Author Archives: Diane

by Ron Montez (excerpted from an article in “American Dancer,” October 2009)

A lot of times, beginners see a lot of dancing around them on TV and at competitions and get confused by the picture that is being produced by the media.

They see the bigness and the emphasis on tricks and choreography. But that image is not really social dance. Social dance is fundamentally an interaction of two people to music. Social dance is not based on trying to show off; it’s based on an interaction between you, your partner and the music. It’s the best way that two people can express themselves.

by Joyce Szili
(Washington, DC area)

Leaders – look where you are going to send your follower before you do so. Do not start a move unless there is room.

Look where you are sending your follower while you are doing so. Another leader may have seen the same empty space that you did. Once you’ve sent your follower there, look around him/her. Protect your follower from collisions.

As a leader, you are in control; therefore, you are responsible.

Every collision your follower suffers is your fault. (Minor bumps on a crowded dance floor are almost unavoidable. I am not talking about those – I am referring to the big collisions.) If you can’t avoid the crash, be considerate and position yourself to take the collision.

Leaders (on the beginner/intermediate levels): the leader’s frame guides the follower’s frame. E.g., if you want the follower to move in a certain direction, the lead must come from moving your own frame.

by Joseph Baker

In general, the leader will look over the follower’s right shoulder and she/he will look over the leader’s right shoulder. The rule is that the nose should follow the toes. For example, in a movement to promenade position, the follower will turn her/his head and look to the right, in the same direction that her/his feet are moving.

by Joseph Baker

The best way for the leader to check his/her posture is by standing with his/her back to a wall and then carrying this straight alignment onto the dance floor.

by Joseph Baker
(excerpted)

It is hard to over-emphasize the importance of the closed dance hold.

One connection point is the leader’s left hand to the followers right hand, palm to palm in an upper-hand clasp, with the fingers and thumbs closed around his/her partner’s hand.

The next and most important connection point is the leader’s right hand on the follower’s back. The follower should position herself/himself so as to ensure that this connection point is maintained.

The third connection point is the follower’s left hand and forearm on the leader’s upper arm.

The final connection point is the body contact. The right half of the leader’s front is in contact with the right half of the follower’s front. The connection begins at the upper thighs and should continue through the diaphragm.

by Dr. Aria Nosratinia

This is, unfortunately, one of the more common breaches of dance etiquette.

This often happens when a dancer stops in the middle of a song to correct his or her partner, or tell him/her how to execute a dance move. Ironically, this error is often committed by individuals who are not fit to teach!

Experienced social dancers dance at the level of their partners. Even for experienced dancers, the social dance floor is not the place to teach or to correct your partner. It is better to concentrate on moves that both partners can do and enjoy.

Unsolicited teaching can be humiliating and takes the fun out of dancing.

by Dr. Aria Nostratinia

Be personable, smile and make eye contact with your partner. Try to project a warm and positive image on the dance floor, even if that is not your personal style or you have had a bad day.

Because of the setting of a social dance, we do not always dance with our favorite partners. This is also not grounds for a cold treatment of the partner. Once one asks for or accepts a dance, it is important to be outwardly positive, even if not feeling exactly enthusiastic.

The social dancer is also well advised to be watchful of an unchecked ego. While a healthy sense of self is helpful in all social interactions, it is more attractive when mixed with an equal dose of modesty.

Don’t let perceived dancing abilities or physical attractiveness go to your head. It is helpful to remember that overestimating once’s dance prowess or attractiveness is quite common.

by Dean Garrish
(southern MD area)

Each dancer has a different level of comfort with sharing his/her space on the social dance floor.

A leader should allow the follower to determine how close she/he wants to be during a dance, regardless of the type of dance or the style of music that’s playing. Leaders should pay attention to their partner’s body language and respect that follower’s dance space.

This is a term that heard when I first started dancing. That is, with the average song length considered to be approximately three minutes (well, okay, lots of salsa and hustle songs are much longer), what you have with a dance partner for the period of that song is a “three-minute relationship.”

So, if you ask (or are asked by) a partner to dance, that is not a request to marry, date or hook up – it is solely a request to share about three minutes of time together on the dance floor.

If you are asked to dance by someone with whom you prefer not to partner or, after beginning that social dance – whether you are a follower or a leader – and it is not going well (for whatever reason), remember that it is only for about three minutes – just smile and get through it.

On the flip side, if it is an enjoyable experience, make the most of that “three-minute relationship” – perhaps you can share other dances!