#1 Look after beginners
- They are our future dance partners - remember they quickly advance and they will remember you in the future.
- Make sure everyone has fun - this is the key to learning, after all most people enter latin dance from enjoyment.
#2 Treat the studio or venue with respect
- Without dance studios there won’t be many, if any dancers - just compare to towns that have no dance studios, there is literally no Latin dancing. Schools spend allot of time trying to improve the dance scene because its good for everyone.
- Keep it tidy - at least treat it as good as your home. People are watching and this won't go unnoticed.
#3 Make your personal hygiene a priority
- it makes more enjoyable for everyone - check your breath, carry mints & underarm if you sweat allot, if you smoke everyone will know... and finally ask a friend if you are unsure. It's really important for everyone to enjoy dancing because it is usually close proximity.
# 4 Safe & Appropriate
- Never force a movement - If a move has to have force then something is wrong, either the leader or the follower is missing something major, please ask a teacher.
- Dance to the level of your partner - to often we see moves executed from a higher level dancer in beginner or lower level class or setting. Rushing ahead in a dance class actually makes it less enjoyable for the newbie, so please follow the teacher and if your dance partner is struggling use the 'kiss' approach - Keep It Simple Stupid. Your dance partner will thank you.
- Don’t teach on the dance floor - this is a huge bad habit, often your dance partner will not want help, even if they are "nice" ..its not your job to teach. There's no tolerance for this on the social dance floor, that's why people take classes. In class if you are trying to lecture your dance partner they will also miss instruction from the teacher, its a lose/lose situation, we suggest if there is an issues ask for teacher or wait it out, you'll be dancing with someone else soon.....we have a full article dedicated to this >
- Report any inappropriate behaviour - we have banned students from this in the past, so if anything happens you are either unsure of, or someone makes you uncomfortable please let our staff know. We will keep it strictly confidential - privacy statement
Blog/ Article Written by Reuben (Salsa Latina)
