Ballroom Dance Etiquette

November 30, 2013 by ·

Ballroom dance etiquette ten common sense tips.

Ballroom dance etiquette

Carolina and Hugo dancing in Brooklyn at Dance Fever Studios..

1) Dance in the line of dance.  Ballroom dancers move around the floor in a counter-clockwise direction.  You should be moving in this direction most of the time.  This is ballroom dance etiquette 101.

2) When things go wong, apologize.  If you bump into someone, or step on someone’s foot, tell them you’re sorry.  Don’t just ignore them.

3)Slow dancers should move to the center of the room.  So if you are a beginner to ballroom dance, just learning new moves, don’t clog up the main lines of dance.  Stay towards the center.

4)Conversation should be off the dance floor.  If you’d like to talk, do it off the dance floor.

5)Cross the dance floor around the perimeter.  Don’t cut through.  I’ve seen people walk across the middle of the ballroom dance floor holding drinks.  Not good.

6)Clean up your mess.  So, if you are carrying some drinks and you do spill something, clean it up before some dancer slips and gets hurt.

7)Personal hygiene.  Make sure you don’t have bad body odor or bad breath.  Very important ballroom dance etiquette.

8)Dance at your partner’s ability.  If you are an experienced ballroom dance leader dancing with a beginner follower, don’t expect her to do advanced moves.  Build the dance.  Start with easy stuff.  Once you see that she’s with the timing and following easy patters, try advancing to more difficult ones.  If she has difficulty doing one turn, don’t lead her in to a double turn.

9)Sneezing and coughing while dancing.  This does happen. Always sneeze or cough into the underside of your elbow.  Do not sneeze into your hand and then ask her to take that hand for dancing.

10)Don’t chew gum while dancing.  This is annoying to your partner.  He or she doesn’t want to dance with a cow chewing grass, which is what it feels like.  It also doesn’t look elegant.  Have you ever seen Fred Astaire chew gum while he dances?

Filed Under: Argentine tango, ballroom dancing, Dance studios Brooklyn, Uncategorized · Tagged: ,

NYC Salsa Must Know Patterns.

July 18, 2013 by ·

NYC Salsa must know patterns. If you are dancing NYC style salsa there are tons of patterns you will see as a follower.  No one can list all of them, since every leader has his own, but here are some patterns that you really must know if you’d like to dance at the intermediate or advanced level with a NYC salsa leader.   These are patterns that almost ever leader knows and will expect you to follow.  You will see these patterns, and variations of them, almost %100 of your time dancing with any NYC salsa leader.  All these patterns have tons of variations,  but if you know the basic of each pattern, all the variations will be easy.

NYC Salsa Lessons at Dance Fever Studios

NYC Style Salsa classes in Brooklyn at Dance Fever Studios.

1) Cross Body Lead with an inside turn and a half.  This is the intermediate version.  The advanced version is two and a half turns.  When you do this make sure that you stay on your track.

2)Copa and Copa with a turn and a half.  The turn and a half is the same turn as the cross body lead.

3)Pencil Turn or Check Turn.

4)Half Moon with a turn and a half to basic.  Some salsa dancers call this The Titanic.

5)Reverse Cross Body Lead.

6)Reverse Cross Body Lead with two turns for the intermediate follower, and three turns for the advanced follower.

7)Double Turn in place.

8) Simultaneous Back Spot Turns in place.

9)Leaders Half Chase to Hand Drop.

10)Hand Drapes.

Filed Under: Dance lessons, Private salsa lessons, salsa dance schools, salsa dance studios, Salsa Dancing, Uncategorized · Tagged: , ,

Salsa Dancing and The Three Types of Followers

June 28, 2013 by ·
Salsa dancing Brooklyn.

Dance classes in Brooklyn. Ray and Stephanie salsa dancing.

Salsa followers can be broken down into three types: 1)passive 2)active and 3)mischievous.

A passive salsa follower does what the leader wants.  Only that, and nothing else.  Take her into a cross body lead and she will follow, but with no styling at all.  She follows all your salsa steps, but doesn’t add anything additional to the dance.  Most beginner salsa dancers are passive followers.

An active salsa follower will add some flair.  She will comb and whip her hair, do arm and hand styling, and shoulder shimmies.  She is taking an active part in the salsa dancing.  She is following just like the passive follower, but is adding her own flair.  When you see a salsa dance class labeled as a women’s styling class, they are trying to turn passive followers into active followers.

A mischievous follower knows the step that you are leading her into, can do it if she wants to, but chooses not to.  She does something else that works, but not exactly what you wanted.  For example, if you lead a peek-a-boo step, instead of stopping when you want her to, she’d duck under and turn out.  If you lead a copa with a turn and a half, she might keep spinning more than you expected.  If she knows there is a break in the music, she will hit it even if you weren’t going to.  In order to be a mischievous follower, you have to be very good at following and know the music very well.

When salsa dancing, a leader should be accommodating to all  three types of salsa followers.  If a woman has just started salsa dancing, she will most likely be a passive  follower.  If she has taken some salsa dance lessons for a few months she may have developed into an active follower. You find active followers at most salsa dance schools socials.  If she has put her time in, practiced, taken lots of private salsa lessons, gone salsa dancing all over and really gotten good, she may be a mischievous follower.

 

Filed Under: Dance lessons, Private salsa lessons, salsa dance schools, salsa dance studios, Salsa Dancing, Uncategorized · Tagged: , , ,

Best Bachatas For Beginner Bachata Classes

April 15, 2013 by ·
Bachata classes in NYC

Bachata Class in Brooklyn, NY

Most bachata songs have a pretty clear beat that beginner dance students are able to pick up.  It’s not like salsa or Argentine tango,  where beginner dancers struggle with the tempo.  But many bachata songs have long introductions.  Some may be too fast for the beginner bachata student;  and some may have too many breaks and pauses where the base totally drops out.

Take a song like Te Extrano by Xtreme.  A great bachata, but I usually don’t play for a beginner bachata lesson because of the long intro.  It’s more effective for teaching  to play a song like Mi Receta De Amore by Los Toros Band.  This may be one of the slowest bachatas out there.  But,  it’s great for beginners who almost always rush the timing.  This song will slow them down.  They will learn how to move the right way for bachata,  and not worry about keeping up with a fast paced song.

Here’s a list of bachata music best for the beginner bachata student and beginner bachata classes.  They are all slow to moderate tempo, with a steady base.  These are some of the songs that I play when giving a private bachata lesson or during my beginner group bachata classes.  Once the students are more comfortable dancing bachata, I will play songs with lots of accents, breaks and long introductions.

Slow to Moderate Bachta’s With a Steady Tempo: Pasion Monchy and Alexandra, Dos Locos Monchy and Alexandra, Cuando Volveras  Aventura, Voy a Dejarte  de Amar Frank Reyes, Tu Eres Ajena Frank Reyes, Me Voy Hector Acosta, Corazon Sin Cara Prince Royce, El Amore que Perdimos Prince Royce,  Rechazame Prince Royce, Sin Ti Grupo Extra, Su Hombre Soy Yo Prince Royce

Bachatas With Long Intros: Te Extrano  Xtreme, Casi Casi Toby Love, Llorar lloviendo  Toby Love, Pomise Romeo Santos, Obsesion Aventura,  Su Veneno Aventura, Incondecional by Prince Royce.

Filed Under: bachata dancing, Dance lessons, Dance studios Brooklyn, Latin dancing, Private dance lessons · Tagged: , ,

Difference Between Argentine Tango And Ballroom Tango.

April 1, 2013 by ·
Difference between Argentine tango and Ballroom tango.

Argentine tango classes in NYC

Argentine tango and ballroom tango.  What’s the difference?  The way the dances look and the music they are danced to are the two major differences.  Ballroom tango has a very pronounce, prominent and steady tempo.  Almost like a ticking clock.  It sounds a bit like paso doble.  Argentine tango music is very varied.  Some of it, like music from Biagi or Canero has a strong, easy to hear base.  Some music may have a strong melody and a very weak base.  Milonga Triste by Hugo Diaz  is an example.  There’s Argentine tango music that has both: alternating powerful beat,  and then the base will totally drop out, and you have only melody.  Osvaldo Pugliese music is often like this.

Argentine tango has no basic step.  It is a totally improvisational dance.  Ballroom tango has an 8 count basic which is slow, slow, quick, quick, slow.  Most patterns are done using this 8 count basic.  Ballroom tango really moves around the room.  You are not in one spot for very long.  In Argentine tango, you may stay in the same spot for quite a long time doing gauchos,  boleos and embellishments.  Argentine tango is often danced in close embrace, or salon style.  Ballroom tango isn’t.  It has a very formal, ballroom look to it.  In ballroom tango there are more broad movements with the upper body: sways and dips.  There are also more staccato movements like head snaps.  You won’t see these types of movements in Argentine tango.  Most of the movements are below the waist.

At the advanced level, the patterns and steps in Argentine tango are way more complicated and difficult to do.  Ballroom tango does not have volcadas, calesitas, planeos, and barridas or the cross.  These are steps that any advanced Argentine tango dancer and many intermediate dancers will know.  Ballroom tango is almost always danced in parallel foot system.  While Argentine tango is both parallel system and cross foot system.

The dances also have a different feel to them.  When dancing ballroom tango the movements are strong, staccato and floor sweeping.  You are more with the base.  When dancing Argentine tango, you are more with the melody.  Listing to any accents in the music and trying to hit them with your movements.

Filed Under: Argentine tango, Dance lessons, Tango Lessons · Tagged: ,

What Is Latin Dancing?

March 25, 2013 by ·
Latin dancing in Brooklyn

Latin Dance Classes in Brooklyn. Ray and Stephanie dancing salsa.

Do you offer Latin dance lessons?  I’m asked this question all the time. When I answer yes.  Many students then  ask what it is Latin dancing? They know they like it and want to learn it, but aren’t sure what is.  Why is jive one of the five dances in Latin dance competitions,  while Argentine tango isn’t?  That’s another question I often hear.  So, here’s a break down.

There are generally two different meanings.  There is social Latin dancing, and there’s formal ballroom/Latin dancing.  Formal Latin dancing has five dances: cha-cha, jive, paso doble, rumba and samba.  When you see an international Latin or American Latin dance competition, these are the dances they are doing.

Then there’s social Latin dancing.  This is what most people are doing in a dance clubs, what you hear on Spanish radio stations, and what most students want to learn.  These are dances that originated in Latin American  and Caribbean countries.  Salsa, bachata, merengue, cha-cha, rumba, and samba are the most popular.  There are many many others.  Popularity depends on where you are.   In the Dominic Republic, bachata and merengue are more popular than salsa.  In Cuba, salsa is way more popular than bachata.  But over all, salsa is the most popular and bachata comes in 2nd.  This is right now.  Ten years ago, bachata was not as popular.  And ten years from now, something else might become popular. In certain parts of Mexico, cumbia is very popular.

It might seem weird, but Argentine tango is not classified as a” Latin dance.”  Here are some reasons why.  It’s not danced in place and it doesn’t have hip motion like the other above mentioned dances.  Argentine tango moves around the room like a ballroom dance and has no hip motion.  It’s more like a ballroom dance, but isn’t.  It has its own classification.   So why is Jive, which is American, one or the five Latin dances in formal competitions?  Well, It’s danced in place,  has lots of hip motion, and kind of looks more like the other Latin dances, and less like a ballroom dance.  The people who organize these competitions wanted to have five dances make up the competition, and wanted an American dance to be one of them, so they choose jive.

Filed Under: Argentine tango, bachata dancing, Latin dancing, Salsa Dancing ·

Dance Teacher Training Programs.

March 18, 2013 by ·
Dance Teacher training programs.

Group salsa class in Park Slope Brooklyn

You want to become a dance teacher.  You see lots of different dance teacher training  programs, but aren’t sure how to choose a good one.  Here are some tips.  If you want to work consistently and make a living as a full-time dance teacher,  the more dances you know, the better.   If all you know is salsa on2 or Argentine tango it will be difficult to keep yourself employed.   Owning two Brooklyn dance studios,  I get resumes and calls everyday from professional salsa dancers, professional Argentine tango dancers, belly dancers,  international Latin and ballroom dancers looking for work.   The first thing I ask them is,  do they know any other dances or styles?  If the answer is no,  I will have a hard time employing them.

Dance schools want dancers who are well-rounded. It’s great to be an expert in one dance, but know some others.  I just got a resumes from a dancer who’s  been dancing for 15 years and all she knows is salsa on2.  In 15 years she couldn’t pick up some other dances?

Here’s a typical day for me and any of my dance teachers.  Yesterday at 9am I taught a private at our Flatbush dance school.  The student is doing hustle, salsa on1, and bachata.  At 10 I taught an Argentine tango private.  At 3 I went to our Park Slope studio and taught a private bachata lesson.  This student also wants to learn cumbia.  At 7 I teach a couple who is doing social ballroom.  At 8 we have a two-hour intermediate salsa class.  Where would I be if I only knew how to dance one dance or style?  A dance student frequently starts leaning one dance,  then become interested in a different dance.  If all you know is that one dance, you will lose them as a student when they want to move on to a different dance.

Also, a school would rather have one teacher doing two hours than two separate teachers each doing an hour each.  It’s just easier.  So, make sure the teacher training program is making you into a  well-rounded dancer.  This way no matter what a student wants to learn, you will be the go to dance teacher for that studio.

Is there any kind of placement program?   It’s great that they are training you in salsa on1, salsa on2, Argentine tango, Latin and ballroom, hustle and wedding choreography;  making you into a well-rounded dancer.  But what happens when you’re done with your training?  Do they have work for you?  Consider this.  The dance training program that has work for you is the one you should choose.

Do they teach you how to teach or just how to dance?  Many great dancers don’t know how to teach.  The teachers who last and make a good living, are the ones who know how to teach and not just dance.  You will be getting lots of different types of students.  You don’t want to teach each one the same.  Some are very serious about dance and dancing well.  Most  are not interested in become professional dancers, and are just doing if for fun.  Teach the right way and you will keep your student and get more.

Do they teach you about the business end?  What good is it if you know all the dances and how to teach,  but can’t get any business.  Even if you’re not interested in opening up your own dance studio, knowing sales and how to get students is important.  I see some of the best dancers starving for work.  Not having any idea how to generate business and keep themselves employed.

Consider all these things when choosing a dancer teacher training program.

Filed Under: Argentine tango, dance teacher training programs, Private dance lessons, Private salsa lessons, Private tango lessons, Salsa Dancing, Tango Lessons · Tagged: , , ,

Private Dance Lessons vs. Group Dance Lessons

March 12, 2013 by ·
Private dance lessons Brooklyn

Kristina and Michael during private salsa lesson in Brooklyn.

Private lessons are the quickest and  most effective way to learn the art and skill of dancing.  Many people will tell you that one private is the equivalent of 4 group classes. That’s partly true, but just partly.  There is  really no equation that matches private dance lessons to group classes.  When you take a private lesson from a good dance instructor, you are learning something the correct way right off the bat.  With group classes, you learn the same thing, but with 20 dance students in the class, how can the teacher make sure that you are dancing the correct way?  He can’t.  Being slightly off, is off.  It’s like saying  you’re almost on timing. You’re either on or off.  The same thing with technique.

In a group dance class, you mainly practice with other people at your level.  Maybe the teacher will dance with you for a few minutes, but for the most part, you are dancing with someone at your level.  That’s not a good thing if you want to get better.  The way to improve at anything is to do it with someone who is better than you.  Speaking French with a beginner won’t help much.  Put you in a room with a native speaker for a month and you will be speaking French.

Many people think, I can’t afford to take private dance lessons.  If you can afford to take group classes, you can afford to take privates.  Here’s why.  You will learn more in a private than in a group class for the same amount of money.  You won’t just learn more, and here’s the important part, you will learn right. Because of the tactile nature of partner dancing, certain techniques can not be learned properly in a group setting.  You need to be with someone who knows how to do it the correct way.  Feel how their body moves.   This is next to impossible in a group setting.   You also need to have this proper technique drilled into your muscle memory.  Once bad technique is in your muscle memory, it will be very hard to lose. Group classes are good for practicing what you learn in your privates.

In my two Brooklyn dance studios, I have seen many students who have spent lots of money over the years taking group lessons: salsa, tango, Latin, ballroom and more.  The things they were doing only partly right a year ago, many are still doing only partly right today.   Bad habits are hard to break.  Even harder if you are dancing with someone who also has the same bad habits.   I have many students who started with privates, learned things the 100% correct way, and have actually spent less money to get to the level they are at than the student who is taking the group class.

 

 

Filed Under: Private dance lessons, Private salsa lessons, Private tango lessons · Tagged: , , ,

Salsa Dance Schools vs Salsa Clubs

February 21, 2013 by ·
Salsa dance schools in Brooklyn. Miguel and salsera dancing at Dance Fever Studios' Party.

Salsa Social in Brooklyn

Where’s the  best place for dancing salsa and Latin music?

I have recently heard many complaints from students who have gone out to salsa clubs and didn’t have the type of experience they thought they would have.  The club was advertised as a salsa/Latin club, but played mostly pop music. There was salsa dancing, but only in a small room in the back.   No one was really dancing salsa.  They were just there to pick up.  Or, they were just standing on the floor with drinks in hand.  The club was too crowded to dance or move.  There were too many thugs or hoodlum types.  The floor was not good for dancing.  It was too sticky from spilt beer or other drinks.  Or, it was a tile floor that a woman’s heels easily get caught up in.  Not good for dancing.   In order to get a seat,  you needed to buy a drink.   What it you don’t drink and don’t like paying $3 for a bottle of water.  They advertised, dancing begins at 9, but no one was there at 9.  It didn’t get going til 12.  The list can go on, but you get the idea.  There are good clubs that have salsa and Latin dancing, with a good clean wood floor, real dancers and reasonable pricing;  but they are few and far between.

My recommendation is next time you want to go salsa dancing, go to a dance school social.  You will find friendly people who are there to dance and not drink.  The music will be what you want, with no club attitude, and at a reasonable start time.   You can usually leave your purse unattended and not worry.  Many dance schools socials also include food and drinks in the price.  A dance school will usually tell you in their ad,  or on their calendar, exactly what music they will be playing.  If it’s advertised as a salsa/Latin mix, that’s what you’ll get.  Lots of salsa, with some bachata, cha cha and merengue.  No Rihanna or Lady Gaga.  So, the winner is dance schools.

 

Filed Under: Dance lessons, salsa dance schools, salsa dance studios, Salsa Dancing · Tagged: , , ,

Dance schools in NYC

February 16, 2013 by ·

Here are some observations about dance schools in Brooklyn and the New York city area. These are things I’ve noticed, and have also been brought to my attention by my students.  I guess you can call them pet peeves.

Dance schools in NYC at our Park Slope Brooklyn dance studio.

Park Slope dance studio in Brooklyn NY.

Please stop advertising your school at one price, and then when a student comes to register,  hit them with a registration fee. If you advertise one price, that should be the price. Not, oh plus $20 for registration.  I’ve noticed many Brooklyn salsa schools doing this recently.  This is deceptive.  So, if a school does this, watch out.  They also tell you it’s a one time fee.  But, if you don’t go for a few months, then start up again, they will hit you with this registration fee again.  Guys, Be up front with the pricing.

Should you really be charging for music? These are your students. If they are asking for some salsa, bachata or tango music, have them bring a CD and burn them some songs. Do you really need to sell them it? They are new to this whole salsa, tango, or whatever dance scene it is.  They want music to practice to. Give them it, and help them out.  Squeezing every dollar out of a student is not the way to do business.

Telling students they will be great salseros or tangeras in no time flat.  This is over the phone, without even having meet the student.  No school or teacher can tell you how long it’s going to take for you to be good, or even decent.  That depends on you. Students often ask me how long does it take to get good at Argentine tango, or become a great salsa dancer.  The answer is, I don’t know. I’ve had students who after a few classes were dancing nicely, and other students, after months, still struggle with the tempo. Honesty is the best policy.

Pitting one dance style against another. I’ve actually heard a studio owner in Manhattan asking out loud, during a Milonga at her studio: “Why would anyone want to dance Argentine tango? It’s so slow and boring.” This studio primarily teaches swing, hustle and salsa. They have a Milonga once a month. So, according to her, swing, hustle and salsa are great and Argentine tango isn’t.  This is like saying Impressionist painters are better than Cubist.  They’re just different.  If you dance salsa in Rueda there’s no reason to put down LA style salsa. If you dance Argentine tango in close embrace, don’t bad mouth open embrace. Try not to have such a parochial view of things. If you want to get really good at any one dance, embracing all styles will help. The best salsa dancers usually know a few different styles. The best tango dancers usually also know ballroom and many know ballet. Being able to include different techniques and styles from one dance into another will help you become a better dancer.

This is for the salsa schools. Too much focus on salsa shines. I have students that come from other schools, and maybe they have been dancing for a year.  They know 60 shines.  Wow! But they can’t follow or lead a simple copa or check turn the right way. Unless it’s specifically a salsa shine class, try focusing more on leading, following, technique, and musicality.  This is what partner dancing is about, not splitting up and doing shines. You should have great Cuban motion and contra body before you learn 60 shines and triple turns.

Roping students into a performance class and then after a few weeks telling them they need to pay an additional price for the costume that you have marked up double. A student told me that this happened to her in a belly dance class she was taking. She was told that she couldn’t do the performance unless she bought the costume. Nothing about buying a costume was said at the beginning of the class cycle. She dropped out of the class. Again, be upfront with the pricing.

Too much Focus on steps and patterns. Better to teach how to lead and follow then how to do a pattern. Better to teach technique, craft, musicality and style then a complicate step. Once you know this, you will be able to follow any pattern. Many student tell me that the school they used to go to taught really complicated patterns, but as soon as they left the class, they forget it all. Focus more on technique and less on steps.

Advertising a class as advanced and then letting anyone join in. A student told me about an advanced Argentine tango workshop he went to where half the women there weren’t able to do a proper boleo. Some didn’t know how to do it at all. If you promote a class as advanced, it should really have only advanced students. Allowing intermediate or beginners into the class isn’t fair to the real advanced dancers. If all schools started doing some of these things, it would make things a lot better for all.

Filed Under: Argentine tango, Dance lessons, Salsa Dancing, Tango Lessons · Tagged: , , , , , , ,
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