Strictly Not Ballroom
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It's nearly eight o'clock on a dark, damp Wednesday evening. Out of the murk a hundred people head for the Surbiton Assembly Rooms. Another fifty are being drawn towards Imber Court. What's going on? Inside, the coats come off to reveal ladies dressed up, men in jeans. Out of the bags pop dancing shoes. Partner dancing is back in fashion.
And why not? You can have a great time, learn a new skill, get some exercise, and all for little more than a fiver. You don't have to wear tails, white tie or a thousand yards of white tulle, for this is strictly not ballroom dancing. The popular dances are those that have spread from streets and bars to pubs, nightclubs and village halls as well as dance studios. Salsa, Ceroc, Jive; Argentine Tango, Chachacha, West Coast Swing, Bachata, Merengue. These are 'people's dances' that have no hidebound rules and are still evolving.
If you can hear music, move your feet in time and hold a partner you can learn these dances. Age is immaterial as long as you're of adult size and not infirm. A typical crowd for a vigorous dance like Salsa or Ceroc will include ages from 16 to 60, with the average around 35; while many of the best men Tango dancers are in their seventies - it takes a long time to become good at leading Tango, the yoga of the dancefloor! And in these dances - the majority of which have Latin origins - men are Men and women are Women (or maybe ladies). The man leads; the lady follows ... if you're lucky!
Typically, an evening starts with an hour of separate classes for beginners, improvers and more advanced dancers, followed by freestyle dancing. These are drop-in classes, and numbers can vary, but a dance teacher can cope with a moderate imbalance between numbers of men and women. You don't need to take a partner of your own: partners rotate every few minutes during a class. Aside from the need to 'give everyone a go,' this is so that the pupils learn to adapt their lead or follow to different partners. Of course you also get to dance with all the partners during a class, and asking for a dance when freestyling afterwards is that much easier. So if you want to learn to dance and your 'other half' grunts and resists the idea, leave them at home! In fact, spousal dancing has been known to lead to stormy arguments that can persist long after a dance is over....
Learning is quite difficult for the guys, at first, for they have to learn not only new moves, but also how to lead and organise the pattern of dance 'on-the-fly,' taking account of their partner and ensuring her safe passage round the dancefloor. Potentially humiliating: but get over it, guys! For the ladies, it's not long before they can take to the dancefloor with a variety of partners and have a good dance. But whether you're leading or following, the process of learning, if you and your partners have a sense of humour, can be hilarious. It's very rewarding to learn new bodily skills, and there's also that sense of teamwork with a partner.
Dancing is a contact sport and an excellent form of exercise. Salsa, Ceroc and Jive, for example, are as aerobic as slow jogging. Your arms and legs, ankles, waist and hips are all exercised. Tango is slower, but as your weight is always balanced on one foot or the other, seldom both, you'll find your thighs and ankles have been working pretty hard! You should dress accordingly in fairly lightweight clothes that will not get in your partner's way, and shoes that will slide easily on the floor and allow you to turn and spin freely. Ladies like to dress up a bit and it's nice when they do; but jeans are fine too except for tango, where we like a good view of their elegantly extended calves ending in splendid heels. Men generally dress in slacks, chinos or jeans, shirt or teeshirt, and light shoes with reasonably slippery leather soles. Don't be frightened off, guys, by those daft foppish outfits you may have seen males wearing on Strictly Dance Fever. You never see those on the social dancefloor!
The social and fellowship aspects of partner dancing are enjoyable, too. But these are not dating dances. Most people are there simply to dance and enjoy themselves, not to hunt their next mate. And if you get depressed about your last dance, there is almost always a bar at these places. Alcohol and dancing don't mix very well, though. You'll find you prefer to drink a lot of water.
You won't have to walk or drive very far, as you'll see from the list here. So - no excuse now! Dance while you can……
Where to go:
Salsa: fast, flirtatious, syncopated 8 - beat Latin dance - immensely popular
Mondays 2015: Above Don Pepe Tapas bar, next to Cardinal Wolsey pub opposite Hampton Court Green
www.salsatime.co.uk (excellent place to learn, friendly group)
Tuesdays 2000: Kingston Dance Studios
www.mundolatinouk.co.uk
Wednesdays 1945: Imber Court Sports Club, Ember Lane
www.mundolatinouk.co.uk
Thursdays 2030: The Angel, Giggs Hill Green (quirky venue, friendly group)
Ceroc: franchised 4 - beat derivative of jive/rock - very popular
Wednesdays 2000: Assembly Rooms Maple Road, Surbiton
www.ceroc.org.uk
Fridays 2000: King George's Hall Esher
www.ceroc.org.uk
West Coast Swing: smooth, moderately-paced 6-beat American dance
Mondays 2000: King George's Hall Esher
www.ceroc.org.uk
Tango Argentino: elegant, sensuous, intimate dance of poise and balance
Mondays 1900: William Morris House, Wimbledon Broadway
www.tango-fandango.co.uk
Tuesdays 2000: The Stoke Forum, Guildford
www.tangowithflavio.co.uk
Fridays 2000: Lecture Hall, 26 Lingfield Road Wimbledon Village
www.tango-fandango.co.uk