Comments on: How to dance like a professional : Dance Tips for Leaders http://addicted2salsa.com/dance/how-to-dance-like-a-professional-dance-tips-for-leaders/ Salsa dancing videos and lessons to get you salsa dancing for free. Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:58:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Hipolito Nunez http://addicted2salsa.com/dance/how-to-dance-like-a-professional-dance-tips-for-leaders/#comment-1932 Hipolito Nunez Sat, 06 Dec 2008 20:48:20 +0000 http://addicted2salsa.com/?p=880#comment-1932 very nice article, that is not just about dancing, is a leadership concept that follow in the military as well. very nice article, that is not just about dancing, is a leadership concept that follow in the military as well.

]]> By: Donv http://addicted2salsa.com/dance/how-to-dance-like-a-professional-dance-tips-for-leaders/#comment-1797 Donv Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:33:58 +0000 http://addicted2salsa.com/?p=880#comment-1797 Wow!!!! Good explanation, Esteban. Thank You. Wow!!!! Good explanation, Esteban. Thank You.

]]> By: Esteban http://addicted2salsa.com/dance/how-to-dance-like-a-professional-dance-tips-for-leaders/#comment-1796 Esteban Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:27:13 +0000 http://addicted2salsa.com/?p=880#comment-1796 Dear Donv: Leading with your body has nothing to do with the the level of tone or resistance of your body.You can have a stronger tone or softer and still be able to lead with your body. And by body, we mean, upper body. The best way to explain and understand this is a punch. If you punch someone, the energy and action comes from yuor body (pects, shoulders). You use your upper body to initiate the movement, then the arm delivers. So for example, in a cross body lead, instead of leading with just your arms, try conectiong your arms more to your pectoral muscles. Feel that your arm joint starts there, instead of your shoulders. Then initiate the movement from your upper body. You then will see how moving and direction with your uper body delivers a smotther feeling, and also a stronger lead. You will be amazed and surprise of the resultss and this alone will open a new chapter in your dancing growth. Dear Donv:

Leading with your body has nothing to do with the the level of tone or resistance of your body.You can have a stronger tone or softer and still be able to lead with your body. And by body, we mean, upper body. The best way to explain and understand this is a punch. If you punch someone, the energy and action comes from yuor body (pects, shoulders). You use your upper body to initiate the movement, then the arm delivers. So for example, in a cross body lead, instead of leading with just your arms, try conectiong your arms more to your pectoral muscles. Feel that your arm joint starts there, instead of your shoulders. Then initiate the movement from your upper body. You then will see how moving and direction with your uper body delivers a smotther feeling, and also a stronger lead. You will be amazed and surprise of the resultss and this alone will open a new chapter in your dancing growth.

]]> By: Donv http://addicted2salsa.com/dance/how-to-dance-like-a-professional-dance-tips-for-leaders/#comment-1794 Donv Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:34:13 +0000 http://addicted2salsa.com/?p=880#comment-1794 Ok, I was doing fine until Gallo's second paragraph. A girl made mention of this last Wednesday when I danced with her and did this one move when she said I had to lead with my body. This goes back to the same issue with leading with the hands softly. How to lead with your body without giving her a bear hug or feeling like the breeze. And I was doing so well. :( Ok, I was doing fine until Gallo’s second paragraph. A girl made mention of this last Wednesday when I danced with her and did this one move when she said I had to lead with my body.

This goes back to the same issue with leading with the hands softly. How to lead with your body without giving her a bear hug or feeling like the breeze.

And I was doing so well. :(

]]> By: Elaine http://addicted2salsa.com/dance/how-to-dance-like-a-professional-dance-tips-for-leaders/#comment-1793 Elaine Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:24:50 +0000 http://addicted2salsa.com/?p=880#comment-1793 Kudos to Gallo!! :) Kudos to Gallo!! :)

]]> By: Gallo http://addicted2salsa.com/dance/how-to-dance-like-a-professional-dance-tips-for-leaders/#comment-1792 Gallo Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:32:46 +0000 http://addicted2salsa.com/?p=880#comment-1792 I totally agree with Esteban. You have to enjoy the dance. It sure is nice when a girl can follow like a pro, but even if she can't, lead her through some easy patterns and make her have a good time. Smile. Laugh if you mess up. Salsa is as much about having fun and enjoying the music as it is about dancing. You will get so much more dances and salsa-scene status if you make sure you take care of the girls. On another point, I cannot emphasize enough how important leading with your frame/posture is, especially on more advanced patterns. I see too many dancers try to lead various patterns with only their arms. You may be able to get away with it if the girl knows what she's doing, but you'd be surprised to see just how much better a girl follows you when you're using your whole body and frame to lead, rather than just your hands. I totally agree with Esteban. You have to enjoy the dance. It sure is nice when a girl can follow like a pro, but even if she can’t, lead her through some easy patterns and make her have a good time. Smile. Laugh if you mess up. Salsa is as much about having fun and enjoying the music as it is about dancing. You will get so much more dances and salsa-scene status if you make sure you take care of the girls.

On another point, I cannot emphasize enough how important leading with your frame/posture is, especially on more advanced patterns. I see too many dancers try to lead various patterns with only their arms. You may be able to get away with it if the girl knows what she’s doing, but you’d be surprised to see just how much better a girl follows you when you’re using your whole body and frame to lead, rather than just your hands.

]]> By: Donv http://addicted2salsa.com/dance/how-to-dance-like-a-professional-dance-tips-for-leaders/#comment-1777 Donv Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:23:22 +0000 http://addicted2salsa.com/?p=880#comment-1777 One other thing which affects both lead and follower that I have noticed in my dancing is how the lead handles the followers arm (assuming one hand is free). It is that when exiting a turn to be sure that the arm is placed properly so that the follower knows what the next move will be. I attribute the follower's arm to a gear shift. Raise it above her head and she turns. Bring it down and she moves in closer. Pull on it and she breaks out. But keep it at a 90 degree angle and she will exit a turn facing you. One other thing which affects both lead and follower that I have noticed in my dancing is how the lead handles the followers arm (assuming one hand is free). It is that when exiting a turn to be sure that the arm is placed properly so that the follower knows what the next move will be.

I attribute the follower’s arm to a gear shift. Raise it above her head and she turns. Bring it down and she moves in closer. Pull on it and she breaks out. But keep it at a 90 degree angle and she will exit a turn facing you.

]]> By: Esteban http://addicted2salsa.com/dance/how-to-dance-like-a-professional-dance-tips-for-leaders/#comment-1774 Esteban Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:50:06 +0000 http://addicted2salsa.com/?p=880#comment-1774 One thing I did forget to mention is that no matter how good a lead or follower you are, you have to enjoy it and dance and hafe fun with the dance with your partner. Many times I dance with girls that have an "I am all that" attitude, and there is this dry look on them, like staring at an empty spot, never looking at you or even smilling. No matter how good the follower in this case, the dance is flavorless. Same for the guys. One thing I did forget to mention is that no matter how good a lead or follower you are, you have to enjoy it and dance and hafe fun with the dance with your partner. Many times I dance with girls that have an “I am all that” attitude, and there is this dry look on them, like staring at an empty spot, never looking at you or even smilling. No matter how good the follower in this case, the dance is flavorless. Same for the guys.

]]> By: Arkantos http://addicted2salsa.com/dance/how-to-dance-like-a-professional-dance-tips-for-leaders/#comment-1757 Arkantos Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:46:04 +0000 http://addicted2salsa.com/?p=880#comment-1757 Any resemblance with sex is entirely coincidental, haha. You're right, you HAVE TO act the song, this is very important for a good performance. Not just a leader but also a an actor on the dance floor. Music is your director. I love very much when girls act and seduce you as long you're dancing with them. That motivate you to do more daring movements. Any resemblance with sex is entirely coincidental, haha. You’re right, you HAVE TO act the song, this is very important for a good performance. Not just a leader but also a an actor on the dance floor. Music is your director.

I love very much when girls act and seduce you as long you’re dancing with them. That motivate you to do more daring movements.

]]> By: Donv http://addicted2salsa.com/dance/how-to-dance-like-a-professional-dance-tips-for-leaders/#comment-1755 Donv Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:00:15 +0000 http://addicted2salsa.com/?p=880#comment-1755 This is turning out to be a wicked topic. Something I have been thinking about just recently and Salsaholic just reminded me is that when dancing with a new girl, start simple and slowly add more complex moves as the song progresses. Sometimes I'll add a complex move 4 moves in and she gets already lost and then it's just downhill from there. It's one of the many things I'm working on currently. This is turning out to be a wicked topic.

Something I have been thinking about just recently and Salsaholic just reminded me is that when dancing with a new girl, start simple and slowly add more complex moves as the song progresses. Sometimes I’ll add a complex move 4 moves in and she gets already lost and then it’s just downhill from there.

It’s one of the many things I’m working on currently.

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