Secrets to a successful dance relationship.....?

[salsachinita]

A few related thread lead me to post this one, just to sum things up & for those who are in a dance relationship to share their secrets with the rest of us :wink: ....!

I realised there are a few elements involved which might change the dynamics somehow:

1. Whether the couple are professional partners, teaching/competing together.
2. One of the couple is professional, partnering someone else, teaching or competing.
3. Both of the couple serious social dancers, but no professional commitments anywhere.
4. Taking into consideration of course, the culture/dance itself (ie. salsa would have a very different culture, say, to ballroom)

I was originally going to post this thread in 'salsa', but it might be better off being here under 'general'.

Please share your secrets/stories/experiences here........

[jenibelle]

Hmmm.... If one of the couple teaches and the other is still learning (in his class, no less) then....

Then you can keep the relationship a complete secret so no one finds out!! 8)

Besides, people can be very detrimental to one's relationship...

Jeni

[SDsalsaguy]

Sorry that I'm off topic salsachinitta, but... great to see you Jenibelle! :D

Where've you been hiding anyway? :lol:

[NeoDevin]

If either or both partners have difficulties putting their egos aside, it can make for some very frustrating dancing, especially if there is a difference in skill levels or learning speeds.

[jenibelle]

Why on the dance floor of course!
(had my 6th month anniversary with salsa dancing the other day :) :) )

No really, I have been lurking lately...when exams are done i'll post more :-)
Great to see you too SDsalsaguy!
Jeni

[dancingdragon]

I met my bf through dancing and he had been dancing for over a year already - mostly Latin, but he'd been doing ballroom for about 3 months. So it was really great that he already knew what he was doing, it helped me learn really quickly. However, now I've caught up so fast and actually feel that I am surpassing him in the ballroom stakes (in all modesty! I just pick it up more quickly) so that puts some strain on our relationship - he's always been the one that knew stuff and was in the driving seat, and now I think he feels a bit inadequate. Sometimes we have fallings out over who's "in the wrong" and he finds it hard to admit that I know just as much as he does :? He's still streets ahead of me in Latin though.

He has done a lot of competitions, and I am about to do my first one next month. We had a bit of a tiff over that already because he signed up with another girl to partner him - someone who is at a lower level but has competed before, even though he knew I wanted to start competing this year! Hmmm, this could make a whole other thread! So yeah, I guess competitive rather than social dancing puts a whole new spin on the relationship. Suddenly it's more than just a bit of fun ...

[salsachinita]

Ok, guys, this thread is meant to be full of advice/tips from those who are in a relationship, so the rest of us can learn from you :wink: ....!

Vince.....? Boriken.....? Anyone else...?

[Vince A]

Ok . . . here goes . . .

1. Whether the couple are professional partners, teaching/competing together.
We teach together, and we used to compete separately with "other" partners

2. One of the couple is professional, partnering someone else, teaching or competing.
Carolyn now competes and I no longer do. She sometimes will have to travel to an event without me going, and I trust both of them 100%.

3. Both of the couple serious social dancers, but no professional commitments anywhere.
We both are very "social" dancers too. We dance everywhere and all the time . . . everyplace that's ever been mentioned in the DFs . . . stores, grocery store lines and aisles, the swimming pool, the car, the shower, er, sorry- TMI), etc!

4. Taking into consideration of course, the culture/dance itself (ie. salsa would have a very different culture, say, to ballroom)
If you mean, does one do a certain dance and the other does not? Well then in our relationship, the other would learn the dance that the other is interested in . . . for example, I don't Salsa at all . . . kinda just learning, while Care follows well, so she doesn't have any trouble with Salsa. She loves "doing it" . . . the dance . . . and asked me if I would learn. Absolutely.

if one person in a relationship is a dancer and the other is not, I would bet that sooner or later the dancer would give up dancing or the relationship would be in jeopardy . . . the non-dancer rarely gives in and learns to dance well . . . this is my opinion only . . . in ten years of competing, I've seen way too much! Nonetheless, I bet . . . there are other versions of those visions still out there yet to be seen!

I actually have much more to say on this subject, but will wait my turn.

PS. I had a totally different version of this, but when I hit submit . . . it disappeared, so instead of re-writing that story, I answered "salsachinitas" questions . . .

[salsachinita]

I actually have much more to say on this subject, but will wait my turn.

Please go ahead.........

PS. I had a totally different version of this, but when I hit submit . . . it disappeared, so instead of re-writing that story, I answered "salsachinitas" questions . . .

Yep, it used to drive me nuts too when my whole story disappears....so now I highlight & copy the whole thing before I hit submit......it works....

Please share your versions of the story........my little thing was only there in an effort to generate discussion.......

I knew you have mention a complete lack of jealousy. Is it the single most important factor....?

[Taita]

Interesting....

What exactly is a 'dance relationship'. This thread could potentially be very interesting, however, I am unclear on what you are asking for.

....back to lurk mode...

[salsachinita]

Dance relationship = a relationship of romantic nature where both or one partner is a dancer (professionally or socially).

Anyone else like to add to this definition....?

[DancePoet]

"Dance relationship" could mean different things to different people.

I realize this thread is refering to dance relationships where there is a "romantic" interest involved. Yet I have relationships with my current dance instructors, competive dance partners, and social dance partners. These are not the same type of relationship I have with an SO.

[salsachinita]

Yep. This thread here is refering to one's SO......

*just to narrow things down a bit 8) *