Can anyone help me with this please? I am dying to learn.?

Question

I want to learn latin ballroom dancing? Like in Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. Well i think that i could do it and i want to learn. Does anyone have any tips? or websites that could help me? Please anything will help. As much info. as possible!

Can anyone else please help me? Its been two days and i only have 5 answers.

Answer 1

As a ballroom dance teacher, I would first recommend checking out the dance studios in your area. Private lessons run between $60-120 an hour. Many studios offer the option of having a lesson for free so you can see if the studio (and your instructor) is a good fit. This is a fairly unregulated industry, so feel free to ask your instructor about his/her history - how long they have been dancing, etc. Also, be sure to tell them specifically what dances you'd like to learn. If you walk in and say "Ballroom Dances", that encompasses any dance danced with two people. They can teach you things you may not want to learn (waltz, tango) instead of things you may want to focus on (salsa, swing). Another good venue is community centers or colleges. Many of them offer reasonably priced group classes. Finally, don't be afraid to go to latin nightclubs and watch the dancers. If you see someone you like as a dancer, as that person where they learned - you'll get some good info and really flatter them!

Answer 2

Well, I'm not sure where you're located, but look in your local yellow pages under "dancing - instruction" (or online at superpages.com or try http://www.ballroomdancing.com it will take a few minutes to load) and look for an Arthur Murray dance studio near you. They teach ballroom dancing exclusively and if you want to focus on Latin dances, they will custom tailor a program for you that will allow you to get exactly what you want out of it. It is a little pricey though so make sure that you are willing to make the commitment to it.

Or you can check local clubs in your area. Sometimes they will have "Latin Nights" and most will offer free salsa and merengue lessons early in the evening before the other clubbers show up. Don't be shy! Just get out there and dance!

Answer 3

Go to your local library and see if they have any videos or DVDs on salsa dancing or any kind of Latin dancing. I know there are some for exercising even. The thing is to learn the Latin motions with the hips. Anything you can find to help you do that and practice with some Latin music will get you off to a good start. www.live365.com has categories for that. Then when you learn a little watch the movies again and see if you can pick up their steps and give it a go. It's all in the hips, sweetie. Good luck.

Answer 4

You could almost never learn dancing from online or tapes. Not only are steps very confusing looking at "instructional materials," there are alot more that really need someone to actually show you and correct you as you do it.

My recommendation also is to go with professional and private lessons but they can be costly at 60 to 100 dollars an hour. If you go this route, NEVER sign up for any more lessons than you plan to use in near future. Many studios will try to sign you up to 20 hours or more in one shot. As much as studios want to tell you otherwise, this is negotiable. I always signed up for 5 to 10 hours at a time. Many private instructors without franchised studio will allow you to pay at the lesson for that lesson.

Less expensive alternative is to look into places such as civic centers, adult continuing education courses offered by highschools and colleges. Typically, they cost somewhere around 60 to 80 dollars and they give group lessons.

If you take the latter route, please be aware, you are very likely to pickup some bad habbits which will be hard to break should you become more serious later on. But it will be good enough for casual dancers.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Good for you. I completely believe that anyone can be a ballroom dancer. You definitely have to take lessons though. Depending on your goals, you can look into private or group lessons. Private lessons are more expensive but then again you are paying for personalized, specific instruction. After you start with lessons, additional options are going to clubs where they offer social dance, usually (at least in Southern California) they offer a lesson and dancing for a set entrance fee. Another idea is to use tapes, DVD's, or other instructional aides (Dance Vision has a great series), but keep in mind these options should only supplement your actual lessons, not replace them. Teaching yourself without professional supervision and instruction usually leads to bad habits.

Good luck and have fun! Not only is ballroom dance fun, beautiful, and a great way to meet people, it is also an interesting way to exercise.

Answer 6

Well my first tip is to never give up. It seems to me you are very determined. I think you should take some dance lessons, get the Dirty Dancing video or DVD. With the tape or DVD, have some fun, dance a lil', just flow.... and try to follow their moves. You don't have to be exactly like them, but I mean that's how you start!!

Answer 7

Ask your parents to help you find a dance school in your city.

Answer 8

Change your name to Diego, buy a frilly shirt to wear open (exposing your chest hair), and some incredibly tight pants, shiny, if possible. Unless you're a girl, in which case, find a guy named Diego who wears a frilly shirt exposing his chest hair, and some shiny tight pants,.

Answer 9

Realistically, you need to take lessons. But here's a srart - go to www.dancescape.com or www.ballroomdancers.com and they can point you in the right direction.

Answer 10

attend disco dancing nyts