Beginner's Page

There are so many people who still believe that they could never learn to dance. This is not true, if you can walk and have normal intelligence you can dance. You do not need to be an athlete or know anything about music, and there is no age limit. We have seen dancers who never danced before reaching the age of sixty. At the other end of the scale, there are very young children who dance beautifully, so dancing is ageless.

When new students first arrive at a class they are naturally a little nervous. Learning something new always makes us feel this way. Often students will say "I have two left feet and I know nothing about music". What they really mean is that they have never thought about their feet, and so the coordination between thought and movement needs a little practice. Also we do not need to be a musician to be able to hear the beat and to dance to the rhythm of the music, again it requires a little thought and practice. Most people have no trouble marching in time to a band. They, somewhere in the past, were taught -left right left right-, and will automatically put the correct foot forward each step. Now count -1, 2, 1, 2. This is the beat. Let us now listen to dance music. If you listen carefully to these, you will be able to hear a continuous beat of either 1,2,3. or 1,2,3,4. At first you may not be able to hear it, but keep listening and try to tap your foot to the music. Like everything else, this requires practice, so try to tap out the beat each time you hear music being played.

Whether you are a Man or Lady, the music is the link between the two of you and must be listened to by both. You will find that when you know your steps thoroughly and are used to the beat it becomes quite automatic. We call it muscular memory.

Professional dancers will tell you that no matter how long you have been dancing, you will always be still learning something.

However after a few months of regular weekly classes you will start to realize that you are now able to dance a number of the simple dances without thinking too much about what you have to do next. You will also start to realize that you seem to be able to remember routines more easily now, than when you first started.

The most important lesson you will learn is that you will not master the basic rudiments of dancing in one or even ten lessons. Don't despair, we all have to go through this phase. However don't give up without giving it a reasonable chance, remembering that every one learns at a different rate.

Beginners expect to somehow look good on the dance floor, before they know how to dance. It doesn't happen that way. Men in particular, need to be patient with themselves. It takes a great deal of skill and confidence to step up from dancing a set sequence, to dancing some of the more challenging routines.

Useful Hints for the Man	Useful Hints for the Lady
(1) Wear shoes that are comfortable to dance in.	(1) Wear shoes with heels that are comfortable to dance in.
(2) When dancing in a closed position, man's right hand is placed approx, at the bottom of the lady's left shoulder blade. Not down near the lady's hip.	(2) When dancing in a closed position, Lady's left hand should rest on the man's right arm near his shoulder line. Not clutching his shoulder.
(3) Remember there is a standardized rule for progressing around the floor, and this is your 'Line of Dance', Which means that you should move anticlockwise .	(3)Do not think that because you have a partner, you do not need to know your steps. You do.
(4) Don't criticize your partner's dancing - this is a definite sign of a beginner.	(4) Don't always blame your partner for stepping on your toes, it may be your fault. Perhaps you are not stepping far enough back, or your weight may be dropping back.
(5) Don't have a long miserable expression. The dance floor is a place for fun, so if you don't smile how can you expect your partner to?	(5) Don't hang all your weight on your partners right arm. Don't take a death grip on his left hand. And remember, dancing is supposed to be fun, so smile
(6) Most Important When you start the dance, don't be afraid to stand in your dancing position for a moment, and listen to the beat and tempo of the music. Don't just grab your partner and make a dash.	(6) Don't let your seat stick out, this will seriously effect your balance not to mention the visual affect. Try to keep your own balance, your partner is not supposed to hold you up.
(7) Don't grasp your partners right hand too tightly, and please don't try to steer her with your left hand. The body is supposed to signal your intended moves.	(7)When dancing in a closed position, try to keep as much space as possible between your partner's head and your head.
(8) Keep your head up, never look down as this will effect your balance.	(8) Ladies think that they are supposed to lean back, especially with their head. This is not true. Good dancers will lean somewhat to the left, but never back, as this will spoil their balance.
(9) Don't hug your partner too tightly with your right hand. You should be trying to keep space between your hand and your body. This gives the lady room to move as well as breathe.	(9) Don't lean forward, particularly when stepping backwards. The body should be kept upright not only for better balance but also for comfort.
(10) When stepping straight forward or backwards, the feet should pass close to each other on each passing action. If when moving forward you try to straddle your partner's feet, both your balance and your partners, will be seriously affected	(10) Don't expect your partner to be able to steer you around the floor while you are both learning. It is still your responsibility to know the routines in the sequence dances.