Dancing on ones own vs social dancing

[dancingintherain]

How was your experience on dancing on your own in lockdown period . How do you rate it compared to social dancing last year ? For me its not at all comparable with the social dancing experience . The social experience , the dancing with the stranger and not so stranger dance partners , some good teachers , some enthusiastic teachers , some bad teachers . The loud music . The smells of cologne Yes .
Though many of my other hobbies i have reinvented and enjoyed in lockdown period my solo dancing i feel boring . I attended one online class too in dance . But not enthusiastic . Whats your experience ?
For me : social dancing 10/10 . solo dancing 2/10 . I dance pretty well quality wise solo these days . i am telling about the enjoyment aspect
PS : I am sure the future will be bright at least long term but as of now its too boring the solo dance experience . Interested in others experiences .

 

[Chris_Yannick]

Personally, I love solo dancing. I love jamming to music, period. Don’t much like takng online classes, but I find some elements useful. I just pick what I can use from various teachers and apply it to my own dancing. Dissecting dance moves, analyzing them then training them is fun for me.

Solo dancing is also my way of physical fitness since I don’t do any other form of exercise, so a big reason why I do it is because it is necessary for my physical well-being.

Lastly, solo dancing improves my dancing in ways partner dancing does not. Mainly on the technical side.

Social dancing will always be tops, but there is more to life than just social dancing

I am learning to love solo dancing, especially for the benefits it provides. Solo dancing makes me a better dancer, which allows me enjoy social dancing more. If I feel I am a bad dancer, I can not enjoy dancing socially as much. I am not comparing myself for others, but I admire what great dancers can do with their bodies. I also admire people who aren't pro but who put themselves out there and post videos of themselves online because I respect the courage, hard work and dedication that goes into it. I also respect the DJs and music lovers who are providing around the clock entertainment. When I'm not dancing, I'm listening to music.

I write this just as I finish a 3-hour training session and I am still not done yet. Need to eat.

Social dancing = 10/10
Solo dancing = 10/10

Both are necessary for my well-being.

How was your experience on dancing on your own in lockdown period . How do you rate it compared to social dancing last year ? For me its not at all comparable with the social dancing experience . The social experience , the dancing with the stranger and not so stranger dance partners , some good teachers , some enthusiastic teachers , some bad teachers . The loud music . The smells of cologne Yes .
Though many of my other hobbies i have reinvented and enjoyed in lockdown period my solo dancing i feel boring . I attended one online class too in dance . But not enthusiastic . Whats your experience ?
For me : social dancing 10/10 . solo dancing 2/10 . I dance pretty well quality wise solo these days . i am telling about the enjoyment aspect
PS : I am sure the future will be bright at least long term but as of now its too boring the solo dance experience . Interested in others experiences .

 

[Gumercindo]

For me, non social dancing is a great opportunity to work on footwork, listening to new music, as well as identifying how you would dance to certain parts of songs. All that mental work makes one's mind and body sharper, imo.

 

[dancingintherain]

Personally, I love solo dancing. I love jamming to music, period. Don’t much like takng online classes, but I find some elements useful. I just pick what I can use from various teachers and apply it to my own dancing. Dissecting dance moves, analyzing them then training them is fun for me.

Solo dancing is also my way of physical fitness since I don’t do any other form of exercise, so a big reason why I do it is because it is necessary for my physical well-being.

Lastly, solo dancing improves my dancing in ways partner dancing does not. Mainly on the technical side.

Social dancing will always be tops, but there is more to life than just social dancing

I am learning to love solo dancing, especially for the benefits it provides. Solo dancing makes me a better dancer, which allows me enjoy social dancing more. If I feel I am a bad dancer, I can not enjoy dancing socially as much. I am not comparing myself for others, but I admire what great dancers can do with their bodies. I also admire people who aren't pro but who put themselves out there and post videos of themselves online because I respect the courage, hard work and dedication that goes into it. I also respect the DJs and music lovers who are providing around the clock entertainment. When I'm not dancing, I'm listening to music.

I write this just as I finish a 3-hour training session and I am still not done yet. Need to eat.

Social dancing = 10/10
Solo dancing = 10/10

Both are necessary for my well-being.

Nice perspective . Good solo dancing improves social dancing . But i miss the girls

 

[dancingintherain]

For me, non social dancing is a great opportunity to work on footwork, listening to new music, as well as identifying how you would dance to certain parts of songs. All that mental work makes one's mind and body sharper, imo.

I think i should restart my solo dancing . But still i really miss the social dances . .... Hope things get better .

 

[Chris_Yannick]

Nice perspective

It's just not the popular one. Without social dancing, there are no stories to tell. I can talk about how I'm improving my body co-ordination, outline the process of training, what incremental improvements I'm seeing, etc, but social dancing is the most popular topic that interest people. You can see it even on the forums. We are a microcosm of what happens in the dance community at large. If social dancing ceases, then the entire dance community collapses.

Luckily, I do not see that happening as social dancing will return. It is inevitable.

 

[TikiTaka]

As long as i like the song i enjoy dancing, and it can be with a partner or just dancing to the music solo. Or even just listening to the song withour dancing, lol. Dancing just enhances the experience.

Now doing choreographies solo would probably bore me quite fast.

 

[Chris_Yannick]

As long as i like the song i enjoy dancing, and it can be with a partner or just dancing to the music solo. Or even just listening to the song withour dancing, lol. Dancing just enhances the experience.

Now doing choreographies solo would probably bore me quite fast.

Yes, I can also create great choreographies in my head

I think we got spoiled with social dancing. For Latin dancers, it used to be only nightclub Salsa that you could dance with a partner socially. When Salsa exploded internationally there were even more options like festivals and daytime socials. Then when Salsa dancers decided to bring the sensual dances into the mainstream, we got spoiled even more.

 

[John S2]

For me, the whole point of dancing is connection. I have zero motivation to dance solo, so lockdown = no dancing.

 

[TikiTaka]

I don't think i understood your comment

Yes, I can also create great choreographies in my head

I think we got spoiled with social dancing. For Latin dancers, it used to be only nightclub Salsa that you could dance with a partner socially. When Salsa exploded internationally there were even more options like festivals and daytime socials. Then when Salsa dancers decided to bring the sensual dances into the mainstream, we got spoiled even more.

 

[anonymous987]

For me, the whole point of dancing is connection. I have zero motivation to dance solo, so lockdown = no dancing.

Same for me. The only exception was during the online CobeatParty congress. I had a go at doing the Eddie Torres Jr class. It was good class, so I can see why people would enjoy solo training online when the level of instruction is top notch. I just have other priorities at the moment...

 

[Chris_Yannick]

I don't think i understood your comment

I meant that in general I think Salsa dancers were spoiled pre-Covid. Tons of events like congresses/Festivals, local parties and a multitude of partner dancing... Salsa... Bachata.. Kizomba... Zouk... etc... Of course it varies from scene to scene, but parties could be found even if one had to travel long distances, which many hardcore dancers did. To be able to dance 3-5 times a week is a luxury. I don't think dancers realized how good they had it.

 

[Chris_Yannick]

I had a go at doing the Eddie Torres Jr class. It was good class, so I can see why people would enjoy solo training online when the level of instruction is top notch. I just have other priorities at the moment...

It is very nice that I was finally able to sample classes I normally would not have paid for or traveled to see given by world famous instructors like Eddie Torres Jr., Fernando Sosa, Terry, Adolfo... the list goes on and on. Practically every popular teacher is putting out online classes either paid (for a fraction of the cost of a live lesson) or free. So it is a novelty for someone like me to experience their teaching methods without having to leave the house.

Nothing will replace social dancing with real people, but I'm taking this opportunity to improve my dancing and for me, it hardly feels like I was on a break from dancing at all. My motivation has not wavered as there's just so much material available right now and so much to learn.

 

[TikiTaka]

I meant that in general I think Salsa dancers were spoiled pre-Covid. Tons of events like congresses/Festivals, local parties and a multitude of partner dancing... Salsa... Bachata.. Kizomba... Zouk... etc... Of course it varies from scene to scene, but parties could be found even if one had to travel long distances, which many hardcore dancers did. To be able to dance 3-5 times a week is a luxury. I don't think dancers realized how good they had it.

Well i enjoy dancing by myself more in many ways. That way i can always choose the music at least. I just dance sporadically throughout the day, nothing fancy.

 

[Chris_Yannick]

Well i enjoy dancing by myself more in many ways. That way i can always choose the music at least. I just dance sporadically throughout the day, nothing fancy.

One thing I wonder is how the dancing landscape would change if social dancing was banned longer than a year? Not that I enjoy seeing people suffer or be run out of business, but I am genuinely curious if people would be more grateful after a long break. I know that for me, those long breaks from social dancing gave me a new perspective on dancing and I became more grateful for it and less obssessive.

I love dancing. With a partner, without a partner. The things I enjoy the least about dancing, like performance team/clique culture, zoo-like festival crowds, being utterly exhausted, tired and sick after a marathon of dancing, literally all of those things are banned. lol...

Who am I kidding. I am loving this.

 

[anonymous987]

I am genuinely curious if people would be more grateful after a long break. I know that for me, those long breaks from social dancing gave me a new perspective on dancing and I became more grateful for it and less obssessive.

Yes, I appreciate Salsa more after taking breaks. In fact, my most enjoyable experiences at festivals have come from me taking a break from Salsa for a few weeks before an event.

Taking a break, gives me renewed enthusiasm and energy for the festival, and also it reminds to make the most of every opportunity.

By contrast, when I was going to festivals/local parties weekly, I would lose energy and take events for granted. A few years ago, Amsterdam, Warsaw and Dusseldorf Euro festivals were all scheduled in the same month of November (within 3 weeks of each other). I remember going to all three. It was too much! At Amsterdam I kept thinking of Warsaw, at Warsaw I came back feeling ill, and by the time Dusseldorf came around, I was so tired, I ended by spending most of time asleep in a corner for the Saturday party.