Students Union. The cost of associate membership is £5 and this is paid in addition to your £12 society membership. This can be bought here... https://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/societies/associate-membership/
ALL applications for associate membership need to be approved by the Society President before membership is granted. Please bear in mind when applying that we have limited places in our classes which are sometimes oversubscribed and we must give priority to University of Nottingham students, staff and alumni.
Also, please bear in mind that we run our classes in eight-week courses throughout each semester (Oct - Dec and Jan - March). We don't run any classes between April and September, and we can't let you join midway through a course: you'll have to wait until the next course starts. If you would rather dance the whole year round, our society may not be the best for you.
ABOUT OUR LESSONS
I've got two left feet/I've never danced before - will this be a problem?
Not at all. Our friendly, relaxed courses are aimed at the absolute beginner and will take you right from the basics at an easygoing pace. Most people who join LBSS have never danced before, so you will not be alone. If you’ve had previous experience or did the Beginners course last year you may wish to join our Improvers class or one of our teams. We do have a dedicated Beginners team and there are beginners-only competitions especially for those who have never danced before, so don't be daunted. We also hold introductory workshops for other dances such as Rock n Roll and Argentine Tango that all society members are encouraged to attend, regardless of ability.
Do I need a partner?
You do not need a partner to come to group lessons, as you will be dancing with other lesson attendees and we rotate partners regularly during the class. We also have experienced committee and team members helping out at the lessons to dance with anyone without a partner. People will sometimes form partnerships to practice together and compete as part of the Latin and Ballroom Dancesport Team. We do run a 'Pairing Up' session in October where we will try to match you with a suitable partner. If you miss this session you can always talk to the team captains, the team coach/teacher or any of the committee members and we can try to help find you a partner.
Not at all. Our friendly, relaxed courses are aimed at the absolute beginner and will take you right from the basics at an easygoing pace. Most people who join LBSS have never danced before, so you will not be alone. If you’ve had previous experience or did the Beginners course last year you may wish to join our Improvers class or one of our teams. We do have a dedicated Beginners team and there are beginners-only competitions especially for those who have never danced before, so don't be daunted. We also hold introductory workshops for other dances such as Rock n Roll and Argentine Tango that all society members are encouraged to attend, regardless of ability.
Do I need a partner?
You do not need a partner to come to group lessons, as you will be dancing with other lesson attendees and we rotate partners regularly during the class. We also have experienced committee and team members helping out at the lessons to dance with anyone without a partner. People will sometimes form partnerships to practice together and compete as part of the Latin and Ballroom Dancesport Team. We do run a 'Pairing Up' session in October where we will try to match you with a suitable partner. If you miss this session you can always talk to the team captains, the team coach/teacher or any of the committee members and we can try to help find you a partner.
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What should I wear?
It doesn't matter too much what you wear to lessons as it's pretty informal. No 'special' clothing is needed, just make sure that you are comfortable and that you can easily move. The same can be said for footwear however, shoes with very 'grippy' soles will make things more difficult and a lower heel or flat shoe is most definitely recommended for ladies. We have a dance shoe supplier who visits in October to sell men's and women's dance shoes. Team members are advised to buy a pair of shoes as they look and feel better for competitions and are more suitable for frequent practice (see the team section of the website for further details). Although we would recommend dance shoes to everyone, they are not compulsory for those that are just attending the weekly group lessons. I missed the Taster Session, can I still come? Of course! The taster session is there to give you a taste of the society and the dances, but the beginner group classes assume no previous experience in any sort of dancing so you won't have missed anything once the courses start. Please note that we do not run any taster sessions in Semester 2 due to the exams but you can still see us at Refreshers Fair in January to ask the committee any questions and see a few videos of what our classes are like. |
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I’d like to practice what I've learned in class, do you run any practice sessions?
Yes - we run 3 weekly practices, for those on the Ballroom and Latin Dancesport Team. Salsa, as a social dance, tends to be practiced out there 'in the wild' and society members will often be found at the Wednesday Salsa night at Alea Casino. The Salsa team will also be running practice nights this year for those who are interested. There will also be practises for those in the society that are not team members, however the times and dates of these vary from week to week. Times and locations for all practices will be posted on our Facebook pages:
Ballroom and Latin Dancesport Team Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BallroomLatinTeam
Ballroom and Latin Lessons Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BallroomLatinLessons
Salsa Team Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SalsaTeam
Salsa Lessons Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SalsaLessons
There is also a chance to show off your skills at the Easter ball in Semester 2 and at the various socials we organise, which include visits to salsa nights and various dance related events.
We encourage anyone seriously interested in doing more dancing to consider joining our teams. You have the opportunity to learn at a slightly faster pace and improve more quickly by attending further sessions in addition to your regular class. Beginners are very welcome to join and we have a team especially for them. It's also a great way to get more involved with the society and socialise with other members.
Help - I've had a deadline/I've been ill/joined late and I've missed a lesson - what should I do?
If you’ve only missed one or two of the lessons, we do recap on what was taught in previous sessions so we can make sure you are all caught up when you return. Committee members are also available to help run through steps individually. However, if you’ve missed more than a couple of the lessons, you will probably find it easier to re-join our next course of complete Beginner lessons in February.
Yes - we run 3 weekly practices, for those on the Ballroom and Latin Dancesport Team. Salsa, as a social dance, tends to be practiced out there 'in the wild' and society members will often be found at the Wednesday Salsa night at Alea Casino. The Salsa team will also be running practice nights this year for those who are interested. There will also be practises for those in the society that are not team members, however the times and dates of these vary from week to week. Times and locations for all practices will be posted on our Facebook pages:
Ballroom and Latin Dancesport Team Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BallroomLatinTeam
Ballroom and Latin Lessons Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/BallroomLatinLessons
Salsa Team Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SalsaTeam
Salsa Lessons Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SalsaLessons
There is also a chance to show off your skills at the Easter ball in Semester 2 and at the various socials we organise, which include visits to salsa nights and various dance related events.
We encourage anyone seriously interested in doing more dancing to consider joining our teams. You have the opportunity to learn at a slightly faster pace and improve more quickly by attending further sessions in addition to your regular class. Beginners are very welcome to join and we have a team especially for them. It's also a great way to get more involved with the society and socialise with other members.
Help - I've had a deadline/I've been ill/joined late and I've missed a lesson - what should I do?
If you’ve only missed one or two of the lessons, we do recap on what was taught in previous sessions so we can make sure you are all caught up when you return. Committee members are also available to help run through steps individually. However, if you’ve missed more than a couple of the lessons, you will probably find it easier to re-join our next course of complete Beginner lessons in February.
COMPETITIONS
I'm going to be competing at my first competition, What should I wear and bring?
Information about hair, make-up and costuming will come to you (the girls) as part of the infamous yearly Hair and Make-up Social in time for the start of competitions. A (much more manly!) Pub/Poker/Pool night is run for the men on the team however this always ends up being less informative than the girl's events, so here's a short bit of advice for the men...
For Ballroom - Black trousers, white/black shirt and a tie (black or coloured to match your partner) you could also wear a black waistcoat (or fitted, black sweater vest) but it is just optional. DO NOT WEAR A SUIT JACKET. If your shirt requires cuff-links, don't forget them.
For Latin - A smart pair of black trousers (can be the same ones you wear for ballroom) and a plain black t-shirt or shirt without a tie will help you look the part.
Do not forget to bring: Your dance shoes, hair gel and comb to slick back your hair, Safety pins (to pin the number on your back) and food and drink to get you through the day.
For both ladies and gents, certain competitions and all Beginners events will have a dress code, which the Team Captains will talk to you about and advise you on well in advance of your first competition. For full details about competitions and what is involved please see the Team pages or ask one of the Team Captains.
Information about hair, make-up and costuming will come to you (the girls) as part of the infamous yearly Hair and Make-up Social in time for the start of competitions. A (much more manly!) Pub/Poker/Pool night is run for the men on the team however this always ends up being less informative than the girl's events, so here's a short bit of advice for the men...
For Ballroom - Black trousers, white/black shirt and a tie (black or coloured to match your partner) you could also wear a black waistcoat (or fitted, black sweater vest) but it is just optional. DO NOT WEAR A SUIT JACKET. If your shirt requires cuff-links, don't forget them.
For Latin - A smart pair of black trousers (can be the same ones you wear for ballroom) and a plain black t-shirt or shirt without a tie will help you look the part.
Do not forget to bring: Your dance shoes, hair gel and comb to slick back your hair, Safety pins (to pin the number on your back) and food and drink to get you through the day.
For both ladies and gents, certain competitions and all Beginners events will have a dress code, which the Team Captains will talk to you about and advise you on well in advance of your first competition. For full details about competitions and what is involved please see the Team pages or ask one of the Team Captains.
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I have a question you haven't answered here - what now?
Then you should Contact Us! A quick email here is the best way to get your queries answered - we do try to reply as quickly as we can.
Then you should Contact Us! A quick email here is the best way to get your queries answered - we do try to reply as quickly as we can.
