When we social dance, we give ourselves over to the dance. Sometimes to the partner as well. But to the music, the space, the feel of the dance. It can feel like a dream. But even if it’s not that perfect dance, the dance can often be broken down in a similar way. It feels…
What makes modern jive such a social dance?
Harking back to the days of our grandparents and earlier, a social dance was where you went on dates and met friends. It was a huge social occasion, largely based on social ballroom style. There were dance halls in most towns and cities, compared with recent years where there’s few dance venues left. However my…
How to start social dancing in 2018
So many people go through life saying they wish they could dance, but don’t do anything about it. I believe if more people knew about social dancing there’d be a lot more people out there on the dancefloor. They may love watching others dance, at the theatre or on tv through Strictly Come Dancing and…
Handy tips on how to dance with more control
While dancing with abandon is a great way to feel free and release any angst, when partner dancing, even socially, there needs to be some semblance of control from each person. It can be interesting to watch people who dance with no worries in a loose and relaxed way, and we may want to be…
The worst question to ask a dancer on the dancefloor
It’s ok to chat while social dancing, isn’t it? Not everyone agrees that the dancefloor is appropriate to be chatting on, but generally a hello is fine, and anything more in depth can be left until afterwards. But why oh why do so many people ask the worst question to ask a dancer on the…
Accessibility of social dance – what’s in my dance bag
The brilliant thing about social dancing is how accessible it is for most people. Apart from class costs (and potentially travel costs if you can’t share lifts, walk or cycle), there’s virtually no outlay when you’re starting out. You don’t need special shoes Just smooth soled shoes that stay on your feet are fine. So…