How to dance the pachanga


Pachanga - Salsa ★ Republic

Salsa Republic offers the best Pachanga Classes Sydney has to offer…

Similar to Salsa, but not quite the same, Pachanga offers a variety in not just footwork patterns but also rhythm patterns.

  Originating from Pachanga rhythm and further developed by the Cubans, what better way to learn history than through Pachanga dance!

Enjoy one of Salsa Republic’s unique Sydney Pachanga dance classes today!


ENROLL TODAY

What is Pachanga dancing?

  Pachanga uses intricate footwork patterns to extremely fast and varied rhythms.

  Usually achieved by dancers placing their weight on the balls of their feet and twisting their hips to emphasize the beat. It often employs varied footwork patterns, from three to eight beats, but in general, each beat of the music is used. While proper pachanga music and dance differ from salsa, there is a lot of crossover in the music, so we usually integrate some pachanga movement and footwork into salsa shines. The pachanga rhythm developed as an offshoot from the original charanga music played in Cuba and around the Caribbean since the end of the 18th century. Charanga was a mixture of French contradanza and Afro-Caribbean music and dance styles. What distinguishes charanga and pachanga music is that these use a different instrumentation, replacing the brass instruments more commonly used in Latin/Caribbean music with flutes and violins.

  Cuban immigrants later took the pachanga rhythm and dance styles to the US, where they became hugely popular during the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Why do Pachanga?

It is essential for your ongoing Salsa.  It is so much fun !! You really develop your footwork skills, build a much larger repertoire for your salsa shines, train your musicality brain, massively increase your coordination and get great leg strength


GET STARTED!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a partner to enroll for a couple dancing style?

You don’t need to bring a partner but should book in early for our numbers, but it is always a bit more fun to bring someone along that you know – even a friend. You will rotate with the students in the class so everyone can have a go.

Can I do the first class for free?

Yes you can!

Normally valued at $25, you can come in and try it out for free!

If you are a new student you can try a salsa beginner free trial class HERE.

What clothes/shoes should I wear?

Couple dances (Salsa, Bachata, Cha Cha, Tango others)

Clothes: Wear comfortable clothes. We recommend smart casual attire that allows easy movement. Please avoid tight or long skirts, ties, or anything too warm or restrictive. Men should wear a tshirt or shirt with sleeves – no tank tops and bring a spare shirt or 2 with you for when it gets warm. Everyone should have mints and wear deodorant.

Shoes: Please avoid thongs, slippers, mules or open toe sandals. To start we recommend flat shoes or low heels that have an ankle strap and are secure around your ankles. Later on you can buy a proper jazz or latin dance shoes. Ladies: wear flat shoes for comfort or high heels if you are confident on them.
Men: some sneakers and leather shoes are best.

Individual dances (Samba, Stretch)

Clothes: Gym or dance wear as you tend to sweat. 

Shoes: To start you can use sneakers/trainers. Later on you can buy jazz or samba shoes.

How do I enroll on the classes?

ONLINE

Please click on the style you would like to learn to make an enrollment: Salsa , Bachata , Samba , Private Lessons , Wedding Dance Lessons .Performance Workshops.

OVER THE PHONE

If you prefer, you can enroll over the phone with us and pay with your MasterCard/Visa card in hand. You can find our contact number on our contact page here.

FAQ

Do I need a partner to enroll for a couple dancing style?

You don’t need to bring a partner but should book in early for our numbers, but it is always a bit more fun to bring someone along that you know – even a friend. You will rotate with the students in the class so everyone can have a go.

Can I dance only with my partner?

Yes. The rotation is not compulsory. Just tell the teacher before each class.
However we highly encourage you to change partners, as it speeds and improves your learning.

What clothes/shoes should I wear?

Couple dances (Salsa, Bachata, Cha Cha, Tango others)

Clothes: Wear comfortable clothes. We recommend smart casual attire that allows easy movement. Please avoid tight or long skirts, ties, or anything too warm or restrictive. Men should wear a tshirt or shirt with sleeves – no tank tops and bring a spare shirt or 2 with you for when it gets warm. Everyone should have mints and wear deodorant.

Shoes: Please avoid thongs, slippers, mules or open toe sandals. To start we recommend flat shoes or low heels that have an ankle strap and are secure around your ankles. Later on you can buy a proper jazz or latin dance shoes. Ladies: wear flat shoes for comfort or high heels if you are confident on them.
Men: some sneakers and leather shoes are best.

Individual dances (Samba, Stretch)

Clothes: Gym or dance wear as you tend to sweat. 

Shoes: To start you can use sneakers/trainers. Later on you can buy jazz or samba shoes.

How long are the classes?

Most classes are one hour long.

Choreography and workshops are sometimes longer than one hour.

Do you have even numbers of males & females?

We do only book in even numbers, which is why early booking is essential for this to happen. We can invite more advanced students to come and help us make up numbers with advanced notice. We can’t control when people are sick or don’t turn up, but generally we have even ratios.

Can I watch a class first?

Yes, you are more than welcome to watch any class for 10 minutes. Just check which levels we are running and come along. You may want to think about doing a trial lesson instead (which you can upgrade to the course price at the end of class) – you will get a better picture of what the classes are like and what could suit you best.

Can I do the first class for free?

Yes you can!

If you are a new student you can try a salsa beginner class here.

How do I enroll on the classes?

ONLINE

Please click on the style you would like to learn to make an enrollment: Salsa , Bachata , Samba , Private Lessons , Wedding Dance Lessons .Performance Workshops.

OVER THE PHONE

If you prefer, you can enroll over the phone with us and pay with your MasterCard/Visa card in hand. You can find our contact number on our contact page here.

How can I Pay?

ONLINE

(Master/Visa accepted) at the dance page of your choice you will have the option to pay via Debit/Credit Card through PayPal.

PHONE

You can pay over the phone with your Mastercard / Visa card.

IN PERSON

Cash, Cheque, Eftpos and credit card are all accepted in person to pay.

 

BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL at least one week before the first class so you can guarantee your place – most courses get booked out and we need to control male/female ratio in partnerwork classes

What are your opening hours?

We are open most days during the week. Closed on Sundays.

For detailed opening hours please visit our timetable page to see updated specifics hours of operation.

Do you have student discount?

We do not offer student discounts however we do credit you generously – $30 per referral for referring friends who book in for a course.

Can I do casual classes?

We offer casual classes only on Saturday beginner Salsa at 8pm

Samba beginner Tuesday 630pm (first 2 weeks only of course)

As of now, we offer casual classes only within the first 2 weeks of Salsa and Samba 6 beginner’s course semester.

To find out dates, please visit the timetable page.

What if I work shifts?

We do our best to accommodate people who can’t make it every week.  We do have a 10 class pass – however, you cannot start a course from week 3 or do a private class to catch up – best to call us and we can work out a suitable programme for you.

I’m only in Sydney for a limited number of days. Can I take some classes?

Yes, if you are from another state or overseas you can still participate in classes. Each individuals needs are different so please give us a call and let us know your situation. We will offer you the best options.

What is the average age of attendees?

Our students vary quite widely between late teens to those in their late 50’s, with the majority from 20’s to 40’s. If you fall anywhere outside this box don’t worry, we offer private classes to any age, kids as well.

Which style of salsa do you teach at Salsa Republic? On1, On2, LA, Cuban?

In our Salsa courses, we teach Salsa On2 with emphasis on social dancing and performance classes for the more adventurous students who want to get into the conga groove.

We also teach linear style On1 concentrating on social dancing, with some performance group opportunities. (Linear style means you dance moving up and down on an imaginary line instead of in circles). Linear is the most popular way to dance salsa in Sydney

We run sporadic Cuban style (more circular moves and turns) workshops and choreos.

We offer private classes in ALL salsa styles.

What level am I?

You have 2 options to know which level you are.

OPTION 1

The best option is to schedule a private assessment with one of our instructors to check which level you are. This option is recommended because the instructor will tell you exactly what would be the best level for you and also will explain what you are going to learn at this level. Besides that, he/she will be able to check your strengths and weakness, plus during the private class you can consolidate your knowledge and you might be able to go to the next level of the group courses.

OPTION 2

The second option is to book for one course and try the first class, if the course is too easy or too difficult you can transfer to another level.

What if I’ve done a lot of dancing before (ballet, jazz, contemporary etc) but never specifically learnt Latin dance. What level am I at?

We understand you would have already done a lot of dancing before, we are sure that you will be able to pick up things very quickly. Remember though that partner dancing is very different to any solo styles – we would recommend a private lesson to see where you are at and get you up to speed to attend a course. The instructor will tell you exactly what would be the best level for you and also will explain what you are going to learn at this level.

How many people attend the classes?

The average number of attendees in our classes is 20-25, this can vary, performance groups tend to be smaller.

What happens If I miss one class? Can I catch up another day?

unfortunately we wouldn’t be able to control catch up classes and that also affects our males/females ratio for couple classes. It is best for your ongoing education to do a private lesson so as not to miss out on vital information
We always do our best to accommodate so best to call us and we may be able to get you in on an instructor training session or something

Do you have children classes? What is the minimum age to attend the classes?

We currently only run private lessons – under 13 years a parent/adult is required to attend from 13 years not necessary.  We do need to consult the parent to discuss the minors need and goals as we do run lots of classes for young singers and actors needing dance training for musicals etc.

Do you refund?

As we can only take so many bookings in a course, we do not refund at all, but of course every situation is unique so will happily discuss and where possible offer a credit if appropriate.

More Questions?

For more questions, please see our frequently asked questions page .

SOME OF OUR STUDENTS…

I loved the vibe of this place. The learning environment was amazing and there was so much variety to choose from (salsa, bachata, cuban, zouk zumba and more). The teachers are also great and their teaching methods allow you to learn the moves with ease. They also arrange social dances during the week which allow you to try out what you learnt in class in a social environment.
I recommend this school to those who wish to learn salsa or take up a new style of dance.
Pedo Ruiz★★★★★

I’ve been doing Salsa Republic classes for about a year now and have loved every second of it! The teachers are not only professional performers themselves, they are also beautiful caring people who know their profession and teach in a way where everyone (no matter what level) are made to feel welcome and important! I’ve had the chance to do things I never thought I’d do (like performing) and have made some lifelong friends! Do yourself a favor and come along to a class!
Karen Chapman★★★★★

I love learning dancing from salsa republic. Sherylanne is really professional teacher who dance good and teach well and always so much fun having her class. I learnt and improved my samba here that build up my confidence dancing samba in public and people said my samba was really good. Really happy taking class from salsa republic.
Yan Zhang★★★★★

Loved the vibe and energy! I just fell in love with samba. Sherylanne is a beautiful dancer, teacher and sister!
Sophie Zobèle★★★★★

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Pachanga by Melissa Rosado

  • Module 1

    4 Lessons