It's cool overall, but I don't like the javascript dropdown menu animation that goes from left to right, it's kind of jerky and slow and distracting. If you had a choice between that and no animation, I would go with no animation instead.
This only occurs in Chrome, and is just a question of how the browser reads the CSS. It doesn't occur in the other mainstream browsers: FF, IE, Opera. It's the least buggy of the available options.
Appreciate the sentiment though.
Pictures are not opening in "about" section.
"He has benefitted from instruction with some of the world's finest, and has sought to learn only the best techniques as taught by the best schools in the world. "
This is "blurry", doesn't make sense as long as you don't write the details.
Are the incredible assistances "qualified" as well?
No price info, if I were you I would include that one as well.
All pictures are functional to me in all browsers.
I don't think people need a fully fitted out CV. Further to the people coming along from my local area names and schools mean nothing, and even with my explicit direction in class people are only becoming vaguely aware even now.
My assistants are all taught by me, I'm the one who assures the quality.
Agree with pricing info.
I do a fair bit of web/web app design (for a living) so I'll be critical but hopefully constructive.
I dont like the way the 3rd and 4th letters of pure are bolded it should be consistent in as much as they are separate words thus pureSALSA OR perhaps bold the u so its pUreSALSA ie U SALSA which is meaningful too...
Appreciate the time you took for your feedback!
I don't agree with the text issues to be fair, this part of the design comes straight from a fairly experienced graphic designer. It sets it apart from the more predictable ways of text setting, and gives individuality to our way of thinking. I do appreciate where you're coming from however.
[quote
perhaps you could add a youtube clip of the week with something useful - ie a timing youtube clip ala salsa beat machine?
some pictures would brighten up the page... im not yet feeling enthusiastic and raring to dance when i open the page. [/quote]
I certainly think a video feature is upcoming in version 1.1 - so yes.
There will be limited picture/graphics coming in to background/banner the welcome section, so that's a yes too for 1.1 - However I don't want to overdo it, many salsa sites suffer from horrible cliche/cheesiness.
Think what is the cutomer looking for.
They want to see location (with google map) / price / time on the first page they arrive, they dont want to have to hunt around on further pages.
Get the message out -> No Experience OR Partner Required
Agree mostly, although I don't think the front page should be dominated by a map - a link to a map/map embedded on the class page certainly
Date of upcoming class and no experience or partner, certainly coming up in 1.1
People want to know the information is up to date, if you include the date of the next class this should re-assures people they wont turn up to a now defunct venue etc.
as olam mentioned - you mention a price deal but no actual price, so you dont really know if its a good deal / affordable or not
Agree. Thanks again for your time!
It comes across as friendly and welcoming.
Some thoughts as I browsed:
Ditto above comments re the menus - hard and not intuitive to use. Do they work in mobile?
I honestly don't agree, I think the menus are very straight forward and intuitively titled.
The Menu works in Mobile Opera.
Also your headers and menus are very big, therefore it requires me to scroll down on every page to get to the content. I'd put the follow us buttons in the header so they show on every page.
A good idea!
Agree: price, times, location at top of class page. In fact I would have the basic class info and the social(s) info all on the home page (in boxes) rather than requiring a click through.
But if people click through the info is there again plus the explanation of what to expect in the class, and I would put the discount info on the class page without requiring yet another click through.
I'd put a photo of the class on the class page to show people the venue. Why not take a class photo with everyone in a group smiling and waving at the camera?
Agree, though I think information on the front page will at best serve to give the basic details and demonstrate current activity, whilst linking to the class pages with the more detailed info.
Where is the venue? No location button in the menu. No info on the class page. No google map. No text of address inc postcode. Or this info is too well hidden. Parking info? Public transport info?
Nope this is coming in version 1.1, was under a severe time restraint, but the embedded map will be up in the next day or two and yes when it goes up my standard blurb re public transports and parking will join it.
Also how do I contact you? I looked and looked and couldn't see it. I'd have contact info as a footer on every page. And absolutely as text on the class pages. You should give your email address and a phone number.
Agree, this is an oversight.
You really should be telling the girls to wear shoes with a supportive heel and a heel strap if heels ie no courts, no ballerinas, no wedges. Honestly if you change anything please change this - the number of beginner girls I see struggling to do stuff and keep their shoes from falling off is huge.
Agreed and will update to reflect this!
Can people bring food and drink? Or can they buy water or whatever there?
What should they wear? This worried me when I started...would I have to wear a skirt? You can just tell people to look at the photos.
Indeedy this information will be going up also.
You already talk about you in the About Pure Salsa page, so it's weird that the "why salsa is for you" page is actually all about you again, and not actually why someone should learn salsa. I know you explain why you've done it this way, but it's confusing. Your story is interesting, but hard to read and quite long. There's a reason newspapers write in columns as sentences running across a big page are hard to read. Condense your text into boxy paragraphs. The sentences you've put boxes around just make it hard to read. You use too much space between sentences means text is hard to scan; if I wasn't reviewing the site I would have stopped reading near the beginning. IMO talk about yourself and your team once, more than that looks big-headed.
I agree formatting still requires work to enhance scanability.
However I don't agree with the issue of subject matter. One short section talking about my qualification to teach is suitable to the school section.
This section is about my personal, subjective experiences to give others an insight into the sort of experiences they themselves might find.
The point is that rather than give the very tired and predictable list of reasons, however developed, you should take up Salsa, to make it personal and grounded in reality.
When people tell their friends about something cool, and why they want to bring them along, they tend to tell them about the great time they had, not the objective/sterile abstracted list of positives. That's my opinion anyway.
Also on style I find the occasional bolded word v annoying and makes it harder to read quickly. Use more headlines and sub headlines to make important points.
I think this might be an issue of personal taste.
You use words that might be confusing ie Scene without explanation.
Hmm perhaps, yes I can scan for language unintuitive to the uninitiated
The history of salsa is nice. You could recommend some tracks or albums that are suitable for beginners ie easy to hear beat, slow enough to practice to at home.
Indeed, something I had in mind for 1.1, so I totally agree.
Thanks again for taking the time to both view and give a constructive critique.
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Thank you all
Version 1.1 on the way!
