# Any tips for dancing?



## Mae West (Sep 15, 2005)

Hello everyone! I wanted to know if anyone had any tips about going from a non dancer to a halfway decent dancer (other than lessons of course) I want to gain confidence in this area this year and conquer my fear!!


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## eek a mouse (Apr 14, 2010)

Hmm just regular dancing? or like salsa or tango...cause for that you would need lessons. For regular dancing just feel the music hehe...music kinda lets you know what to do....and use a mirror. If you arent comfortable dancing with yourself in front of the mirror then you wont be anywhere else...


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## Kennnie (Oct 21, 2010)

dont step on you partners foot


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## suddenstorm (Feb 2, 2011)

just let your body move to the music.... don't overthink things...just relax and let it happen


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## popeet (Dec 8, 2005)

i agree with sudden, let your body find its way to the music and things will click.

i'm not a dancer, but i like dance classes. i've learned to notice there's a kind of basic starting posture for different dances that help your body experience the music properly, e.g. with flamenco it's _bien sentado_ with arabic dance your pelvis is tucked, and with african dance your knees are almost always softly bent, etc... don't try to put too many embellishments on the dance, making it look fancy comes later, let your body find the basic underlying rhythm first.

are those the kind of tips you were asking for?


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## Think_For_Yourself (Dec 7, 2010)

My advice is don't look down at yourself...lol


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## rymo (Sep 6, 2009)

I have the same question - and please don't say just feel the music. I'm a tall white guy with no rhythm, I don't know what I'm doing.


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## Brightpaperwarewolf (Oct 16, 2008)

suddenstorm said:


> just let your body move to the music.... don't overthink things...just relax and let it happen


Pretty much it. Don't be afraid to look dumb, have fun!


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## tweedyrat (Jan 8, 2011)

Not sure exactly what you're asking but I started taking a step dance class recently which is pretty cool and builds my confidence. One of the reasons I like this kind of dance (besides actually liking it for itself and the kind of music) is that you don't have to have a partner! That has been the main reason I didn't want to do dancing before, lack of partner and not wanting to be paired with a stranger.


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## eek a mouse (Apr 14, 2010)

rymo said:


> I have the same question - and please don't say just feel the music. I'm a tall white guy with no rhythm, I don't know what I'm doing.


Keep at it lol! You can develop rhythm. There is nothing systematic about learning regular dancing.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

I'm a white man who perpetuates the stereotype that (many) white guys can't dance.


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## RenegadeReloaded (Mar 12, 2011)

Basically dancing is moving your body to the rhythm of the music. How u move it it's not that important as long as u keep the pace with the song.

Although I know how to do that I am ashamed that I may look dumb, stupid, out of place, etc etc. Isn't it the same with u ? If not going to a dancing class could really teach u to be pro at dancing, this only if you're not ashamed to express yourself through dancing.:boogie

GL


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## uhhhbrandon (Dec 21, 2010)

Watch this guy and be inspired. He's actually inspired me to get into dancing, not professionally or anything. I just want to be able to dance.


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## josephisaverb (Mar 8, 2011)

I remind myself that no one is really watching me, and if they are they probably have more hangups about dancing than I do...why else would they still be sitting on the sidelines?


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## i just want luv (Feb 13, 2011)

float like the butterfly, buzz like the bee. let the rythm of the beat get ya drunk mon. if all fails, stick n move mon, shall be no laughter after a beatdown.


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## au Lait (Sep 8, 2010)

I am the worst dancer in the history of everything forever.

Remember this the next time you are at a club and take comfort in the fact that you will never be as embarrassingly terrible as me.


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## Atticus (Nov 10, 2003)

I don't usually think that doing anything in particular would signal that I've conquered my anxiety issues or made huge progress. 

Except for dancing.

No real obstacle except for my fervent belief that I'll die on the dance floor if I ever set foot there. I've developed a 6th sense for recognizing events where dancing might break out, and I avoid them. If I ever got even marginally comfortable dancing I would believe in my heart and head that I was all better.


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## Mae West (Sep 15, 2005)

Cool thanks for the advice guys!! Yes I just meant regular dancing nothing like salsa or tango. I'm sick of people making fun of me saying I'm a bad dancer. I remember, the first time I went out with my ex-boyfriend and his sister his sister warned me "he's a bad dancer." Then, without missing a beat, he says to his sister "she's worse." Happy we are not exclusive anymore : )


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## Jessie203 (Feb 20, 2008)

A lot of the advice of just feel the music and go with it is good I agree.
I like to watch youtube videos of dance aswell though. My spanish friend was trying to teach me bachata and I sucked so I went online and figured it out that night and was better next time lol.


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## floatingballoon (Aug 17, 2010)

From someone who had a traumatic experience with dancing and who, now, loves to dance, I would say look at yourself in the mirror while practicing how to dance. Haha. I swear by this.

Go to sites like YouTube, find a song you like to dance to, (maybe) find someone there who's dancing to that particular song (or just any type of dance you're curious about), and start from there. Practice makes perfect.  I had no idea I had some sort of rhythm until I did this.


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## Mae West (Sep 15, 2005)

Cool! Thanks for the advice. I danced at a hockey game the other night and was pretty relaxed.


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## ErichFranz (May 2, 2010)

Watch instructional videos online? Practice. 
If you feel nervous about dancing in public, I think alcohol will help.


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## Ramondo (Feb 16, 2011)

kathy903 said:


> A lot of the advice of just feel the music and go with it is good I agree.
> I like to watch youtube videos of dance aswell though. My spanish friend was trying to teach me bachata and I sucked so I went online and figured it out that night and was better next time lol.


I agree. YouTube is great for learning how to dance. Even with partner dances, you can still practice the steps by yourself before you go out. The thing I like about ballroom dancing is that you have to concentrate on the steps, so you don't really have to talk to your partner at all. It can get a bit embarrassing between dances though, but the funny thing is that a lot of shy people go to dancing classes just for the exposure. I signed up for a 12-week series of tango classes last year. I managed to get to 5 of them, but that's still a success for me.


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## HowToLiveHappily (May 10, 2011)

Here's the way I did it:I took lots of salsa classes. Then I practised at home. Then I took some more classes, and I also hit the clubs.

It took me a long time, with many ups and downs, but I'm very glad I did it.

As for the rhythm: This is a skill we can all learn. I was lucky enough to learn it at such a young age that I don't even remember the process.

Here's my take on it: Just sit down, listen to some song, and try to tap along with the beat. Pay attention to the tempo, and make sure you are neither too slow, nor too fast. Practice.

Then practice some more.

Did I say practice ?

Well, then you may also get up and start moving your body to the beat. Pay attention to the beat and don't be faster, and don't be slower.

Practice.

If you take some classes (like salsa), practice the basic step with the beat. Keep the right tempo.

You get the idea.

One more thing: If you are not having fun with it, you are doing something wrong. It's meant to be fun, so relax.

Don't beat yourself up if you screw up. You're gonna screw up a lot in the beginning. That's a given. Just accept it. You are just fine no matter how much you screw up. Just laugh it off and keep going.

Have fun, and then come back here and tell us all about your great success!

Good luck!


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## ReachinOut (May 10, 2011)

Listen to the music and think about how it makes you feel. Without even thinking about what you are doing try and sway your body to the feeling you get from the music you are listening to. The most important part is connecting with the music. After that its just groovin. And if you are afraid to dance because of what other people might think than you are losing more than just the beat.


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