I am going to be learning salsa this september in a dance school in CT....is there any adice and tips for a 15 year old female who's ready to start salsa and move on from EC Swing?

Salsa is a great dance for young people. it is very fast and has a lot of character. I would recommend not allowing yourself to spend too much time learning to return your feet to center or closed position. Try to get used to passing your feet from the start. It will prevent you from having to relearn later to get a smoother cadence. I also think that starting on "one" is not such a bad thing. 4& 1, 2, 3... Some may disagree, but only a musicologist will observe the faux pas on the floor. Some say salsa starts on the two count. Probably your biggest problem will be finding a male partner, Too bad...most young men dont like to dance.

I don't need to worry abiout finding a male partner because my boyfriend had a passion for dancing and we are both intrested in latin moves and are ready to move on from swing dancing. Thanks for the advice.... question : what does it mean to "passing your feet from the start"?

on the 4&1 of the 4&1, 2, 3, your feet will usually come back to a closed position with the feet together in the beginning. practice a litle more pasing of thge feet to have more forward and backward movement. It gives a smoother more advanced look and allows transition to some of the more exciting male/ female turns.

Passing feet= instead of the moving foot coming to rest right next to the other foot, it is placed forward or back of the other foot.

From the start= instructors often start out by teaching you to bring the moving foot back together with the stationery one and then LATER teach you to pass the foot. A good example is the American FoxTrot box step (or left turn), where you are initially told the steps are forward, side, TOGETHER, and then later on forward, side, BACK.

So "passing from the start" means only to omit that beginning phase of learning to bring the feet together.

HTH. Jerry