hey everyone.. I'm a 15 year old girl and i've just started dancing (1 month now lol) and i was wondering if anybody has anytips on any dances that they would like to share. anything would be greatly appreciated
thanks

Hi Sammi,

From a guys perspective . . . or at the very least mine, I offer the following:

-Don't get frustrated (you will!)
-Don't give up (you will say this!)
-Don't have heavy arms (most beginners do this)
-Don't anticipate a "lead" (many do this)
-Don't 'coaster step' (as in the WCS, coming
off on [step] 1 without being led into it)
-Practice, practice, practice
-Watch tapes
-Read motivational materials daily
-Take group lessons until you afford private
lessons
-Learn the basics until they can be done
without thinking about them
-Don't try to get fancy until you can do the
one directly above
-Compete as soon as you can (it will force to
work harder - thus you will improve)
-If you are not ready to compete, go to
competitions to watch and have fun
-Learn the followers footwork
-Keep your frame, don't break it!
-Learn to count music, especially (in some
dances) where 'breaks' are, i.e., 1 and 5, +

There are more, but these things you can do now as a beginner . . .

In the "absolute beginner" classes I've assisted teachers with, the most common problem I've seen young women have is thinking they step on the beat. The guy steps on the beat -- the woman moves only when she feels the man's lead, coming from when HE starts to move. So, in other words -- the woman moves a hair AFTER the beat. A woman (or other Follower) stepping on the beat is either back-leading or anticipating....

thanks so much for your tips.. they've helped heaps! im thinkign of competing (individual) next month but i dont know yet.. ill prolly fall over hehe.. shoes are going to be hard to get used to.. but we'll see what happens!
thanks again!

Sammi-

Wow, I wish I had started ballroom at your age!

I would take Ralph's advice with a grain of salt. A woman does not honestly follow a man's feet. Any good lead progresses to move through his CENTER rather than his feet. As the gentleman bends his knee you are thus led to bend yours, almost in exact unison in fact if you have decent connection. As the gentleman steps on heel, the lady reaches back with a strong toe...as soon as the man begins to articulate onto the flat and ball of the foot the lady also is articulating herself onto the flat and then heel of her own foot. In good dancers this action is so close to the same as to make no difference. Certainly it would be a poor leader and follower indeed who could not commence in a timely enough manner to at least allow the lady to step on the correct count.


My advice on improving....WATCH! You take in amazing details with your eyes that you cannot even be conscious of! Watch good dancers, and you will sometimes pick up their habits even without knowing it. Your mind has a wonderful capacity for shaping your body _slowly_ into an image that is presented to it repetitively. Practice by yourself ALOT! I know many women who won't practice alone and this is a mistake.

Best wishes!

Hey, I'm of the opinion advice should always be taken with a grain of salt. But I'm not sure you're interpreting what I said correctly – for instance, I never said anything about a woman following a man's “feet.” I was merely trying to gear my comments to someone who had only been doing dance (presumably of any kind) for a month. To me, that might mean 4 lessons or less, and she later says she's still not even use to wearing dance shoes – I'm not sure Sammi would be able to appreciate your nuanced reply (yet). However, your profile indicates you're a professional instructor, so I bow to your doubtless superior discernment.

Ralph...no offense meant of course...I thought quite awhile about what she was asking also...beginners always being in tremendously open positions...

Still, if her instructors are good, she should have positive "resistance" (sp?) which would at the least allow her to step on the beat.

I get what you were saying...but I had the same concern...a beginner dancer might get an odd picture in her head. A man stepping on one, the lady always a half a beat behind! Even in beginner groups I teach the basics of spot turns and etc...ladies have to have that half beat ya know

Thanks, M

hey again..
woah.. i was having a hard time understanding what you meant alot of the time.. but i think i've got the basic picture.
I've decided that im going to dance in a comp in two weeks time in individual cha cha. its not too hard i spose and the guy im dancing with is an excellent dancer and leader so that should help a little bit!
thanks for the advice about watching good dancers, i was watching this couple at my classes last week, and even though they are (alot) more advanced than me it helped!
thanks!

Sammi,
I'm a new dancer too. Only a couple of months now. I just wanted to add my own advice from beginner to beginner. Do as much research online and in the library that you can. Sometimes in class it's hard to follow what everyone is talking about since this really is a whole other culture we're talking about here. I've learned so much "Dancer" vocabulary from Ballroom dancing sites as well as how competitions work, how to choose classes, partners, all sorts of things. Plus I've checked every video tape out of the library I can on ballroom dancing and it really helps to watch them. And of course the great people on this forum and others have given me great info too!

Sammi-
As a lead, I've danced with quite a few newcomer women, and I find the same situation over and over again: If a lady has strong core muscles and strong legs, she can pick up almost anything, at a speed that is kind of amazing, actually. So the best thing you could do is work on your posture and work on stregthening your feet and legs. Perhaps you could take Pilates or Yoga or ballet or the like. If you can attain strong posture and strong legs, ballroom will be much easier for you.

Of course, you'll need to be a little patient with us leads, I'm afraid.