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HOW TO BECOME A BETTER DANCER:  SOCIAL DANCING

1/25/2019

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If you’re a Latin danceaholic, your first few experiences watching two people tear it up on the dance floor probably got you hooked.  You might have been enticed by the sensuality, the rawness, the fun, the partner connection, the music, or simply how cool they looked…

  1. “It looks like so much fun!”
  2. “I love the music!”
  3.  “I NEED to know how to do this and impress my friends”
  4.  “If he can dance with so many hot girls, so can I!”
  5. “Look at those awesome shoes! I want to dance in those shoes!”

So you started taking classes, picked up some moves from YouTube, tried club classes and left right after.  But it wasn’t enough to get good.  Why?  Social dancing is simply an essential part of your dance training.  Let’s say you’re not in it to be a professional dancer, so you’re not trying to “train”, you’re just in it for fun.  Hopefully everyone is in it for the fun since most people don’t get paid to do it.  HOWEVER, salsa, bachata and cha cha are primarily danced with a partner.  Which means what YOU do affects someone else.  If you’re off time, rough as a leader, lazy as a follower, YOU are affecting someone else’s experience.  For that reason, it’s important to care about how YOU move.  If you don’t want that kind of responsibility, then choose a partner-less dance genre where you can go buck wild and not hurt anyone else with your fabulous solo work 😜

While in many Latin countries, locals grow up with the music and culture, most any non-Latin Americans learned to dance outside their home, namely through formal classes. One of the biggest benefits of classes is feedback and practice with different people to prepare you for the social dance floor.  Here’s the order of operation:

STEP #1 – Take group classes and/or privates to learn how to dance, and get feedback by trusted instructors.
STEP #2 – Go out to a social/practice session/club and put those moves into practice. Start to build a level of sensitivity to leading/following others.  Adjust, revise, improve.  Have fun and meet new people along the way. 

REPEAT.

While Step #1 alone doesn’t typically build great dancers, taking the time to learn basics builds a foundation for great dancing.  And getting feedback is extremely valuable if you hope to improve.  You’ll find that all levels, even world champions and experienced social dancers have coaches to help them become smoother "movers",  more musical, clearer as a lead/follow. 

 Step #2 is the next essential part of a dancer’s progress to greatness. What you learn, must be put into practice. Mistakes will be made, and that’s okay.  It’s part of the journey and every dancer will go through it (pretty much forever).  This isn’t like Calculus homework.  There isn’t “one” right answer.  It’s about discovering your voice as a dancer, which is just as unique as you are.  First and foremost, remember that Latin dances meant to be danced SOCIALLY.  That’s the best part!  You'll meet people, create new friendships, laugh, connect and feel a sense of freedom that you’ve never felt before.  It takes time and practice to feel the essence of each dance style and to find your voice.  There will be bumps along the way but the results will be worth it!   

Here are 5 ways social dancing can help you becoming a better dancer.


  1. IT TESTS YOUR SKILLS  
    Like any new skill, mastering it required requires real practice time.  One of the greatest things about dancing salsa, bachata, or cha cha is that practicing is FUN! I’ve had students that wanted to wait until they got really good before trying to social dance.  Reality check... it's nog going to happen that way.  Dancing with the same people who know all your moves/following people whose moves you know will limit you.  Great dancers are skilled at dancing with anyone – remember it’s not about the “moves”.  Musicality and connection can take a dance in many directions and the truly "free" will use their well-practiced technique to play and dance “outside the box”. 

  2. IT DEVELOPS YOUR MUSICALITY (IF YOU OPEN YOUR EARS)
    Dancing is not just about "what you do" but "when" and "how" you do it.  
    A common quality in great dancers is musicality (the "when").  Exposure to a variety of music will definitely help your musicality.  It’s one thing to listen to a lot of music in the car or at home.It’s another to react to the music with your body.  Take the time open your ears to hear and feel fit’s flavour, the instrumentation, it’s mood, it’s soul.  Be an active listener of music, instead of just using music as a metronome.  Then learning to move with the music can greatly improve your own musicality.  And in dancing with others and watching others, you can absorb new ways of hearing music and expressing yourself musically.  


  3. IT PROVIDES AN OUTLET TO EXPRESS YOURSELF 
    Dance is an art form.  And there’s endless ways to express yourself to music.  Social dancing exposes you to the styles of others in partner work, foot work, styling or playfulness!  On a day to day basis, many of us may feel constrained by "rules" whether at work or home.  Dance gives us that chance to let your hair down (so to speak) and move to music that inspires us!


  4. IT HELPS DEVELOP BETTER BODY MOVEMENT 
    The ironic thing about having "natural" Latin body movement is that does not come so "naturally" to everyone.  Often it's a result of overthinking, trying to be "perfect" or simply lack of body awareness. Luckily   technique can be learned.  Street dances emerge in response to the "times", the culture and and innate need for humans to express themselves physically to rhythms and melodies.  Learning about the music, instruments, the culture and history can help develop that "natural" Latin movement.   Social dancing provides that opportunity to apply movement to music, and in doing so helps to develop your stylistic identity (which by the way, will continuously evolve as you grow as a dancer).  


  5. IT HELPS YOU DISCOVER YOURSELF 
    This one sounds kind of flakey, but.... like our fashion sense, our humour, how we talk, we all have our own dance style.  We’ll be influenced by who taught us, what we see on a regular basis, our music and stylistic preferences.  And it’s something that is usually discovered on the social dance floor from many hours of fun (practice) dancing.  Enjoy the process.  Be a sponge and learn from instructors whose style you admire, and who possess the skills to teach you. 
 
Get yourself social dancing as soon as possible to gain inspiration of what’s to come.  Being in an environment where there are others who enjoy dancing too can keep the fuelling your fire for dancing. 
Feel the vibe of the Latin dance culture and take full advantage of the social nature inherent in Latin dances.  Watch, admire, absorb, and enjoy!  Watching can be fun, but it’s even more fun to dance!  #LetYourBodySpeak
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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”.
 
  1. 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!


  2. 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. 


  3. 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. 


  4. 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. 

  5. 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. 
    ​     
  6. 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 m
    astered your basic timing and rhythm.


  7. 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 :) 


  8. 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…
 
  1. 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!


  2. 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?


  3. 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.  


  4. 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.  
      ​
  5. 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.  


  6. 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 :)


  7. 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. 


  8. "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


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 :)


  1. 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!

  2. 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!

  3. 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.

  4. 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!

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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!!

  9. 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.

  10. ****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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    Author

    Various authors including Caryl Cuizon, co-founder of iFreeStyle.ca Latin Dance Company.

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693 Bloor Street West (on Clinton St.) - downstairs
Toronto, Ontario

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