Five Tips to Ensure a Perfect First Date / Salsa Dance

Written by Brooke Meyer for OnlineSalsa.com

I recently visited Ernesto’s, a favorite venue among the locals in Louisville, Kentucky (USA) for a night of Salsa dancing. As I prepared for my first dance in this unfamiliar territory, I was greeted by a flutter in the pit of my stomach that resembled the same flutter that sometimes occurs during a first date.

At that moment I decided that to me, partner dancing is equivalent to a platonic form of speed dating. And as with any first ‘date’, I knew that I only had the duration of one song or approximately three minutes to make a lasting first impression - in hopes of creating the mutual desire with my partner to share another dance.

Or, in some cases, maybe not.

This is a clip of Speed Dating Australian Style made in 2005.

With the fear of being immediately shunned from the dance floor I stood wondering what exactly sets the average “date” - or in this case dancer - apart from the highly enjoyable dancer; the dancer you could dance with again and again without getting bored, the kind that leaves you reminiscing about the dance for days after? I came up with the following top qualities; the keys to a truly satisfying social dance experience – for both dancers.

Get To Know Your Partner

Just like an honest to goodness ‘date’ get to know your partner, but this time, as a dancer! As a Leader, avoid beginning the dance with fancy moves just to see how fast your partner can spin. Familiarize yourself with the music and build the dance’s intensity as the connection and music heightens. As a
Follower, follow the lead with a relaxed and open mind. Connect with your partner, trust, and enjoy what could very well be the best dance of your life.

Make a Connection

You have to want to dance with that person, the one in your arms. Salsa is a spicy, passionate, rhythmic dance that is fast, intimate and requires a certain connection with your partner. This connection, known as the frame, is made through your arms and hands with motion from your legs transmitted through your body’s core at different points; and allows the Leader to communicate as well as, incorporate the Followers’ ideas, abilities, and creative suggestions into their own styling and selection of moves. Without a good connection, there is not any communication between partners; and we all know what happens in partnerships without effective communication.

Explore the Lead and Follow Relationship

Explore the limits of the “Lead-Follow” relationship to add to the dance. To successfully interact with each other, communication needs to occur and since it's not practical to discuss moves, physical contact is the most effective means; therefore, the Leader leads by guiding the Follower and is ultimately responsible for choosing appropriate steps to suit the music and leading the Follower to complete the chosen steps. This conversation between partners contributes to the style and mood of the dance through their connection with each other. While defined roles of lead and follow are useful when learning to dance, focus on dancing with the person, not just the role.

Communicate through Body Movement

By definition, dance is an art form that generally refers to the movement of the body - usually rhythmic - and to music used as a form of expression, so I think it is only necessary that you make your dance expressive or even artistic by incorporating motions that will convey your thoughts to your audience as
you travel about the dance floor. Do not remain glued to one spot, learn to modify the degree of movement to make it natural and meaningful.

Enhance the Dance with Musicality

Make it a goal to relate the dance to the music, to its rhythm, melody, and mood to enhance the experience. For example, dance when there is music and not when there is not, step on the strong beat, make your partner step on the strong beat or make pauses. Interpret the emotional content of the
music – for example: humorous, sad, tragic, romantic etc. - to create a dramatic affect on your dance and really give your audience a show!

As with courting any next ‘date’ or dance, basic social etiquette should apply. Be personable, smile, and make eye contact with your partner every so often throughout the dance. Focus your eyes on them and your ears on the music. And lastly, do not take dancing too seriously. The best dancing is profoundly un-serious and transcendentally playful. Apply these qualities to your next dance and see how it goes, And, who knows, maybe these concepts will be relevant to your first dates too!

Special thanks to David Royer, Salsa Instructor and Director of Art in Motion for introducing me to Ernesto’s and, most importantly, for the new moves!


About the author

Brooke Meyer is a freelance writer from Destin, Florida (U.S.A). As an avid traveler, a hospitality Sales & Marketing guru and a Salsa enthusiast, she publishes reviews and cutting-edge articles about the travel industry and Salsa community. Other articles written for Onlinesalsa.com are Chronicles of a Salsa Addict, or so I have been called?, A conquest to Overcome Shyness on the Dance Floor and a Review of the 2010 Orlando Salsa Congress.

Twitter: Beach_girlee