By now, we all know that Adelaide is the place to be for ballroom and Latin dancing. With events every weekend, Adelaidians are never short of dance opportunities once they know how to partner dance. Even if you are more of a solo dancer, Adelaide has plenty of boutique clubs where you can strut your stuff.
There are tons of things you can do to destress after a long week, and visiting a nightclub is definitely a must. We guarantee a fun and great night.
However, before you put on your shoes and hightail it to the nearest place to have fun, you may want to learn how to dance in a club if it’s something you don’t feel comfortable with. Much like how you wouldn’t go to a test unprepared, you shouldn’t go on the dance floor without at least knowing the basics.
That’s right. It is time to learn how to dance ‘club style’! And whilst this isn’t what we traditionally teach here at QuickSteps, we have been approached by people over the years with this request and want to share with you some of our pro tips to make your clubbing experience more fun and relaxing.
It might take you a few drinks, but getting the courage to join the crowd on the dance floor is something you should experience at least once. If you don’t know how, here’s how you can join your friends without embarrassing yourself:
Scope out the club dancing scene
There are different types of dance clubs. Find out which one you will be visiting. The type of place you go to will determine the clothes you wear and the music that will play.
The best place to find this is Facebook or Instagram. Simply look up the venue and have a quick search through their dance floor photos and videos to get a feel for the place before you even walk in! What’s playing? House music? EDM? Reggaeton? Latin? Hip Hop? Techno? Disco? Each genre comes with specific dance styles.
If you want to bounce in place with high energy and do a couple of basic dance moves, go for house, EDM, or Reggaeton. The scene is all about dancing in your own style, so there is no wrong way to do it.
However, if the perfectionist in you wants to make sure you look alright, get inspiration from social media. Tiktok, Instagram, and Youtube have short clips that cover the basic feet, arm, and hip movement.
Here are some examples of short club dance tutorials with simple steps you can find online:
@nina.jellina Zullen we jullie meer club moves leren? 🫶🏼💃🏻 #fyp #clubdancemoves #easydancemoves
@danielpalacio22 Comment an animal😂 #fyp #clubmoves #dance
But what if you feel comfortable with structured dances? The very idea of freestyle makes you nervous? This is where swing, Latin, or ballroom dancing come in!
In our experience, people that learn these more structured styles of dance become much more comfortable with freestyle/club dancing as a result. Learning these structured styles means you are getting used to moving your body in time with the music, and your body is becoming more smooth and fluent in its movements which all helps!
Each dancer has a clear role. There is a ‘leader’ and a ‘follower’. You could always switch it up, but you need to know the basic moves before you do.
Read more: Salsa and Latin Dance Venues and Events Around Adelaide
There are videos on how to do this online. But if you want to practise dancing with other people, it’s best to join a class. Latin (salsa, bachata, and cha cha, rumba, merengue), ballroom (foxtrot, waltz, tango), and swing (lindy hop, east coast swing, rock n’ roll and west coast swing), Quickstep has a variety of dance styles you can learn. We’ll walk you through the basics and teach you how to lead or follow any song. Book a trial lesson today!
Find inspiration for your dance moves
In ballroom and Latin dancing we always recommend that students watch a lot of videos to observe the way these dancers move their whole body. There are two great places to draw inspiration for club-style moves: Hip Hop and Commercial.
Hip Hop is great, especially for more ‘masculine’ movements. This video is a good starting point for the basics.
This next video is a good start for anyone wanting the basics in a more feminine style.
Commercial dance refers to the type of dancing you might see in a video clip and is excellent for more feminine movements and styling. (We would not recommend all of them rolling around on the floor, this is a bit over the top. But whenever they are all out dancing together at a club in the clips you’ll get a good feel of what the girls are doing ).
Read More: 4 Stages of Learning
Stay loose when club dancing
The longer you dance, the easier it gets. You realise quickly that as long as you keep to your space while you’re on the dance floor, people don’t really care. The music is loud, and the crowd is doing their own thing. Loosen up. It helps your movements look smoother and more natural. Remember, confidence is key!
Don’t be shy – Just dance
It isn’t strange for other people to dance near you and maybe even invite you to join them. Don’t worry; this is completely normal. It’s a great way to socialise and get to know new people. However, if you aren’t ready to leave your group or dance with a stranger, maintain your space and politely turn them down.
But if you are ready, then close the distance and start dancing. The music decides how this will go down. If the club is playing salsa, bachata, or merengue, then traditionally, the guys will lead. The good dancers will find the right rhythm and start club dancing.
But, if they are playing reggaeton, hip-hop, or EDM, you could take turns giving dancing cues and just mirror each other. It doesn’t really matter who leads or follows.
Hitting the club dancing for the first time can be a nerve-wracking experience. But when you do your research and practise the basics, you’ll be better than most of the drunk dancers there. So feel the music, play with movement, and don’t be afraid to try something new!
So what are you waiting for? Book a trial class with Quickstep today!
