What the Classes and Social Events Are Like?

Classes are lively, informal, and no partner is needed.  All classes are drop-in and new students are made to feel welcome.  Click here for the Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia class schedules. 

Classes start with beginning levels and move on to advanced levels.  A lot of material is covered in all of the lessons.  We move quickly, but also do plenty of review to jog students' memories on what was already covered. If there is a wide array of levels in a class, we sometimes break into groups so each subgroup can work at the appropriate pace. 

As mentioned on the previous home page, we have also held parties and outings where we practiced what we've learned in our classes.  In fact, sometimes members of our group go out-of-town together to dance Salsa or Rueda with other groups.   Likewise, we have hosted groups from other cities that come here to the Washington area as well. In April 2006 and again in spring 2008, some of the group went to Philadelphia to collaborate with dancers from Salsita Dance Studio.  And sometimes teachers from other cities, like NYC do workshops in our classes. (Click here to read about the "Play in Salsa Dancing" workshop that Erin Brandt conducted in class.) 

Throughout the years, some people in the group have gone to the Salsa Rueda Congress held in Miami as well as the Miami Congress in August.  Danceintime performed at the latter Congress in 2007.  Dancing with Salseros and Casineros who come to a Congress from all over the world is thrilling.  It's great to be able to share ideas on interesting steps, compare how they are danced and sequences blended, etc. with people outside the Washington area.

The highlight of the Rueda Congress was the World Amateur Salsa and Rueda Competitions, which Barb was asked to judge the first two years.  Click here to read an article about this unique Congress, including a description of the competitions, the workshops and the overall experience.  Since those early years of these important Congresses, people who dance with DanceInTime have been going to these annual events.

Feel free to call 301-980-6043 or email  BarbBtalks@aol.com  for updated information on class schedules, parties, and other events. Click here for more photos of classes and parties.  Click here if you want to read a magazine article that describes Salsa Rueda dancing.  And click here for a list of Rueda steps that we cover in class with descriptions of each.

Documentary Movie About Rueda de Casino

Two teachers out west, Sarita Streng from Albuquerque and Eric Johnson from San Diego, have traveled to Cuba repeatedly and filmed a top Rueda de Casino group out there.  They have done a fabulous job in making the viewer feel like he/she is in Cuba. 

There is also going to also be a separate film short on Rueda that details how this dance gradually became popular all over the world and how it has affected community, culture, and other dance styles.  Barb Bernstein, director of DanceInTime is producing this "film short."  For further information on the film and how to order a copy, contact BarbBtalks@aol.com. Also visit the "Rueda Documentary" page on this site with more details on the full length fil shot in Cuba!

Dancing Together at a Congress

Check out the Miami Salsa Congress page of this website.  That event draws an international crowd and performers, and it is held the first weekend of August every year.  Barb and one of the DanceInTime teams went to this event in 2007. Barb taught a workshop there and the women's team plus one (brave) guy performed in an evening show!  The show was very well received due in part to the remarkable originality of our presentation. 

We told a story about Charlie's Angels through dance and included a trick with a jumprope!!  I literally could see the audience smiling and laughing when Charlie's voice interrupted the Salsa music with the words: "I'm sorry to interrupt your night out dancing, Angels, but I have a mission for you involving important classified information..."  He goes on to say he is asking that we deliver this to a high government official.  But one of the Angels turns out to be a double agent and gives the suitcase marked "Top Secret" to a "subversive element."  The good Angels rescue the suitcase and prevail in the end!  It's an adorable dance routine that blends Salsa and Cha Cha.

In 2008, a DIT team was scheduled to perform at the NY, Puerto Rico, DC and Philadelphia Salsa Congresses.  And Barb was scheduled to give workshops in PR and Philly!