Beginners tips in Latin dancing in Sydney.

For the guys:  

It is very important how you hold your partner. Your leads should be smooth, gentle and soft. Just enough to guide her through. Not rough, aggressive and sharp. Guys like action, explosions and speed. That doesn’t mean the Ladies like that too. Ladies prefer gentle, caring, soft treatment. Your dancing should emulate this and accommodate to your partner, not yourself.  

Make sure you let her know she looks nice in that dress tonight. Especially when she has made an effort.  

Think about the effect your move or lead has on your partner. Do not force her into the pattern. Guide her, help her, make sure it doesn’t hurt her, or make her feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. You are the sole protector and guardian of her on the dance floor, so make sure she is not crashing into other people because of your patterns or that others will crash into her. That doesn’t mean you should get into a fight for her too, that would make things worse. Sydney Latin dancing is a happy environment, no space for angry people who like to fight.  

Do not stare at your partner too much as she might feel uncomfortable and get the wrong impression from you. Give her a gentle smile every now and then reminding her that you are taking good care of her while she dances with you.  

Helping your partner to enjoy the dance, making her feel comfortable, caring and protecting her makes you a gentleman, even if you are still not amongst the best dancers, she will enjoy the experience and notice the difference from other dancers who do not care. Being a Gentleman always goes a long way.  

While you dance with your partner, from the moment you ask her to dance, she should be your entire Universe, your complete focus and undivided attention. Your job is to make her look good. By doing that, you will make yourself look good, because as she spins, people will watch how beautiful she looks dancing, and they will observe who is leading her. And that will be you. Therefore other girls will also ask you to dance too, as they will want to look as good as her.  

When you dance with your next partner, again, she is your entire Universe...and on, and on it goes.    

For the Ladies:  

Be patient. Female dancers always learn much faster than men, it is very obvious so while you are waiting on the guys to become better, practice on your following skills, which are essential.  

Always wait for the gentlemen to lead you, then move in the direction he leads you. Even if it’s wrong, as you are creating a habit of following. Helping the guy out will create more harm than good for both of you, as he will become dependent on that help from other girls too and not learn how to lead; and you will become the leader and not be able to dance properly when a good dancer comes along. Muscle memory needs to be built up over time for you to be able to follow complicated patterns without even knowing them.  

The guy’s job is to learn intricate patterns and the way to lead them for you so you can do them with ease. This will only work if you have a skill of knowing how to follow. Following is not an intellectual understanding of what you have to do, but more the experience of your body knowing precisely how to wait and deliver the move at the same time the guy leads you into it. This way you both move on the dance floor as one unit together, floating and gliding with harmonious movement. This is the highest feeling in dancing and it is the one we all search for when we dance with a partner.  

Regardless of weight, you could feel very heavy or very light to your partner on the dance floor. Make sure you have good connection through your hands to feel each lead but at the same tim feeling very light so he doesn’t have to drag you around the floor as they don’t like that, its too much effort for them!  

It is very important to smile, as he will think you are having fun and we will try is hardest with the skills he has to impress you. If you don’t, he’ll probably think you are bored, or he is doing something wrong. He’ll get worried and won’t perform at his best.  

Above all, respect yourself, use common sense. Some guys go to Latin dancing in Sydney for the wrong reasons, which is not just for dancing. If you feel uncomfortable or think that whatever he is doing might not feel right, then speak up, let him know. Common sense can go a long way, and even if it is a good dancer or a South American saying this is the way we do it in Latin America, it doesn’t mean you have to put up with it. Do not let yourself be disrespected and only allow what you feel is right and correct for you. Your own standards should be respected.  

Enjoy the Sydney Latin Dancing experience.