Salsa, Swing and Two Step- Dance Tips for Couples
“If he could just learn how to lead, I would stop taking over on the dance floor,” she said. “If she would follow me, we could really have fun with this,” he said. As an social ballroom dance instructor for more than 20 years now, I have heard it all over the years. Finger pointing. Fights. Giving up on dance all together, a hobby that can be a game changer for couples and the health of their relationship. What a shame. I always say, “Couples that dance together, stay together,” but the key is getting started on the right foot so that you can enjoy dancing, and not resent it.
Wouldn’t it be fun to go to a wedding and be able to dance when you favorite song is played? How cool would it be to hang out at a Country bar on a Saturday night after a long week at home and work? Social dancing, from Country to Latin to Swing dancing, is a fantastic way to keep the romance alive. All you need now, guys and gals, are a few great tips so you can make couple’s dancing a regular and enjoyable part of your lives. Not a problem! 🙂 Here’s my advice for every couple who wants to dance…
- Take Private Dance Lessons for Two. Dance lessons for couples are the best way to begin your journey into social dancing. With Private Dance Lessons, you’ll have an unbiased third party who can help each of you to understand your role on the dance floor. This is a great start! Once you understand your roles, you will get specific tips on how to lead or follow each new move that you learn. That is very important in enjoy the dance as a whole. With an instructor by your side, you can really see how partner dancing works and make the most of it.
While Private Dance Lessons are more of an investment, you will learn much faster than in any other other way (Group Classes, videos) and be able to go out and have fun dancing sooner. Plus you will have a professional by your side to ask questions to if something doesn’t feel quite right.
Remember, you get what you pay for, so contact an adult dance studio near you to see what they can offer you. Trying a New Student Offer is the best way to see how comfortable you feel in your new learning environment, which will make all the difference in how you progress.
2. Let him lead. Ladies, I beg of you, please let your man lead on the dance floor! If this is a bad habit that you’ve had for years, share it with your dance instructor immediately so that we professionals can focus on making your man a great leader. Back-leading causes problems on so many levels, and for both of you. For you as the follower, you can’t possibly enjoy yourself if you are twirling yourself around the floor and secretly wishing he could do it for you. And you really doing the worst of all by disempowering your man and not letting him learn to lead. There’s nothing better than a great leader on the dance floor, trust me, I have one, but if you don’t give him a chance, you’ll never know how great it feels.
3. Don’t play the blame game. The blame game is old. We all know that we can only change ourselves, so let’s take a minute to look within and see what we can adjust before pointing the finger at our partner. Blaming is not only demotivating, but completely counter-productive in a learning environment. If something doesn’t feel right, try it with your instructor and let him/her see how to make it better.
I will always believe that every couple should learn to dance together. Social dancing is not just romantic, but it helps with teamwork, intimacy, communication and connection. Couples, don’t miss out on partner dancing! With dance lessons, patience and personal responsibility, you can have a hobby that you can enjoy for years to come!
