“Dance like there's nobody watching, Love like you'll never be hurt. Sing like there's nobody listening, And live like it's heaven on earth.”
More and more people around Australia are choosing to learn how to dance. Long seen as the province of older people, young dancers, inspired by shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, as now taking up couple dance in droves.
How someone dances can say a lot about the kind of person they are. If you've just moved to a new city, signing up for couples dance classes can be a great way to take stock of the nightlife and canvas new potential partners or friends... you might even meet that special boy, girl or person... For established partners, there is no better way to ignite your love life than learning and fun (and sexy!) new skill together.
Don't be a wallflower melting into the background - learn how to move your body and impress your partner or even shoot your shot with your crush!
In this article, we'll look at a few different types of dance, such as Puerto Rican salsa, Kizomba, Argentine tango. You can do all of these as a couple! Not everyone is destined to become a ballerina, so to keep things accessible and fun for the casual dancer, we'll be focussing mostly on Latin dance, contemporary dance, and modern dance rather than classical ballet and ballroom dance.
We've picked styles of dance that are good for couples who want to learn to dance together or for those looking to find a new hobby where they can meet people in a dance studio.
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Salsa: A Sexy Latin Dance
When you think of salsa, what kind of pictures or images come to mind? Stylish couples cutting a chic silhouette, outfitted in red and black, moving to the music? People laughing and dancing in dark, lamp-lit squares under a million stars?
Salsa is arguably the most sensual dance for couples and it’s also one of the most popular styles. It’s quite easy to find salsa lessons all over Australia and there are also plenty of private tutors offering salsa tutorials.
There are also some free salsa lessons that you can attend. However, be careful! If you decide to go along with your partner, you won’t spend the whole session dancing with them. During a typical salsa lesson, you’ll be expected to change partner from time to time. If you're in Melbourne, check out the ever-popular salsa and bachata night at the Night Cat. Nearly every large city in Australia also has a salsa website advertising the weekly salsa events near you.
Salsa originated in Cuba. While the word “salsa” means “sauce” in Spanish, it also means “sensual” in Cuban Spanish. Someone who dances salsa is known as a “salsero” or a salsera”.
It’s dynamic and in a triple meter which means that the steps are in threes. There are plenty of songs to dance along to. You’re almost guaranteed to find at least one you like.
The Viennese Waltz is more romantic than saucy - this makes it a popular wedding dance. But it's hard to feel like royalty with two left feet! You've sorted out the white dress, the tux, the veil, the hair, the food, the portrait photos, the flowers... but to really complete the magic of the moment, it's a good idea to seek out couple's dance lessons with a private instructor.
Dancing Bachata
During a salsa evening, it’s quite common to find others dancing Bachata. This style of dancing originated in the Dominican Republic and was often looked down upon by the upper classes as a "poor person's dance". However, bachata became more and more popular in the Dominican Republic. Nowadays, you can find it being taught in salsa lessons.
Bachata includes taking alternating steps forwards and backwards. The music is a blend of Latin American influences applied to a Dominican style. Guitar, drums, and bass are commonly used to make some of the most beautiful bachata songs.
Bachata is often considered to be more sensual than salsa. In fact, the dancers are often closer to one another and there are a lot of hip movements. It’s a great way to spend a romantic evening with your partner or meet someone new.
Dancing the Sensual Rumba in Cuba
Now we’re heading back to Cuba to the home of rumba. Often called a “dance of love”, rumba is a slow, emotional and sensual dance. The rumba involves a lot of flirting with your partner - it’s a game of seduction.
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It was inspired by Cuban dances such as the habanera and the guajira. The name comes from the word rumbiar, which means “dance” in colloquial Cuban. The song Guantanamera will give you a taste of what to expect in terms of music.
To learn the rumba, take your partner along to a dance school that specialises in Latin dancing. You can learn the basics and start practising in a very short amount of time. In some larger cities, you can also learn in bars.
Kizomba: Between Africa and Latin America
Not to be confused with the genre of music of the same name, Kizomba is an Angolese style of dancing which arrived in Europe in the 00s. After several transformations, it became the style as we know it today.
Kizomba (which means “party” in Kimbundu) is a dance which alternates between fast and slow steps. Dancers dance together moving their hips in rhythm to the music. Without a doubt, the energetic movement of Kizomba with get you fit!
This style was born in Angola before spreading through West Africa to Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique.
There are Latin American influences (notably from Merengue, Bachata, and tango) which have defined the style as we know it today. You'll see this by watching a performance. If you want to learn Kizomba, you need to be aware that there are several different styles of it.
Couples generally dance closely to one another though they can separate for more dynamic moves. It’s the perfect style for blending Latin dancing with an African sound.
Discover how you can perfect your couples' dancing and discover new moves!
Argentine Tango
The tango was born in Argentina in the 19th century and is famous for how sensual it is. There’s a lot of improvisation and the man usually guides the woman as she positions her legs in time with the music.
This is a difficult style to follow since the rules aren’t set in stone and you need to feel the music and also communicate with your partner. This is why tango is the perfect style of dance for lovers.
That said, it used to be just men who danced the tango. It was freed slaves and poor European immigrants living in La Boca neighbourhood in Buenos Aires.
When it first started, it was mostly performed by men at parties as there were very few women living there at the time. Now the dance is most often performed by couples of all sexes - male, female or anyone in between!
Today, people dance the tango in milongas. You can find places like them in larger Australia cities and dance along to the bandoneon with your partner.
Now learn more about how to dance the Argentine Tango...
Dancing Merengue
Merengue is a dance related to salsa and bachata. Partners make small steps as they turn clockwise. The style also includes moves from salsa. Merengue originated in the Dominican Republic at the start of the 20th century. However, Merengue music is from Caribbean islands.
It differs from the other styles of Latin dance we’ve mentioned since the hip movements are more distinct. In some ways, it bears some resemblance to a march.
While it’s not very common in Australia, you might have heard of it - perhaps you've even seen a video or photo! It may be included in the range of classes on offer at your local dance school, along with ballroom dancing, African dancing, pasodoble, tap, Viennese waltz, dancehall, Irish dancing, etc.
With private tutorials, dance schools, and dance courses, there are plenty of ways to become a more confident dancer.
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The Art Of Dancing Zouk
Zouk was born in the French Antilles in the 70s (in Guadalupe and Martinique) and is quite a simple style since the two partners do the same moves. You need to put your weight on one leg or the other.
The two partners dance with each other at varying speeds with small movements. There are also slower styles of zouk. You can choose the style that works for you both in terms of music and moves.
No need to be an aspiring ballerina to benefit from private dance classes. If you and your partner don't feel like doing adult dance classes in public, you can still enjoy energetic dance classes from a private dance teacher.
For those getting married, a private tutor could help you learn a routine for your first dance. Whether you want to learn a simple waltz, ballroom routine, or an upbeat swing routine, you can get schedule tutorials when they work for you and put together a bespoke learning plan with your tutor.
Did you know: the tutors on Superprof often offer their first lesson for free - so you can canvas a few different teachers and see if they're right for you - without breaking the bank!
Art belongs on a wall - not people! Hopefully we've inspired you to hit the dancefloor - discover now how you can learn to dance as a couple!
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