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A Dancer's Guide to Knowing What Dance to Do to a Song » Dance With Brandee
A Dancer’s Guide to Knowing What Dance to Do
What Dance Do I Do to This Song?
Here’s how to your dance music know-howDancers, have you ever found yourself standing on the sidelines for the first half of each song trying to figure out what dance is supposed to be done to the music? Like my students you might be wondering: How do I know what dance to do to a song?
Many events help you out by announcing each song’s dance or posting a set list for your reference. Even then, some songs work equally well for more than one dance, so being able to match dances to songs is a skill to develop. And of course, you’ll need that skill at weddings and private parties that don’t have these dance aids.
Until there’s an app for it, I want to help you develop your dance music know-how. Of course, there are lots of variables in dancing and music, exceptions to the rules, etc. But I’m going to keep this simple, so consider this a rough guide to figuring out what to dance to a song.
No Hard and Fast Rules
First of all, unless you’re at a dance competition, know that there are no hard and fast rules for which dance must be performed to a particular song. You get to choose the dance you want to do. That said, when you fit a dance well to a song, it’s easier to keep rhythm, to express the character of the dance, and overall, it tends to just feel better.
And some dances’ music is unique enough that it will hit you clearly. For example, Tangos have a distinctive staccato rhythm and dramatic. Once you’ve heard a few Tangos, without needing to think, you’ll just know it’s a Tango.
For the rest, it’s really just a process of elimination. As you become more experienced, hearing the dance in most songs will become more automatic.
5 Easy Steps to Determine What Dance to Do
1. Get a Feel for the Song’s Speed
Ask: What’s the speed of this song?Start by determining the song’s tempo (i.e., it’s speed.) This simply means getting a feel for whether the song is slow or fast or somewhere in between.
Sometimes the instrumentation or vocals in a song can fake you out. For example, a song may sound very upbeat but actually have a rather slow beat. Until you get good at gauging a song’s tempo, just tap your toes or fingers to the beat of the song, becoming a human metronome for its true speed.
Once you know if the song is slow or fast (or somewhere in between), you can then rule out some dances. For example, if the song is fast, then all the slower dances are out, such as Rumba, Nightclub Two Step and Slow Waltz. Or if the song is really slow, you can cross off Cha Cha, Salsa, East Coast Swing and Viennese Waltz.
Note: As a beginner, you’ll likely only be comfortable dancing in a narrow tempo range for each dance. So if you identify a song as Cha Cha but find yourself unable to keep up with the music, it doesn’t necessarily mean you made a mistake identify it as a Cha Cha—you just may not be experienced enough to dance to the full tempo range for Cha Cha.
If you’re curious, check out this list of tempo ranges for each dance (this is one person’s idea of good tempos, not an official list).
In case you’re interested, here are the official tempos used at ballroom dance competitions.
2. Rule Out If It’s a Waltz
Waltzes have 3 beats in a measure (instead of 4)As you’re tapping out the speed of a song, count the beats. If it’s easy to count 1-2-3-4 it’s not a Waltz. However, if counting in four’s feels off, try counting in three’s: 1-2-3, 1-2-3.
Most songs are in 4/4-time, meaning there are four beats in each measure. However, Waltzes are in 3/4-time, with only three beats in each measure. (There are other time signatures, but 4/4 and 3/4 are main ones you’ll encounter.)
If 1-2-3 matches the music, you’ll know it’s a Waltz. And having already gauged the song’s speed, you can immediately determine whether it’s a Slow Waltz (slower) or Viennese Waltz (about twice as fast as Slow Waltz).
3. Listen to Its Rhythm/Feel
What’s the rhythm or feel of the song?If the song isn’t a Waltz, your next step is to pay attention to the song’s rhythm or feel.
Is it happy, romantic, dramatic, bluesy, melancholic, or funky? Does it have a Latin/Afro-Cuban beat? Does it make you want to bounce, glide, twirl or march? Listening to the songs’ rhythm and character will help you sort it into one of a few broad categories: Ballroom, Latin, Swing, or other (Hustle, Country Western, Nightclub Two Step, etc.).
For example, say the song has a Latin rhythm. The most common Latin dances in ballroom/social dancing are Rumba, Cha Cha, Samba and Salsa. Rumba is the only one of these with a slower, romantic feel. So if the song is like that, you’re ready to Rumba!
And if the song’s rhythm is upbeat, you can eliminate Rumba and then parse out which of the remaining three dances it might be. Samba has a very distinctive “boom-a-boom” percussive beat (think Brazilian Carnaval music). If you’re hearing that, it’s probably a Samba. If you’re not, congratulations, you’ve narrowed it down to a Cha Cha or Salsa.
4. When in Doubt, Step It Out
Dance in place to see what matches the musicContinuing with the same example, say you’ve figured out the song is either a Cha Cha or a Salsa.
Cha Chas usually have a “cha-cha-cha” in their beat, although you may not be able to hear this until you have more experience.
At this point, it’s time to experiment with the basic steps in each dance. Do this on your own in place, so small and casual people might not even notice. Try a few Cha Cha basics and see how well your feet match the music. Then try the Salsa basic. Usually one will feel like the right fit and voila, you’ve successfully determined what dance to do to this song!
See what dance others are doing5. Or “Cheat” and Steal a Peek
If you’re still stumped after you’ve “stepped it out,” have a look and see what others are dancing. As a beginner, it’s often best to look at intermediate-level dancers. Fellow novices are likely as lost as you are, and advanced dancers may be dancing fancy figures with so much styling and technique you won’t even recognize what they’re dancing as the same dance you know! Intermediate dancers, however, will know which dance to do to a song yet will still be dancing figures you can recognize.
Have Fun: Make into a Game!
I encourage you to make a game out of matching dances to songs when you’re not out dancing. Play the “What Could I Dance to This Song” game when you’re listening to music at home, in the car or when you hear a tune playing at a store or on the street.
Make a game out of matching dances to musicOf course, all music isn’t made for partner dancing (e.g., classical, electronica, hip hop and even many pop tunes). So to make it easier on yourself you may want to listen to songs pre-selected for a dancing, such as those off a ballroom dance practice CD or from a recommended playlist like this.
Remember, ultimately which dance to do is your choice, so have fun and feel free to be creative. That said, be respectful of other dancers on the floor. For example, make sure you use proper floor etiquette, especially if you decide to do a dance that’s different from what the majority on the floor is doing. If doing a traveling dance, stay on the outside track, moving in the line of dance; if doing a spot (non-traveling) dance, dance in the center of the floor.
Over time the process of matching songs to dances will become faster and simpler. You may even find yourself mentoring new dancers on the subject!
How to Dance at a Club or Party
You probably know people who can dance at a club without a second thought.
They just go out, have a few drinks, get down on the dance floor, and have a great night.
Meanwhile, you're seized by panic and insecurity just thinking about dancing at a club.
And whenever you do drag yourself out, you stay glued to the wall and watch everyone else let loose on the dance floor.
But guess what? Those awkward feels are completely normal. And we PROMISE you can overcome them!
Follow these 5 simple steps and never worry about feeling left out again.
1. Find the beat/rhythm as you make your way towards the dance floor
Don't expect yourself to bust out a Step Up routine out of nowhere as soon as you step foot on the dance floor.
This isn't a movie! Start small – really small – by just bobbing your head to the beat.
Do this before you even get on the dance floor. Think of it this way: Music is the one thing that lubricates the whole experience of being at the club.
It sets the mood as soon as you walk in until the moment you walk out. You have to be comfortable with the music first.
So start interacting with the music right away. You can listen and nod your head a you're holding your drink, hanging with a friend, or even sitting down.
This is an easy way to set yourself up for success on the dance floor before you even start dancing.
Your body will already have a handle on the rhythm, so you're more likely to stay on beat by the time you do get your feet steppin'.
Watch this video to learn how to find and count beats in music:
2. Start with a small bounce / groove
Once you're on, or around, the dance floor, start bouncing with your whole body.
Think of this bounce as a bigger version of your head bob. You're still moving to that same rhythm, but now with your knees, core, and chest.
You know how a baby bounces on his knees when he hears a song he likes? Like that, but not as jolt-y.
Ease into those bounces calmly, then slowly build up your energy. This helps make your dancing look more natural.
Carlo Darang describes what a bounce / groove is in this video:
3. Learn simple steps
Got a handle on the music? Great.
Started bouncing with your body? Check. Now, let's get your feet moving!
But wait – you won't know which foot to step where without any practice.
So learn a few basic dance steps before you go to dance at a club.
This video will teach you how to do 3 basic dance moves that work with any song:
Wanna learn more basic party moves like these?
Check out Bianca's "Intro to Dance" program on STEEZY Studio! It'll teach you everything you need to know to get down on the dance floor.
Click here to take the first 4 classes for free.
4. Let loose
Now that you've got the basics of dance down, it's time to put on a few finishing touches to make sure you look comfortable and confident with every move.
These quick tips will help you refine your dancing so you look more loose, groovy, and comfortable:
5. Join the party
By this point, you've got a handle on dancing 1. on beat 2. with your whole body 3. using steps.
But you didn't come to dance at a club to do all this alone!
Once you have that base, dance with the people around you.
If you're in a crowd or a group of friends, then you can play off of their movements and energy.
Mimic the moves your friends are doing, lip sync with them, rap Nicki's entire verse in Motor Sport from memory.
And if the DJ or song lyrics tell you to do something (like put your hands up or jump), then do it!
These are little things you can't predict or practice – remember that you're out to have fun, not to play DDR in your head.
Grinding (or whatever you call it) on someone is its own topic – but whether you're dancing with one person or a whole group of people, the most important thing to do is to... Stay in rhythm!
You and your partner or friends could be doing totally different things. They could be jumping while you're pumping your arms.
She could be swaying side to side as you're 2-stepping.
But as long as you're moving to the same beat, it'll still feel like you're dancing together.
(The closer you physically get, though, the more similar you want your movements to be so that you don't end up hitting each other or creating friction between your moves.
Dance with them!)
---
I hope these tips help you kiss those insecurities goodbye!
Follow these 5 steps and you'll realize that it's possible, and actually quite easy, to dance at a club.
You just need the right resources, some practice, and a dash of confidence. ;)
Have fun!
You are dancing - Alexander Yakovlev
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lyrics Kommunika - I like how you dance translation, songs, video, clip
| Home 0 people.  consider the lyrics to be incorrect Here is the lyrics of the song kommunikatsiya - I like how you dance, as well as translation, video and clip.
Dance, my love. You become what you see, .... I like the way you dance, but I know for sure that you cry at night. Death marked us. We will be cancelled. .... Labyrinth smiles kindly. The astronaut left the station. You are forty years old there. You burned yourself all and alone. ... I like the way you dance, but I know for sure that you cry at night. You dance, you drink my pain, but I love you even beyond death. Dance, love. You become what you see, .... I like how you dance, but I know exactly what you cry at night. We were noted death. We will be cancelled. .  .
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