How to improve my dancing skills?

[opendoor]

..Popular myth is that dancing in a slot was invented during WW2 to organize dancing on military ships..

I know a different version of the legend. A cameraman was supposed to film a dance scene and went crazy because the dancers kept disappearing from view. So he marked the slot on the dance floor with chalk.

 

[vit]

I know a different version of the legend. A cameraman was supposed to film a dance scene and went crazy because the dancers kept disappearing from view. So he marked the slot on the dance floor with chalk.

Yes, that's the second popular myth about it

 

[Patrycja]

As far as keeping the rhythm, I suggest practicing the basic step(s) for the dances you're learning by yourself as much as possible. To music when you can, but also just while counting to yourself in random moments in the day, while brushing your teeth, whatever. You want that basic movement and timing to be fully in your body, so it happens automatically. That will free up your attention so you can focus on following when you're with a partner.

As far as keeping the rhythm, I suggest practicing the basic step(s) for the dances you're learning by yourself as much as possible. To music when you can, but also just while counting to yourself in random moments in the day, while brushing your teeth, whatever. You want that basic movement and timing to be fully in your body, so it happens automatically. That will free up your attention so you can focus on following when you're with a partner.

Thank you! I will keep practicing the basic steps every day. I hope it helps me follow better with a partner.

 

[Patrycja]

As far as keeping the rhythm, I would suggest right the opposite of what bia wrote. Only ideally, your dance partner's lead is in sync with the music. As a beginning follower, you have to cope with discrepancies. And you can't do that if you're automatically going through basic steps, routines or sequences you've memorized. That would only drive you further apart. The key lies in a musical understanding of the rhythm. This understanding comes naturally with time, but of course it's hard for you to bear because you're impatient. The alternative is to study the theory. You mentioned salsa. Here, the basic rhythmic pattern is two bars long. Once you've learned to recognize fragments of this "phrase" you can re-synchronize with the leader on the fly using so-called rescue steps.

Thank you! I will try to listen better and learn the basic rhythm structure.

 

[Patrycja]

Salsa on 1 was my first partner dance and a passion for me. I've spent decades dancing social salsa.

I would tend to agree with Bia. Getting the tempo and timing into your body is essential. Its very difficult to do a rescue step or correction flare and fix it... if you're not confident on what to come back in on ("the fix") to sync with your partner.

I listened to salsa radio stations for a year and danced (alone) in my dorm room always listening for the 1. Once I had a good groove, I'd force myself to stop dancing, listen and find a 1 to restart on. I loved the radio because the songs are a mix of slow/fast/medium tempos challenged me to learn and recognize the tempo and anatomy of a salsa song quickly - just like in a club.

Following is key but your salsa lead will not put you on every step unless you're dancing with someone who is ballroom trained or an experienced instructor. In my experience you would be best served having your timing down cold.

Practice your forward-back basic, side step basic, and cumbia step basics as often as you can (even if it's just a few minutes here and there - and you can only pick one). Getting these internalized into your body to varying tempos of music will carry you a long way. (I still do the basic drills using these 3, plus 1-2 more that I view as slightly more advanced.)

Eventually, you will be able to focus on following and maintaining good connection when there is a person standing in front of you waving you around all over the place - and not think about the timing in your feet as much.

My source of confidence in salsa is not that I'm the best dancer in the world - cause I'm not. It's that no matter what happens (good lead or bad lead) I know I can maintain or get back on the correct timing and keep the dance going for my partner. This means they don't fear embarassment from an accidental bad lead, weak lead, or missed signal because I can cover a mistake (rescue step) with a flare or shine and get back on beat in less than 2 bars of music. It looks like a style choice rather than mistake.

Feel free to check out the DF Salsa/Bachata/Cumbia thread too for more tips, stories and experiences from other salseros and saleras.

Congratulations on starting salsa. I hope you will keep us posted on your journey!

Thank you for your message! I will keep practicing the basic steps with different speeds. I'm excited to learn more salsa.

 

[Patrycja]

In salsa (and similar in BR latin), rhythm is the main thing; you absolutely need to get stepping on the beats into your muscle memory of legs and body. Find some salsa music and just step on the beats when you have time, cooking, brushing the teeth etc ... It's not just stepping, but moving the hips as well ... This is much more important than actual direction of particular step, I would actually suggest doing it on the spot first and later practicing it forward/backward/side with short steps first etc. In real social dancing, different partners will be leading similar moves different way, some of your steps will have to be shorter, some longer than you are used to, but as long you can step on the feet below you on the beat, you will be pretty much ok. It will also make easier to follow leaders dancing on1 or on2, if it's a mixed venue like mine - timing of the steps is the same (123-567), but direction of particular step is different, and when those directions come into your muscle memory before the rhythm, it's not that easy to do things just almost opposite way ...

Thank you for the advice! I will follow and practicing every day.

 

[Patrycja]

In general...
Lessons - that's to add to your vocabulary, to learn how to do it, and later, to tell you what you're doing wrong - and recovery strategies. And you need someone who is a good teacher with experience, but may not be the best dancer!

Practice - ideally with a partner (who doesn't just tell you you're wrong!), but stepping through moves to the music, listening and becoming familiar with the music and how you move to it. You need the 'muscle memory' so you're not having to stop to think. Familiarity through practice is the way. NOTE - there's no point continuing to practice something if you're doing it incorrectly - which is a point of lessons. You need feedback - and not just someone flattering your ego.

Socially - different partners. And being part of group(s) to get dances.

And back to lessons... to work out what went wrong (and that can be either partner!), and to fix it. And repeat...

Thank you! I will keep practicing and learning.

 

[Patrycja]

This is true. It is hard to switch to another timing like on2 later. Definitely add dancing on the spot too! My on the spot is just a very tiny side step because I've trained myself to move. Rather than a strict march in place.

I contend that if you can't move yourself directionally too, following will be harder. Social salsa leads vary but depending on your leaders training, some lead an indication when and where to start moving and change directions but it's on you to get there. This is unlike dancing with others like an instructor or someone trained with a strong ballroom influence where the leaders take accountability to move you through all of your steps, so all you have to do is keep time and they place you everywhere.

If you're dancing socially (meaning with lots of different leaders) your body will start to feel the differences in leading and you will adjust accordingly as you build experience.

This is true. It is hard to switch to another timing like on2 later. Definitely add dancing on the spot too! My on the spot is just a very tiny side step because I've trained myself to move. Rather than a strict march in place.

I contend that if you can't move yourself directionally too, following will be harder. Social salsa leads vary but depending on your leaders training, some lead an indication when and where to start moving and change directions but it's on you to get there. This is unlike dancing with others like an instructor or someone trained with a strong ballroom influence where the leaders take accountability to move you through all of your steps, so all you have to do is keep time and they place you everywhere.

If you're dancing socially (meaning with lots of different leaders) your body will start to feel the differences in leading and you will adjust accordingly as you build experience.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[Patrycja]

No disagreement here. Although recent years I've been dancing more salsa than other genres, ballroom standard is still my preference - and one moves a lot there. So if I get a salsa follower that can really move and is enjoying doing that, which means she most likely had some serious dance training, I'll be more than happy to make her move a lot and also move a lot myself although usually she will be half of my age max, covering even whole dance floor in extreme cases and also adjusting the timing of some steps ... which wouldn't really be salsa anymore, but I don't care ... but if I have a follower that I see is enjoying her dancing making 10cm steps with lots of body movement and in nice sync with music, I'll happily adjust to that as well as much as I can, even if we do only a few moves as a couple during a song and she wants to make her turn using 4 bars instead 1 bar ... most other guys in my venue have different approach as well, trying to include as many complicated moves as possible ... so it's not easy for followers to dance happily with everybody

So hard to say what is more important - stepping/moving in nice sync with music, or being able to move flawlessly and in good balance ... both is very important, one should try to evaluate what is making him/her more problems and try working on that more ... but generally, in salsa there is more point on the rhythm than on the movement across the floor

Thank you!

 

[tangomaniac]

I don't dance salsa because the music isn't well marked. I don't hear any downbeat so I never can tell if I'm in sync. Dance mambo instead. Listen to this.
I can hear AND FEEL Q-Q-S. I don't get the same feeling dancing salsa, so I don't dance it.

 

[vit]

It's a stupid pop song. But we used to dance jive on it. Sometimes

 

[tangomaniac]

It's a stupid pop song. But we used to dance jive on it. Sometimes

It may be stupid, but it's easier to dance than salsa.

 

[opendoor]

..any downbeat... it's easier to dance than salsa.

That's true, but only because it's not real Cuban mambo. In that sense, vit is right in dancing swing to it. I've rarely agreed with you, tangomaniac, but I agree with your last statement that salsa "isn't well marked". Here's my story. In my twenties, I danced BR. After a 30-year break, I wanted to start dancing again and chose salsa. But I found it very difficult. Not only does the rhythm get lost in the breaks, but I also found the movement patterns very difficult for an old white man like me to learn. Everything seemed always to move in the opposite direction: the head, the wrists, the shoulders, the hips, the feet. After a year, I gave up frustrated, as I happened to discover Argentine tango. In comparison, this dance was so simple. Everything came naturally to me, and I quickly became a very good social dancer and performer. And then the pandemic came. Tango was no longer danced. However, the salsa scene didn't adhere to the ban. I dared to give salsa a second try. Yes, salsa indeed is more difficult and complex than tango, but I was able to learn it. Alongside the lessons, I took privates in conga (percussion). And that's when things clicked for me: it's not about the downbeat, it's about the phrase (clave).

 

[Pryn]

That's true, but only because it's not real Cuban mambo.

I've debated this more times than of like to admit with pro ballroomers. Unpopular opinion - Mambo No. 5 is a swing song not an actual mambo.

(But ballroomers can also dance almost any style - to any music - and make it fit, even if it feels unnatural or noncharacteristic to the dance itself.)

I, however, will only choose to dance swing to this song.

 

[fiesta0618]

Unpopular opinion - Mambo No. 5 is a swing song not an actual mambo.

Pretty popular with me! We jokingly refer to it as Mambo Number Jive.

I feel like the original cut is too fast for triple swing and not fast enough to be a really fun single swing, but it falls right in The Sweet Spot for a high-end jive