Have you ever danced with your partner and it's turned into dodgems, toe stomping or wrestling? If this has happened to you, read on to find out more about these partner dancing no-nos - and what to do about it!

1. Dance Dodgems
You're concentrating so much on your own steps that you have no clue what's going on around you and you're pretty much running over everybody (and everything) on the dance floor. No more friends for you! 

It's the leader's responsibility to protect the follower on the dance floor and be aware of obstacles around the room, including people, furniture and walls. This can be quite challenging for beginners. As a leader, you have to remember your steps, figure out the leads, connect with the music (and your partner!) as well as be aware of what's going on around you. Phew! 

This is achievable through practice over time - as they say, it won't happen overnight, but it will happen. Of course, the followers can help out here - if the lady sees an obstacle behind the leader, she can apply pressure with her left hand on the leader's back.

2. Toe-Stomping...
... And I'm not referring to line dancing! In this scenario, you step on each other's feet more often than not! Toe-stomping can happen when (a) one, or both, of you have forgotten your steps; (b) the leader steps but doesn't lead the follower to do the same (or vice versa: the leader leads the follower to take a step but doesn't take a step himself); and/or (c) the leader and follower aren't stepping on the same count (one person is a step ahead of the other).

The aim of partnered dancing is to move together as though you are one. This comes from having a solid dance frame as well as a 50/50 partnership in the dance - the leader leads and the follower follows. The leader needs to provide the follower with signals (ie: leads) that make sense and the job of the follower is to respond to those signals (even if they aren't correct!). As they say, it takes two to Tango! 

3. Dance Wrestling...
This is where you think you're Latin dancing, but really you'd look more at home in unitards wrestling each other to the ground. This can sometimes look like you're rowing and it can come down to a couple of things. The first no-no in this situation is collapsing the dance frame, which happens when the arms are not locked into place, the arms are "rowing" back and forth, and/or there is not enough tension in the frame. Having a good dance frame is super important as it forms the foundation of the dance. A good dance frame provides a solid connection with your partner, allows you to move as one, and makes you look good as dancers! 

The second no-no that contributes to dance wrestling is a poor leading/following relationship. Both of you may want to lead, or the follower is not contributing to her end of the bargain by being responsive to the leader's leads. The follower is responsible for keeping the distance between the leader and herself; it may help to imagine that you have a balloon between your torsos. The job of the follower is to make sure that she keeps the same distance between herself and the leader - if she gets too close, the balloon will pop; if she gets too far, the balloon will fall onto the ground (...and the toe stomping begins)!

So, that's just a few no-nos to be aware of when dancing with your partner. Overcoming these will help you become a better dancer and have more connection with your partner on (and off) the dance floor. Feel free to share your experiences and your solutions to these no-nos using the Comments section below.

... And go from being a dance dodgem, toe-stomper and/or dance wrestler to having fun getting into the Latin groove with your partner. Couples Latin Dance classes have no changing of partners during the class, so you can work on the connection with your partner and have more freedom to experiment and self express! The Beginner level classes are for all ages, and do not require any previous dance experience. More...

In December 2014, the P&C at Pine Rivers High School made the difficult decision to terminate the Adult Community Education Program, which had been running for 30 years. Unfortunately, this means that I am no longer able to run BoogieFit, Zumba Gold Fitness or Couples Latin Dance classes at Pine Rivers High School. 

Taking a trip down memory lane, it was in May 2011 when I ran my first class at the school. The class was called "Dance for Fitness" and was held in the school's small dance studio. These Dance for Fitness classes later morphed into BoogieFit Solo Latin Dance. When the Couples Latin Dance classes were introduced at the school, the classroom moved onto the stage of the school's assembly hall. Needless to say, falling off the stage was not part of the Couples Latin Dance lesson plan! 

A massive THANK YOU to everyone who came along to the classes - it was because of you I got to live my passion of teaching people to dance!

Happy dancing,
Olga

I frequently get feedback from couples that they didn't get a chance to practise any dances during the week in between classes.

The solution... add more practice time in class!

From February 2014, a new format for the Couples Latin Dance Classes is being introduced at BoogieCamp's new Mango Hill location. Couples will have plenty of opportunity to practise the dance moves they've learned, try different combinations, improve their musical ear, and have an instructor available to ask questions.

Part A Practice Time in Class:
To begin with, there will be 30 minutes of practice time at the end of each class (from 9.00pm to 9.30pm). During this half hour, there will be non-stop music playing (alternating between the two Latin dance styles) and the instructor will be going around helping those who need assistance. This practice time is included in the cost of the class.

Part B Social Dance Night:
In the week after the classes have finished (ie: week 9 of the dance term), there will be a social dance night from 7.30pm to 9.30pm to practise and celebrate! Couples will have TWO whole hours to practise dance moves, experiment with the music, chat with other couples, and have fun at the end-of-term party! The social dance night is included in the cost of the term pass.

Click here for info on the Couples Latin Dance Classes at Mango Hill

So, let's get connected and chatting about Latin dancing in Brisbane - or chatting about how I managed to stack it while watering my plants on Saturday (I'm pretty sure this is my first grazed knee since primary school) - or chatting about how dance is great for your wellbeing (and any other wellbeing related stuff) - or chatting about anything else that is fun, zany and interesting! Talk to me!