How does dancing increase your self-confidence?
Dancing requires confidence but did you know that dancing builds your confidence on and off the dance floor?
Do you want to gain confidence, make new friends, find a new relationship, or maybe improve your social life? You can achieve all of this and more by taking regular dance lessons. Learning to dance gives you more confidence, builds your skills and can open you up to a whole new social circle without the stress of speed dating or the annoyance of blind dating.
Dancers are known to be more confident, walk longer and more aware of their bodies than non-dancers. They care about their physical fitness and tend to eat healthy foods. After a few dance lessons, even though you may be just beginning to master the basics, you’ll feel your confidence grow as you see your progress. It goes without saying that a good dose of encouragement also helps, because you often make progress, even when you don’t feel like it.
Dancing with a social partner (eg salsa, ballroom, swing, modern jive) has many benefits, one of which is building your confidence as a dancer. Forget about dancing alone at a club, where if you’re not really a great dancer, even if you love to dance, you might feel clumsy. Why not learn to dance with your partner to the sounds of your favorite club instead?
A partner dancing without a partner?
One of the great things about a modern jive dance class is that you don’t need a partner to attend and enjoy it. For individuals, going to dance lessons alone is the first of many big steps. You’re not quite sure what to expect or even if you’re doing the right thing. You worry that everyone will be better than you and that you will stand out. You may even worry that everyone but you will be partners. So taking your first dance class despite your fears is a huge step towards building confidence. You proved to yourself that “you can do it.”
Set some goals for your dance
People may take dance lessons to build confidence and one of the best ways you can start is by setting two to three goals for dancing. Dancing takes some commitment, so think about what you want to achieve and set your goals for when you reach them. You will get a lot of confidence once you do this.
If your goal is to get out of the house more and meet new people, make that your goal instead of “finding a date.” Go learn something new and simply be open to making new friends and learn to be a great dancer. You’ll be amazed at how many people you’ll meet in each gif talk dance class, and even if you don’t meet someone special, you’ll have so much fun sharing a common love of dancing.
You’ll never dance alone in a modern jive dance class
If the partner you’re dancing with isn’t a concern, this is great news for you. I went to my first modern jive dance evening on my own and have never looked back. Since everyone is rotated during the lesson, you are sure to meet and dance with any of 7-10 different people each week, so if you come to class alone you will never feel left out. Everyone can dance with everyone else, regardless of whether they come with a partner or not. This helps with your dancing and creates a great social atmosphere in the class. The more people you dance with, the better you will become at dancing and the faster your confidence will increase.
What if you make mistakes?
One of the biggest fears of beginner dancers is that everyone is watching them and noticing their mistakes. After all, dancing in front of people we don’t know puts the spotlight on us.
good news! People usually don’t watch beginners. They usually watch the top dancers to get tips to improve their dancing. They understand that making mistakes is an integral part of learning to dance and are likely to congratulate you on your efforts. They were where you are. So relax and enjoy.
Take every opportunity to dance
All modern jive dance lessons begin with a beginner’s lesson, followed by a “freestyle” session, followed by an intermediate session, and then more freestyle dancing. In modern jive music “freestyle” is simply another word for practice and it’s a big part of the evening. Doing a dance lesson alone is not enough. To build your confidence in dancing, do a freestyle dance session every week, especially if you’re a beginner. Since everyone else dances in a free style, you will be dancing with different people each week, and as you do so you will find that you are becoming more confident in yourself and your abilities.
Ask others to dance
Beginner dancers tend to look at the better dancers and think of two things.
1. To ask them to dance because they are new and 2. They cannot ask anyone to dance
Being confident enough to ask people to dance (whether you’re a lady or a man) is a big part of a modern jive dance evening. The ladies ask the men to dance as much as the men ask the ladies, unlike what you might find in clubs and even some formal dance classes.
In recent gifs you will find that beginners are encouraged to ask the better dancers to dance with them. It is one of the fastest ways to learn. So, make asking someone to dance one of your goals. You will feel your confidence increasing over time.
What if you ask and they say no?
In the modern jive dance class “Would you like to dance?” It’s generally answered with, “Yes, I’d like to,” 99% of the time.
Of course, if someone has just finished a dance or is taking a short break, catching their breath after a few dances, or sitting or sitting out a song, they might suggest the next dance instead. Although, unlike in a club where a lady will rarely ask for a dance, or a man may wonder if asking for a dance means public ridicule or might be taken the wrong way, in modern jive asking for a dance is the norm whatever gender he’s doing. Ladies, if you want a jig, just ask for one.
If you’re a beginner and you muster up the courage to ask even two people to a dance each week (they’re probably going to ask you anyway) congratulate yourself, because you’ve paved the way for making great progress which in turn builds your confidence. And with new people joining every week, you won’t be a beginner for long and can do the same for others.
Dancing is one of the best ways to build your confidence in any area of your life. So:
Take the first step – go to a dance class, try a modern jive dance class among other goals. Set 2-3 goals and ask the teacher to help you achieve them.
Be prepared to laugh at your mistakes and learn from them.
Ask others to freestyle dance – even if you’re just starting out. Just say you would like to practice the movements.
Stick with and be patient with yourself.
Whether it’s a salsa class, swing lessons, ballroom dancing or a modern jive dance class, you’ll get something from them to give. With time, a great teacher, encouragement, a sense of humor, and practice, you’ll find that dancing will do wonders for your confidence.
