(Copyright 2020, Simona Zaino )
Full or partial reproduction of this article requires permission from the author.
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Social dancing has become one of the most popular pastimes in the past few years, with so many options to choose from! Salsa and Tango for the lovers of all things Latin, Kizomba for those who prefer a more sensual style, Jive for dancers who like fun and upbeat music, the old-style and evergreen Line Dancing and many others.
You don’t need to be a professional dancer to join classes and social events, just the desire to be in good company and have fun.

As well as being fun, dance is also a very healthy form of workout. It involves all areas of the body and helps develop strong and slender muscles, boost stamina, improve cardio-vascular endurance and reduce stress.

However, most people approach social dance without the adequate physical preparation. Unlike formal dances (e.g. ballet), where classes always include body conditioning sessions, most social dance classes do not allocate enough time for conditioning thus exposing social dancers to potential injuries. Social dancers should consider adding a regular body conditioning workout to their dance classes in order to:
1. Improve posture and alignment
The correct spine alignment and posture is essential to ensure the dance moves do not put pressure on the spine, the joints and the muscles that support the skeleton
2.Develop muscular strength
Dancing can be a strenuous activity and the relevant muscles need to be prepared with a suitable and gradual strengthening routine 
3.Develop flexibility
Muscle and joint flexibility is often overlooked by social dancers.. until they experience a pull or tear! Just like strength, flexibility has to be developed gradually 
4..Improve mobility and range of movement
Most people join social dance classes without adequate mobility thus forcing the body into positions and movements that strain skeleton and muscles
5.Prevent injury and ensure comfort
Dance moves should, when performed correctly and with adequate preparation, feel natural and comfortable without pushing your body to the limit and causing injuries

So what is the best and most effective body conditioning workout for social dancers? Body conditioning for social dancers should include a combination of stretching, strengthening and postural exercises that involve the entire body and encourage the various areas of the body to work as a whole. Highly recommended complementary activities for social dancers are thus Yoga and Pilates classes, which are widely available everywhere. A regular combined Yoga and Pilates practice will ensure your body can put up with the challenges of your dance routines in a safe manner.. so you can focus on the fun! :)

Related articles and tutorials
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Online Yoga and Pilates classes (via Zoom)
We currently offer regular online Yoga & Pilates classes (via Zoom)
Price: €10 per week (take as many classes as you like). View timetable here  
Argentine Tango School
See www.tangofever.net (contactless and online classes offered during lockdown)

Author: Simona Zaino
Simona is a qualified Health & Wellness, Nutrition & Life Coach based in Dublin. She teaches Yoga and Pilates and runs runs group and private classes (also online). She teaches Body conditioning for professional and social dancers. See: www.eatdancebreathe.com/services.html

(Copyright 2016, Simona Z.)
Full or partial reproduction of this article requires permission from the author.

Every time one of the male dancers disappears from classes and milongas for a while, I can almost be certain that the reason is that the dancer in question has been struck by a sudden drop-of-confidence-level syndrome (=DCLS)...

From experience, I know this is quite common among male dancers regardless of whether they are beginners or experienced. It seems to part of their learning journey. Of course, it is more likely to occur among beginner dancers. And while the experienced dancer tends to easily (and quickly) recover from a DCLS, this may be be fatal for somebody who has just started dancing... to the point that you may never see them again on the dance floor! 
Below is an essential guide to beginner dancers on how to handle DCLS and get to the other side unscathed and with better dance skills.

1. Set your expectations correctly. Learning to dance is like learning a language. Don't expect to be fluent after only few classes!
2. Practise, Practise, Practise! Just like when you learn a language, you need to practice in between lessons. Practising (and making mistakes!) will help your brain and body figure out how to put all the pieces together.
3. Don't be afraid of being judged by other dancers because your dancing 'isn't so good'.  All dancers went through the same trial-and-error process when learning so most of them will simply empathize with you.  
4. Make peace with your ego. If your ego is telling you that you can't dance at the milonga until you have become 'a great dancer' and that followers won't dance with you because you are not ' a good enough dancer', ..well, tell you ego to cool down!  All you need to give your partner a basic but pleasant dance experience is: basic navigation skills, a comfortable embrace and walking to the music. 
5. Get used to improvising from the very beginning. Argentine Tango is an improvised dance. At the mental level, improvisation requires the brain to reject any pre-planned form/pattern so form can be created 'in the moment' . Dancing using memorized patterns may boost your confidence initially but it will backfire soon as the brain will lose (or never acquire!) the capacity to make instant connections between the various dance components. Also, using memorized patterns will get your dance partner totally bored! To your dance partner, there is nothing more pleasant than the deep connection you create with them when you are improvising... This is the uniqueness and beauty of Argentine Tango.
6. Don't confine yourself at the beginners level forever! While you need to make sure that you attend the right classes for you level and experience, you cannot be a beginner forever! Once you understand the material being taught at your level (and have practised it!), you are ready to move on to the next level. 
7. Choose the right partner to dance or practise. A good dance partner is one that will appreciate the effort you make when dancing with her. She will also give constructive and honest feedback and always be encouraging to help you improve. And remember that you can learn from dancers of any level, beginners and experienced dancers alike.
8. Say 'Feck it!' to being a perfect dancer and start enjoying yourself. Yes, you can enjoy your dancing from day 1! Here is how:

• laugh at yourself being clumsy.
• be curious about the things you are learning. It's like playing with a new toy: explore it, break it and fix it again.
• appreciate the little progress you make.
• be excited at all the things you haven't learnt yet
• be honest with your dance partner about your dance skills: she will appreciate your honesty and modesty

(Copyright 2016, Simona Z. )
Full or partial reproduction of this article requires permission from the author.​
 
My dance students often ask me how long it takes to learn Tango properly to get to the stage where everybody wants to dance with you. Here is my answer to their question. 

Being a good dancer (having a good technique) is only part of the story in Argentine Tango.
Certainly, having good technique and dance skills will ensure you enjoy your dance, relax into it and move confidently and smoothly. But if you want to be an in-demand dancer you also have to be.. a 'nice' person! Does this surprise you?
I have noticed recently that some of our beginners dancers (followers and leaders) are particularly popular on the dance floor. Despite their lack of confidence and undeveloped dance skills, they always get a few dances at the milonga. And when they are not around, people notice their absence. Why? I observed these dancers and I noticed they all share a similar attitude: they have a pleasant and open approach to other dancers. Despite their fear to make mistakes, they 'throw' themselves into the dance without any expectations or demands. They have a spontaneity that certain experienced dancers have lost. 
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced dancer, keep this in mind when walking into your next milonga. Keep an open attitude to others. After all, Argentine Tango is a social dance: people dance to be 'social'. And engaging with pleasant people is part of that social experience.
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