Salsa City Forum » Salsa Music and Dance » Not just social dancing

A question for the committed, better dancers.

There are lots of people who just dance socially, and are happy to learn a few bits and pieces. If I want to learn to a high standard - how best to do that in Cardiff? And what for?

How do you motivate yourself to improve? Should you compete or perform in order to do so, or is there another option? In the end is teaching the only thing for a good dancer to do?

Find good partners and please them. That’s the main event as far as I’m concerned. Performing and competing are side issues. Teaching is (mostly) boring.

I agree teaching is not the be all and end all. How do you go about finding a dance partner who shares a desire to improve rather than just a social partner?

That’s quite difficult, because it needs to be someone who is not only interested in improving but someone you feel comfortable and compatible dancing with, and who is on a similar level.

If you find a regular partner it’s also worth getting private lessons, which are far more useful than group lessons. The one which I and my erstwhile partner had with Andy a couple of years ago made for an instant improvement in my dancing.

Tom,

Thanks for that - do many people on here have regular private lessons?

If you want to find people who are looking to improve then try looking for people who are prepared to travel to weekenders or things like that. It’s usually a pretty good sign.

Brendan

Jive,

Although you ask about learning more, let me rephrase your request in a way that may or may not be correct.

How can I enjoy dancing more by improving my skills?

Each and every dancer is dancing “for a reason”, but not necessarily the same reason. Some reasons include:
Learning to Dance
Offsetting stress (work)
Meeting people
Having Fun
Competition. ..

The miraculous thing about this adventure is that, more often than not, all these things can be realized even when the two partners have different motivations. This is true when the approach to dancing is as follows.

Dancers that will keep the world going realize that they must
Grow with the dance (sometimes faster, sometimes slower)
AND
Help others as they grow.

With respect to your question:
You do need something to help you grow to your desired level. This could be accomplished with various means including:
Learning to be a Teacher
Finding a mentor Teacher
Dancing with Beginners to perfect your lead.

I simply encourage you to realize that your enjoyment will be more complete if you balance your growth by giving back to newer dancers. In other words, as you become better, do not choose to dance only with better dancers.. .

There are several paths to your goal. Pick one or many.

By the way, if you choose teaching, sometimes you get stuck thinking you have no time to learn. .. so it’s not the end all

PAS

There’s another, much less altruistic reason for dancing with beginners: quite a lot of them end up getting to be good dancers, and if you helped them when they were beginners they’ll still dance with you when they’re good!

In answer to your question, Jive: not many of us can afford regular private lessons but a few can be really helpful - if I had a regular partner at the moment I’d be looking to get some.

Yes, as a guy I’m beginning to realise that dancing with beginners or girls with slightly less experience than myself is potentially more rewarding for both. The drawback is that progress to improve seems slow!

In contrast, it seems relatively easy for girls/ladies to progress quickly. I still feel inadequate (for want of a better word) to ask a girl to dance who is the same standard as myself especially when the experienced male dancers come to Cuba after the classes and effectively sweep all the improver girls off their feet.

The experienced guys particularly those who are good leaders soon have the improver girls turning this way and that and in no time at all, they look great on the dance floor.

Let me be brief this time,

You will improve greatly (in time) if you get help from those better than you (instructor or partner or teaching).

You will keep the salsa community growing if you help beginners as they get started.

Dancing strictly with experts or beginners doesn’t help you get there faster.