The Dance Primer

As soon as he walks in the door, the whole place gets brighter. Large smiles appear on several people’s faces, especially the ladies. He humbly smiles and waves at the first person who makes eye contact, as he heads for a seat to change into his dance shoes. Before his first shoe is off, girls are lining up, asking for a dance. When he does get on the floor, you can tell his lucky partner feels like she’s on top of the world. The song ends, and they hug, beaming with excitement. Already, you can see girls jockeying for position to be next to dance with him.

Across the room, you watch in near despair. You’ve barely got the basics down, and you’re not exactly Rico Suave. Will you ever be like THAT guy?

First, congratulations. Being the guy that brings a smile to everyone’s faces is a noble goal! Lucky for you, we know some of his secrets. Apply these ten tips and you can be THAT guy.

1. Ask others to dance, with a genuine smile on your face.
2. When you’re asked to dance, be excited when you say yes.
3. Be just as nice to the other leads as you are to the follows, even though you’re not dancing with them. Don’t bad talk them, and be sociable with them when you’re sitting out.
4. Play. Have fun out there. Experiment, safely. Try new moves and mix things up.
5. Make your partner the center of your world. Make her fly…
6. Never make the dance about YOU. Sure, the music may be wonderful, and there may be other people out there you want to dance with – but right now you have a partner and she is ALL that matters.
7. Protect your partner. Don’t let her run into anyone, or get run into by anyone. Watch your dance space, not the floor. I know I’m beating this idea like a brick over your head but, right now, she is everything.
8. Smile, and make appropriate eye contact. Neither of these can happen if you’re looking at your feet.
9. Be humble. Don’t think you’re the best dancer out there, or even that you’ve got the moves down perfectly. You always have something to learn, and may be surprised who you may learn from.
10. Be honest. When you must turn down a dance, don’t beat around the bush about it. Be totally honest about it, and she will appreciate your honesty. (Unless of course your reason for turning her down is that’s she’s not up to your standard. In that case, throw out everything else you just learned. You won’t become THAT guy at this rate.)

What about “that guy” in your dance scene? What sets him apart as a favorite?

*photo by Miles Gehm on flickr.