It’s fair to say that Dancing with the Stars has a lot to answer for, both good and bad. The great good is that it has helped repopularize the idea that dancing should be more than just shuffling from foot to foot and that yes, it can actually be cool for even the most macho of men to learn to dance properly and master a discipline like salsa or bachatta.
The bad however is that it has set up a mindset for some guys that the only type of dancer women really want to hit the dance floor with is a bloke who can stack up to the likes of Damian Whitewood or Carmello Pizzino, and that no ordinary, still learning dancer will do. This leads these men to lose confidence in the idea of dancing and of ever actually impressing a lady with their skills.
That is all nonsense of course, as in reality most ladies really are just impressed with the fact a bloke is even trying to learn to dance instead of propping up a bar with his mates every night. There are however certain things that will especially impress any woman you whirl onto the dance floor for a little salsa time. Here are five of the most important:
Decisiveness
The same rules apply to dancing as they do to dating in many ways. A failure to be decisive on the dance floor is the equivalent of the date killer “oh I don’t know, what do you want to do?”. Be prepared to demonstrate decisiveness and you’ll help ensure that you get that second (and third) dance.
Sensitivity
This is not a license to become an emotional wreck but think of it in these terms; Latin dance is a lot like a conversation set to music and the last thing you should ever do is yell. Sure she said she was looking for a ‘strong lead’ but being thrown around the dance floor like a rag doll was certainly not what she had in mind. Assertive is, for a guy in a discipline like salsa, a good thing, but it has to be done in the right way.
A Little Room
Dancing close in a very small area of ‘personal space’ is a bit like working in a windowless office, it needs air! And in Latin dance spins, turns and rotations are your partner’s air so do remember to open things up so she doesn’t feel stifled.
A Little Mystery
Salsa and bachatta are rather dramatic, romantic and exciting dance disciplines so a little air of mystery only adds to it all. Being clear on the dance floor is a must but repeating the same thing over and over again is predictable and boring. Draw on your growing knowledge of dance to change things up a little unexpectedly and it’s far more likely she’ll be watching your every move (in a good way.)
Fun
In the end dancing should be all about having fun. It’s great to be technically excellent but if you begin to dance like a robot in order to make sure you are doing so then it all stops being very enjoyable, becomes a drag and is no fun for anyone, not for a partner and not even for you. And in fact, the more fun you have the easier the whole dance thing will get.
