So you have been thinking about picking up social dancing? It’s a great hobby that keeps you physically active, releases feel-good hormones and introduce you to new people. I will give you some pointers to help you choose among social dance styles which are danced in couples – like salsa, bachata, zouk, forró, kizomba, West Coast swing and more. (If you are still not sure if you should try social dance or solo dance, read this article first.) Let’s get started!
1. Has Music You Like
Do some research on different social dance styles and pay attention to the music. Do you like it? Does it make you want to move and dance? This might be the most important point to consider, because even if you struggle with learning the steps at the beginning, the classes will be much more enjoyable thanks to the music. You’ll also most likely be exposed to this music for hours on end at social dance parties – if you don’t like it, you won’t have a good time. Similarly, it remains important down the line when you advance, since musicality (ability to understand and play with music) is a necessary skill for a dancer.
2. Offered in Your City by Professional Instructors
Unfortunately we are limited to what is offered in our city, especially in social dance which is pretty much impossible to learn from YouTube (and has dangerous consequences if you do so). Pick your favorite styles and see if there are classes for them in your area. Among those, ideally you would choose a dance style that you have room to grow in – which means that the local teachers are high level professionals, who have the skills to set you up for success right at the start.
TIP: When you are just a beginner it is hard to know what level teachers have. Ask your dancer friends or look at dance videos of them. If you like what you see, give their classes a try. You could also research whether they are internationally renowned dancers who also teach abroad or if they have won any important competitions.
3. Has the Friendliest Community
It’s not just teachers who are important to consider. Social dancing means that you will dance with everyone in your class. At parties you will meet even more people to dance with. If these people are supportive and friendly, you will be more motivated to come to classes and parties. Moreover, at intermediate/advanced levels it’s important to find practice partners among your peers.
4. Easy to Start With
Men tend to have less dance experience before they pick up social dance, but at the same time they will have to learn leading on top of that. This often makes starting social dance harder for men than for women. They even have a phrase for that: “beginner’s hell”. Which leads me to think that it might be more motivating to pick an easier dance style to start with, and then once you have gained confidence, pick a more difficult style. It is common for social dancers to practice multiple styles.
To give you examples, based on what I have heard – bachata and forró are easier to start with in comparison to zouk, tango or samba de gafieira. Salsa is also a very popular “first dance style”. (All styles get difficult on higher levels though, this is just from a beginner’s perspective.)
On the other hand, sometimes the love for this dance style and music is so great that the difficulty level doesn’t matter and it is motivating enough to take classes in your favorite style. This way you are also not wasting time learning something you’re not that interested in.
In a nutshell, I’d recommend choosing a dance style you like the music of, that has good teachers in your city, a friendly community and is not overly difficult for you. Congratulations on being courageous enough to try something new! Let me know what style you are going to go for 🙂 For advanced dancers – leave a comment which dance style you started with and whether you would recommend it as a first style to others as well.
*
I post social dance related content also on Instagram, you’re welcome to follow me there @jettence! You can also subscribe to the blog by entering your e-mail below.