Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
WHAT IS SALSA?
“Salsa” is both a dance and a genre of music which originated in Cuba. The dance as it is today has been in existence for approximately 50+ years but the origins of its constituent parts or we could say the necessary ingredients for “Salsa” has been present for closer to 500 years. Deriving from, “Son”, “Pachanga”, “Guajira”, “Guaguanco”, “Guaracha”, “Mambo”, “Rumba” and Cha Cha Cha.
The term “Salsa” today can be said to incorporate elements of all these Caribbean rhythms and musical styles. “Salsa” music has been composed with the objective of being able to dance to it. Salsa is considered to be the fastest growing dance form in the world. The dance is fun, vibrant, dynamic, energetic, uplifting, passionate…..
This dance form can be learnt by any age group from Adults to Children, Singles and Couples as we offer various classes/courses to learn both in a group setting as well as on Private 1On1 and Private Group Settings.
WHAT IS BACHATA?
“Bachata” is a style of dance that originated in the Dominican Republic. It is danced widely all over the world but not identically. The basics to the dance are three-steps with a Cuban hip motion, followed by a tap which can include a hip movement also on the 4th beat. Generally, most of the dancer’s movement is in the lower body up to the hips, and the upper body can be moved more or less.
Later a newer style called “Modern Style” or “Sensual Style” was developed probably from around 2005 on the “Traditional” style base. The basics are the same as the traditional style “Bachata”, but with added dance elements and styling from “Salsa”, “Tango”, “Zouk-Lambada”, “Ballroom” etc.
In this style, couples typically move their upper torsos more, put greater emphasis on the hip pop, and women use more exaggerated hip movements. The most direct fusion influence on modern style Bachata dancing comes from the adoption of salsa turn patterns.
This dance form can be learnt by any age group from Adults to Children, Singles and Couples as we offer various classes/courses to learn both in a group setting as well as on Private 1On1 and Private Group Settings.
WHY CHOOSE SALSA/BACHATA OVER OTHER WORK OUTS?
The practice of dance seeks to ignite precise movements and develop an awareness of every single muscle in your body while always bringing you back to centre. Dance is about mental and physical balance. With gentle yet repeated effort, dance will help you release stress and express your body’s feelings to a beat.
It is the most complete of workouts with the additional benefit of being fun, graceful, physically and mentally empowering. At the same time you will increase flexibility, strengthen your muscles and acquire a natural equilibrium that will support you amid the stresses of daily life. Plus besides the work out you will also learn these beautiful dance forms which you can showcase on a social event or dance floor.
WHAT STYLE DO WE TEACH?
Salsa – In our salsa classes, we will teach you the most predominant style in Asia in general and Hong Kong in particular, the “LA Style or On1 Style of Salsa”. You will learn the fundamentals and history of salsa dancing as well as how to improve your technique, timing and style. As you progress with your dancing, you will find that we teach you how to incorporate elements of multiple salsa styles (On-1 L.A. Style, Cuban Style, On-2 N.Y. Style) and other dance styles such as rumba and son into your salsa dancing. Within months you will develop a dance repertoire that will enable you to improvise at night clubs with ease. You will also learn the timing, rhythm and composition of salsa music. We cater for all levels, from absolute beginners to advanced level dancers.
Bachata – Modern Style. Explained above
WHAT AGES CAN ATTEND OUR CLASSES?
We offer Group Salsa and Bachata classes for Adults and Children, Singles and Couples. Age range is from 13 years and above for our Public Group Classes. For Age ranges from 5 – 12 years, we offer Private 1ON1 and Private Group Classes for kids and teens .
Parents and guardians can also join these classes with their kids and teens and learn giving parents a sense of security of being around their kids and teens and the kids and teens have a familiar face. It’s also perfectly alright if the parents only sign up their kids and teens for these class and sit and watch them learn or send them to the class with their helpers.
WHAT IF I HAVE TWO LEFT FEET?
Many people tell us that they have two left feet. Most of them are now accomplished dancers and we like to remind them of what they once said when they started their dance journey. We pride ourselves on our patience and our ability to break down and explain the movements. So also be patient with yourself, trust your teacher and determine to give the dance of your choice a fair crack of the whip.
It would be great if you can do more than one class and practice but if not, then just do one class and then decide if you want to learn further because like anything worth learning, becoming an accomplished “Salsa” or “Bachata” dancer will take time but is well worth the effort.
Remember that it is a journey and not a destination. But guarantees a lot of fun along the way as long as you don’t take yourself too seriously. The key to be a good or exceptional Salsa or Bachata dancer or both is to stick to stick with us long term and follow your instructor/teacher’s instruction wholeheartedly and practice listen to the Latin music as much as you can between your work and other commitments.
Also if you ever have any doubts in class then do not hesitate ask your teachers during class even if you think your query is silly. It is always good to clear your doubts when learning to dance rather in a social dance floor. So don’t fear or be embarrassed, just ask!
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
The easiest way to get started is to sign up for our group classes. You could choose to sign up for our 4 Week Salsa or Bachata Classes or both. We highly recommend that you join both the courses together as one needs to master both dance forms as on a Latin Social Night, people dance to both Salsa and Bachata as the deejay will play both Salsa and Bachata music.
Absolute Beginner 4 Week Courses is what we most recommend to start off with but you could also sign up for a trial class and then decide to join the full course. People who have been dancing Salsa or Bachata for at least 1-2 months can join our Salsa Improver Level course and then move on to our higher level (Intermediate and finally Advance Salsa Level) depending on your proficiency.
Please don’t rush your learning, It’s highly recommended that a student continue at the same level for a couple of times if he or she is not confident of going to the next level yet. Discuss it with your instructor at the end of the class or ask him for his or her opinion and do not feel bad if he/she give you an honest opinion as your instructor has no malice in his/her heart against you but your best interest in his endeavour to make you a fabulous dancer.
For more personalized attention or if you are too shy or busy to enrol in our group classes then you could opt for our Personal 1ON1 classes to whet your appetite or organise a group of 10 friends to have a Private Group Lesson. The choice is yours to make.
Combining group classes and private lessons provides you with the most opportunity to get exposure to movement, other leads and follows, to ask specific questions and get personal attention. Dancing is all about energy and can be quite strenuous at time. If you have any concerns about your physical fitness then please consult your doctor/physician before attending classes.
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR IN A STUDIO DANCE CLASS?
As with most dancing, attention should be given to comfort and freedom of movement. So come along wearing CLOTHES you feel comfortable in. The sky’s the limit as far choices go for women!
As far as SHOES are concerned wear anything that is comfortable to you and allows you to move and spin. Hence dance shoes are highly recommended but not a must if you don’t have them. You can always decide to buy them after learning for a couple of months but again that’s totally up to you.
Sports shoes/Sneakers are not recommended as they are designed to grip the floor and not conducive for dancing. But if you still want to wear them then it’s up to you. Any shoes which may scratch the dance floor is NOT ALLOWED. You may also dance barefoot or with your socks only if you want. Flip flops are a NO too! Ladies are encouraged to wear heels/stilletos but please make sure that the heels don’t scratch or damage the dance floor.
Please SHUT DOWN or put your mobile phone in SILENT MODE during class.
WHAT SHOULD I WEAR TO YOUR PARTIES?
Upscale city chic or Uber Cool. Gentlemen, please refrain from wearing singlets, shorts, athletic wear and flip-flops as you will be denied entry by the club management and/or the organizer of the event as RIGHT TO ADMISSION IS RESERVED!
Ladies! Even the sky is not the limit for you as far as what you choose to wear to our parties. We leave that decision to you but we expect that you will arrive fashionably dressed and burn the dance floor with your looks and dance moves. No Flip Flops for you too!
I MISSED THE FIRST FEW CLASSES OF THE SERIES. CAN I STILL MAKE IT?
We offer series/course based classes which means that a class will run once a week for an hour for a number of weeks (usually 4 weeks). Walk-in are always welcome to any class as we always revise our previous week’s class so you might find it a bit challenging to get up to speed with the rest of the class if you have missed more than 2 classes in the series but if you are confident of catching up then feel free to join in.
DO THE CLASSES HAVE VALIDITY PERIOD DURING PANDEMIC?
If there is pandemic and govt decides to shut down dance studios, or there is protest or any Act of God or any man – made crisis due to which classes are cancelled then we will try our best to re-schedule the classes in our next month’s course as and when situation normalises but if that is not possible then there will be no refunds.
However, if we do re-schedule such classes on normalcy and you are not able to attend then also there will be no further re-scheduling of the class(s) nor will there be any refunds for you.
There will be no re-scheduling or refunds if the classes are on during the pandemic or any of the reason given above and you choose not to join the classes you signed up for. Please visit our FAQ section for complete details
Dance With Style reserves the right to change the timing of the classes at its discretion.
All our 4 week courses have ONE MONTH VALIDITY which means that if a participant misses a maximum of 2 classes out of the 4 classes offered in a month then the participant would get a maximum of 2 compensatory/make over classes in the next month’s course provided we have new sign ups in the next month’s course. The student(s) must inform us at least 48-72 hours before the class of their intention to miss the class and request for make over classes. Those who don’t inform us will not be entitled to the make over/compensatory class. Please visit our FAQ section for complete details
There will be NO MAKE OVER CLASS(S) if there is no New Sign Ups in the next month’s course. There will be NO MAKE OVER CLASS(S) for those who miss more than 2 classes of the entire 4 week course/series. Neither will there be any refunds of any kind for individual classes or courses. Classes once purchased is also not transferable to another person. Also once the MAKE UP CLASS is scheduled at the discretion of DANCE WITH STYLE and the student doesn’t attend it then the student loses it and there will not be any further rescheduling of the make up class for that student. There will be no compensatory/make over classes for those who don’t sign up for our 4 week courses. Please visit our FAQ section for complete details
WHERE ARE THE CLASSES HELD?
The classes are held at our DANCE WITH STYLE STUDIO, SHING LEE COMMERCIAL BUILDING, 6-12 WING CUT STREET, 8TH FLOOR, ROOM – D, CENTRAL HONG KONG.
FROM SHEUNG WAN MTR EXIT A2: Exit from MTR EXIT A2 and turn LEFT immediately and walk straight crossing Millenium Grand Plaza till you reach a 7/11 on the RIGHT HAND SIDE. Turn RIGHT immediately after the 7/11 into WING KUT STREET and you will reach the entrance of the building on the RIGHT HAND SIDE as shown below.
FROM CENTRAL MTR EXIT D2: Exit from MTR EXIT D2 and walk up to Queen’s Road Central and turn RIGHT and keep walking till you reach the burger shop DOUGH BROS on the RIGHT HAND SIDE. Turn RIGHT immediately to WING KUT STREET and you will reach the entrance of the building on the LEFT HAND SIDE as show below. RING THE DOOR BELL FOR ENTRY.
WHERE CAN I PRACTICE WHAT I LEARN?
We organize Salsa/Latin parties for all our students and others dance enthusiasts on a regular basis where our deejay spins sensuous Latin tunes of Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Reggaeton, Kizomba, Zouk etc but especially Salsa and Bachata loony tunes all night long. Our instructors also give quick lessons and teach you some moves to get you off the ground and dancing at the party as a pre-curser to your joining our regular courses/series.
Please note that our party/bar based class is just a short teaser and bereft of any technique and so one will never be a good dancer if you only learn at the clubs, in fact you will be a very bad and technically poor dancer if you only learn at a club or bar. Hence we highly recommend that you join our dance studio classes and learn with all the proper technique and then practice at our club nights.
Our parties are a great opportunity for you to practice what you have learnt and we highly recommend that you join our parties as well as “practice makes you perfect”. Please feel free to bring along your dancing, non-dancing friends and more.
We have weekly Salsa/Latin parties on Mondays.
EVERY MONDAY: After Work Salsa Party at Rula Bula. CLICK HERE for details!
WHAT IS OUR VENUE/EVENT POLICY?
For our parties, we try to select venues that have a good dance floor, fantastic sound system and bar facility that would help in creating a good all round, safe, social atmosphere for our students, dance enthusiasts and dance wannabe’s who attend our parties.
All that we ask from our events attendees and our students is that EVERYONE WHO ATTENDS OUR PARTIES MUST BUY MINIMUM TWO DRINKS EACH (ALCOHOLIC OR NON ALCOHOLIC) TO SUPPORT THE BAR/CLUB AS ENTRY IS FREE! (No Outside Food or Drinks/Water bottles allowed). (You can also order sumptuous food off the menu till 10 or 11pm at the respective venues if available).
WE DO NOT ALLOW PROMOTION of other EVENTS and CLASSES at our events and classes unless they have prior permission from us. Those indulging in such activity will be named and shamed publicly and promptly asked to leave and will be banned from our venue(s) and classes as well as LEGAL ACTION will be initiated against such people.
WE DO NOT ALLOW COLLECTION OF DATA BY THE ATTENDEES via social media or contact list through their smartphones, tablets, laptops etc. If we receive complaint of harassment against those who indulge in such activities or the club staff/management or the event organizer witness such illegal acts then he or she will be named and shamed publicly and permanently banned from our events. The same goes for those who are collecting data at our events and classes to promote other parties and classes. LEGAL ACTION will be initiated against such people.
WE HAVE A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR TOWARDS OUR FEMALE ATTENDEES. If we receive complaint of harassment against those who indulge in such activities or if the club staff/management and/or the event organizer or his staff notice such inappropriate behavior, then the police will be called and the harasser handed over to the police and banned from our parties as well as named and shamed on social.
Please abide by the rules laid down so that it works for all of us, that is, the host, venue, students and other attendees so as to make it fun for all of us.
RIGHT OF ADMISSION IS RESERVED!
DO YOU CATER TO CORPORATE CLIENTS?
Yes We Do! We have various options for corporate clients.
*Corporate Team Building Dance Initiative. CLICK HERE for Details.
*Corporate Dance Classes. CLICK HERE for Details.
*Event Dance Lessons. CLICK HERE for Details
if you have anything different in mind besides what is listed above then email us at dance@dancewithstylehk.com and we will be very happy to work with you to create what you have in your mind if its possible.
I’M THINKING OF HOLDING AN EVENT WITH LATIN TWIST OR OTHER TWIST. CAN YOU HELP?
Of course we can! We can liven up your special event with a fun filled package especially for you. We can provide event dance lessons, deejays, live bands, international and local performers. Infact we can take care of your entire event production and management. We can not only liven up your party with a Latin twist but with other genre’s as well.
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS?
Builds your endurance and stamina. Helps you lose weight. Medical Research has proven that one loses 450/500 Calories by Salsa and Bachata dancing for at least an hour. Relieves and reduces your stress. Releases toxins via sweating. Increases your energy level. *Improves your strength. *Increases your muscle tone and coordination. *Strengthens the bones of your legs and hip.*Salsa dancing can burn more calories per hour than biking or swimming.
WHY LEARN SALSA OR BACHATA OR BOTH?
“Salsa & Bachata” classes provide a fun, social environment to learn a new skill and serve as a perfect relief after a hard day’s work. It tones the body and improves one’s posture, it provides an excellent cardio-vascular work out which strengthens the heart and stimulates the body to burn fat thus aiding weight loss. It’s fun and pain free. It improves both strength and energy.
The environment where the learning takes place also encourages interaction with others thus raising one’s self-esteem. The sense of well-being experienced when one masters the moves is also a great part of these dances.
WHAT ARE THE LEVELS WE OFFER?
We offer the following levels:
Salsa
Absolute Beginners, Intermediate Level and Advanced Level Salsa.
Bachata
Absolute Beginner and Intermediate Level.
We also offer both private 1on1 lessons, private group lessons as well as public group lessons for the above dances. We also offer private Cuban Salsa Lessons as well.
WHY SHOULD CHILDREN ALSO LEARN TO SALSA AND BACHATA?
We are dedicated to the enjoyable task of not only teaching your child to dance, but also to see the development of their mental, physical growth, and personality.
You are giving your child the opportunity to learn a social skill that will be invaluable to them for the rest of their lives. It will enhance them with self confidence, style, grace, coordination, posture and poise just to name just a few of the many benefits. Latin dance lessons are not only hip and but also healthy! Dancing burns calories, builds strong bones and flexibility, teaches children how to interact with one another with respect, is great for building self confidence to handle the stresses of adolescence and it’s lots of fun! Remember the child who can dance is the child who is sought out at all the dances the most.
We hope that by enrolling your child with us, you intend to take an active part in helping maintain an enthusiastic attitude in dancing for your child at all times. You must place your trust in us to make proper decisions in your child’s best interest. We trust that your child’s dance experience with us will be a meaningful one.
We are here to teach your child the Art of Dance. We provide Private 1ON1 as well as Private Group classes for children Between age group of 5 to 12 years of age. However to have a private group class minimum 4-6 children are needed.
DO I NEED TO BRING A PARTNER?
NO. But if you do have a partner then please feel free to bring him/her along. Our classes are attended by couples and singles who come alone or with several of their friends, colleagues or even family.
Our classes are run using a rotation system which means that in any one class you will have the opportunity to dance with many different people by changing partners every few minutes. This greatly improves leading and following skills and allows students to learn from each other in an informal atmosphere. It also contributes to the social nature of the dances and certainly adds to the fun in the class.
Couples who come to the classes are welcome not to switch partners if they don’t want to, provided there are a equal number of boy and girl students in the class. Such couples must inform the instructor before the class starts that they do not want to change partners but to accept or reject your request is at the sole discretion of our instructors and so don’t feel bad if it is turned down. However changing partners is highly recommended as mentioned above. Lastly if you do have a partner it does mean, of course, that you have no excuse for not getting in lots of practice outside of the lessons:-))
DO I HAVE TO REGISTER BEFORE HAND OR CAN I JUST COME TO A CLASS AND CHECK IT OUT?
We offer series/course based classes and hence highly encourage registration via pre-payment as it guarantees you a spot in the class plus we offer early bird discounts which you can take advantage of if you register in advance. Having said that you can also walk-in to any class or course and pay at the door, though space is not guaranteed without registration.
However if you do decide to walk-in for a particular class or course then please call/whatsapp/sms +852 63896213 or email us at dance@dancewithstylehk.com at least 2-4 hours before the class commences so that we can update you on the status of the class as we do not want you to be disappointed when you turn up at the studio to find that the class is full or has been cancelled.
Registration via pre-payment can be made through PayPal, PayMe, Hang Seng Easy Pay and Bank/Atm transfer. Registration via pre-payment is definitely encouraged as then you can avail our discounts. However it is not a must and you are also welcome to pay the full price at the door:-)).
Please arrive at least 20 minutes before the class starts out of respect for fellow dancers and the instructor. You will not be allowed entry after 10 minutes of the class starting nor will there be any refunds.
I’VE TAKEN A BEGINNER CLASS BEFORE. SHOULD I MOVE UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL?
Depends on factors such as when you took that beginner class, has it been a one off session etc. Also how long have you been dancing continuously to go up to the next level. We do get queries from time to time from people who want to go directly to the next level even though they may have taken couple of classes three to six month or more ago and then haven’t been dancing. To such people we always recommend that they join our Absolute Salsa or Bachata Beginner 4 Week Classes first.
We feel that a dancer should be very, very, confident with the basics before moving onto higher level classes. Plus it would be very unfair to our higher level students if the instructor gets bogged down teaching you the basics as you are not able to lead or follow the higher level partnerwork.
Having said that there is no shame in repeating your beginner class or any level of the class you are in if you are not confident of moving up to the next level as the more you grind yourself in your level, the better dancer you will be in the long run.
Lots of our students repeat our beginner course for a couple of months before moving on to our higher level and they do much better as now they are very confident of their basics. We request our students to stay in our improver and intermediate level classes for at least 3-4 months each before moving on to the final advance level where they can learn as long as they want.
Having said all that, if you are very confident of your basics then you are most welcome to our next level.
WHAT ARE THE DANCE ETIQUETTES?
Dance with all sorts of partners irrespective of their level of dance experience, colour, creed, origin, religion or sex. It’ll make you a better dancer, not to mention, it’ll make you seem like a really nice guy or gal!
If you are a beginner dancer, remember that everyone out there has probably experienced that same sweaty palm, stiff-as-a-board, jittery feeling. It will pass. Just get on the dance floor!
If you’re a woman who’s not being asked to dance, try standing near the edge of the dance floor; smile, tap your foot, and look like you really NEED to dance to this song. Make eye contact. Dance with the first person who asks. Once you get out there a couple of times with different dance partners, other potential dance partners will know you won’t turn them down. ALSO, don’t BE AFRAID to ask guys to dance. It’s COOL! The same rule applies to the shy guys but try to go one step further and ask a girl to dance with you. If you are a beginner, tell your potential dance partner that you are a beginner.
Hygiene: Wear a deodorant, perfume or aftershave as dancing will lead to perspiration!! Maybe even try a breath mint before event/class. It is a good idea to bring a clean hand towel to use between dances. You are also welcome to bring a change of clothes if you sweat a lot.
Please don’t teach on the social dance floor. Teaching is for classes and social nights are for having fun and trying out your moves unless specifically asked for by your dancing partner. A student should not teach a fellow student in a classroom or at an event when there is an instructor teaching. That’s downright disrespectful to the instructor! During an event, only the instructor is allowed to teach and not others so please do not do that even if you think you are God’s answer to dancing. Plus it’s really annoying for your dance partner who wants to enjoy the night and not be told how to dance through out the night as he or she might be taking studio lessons already or maybe thinking to take studio lessons. This type of behavior will definitely put them off and someone will lose a livelihood. Please be considerate as this is what we do for a living.
When the floor is really, really crowded please remember to alter your dancing. Make your moves smaller, no dips & tricks and watch where you are spinning your partner out. Men: it is your job to stay in your area and protect your partner, nobody likes a heel on their foot or an elbow in the wrong place. Women: it is your job to follow your lead.
If you are a stronger dancer than your partner, then out dancing them is frowned upon and does not look good. This applies to both genders. There is no need to demonstrate to people that you are better than your partner. Anybody watching will know the real situation. Even worse is pulling faces of disgust to people watching. Just be patient and finish the dance. Remember that there are always better dancers than you out there, so would you like to be treated like that?
Avoid dancing roughly like pulling your partner’s arm out of its socket. It’s bad form. Remember, you want to look good, and you can look really good only if you make your partner look good. Make eye contact – dancing is about communication.
It’s very uncool to stand right ON the dance floor to socialise, drink or smoke. Do what you like, but do it AWAY from the dance floor! A dance floor should be treated with care. Drinks and food/snacks on the dance floor are a complete NO! NO!
If you or your partner screw up a step, get past the urge to argue about who’s screwing up. Remember – there are no mistakes! It’s ONLY dancing, and everyone’s there to have fun. DON’T dance in a way that’s going to invite a problem or result in collisions with nearby couples.
Don’t act bored and disinterested. Crushing your lead/Follower’s ego is a good way to guarantee you’ll never be asked to dance again. Even if your partner is just starting out and only knows a couple of moves, acting visibly bored and checking out other dancers is just plain rude. Don’t expect him/her to want to dance with you ever again then.
Don’t forget to listen to the music while dancing. Salsa and Bachata is danced with a specific count, and you need to respect this and your partner’s interpretations of it. So always keep one ear to the music when dancing.
Don’t chastise your partner. Leads/followers do not want to hear you complain about their leading or following – and you could very well be the one making the mistakes. If you feel that you really need to let a lead/follower know about something (for example, if he is physically hurting you), then be sensitive to his/her feelings, and be polite and respectful about how you bring up the issue — preferably after the dance has finished. Try to remember the specific move the lead or follower did that hurt you so that you can explain it. Telling a lead or follower that he is “too rough” is not going to help him change or just don’t dance with him or her!
Don’t forget to watch your lead’s back. Your lead can’t see everything, so if you can tell that you’re a step away from crashing into another couple, you should warn him and stop him from moving in that direction. Leads have a lot to think about and are making a lot more decisions than a follower, so as a follower you have to do your part to ensure your safety too!
Don’t forget your frame and tension. Maintaining a good frame and the right amount of tension in your arms (not too spaghetti-like or too rigid) makes it enormously easier for your partner to lead or follow you. Good frame of a follower also helps keep you balanced and keeps your hands where your lead can find them. If your lead can’t get a good connection with his follower and has to struggle to execute every other move because the followers hands are all over the place, chances are, he will pick other followers to dance with over you.
Don’t lead or follow too aggressively. Followers should not be going faster or harder than what the lead requests you to do. If your lead gives you enough force for a double spin, the follower shouldn’t try to muscle in or push herself off for a triple spin. Don’t force fast, sharp movements just to look good for onlookers. In the social dance scene, your primary audience and concern should always be your partner.
Don’t lead or follow too heavily or rigidly. Heaviness” has nothing to do with how much you weigh – it’s about how lightly you step. Dancing on the ball of your feet makes you lighter and hence easier and more enjoyable to lead or follow. It shouldn’t feel like your fighting rather than dancing.
Don’t apologize after every mistake. Everyone makes mistakes, and you don’t have to draw attention to each one you make. Remember you are here to have fun and not facing an angry boss! Unless your mistake involves an accident, such as hitting your partner in the face, one should stick with a sheepish smile acknowledging but not making a bigger deal of your mistake than it really is.
Guys don’t dance too close to your dance partner. It’s entirely the prerogative of your female partner to decide how close she wants to be with you while dancing. The level of closeness people are willing to take their dancing to depends on the level of trust and connection they have with their dance partner. You cannot expect to grind up against a stranger the very first time you dance with them. Aside from being disrespectful and potentially unwelcome, it can also throw off your partner’s balance. A good rule of thumb is to always respect whatever distance your female partner chooses to keep but the distance should not be so far that the connection is lost and it is difficult to lead or follow!
Don’t be disrespect or be rude and create a scene at the club with any member of the club’s staff. Please remember they are just doing their job and they are human beings too and can have a bad day. Similarly don’t be disrespectful or rude or create a scene with Dance With Style’s staff as they are their to do their job so as to ensure that everyone is having a good time.
Don’t be disrespectful to the Deejays. If you don’t like a particular track playing, then don’t make faces at the Deejay or go complaining to the event organiser or to the Deejay. Take a break from dancing and go buy a drink and relax and most likely the next track will be to your liking and you can go back to dancing. Please understand and appreciate that the Deejay is there for your entertainment and plays music for you for 4-6 hours or more and is standing throughout his set without a break and he is a human being too and can have a bad day once in a while like the rest of us.
Lastly, please buy minimum 2 drinks from the club or bar where the social nights are happening as this is what we as a event organizer do for a living and so do the clubs which allow us to host such events for your entertainment. So its downright disrespectful when we notice people coming and enjoying the night and not even buying a drink and on top carry outside drinks and water bottles and surreptitiously drink in the club without buying from the club and thus not supporting our livelihood.