Learning to Dance

Would it be better to practice for a while applying our dancing to music? or is it important to learn the steps first before applying them to the music?

Janet in Huntington, New York emailed us her dance dilemma...

She had purchased our Associate Bronze level Foxtrot/Waltz instructional dvd. She and her fiance started using it to prepare for their October wedding.

Janet explained that it appeared that they had all five foxtrot steps down well without music.--they felt that they were able to do the steps and her partner had a comfortably firm lead hand. But when it came time to dance to the music---Janet, described the problem they were experiencing:

"There is much pause between steps, we get confused, and we both mess up the steps when we practice to music."

Janet and her partner had been doing a review of the dvd for a few minutes without music, a few minutes with music. Then they would review the dvd again, practice a few minutes without music, and a few minutes with music... Now Janet wonders if it would be better to practice without music at all for a while? Or is it important to learn the steps within the context of applying them to the rhythm of the music?

Scott's response:

The best thing to do at first is to practice without music because the hardest thing for us guys initially is the continuity from step to step. The problem is, for us guys, we have to know what step we want to do next while we are still doing the previous step. So it's fine to practice without music while you are learning the patterns and linking the patterns. You do want to make sure, though, that the next pattern starts on the very next beat. There are no beats between. I guess a question I should ask is "Are you doing the dance as a routine or lead and follow?" Just be patient and keep practicing and you'll see that it will fall into place.

Janet's second question was,

"Would it be best to learn the foxtrot steps well --before beginning to
work with the waltz steps?"

Scott's response:
It's not necessary to wait before you add new dances because usually your brain is set up to handle more than one thing. Also, you'll notice if you work on one thing too long, you reach a saturation point. So, I would say to go ahead and start learning the waltz and it should be fine. When we teach people in our studio, we usually do three or four dances at a time. But then, we always keep in mind that everyone is different. So try going on to the Waltz, but if you find it is too much, go at your own pace. We find it is better to do more than one.

Thank you, Janet, for your questions.

We consider ourselves your "Dance Instructors Online"...
So please keep all your questions coming!!!

What dance do I dance to what music?

After teaching ballroom dance for over 28 years, I find one of the most exciting things that people discover about dancing is musical interpretation-- meaning:

"What dance do I dance to what music?"

I remember going through this very exciting stage when I first became a teacher. Unfortunately, I did not recieve a lot of guidance on the subject. What I did was listen to the song and try the basic step of each dance. If it fit, I figured it fit. And to some extent, that's true. The only problem was, this method did not define dance category or style. The best way I found to teach musical interpretation is this:

I have divided dance and dance music into 3 categories.
(With the exception of Samba and Tango-they are a little different.)
The categories are Smooth, Latin and Rhythm.

You say to yourself "Is this a Smooth song like Foxtrot or Waltz? Is it Latin , like Rumba or Salsa? Or is it Rhythm like Swing or Disco?"

Once you know that, you go to the subcategories. Say it's Latin... Is it smooth-flowing Latin, or choppy like a choo-choo train, short/ quick choppy, or even marching-like. And pretty much, you figure it out from there.

For example, looking at Latin:
Rumba is beautiful flowing, like Latin waltz. Some American Rumba's would be (believe it or not) Bob Marley's song "Jammin'" or any Reggae song like that or Jimmy Buffet's song "Margaritaville". Just look for that flowing Caribbean or Latin feel.

Cha Cha has that chugga-chugga choo-choo feel, like Carlos Santana's recent song- "Smooth" or his old song, "Black Magic Woman" and other such songs like that. Remember- choo choo.
Salsa is the short, choppy one. I find experimenting with different Salsa music exciting. Like, for instance on the same Santana CD "Supernatural", there is a song called "Maria, Maria." I really enjoy this one.

I guess I would say when it comes to music and what dance to do to it, don't be boxed in. There is a great big ocean of music to explore. Go swim in it.

One thing I would say is - be an expert at rhythm and timing of dance. Make your dance rhythm and song timing as absolutely clean and crisp as you can. When you dance, you will either find yourself as an insider or an outsider to the music, meaning that if your timing and rhythms are crisp and sharp- you will become part of the music, an insider to the music. It's like the musicians say:

"Good dancers are music with flesh on".

The only time you can see music -- is when people dance.

Lastly, I would add that almost all music can be danced to. Experiment and Enjoy!

Until next time, God bless and Happy Dancing- Scott.

About Us

Ballroom dancing is the greatest way to stay in shape and have fun! We believe that learning ballroom dancing should be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding experiences of your life.

With over 30 years of ice and ballroom dancing experience, Scott Swad is uniquely qualified to share his vast assortment of knowledge and expertise as a professional dancer and Dance Studio Owner.

Scott has produced the highest quality videos, which feature all of the most popular ballroom dances. These videos are available for purchase on our website. www.bocaballroom.com

Whether you are looking for professional help to perfect your techniques, or just looking for an exciting way to have fun with your partner, Scott Swad's instructional video series will teach you everything you need to know, so you can achieve all your Ballroom Dancing desires and goals.

This blog will share insight on how to become a better Ballroom and Latin dancer.

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