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View Full Version : Pre-Dance Rituals/Superstitions?


ballroomboilergirl
01-01-2004, 03:34 PM
What does everyone do to get ready to dance? Is there a specific ritual you have before you go out social dancing? Do you have any performance/competition superstitions? What do you do to "get in the zone" before you do your thing? I'm curious to see what everyone does! :D

As for me, I am probably one of the most superstitious people you will ever meet. I haven't haven't been dancing long enough yet to develop any set-in-stone rituals, but there are certain things I have noticed myself doing...I always do all my hair and makeup before putting on my outfit (I feel out of order if I don't do it that way...it's strange!), and my partner always puts my left shoe on for me while I'm putting on my right shoe...I guess its some sort of pre-competition bonding ritual Dave and I do :lol:
The night before a competition, I always clean all my jewelry and soak my feet, and spend the evening doing something non-dance related with my partner, such as watching a movie in the hotel....again, some sort of bonding ritual :D I find that doing non-dance related things with my partner helps us trust each other more on the floor and learn to understand each other's nonverbal signals and leads.

Though I haven't developed any serious superstitions yet, some of the more advanced people on my team have ones that are just downright BIZARRE. My pseudo-boyfriend Brian won't get on the floor until he has walked AROUND (not on it!) it at least 4 times; my friend Skye has a lucky penny that she tucks into the left foot of her fishnets; and, in quite possibly the MOST bizarre display of superstition, my friend Tze flips out if he doesn't have Maybelline eyeliner on...we have literally started calling him the "Ballroom Diva" because he refuses to let anyone put any other brand except Maybelline on him! :shock: :? :lol:

Sagitta
01-01-2004, 03:40 PM
Rituals before social dancing? Melted cheese on bread/chocolate icecream, (How's that for healthy eating?), stretching and hydration (a glass or two of water). :? I guess that the food would qualify best as I somehow don't feel quite myself if I haven't had one of those. :)

MadamSamba
01-04-2004, 09:59 AM
I always check that I have my feet on. :lol:

That's about it for now, but I definitely like the idea of walking around the dance floor four times. If I'm not crazy enough to create my own wacky pre-dance routine by year's end, I'm stealing that one, BBG! :)

youngsta
01-04-2004, 10:08 AM
Funny my big social dancing ritual is jamming to music not associated to where I'm going to dance on the way up. When I'm going to my salsa spots I listen to Hip-Hop all the way there. When I'm going to a regular dance club I play Salsa all the way there...strange I know! :lol:

dancersdreamland
01-04-2004, 11:29 AM
Hmm...interesting concepts. Perhaps next time I have a dnace performance I should do something kinda silly to help relieve the tension...

samba ajr
01-05-2004, 11:59 PM
I recently found out that it's bad luck to put your shoes on the bed. This was from an Italian lady who was my roomate at a recent competition. Now I won't put my shoes directly on the bed, but on top of the shoe bag is OK :P