Got Two Left Feet? Know someone who does? We can help!

(by Cheryl Williams)
If I had a dollar for every time someone told me they have two left feet, no rhythm, or simply cannot dance, I think I could retire!  After teaching hundreds of students over the past 15 years I almost enjoy hearing this initial defeatist attitude, all for the sheer pleasure of then proving them wrong.  I understand how the uninitiated can be intimidated at first, watching partner dancers move effortlessly across a dance floor together.  I remember my own mystification as an adolescent when I once saw two of my jazz ballet peers swing dancing.  How does she know what to do, I thought?  How do they both know?

Like many things in life, dance can be enjoyed on many different levels; as a great social activity, as fun physical conditioning, as an art, or as something to develop and challenge oneself in the form of competition.  One’s success in this endeavor, to dance, depends on many things including natural ability, dedication to learning, a sense of music, committed practice, coordination etc.  But, to my experience, there is another key factor that basically overrides all the others.  The grand majority of successful students, once introduced to dance, all seem to possess this one particular trait:  They find it fun.

photo credit: Jun Ogata

It is not unusual for students to ask me; “How long before I’m good at Salsa? (or Tango, or Ballroom, or West Coast Swing?)”  It is a difficult question to answer, if only because being “good” at dance can mean so many things. Do they mean, when will they look good? or when will they feel more in control?  Are they asking when will they be confident enough to ask a beautiful stranger to dance, or are they planning to audition for So You Think You Can Dance?  In any case, the answer is different for everyone and depends on a combination of many factors, some previously mentioned. My first reaction is always to ask my students if they are enjoying the process of learning.  If they are, I know it’s just a question of time before they look and feel more confident.  It could take 3 months, 3 years, a lifetime, but when you are having fun along the way, the amount of time it takes matters less.



In the late 90s, during the early Swing revival days in Montreal, I remember attending a dance night with three fellow enthusiasts.  At that time, all the local swing dancers were novices.  One of the leaders from my group had phenomenal ability and could make me dance all kinds of steps.  The two others were less natural but, due to their love of the dance, are still a part of the swing scene today and have become highly sought-after partners.  The leader with the great ability did not continue and when I danced with him a few years after that first night, I noted his dancing had not evolved at all.  He was still a good dancer but not nearly as good as the two others, who had less ability but more enthusiasm.



If you have always thought of dance as inaccessible, believing you just don’t “have it”, I encourage you to give it a try - maybe even 3 tries.  You could be surprised.  I have had success teaching many people how to pick out a beat, how to learn a pattern, how to connect with a partner etc.  I have seen many men come into the studio because their significant other has twisted their arm, only to later see the same men booking extra lessons because they are enjoying it so much. Just the fact that you have thought about dancing suggests to me that it is something you should explore.



If you want to try a dance class, consider attending one of our open monthly parties, which take place the first Saturday of every month.  The next Dance Conmigo party is Saturday, June 2nd, and features a crash course in RUMBA from 8pm-9pm, followed by general dancing til midnight.  For details, consult the Dance Conmigo website: http://www.danceconmigo.com/dchome

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