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How do you make great salsa? Smile, keep your chin up and try not to step on anyone’s toes too hard.
On June 15, the Toronto Fitness Challenge will be aiming to set some records at the Metro Convention Centre: for the world’s largest salsa dance, world’s largest bootcamp, the world’s largest Harlem Shake and Canada’s largest yoga. Proceeds from the registration fees go the SickKids Foundation.
The fundraiser is open to everyone—not just those who think they can dance. So to prove that it’s not too hard, Metro brought salsa instructor Tina Nico to our office for a quick lesson. If we newspaperwomen and men can do it, so can you.
Beginner salsa is a little like rhythmical walking with a partner—although if you get past the step, step, spin phase it get’s a little more complex.
We found laughter helps — a lot.
The largest salsa dance the Toronto Fitness Challenge is trying to break was set by 1,686 dancers at the Carnaval Coatzacoalcos in Mexico on March 24, 2012.
According to Guinness, all of the dancers were students a local university aged between 19 to 25, and some were trained dancers.
“The group formed a single ‘comparsa’ (dance troupe) at the Coatzacoalcos carnival and paraded for over three kilometres down the city’s promenade,” the record book says. “They were formed in 281 lines of six people. The song they danced to was Gloria Estefan’s ‘WEPA’ which was repeated to ensure it lasted more than the minimum required five minutes.”
TORONTO FITNESS CHALLENGE BY THE NUMBERS
- World’s largest boot camp
- Current Guinness World Record – 1,165 participants
- Toronto Fitness Challenge Goal – 2,500 participants
- Minimum age of participants – 12
- $30 ticket
Canada’s largest yoga class
- Toronto Fitness Challenge Goal – 5,000 participants
- All ages
- $30 ticket
World’s largest salsa dance
- Current Guinness World Record – 1,686 participants.
- Toronto Fitness Challenge Goal – 2,000 participants
- Minimum age of participants – 12
- $30 ticket
World’s largest Harlem shake
- Current Guinness World Record – 3,400 participants
- Toronto Fitness Challenge Goal – 10,000 participants
- All ages
- $15 ticket
