With so many do’s to think about, here are three don’ts. Check it out – 3 social dancing no-no’s that make you look silly. 

Dance Mistakes to Stop Doing Now

1. Teaching others is something you’ll want to avoid.

First things first, it’s never okay to teach someone on the social dance floor. Why not, you ask?

• It’s embarrassing for the other person.
• There’s a pretty good chance you’re teaching it wrong.
• It’s off-putting. Correcting others when you’re dancing is a sure way to lose partners. Soon you won’t have anyone to correct.

2. This isn’t a performance. Don’t dance big!

There’s a difference between social dancing and performing. When you’re on stage, you want to get the attention of the audience and the judges. For example, watch some great dancing on the competition floor in this clip, Open Latin Championship Finals, Millennium 2019. In this case, it’s correct to dance big so the people in the back of the room can see you. Nevertheless, it’s a big social dancing no-no.

Wait a minute!

Yes, your teacher is showing you how to use your arms and hands for expression. But, no, that’s not for club dancing. Not only is it dangerous, it makes you look like a showoff. And, you know how people feel about showoffs.

3. Keep your lack of confidence on the dance floor a secret.

Leaders

As a leader, it’s hard to look like you know what you’re doing when the truth is you feel clueless. However, keep in mind that it’s awkward to dance with or watch someone who is obviously struggling. Relax.

My advice is to limit the number of steps you do as a new dancer. All you need are 3 or 4 patterns to get through a song. Dance your combination of steps and then repeat them. You’ll be more at ease and it will be better for you, your partner, and anyone who is watching. Fewer steps = fewer mistakes.

followers

Followers, take that look of terror off your face. You can do this. Here are my suggestions for beginners.

• Stand tall and hold your body in one piece. In other words, don’t be a wet fish!
• Keep the rhythm. In the American style, it’s: Foxtrot – Slow, Slow, Quick, Quick; Waltz – 1,2,3; Rumba – Slow, Quick, Quick, etc. You get the idea.
• Finally, when you let your leader guide you, all you have to do is keep your feet under your body and stay on rhythm.

Find out when you’ll start to feel good when you’re dancing with this Dance Safari post, “How Long Until I’m a Confident Dancer?“.

In short, the best way to avoid these 3 social dancing no-no’s is to use good manners, be aware of your surroundings, loosen up, and have a little fun when you’re on the dance floor.