These tips
will keep you on your toes… and off everyone else's.
Problem: You have no idea what you're doing
(choreography)
Dudes: Don't let it deter you. At a lot of dance places there's a lesson
before free dance starts. If you missed
the lesson, just ask someone who looks like they know what they're doing. It's a win/win/win - that person feels cool
because they're showing you their moves/your dance partner's impressed you want
to learn/ you learn a new move!
Ladies: Follow as well as you can. If a guy's worth his salt, he'll be polite
and not give you a hard time.
Problem: You have no idea what you're doing (dance
etiquette)
Dudes: If you follow these instructions, it is
not unlikely that you'll have girls talking about you behind your back (in the
best way).
1.
Don't be a creepstar. The quickest way
for me to explain this is give a girl some space. Unless you're married to her, engaged to her
or dating her, don't dance like a PBJ sandwich stuck together. It's weird, and we don't like it.
2.
Ask us our name at the beginning and thank us for the dance at the end. Simple.
3.
Take our hand and lead us on and off the dance floor.
4.
Don't ask us to dance 3 songs in a row (unless the whole married/engaged/dating
thing applies). Give us a break and come
back after half an hour or so if you really want to.
5.
Pay attention to steering. It's your job
to not ram us into people, so pay attention to where you're going.
6.
Take breaks for a few basics steps between combos. It's fine if you're a pro, but sometimes we
get dizzy spinning our craniums into muddled confusion.
Ladies: I don't really know if guys will talk
about you (do guys talk to each other?) if you do these things, but I know
they'll appreciate them.
1.
Don't turn them down unless you have a darn good reason. It took them a lot of courage to ask you, so
unless your ankle is broken or he's a total creepstar, dance with the guy.
2.
Laugh it off if he makes mistakes, be gracious.
3.
If he's the best twirler/leader/dipper you've ever danced with, tell him. Be a life giver with your words.
4.
Let him lead. Relax. Chill out.
Have fun.
5.
Wear clothes that make sense for dancing.
Problem: Dancing is dangerous
Dudes: If you're trying a lift/aerial for the first
time, think first - what's the floor made of?
Do I need someone to spot just in case?
Is this girl capable of doing this lift?
If you drop a girl,
it's probably not the end of the world.
Make sure she's all right. Do
what you need to do as far as common sense - 911, don't move her, get her a
glass of water - depending on how hard she fell. Your job is to do the move as accurately and
safely as you can, but it's not all your fault if you drop her. At that level of dancing, she knew what she
was getting herself into.
Ladies: If you dance for a while, you're likely
to get dropped at least once. I can
probably count on one hand the times I've been dropped. Just remember, the guys feel terrible, and you
might bruise. The moral of the story is,
if you don't feel comfortable doing a move, don't do it, or at least make sure
you're on a forgiving surface with a spotter and you're dancing with a
knowledgeable guy.
Problem: Getting from the wallflower wasteland to the
dance floor
Dudes: This is your job. I feel more strongly about this than most
normal people, but you can ask most of my dance friends and they know I
vehemently loathe standing on the wall not dancing. I don't usually ask guys to dance, but I will
now and then. I know that it takes a lot
of guts to ask a girl to dance, so bravo to you. Here's a little tip - girls will almost
always say yes, so remember you're walking into a situation in which you will
most likely be successful. What to
say? If you feel comfortable being
clever or funny, that's fine, but a standard "Would you like to
dance" is always classy and perfectly acceptable.
Ladies: You have two options - ask or be
asked. I belong to the old school and
prefer to be asked to dance, but every now and then I'll ask someone to
dance. If you are waiting to be asked,
location and body language are the keys.
Don't be inaccessible - duh. If
you want to dance, stand close to the dance floor. As for body language, don't look intimidating
- crossed arms, hands on hips, wide stance, disappointed-you-aren't-dancing
face. Chill out and stop being
terrifying.
In sum - relax and
have fun. I realize that things like
dancing get more fun with practice as you figure out what the heck you're doing
out there. There are also people out there
who just don't like to dance. While I
can't exactly understand, I can sort of stretch my imagination because there
are things I don't like - olives being the prime example.
Summer love to you,
unless you live in Australia,
Little Miss Sunshine
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