# Learning to Dance = new positive things! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 12, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-to-dance-new-positive-things/690602 "2014-06-12T04:35:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-to-dance-new-positive-things/690602/1 "2014-06-12T04:35:43Z")
It’s been almost a year since I began my crazy dance adventure. I’ve now officially traveled to three dance conventions, gone dancing 1-4 times every week, taken private lessons, practice at home. and now even have a dance partner! Not too shabby for someone with “two left feet” one year ago. I love love love it. So much fun. I do West-Coast Swing for the most part though I’ve been doing ballroom as well. So here’s the cool things I’ve noticed about myself since I began: -Increased confidence -How important physical contact is to me -Made almost 100 new contacts / friends -Improved posture! -My toes are often pointed out -I practice connection with shopping carts -Increased body awareness (Hip settling, where is my head weight…etc) -Some better muscle tone / fitness -I listen to music and think of movement -Watching a dance video always puts me in a good mood. -I drink more energy drinks (probably not so good)…but generally I’m eating healthier. -I’m happier 🙂 Of all the new things I’ve tried in the past two years, dance has hit my soul. I just love it so much! Anyone else here with me / or can relate? ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-to-dance-new-positive-things/690602/2 "2014-06-12T06:13:37Z")
More power to ya! Get down with your bad self. Many years ago I took some Salsa lessons because I wanted to meet Latina women. Turns out I met my (Filipino) wife at one of the classes. Yeah, dancing is good for you in many ways. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-to-dance-new-positive-things/690602/3 "2014-06-12T06:14:20Z")
> [@Quasimodal](#): > > It’s been almost a year since I began my crazy dance adventure. I’ve now officially traveled to three dance conventions, gone dancing 1-4 times every week, taken private lessons, practice at home. and now even have a dance partner! Not too shabby for someone with “two left feet” one year ago. I love love love it. So much fun. I do West-Coast Swing for the most part though I’ve been doing ballroom as well. > > So here’s the cool things I’ve noticed about myself since I began: > > -Increased confidence > -How important physical contact is to me > -Made almost 100 new contacts / friends > -Improved posture! > -My toes are often pointed out > -I practice connection with shopping carts > -Increased body awareness (Hip settling, where is my head weight…etc) > -Some better muscle tone / fitness > -I listen to music and think of movement > -Watching a dance video always puts me in a good mood. > -I drink more energy drinks (probably not so good)…but generally I’m eating healthier. > -I’m happier 🙂 > > Of all the new things I’ve tried in the past two years, dance has hit my soul. I just love it so much! Anyone else here with me / or can relate? What an encouraging post. I used to do ballroom dancing years ago and have been thinking about taking it up again - partly to get my backside off the sofa but also just for enjoyment and exercise. I need to find somewhere. I do like the sound of West Coast Swing but I don’t think it’s taught much around here. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-to-dance-new-positive-things/690602/4 "2014-06-12T06:25:35Z")
> [@Quasimodal](#): > > Anyone else here with me / or can relate? No, but it’s something I’ve been thinking of trying. What would you suggest for someone starting out, group classes, adult-education kind of place, private lessons, something else? ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-to-dance-new-positive-things/690602/5 "2014-06-12T06:31:06Z")
Glad you’re enjoying it! Makes you feel alive, doesn’t it? I don’t know how to do the West Coast Swing but it sounds like fun. Since you’re putting yourself out there I thought I’d share a “dance” story: A friend of mine went to one and asked one of the seated ladies if she’d like to dance. She smiled but declined. He turned to the woman sitting next to her but she said No, too. Then he said, “Whata ya think this is—a bus stop?” Still makes me laugh. He’s a card. Hope you get a lot of Yeses. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-to-dance-new-positive-things/690602/6 "2014-06-12T06:59:01Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > No, but it’s something I’ve been thinking of trying. What would you suggest for someone starting out, group classes, adult-education kind of place, private lessons, something else? Probably group classes. Group ballroom is a good place to start as they teach usually quite a few different dances in once class. Dancing in a group is great as every follow / lead is different and the more people you dance with the more you learn how to dance with different people. Also dancing with people at a higher level can only bring you up higher. As for the kind of dance you might like…for it’s all about the music. See what dances jive with your musicality. Dancers are super nice…so just dive in! ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-to-dance-new-positive-things/690602/7 "2014-06-12T07:00:23Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > More power to ya! Get down with your bad self. Many years ago I took some Salsa lessons because I wanted to meet Latina women. Turns out I met my (Filipino) wife at one of the classes. Yeah, dancing is good for you in many ways. Lol, yeah I’ve had two shortish relationships from dance. I love dance for it’s own sake…but it’s only an added bonus! ---
**Author:** ![orderfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orderfire/32/10908_2.png) [@orderfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orderfire)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/learning-to-dance-new-positive-things/690602/8 "2014-06-13T00:02:45Z")
> [@Quasimodal](#): > > -I practice connection with shopping carts You totally made me laugh with this one - TJMaxx and my local supermarket now have those nice little “mini-carts” which are great to practice with. I’m no leader, but I love to do little reverse whips or outside turns with my mini-cart and I wonder if anyone else is having fun dancing while grocery shopping. Dance is so great (especially WCS), I’m glad you’re loving it! I haven’t kept up with regular lessons due to being sick with undiagnosed Lyme for about three years, but I danced for about 3 hours at my 50th birthday party last weekend and it never gets old. Keep on dancing! 🙂