In one of our Podcast episodes we recently spoke to Aina – a teacher from London – about what it takes to go from intermediate to advanced.
This might not be something that is currently on your mind as you still consider yourself a beginner or an improver.
But regardless of your level there are things you can do today that will make it easier for you to one day reach an advanced level. Your future self will thank you later!
In the audio clip above you’ll find the highlights of the episode that are most relevant to you as a leader. Click the play button to get started or read through the summary below the subscribe button.
If you’re interested in the full episode you can find that here.
Do you want more of this kind of audio content? Reply to this email and let me know.
The episode was focussed on Bachata Sensual but it can be applied to any social dance.
Hello and welcome to “The confident lead” - the free edition of my weekly newsletter. I’m Yann, and each week I write about things that make you a more confident leader on the social dance floor. If someone shared this article with you and you find this information useful make sure to sign up to receive it each Sunday evening.
Take progressive classes
Take classes that build up on top of each other to build a solid leading foundation
If you learn from scattered classes (e.g. Free class before a social) it will be harder to fix your mistakes later on
Study music(ality)
The way music is structured is a science. Therefore you can learn it.
If you have the chance to take musicality classes (at festivals) prioritise these over regular workshops
Use Youtube to understand how others are interpreting the music and break down their dance. I wrote more about that topic here
Prioritise technique over figures
Focus on understanding leading technique instead of trying to learn many figures
Internalising technique allows you to develop your own style and improvise
Pick your role models carefully
Pick your idols based on the music/style that you feel closest to and the attitude they show towards their followers
Drill all of the foundations that suit that style into your way of dancing instead of trying to go crazy on learning more figures
Keep a beginners mindset
Dancing with beginners (followers that are below your level) is a great way to improve your by experimenting with your basic and try different things
An advanced dancer makes the less experienced dancer look good.
If your excuse for a bad dance was that the follower made you look bad or didn’t follow your moves correctly it means you are not as good as you think
Bonus: You know what followers value in a good leader
Knowing what defines a good leader is key when you want to become the person that every follower loves to dance with.
Click here to read: The big report - 354 followers give their opinion on what makes a good / bad leader.
Want to read more articles like these? I’m Yann and this is my weekly newsletter “The confident lead”. Each week I write about things that make you a more confident leader on the social dance floor. Leave your email address to receive it every Sunday evening.
The 5 foundations of a successful lead (Audio special)