Ballroom Dancing Techniques Help You To Dance With Confidence!
As you may know from reading our previous blogs, the key to comfortable, fun, and confident social dancing, from Country dancing to Latin dances like Salsa and Bachata, is strong leading and following skills. Looking great on the dance floor, before learning all of the trendy spins and dips, means establishing confidence as a leader or follower. There are many aspects to this, but one important concept of social ballroom dancing is the “foot follows the frame” rule.
When first learning, beginner social ballroom dancers tend to focus on the steps more than they need to. With so much focus on the feet, steps can be exaggerated and emphasis on what really matters, the connection between two within the dance frame, is lost. With an unsure top half, dancers can look a little awkward or get frustrated because their dancing suddenly feels clumsy or awkward. The key, though, is to think not of the footwork, but rather of the frame! If you move your frame with purpose and surety, your feet will follow suit. Keeping your feet under your frame and maintaining your center of balance is important to looking cool, calm, and collected on the dance floor. If your feet and frame are out of synch and your feet leap out in front of you, your movements will look jerky, on the other hand. If your body’s core is centered over your feet, the support system, your movements will look more flowing and continuous. This will lead to a more relaxed, natural look in your movements and poise.
As a leader in your Country, Latin, Swing or Ballroom dance lessons, perhaps you have heard from your instructor that you need to direct your partner with your upper body and “guide” her with your frame. The frame should be the one doing the driving, turning, and spinning, not the feet. Your partner has no contact with your feet, so a connection cannot be made and communication is therefore lost if you use your lower half. With the upper half, however, your partner can feel your intentions and true leading and following in ballroom dancing, and partner dancing in general, can be achieved. As a follower, you know that you can better understand your partner and feel where they are leading you when the connection and communication are strong through the frame. In the same light, you should let your frame listen to your leader, with your feet following and staying beneath your weight.
It’s definitely not to say that you should only move your upper body and that your feet will magically follow, but rather that you should put the focus on your frame and keep in mind that your feet should follow your frame through all movements. This will help in always maintaining your center of balance.
If you are thinking that the strength of your frame and the synchronicity of your feet and frame could use a little help, ask your dance instructor for assistance in that area in your next dance lesson. Not taking lessons yet? Join Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona for the best social dancing lessons in the Valley! With our unique curriculum and talented instructors, you will get started on the right foot on the path to becoming a confident dancer and have a BLAST doing so! You can begin the fun and excitement of social partner dancing with our Introductory Offer, a full hour of instruction and good times for just $40. Learn a new hobby and make this Summer count with dance lessons at Dance FX Studios.
