In my free time, I make myself available to help instructors at a dance school here in the city where I live. I’m something of a utility player: I dance both as a leader and as a follower, depending on what’s needed. On one occasion in particular, while I was dancing as a follower, a guy told me I dance better than many of the girls in the class. Although his was a compliment, I believe that comparing fellow students reflects a “wrong” mindset in dance courses.
DJ for a night
I am not a DJ. A few days ago, I was invited to collaborate with a local dance school for a social dance event. My task: to take care of the music. I am always happy to contribute to the city’s dance community, so I accepted with enthusiasm. Being a DJ is not difficult; the hard part is doing it well. Anyone can play the most popular songs; the more challenging part is creating an original and unique playlist.
Embrace the difficulties of beginners
A few days ago, I came across an interesting reel on a social network. In this reel, a couple of instructors were showing three common “mistakes”, as they called them, of beginners. In one of them, the leader was looking at his feet until the follower asked with sarcasm, “Have you lost something?” and he replied, “I lost the figure…”. I found that reel very annoying because my belief is that instructors should embrace beginners’ difficulties and not make fun of them nor put pressure on them with arrogance in any way.
Burnout and Satiety: losing the passion for dance
Among friends, we often joke that dancing is like a drug and count down the days until the next opportunity to dance. It has now been more than 15 years of passion, shared with my best friends, some of whom have fallen by the wayside. Some have started families, others have lost their jobs, and some have moved away. But there are also those who, after much effort, have lost their passion, and in this article I want to talk to you about this phenomenon of seemingly sudden loss of enthusiasm.
Are you really connecting or just showing off?
Social an couple dancing is open to everyone, and its philosophy is inspired by… socializing through dancing! You dance in couples, so it is important for the couple to establish a dialogue, i.e., communication and a relationship that is enjoyable for both partners.
Style classes: what you don’t want you to be told
Style classes are an increasingly central component in the dancers’ journey. Style intrigues, fascinates, seduces. Once rooted in culture and symbolism, Style has changed significantly with the mass popularization of dance, often creating misunderstandings between seasoned dancers and newcomers in the community.
Has the level of dancing really dropped over time?
In recent years, within the world of Cuban Salsa – and more specifically in the realm of social dancing – a perception has emerged of a general decline in the overall level of dancing. The phenomenon affects dancers of all skill levels. Many enthusiasts argue that dance classes are becoming increasingly less rigorous, and that up-and-coming dancers want “everything immediately, with minimal effort”, thus failing to develop a solid technical foundation as dancers once did. Is this just a perception, or is there some truth to it? Let’s try to dive into it!
To feel comfortable while dancing: 3 things you need to know
If you’ve been dancing for a short time, say a year or even less, you probably want to improve quickly. You’re not alone – indeed, there are many of you with the same goal. That’s why I thought I’d write a few lines that I hope will help you find your way.
International Dance Day
Dance is the language of the body, a universal and authentic form of expression. It unites rather than divide; it has no barriers or borders. That is why every year we celebrate an International Day dedicated to dance, which falls on April 29th. It is a special opportunity for us dancers to pay tribute to it, and we do so, of course, by dancing!
Don’t be afraid to dance with someone more experienced: everyone likes beginners (really!)
Some beginners feel intimidated in dancing with someone who’s already very skilled. They fear they’ll have to get all the steps right, that they must never make a mistake, that they might bore the other person or end up dancing with someone who makes them feel inadequate. But the spirit of social dancing actually encourages dancers of all levels to mix and mingle, because the ultimate goal is to have fun and connect with others. This is especially true for those who are more experienced – they approach dancing from a completely different perspective.