Do you want to stand out on the dance floor? That would be nice, right? All eyes are on you because you know what you’re doing out there. It’s a very cool feeling! Whether you’re at a holiday party or your favorite Country bar, why not look hot?

“How does one get to looking so hot?”, you may be wondering. Well, there’s no magic pill-that’s for sure, but there are some definite things you can do to shine on the dance floor. Here are some of them.

Dance Skills

Yes! Believe it or not, knowing what you’re actually doing on the dance floor can make you quite attractive. Now you can fake it when everyone’s drunk and no one knows any better, but why pull the wool over everyone’s eyes when you can make the investment in yourself by learning to dance “correctly”.

I put correctly in quotes because, as a trained dancer, I know there are many ways to do a particular dance. For example, depending on where you go Country Two Stepping, the dancers will do their footwork differently. In fact, you may not know this, but there is a Texas Two Step and an Arizona Two Step, even though we are so close to each other. Both are considered Country Two Step dances, both are recognized by Country dancers,  yet each one is unique to the region in which it started.  So, my point is that there is no point in being rigid when we’re talking about a form of expression and art, but there are general standards.

Not to get too off track, but as a side note, there are several variations of Salsa dancing too. Think of these stylistic changes as being dialects within what many call the language of dance. When you go to a particular place, check out what style of Salsa dance they do. It’s interesting to see the slight variations from New York to LA. Pretty cool, right?

At any rate, by taking adult dance lessons in Latin, Country Western, Tango or Swing dancing, you will learn what’s used most in your area, as well as how to dance well. You will discover how to lead or follow, which is a huge part of social partner dancing, so that you can enjoy pairing up with anyone. And you will also know what it means to really know how to dance. Dancing is not about memorizing footsteps, but understanding how your body works. With lessons under your belt, you can demystify partner dancing once and for all, and really look your best on any occasion.

Rhythm

If you want “the moves like Jagger”, you must learn about rhythm. Again, partner dancing, be it Swing, Salsa or the Argentine Tango, is not going to convey well to your partner if you’re simply focusing on what your feet are doing over moving with the music.  Private Dance Lessons will be extremely beneficial for those of you who can’t find the beat in a song. The good news is that anyone can be trained to hear the beat…anyone.

Funny story, about 20 years ago (yes, I’m old) one of my students made me put in writing that I would teach him at no charge if he could not find the beat in a song by the time his 50 hour Private Lesson program was complete. I signed the paper knowing I could get him there. I did it in less than 10 hours! He was blown away with what he could do once he could feel the rhythm! “It’s like all of the pieces have come together!”, he once told me. Yes, dancing with the music and not just to it makes all the difference. 😉

Confidence

Learning really cool dances can take a bit of time, but don’t let that hold you back from going out social dancing, or even watching others. Confidence will come with knowledge and ability, and once you have it, let it shine through! There’s not really anything that I can think of that’s more attractive than a self-assured person. Be that person on the dance floor (and off) and you’re sure to be dancing on it all night long.

One way to “fake it til you make it” is with good posture. You don’t want to necessarily look like a ballroom dancer when you’re out Country dancing, I agree, but stand tall and strut your stuff. Being hunched over is a sign of weakness, and poor posture is horrible when it comes to dancing with someone else. You not only risk banging into your partner by being too close to him/her, but you don’t move as well in general if you’re body is out of alignment. So own what you know and reflect that with good posture.

Be Chivalrous

This may sound old school, and you may even think that we women like to be tossed around like rag dolls, but I can guarantee you that treating a woman with kindness and respect on the dance floor will go a long way. Take care of her. In other words, don’t fling her into other dancers because you think she likes to be spun. Don’t run her into walls because you’re not paying attention to the layout of the room, or what dance move you’re doing within the space you have. Do make her feel safe and comfortable. Ask her for a dance, instead of yanking her out of her chair. You may be one of the few that treat her this way, and that is a very, very good thing.

So now that you know how to look hot on any dance floor? Where are you going to start? Of course you know that I’m going to tell you to take dance lessons first, then everything else will fall into place.

As I mentioned, adult dance lessons are an investment, but can you think of anything more exciting, fun, healthy and romantic than learning to dance? I doubt it. 🙂

Let me know how you to plan to look hot on the dance floor by commenting below. I’d also love to hear what you think is hot in other dancers. Happy dancing!