I tried out for a team when I was in a similar position. I’d been going to clubs regularly for a few months and dancing with (very indulgent) friends who were better dancers. They encouraged me to try out, both to get more into the local salsa scene and to better my technique.

My feeling was that I really had nothing to lose by at least trying out, and neither do you. Even if you don’t make it onto your “ideal” team, the process of auditioning can be informative in itself. Take the opportunity to go over steps and prepare a little and the just go and fun and show off your stuff!

Flare. I agree that if your partner sucks, then a little backleading is allowed. If the man makes a mistake, well, the ladies should compensate and lead themselves. But! But! But! All performances should be…. how can I put it?… uhmmm… “perfect”! Right? Wink wink.

Belinda, you know what? Just do it! If you want it… well… how bad do you want it? It seems that you have a solid foundation and you can follow well. If you think that you can learn and improve quickly, then go get your feet wet, or go swimming…. you won’t drown.

It sort of depends on what level team you are trying for–And, honestly, even if you don’t feel ready for the audition, you won’t know unless you try. Don’t sell yourself short! Honestly, what could you lose? To me, that’s almost like saying one should lose weight, before going to the gym… Most auditions are almost like little workshops, so they’re still beneficial even if you don’t make it. But, think POSITIVE.

I definitely agree that elements of my choreography on a team has helped me to develop as a better dancer. The hardest things ever to do, were the 5 spins the the LEFT, and then switching immediately into 3 spins to the right. WOW, those took a lot of work.

But I have a little bit of an issue with the ladies strictly following while doing choreography–what if your partner can’t lead? Or has timing issues? My instructor told me that I needed to change the way I danced in a performance, because its really not how i dance socially. If anything, the performance demanded more work, more energy, more effort, and I stepped things out quite a bit more, than I usually do in my social dancing. For certain moves, I had to grip onto my partner more than I usually would for social dancing (where I never really GRIP onto my partner…).

It’s just that when you’re on stage, I feel like movements need to be really exaggerated since, people are far away and don’t get every wink of the eye. And if you aren’t going all out like the rest of the team, then it’s pretty noticeable.

Also, if the lead messes up, should the girl just stop to wait for him to pick her up, or keep going to help remind him of the next moves?

My thesis: Performance teams are complementary of social dancing.

My two cents for now.

Salsa skills come in different flavors.
- Timing
- Shines
- Individual Spins
- Styling
- Leading/Following…
- Etc, etc

In order to be a well-rounded social dancer, one has to become proficient at all the above (and more) skills.

It is necessary to learn different skills at the same time, because these skills are interdependent on each other. i.e. A dancer, Dancer X, may know a certain turn combination (TurnCombo “A” with Single Axle Turns) while being an average spinner. In a few weeks, dancer X masters doing a triple axle turn. He realizes that he can do triple axle turns in his turn combo, so now he can do TurnCombo “A” with Triple Axle Turns. Dancer X is now perceived as a much better social dancer than before. Same for ladies! Compare Lady Double Turn vs Lady 4-Turns.

Performance teams allow you to improve all the above skills rapidly if the choreography demands it.

-Performing is just a formalization of social dancing.
-One should treat performing as social dancing - ladies should follow, not lead themselves while performing.

In order for a performance to be beneficial, the choreography must be challenging to the members of the group.

-The choreographer should maximize the use of talent of the members. What’s the point of designing a choreography with material already learned by the members?

-From the performers perspective, the members of the choreography should treat the dance team as a learning experience, and they should accordingly select a group that will allow them to improve their skills, not just dance for the sake of dancing.

At the end of the choreography, the members should walk away with a better understanding of salsa dancing.

Ok sorry I did not expand more… but I have to go improve my social dancing.

On the flipside, I have to say I know some people I have been in teams with who are not good at social dancing AT ALL. They just do not have the leading or following skills. I know a lot of teams are open to all levels because after all it is just choreographed, but I think it is of much less benefit to beginner dancers to be in a team. But if people are looking to hone certain skills or simply be influenced by the choreographer, I think a team can be a good option.

First you really need to learn a lot before you stop taking classes or leave a dance team. Leaders as well as followers. Some things for instance just need to be done once - for example letting your arm wrap around your neck (Most followers who have never seen that try to duck) and stuff like.
Of course, I am not talking about guys like Anthony and most of the people, because you all are very good - out of my league.

With that said, dance teams are kind of a mix between the private lessons and the group classes (depending on the instructor), in which the teacher may improve little things you do wrong individually while also teaching you new moves, which are inserted into choreography. I’ve been on a couple different teams, and not all provide equal benefit. The one I’m on now has actually helped me improve dramatically in the past year.

Back then, I only knew how to dance on1, and my goal was to also learn on2. Being on a team that performs on2, I was given the assignment of dancing predominantly on2 while out social dancing. And yes, the dance team greatly encourages people going out social dancing…in fact it’s a prerequisite. The benefits of being on a team were that I met many new people with whom I could practice my dancing, and with whom I felt comfortable because they were in the same boat as I. Being part of a team made me feel more connected to the scene simply because I knew more people as a result.

While only being on a dance team may not improve a person’s ability quickly without the social dancing aspect, I feel that only going out social dancing is not enough in itself. The social floor is generally not the place to give or receive feedback on dancing, unless it is asked for (see Patrick’s article on Self-awareness). It is also not the best practice ground for trying new moves, as this can quickly lead to injured limbs and women (and their friends) never dancing with you again. It doesn’t help you improve when people won’t dance with you. But then again, maybe that’s just the motivation needed to take lessons…or join a team

For me specifically, joining a team did help with certain aspects of my dancing. (i.e. my spins, ball-heel, performance vs. social dancing, and contra-body movement). But like a college course, your professors can only lecture you on so much during the couple of hours throughout the week, YOU need to do your HW, study, and read the book to get all the details (i.e. youtube, observing other social dancers, practicing on your own). YOU fill in all the details to make the complete dancer that is YOU. Oh man, getting emotional–it hits close to home.

Another advanced dancer also told me that his style doesn’t necessarily fit those of his teams, but doing team choreography is a new challenge for him, he’s good at it, and when he isn’t in the studio, the dancing is his own, not his team’s. Wise dancer.

Good article Anthony, thank you.

I do believe the number one thing in social dancing is social dancing. If we had to choose the top thing to improve your effectiveness on social dancing, this would be it. It almost follows by definition.

On another note, what Lise says on independent and concentrated thinking is very important and has been addressed before by an article Anthony wrote a while back.

The song is “My favorite things” from “The new swing sextet”. A great song!

I do agree that, in terms of improving your dancing, what you can gain from being on a dance team is limited and that you shouldn’t neglect your social dancing (to use the terminology I just criticised). In my case, I do both and can feel I’m improving through both pathways simultaneously.

Perhaps we should also add a third category of learning to our invalid set of terminology: independent study. What you promote through your podcasts or watching youtube videos, or just practising the basic step at home or figuring out some new footwork or styling in the ladies room at work (because they have mirrors there). In other words, taking some time to consolidate what you have learnt in a quiet moment by yourself.

The feedback you get socially is generally pretty weak, and few people are self disiplined enough to practice a third of the time they will practice when part of a team.

Over the course of three to six months, a few people WILL do better just by social dancing, if they are practicing on their own, taking classes or privates and social dancing, but I submit that is the minority.