Do You Need Dance Shoes? A Guide for Dancing Footwear for the Beginner Salsa Dancer

Ok one big question when people are starting off is what kind of shoes should I wear? This is a big one and I have what might be some unconventional opinions. First a little background about my experience. I used to work in a resort in the Caribbean (I know awesome right) and that is where I first learned about salsa dancing. During my breaks I would go to the salsa class which happened everyday at the same time. Over months and months I got the hang of the basics and learned some moves from the guys teaching. Most of the time the lessons were in the outdoor club and we danced in bare feet, sandals, runners or whatever. Socially we danced on sidewalks, clubs, beaches or wherever. I mention this because I am a firm believer that you do not need special shoes to dance. Salsa was (is) first and foremost a street dance, not a classical formal dance requiring equipment. Normally when I have partners who have a hard time following it has nothing to do with their shoes and more with experience.

Now here is one caveat. Modern dancing involves lots of double, triple and more spins and for this reason a pair of dance shoes can make turning much easier and avoid injury. This of course is only something you will do once you have been dancing for a while. If you are just learning how to dance I would wear something comfortable with a smooth bottom, that ought to do it.

Examples for leaders would be:
non-marking dress shoesrunners without gripExamples for followers would be:flats (like the heel style without the heel)1 or 2 inch heeled shoes

For ladies I would stay away from a high since after a few dancers they will probably kill your feel. The important thing for me and something that should always be part of the equation is something that looks nice. I now that some of you are thinking "no duh" but it still needs to be said. This is a social scene you are meeting, impressing, flirting, talking, etc with people and how we look is (whether you like it or not) important. We are not only learning how to salsa, but also how to dance with someone else.

Here is a note for leaders. If the person you are dancing with is not wearing good shoes for spinning or if you are not on a dance floor adjust your dancing. In other words don't try double/triple spins. This is a big complaint from many followers. Followers don't be afraid to let the guys know. As a leader we sometimes don't think about that kind of stuff and a little:

"lets stick to singles spins, this sidewalk is kinda hard to spin in" is totally OK.

Salsa dancing, is a social dance and you can't have social without communication. You salsa dance skills should not be effected by what shoes you wear, but which of those skills you use should be tempered by the floor and your partner. Pay attention to both.

Ivan Wan is a dancer and teacher in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He has been dancing for almost 10 years around the world. He also has a blog called salsame on Tumblr and operates his own dance school in Vancouver. For questions, article ideas and feedback you can contact Ivan through his website.
http://www.dance4uvancouver.com/

Original article

Learn to Dance - Modern Jive - The Beginners Survival Guide

The first obstacle that anyone wanting to learn to dance has to over come is quite simply going for the first time. While some people are willing to throw themselves straight in and go with the flow others are a little more unsure. Men especially tend to find going dancing for the first time awkward because, as most of them freely admit, they don't usually hit the dance floor until they have had a few drinks.

So what are some of the main concerns that newcomers to Modern Jive dancing have and why shouldn't you use them as an excuse not to try.

I haven't got anyone to go with.

The Modern Jive teaching method ensures you will dance with many different people of varying abilities, some will be there for their first time and some will be more advanced and able to help speed up your learning process.

I have two left feet.

As we said above you will dance with lots of people, it won't be long before you find someone with two right feet to compliment you perfectly. Don't assume that everyone else is going to be better than you.

Everyone else will know what they are doing. I will be the only beginner.

Because of the way Modern Jive is taught you do not have to book a course of lessons which start with the basics on week one and progress from there. At most venues there are at least a couple or more newcomers every night so it is highly unlikely that you will be on your own. Even if you are the only new person that night there will be the people who were new last week or the week before. Because there are approximately 21 beginner moves for the teacher to choose from and only 3 or 4 moves taught in the beginners class each week it is more than likely that last weeks newcomers will be seeing all of this week moves for the first time and are in the same boat as you.

I'm to young/old for all that.

Rubbish, you are as old as you feel. And you can dance Modern Jive in a style that suits you.

What if the guys at work find out.

Like it or not ladies it is one reason why the men who do go dancing love it. It doesn't matter what Modern Jive venue you go to 9 times out of 10 there are more women than men. Usually the numbers are not that uneven and due to the constant rotation of people during the classes this does not present any inconvenience at all, however, when the classes are done and you get to the part of the evening called "freestyle" where you put into practice what you have learnt, a good male dancer will never be short of a partner. As soon as the guys at work find out that you spent the entire evening dancing with a host of different women they will soon realise that their life spent in front of the TV is the sorry one.

Now that some of the excuses are out of the way here are the top ten things to remember when you rock up for the first time.

1. Don't give up on your attempt.

If you make the effort and go for the first time you have already won half the battle of learning to dance. Even if the first week doesn't go quite how you would have liked give yourself another couple of weeks to get into it.

2. Don't try to remember everything you learn.

Once you have learnt a few move you may find that your memory starts to leak information. If this happens just try to remember the moves that you like, practice those and forget about the stuff that you were not so keen on. Its better to do 4 moves well than 10 moves badly.

3. Go with the flow.

Join in and try not to be too self conscious. It is highly unlikely that you will be the only newcomer and even if you are no one will take any notice of the fact because there are new people starting constantly. You will be more conspicuous if you stand out than if you join in.

4. If you don't understand ask.

If there is something in the class that you don't quite get then ask one of the crew when the class is over, they will always go through it with you. Also don't be afraid to ask the teacher questions when they have finished their classes as they will usually take you through any problems with the moves one to one.

5. Ask others to dance.

Don't be shy the more people you dance with the quicker you will learn and the more fun you will have.

6. Arrive for the start of the beginners class.

Because there could well be a large number of people in the class the teacher will not be able to go back to the beginning just for you.

7. If something goes wrong don't panic.

If you forget something while doing the class or something doesn't go quite right then don't worry about it. The whole point of Modern Jive is that it is fun and not a school of perfection, no one will mind, everyone was a beginners once, simply try again and don't give up.

8. Men lead and ladies don't.

If both of you try to lead neither of you will win and you simply won't be able to dance.

9. Have fun and socialise.

At least 50% of the enjoyment of learning Modern Jive is having the opportunity to meet new friends and have a fun night out. If you join in and try your best without taking it too seriously you will almost certainly have a great time.

10. It could change your life. In one year alone I went to four weddings that were the direct result of people meeting at Modern Jive nights. (now there's something to think about)

Want to find out more about Modern Jive? Visit http://www.danceyourselfdizzy.co.uk/ and start learning moves, online, today.

Original article

Capezio Dancewear Can Guide You

I will never forget the first time my sister found dancing. She was young and went to a dance class because, well, that is what little girls do. She left the day of class excited to spend some time with her girl friends and make the most of an activity. She must have been five or six. When she returned she was like a new person. She ran to her room still wearing a tutu and one of what would eventually be many Mirella leotards. She practiced her early rudimentary moves for hours in her mirror. To me a young boy it was like I was living with a strangely coordinated alien in Capezio shoes, spinning and stretching in ways that I would have never considered normal. It seemed however that she had found her passion.

My sister like many girls pursued dance through out her early education. It was motivation to focus her grades so that Mom and Dad would not force her to miss recitals and classes for studying purposes. It was what she did instead of playing make believe or taking swimming lessons. In high school her love of dance became a love of theater and music. She diversified her taste to include jazz and hip-hop, things I was still a few years and some hyper intellectual college discussions away from "enjoying." She excelled in everything seemingly as a direct result of strapping on Bloch dance shoes or learning a specific step no matter how much time it took while wearing her Mirella dancewear. As far as my parents were concerned every one of those trips to buy something was worth it. My sister was easily trouncing me in discipline and grades. It was clear to any observer that study and practice were imbued in her through those early dance classes and the lessons stuck.

In the end my sister would not become a professional dancer though she would make some extra money through to get herself through nursing school by teaching after school and weekend dance classes. She was able to share all of that positive energy that dancing had brought to her life with a new generation. One that was a little more open to having boys in the classes. Now she was tying other kid's Capezio shoes and demonstrating her moves not for herself in the mirror or for an en-wrapped high school audience but for eager young minds and bodies hoping to follow in her dance steps.

NYDancewear.com is your go to shop for all your dancewear needs. You can find Capezio leotards and Mirella shoes here, for practice and for performances

Original article

A Beginners Guide to Bollywood Dance and Its Styles

Bollywood is the term used for the film industry of India. Originally it was a play on the words "Bombay" and "Hollywood". The Bollywood film industry is the largest producer of films in the world. Quite often people refer to Mumbai (formally known as Bombay) as the Bollywood capital, and Bollywood films are known for their love stories, colourful dances and music numbers. (Although contrary to popular belief, not all Bollywood films are musicals).

Since India's Independence in 1947, the Bollywood film industry has grown considerably and has seen many influences from other countries. Dance styles within the films originally derived from a mix of classical Indian styles (such as Bharatnatayam and Kathak) where the dancer would 'tell a story' through movement and was often danced in the temples; and folk dance styles such as Garba, Bhangra, or Rajasthani influences.

Whilst many Bollywood dances still have elements of these classical and folk styles, Western music had had a major impact on the songs written for more modern movies. From the 1970s, styles such as rock and roll, Latin, pop, r'n'b and hip hop started to make their way into the works of Indian composers. The western influence assisted in the Bollywood film industry in growing to other countries around the world, and now has a huge following in the UK, US, Australia and so on.

So, what is the difference between Bollywood and Belly Dance? Firstly, they both originate from different countries. Bollywood is from India where as Belly Dance originates from the Middle East, and whilst Bollywood can incorporate some moves from Belly Dance styles, there are more hand and body movements compared to Belly Dance (which is mostly from the torso and hips). You will also find that whist Belly Dance is traditionally danced by ladies, Bollywood dance is performed by both men and ladies.

The Indian culture has a love of performing - it's not about whether they can or can't dance, they just either do or don't. Go to any Indian Bollywood event, and you'll find they'll have no hesitation in getting up to dance, especially to some popular Bollywood or Punjabi tunes. So now you have more of an idea of what Bollywood dancing is, why not check out your local area for a beginners class and see that it's more than just 'turning the light bulb' and 'patting the dog'. Who knows, you may discover a passion for dance you didn't know you had!

Racheal Leigh is a Bollywood Dance teacher and performer, and the owner of Bollycise Bollywood Dance school in Brisbane (QLD, AU). For more information or to contact Racheal please visit http://www.bollycise.com/

Original article