PerfectPitch for Dancers and Teachers

"Where can I find good music of the right tempo?" It's the same issue, no matter how long you've been dancing, whether you're a dancer or a teacher. We faced the same challenge when we first started out, and started compiling our own teaching CDs. So that you can do the same, I'll explain the concepts behind and demonstrate the steps you might take in compiling a CD for personal use, using salsa as an example.

The first thing is to decide what your level of ability is and therefore the tempo range of the list e.g. if you are just starting, or want to practise long and complex combinations, a tempo of 140 beats per minute (bpm) would make a good beginning. And since most salsa tracks average 200 bpm that might be a good place to finish.

The next is to decide your tempo bands or increments. You could do it linearly, in which case you might have seven bands each ten bpm apart: 140-149, 150-159, 160-169, 170-179, 180-189, 190-199, 200-209. But a ten bpm increase from 140-150 is proportionately greater (1/14) than a ten bpm increase from 190-200 (1/19), so this scheme gets easier the quicker you go. If you're a math wiz and want a progression that is equal in terms of effort then you'd need bands that get broader in range as the tempo increases.

Let's go linear.

Execute a search for the first tempo band using the appropriate criteria: accessible, salsa rhythm type, tempo 140-149. Listening to the tracks, select three of the ones you like the best, and then repeat the process for each tempo band. Having three songs gives you some variety in your practise, especially if they're different kinds of salsa. Assuming a track length of four minutes, you'd be able to squeeze all but one onto an 80min CDR.