Is it common for a newbie to stare away from his/her partner?

[smoothoperator]

hello salsa dancers,

I just tried out my first ever salsa class, and I loved it. However, I was always afraid to look directly at my partner's face or eyes during dancing. I think part of reason is that I am shy in front of girls. I am only 22 year old and don't have much social experience with girls. But I think the biggest reason is that I did not want to appear disrespectful to my partner (who is a stranger) by looking at their body directly. really want to respect my partner's body. I image my partner as a china glass that I have to be careful with during dancing, but sometimes I just don't know what is good for the partner. So I end up looking away at the instructor throughout the whole dance routine.

Is it normal for a newbie to stare away from his/her partner?

Do female dancers like their male partner to stare at their face/eyes/body directly during dance routin? I

Thanks for everyone advices to the newbie

[waltzgirl]

Staring isn't good. Making some eye contact on and off and smiling is good. But it's pretty typical for beginning leaders to watch the instructor a lot.

It's nice to introduce yourself to each partner who rotates to you. If you have a moment to chat, asking how they became interested in salsa is a good way to break the ice.

[DennisBeach]

I have been dancing for 6 years and I have to many things to glance at to stare at anything. You have to be aware of other dancers, you have have to be aware of different parts of your partner for different manuevers. We also tried maintaining eye contact in some dances and it messes us up. There are points were you can make eye contact and give your partnet a quick smile or approving look.

[Shooshoo]

It's normal to look away when you first start. I remember I used to look at the floor. Now it changes from one dance to another, but I remember when I first started I was so shy.

[sweavo]

Yeah, it sounds natural to me. Dennis has a good point. Most people don't like staring, but relaxed eye contact is fine. The key is to be relaxed, and I think that will come naturally with time. In cultures where we don't usually touch or kiss the opposite sex except in that way, it takes a little while to get used to touching the opposite sex not in that way.

[Sabor]

no staring or glaring anywhere .. either on or off your partner..

casual look is fine.. as u would be looking at somebody u engage in a conversation with..

if she is a pretty lady .. maybe a wink here and there.. lol

[salsamale]

Eye contact is a valuable social skill to have, off and on the dance floor.

Different dances seem to be conducive to different types of eye contact, e.g. salsa vs. merengue vs. bachata. A lot of this has to do with your dance position. An open position, where you are holding your partner's hands, will allow more eye contact. A closed position, where your right hand is supporting her behind her back, will allow less eye contact. Dancing cheek-to-cheek will allow even less eye contact. Obviously, less eye contact is better :).

[noobster]

I have been dancing for 6 years and I have to many things to glance at to stare at anything. You have to be aware of other dancers, you have have to be aware of different parts of your partner for different manuevers. We also tried maintaining eye contact in some dances and it messes us up. There are points were you can make eye contact and give your partnet a quick smile or approving look.

Yeah, I think it is harder in the beginning and in a lesson because you are doing very basic moves, mostly facing each other, and standing still waiting for instruction a lot of the time. You end up with a lot of down-time, which is made worse if you're not yet used to the type of contact required in partner dancing.

I wouldn't *stare*, and for heaven's sake don't look at the girl's *body* (at least not in an obvious way or for extended periods of time). Eye contact interspersed with looking at other things as appropriate (the instructor, your partner's hand, etc.) is good - just as in any casual social interaction.

[tj]

I wouldn't *stare*, and for heaven's sake don't look at the girl's *body* (at least not in an obvious way or for extended periods of time). Eye contact interspersed with looking at other things as appropriate (the instructor, your partner's hand, etc.) is good - just as in any casual social interaction.

Lol! Like the Seinfeld episode, it's like staring at the sun, glance and look away! :wink:

[dansah]

A class environment especially with new students is diffierent from the social dance floor. In a class its helpful for leaders to watch their partners. Not stare or be disrespectful, but practice paying attention. This will help you learn to lead. As you progress, you'll learn to feel your partner's center and she will move in more predictable ways. Right now, you need all the sensory feedback you can get so keep an eye on her. If your partner is also a new dancer, you may look back and she's not there.

[Sagitta]

From personal experience...? I didn't look away. Why? As a newbie I found that making eye contact and playing with the partner made up for a lot of my lack of dance skill/move repertoire etc...Even the advanced ladies didn't mind dancing with me with my smile. Just as nowadays if I see a lady smiling and really enjoying herself...even if a beginner I might dance a second dance straight away and then come back later for another pick-me-up.

Maybe...some newbies look away from me but I make sure to change that. I find that most newbies don't really look away much with me. ;-) Perhaps others have that experience but I don't accept that.

I'll throw in a complex move and they often get messed up and say, "I don't know that."...then I say you don't need to...and get them to look at me and do the move again and it goes a lot better and compliment the lady...encouraging her by saying..see if you just pay attention you just follow...you are a wonderful dancer at heart and you just don't know it... so on so forth.

Then there is the "what's wrong speech"

Then there is the join them in checking out whatever they are checking out move...


:-)

[jenibelle]

Just make sure if you're not looking at your partner you are definitely not looking at the floor!

[quixotedlm]

eye contact is really fun.. but doing it all the time and having a constant unblinking contact can be a pain..

2 exceptions to that rule when i do keep making an eye contact is ... when the chemistry becomes very sensual and the unyeilding eye contact becomes a form of deliberate flirtation..

the other time it works is when i'm constantly watching my partner with a happy grin in my face because we are both enjoying the dance so much, and i'm looking to see if i can keep her focussed on the fact that i'm watching her to subtly throw in a lead that she is bound to miss because she is soo not paying attention.. and if she misses it, it makes for a good laugh, and if she gets it right, the chances are that her eyes would go wide with surprise and we'd both be super pleased that she 'got it' - so in a way, it can be a form of happy game.

[Sagitta]

Just make sure if you're not looking at your partner you are definitely not looking at the floor!Yeah...because my feet are noted for not doing the basic. Might confuse you. ;-) If I note you looking down I'm definitely not doing the basic. :twisted:

[Observador]

When I dance I love to keep eye contact with my partner, but of course not all the time. It is much easier to do some new moves when you keep eye contact with your partner. And salsa is a romantic and sensual dance ;D

[tj]

When I dance I love to keep eye contact with my partner, but of course not all the time. It is much easier to do some new moves when you keep eye contact with your partner. And salsa is a romantic and sensual dance ;D

Welcome to DF, Observador!

[squirrel]

hello salsa dancers,

I just tried out my first ever salsa class, and I loved it. However, I was always afraid to look directly at my partner's face or eyes during dancing. I think part of reason is that I am shy in front of girls. I am only 22 year old and don't have much social experience with girls. But I think the biggest reason is that I did not want to appear disrespectful to my partner (who is a stranger) by looking at their body directly. really want to respect my partner's body. I image my partner as a china glass that I have to be careful with during dancing, but sometimes I just don't know what is good for the partner. So I end up looking away at the instructor throughout the whole dance routine.

Is it normal for a newbie to stare away from his/her partner?

Do female dancers like their male partner to stare at their face/eyes/body directly during dance routin? I

Thanks for everyone advices to the newbie

LOL China glass??? Well... I have some guys in my classes who treat women like that on the dance floor. I don't like it. Respect is fine. But I am not going to break if you touch me and handle me in a manly fashion, rather that as if I were an expensive doll.

[Danish Guy]

Short version: Yes

Welcome to DF

[englezul]

That way of looking at women guarantees you with 99% certainty you won't have women related problems in your life. Because you won't have women in your life period! No woman will ever get turned on if she feels she's cooler than you. Get rid of that mindset.