Have you been thinking about learning to Country dance? Does taking Salsa lessons sound like a blast? Is Swing dancing something you have always wanted to do? If you answered “Yes!” to any of these questions, let the fun begin!!!

Chances are, you have been thinking about learning to social dance as a new hobby for quite some time. It has even been on your bucket list, thanks to iconic movies like Dirty Dancing and Grease. There’s truly no better time than now to get started! After all, the sooner you begin, the sooner you can get off the sidelines and onto that dance floor. No longer will you be that guy or gal that is propped up against the bar while everyone else is enjoying each other on the dance floor.

Now that you’re ready to pull the trigger and make your dreams of becoming a confident dancer a reality, let me guide you with three helpful things to consider when learning to social dance.

First, choose your dances wisely. While it would be great to know every dance, I recommend starting with three. A fast, medium and slow tempo dance is sufficient in the beginning stages of learning to ballroom dance. If you mainly hang out a Country bars because you’re a Country music fan, as an example, start by letting your dance instructor know. Ask for his/her suggestion on the top three Country dances to explore. I would tell you to go ahead with the Country Two Step, Country Swing and Nite Club Two Step as your main dances to learn. From there, we can explore other exciting styles like West Coast Swing, Country Waltz and even Line Dancing, but one thing at a time… Focusing on one dance at a time is not a great idea, and neither is going to the opposite extreme by overloading yourself with too many styles.

Next, take the shortest route and get the fastest results by taking Private Dance Lessons. Whether you’re discovering Country, Swing or Latin dancing, you will need one-on-one dance instruction to really understand the details of how to lead, follow and connect with a dance partner. These details cannot be taught in a group setting with multiple people all at different levels and with different learning styles, but with private instruction, you can have your lesson tailored to you.

Lastly, be patient with yourself as you learn. Taking on partner dancing as an adult is a wonderful hobby and will provide an outlet for meeting new friends, relieving stress and having fun, but it does take more than a lesson or two to get to that point. Give yourself the amount of time you would to learn a new language, or pick up an instrument as you learn. It can take a few months, or maybe longer to get in your muscle memory. Once you have it though, you will know how to dance comfortably and naturally for the rest of your life.

Knowing how to social dance is challenging, exciting, and mainly, rewarding! Give yourself time to go through the process and you will have a skill that will keep your social calendar filled for years to come. Happy dancing!