hi-newbie

[iwannabeadancer]

hi everyone. i just joined today. since the beginners thread isn't working i have a few questions. firstly, i can't afford to attend that many dance lessons so which style of dance should i attend for technique. secondly, how much cardio do you guys recommend i should do to be fit and have the stamina to dance. thirdly, how do i get over my fear of attending pineapple dance studio by myself. i bet everyone there will be professional and i will be the only amateur . Thanks in advance.:kitty: btw i have no formal dance training just dancing in my room lol

 

[nucat78]

If you go to a studio for beginners classes, it's a good bet that everybody there (well, almost everybody) will be a beginner also. There might be a couple more advanced students taking a class for review.

 

[Sagitta]

As for dance technique, choosing any dance will get you technique. More importantly which dance do you think you would like the most? Getting technique at the start may be tougher than you think, so having a dance that you really want to learn may make the difference. Another approach is actually to see what dance is popular in your area socially so you will have plenty of opportunities to practice outside lessons.

There is ballroom - latin/rhythm (cha cha, mambo,rumba....) or standard/smooth (waltz,foxtrot...)

swing (East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, lindy hop...)

street latin - salsa, bachata, merengue, cha cha cha...

argentine tango

See how many dances are there? Your questions are so vague that it is difficult to be specific.

 

[jwlinson]

What kind of music do you like? Let that help you decide, as you'll get more enjoyment out of it if you dance to music you enjoy.

As for stamina, dancing will definitely give you that.

 

[elisedance]

Hi iwannabeadancer - welcome to DF! We all have your name in common and while everyone that gets up and moves to music is a dancer we are all more or less along the way to perfection!

As suggested by the posters above, would help to get feedback if you told us a bit more - what made you decide to take up dancing? What do you want to achieve - dancing with a specific person? Going out clubbing? Something you saw on TV etc?? If you can identify your goal it will help you set your start.

So, tell us some more....

 

[Easy]

hi everyone. i just joined today. since the beginners thread isn't working i have a few questions. firstly, i can't afford to attend that many dance lessons so which style of dance should i attend for technique. secondly, how much cardio do you guys recommend i should do to be fit and have the stamina to dance. thirdly, how do i get over my fear of attending pineapple dance studio by myself. i bet everyone there will be professional and i will be the only amateur . Thanks in advance.:kitty: btw i have no formal dance training just dancing in my room lol

True dancers love people who want to learn. One of the most difficults steps for people to take is the one into the studio. If you have the desire to learn, I'm sure others there will see this...you'll be surprised at how many people will probably go out of there way to help you in order for you to want to stay...teachers and students. Maybe attend with a friend at first. It might make you feel a little easier knowing that you know at least one person there.

As said above, dancing is exercise. You'll develope stamina as you learn.

As to which style for learning more technique --well, it depends on what style/music you like. Attending classes can help keep the cost down, and maybe you'll be able to take both latin and standard. Each dance and style is a whole world within itself. There are techniques within techniques in each and every dance. It'll really come down to which you prefer if you can't do both.

 

[RickRS]

True dancers love people who want to learn. One of the most difficults steps for people to take is the one into the stuio.

Easy is quite right. As a beginner, I find the level of encouragement from the advance dancers in my area to be a surprise. I expected to be laughed at (or at least look down on), and its just the opposite!

 

[nucat78]

Easy is quite right. As a beginner, I find the level of encouragement from the advance dancers in my area to be a surprise. I expected to be laughed at (or at least look down on), and its just the opposite!

Some of us are not that far removed from being newbs and we all remember what our first steps were like, I think. I've been encouraged, so I pass that on. There were a couple more advanced follows who didn't have much patience with me but they've moved on, one way or another, so "stuff" on them...

 

[elisedance]

Some of us are not that far removed from being newbs and we all remember what our first steps were like

goes for some of us who are not newbs either by the way! One of the reasons one never looks down on new dancers - besides there is a lot of telent invovled in dance and I think you can see that from the outset. Thus, sometimes I'm in awe of 'newbs' (I don't really like that term, even if it might be useful, I feel a bit snobby using it (qv thread...))

 

[fire_dancer]

If you're starting out, I'd recommend finding a studio and taking a group class or two in each style (American Smooth, American Rhythm, International Standard, International Latin). Then choose the one that feels most YOU.