A Message from Remos Reynosa, ISTD, USISTD :

From time to time I like to answer questions that have been asked by 100s of students and prospective students, because I feel that there are so many questions asked that are good subjects for discussion in this article.  Just in the last year I would guess that I have answered this particular question at least 500 times.  Generally the person asking the question is totally new to dancing, or wants to begin dancing and has no experience to draw from, and my advice is being sought to decide the quickest, least painful way to begin social dancing.

The question:

“If I want to become proficient in social dancing, which dances should I learn and in what order should I learn the dances you are recommending?”

Most of the time when I am asked that question the person has already stated he or she wants to learn all of the social dances that are most popular so they can attend a dance and be able to dance enough different dances to have a good time and not feel like a dufus (or some other derogatory name they have assigned to themselves because they lack the social dancing skills they wish they had learned in grade school, high school or college, but were not interested in at the time.)

My recommendations are as follows:

1.            Foxtrot:  I recommend this basic dance for many reasons.  The steps in Foxtrot are like walking with no rise or fall as in Waltz.  The patterns in beginner basic Foxtrot can be used in Waltz and Rumba so it is very easy for the new student to learn subsequent dances once he or she has learned these patterns.  Many Foxtrot or slow Swing songs are played at Ballroom dances, giving the new dancer a chance to practice new learned skills.  I feel the more dancing available, the quicker the student will become proficient and is less likely to be bored waiting for a dance to be played that he can dance.

2.            Waltz:  This dance can be accomplished using the same patterns as in Foxtrot, provided there are three beats per measure or a slow, quick, quick timing being played.  After the student has learned the 6 patterns in Foxtrot it is easy to apply them in Waltz by simply using different footwork such rising up on the ball of the foot and lowering back to the floor.  There is much more to this technique in able to be proficient in this dance, but remember here we are discussing very basic technique and terminology for the new social dancer.

3.            Rumba:  Using the same 6 patterns used in Foxtrot and Waltz and by changing to a toe lead moving forward, will accentuate the hip action required for the characteristic of Rumba.  Now, the new student has three dances that will allow him to dance a least 70% of the songs being played at a Ballroom dance.  I profess that if the student enjoys himself or herself at the initial attempts to go dancing, it will encourage them to continue learning more and more about social dancing as their confidence and popularity increases.

4.            Swing:  Traditional East Coast Swing consists of single, double or triple time rhythms, depending on the tempo of the music.  Triple time however is the most commonly timing danced at Ballroom dances.  Many times I teach an 8-count swing for the beginner that gets them out on the dance floor after they have learned a number of different patterns.  This is just simple walking steps, changing weight from one foot to the other in time to the music.   

5.            Cha Cha:  This is a popular Latin dance that is lively and a good introduction to dancing to Latin music and is commonly played at most Ballroom dances. 

6.            Salsa:  This dance is so popular that it is now being played at most Ballroom dances.  Mambo is the Ballroom name for Salsa but the basic steps are identical.  The timing is used slightly differently by Mambo dancers.  Mambo dancers generally break on the 2 beat while Salsa dancers break on the 1 beat.  I break on the one beat or two beat depending where I am dancing.  In other words, “When in Rome do as the Romans do.”  Most social dancers break on the one beat, so that has become the norm although the purists still prefer to break on the 2 beat…which is how the music is meant to be danced. 

7.            Tango:  Generally the new dancer is most successful dancing American Style Tango, which has a consistent, easy-to-find beat.  Once the basic rules for Tango have been learned, it is easier to switch to Argentine Tango simply by becoming more proficient at dancing to the changes in the sporadic Argentine Tango tempo.

When the student has reached this level, the knowledge he or she has gained about dance has reached a point where my advice is less important because personal preferences of the student become more an issue.  At any rate, by this time the interest of the student is more important.  Now the student has a good base to work from and an idea of how they want to develop the knowledge they have gained up to this point.

I believe an education in dance is similar to any other education.  When a child starts school, the system, teacher or parent has no real idea of where that child will excel or where their personal taste will lead them.  The most important service that can be offered to a child in the educational system is to expose the child to everything and allow him or her to develop and evolve into a vocation that is best suited for their interests and capabilities.  An education in dance is very similar.  Each student has his or her own interests, goals, likes and dislikes.  My job is to help that student achieve those goals with every tool I have at my disposal.  That, in my estimation, is what being an educator is all about.