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3 Dance Tips for Ladies When Dancing With Someone New

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Yessss! That hot guy that has been eyeballing you from the bar has finally asked you to dance! Now is your chance to show him all of those cool moves that you learned in your Salsa dance class, right? Wrong! Let’s explore a few tips from us pros on what it means to be a lady on the dance floor. Whether your doing the Country Two Step or the Latin Bachata, the rules are the same. So ladies, heed our warnings on what not to do once you have been asked to dance for the first time with a man that you don’t know.

1. Don’t Lead Yourself: Talk about making him feel inadequate! While this may not be your “intention”, he will feel like he wants to run for the hills if you pull his man card by leading yourself into all of the cool moves that he should “know”. Remember ladies, on the dance floor, he is in charge. Let him do his thing and figure out what feels right for him. Hey, he got on the dance floor to impress you, so help to build his confidence by making him the leader on the dance floor.

2. Don’t show off-Match His Style: So you know he’s cute and you think that if you shake just a little more in that Salsa dance, he’ll want to dance with you again. This may work for a minute, but remember, you are rolling the dice on this one. Intimidating your partner may again make him feel inadequate and “not good enough” to keep dancing with you. Try to match his style and tone things down until he is ready to take it to the next level. This way, he directs you on the dance floor and not the other way around. We get to be in charge off the dance floor, so throw him a bone and relax girls.

3. Don’t Teach Him His Part: NEVER, EVER teach a guy that you have just barely met how to dance on the floor-in front of everyone. If you really want to be strategic, make him look good by smiling and going with the flow. Teaching a guy that has just built up the courage to ask you to dance is deflating. I know that is not your objective, so why turn your dance into a dance lesson?

It’s tricky to be a lady when it comes to ballroom dancing, including Swing, Latin and Country dancing. We usually have to wait to be asked for a dance, wait for a good leader to approach us, and hope that once we get out on the dance floor that he knows what he’s doing. That’s a lot of pressure for him too, though. Go easy, develop a relationship and over time, maybe suggest a few private dance lessons for that cute beginner dancer. Keep these tips from us to you in mind and send him over to Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona, located just minutes from Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert and Scottsdale, AZ. We will build his confidence in no time so that you can enjoy dancing with him rather than directing him. Better yet, give him a gift card for an introductory dance lesson at Dance FX Studios and join him so that you too can pick up a few pointers on how to develop a partnership with your new man. Dancing will bring you closer, guaranteed, as long as you relax and enjoy the journey.

The Evolution of Country Western Dancing

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Country Western dancing has become increasingly popular over the past few decades. It is widely known as a form of social dancing and encompasses many forms and styles of dance. There are several subtypes of Country dancing, including Country Two Step, Country Swing, Country Waltz, Nite Club 2 Step, West Coast Swing, Country Cha Cha, Line dancing, and more, each having multiple versions themselves. Western dancing can be done in a couple or as a group, with Line dancing. Not only can we teach you these types of dances here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona, we will also give tips on leading and following and dance floor etiquette so as to be comfortable when you go out social dancing.

Now for a history lesson in the interesting story of how Country Western dancing came to be. From the earliest days, dances and music arrived in the United States by way of immigrants. People from widely varying cultures brought their native dances with them when they settled in America. Finding common ground through dancing, diverse peoples came together and demonstrated and shared their cultures on the dance floor. With Westward expansion, the pioneers brought their families and ideologies from the East. Dancing was actually frowned upon in this era, and when not banned altogether, “safe” dances were favored, like polka and pattern dances. The pioneers organized cowboy balls, barn dances, and get-togethers. Those who heard of these events usually came to dance. All these varieties of people and their cultures joined with the ideologies and trends of the time and formed hybrids of all types of dances. These dances stem from those of Polish, German, Jewish, French, Scandinavian, Czech, Russian, and Irish immigrants who joined together at these events.

People danced anywhere they could; in barns, on ranches, even under the stars! A dance that was uniquely “western” grew from those varied roots and became a solid part of the lives of many Americans. People also danced in houses. These house parties were very popular in the 1920s when country music was commercialized. Fiddlers and bands played in the main rooms of the houses and party-goers paid the band every time they took to the floor. We even have “house parties” at Dance FX Studios here in Phoenix, Arizona! With music and dancing just like the pioneers, our events are great way to get social and meet other Country dancers and enjoy time with your partner.

Country Western dancing went more public in the 1930s to the 50s by spreading to roadhouses, dance halls, and county fairs. Dance academies were opening and people were requesting Western music. Western Swing bands like Bob Wills and Texas Play Boys were playing frequently and crowds at dance halls and academies were growing. The Western styling was favored over the Eastern way of dancing because it was smoother and mellower. World War II brought armed forces to the West coast, who grew to love the Country Western routines just as their pioneer predecessors did. Jazz and be-bop were also prominent, and dancers experimented with Western dance styles to the new tunes. Worker migrations and movements of the troops caused country music and dance to trickle throughout the United States and even to countries abroad. Beginning in the 1920s, radio delivered music nationwide. Chicago radio station WLS began broadcasting the “National Barn Dance” in 1924. Various types of music continued to become popular and to spread in the following decades, including rock and roll in the 50s and disco in the 70s. Most of these faded out and made way for Country Western to emerge yet again.

These days, Country Western dancing is as celebrated as ever. Especially here in Arizona, there are venues for Country dancing everywhere. If you just like Country music or are a frequent attendee of the Country bars and want to take your night life to the next level, come take Country dance lessons with us! You will learn the dances that Americans are known for and become a part of the Country craze. You’ll also become aware of how to connect with your dance partner and how to lead or follow correctly. Not only will you become a part of history, your self-confidence will sky rocket! Your social skills will experience a boost, letting you meet more people who share your interests and love of Country. If you already know a gaggle of Country folks, consider yourself the new life of the party.