We hear this all the time. 

We feel you. These are real concerns. 

Luckily, we've got suggestions to get you out dancing without a partner. 

Most people think of partner dancing when they think of social dancing. It's the most commonly-seen kind of dancing outside of club dancing. Some examples are ballroom, swing, and square-dance. These partnered dances can be great avenues for social dancing, but there is often a lack of available partners or you many feel uncomfortable showing up to these classes and events as a party of one.

Genres to consider: 

Fortunately, there are a few dance genres that are perfectly tailored to solo dancers. If you are looking for a way to add dancing to your life and have never explored these genres, check them out.  

Country line dancing - Country line dances are made up of a certain number of steps, with each step identified by a catchy name. They are done in a group, without a partner. Cotton Eyed Joe is a classic example.

Soul line dancing - Like country line dancing, soul line dancing is choreographed dance moves done in a group, without a partner. The Electric Slide is a classic example. The "soul" part comes from the music used — like R&B, hip-hop, soul and contemporary hits.

Salsa dancing - Salsa is traditionally a partnered dance where the lead takes the follow through a series of patterns. That said, you will also see salsa dancers dancing solo in some settings. In the video below, we take you through some foundational salsa steps that can effectively be used to dance through an entire event. 

Attending an event on your own:

You know that saying, "90% of life is showing up"? Well, it also applies to becoming comfortable dancing solo. 

Attending an event on your own can be intimidating. Here are a few suggestions for making your dance outing a success.

• Our top piece of advice is to search the internet for daytime, public, live dance music events. Many cities willl host free concerts in the park in the summer time. Daytime events can be a great place to start your non-partnered social dance hobby. You'll most likely feel safe on your own during the day with plenty of people in attendance. The crowd is typically a mix of those just there to listen and dancers. You can dip your toe in the dancing waters for a song or two and then take a break. Since they're usually free events, so you won't feel you've wasted money if you only attend for a little while. 
• Find a friend or two to attend with you. 
• Search the internet for dance venues in your area and read the reviews to get a feel for the ambiance of the venue before going.
• Find a class on one of the genres mentioned earlier in the article. People who attend the class will often form a loose friend group and may become your new dance friends.  

We hope you find these tips helpful. Please post if you have any questions or suggestions about dance venues/events in your area.

#wellbeing #flavorcompanydance #salsa #soullinedancing #countrylinedancing