Category: Salsa

How to Satisfy a Dance Festival Crowd

2/17/2017

Latin Dance festivals have been around for more than 20 years now. In that time, they’ve grown from one festival every few months for the whole world, to 4-7 festivals every weekend in different cities around the world, at the same time. Our dance communities have exploded into an international network with dancers demanding more - it's a "buyer's market" with so many options out there. Festivals must meet or exceed those expectations in order thrive, or even just survive. Some events deliver on expectations, the great ones over-deliver, but unfortunately many have not yet delivered on some basic requirements. It takes time and experience to get it right, and every year is a learning experience. Let’s help our event organizers knock it out of the park to make our experiences awesome, and their event as successful as possible.

Make your guests happy and get some FREE promotion! While we know we can't make every dancer happy every time, here’s our "Top 10 ways to satisfy a dance festival crowd" to get you started 😀.

BE ORGANIZED
The #1 complaint is lack of organization. No one said it was easy to organize event, which is why most people don’t bother. It’s a lot of work. A LOT OF WORK, and so much of it can’t even be seen or be appreciated. But heck, if you’re going to step up to the plate and organize a whole dance festival, plan well in advance, get advice from experienced organizers (not just any organizer, but ones who live up to that name of “organizer”), and improve your processes each year. Here’s some heavy hitters that you don’t want to mess up:
1. Share details about the event ASAP – Long gone are the days of one congress a weekend anywhere in the world. So if you want people to choose yours, make it a priority to get relevant information to the masses ASAP (date, venue, artists, workshops etc.) Closer to the event, provide information about parking options, airport shuttles, nearby food options, things to do in your city. Make the logistics easy so they can look forward to the fun!
2. Keep your website clean with current content - This seems self-explanatory yet some websites are so busy/confusing that they lead you on a wild goose chase to find basic information like "when" the event takes place. Make your website a valuable resource, and use technology to your advantage to communicate schedules, headliner info, tickets, competition results etc.
3. Registration & Sign-in process – Make it easy to buy a ticket. Then when guests arrive, make it easy to pick up passes. Today's technology should make easier/faster, right? Not always. If you don’t have a clear process that your staff can follow, your guests will be frustrated before the event event begins. Things like a poorly run registration desks can ruin the reputation of an event.
4. Signage – Make it easy to find the event with well-place signs. Most festivals are held in a hotel, so once inside make it easy for guests to find your event. Large venues often have multiple events going on simultaneously, so put up signs to direct people to YOUR festival. Following salsero-looking people in team jackets can be a good start but what if there's no one to follow? Clearly label "registration desk", “performer green rooms”, social dancing genre rooms for “salsa”, “bachata”, “kizomba”, and don’t forget to post workshop schedules, performer lists etc. Hopefully you see a theme here - “MAKE IT EASY”. People want to dance, learn, socialize, not be put through an obstacle course to find their fun.
PROMOTE HONESTLY
False promotion is obviously dishonest, and that reputation lasts for years (more on dishonesty in another blog). Promote your booked artists on the flyer, not the people who have once performed at some point in the last 7 years. Whether or not intentional, it misleads potential guests if you promote artists who aren't going to be there this year. Maybe the promos were accurate, but the there were unexpected travel issues like visas or other immigration complications at the last minute. Unfortunately, this does happen. Some artists/promoters do good job of posting apology videos to explain what happened. Some guests who were drawn to your event by certain artists have purchased flights, taken time off work, or booked hotel rooms and will be disappointed to say the least. Being honest, sincere and transparent about well-intended mishaps that were out of your control can go a long way. But do prepare for some backlash. Plan early and look into potential challenges.
START ON TIME 🕘
Technically this could go under the “be organized” bucket, but since I’m a punctuality nazi I thought I’d dedicate a whole point to it. I’m still not sure how chronically late people survive in this world, but they somehow make it – irritating many along the way. Schedules keep everyone on the same page. If you can appreciate that your guests chose to come to your event, respect their time so they're not wasting time that could be otherwise spent. If the schedule says the shows start at 9pm, do everything you can to start at 9pm. If the shows start an hour late (for no reason other than disorganization), you’re likely going to lose those customers next year, at least the ones who value punctuality. Of course there’s tons of people who hope you’ll start late because they are never on time either. But that's a low standard to aim for. So decide what kind of event you want to host – a professionally run event that respects people’s time, or an amateur run event whose schedules are mere suggestions.
HAVE FRIENDLY & KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF
Their first impressions are going to last, and those opinions will likely end up on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter in 10 seconds, especially if the experience is horrible. Delegate a knowledgeable, organized, decisive person to oversee your staff. They should be excellent at customer service and representing your event in the best way possible. Put your friendliest people at the welcome desk - people who know how to make others feel welcome, and have a friendly smile and warm personality 😊. If you have that, then you only get half a check mark. Charm can get you so far, but if you want a home run, these friendly people must be competent too. They need to know how to execute an organized process, and they need to do it confidently and efficiently. Don’t just throw your staff into a lion’s den to get eaten alive. Arm them in information and training to do their job well and make things “easy” for your guests. And if possible, label them with "staff" t-shirts so guest can easily find help.
CHECK 1,2,3 - CAN YOU HEAR ME?
So we’re talking about dance festivals. What will there be a lot of, other than dancing? Music, duh! And actually, if there’s no music, there won’t be much dancing either. Unless you're dancing to the drunken sounds in your head, but that’s another topic. Ensuring great sound quality should be pretty basic, however it’s another element that isn’t always taken care of, and it's not cheap 😬. Screechy sounds, high pitched sounds, unbalanced sounds, missing bass, too much of this and not enough of that… or just too loud period. Dancers who are hardcore into music want to hear the nuances of every song and every sound, including voices over the microphone. Don’t rob them of this experience. Please and thank you!
PRODUCE A MEMORABLE SHOW
Take time to organize your shows each night. Choose someone with a creative mind to produce a flow and energy that people can enjoy and remember. I’ve seen some really well produced shows and others that appeared so random, often politically driven. The show is for your audience, your paying customers, so satisfy their desire to be entertained. This might mean making tough decisions.
1. Enforce a time limit for each performance or make exception only AFTER you’ve seen their performance and know that your audience will appreciate the extra time.
2. Quality over quantity: On that note, people today have ADD, and have limited capacity to pay attention to lengthy shows. Pre-screen where possible. Some of the most fun events I’ve been to had less than 10 performances, standing room only. Then the rest of the night was for social dancing. Find ways to give opportunities to "up and comers" but leave big nights for your finest.
3. Coordinate your "show crew". Use tech rehearsals to ensure that the DJ, MC, artists, stage manager and audio visual staff are coordinated/practiced. At a well run event, you likely won't notice how well prepared the "show crew" is. But it will be obvious when they aren't. Prepare each night so that shows run smoothly, even if guests can't appreciate the work involved to achieve it.
HIRE FOR QUALITY & EXPERTISE
1. Hire an excellent MC
  This one is so commonly overlooked, but it’s a huge mistake to make this an afterthought. Consider your MC like any artist who “performs”, except that the he/she probably has more “face time” and “voice time” than any other artist during the weekend. Don’t cheap out on this because a good MC with a magic personality can add a lot of value in ways you wouldn't expect. If you’ve been to the Canada Salsa Congress in Toronto the last few years, you know the impact of a fantastic MC. Angus Dirnbeck is probably one of the best there is. Now, I’m not just saying that because he’s the co-founder of iFreeStyle… LOL (ask around, and you'll hear the same). In all seriousness, he is a true entertainer – witty, funny, charming, has an engaging voice and great microphone technique (a skilled MC is a pro on the mic). He doesn't overstay his welcome on stage or during introductions. He understands his role, and so does the person hiring him. As an aside, being the organizer doesn’t mean you should be the MC too. Many organizers do not take on that role themselves (plus, do you really have time to prepare and do this role justice?). Don’t take this role lightly. A poor choice can ruin an otherwise great event. Research your options and make the investment to hire someone who will enhance the show experience.
2. Hire performers who enjoy social dancing: Another major complaint is hiring headliners don’t social dance. Here’s the scenario: You’ve hired amazing performers who are sure to entertain your audience. You promote the heck out them to draw more people to your event. It works and people from all over the country/world fly in to see them.. and guess what? They want to dance with them too! Yet they are nowhere to be seen on the social dance floor (boo!). Before we make judgments, there are some valid reasons. Here’s one of them: we sometimes try to impress the "superstar" and bust out ever move that we know, sometimes so roughly and erratically that we risk injuring the artist. If that artist is hired to teach, perform, or compete the next day, they don't want social dancing injures to put them out of commission and affect their ability to earn a living as a dancer. So, don’t scare them off the dance floor - take care of your partners (as you should with any dancer) and give them time to rest. Organizers, where possible, give time to your artists to interact with your guests on a social level. Don’t over schedule them. Outside of injury-risk factors or over-scheduling, hire dancers who are great at balancing performing and teaching, AND who genuinely enjoy social dancing and interacting with guests.
3. Hire instructors who are skilled at teaching: It should go without saying that instructors should be skilled at teaching. As we all know, being a great performer or social dancer does not equal great teaching ability. If you hire an artist to perform at event, don’t just assume that their teaching is as good as their performing (and vice versa – some of the most amazing instructors aren’t the best performers, and some don’t perform at all). Do some research, get opinions. And as often as possible, consider travelling and taking workshops yourself to get first-hand experience. Bring those instructors who are skilled at teaching (which is more than just explaining). A well-planned festival has a balance of awesome entertainment and great learning experiences. That workshop schedule – approach it like a designing a show. It can attract guests who are hungry to learn, just like a great performance line-up can attract guests who want to be entertained.
4. Hire DJ's who know how to create an awesome vibe: Most organizers know that hiring good DJ's is important, but there's more to it than that. Your team of DJ's should work together to and create a flow (just like the shows) so everyone doesn't play all "salsa dura" or all "salsa romantica" all night (unless there are dedicated rooms for that). Also, and here's a big one... know your DJ's strengths, tastes and preferences. If someone is a hardcore "traditional bachata" DJ, don't put him/her in the sensual bachata room. Clearly not a good fit, yet it happens. Should DJ's be versatile? Of course! But given a choice, many have a style or preference that they are known for. Make it your job to know what that is because they will likely kick butt in that area. If you have 10 DJ's and 4 different rooms catering to specific genres, you can really take advantage of their expertise in a genre or style, giving that room of dancers a musical experience they won't forget! If there's one room, hire that DJ who is well-versed in all the styles and are skilled in smoothly transitioning from one vibe to the next.
CHOOSE THE HOTEL/VENUE WISELY
Most guests prefer and appreciate when the event and hotel are the same. There are pros and cons to this which we’ll cover in another blog, but from a guest perspective, it’s simply more convenient and doesn’t require additional costs for transportation. Other criteria to consider in choosing the venue/hotel include:
1. Proximity to the airport (and cost to and from venue)
2. Parking options and costs
3. Safety of location
4. Dance space capacity (make sure it can fit the number of expected guests)
5. Quality of dance floors (hardwood for salsa dancing)
6. Ability for the audience to view performances from all areas of the room
7. Reserved floors for the event to avoid noise complaints
8. Proximity to food especially for the late night "hangry" dancers
9. Cleanliness of the hotel rooms
10. Comfort of bed for the few minutes of rest that your guests will try to fit in during the weekend.
  
  Some events have failed on the hotel/venue choice. So consider all the factors. Good luck :)
TO HIRE OR NOT HIRE A BAND
Not every festival has live music. And it's not always necessary. Usually the larger events with big Latin communities will hire bands as concerts for the locals. I've been drawn to some festivals just for the live music line-up, so for the music lovers, it can be a big plus. It sounds strange to create a sub-group of "music lovers" in our dance scene since you'd expect everyone to be a music lover, but everyone is at their own level of music-appreciation. There are dancers out there who couldn't tell you the difference between Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri. A crowd like that may not wholly appreciate a live band. However, it may be your objective to help educate. If you do hire a band, know if you want it to be a "concert" (where they could go off on 25 min rendition with 15 minutes of that on solos from each band member) or if you want the band to perform live music "for the dancers". They aren't always the same thing. And if you advertise incorrectly, you may have some unhappy attendees who complain about song lasting too long for dancing. So some will just leave and return when the band's set is over. A waste of your investment, no? Know your audience, promote clearly and if you're hiring "for dancers", consider providing that direction to the band.
TICKET PRICES
It’s all about value. You may have hired top artists and booked awesome venue, so you're super pumped about it! Someone has to pay for it, right? If you don't have sponsors and need to transfer those expensive cost to your guests, it can easily turn off those in your target market. There’s a certain threshold that people are wiling to pay, and it may be higher for some really outstanding experiences. If your pricing surpasses that threshold because you’ve overspent, re-think your budget and expenses.

And let's not forget to take care of your locals. Often, out of town guests get treated better than the local community. Locals are valuable ambassadors, and without them, there would be no local community. Where possible, work with them, involve them, appreciate them. They’ll be more inclined to promote the event to friends. Locals are excited to experience some "fresh blood" at their local congress so give them reasons to help promote it. Guests who travel to your city also want to experience it – the food, the weather, the sights, and the dancers who make up the community. An event well-attended by the locals speaks volumes!

Kudos to promoters who put in the effort (blood, sweat and tears...literally) to organize festivals with the intention of giving their communities the opportunity to learn, be inspired and entertained by the best in the business, to meet new people and enjoy sharing that with other danceaholics. Great events are not made over night. Nail the basics and you're off to a great start!

How does your local dance festival rate? Did we miss anything? Please comment below!

QUESTION FOR THE READERS: Which festivals around the world over-deliver on these basics?

Author

Caryl Cuizon, iFreeStyle.ca Co-founder

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8 Reasons She Hopes You Won't Ask for a Second Dance

2/12/2017

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We’ve all heard the saying “the follower is at the mercy of the leader”, and to a great extent it’s true. We’re supposed to follow his choice of moves, how and when he wants to do it. And when feels good, it’s oh sooo good – it flows effortlessly, it’s musical, it’s playful and she can’t wait for the next dance. As followers, we seek those leaders who we connect with, who adapt to our skill level but can challenge us, those who share a similar groove, taste for musical style and enjoys interacting with us, not just dancing AT us. Every follower has her own special mix of traits that has her craving for more. It’s not necessarily about being the fanciest, it’s about creating an experience. Hopefully it’s a good experience, but sometimes it’s not 😬. Fellas, there’s some really basic things that will turn off a woman, so pay attention and steer clear of the “Top 8 Reasons She Hopes You Won’t Ask Her for a Second Dance”.

HE DOESN’T MAKE HER FEEL SAFE
When you dance with a woman, she expects you to take care of her and not lead her into dangerous territory or oncoming traffic. While she’s not simply passenger on this ride, as the leader, you’re in charge of the “moves” as well as her safe navigation through the jungle of dancers. When you lead her into other people, you’re not protecting her. So instead of enjoying the dance, she’s in defence mode protecting herself since you aren’t. This is one easy way to lose her trust. You can even make bystanders nervous when they stand or dance near you. If you’re that guy who constantly (and unapologetically) bumps into other people or sling shots your partner into everyone in her path, that’s just scary. The moral of the story here… pay attention, protect her and manage your space!
DRUNK DANCING
Just don’t do it guys. You’ll always be remembered as THAT guy who was so hammered, couldn’t stand up straight, slobbered all over his partner and maybe even puked on her. Gross. We all know that heavy drinking doesn’t mix well with salsa dancing. Maintaining good balance is tough even when you’re 100% sober. But for many, it’s part of the dance experience. It’s social, takes the edge off, gives you some liquid courage to ask women to dance or helps you to let go instead of being a tight a$$ on the dance floor. If you find that you reek of alcohol and are out of control (maybe you aren’t a good judge at that point – so hopefully your friends will help you before you make a fool of yourself), it may be time to just dance shines for the rest of the night if you insist on staying. Remember, friends don’t let friends dance drunk.
IT HURTS TO DANCE WITH HIM
It’s the 21st century and as women we may be independent, but most of us still like to be treated like a lady. Let’s be explicit here…man-handling is a BIG NO-NO. If you have to force a move, then something isn’t right – might be her, you or your connection together. Forcing a move is great way to show a LACK of awareness. Great leaders “listen” to her level of responsiveness and then adapt to it on the fly. If you feel a lot of resistance, take that as a sign. Don’t force it or pile on more moves if she's wobbly and hasn't recovered from the last move. Calmate! To their defence, many leaders may not realize how “rough” their lead can be. If you’re not sure, get feedback from an experienced follower whose opinions and honesty you trust. Shoulder injuries are extremely common for salsa dancers. It does't help that most of us hit the dance floor without stretching, so it’s partly our own fault. Outside of that, many leaders do not know their own strength, or haven’t yet learned how timing, elasticity and frame can eliminate the painful technique of suddenly yanking a girl’s shoulder out of her socket (let’s assume that the we’re talking about responsive followers here). If you focus on connecting with her by using groove, timing and frame you’ll be able to add musical dynamic, quick stops, direction changes all without breaking her arm. Leading smoothly (even during a high energy salsa) is a skill that takes time to develop and it starts with self-awareness.

LISTEN TO HER RESPONSIVENESS when you dance, and you’ll stand out among the sea of schmucks who don’t.
DIVA DANCING
Just like women, men can be divas…sometimes even worse than women. Let’s do a self-check. Here’s some typical male diva behaviours:
1. Wearing sunglasses at night: Unless you forgot your prescription glasses, or lost a contact lens and all you have are your prescription shades, there’s probably no reason for you to dance with sunglasses on in a dark club. It puts up a wall up between you and your partner and can give the impression that you're just too cool to show any expression. You might actually be cool, but really cool guys know how to do this with their dancing and their awesome attitude.
2. Not smiling/looking bored out of your mind: No one wants to feel like you’re doing them a favour by dancing with you. If you’re having a fun dance, why not crack a smile every now and then?
3. Not making eye contact: Making playful eye contact is a great way to create connection and show interest in a dance. Looking away the whole time can project a sense of arrogance, that you’d rather be dancing on your own, or that you can’t wait for this dance to be over. If you’re not a diva, know that this is one of the most common complaints, so check yourself and correct yourself so people don’t get the wrong impression about you.
4. Solo dancing: Generally speaking, salsa is a partner dance. We’ve all been there before – you're in love with a song and you just want to get down. If your partner can’t groove with you, you decide to just disengage so you can enjoy the dance for yourself. Don't leave her stranded. Partner dancing is a conversation, remember?
5. Unsolicited corrections on the dance floor: Unless someone is asking for feedback during a social dance (which really isn't the time or place unless you're okay with it), don't teach on the dance floor. She may not be looking for an assessment and may actually be more experienced than you. And that move that you keep trying to correct her on? It might just be you unclear lead. So think twice before giving her some unsolicited advice about her following or giving her dirty looks when your move doesn't work.
6. Never apologizing for your errors: We all make mistakes on dance floor. Sometimes it's you, sometimes it's her, and sometimes it's external factors like the drunk guy that keeps bumping into you. If it's your mistake, it's nice to hear an "oops, my bad!" to help the other person know that you can recognize when you make a mistake and aren't infallible. Then you can laugh about it and say "no worries"! It keeps the dance light and shows a level of humility.
STARING
I know it seems like we complain about no eye contact, and now we’re here talking about staring 👀. It’s all a fine balance. Dancing is interactive and there’s so much energy, character and feeling in one’s eyes (yet another reason not to wear sunglasses in a club).   Good eye contact can be sexy, flirty, playful and fun 😜 BUT every now and then fellas, you need to look away. And don’t forget to blink. Staring and not blinking is creepy, and is one sure way for her to avoid looking at you. When she’s forced to disengage because your staring is making her feel weird, you’ve just lost connection. Put your eyes back in your socket, remember to blink. Be playful, not creepy.
OFF BEAT
This is a frustration that applies to followers who have good timing, and use that skill to connect with her partner. In the absence of words, music is our common language. Not only does it inspire movement, it provides the very basic elements of the dance like the pace, which in turn dictates the rhythm and speed at which we move. Needless to say, music is crucial when you’re trying to coordinate steps and turn patterns with another person. At the very least, a predictable rhythm is needed to coordinate 2 people. When your steps and rhythm are random, it’s like she's on a wild goose chase. She has no tools to help her understand what you're doing. This is mentally painful. Avoid complicated moves until you have mastered your basic timing and rhythm.
HYGIENE
Some of biggest complaints about male leaders are BO (body odour), bad breath or over-the-top sweatiness (this applies to women too!) We know the drill.. shower, use deodorant, bring extra t-shirts, use mints instead of chewing gum like a cow, maybe use some cologne but don’t overdo it. Don't place her hand on that pool of sweat collecting on your neck, or spin like the Tasmanian Devil, spraying sweat on her like high powered sprinkler. The easy fix? Bring extra t-shirts and a towel, and take some breaks to dry yourself off and freshen up :)
OCTAPUS ARMS (UNSOLICITED GROPING)
We know that most guys started to learn salsa (or bachata or kizomba) to meet girls. #nojudgements #justsaying. There aren’t many environments that make it acceptable to dance so close with a ton of girls in one night and not think anything of it. Having said that it’s not a free-for-all to grope her under the “guise” of “dancing”. While some women are brave enough to be vocal about their discomfort, many women are not. Instead of saying something, they may just avoid you with the hopes that you’ll get the hint. No one wants to have that uncomfortable conversation which might hurt someone’s feelings. Respect her space and pay attention to her comfort level. Be a gentleman. If she gives you a clear green light to get closer, then proceed at your own risk.

Guys, we hope that this list gives you some useful insight! Great leaders are awesome not just because of their technical and artistic ability, but also their spacial awareness and their talent for communicating with their partners without being forceful. And that extra special something....they project an attitude that is confident yet warm, gracious and humble. This is a winning combo that women cannot resist. Let's keep making great experiences on the dance floor!

A huge thank you to all the ladies who contributed to this list :) Did we miss any? Comment below!

Related blogs:
8 Reasons He Won't Ask You for a Second Dance

Author

Caryl Cuizon, iFreeStyle.ca Co-founder

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8 Reasons He Won't Ask You for a Second Dance

1/27/2017

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Ladies… so you think you had a super fun dance with a great dancer. But you wonder why he never asks you for a second dance. Most guys won’t tell you why, but here are some common reasons…

FINGER SQUEEZING
Unfortunately, leaders are subject to the dreaded “finger squeeze” by women supporting their weight and balance by squeezing their partner’s fingers like they’re milking a cow. If you’re a finger squeezer, you’re a potential source of injury for your partner. Make it a priority to improve your balance and own your steps to avoid benching him. Injured men means fewer dances for the rest of us and we don’t want that!
MAC TRUCK & INVISIBLE FOLLOWING
This is not about weight, rather about tension/tone. Achieving a nice, fluid, comfortable connection with your partner is needed to let expression flow freely. When it feels like the leader is basically dancing FOR you (physically dragging you everywhere, keeping your time and balance), it’s a workout. You could be 90 pounds but could be the heaviest follower in the club. Leaders don’t want dance FOR you, they want to dance WITH you. Listen to the music, stay on time, and manage your own balance. Imagine if you had to carry him while he was dancing…for 3-5 minutes. On the other hand, when a follower is too light, she can feel invisible. He feels like he’s chasing you. Kind of like dancing with a ghost... he can see you but he can't feel your presence enough to lead you. (This is not the same as back leading). Whether salsa, bachata, cha cha or Kizomba, there’s a certain level of elasticity needed in your connection for a true lead and follow to happen. When you find that right level of elasticity, you’ll feel like you’re actually dancing together and isn't that what it's all about?
BACK LEADING
Trying to guess what a leader is going to do defeats the purpose of following. And it can ruin the connection you have with your partner. Great followers are awesome at responding to the leader’s….well, lead. Women are often afraid of being behind or missing the lead, but sometimes we think too far ahead and anticipate what’s about to happen. In doing so, you’ll likely miss the lead, interrupt his flow, mess up timing, and ruin your connection. It takes skill to wait for that lead and have that right level of responsiveness. That skill can set apart good followers from awesome followers. Your first job as a follower is to follow. There can be only one driver :) So try not to “guess” what’s going to happen because you’re going to miss the fun of “feeling” what he’s going to do in the moment and where he’s going to take the dance.
HIJACKING
Hijackers take back leading to another level. In the hijacker bucket include:
1. Over-stylers who take every opportunity to ram in every styling element they know in one count of eight, for the whole song whether or not it matches music.
2. Social performers who use excessive energy (often taking down her partner) as they eyeball the crowd and potential onlookers.
3. Self-dippers who propel themselves into dips without a lead from her partner. This is an accident waiting to happen. And can injure your unsuspecting leader.
4. Over-spinners who always try to squeeze in extra turns... just cause. He leads 2, she does 3. He leads 3, she tries to do 6 as he chases her wobbly unspotted spins across the dance floor, ready to catch her totally off beat and unmusical fall.
  
  Don’t be a hijacker. Leaders don’t like dancing with them.
THE WILD HORSE
The wild horse follower usually doesn’t have a good command of timing, musicality or following technique, so she steps randomly with no particular connection to the music or what her partner is leading. She’s might be completely oblivious to this, having a blast in all the randomness, OR possibly freaking out because doesn’t really understand how to follow (yet). The wild horse is one of the most difficult types to lead because you just can’t control her. Her lack of frame means you can’t even help her stay on time unless you put her in a kizomba hold and lock her down. Ladies, if you’re new to dancing, keep it simple and don’t be “extra”. Tip: practice your timing on your own, take some classes, learn shines, listen to music, get feedback from a trusted instructor and keep it simple. If you’re experienced, know your #1 job – to follow, and you’ll build a connection that will allow for more controlled “extra”. While there’s tons of freedom to play with in salsa, there are certain rules that help make it flow, and help your leader know where your weight is. If you’re taking extra steps/missing steps or breaking back on 5.5,6,7.75,8, you’re making your poor leader suffer in confusion. Moral of the story, don’t be a wild horse.
DIVA DANCING
This includes, but is not limited to:
1. not smiling
2. never making eye contact to show interest in the dance
3. looking bored/looking around at other dancers
4. lazy stepping/following like you’re too good for this dance
5. giving negative energy
6. giving looks of disgust when a move doesn’t work/blaming him for everything that doesn’t work
  
  Outside of technique, your attitude could be a turn ON or a turn OFF. Men like confidence, an easy going vibe, a sexy attitude.. but not an “I’m too good for you” attitude. Sometimes it’s simply bad taste, however it's possible that some women don’t know they're doing it. Be a friend and let your best gal friend know if she’s a dancing diva. Whether you’re dancing with a beginner or someone you consider a superstar, it’s good etiquette to give him a positive, happy vibe :)
B.O.
It may seem like women are the ones complaining about bad breath or BO, but it goes both ways. Keep some mints handy (avoid the potential choking from gum chewing), a change of clothes, deodorant and body wipes. Don't make hygiene the reason he doesn't come back for more.
"SECRET" WEAPONS
This category is more about awareness and has nothing to do with actual dance technique, but it’s worth mentioning.
1. Sharp jewelry (great point suggested by several readers): Rings with sharp stones/ edges or flying necklaces can leave your partner feeling like they've been on a battlefield. Similar to the "jump" test we do with our outfits to ensure there aren't any unwanted surprises, test your jewelry on yourself and see how it feels when scratch yourself with it. If you see blood or scratch marks, maybe better to find less dangerous options.
2. Braided ponytail weapons: If you’re planning on dancing where there could be some spinning involved, high braided pony-tails can be considered a weapon. Imagine a stiff, tightly wrapped rope whipping you in the face with every turn. Save that hair-do for Kizomba.

So girls, let's do a self-check every now and then, and make some adjustments as needed. Let your dancing speak for itself and make him want to come back for more! Happy dancing!

Thank you to all the men who shared their stories and opinions over the years! Let's make our dance experiences even better :)

Fellas, did we miss any? Comment below!

Related blogs:8 Reasons She Hopes You Won't Ask for a Second Dance

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Caryl Cuizon, iFreeStyle.ca Co-founder.

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HOW TO BE A BETTER DANCER: Master your Basics

1/6/2017

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(repost from 2014)

We live in the era of instant gratification.
We want to see results ASAP, right now… yesterday even.
We like challenge, but don't let your ego get in the way of your own growth. When it comes to dancing, it’s a bad idea to skip or rush through learning the fundamentals.

If you want to know why, READ ON. While the reasons can apply to dances in general, we’ll focus on the Latin street dances – salsa, bachata, cha cha.

5 REASONS WHY INVESTING TIME IN LEARNING THE BASICS IS A GOOD IDEA
The basic steps, timing, and technique in dance provide a foundation for EVERYTHING that you’re going to learn going forward. With great fundamentals, you’ll acquire knowledge and skills that can serve as “short cuts” to learning new things. You’ll ALREADY understand and can execute the most elementary skills like timing, lead and following technique, weight transfer so you can focus on what’s NEW.

SKIPPING LEVELS AND FAILING TO ACQUIRE SOLID TECHNIQUE = A HOT MESS
It’s so refreshing to meet students who say “I’m interested in learning to dance properly and don’t mind starting from the beginning”. That is someone who understands the value of great fundamentals :) Unfortunately, this is more an exception than the rule. Most people like to be challenged. Being bored doing the same thing is no fun. However, if your goal is to be a better dancer, your time and money are better spent taking a progressive route, building on skills that you learn and put into practice on the dance floor as soon as possible.
RUSHING INTO STYLING WITHOUT SOLID TECHNIQUE = A HOT, AWKWARD MESS
Most ladies can't wait to start learning how to "style", but often it's too early. And leaders are so eager to add flare (speed, complexity) to their dancing without knowing how lead a clear basic or cross body lead in salsa, or hold frame in bachata. Imagine a house built on an uneven foundation – if you try to add new levels, the house is probably so shaky that it's bound to collapse. Similarly, styling without body awareness, timing, coordination, or contra body movement can turn into an awkward situation for both the dancer and anyone watching. We all seek challenge, but take the opportunities to learn and practice great techniques from people who know. There is ample challenge in gaining solid foundations.
LESS IS MORE
While we all crave to learn the latest and greatest, experienced dancers know that intricate moves are built on top of great technique. In the Latin dances there are basic steps, basic timing, and essential partnering techniques required to communicate with each other on the dance floor. Forget styling or fancy moves if you aren’t even dancing together. Step 1 – connect with your partner! And interestingly, many experienced dancers enjoy dancing less “busy”, appreciating great connection and musicality over complexity.
YOU CAN FEEL MESSY BASICS – NO ES BUENO
Most dancers are attracted to the fun and connection they see in Latin dancers – the magic, the sensuality, the way that two complete strangers can move as one on the dance floor. It feels amazing when you have a great connection with someone and can actually feel their lead or follow. It’s heaven on earth. Things like being off time, bouncing, being too strong or invisible can be distracting, not to mention prevent some playful or intricate partner work from being executed well.
IF EXPERIENCED DANCERS VALUE & PRACTICE THEIR BASICS, IT’S NOT TOO BASIC FOR BEGINNERS
It seems that the more experience a dancer has, the more he/she understands that you need to practice to master their basics. In other classical dance styles like ballet or modern, you’ll find dancers with years of experience in the beginner level classes so they can continue to master those elementary skills that they use in more advanced dance moves. In salsa and bachata, it’s not uncommon to see students with less little dance experience trying to ace an advanced class. We all need challenge to keep us interested and motivated, but if you want to be a better dancer, master the basics.

Stay focused on the goal..."To be a better dancer". Be patient. LEARN YOUR BASICS. Practice your basics. Enjoy the rewards in the long term :) You and your partner will thank you for it!

Author

Caryl Cuizon, iFreeStyle.ca co-founder.

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HOW TO BE A BETTER DANCER: Learn Footwork, the Art of “Solo” Dancing

11/29/2016

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Some of you were probably hoping that this wouldn’t be on the list of “HOW TO A BETTER DANCER”. Pero si, it’s definitely on the list. Some of the most admired Latin dancers in the world can throw down and burn the floor with funky, sexy, playful and always musical footwork (otherwise known as "shines" in salsa and cha cha). Needless to say, their talents go beyond just turn patterns. While partner connection is the essence of the Latin dances, evolution has brought other elements that allow for individual freedom of expression.

If you’re thinking “I hate shines!”, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to step up your game, have more fun, and become a more well-rounded dancer!

Coming from an urban dance background, “solo” dancing not only taught me HOW to move, but also WHEN to move, and have the confidence to go for it! So naturally, coming into the Latin dance scene, it wasn’t as scary to learn footwork. But for the millions of people whose first ever dance steps were to Acid (which I still love by the way) or some super slow salsa/cha cha/bachata, dancing on their own isn’t what they signed up for. And for as long as possible, they avoid doing it AT ALL COSTS. Eventually though, it creeps up on you... eventually you'll encounter some really awesome dancers who enjoy a balance of partner work AND time to shine on their own.

By the way "on your own" doesn't mean you forget about your partner! On the contrary, it's an opportunity to groove together without actually holding onto each other. You have both hands available, you can move around each other freely, you can play with hair, jackets, arms, legs, drops... when you can both connect to each other AND the music without a physical lead/follow, it can feel pretty awesome :)

TOP 5 REASONS PEOPLE AVOID SHINES

“I’m afraid”/“I feel naked when I’m dancing on my own.” This one isn’t so hard to understand…many feel self-conscious about how they look when making up their own stuff.
“Isn’t Latin dancing about partner work?” For the most part it is… As mentioned above, the dances have evolved to include solo work or adding footwork to partner work as different ways to express musicality and connection.
“I don’t know when to do it.” When a dancer hasn't yet developed an ear for musicality, what you do, and when you do it might just be totally random. So at first your try it "whenever" even if it isn't particularly musical. Gotta start somewhere - and that's just to try it.
“I feel awkward and uncoordinated dancing on my own". For those who didn't grow up listening to Latin music and dancing with your family at gatherings, Latin movement may not be so natural. The coordination, believe it or not is very natural. Remember that these dances were made on the streets!
“I blank out when I'm left alone and can’t remember what I learned from class.” This is just for lack of practice.. or more accurately, avoiding practicing what you hope you never have to use. Except you can't avoid it.

So let’s try looking at footwork in a different way… If you knew it could help you be a better dancer, would you do it?

8 Ways Foot work/Shines (“solo dancing”) can help you improve your dancing

CONFIDENCE TO DANCE WITHOUT PARTNER: One of the greatest benefits learning footwork is overcoming your fear of breaking OUT of partner work and dancing on your own! Dancing is a mental challenge and a physical one. And gaining confidence to dance on your own is like taking the training wheels off your bike. Once their off, the world is yours!
TIMING: Dancing is about connection. Whether we're talking about partner connection or musical connection, it’s always important to connect to the rhythm and pace of the music. Learning to match your footwork to the beat of the music is a fundamental skill that you typically learn before you attempt dancing with another person. Practice footwork to help drill solid timing and develop the skill of connecting with the beat of the music. Learn to speak the same language first (same timing, coordinated stepping) and your on your way to smooth dancing.
QUALITY OF STEPS – Many dancers think that just "doing the steps" is good enough. In reality, HOW you do your steps becomes more important… how you transfer your weight, how you coordinate your body with your steps. So not is it only a no-no to be late for class (don’t get me started..), don’t come late to class with the intention of missing the footwork warm up because you’re missing out on an important element of your dance training!
SPEED (FAST, SLOW & IN BETWEEN): It takes energy to move body across a floor quickly and on time. And it’s also challenging to take sllllooooooow controlled steps. It starts with your centre and then your feet. Learning to adapt to the different speeds and moods of music takes focused practice. Learning footwork can help challenge your ability to move at different speeds in ways that are controlled and on time.
AGILITY: Great dancers make quick directional changes look easy. Until you try it yourself and realize that it takes a heck of a lot of balance, centering, and clear intention to change directions quickly. Learn and practice a footwork combo that incorporates quick directional changes and be an agility champ!
BALANCE & CENTERING: In partner work, many new dancers and even experienced dancers depend on their partner for balance. And while you may think I’m talking about followers, this goes for you too leaders! If you struggle with spins/turns (which is a tough skill to master), or keeping your balance within partner work, it’s time to practice that stuff on your own. Practice at home, practice at the club on the sidelines, take advantage of the “solo” time on the dance floor
DEVELOP YOUR OWN RHYTHMIC STYLE: Once you’ve learned a bunch of footwork, with practice, you’ll develop a rhythmic style to your dancing. It may be intentional or it may sneak up on you one night at club. Rhythm is part of musicality and every experienced dancer has developed his or her own flow that they express both within partner work and when they seize opportunities to do it on their own.
MUSICALITY: Some of the most musical dancers in salsa, bachata and cha cha are not only comfortable dancing solo, they are liberated by it. Latin music has such a variety of sounds, instrumentation, moods, flavour… Dancing on your own can give the opportunity to explore the nuances of each song without the added challenge of leading or following. The horns, the baseline, the percussion, the piano melody, the vocals, the breaks….. it takes time to master moving to those musical elements. And the better you are at doing it on your own, the more comfortable you’ll be to incorporate into your partner work. So work on YOU and you’ll have much more to give to your partners.

Put that all together and you've just stepped up your dance game both technically and artistically. Challenge yourself with a footwork class by an instructor with great musicality and great teaching ability – whether in salsa, bachata or cha cha. Be not afraid.. embrace the challenges and look forward to the rewards to come!

Author

Caryl Cuizon, iFreeStyle.ca Co-founder.

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From "Wall Flower" to "Dancing Machine" – HOW TO GET MORE DANCES

11/25/2016

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This blog, originally posted back in November 2007, is dedicated to an iFreeStyle student and friend who, like many shy intermediate salsa, bachata and cha cha dancers wanted to know how to “crack the code” on how to get more dances… This one is for you! Enjoy my friend and I hope it helps!

If you’re SHY or NEW to the Latin dance community in your city, it may be scary to ask complete strangers to dance. You might be a beginner (stay tuned for more on that), or you may have been dancing for a while and you don’t understand why experienced dancers aren’t asking you to dance. We all have some insecurities and fears of rejection, but know this… rejection has happens to EVERYONE. The best of the best dancers out there were obviously NOT the best when they started. You’re not alone. And there’s ways to get out of the barren dance experience.

It’s partly a numbers game… The nature of partner dancing requires some sort of explicit or implicit invitation to dance. Many times in one night. Sometimes the answer is “yes”, sometime “no”, or sometimes “later”. We put ourselves out there and rejection is a real possibility. The frequency of this invitation also invites more opportunities for “no’s” and yeah, that might not sound very encouraging. If you want to be a dancing machine instead of a wallflower, prepare to put yourself out there. It’s going to take some courage and know-how to maneuver your way to success, but chances are good that results will come fairly quickly if you give these tips a try.

These 10 tips on HOW TO GET MORE DANCES (applies to both men and women :)

Smile :) This seems pretty basic, but many people don’t realize that they might have a miserable look on their face – frowning, angry, bored, blank… Someone who wants a fun dance is looking for someone who looks happy and fun. Check your misery, diva attitude and stress at the door and get ready to have a good time!
Show welcoming body language. Uncross those arms, face the dance floor, pay attention, stand up, put your drink down… Like #1, your body language can either say “I love dancing!” or “stay away from me”. Be yourself and show your happy, fun loving personality - we're drawn to people with a positive outlook and vibe!
Easy Access (to the dance floor, that is). Be near the perimeter of the dance floor (not ON the dance floor unless you want to get smacked in the head or irritate those dancing). Unless you’re one of the top dancers, most people aren’t going to travel to the other side of a room, behind the plant, or reach across a table to ask you to dance, especially if the person is shy or afraid of getting a “no”. So, make yourself available. Easy access, in this case, is a good thing.
Dance on the sidelines: If you’re not dancing with a partner, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dance or enjoy the music. Many experienced dancers look out for people on the sidelines who show a good sense of rhythm and are enjoying the music. So why not do a bit of advertising? Move to the music and show them you can groove!
Be gracious while you are dancing. Many people pre-select their next dance based not only by dance ability, but also attitude and how they observe people treating his/her partner on the dance floor. There have been many AWESOME leaders I’ve seen on the dance floor who make their partner feel inferior, and that is a BIG TURN OFF. Also, ladies are notorious for giving that dreaded “bored” look. This is a guy’s worst fear. Keep in mind that people may be watching, and a bad attitude towards other people could lose your ticket to a dance with someone awesome, and even worse all of his/her friends.
Thank you partner after each dance. It’s just common courtesy to thank your partner for sharing 3-5 minutes of dancing together. You’ll likely be more memorable and perhaps get an invitation to dance again later.
Put together the best you. Okay, many of you are not going to like this one because it seems shallow. Hear me out…If you put together a great outfit, shoes that look good and feel good, nice hair, smell good… you’re likely going to feel more confident. And people are naturally more attracted to confidence. This doesn’t mean look slutty, or that you need a million $$ outfit with dark shades in a nightclub to look cool. Jut present the best you possible. And when you can back up that up with confident dancing, you’ll be on your way to super-dancing-machine status.
Go out dancing more often. When dancers see you out regularly, they start to recognize you as someone in the community. People naturally connect with people who enjoy similar things. With each new dance, you’ll meet new people and even develop a “favourites” list! Those people know people who know people. It’s networking. Soon you’ll have a new group of dance friends who you can enjoy dancing with on a regular basis. Success!!
Share. If you’re out with your friends, make it a point “share” favourite dancers with each other. You’re getting the endorsement from your friend that you’ll probably enjoy the dance. And it helps to grow your network of people to dance with.
****Be proactive & just ask. This is by far, the easiest and fastest way to transform that barren dance experience to an oasis of dance filled nights. If you want to dance with someone, ASK. Simple. Take control of the situation and go ask them yourself (nicely, of course). And ladies, it’s equal opportunity in the dance world. Gone are the days when men do all the asking (although it’s still nice when he does). So unless you like being a spectator all night, learn to get over it and just ask!

These tips are doable, right? Ultimately, pro-active people get more out of life. So don’t wait. Ask. Give some or all of these tips a shot and see how it goes. Take charge of your night and you may just kick yourself in the butt for allowing yourself so many dance-less nights… Go get’em. Have fun!

Author

Caryl Cuizon, iFreeStyle.ca co-founder.

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Top 10 Reasons to dance SALSA!

11/9/2016

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(originally posted 2007)

If you're considering learning to dance salsa, there's a lot of reasons to take the plunge and just do it! Salsa dancing is one of the most social dances in the world...it's a style of dance accessible by people of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, professions. And if you think you can't dance, think again...!

Here's our TOP 10 reasons why people love to dance salsa...

If you thought club dancing was fun, multiply that fun factor by a zillion. There's a reason for the term "salsaholic"... You just won't be able to resist it!
Salsa dancing gives you the opportunity to meet A LOT (like a lot) of people who love dancing too. Whether you are shy or really outgoing, salsa dancing offers a place for you to connect with tons of people you may never have met .
The music is infectious... With so many influences in salsa music (jazz, afro, urban, folkloric), there's so much variety. It's tough to get bored of salsa music because there's always something to fit every mood!
Salsa dancing offers a great night life! Spice up your date night, create new friendships and maybe meet a new love?
It's a way to de-stress from day to day chaos (without alcohol). Salsa music can move your soul and inspire you to let loose and be creative. Save $$ on drinks and still have a blast!
A big attraction for many people is that salsa is not only cool, but super sensual (if you want it to be, of course). We all have a desire for connection, so some no-strings-attached dances with a few dozen partners a night could be just what the doctor ordered :)
You'll get exercise and won't even realize it. Salsa can be fast, slow, mid tempo...but in all cases, it's the kind of dance that keeps you on your toes! Why not get a workout AND have fun?
Salsa is meant to be danced socially. What you can learn in the classroom ca actually be put into practice at the clubs immediately! You won't have to wait years to start enjoying it.
You learn a new skill to keep your mind and body challenged.
Take your dancing anywhere in the world.. Just about every major city in the world has a salsa dance community. You never have to search too hard to find something to do on a vacation, business trip, or long weekend... salsa is awaiting!

Let the fun, experienced instructors at iFreeStyle.ca Latin Dance School take you on a salsa journey that you only wished you started sooner! We offer 6-week group lessons, drop-in classes, workshops, performance classes and private lessons.

View class schedule

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iFreeStyle.ca Dance Blog

How to Satisfy a Dance Festival Crowd

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8 Reasons She Hopes You Won't Ask for a Second Dance

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8 Reasons He Won't Ask You for a Second Dance

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HOW TO BE A BETTER DANCER: Master your Basics

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HOW TO BE A BETTER DANCER: Learn Footwork, the Art of “Solo” Dancing

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From "Wall Flower" to "Dancing Machine" – HOW TO GET MORE DANCES

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Top 10 Reasons to dance SALSA!

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How to Satisfy a Dance Festival Crowd

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8 Reasons She Hopes You Won't Ask for a Second Dance

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8 Reasons He Won't Ask You for a Second Dance

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HOW TO BE A BETTER DANCER: Master your Basics

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HOW TO BE A BETTER DANCER: Learn Footwork, the Art of “Solo” Dancing

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﻿From "Wall Flower" to "Dancing Machine" – HOW TO GET MORE DANCES

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﻿Top 10 Reasons to dance SALSA!

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From "Wall Flower" to "Dancing Machine" – HOW TO GET MORE DANCES

Top 10 Reasons to dance SALSA!