HELP!! Extremely eager to learn dance, but have absolutely no idea where to start!!

[fascination]

let me be very clear that not all women like being pushed around the dance floor....
additionally, dance can be mild cardio at times, and it can be intense cardio at times, it can also have moments of stengthening and of flexibility....alot of that depends upon the level one is at and the specific dance...as to whether or not dance is a sensual experience, that also depnds upon a variety of factors

 

[Spitfire]

So some of you have asked what kind of dance am I looking for, partner dancing or not and that if I really want to dance I should just get up and do it! I've never really thought of partner dancing... I think i would like some kind of solo dancing to be honest, something that I could practice anytime without needing a partner, but it would be good if partner dancing was an advanced level of that art.

Maybe you could try both. There is a lot of cross over between both worlds; I've met many ballroom dancers who have also done Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop...

And many who have also trained in the martial arts. Do you plan on competing as a boxer or kick boxer?

 

[danceronice]

Isn't Larinda a black belt? Someone should point her this way, she could probably give some pretty specific advice.

 

[fayeh]

Any type of dancing has been proven to increase flexibility and coordination. However, ballroom dancing (couple dancing) works your cognitive ability to a higher level by making both the left and right hemisphere of your brain work at the same time. Your brain needs to learn to steps of each figure, your brain needs to put all the steps together in some sort of routine, your brain needs to tell all your muscles how to walk into those figures and how to lead the lady, and finally, in any social dancing situation, your brain is required to make immediate fast decision to change direction or dance routine to avoid bumping into another couple.

Other types of solo dancing does not make your brain work on the last part of the above description. You learn a piece, you put the music on and you dance that piece of choreography. In couple dancing whether in social or competitive environment, your brain is constantly evaluating the situation to decide if 1)continue with the pre-determined routine or 2) change it to avoid another couple.

As for time and money, if you are serious about learning couple dancing, I believe that it is important to make time to learn this activity. If you already don't have time because your time is filled up by martial arts, maybe you can cut down 1 day of martial arts and learn dancing instead. The money that you spend on that day of martial arts will be put towards the dance class instead. I'm not sure how much martial arts lessons cost but dancing is quite expensive, even group classes.

Staying in shape: social dancing gives you a peaceful workout. You stay in movement but not much cardio work. In the beginning, your arms might be painful as you might not be used to holding your arms in certain position for long periods of time (standard dances). However, if you are looking for staying in shape and having a good workout, competitive dancing is where I will point you to. You train at the gym and on the dance floor. Your competition day will provide you with both aerobic and anaerobic exercises!

 

[tancos]

As I read these posts it seems that a lot of people are trying to steer BL into their favorite forms of dancing. In particular there have been comments that this is a couple dance forum (Isn't this the General Dance dicussion thread?) and that only couple dances use both sides of the brain. Granted that leading or lifting a partner definitely helps with upper body strength, but solo dances are not necessarily choreographed (I teach Hungarian folkdances including very athletic mens' solo dances).

Before BL does anything else he should decide if he wants to dance simply to improve his agility and coordination or because he wants to develop the ability to work in tandem with another person.

 

[opendoor]

I'm a 21 year old student from England (this is an international site, right?) and for quite a few months I've had only what I can describe as a burning desire to learn dance...

Hi BL, welcome and congrats. Many a fighter ended up as a dancer. I know so many dancers that started with MA. Dancing is kind of an extension. But keep in mind: you can only do one of them if you want to do it right!

But there is a problem. Almost everyone can learn to fight, but the ability to dance is sparsely found. Has someone already told you that you actually can move to music? Dancing is an acaustic art in the first place, not a visual one as fighting.

Here is where I start to hit problems: I currently cannot afford dance classes or even fit them in my timetable (most classes in my city run in the evening, which is when I train etc). But this is not what I need your help on...

Concerning time: as said above: you only can do either of it. Make a decision.
Concerning money: As you have leaned to fight without money, so you will have the opportunity to dance without money. Go out to the park and you will find enough guys to train chi-sau or even san-shou with (this is the case here in summer, anyway), and it is all the same with dancing. Go out and meet the guys in the traffic-free zones and malls. Or if you like partner dance spend a night in a salsa, swing or tango club, get addresses, find friends, find a clique and peer group. It is possible to learn without money. But only if you are addicted, lets say mad about it. Nothing half-hearted, learning to dance must be a new chapter in your life, remember when the bride started to train with PaiMai. It will be much harder, because you also need social skills.

The internet is difficult to find info on, or maybe I'm just terrible at finding the gold but it suddenly dawned on me that a forum like this could give me a little help.

You have to find a role model. Here is one (though he is an academically trained traditional ballet dancer). He lived next door to me and he opened my eyes for this new continent long before I actually did my first step on the dance floor.

Hear him talking http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY-GDW5BvO4
and then write an email http://www.patrickdebana.com