Hello all,

I've been learning Lindy Hop in London for just over 6 months (I've never danced before). I feel I have progressed from beginner to intermediate I can do quite a few moves including the Lindy Turn, Lindy Circle, and several Charleston variations.

My problem is I don't have enough FUN when I go to a social dance. I've noticed the dancers who really enjoy Lindy Hop play around with it. You can see the laughter in their faces and bodies. I'd love to do this, but don't have the confidence. Often during a dance, I worry about what to do next, and grab my partner for a standard 6-count basic pattern while I think of something else to do. It feels as if I'm literally hanging on.

I would love to be free, to separate from my partner, do some improvisation, and then offer my hand and lead back into partner moves.

I feel I worry too much and the worry gets in the way of the enjoyment. I realise I don't know advanced moves, and I am enjoying learning more - for example, I learned the 'catapult' this week. But I don't want to think that I won't really enjoy dancing until I have doing it for 5 years and know 50 different moves!

I imagine my problem can relate to most dance styles.

Any suggestions or comments welcome.

Going back to basics while you figure out what to do next is very common. Don't worry about it. I used to do that all the time. As you dance more, you'll learn more precedes and follows and have more choices of what to dance after each figure. Then you won't have to go back to basics all the time because you can pick from a few other good following figures. That's basically just knowing what you can do and then practicing them, using the different follows instead of the same one all the time.

I don't know about lindy, but improvising in general usually isn't easy. It's a separate skill in itself. I don't think I can give you tips for that. But I would suggest making sure you have a good grasp of the basics and theory, how steps and figures fit together and why they work in some combinations and not others, that sort of thing. If you really know how the dance is structured and why, then you should be in a much better position to play around with it and do things outside of the standard figures while making them look good (and not like you're just fudging things to get by).

It's hard to tell you how to have fun and enjoy yourself. If you think you're worrying too much, then try not to. Easier said than done, I know. But mistakes are going to happen, you'll bump into couples, miss a lead or something. Give a quick apology if you want (you don't have to do it for every single little slip though) then let it go. Smile (in general) and sort of laugh it off. Try to relax a bit and remember that even if you're trying to do everything correct with great technique and all that, it's still supposed to be enjoyable. Do your best, but don't let trying to be as correct as possible get in the way of enjoying the dance. Having more figures to dance can help, sure, but it's not all there is. If you can dance a few figures well, that's often better than dancing a lot of figures poorly. To help keep things interesting, try to mix up the steps a lot and not do them in the same order all the time. That might not be easy, but try. Think about what figures can precede and follow each other and mix them up when you dance. Maybe chat with your partner a little bit. When you go into a basic step, it hardly takes much thought to dance, right? Well, you can use that time during a basic for something else. Thinking of what you'll do next is one, but you can also have a quick exchange with your partner. And that could be anything, a "how are you", a compliment on a move that was lead/followed well, whatever. You can also try to work off your partner. I find that I usually enjoy a dance more if my partner's into it a bit, giving me some energy and a good connection to work off of. If she's enjoying it, I'll enjoy it more, too.

Hmm, I could probably think of some more if I tried, but that's mainly what's coming to mind right now. I'm not sure if that's of much help or not, but I hope it's of some use to you. Good luck.

I know how you feel. It can be torture to be surrounded by more advanced dancers and feel like you're floundering. But stick with it. It will get more fun as you get more experience. You won't have to wait five years!

One way to take the focus off yourself is to think more about your partner. Is what you're doing making the dance fun for her, too? Most women I know would MUCH rather dance a well-led basic than something fancy that doesn't go as well. And think about her level, too. Even if you could improvise, if she's a beginner, too, and doesn't know how, if you suddenly let go of her, it wouldn't be much fun for her!

But I think the most important thing is to start right now having fun with the steps you know. Even when you know the footwork and can "do the moves," you can always improve your connection and communication with your partner, your musicality (how you respond to the music of that particular song), your style, and so on. Those are the things that the advanced dancers are enjoying, as much or more than just fancy footwork. You can start enjoying those things right now. Next time you do a basic, smile at your partner and try to make your connection with her really work. Be a little playful. Really feel the music. The basic isn't a "desperation move"; it's the foundation of your dance and the best place to start feeling free and having fun.

Some men I know practice before a dance and work out sequences of steps that they can do, so they don't have to decide on the spot what to do next. If you know that, traffic allowing, you're going to do these three steps in a row, that can take the pressure off and let you be in the moment more.