Hello All! And a few questions!

[NewbieDancer]

Hello everyone! I just found these boards and it seems like a solid place to talk about dancing I'm very new to dancing - last night was my first time EVER dancing at a club. I'm 20 years old too but Ive always been interested in it. What would help me get up on my feet the fastest? Should I take classes? What classes should I take? I'm very athletic and I know I can be a great dancer. Also I read the thread about the two guys not knowing how to dance or bump and grind and it was suggested that they bend their knees and let the hips follow. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by this. Do you mean to bend you knees then move your hips? Seems like I would be banging the other person's knees if i kept bending them from one diagonal to the other or in circles. Also what do you do when you are not dancing with anyone but on the dance floor or waiting for a partner? Thanks for your suggestions and help! :wink:

 

[dancin_feet]

If you want to take classes, it all depends on what sort of dancing you want to do. Maybe try a bit of jazz or funk first. I don't know what your rhythum is like so if you have trouble finding the beat to music, these could help.

Maybe try a few introductory classes in whatever different styles interest you and go from there.

 

[Genesius Redux]

Hi ND!

It all depends on what you want to do. I've found that the most useful dances socially are Salsa and West Coast Swing. If you're 20 years old and athletic, chances are you'll want to do a lot of rhythm.

Taking classes at a ballroom studio can be a good way to introduce you to a number of different dances--among the rhythm dances, Cha Cha, Swing, Rumba, and Mambo. Those all involve to different degrees a lot of hip movement, knees and ankles, body isolations, etc. The "Smooth" (in the US) or "Standard" dances include things like waltz and foxtrot, and at a more advanced level Viennese Waltz and Quickstep. The kind of elegant, romantic couples dancing you've seen in films from the 30s--and they require a whole different kind of athleticism, strength and endurance in the lower body, as opposed to the explosive energy of many rhythm dances.

Signing up for a few introductory lessons at a local ballroom studio will give you a chance to explore a variety of dances like these, and after you've done a little with them, you may start to get a better idea of what you like to do (although your preferences will probably change as you learn more).

Most important, remember that it's all about having fun! The only serious drawback is that the more you dance with other people who know how to dance, the more spoiled you get, and the less you like dancing with people who don't know what they're doing!

Best of luck!

Genesius

 

[pygmalion]

For hip info, check out the thread at the top of the salsa forum. There are several older threads which talk about the hips. And welcome, NewbieDancer.

 

[Sagitta]

Welcome to df newbiedancer!!

I think you only bang the other person's knees if you are not in synch when bending one's knees. The idea is that you are moving your body and not just one part of your body in isolation. That is if you want to move your hips your knees have to move a certain way to direct your hip movement.

 

[DancePoet]

Hi Newbie,

What worked for me was taking a beginners lesson and then attending a social dance immediately afterwards to see what types of music went with what types of dance steps.

Younger crowds tend to really enjoy Cha-Cha, Mambo, Salsa, and Swing type music, but you will see what Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Vienese Waltz, Samba, Rumba, and Tango (my favorite) are all about.

Good Luck!