Here are some tips to remember when social dancing:
1. Don’t Say “No”
Ladies when a man asks you to dance, do not say no! This poor guy has used a huge amount of his courage to ask you.. he has put himself out there..his ego is on the line.. there are people watching.. don’t leave him hanging! If you say no and he happens to have a healthy salsero ego (usually these are rather large), it is quite likely that he will never ask you again…if you do this with enough men, you may run out of partners to dance with… your choice ladies!
Gentlemen, when a lady asks you to dance, she has gone against convention, gotten tired of waiting for you to ask her, gotten tired of waiting around for the men to man up in general, just wants to hit the dance floor, thinks you may help her to enjoy her few minutes on the dance floor, and no she probably doesn’t want to date you… Be a man and dance with her!
2. Be protective!
When you are on the dance floor, gentlemen, it is your job to protect the lady you are dancing with from all the other wild dancing people around you. Protect her from being bumped and jostled or knocked off balance. Most of all protect her from being tread on by another salsero or worse another salsera’s heal! This hurts, and if it happens she will be VERY tempted to walk away and leave you on your own in the middle of the floor, even if it is purely out of pain! Don’t tempt her, protect her!
Ladies, likewise, you need to be aware of where you put down your feet. When you are dancing in a crowded area keep your weight off your heals. This way when (I say when because it will happen some time or other) you accidentally step on someone the pain will be considerably less. You can also take much smaller steps which will minimise the pain you and those around you may otherwise be forced to feel.
3. Don’t be smelly
Shower and put on antiperspirant and something nice smelling and VERY clean clothes, and brush your teeth, before you go dancing. Just do it! No dance can be enjoyed when you are trying to hold your breath!
4. Drink lots
Buy at least one drink from the bar. If every salsero and salsera always only drinks the provided tap water, the venue owners will very quickly get very sick of having you all there, unless they are themselves addicted to salsa. This is not usually the case. So buy a drink (mineral water counts, if you buy two… 🙂 ) and in this way say thank you for having a place to come to and dance with your friends.
5. Don’t drink so much
It is totally legit to say no to dancing with a drunk man or a drunk woman. They will forget what you said by morning! Only dance drunk, if you have proof on YouTube that you are just as spectacular, and in control and aware, when you are drunk as when you are sober. Also when you are drunk it is very likely that your breath stinks, so I’ll point you back to rule #3.
6. Laugh and Smile till it hurts
This is the most important rule of salsa. Enjoy yourself! Have fun, be playful! Be nice and help others enjoy themselves, this will very likely mean that you enjoy yourself more.
Till the new year then…
Happy Dancing Everyone!
Sensagria Dance 