how long have you been dancing?

[Danoo]

hey i just wondered how long have you guys been dancing for..

ive been dancing 81/2 weeks :)

[Sagitta]

I go out to dances, but I'm not sure what I do is called dancing. :? Anyway, started around August 2003... :)

[Purr]

I've been doing ballroom dancing for about 2 1/2 years. 8)

[Cats]

Salsa 6 years and going strong. Tango 2 years I got a B+ in that subject.

>^..^<

[kwa445]

I've been doing ballroom since 5th grade so that's about....5 years now and I have no intention of stopping! :D

[MacMoto]

Check out this thread: How old is your salsa life? (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=3097)

[MadamSamba]

I've only being dancing salsa for about a year, but, as I've seen with people on the scene, sometimes it isn't how long you've been dancing that matters. I know one guy who has only been dancing six months and is the catch of the crop when it comes to dancing. He just has "it" and can dance better than many of the guys who have been dancing far longer.

[DWise1]

Four years, after 48 years of non-dancing had branded me as incapable of ever learning or of developing any sense of rhythm.

I started with a special Salsa class offered after work and stayed with that for a few months. I discovered later that it was intermediate level. Followed that with a few months of beginning Salsa, then we dropped Salsa for lack of any intermediate classes locally. Now four years later I started again with Salsa five weeks ago. I'm amazed at how much I had retained; it was like picking up again where I had left off. Plus, somehow I can feel and follow the rhythm, which I never could do before.

After Salsa, we had tried a few ballroom and country dances, and worked with West Coast Swing for about 8 months before dropping it (my wife lost interest and dropped out and I followed suit a few months later because of my mistaken belief that I would only ever want to dance with her; as it is, we have almost never danced together since then). About half a year later I checked out a Jitterbug/Lindy class (she had mentioned an interest) and was delayed a few more months on starting with that because of a very tragic event.

Now I've been doing Lindy for 1.5 years, started with West Coast again a few months ago (again, picked up where I had left off), as well as NC 2-Step, and you already know about the Salsa.

As for the rhythm, I started picking that up after 1.5 years. My partners in a recent class kept describing me as a "natural". If only they knew how long it has taken to become "a natural".

[starry]

I started learning salsa and hustle at the same time about four years ago. The salsa stuck, the hustle didn't. I began performing with my partner in December on the Philadelphia scene. We haven't stopped performing since. We both dance ON 1 and the Eddie Torres style On 2, however, our performance numbers are ON 1, since we learned that style first and are more comfortable performing in that style. I love both styles, though, and hope to put together a new routine ON 2.

[squirrel]

welcome to the DF, starry! even though I'm a little late at it!

[Spitfire]

Nine years this time around; got my first start nearly 24 years ago.

I've only been doing Salsa/Mambo since 1998.

[DancePoet]

My first dance lesson was many, many years ago in a 6th grade gym class. The teacher taught us some basic line dancing steps and basic hustle steps in prepartion for junior high dances. I attended high school and college dances, too, but no real structured dancing was ever used, except with one woman in my freshman year at college who knew hustle.

My first structured dance classes outside of 6th grade started last June.

[Cats]

I started learning salsa and hustle at the same time about four years ago. The salsa stuck, the hustle didn't. I began performing with my partner in December on the Philadelphia scene. We haven't stopped performing since. We both dance ON 1 and the Eddie Torres style On 2, however, our performance numbers are ON 1, since we learned that style first and are more comfortable performing in that style. I love both styles, though, and hope to put together a new routine ON 2.

Star is a good dancer. I've seen her. She has all the important skills in Salsa including nice legs. Did I mention Star moves pretty good, that's important too I guess.

>^..^<

[timbafreak]

On and off for about 4 years, when I first started, I went for around 3 months to classes. I thought it was just ok, but everyone on the salsa scene was sooo intense, they seemed to do nothing else but salsa, I thought they were sad and boring so I stopped. (Little did I know I'd BE one of those people.)
I went back again and the men I was dancing with seem to be intent on spinning me as many times as possible, and thought we were dancing on stage, so I stopped for another six months. I then came back, and got really disheartened by the teachers, there was nothing new for women to learn, I felt I was paying to be a spinning doll.
That was around the time someone stepped on, and broke 2 of my toes, and gave me a black eye, and tried to explain why I shouldn't have been so close to his elbow! :lol: This plus other reasons made me stay away for just over a year.

Last year I decided to go salsa more, discovered timba, and haven't looked back. Unfortunately, Cuban style is not that popular here in England (increasing though!), so I have to travel far and wide to get to clubs that play my music.

[dancin_feet]

Started when I was 9 in jazz, tap, a little ballet. Took on ballroom and latin as well around 12-13. Gave it all up when I started working at 15 and did the occasional class for the next 15-16 years. Took ballroom / latin up again regularly a little over a year ago.

So I guess I have been dancing for about 22 years.

[Lucretia]

Hi!

This was a good issue to step into this forum. I've been reading for some while trying to get updated with the topics you already have discussed.

I've been dancing Cuban salsa for a few months and is having problem to get it to work dancing with foreign partners (I guess this is the wrong word ... what I really meant is people I don't know, not foreigners like people from abroad or other cultures).

But in my "previous life" (at the late 70:ths and early 80:s) I danced something that was called discodance wich I guess was some kind of salsa. (I recall the basic steps and some turns.) So I hope I'll catch up fast.

Does anyone know what this "style" was? Was it ballrom, mambo or hustle? (You see that kind of dance in the film Saturday Night Feber)

I'm happy to find a forum where I can read about salsa and find hints & tips. I live far from a town (read salsaclub) and cannot dance as often as I wish. Reading might not be a substitute but a comfort. Sometimes I go out and practice in the barn...all by my self. (Noone except for the mice are looking) So I guess Im developing my very own country flava :D :D :D

I'm happy to be here and hope you'll "survive" my English. Perhaps I can improve that as well as my salsa.

/Lucretia

pst. I've edited and corrected my English. I hope noone got offended by my mistake with the landguage.

[SwinginAngel]

I've been swing dancing about eight months. I started East Coast last October and Lindy in January. I am not counting the past two months because I unfortunately have not been able to dance :cry: .

[borikensalsero]

welcome to dance forums Lucerita!! :D :D

I'm sure the mice grab a chair get comfy bring cheese and watch the show every time you dance for them :D :D

If I'm not mistaken, the dance done in the 70's and early 80's you speak of was Hustle. Today's Salsa has a lot of influence from the hustle.

[SDsalsaguy]

Ditto that... welcome to the DF Lucretia! :D

[dancing_moogle]

I admire those who have an extensive dance background, with ballet and jazz. Never learned when I was little. :cry:

Started dancing in my third year in college. Learned salsa and swing for that time. Then I learned American style and competed in it the following year. So I've been dancing about 3 years in all.

[Sagitta]

Welcome Lucerita!! And boriken and SD are spot on. And any dancing experience helps when learning a new dance, or that's what I think. :wink: Your English is beautiful and you convey your message clearly. :)

I have found that practicing has helped me a lot. One example is in latin motion. Yet another is just stepping in time to the basic. Elements of dancing that allow me to then focus on dancing with my partner when I dance with someone.

[Sabor]

Dancing in general.. around 26 years
Salsa and related dances .. over 5 years

[MapleLeaf Salsero]

Wellcome Lucretia! :D

[Sonia in Aalborg]

I tried a few lessons of Indian classical when I was about 10 but gave up in favour of hockey but wish today that I had continued coz it's so different. I always wanted to learn to jive but that hasn't happened yet-I love the cha cha cha although my steps are at best rudimentary. My first dance lesson was the salsa at the local fitness club about 3 months ago-been on holiday for 3 weeks in between but am dying to get back! Really admire people who have been dancing since forever and tried all sorts of different styles! :D