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Facing Your Fears: My First Salsa Club Night

So often I see students spend hours learning to dance, yet never actually going out and using it at a salsa club or ballroom dance hall. They’d like to go, but feel afraid to put their skills to the test.

I feel for you, I do. Despite what a lot of people say about dance instructors, we weren't born with some special ability that lets us dance anywhere without a care in the world. We all had to face that fear at some point.

Here is how I faced mine. Continue reading "Facing Your Fears: My First Salsa Club Night"

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Ballroom Dancing Songs – Ian’s Pick #2

Click here for part one

What dancer isn’t looking for new music to dance to, right? Even if you prefer the same classics over and over, the reality is the musical landscape is always evolving, both socially and competitively. The dancer who doesn’t adapt to different music is a dancer quickly left behind.

This time, I’ve included TWELVE of my favourite dance songs, each focusing on a different style of ballroom. Give them a listen, and enjoy! Continue reading "Ballroom Dancing Songs – Ian’s Pick #2"

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Ballroom Dancing Songs – Ian’s Pick #1

While we all have our own reasons for getting into ballroom dance, odds are it has to do with a love of music. Ballroom dancing songs come in all shapes and sizes, each with its own dancing style to match, so virtually anyone can find what they're looking for.

If you're like me however, a time comes when you want something beyond the tired favourites played at every social. And so, the search for ever more awesome ballroom dancing songs begin. Continue reading "Ballroom Dancing Songs – Ian’s Pick #1"

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Dealing with Jealousy when Dating a Dancer

Dating a dancer can carry plenty of misunderstandings. Without an understanding of the social norms of the ballroom dance world, it’s hardly surprising that, when you see your beau enfolded in the arms of another, smiling as they move together, your first impulse is to grab your partner’s arm pull them off the floor.

Part of dating a dancer means accepting that ballroom dancing follows different rules from your standard bump n’ grind club. So how do you know what’s acceptable and what isn’t? Continue reading "Dealing with Jealousy when Dating a Dancer"

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Using the Languages of Love in Ballroom Dancing

As we talked about last week, how we communicate with our partner during a dance lesson can have a major impact on how strongly you feel towards each other. We do this using the 5 languages of love, which are:

  1. Quality time
  2. Words of affirmation
  3. Acts of service
  4. Physical touch
  5. Receiving gifts

Today we’ll flesh out each of these love languages with some specific ballroom dance examples. Continue reading "Using the Languages of Love in Ballroom Dancing"

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20 Dance Humour Gems for Laughing At Mistakes

In our perfectionist society, we’ve been trained to see mistakes as some terrible defection of character, something to avoid at all costs. In the world of ballroom dance however, missteps are simply another form of growth. And good thing too, because you will make many, many mistakes while dancing. Therefore, you and your partner have no choice but to get used each other’s mistakes. And in the social ballroom scene, some well-timed dance humour is the best way to keep calm and dance on. Continue reading "20 Dance Humour Gems for Laughing At Mistakes"

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Any Party is Better if You Know How to Dance

In the social jungle, making a good impression, or just having a good time can depend a lot on how well you make new connections. And of course, having a few tricks, like a sharp wit, dashing good looks, or ballroom dancing, can help you stand out from the crowd. In fact, knowing how to dance with others is like a superpower in the social arena. Here’s just a few ways it can transform you from a wallflower into a social butterfly. Continue reading "Any Party is Better if You Know How to Dance"

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Guest Post: You Don’t Need a Dance Partner

So you want to dance, but you don’t have a dance partner?  Fear not, fellow ballroom-lover, there’s hope to fulfill your dreams yet.  I knew that I wanted to ballroom dance after watching Johnny, the ultimate dance partner, and Baby in Dirty Dancing.  I was ten.  15 years later I still hadn’t taken a lesson, but my desire to ballroom dance was just as strong.  The thing is that ten-year-old boys, (and boys in my teens and early twenties) didn’t really seem that interested in ballroom dancing.  I felt I ‘couldn’t dance’ without a partner.  It wasn’t until my (life) partner gifted me with lessons twelve years ago that I was finally able to be Baby Houseman to my own Johnny Castle. Continue reading "Guest Post: You Don’t Need a Dance Partner"