Salsa Etiquette 101

There is a lot of trust when dancing with another person.

Trust that they will lead you correctly ... that they will make you look good ... that they will not drop you. I've been very lucky to have one of Victoria's best male salsa dancers as my partner for the upcoming Stars on Stage performance. As many people have told me ... when it comes to lifts and spins, Charles will take the fall before he lets his dance partner get hurt.

Which leads me to last Saturday night ... where there was a most unfortunate incident.

It was my first time out social dancing at Cafe Casablanca ... a night where everyone (from beginners to performers) gather to practice and "play" on the dance floor. It was SO much fun! I danced with people of all ages, all levels of experience, and worked up a sweat. Having some of my ladies (Connie and Sarah) with me was a kick.

But I learned a big lesson that night: trust my instincts. I was dancing with a partner who has taken classes and performed before, so I trusted him to lead me. He was very helpful in showing me some hand techniques and was very patient, but then he got assertive. Twisting and spinning me out of control, despite me asking him to slow down because I was a beginner with bad, slippery shoes. And I was dropped ... rolling my ankle and twisting my back ...

It was unintentional ... he was apologetic ... but it rattled my confidence ... and put my back/butt into spasm for a few days. Three days later, I'm feeling better and am icing/stretching. No long-term damage.

But what to do the next time a similar situation happens, particularly if I know I'm not 100% sure about a dance partner? Salsa etiquette 101 is that you never shut down a request ... unless a person has hurt you or was groping you. In fact, just verbally telling a person what you're comfortable with is the best strategy. Otherwise, here's a great site:

http://www.salsa-dancing-addict.com/dance-etiquette.html

Most important for me is that even though I'm a newbie and a bit shy about my footwork and spins ... I have to follow my instincts and own my own body on the dance floor. I'm willing to give him another chance ... well, maybe. I just have to communicate my needs, my level of experience, and hold on tight!