Learning to Dance

As music starts to play, signaling the beginning of a dance, your muscles tighten with anxiety. Several girls in a nearby corner jump up from their seats, grabbing each other’s hands, excitedly proclaiming how much they love the song as they race to the dance floor.

Watching them, you are embarrassed to admit that you do not know how to dance. Unlike others who seem to have been born with natural rhythm, you decide the best way to not reveal your clumsy “two left feet” is to continue quietly sipping your water at the table. You lower your head trying to blend into the crowd of other teenagers, hoping that no one notices you have chosen to remain seated.

But soon a friend sees you are not participating and walks over, urging you to join the group on the dance floor. You shyly shrug your shoulders and shake your head “no.” Although you do not want to be known as a wallflower, you know the upbeat music would only demonstrate your inability to dance.

After several minutes, the group leaves the dance floor and returns to the table, smiling and laughing about the fun they had while twirling to the music. As they sit down, you silently wish you felt more comfortable dancing, but you continue to stay seated for the rest of the evening.

For many teenagers, the prospect of attending a dance is daunting. But dancing is a way to express joy—not something to be dreaded. Even biblical figures used dancing to show their appreciation for God’s blessings. Dancing is also a great way to get in shape, build confidence, and maintain a positive outlook on life. Those who regularly dance are less stressed, more energized, and reflect increased confidence on a daily basis.

There is not just one style of dancing. Your dancing style depends on the kind of music you enjoy. It can be practiced with any kind of music—from opera to more modern music.

Even more traditional ballroom dancing encompasses a multitude of varieties including tango, ballet, foxtrot, waltz, rumba, Latin, Salsa, swing, tap, stepping and country line dancing, among many other forms.

Finding one that works for you is important for building confidence in this area.

Dancing Made Easy

One of the most important forms of dance is slow dancing. This type of dancing is fairly simple and performed by a man and woman. One of the reasons for this is virtually everyone has the ability to practice this form of dancing—without having any type of athleticism.

To slow dance, the man and woman should stand a little less than a foot apart in front of each other. The woman should place her right hand inside the man’s left hand and her left hand on his shoulder while the man puts his right hand under her left shoulder blade. Their hands should be placed at chin level. It is not appropriate for the man and woman to stand too close together or to simply wrap their arms around each other’s necks. This could cause either partner to feel uncomfortable and does not facilitate suitable movement of either partner.

The movement for slow dancing is relatively simple and has more to do with shifting weight and maintaining good posture than actual foot coordination. While listening to the beat of the music, simply change your weight from foot to foot, swaying as you go. Men normally begin by swaying to the left while a woman sways to the right. When the man is on his right foot, he should drop his right shoulder. When he is on his left foot, he should drop his left shoulder. Transferring one’s weight from foot to foot to the beat of the music creates the image of “rhythm” that so many wish to attain.

It is also important that the woman is slightly to the man’s right side, while he is slightly to her right side. This helps to avoid any sort of fumble of stepping on one another’s feet, which often creates awkwardness during the dance and causes people to use the excuse that they have been born with “two left feet.”

In addition, it is important to stay on the balls of your feet while dancing. This gives your feet greater mobility and helps you place them more lightly, which helps avoid awkward foot mishaps.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Becoming an accomplished dancer does not occur overnight. Practice is key to becoming a more confident dancer. Dancing is more than just knowing how to perform all the right steps. It starts with hearing and understanding the rhythm of a song and having the right focus.

To learn to dance, walk around your living room or bedroom to music. Practice walking leisurely while a slow song plays, or faster to a song with a more rapid beat. There are dozens of websites that offer step-by-step instructional videos showing the proper way to dance. They clearly demonstrate specific dance moves, which can easily be practiced in the comfort of your living room.

Of course, different types of dances require various levels of energy and athletic ability. Some dances will burn more calories than others. But overall, dancing is an excellent way to stay in shape, hone your social skills, and have fun!

Many people in the world practice freestyle dancing with the wrong intentions, and thus their dancing is overtly sexual in nature. Those in God’s Church should always conduct themselves with dignity, using their dancing as an opportunity to help others feel more comfortable and have fun.

The Bible has a number of examples of dancing to express joy. When the Israelites were freed from Egypt, they sang and danced. David also danced as a way to show his gratitude for God’s deliverance from his enemies.

Next time you are going to attend a dance, take a little time beforehand to prepare to not sit on the sidelines. Do not feel embarrassed—put on your favorite CD, relax and let the rhythm guide your feet. Before you know it, you will be gliding gracefully around your home, and be more prepared than ever to move along with everyone else on the dance floor.