Well, hello. I am wanting to start salsa in a group class. I have no previous dance experience. I am rythmically white, artiscally bankrupt and I don't get paid to pose for pictures (I'm no model). My main concern is partnering with someone and I have a question specifically for the ladies. In the classroom, how important is it that your partner be attractive? Would having to dance with a less attractive or unattractive person bother you?
Scared to start
- Thread starter Cliche
- Start date
macha
New Member
First of all, dancing has no color. I'm tired of people saying "I'm so white"... it sounds awful to assume all people "of color" have natural rhythm OR are on welfare- why? Because neither are true. You can't believe everything TV tells you.
Second, welcome- I'm still not "in" here, per se- I only had one month of salsa, so I am speaking officially as a non-salsera.
Third, just START- some day, you will be dead, and how will you feel sitting in your urn knowing that you had all those years to learn how to dance, and you never did anything about it?
Fourth: There are plenty of very ugly people who become beautiful when they dance- why? Because beauty isn't on the outside, it's on the inside. Yes, that's a cliche, but it is so, because it's true. Dancing is a makeover for your spirit.
Just don't smell bad or grope women, and you will be just fine. Those are generally the cardinal rules of anything though.
Bye for now, good luck, and see you in General Dance, Dancers Anonymous, or Just for Fun (or ballroom if you ever choose to walk into the Light, LOL)
Second, welcome- I'm still not "in" here, per se- I only had one month of salsa, so I am speaking officially as a non-salsera.
Third, just START- some day, you will be dead, and how will you feel sitting in your urn knowing that you had all those years to learn how to dance, and you never did anything about it?
Fourth: There are plenty of very ugly people who become beautiful when they dance- why? Because beauty isn't on the outside, it's on the inside. Yes, that's a cliche, but it is so, because it's true. Dancing is a makeover for your spirit.
Just don't smell bad or grope women, and you will be just fine. Those are generally the cardinal rules of anything though.
Bye for now, good luck, and see you in General Dance, Dancers Anonymous, or Just for Fun (or ballroom if you ever choose to walk into the Light, LOL)
It's Wonderful
New Member
Not in the least! How attractive I find a person is quickly determined by how they behave, wether they can laugh off their mistakes, etc. If you want to learn, I know you can do it - it's a big first step, but you'd be surprised how many people are just as nervous, and how quickly you can learn things like rhythm and footwork. Give it a try! It'll change your life!
Well, thanks for the quick responses. :shock:
I'm a bit relieved at the responses even though I somewhat expected the answers; some of them cliche.
How does partnering happen? Do the males choose the females or vice versa? Does the instructor decide?
What are the chances of two males having to partner? :shock: I'd expect that there are more females than males because dancing is stereotypically a girl thing, but I have a suspicion that there may be more males in a salsa class.
I'm a bit relieved at the responses even though I somewhat expected the answers; some of them cliche.
How does partnering happen? Do the males choose the females or vice versa? Does the instructor decide?
What are the chances of two males having to partner? :shock: I'd expect that there are more females than males because dancing is stereotypically a girl thing, but I have a suspicion that there may be more males in a salsa class.
rhythm mouse
New Member
Cliche said:Well, thanks for the quick responses. :shock:
I'm a bit relieved at the responses even though I somewhat expected the answers; some of them cliche.
How does partnering happen? Do the males choose the females or vice versa? Does the instructor decide?
What are the chances of two males having to partner? :shock: I'd expect that there are more females than males because dancing is stereotypically a girl thing, but I have a suspicion that there may be more males in a salsa class.
I'm still new to the scene, but most classes rotate partners so that everyone has a chance to experience different leads (which is usually the man) and different follows (which is usually the woman). Choosing isn't usually in the cards, unless you come as a couple (and even then you're often asked to change partners during a class). In most of my classes, there have been a predominance of women, instead of the other way around, and rarely, we get an even match. So far, I haven't experienced more men than women (too bad, really), but that doesn't mean my male instructor hasn't taken a lead aside and demonstrated a step so that he knows how it should feel to lead. Either way, I've noticed it's all part of the dance instruction, and dancing together regardless of how you're matched becomes irrelevant - everyone is trying to learn how to dance - period. Jump in and learn a few steps - you'll likely be out in the clubs very quickly, and most women (regardless of experience) will enjoy dancing with you if you enjoy dancing with them.
Peaches
Well-Known Member
Cliche, I've got to tell you, I've been in your shoes.
I'm still a newbie, and I'm not interested specifically in salsa, but in ballroom, latin and swing in general. I've had a few intro salsa classes, and have danced some salsa socially, but it doesn't really matter.
I was terrified to start taking lessons, especially group lessons. I've always been a wallflower. (Literally, when I was little, there were times when the idea of having to speak and interact with other kids--even ones who were making an effort to be nice--would reduce me to tears. I'm not kidding.) I'm much more outgoing now, relatively, but the idea of showing up to group lessons, without a partner, when I'm far from drop-dead gorgeous, and clumsy on top of everything... Wow. I was terrified.
And I put off starting to take lessons with one excuse after another for years. And then once I finally got up the courage to go and watch a lesson I saw that everyone was really, really, really nice to me and made me feel welcome. And that there were people who weren't "all that" who were dancing and having fun and no one was turned off by how they looked. Everyone was just having fun trying to learn the steps and (occasionally) laughing at themselves in the process.
All I can say is, I wasted years being afraid. I kick myself every time I think about that. But then I stop and think of how happy I am that I finally tried it. It's been the absolute hardest think I've ever done in my life. Without question. But also one of the most rewarding. And I've met so many new friends and acquaintances. An no one cares how I look, or that I'm not as skinny as I could be, or what have you.
As for the partnering question...like I said, I showed up without a partner. I've always showed up alone. It's hard, I'm not going to kid you. But it gets easier, and you get to know people, and then it doesn't matter as much. I can see that in a while, it won't really matter to me at all. For group classes, my teachers usually line up men on one side, and women on the other. You partner with the person across from you. You practice with that person a bit, then we "Rotate!" and (usually) the men move down one lady. And then you practice with the next person. If you don't have a partner because there are more ladies than men, you practice by yourself for a bit.
One of my teachers (the lady) sometimes stands in as a lead, so I've ended up dancing with another woman. No big deal...I'm too busy concentrating on what I'm doing to care. I've seen my teacher ask a more experience gentleman to lead him (teacher dancing as a follow) when his partner wan't handy. It's not a big deal, and it's never even addressed as something out of the ordinary. But, I've never seen 2 male students partner each other.
I hope this helps. Just go. Maybe youwon't like it, but you don't know until and unless you try. If it's a good studio and a good teacher, they will help to make you feel welcome. Good luck!
--Peaches
I'm still a newbie, and I'm not interested specifically in salsa, but in ballroom, latin and swing in general. I've had a few intro salsa classes, and have danced some salsa socially, but it doesn't really matter.
I was terrified to start taking lessons, especially group lessons. I've always been a wallflower. (Literally, when I was little, there were times when the idea of having to speak and interact with other kids--even ones who were making an effort to be nice--would reduce me to tears. I'm not kidding.) I'm much more outgoing now, relatively, but the idea of showing up to group lessons, without a partner, when I'm far from drop-dead gorgeous, and clumsy on top of everything... Wow. I was terrified.
And I put off starting to take lessons with one excuse after another for years. And then once I finally got up the courage to go and watch a lesson I saw that everyone was really, really, really nice to me and made me feel welcome. And that there were people who weren't "all that" who were dancing and having fun and no one was turned off by how they looked. Everyone was just having fun trying to learn the steps and (occasionally) laughing at themselves in the process.
All I can say is, I wasted years being afraid. I kick myself every time I think about that. But then I stop and think of how happy I am that I finally tried it. It's been the absolute hardest think I've ever done in my life. Without question. But also one of the most rewarding. And I've met so many new friends and acquaintances. An no one cares how I look, or that I'm not as skinny as I could be, or what have you.
As for the partnering question...like I said, I showed up without a partner. I've always showed up alone. It's hard, I'm not going to kid you. But it gets easier, and you get to know people, and then it doesn't matter as much. I can see that in a while, it won't really matter to me at all. For group classes, my teachers usually line up men on one side, and women on the other. You partner with the person across from you. You practice with that person a bit, then we "Rotate!" and (usually) the men move down one lady. And then you practice with the next person. If you don't have a partner because there are more ladies than men, you practice by yourself for a bit.
One of my teachers (the lady) sometimes stands in as a lead, so I've ended up dancing with another woman. No big deal...I'm too busy concentrating on what I'm doing to care. I've seen my teacher ask a more experience gentleman to lead him (teacher dancing as a follow) when his partner wan't handy. It's not a big deal, and it's never even addressed as something out of the ordinary. But, I've never seen 2 male students partner each other.
I hope this helps. Just go. Maybe youwon't like it, but you don't know until and unless you try. If it's a good studio and a good teacher, they will help to make you feel welcome. Good luck!
--Peaches
And please don't wait any longer to start salsa.
redbeard6
New Member
I'm 6'4" and 225 pounds. A few lessons back I found I was without a follower as the leads rotated. As I practiced the step by myself...here comes another leader. About 2 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier, and much more experienced...so he followed, I lead. No big deal. It's about the dance. Forget about the hangups.
DJ
DJ
