We speak to Katherine from the Salsa Society all about what makes the society so fun, friendly and exciting! If you’re looking to learn a new skill, improve your fitness, or perform – then why not say hello at this year’s Freshers Bazaar!

What is your society all about?

LSU Salsa is all about creating a fun and friendly atmosphere that allows students with the best (and worst) sense of rhythm to dance Salsa. It incorporates students of all levels, with lessons going from the absolute basics all the way to a performance and competitive level. Although it is named LSU Salsa the society also loves to experiment with a number of other Latin-based styles of dance including Bachata, Kizomba and even Jive.

In my second year of LSU Salsa, I not only joined the committee to help run the society but also joined one of our performance teams, meaning I could easily continue to improve my dancing. The society is the largest in the Performance Arts sector and the largest for a reason! It’s so easy to get talking to people when you’re already dancing with them which makes it a great way to meet new friends! The teachers are brilliant and very professional, it’s my favourite way to spend a Monday evening.

What sort of events are put on by the society?

Our society have events running throughout the year. There’s barely ever a quiet moment! We have end of term socials, mid-week meet ups, Summer ball, Winter ball and pizza nights. We even travel to other cities including Nottingham and Birmingham for Salsa events. I not only know so many Salsa dancers in Loughborough now but have also met so many whilst travelling with society members to these events. My social circle has really expanded with it. There’s even the potential to travel abroad for these kind of events… sun + beach + salsa? Yes please!

Why, when and how did you join?

I joined because AU dance at Loughborough – for me – seemed too intense, despite my love of dancing. With AU club’s you’re expected to really commit to practicing regularly and competing, etc, whereas with LSU Salsa, because it isn’t AU you don’t have to commit to any more than you want to. Plus, when first starting University you really don’t know how busy your schedule will be on a week to week basis, so LSU Salsa provides a kind of flexibility.

It was also just something new and different that I had never done before. I’ve been dancing since I was little, but Salsa and Latin in general was never something I had tried. University is the time to try new things and Salsa is definitely something I’m glad I tried!

Joining was easy, personally I just went on to the society page and the rest was explained on there! LSU Salsa always has a stand at the Freshers Fair as well for more information. It’s always great to see students showcasing Salsa at the event as well.

Best or most memorable moments from your time in the society?

The biggest event we hold is Latin Fever. This is always held towards the end of the year, so November/December time and is not an event to be missed. For me, it’s the highlight of the year! In short, we hire a number of very well-known teachers from across the country, and sometimes even from abroad, to come in and teach a number of workshops for both members and the outside Salsa community to enjoy.

There’s competitions, performances and a huge social to go with it as well. It’s a chance to really get involved. The society normally showcase their teams there as well so I got to perform a Salsa routine for the first time in front of a crowd. Nerve wracking at first but so enjoyable by the end!

Describe your society in three words…

Fun, flexible, social.

What would you say to someone considering joining?

Well of course I’m going to say that they should! The first couple of classes are always free so what’s the harm in at least trying. Our website and Facebook page have details of everything you need to know. Hopefully see you there!

Anything else we should know?

You can find our main performance team’s Facebook page here.

Interested in finding out more? Contact the Salsa Society via their Facebook.

LSU has a huge range of societies – you can find the list of all 115+ societies here.

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