dancing tips

[Bay area pimp]

Anyone have any good ideas to get better at dancing.

 

[TheFlyingMan]

get into the rhythm...I used to be the crappiest dancer, now a lot of people think I break battle...but it took many years and quite a few embarassing nights out at the clubs, just like learning PU haha

Get the rhythm into your body, pretend no ones watching (a very big part of learning how to dance), and start moving your head according to the beat (I assume you're talking hip-hop and R&B? No idea about techno, I think it looks farking stupid.)

Then start moving your shoulders. Move your way down your body. as you do so you'll find what area of dancing you're good at.

Most importantly for PU, dance and enjoy yourself! As long as you enjoy yourself and are not looking around to see if the HBs are checking you out, you're doing better then most guys. If you are really having fun you're smile and have a good energy.

I'm naturally flexible in the shoulders and legs so I slide my way across the floor a lot. With shoulders, just shake it. That alone will make you better then 90% of the AFCs in the club, who look like they're running on the spot.

Hmm...and watch videos of Usher, Omarion, and that bloody gay movie...you get served. rubbish movie, but awesome moves. It's all about hip hop dance battles...

 

[Slique]

Let your soul free

I've posted this on another part of this forum:

I don't know if these will help your game, but try them out for yourself and let me know.

1. Feel the Rhythm, the Beat, and the Harmony - let your soul absorb the music
2. Let your soul speak for your body
3. Watch "Hitch" (Will Smith will teach u what you need to know bout dancing for now before u go out and take more lessons)
4. Just have a great time and ignore other people. You are dancing with her, and not for anyone else. Be as natural as Don Juan.
5. As they say in "The Last Samurai": "No mind" [don't mind them. Focus and concentrate]

As a final note: Anyone can dance. Dancing is the expression of the liveliness of the Soul (just as laughter is the language of the soul). I've seen a 90 year old man grooving to salsa music, and I kid you not: this old man will outlive all of us.

I'm sure you'll find anywhere on this forum, that inhibitions always prevent us from being Don Juans. Let all your inhibitions go, and let your soul free.

 

[flippinfreak]

I have to watch hitch... the scene where he's teaching the guy to dance...

I am that guy!!! The girls love me for it cause the actual girl I am dancing with can't see me

 

[B-Lemond]

Watch a Black Guy dance and do what he does.

It doesn't neccesarily have to be a Black Guy. It just needs to be someone who is good at dancing. Generally, Black Guys are good dancers.

Find someone who is goo at it and DO what he does!

 

[Docs]

What if I wanted to look at a Brown Guy, or a Pink Guy persay? Would you be offended there Lemond?

 

[Boschy]

Good advice above, but for total newbies, some more specific tips are probably needed. Showing someone in person (as in HITCH, good flick) is best, but how to sum it up in writing? A bit of drumming theory might help. Sorry if the following is ugly.

- For most techno dance music, there are four bass beats or pulses per bar. That is, one two three four, one two three four. Identify these beats and count them.

- For R&B, rock, break beat music, it gets more complicated. But all you have to do is find (a) the phat bass beat and the (b) snare drum beat. So it goes one (bass) TWO (snare) three (bass) FOUR (snare), one TWO three FOUR. The emphasis is on the snare beat.

- Some techno can also have a snare sound that goes with beats two and four. But essentially treat all four beats the same.

- In each case, try to move your feet in time with the bass beats (techno) or the bass and snare beats (rock, R&B, break beat). Just do that, nothing else. Even do this sitting down and tapping your foot. Feel it? You've found the the rhythm or what my drum teacher called the 'groove'.

- On the dance floor, lift and drop your feet like this: one (left) two (right) three (left) four (right). Yes, just like marching!

- Once you're comfortable with that, try moving your hand or arm at the same time as your feet, or to every second beat. Just do a small movement, something that feels natural. Normally this is when a crowd would clap or some dude on headphones rocking out would click his fingers.

- Now that you know how to find the groove, you can improvise other movements: drop your shoulders, nod your head, etc. Try different combinations. You don't have to be John Travolta or MJ.

- I learned a lot by watching other people dancing, and by taking note of pro dancers in music clips.

- Once you get your basic technique nailed, you can add extra steps between beats: one AND two AND three AND four. This means you're putting mini-steps in between the main beats. I do this for a few bars, then switch to normal speed, pepper a few mini-steps in here and there, etc. Great fun.

- I need about 30 mins warm up. Before then, I am fairly stiff and uncoordinated. A few drinks help, too. And comfortable shoes that don't grip the floor. Being able to slide your feet makes it much easier, otherwise you have to do discrete foot stepping movements.

- Me personally, I hate dancing to rock, but can do it if I'm with a group. I don't mind R&B but usually can't get into it unless I know the songs. I much prefer dance/techno/trance music for dancing. You may have other preferences.

Good luck!

 

[El MonoLoco]

2 songs for reference....

digital underground - the Humpty Dance
mac dre - get stupid

You're from the bay so I hope you can understand the second track...

But really go watch Soul train or the Grind...do you remember the Grind....horrible show really but there were always hotties and I'm sure some of the dance moves were ok...

Now think about what happens at a club...do you really have enough room to pull of some Kid-n-Play type dance move...probably not....


To make what Boschy said a little clearer or simpler....just follow the beat...I know you can count...at least i hope you can.... 1-2-3-4 is all you ever need to know.....hell I know 3 yr olds who can count that high. If you want to get tricky you can try 8th note beats or rythms but its just more steps.

What I usually do if I'm dancing alone is to act out the song to the beat....kind of hard to explain you just have to see it...

Just pop your collar, brush something off, do a spin, and lock to certain points in the song....shake your butt a little bit, add a hip thrust and go grab a girl and grind on that ass........lol.......

 

[Boschy]

Yes El MonoLoco, 1 - 2 - 3 - 4. That's it. Also, initially, it's easier to dance to music you are familiar with. When you know a song, you can do little movements in sync with particular moments. At the very least, when the beat pauses dead, as it does in some tracks, you don't want to be dancing full-on. I usually stop, take a breather, then pick it up when the beat comes back. Either that, or tone down my movements and just keep the feet moving very subtely. Now, even though I'm 36 and an old fart, I still keep up to date with chart music and buy dance compilations (like Ministry of Sound Annuals), plus I listen to the radio. Many dance tracks are remixes of boring top-40 songs.

Once you're up and running, you can try the podiums. That is great confidence boot and a good way to communicate some social proof. Just remember that the point is not showing off, but to be seen that you're having a good time.

 

[El MonoLoco]

I agree Boschy...but...


Going back to my first point...

there is hardly enough room in a club to really dance the way people on here seem to think you should dance...unless you get there really early, they you might have the floor to yourself but no one is gonna see you except the bartender or something.


Try the K.I.S.S. method (keep it simple stupid)

just bounce your knees to the beat, put your arms up like your boxing but looser and move from left to right with the beat......always to the beat.


Hope that helps....


:rockon:

 

[Boschy]

Yeah well, I'm just talking about standard dance club dancing on roughly the same spot, nothing flashy (to begin with, haha), and not rock and roll dancing, latin dancing, etc.

P.S. dancing is a great aerobic exercise work out.

 

[Bay area pimp]

Thx guys, those are some great tips. I think I just need some practice!

 

[Boschy]

Have fun with it, practice at home, etc. As El MonoLoco said, just try to 'bounce' along to the beat. Keep your knees and arms nice and loose. You'll feel self conscious at first, but soon you'll realise that no-one cares really, plus you'll see people doing some weird moves that don't quite work, heh heh. Very few people in any club are great dancers. I'm certainly not! (At best, on a good night, I'd call myself, erm, energetic )

 

[Enjin 7]

I learned how to c-walk by watching a tuturial and practicing it in my room. girls love that **** for some reason.