If you're too embarrassed to dance in public, you
may be missing out on a lot of fun and energetic
partying with friends. It doesn't take much to
hustle up some basic moves and enough confidence
to sidle onto the dance floor, even if only
briefly, and it'll ensure that your friends stop
picking on you for avoiding dancing. This article
takes you through an easy progression to help
improve your sense of dancing and to get you onto
the dance floor free of embarrassment.
!! Steps !!
Seal yourself up in a room. Find a space that is large enough to
dance in without bumping into anything and where you won't be
disturbed by anyone else. Remove anything fragile and shoo pets out
of the room if they're likely to react badly to your energetic self
and loud music. Bribe siblings to go to the movies.
* Crank up the music – select music that makes you feel like
dancing, and that makes you feel good.
* Dress comfortably for movement and flexibility. Don't wear
anything that will leave you feeling hot or constrained.
_ Dance in front of a mirror. This will allow
you to watch yourself and to work out which of your dance moves look
great, along with the moves to avoid. However, note the comment
below about mirrors having the potential to make you feel
self-conscious.
* Start dancing and watching your moves. Take note of the good
steps.
* Allow yourself to experiment with whatever feels right in time to
the music. Read How to find your own dancing style for more
details.
If nothing looks good, return to the basics.
* Step out with your left foot, step back in, then step out again
with your right foot. Step back in. Keep these simple movements in
rhythm to the music, whether it's fast or slow.
* Another approach is to simply point your feet and sway to the
beat. Although this isn't really dancing, it will at least have
you appearing engaged in the music and dance.
* Stay relaxed. Bend your knees, keep your hands and arms loose, and
unlock your hips.
* Watch DVDs to learn specific dances that you know you'll be asked
to join in. If it's for a really special occasion, such as a
wedding or anniversary, consider having a few easy lessons to get
the basics sorted. Even if you only dance the first waltz, it's
better than revealing you couldn't ever be bothered trying.
Children are rarely self conscious about dancing - take note of
their joy!Deal with feeling self-conscious about dancing. For
some people, a large part of the desire to hide from dancing is
about feeling terribly self-conscious and worrying about being
judged and found lacking. Since a lot of this is in your head,
and dancing is for everyone no matter how untrained, dealing
with your thinking is a good idea. Some things to consider
include:
* Feel the movement. Instead of focusing too much on the actual
steps to begin with, think about how it feels_. The more you allow
your body to do the dance thinking, the more you'll develop
"muscle memory" and stop worrying in your head.[1]
* Don't take people's criticism to heart. Some people will laugh
because they're just as embarrassed about their own dancing and
they feel they've met a kindred spirit, so it's laughing with you,
not at you. Other people criticize out of good intent, with the
expectation that if you listen, you might actually learn how to do
a dance step more easily; in this case, take it with the grace it
is given and see if you can learn from it. Try it at least once,
and if you don't like the suggestion, you don't have to stick with
it.[2]
* Lose the mirror. The mirror can cause you to be more
self-conscious and less satisfied with your steps. If you find a
mirror is making you dance stiffly and you're posing rather than
dancing, then you're misusing the mirror. The mirror should simply
reflect your enjoyment, not curtail your innate dancing
ability.[3]
Move out of your practice room and into the public space. Be sure to
dress well; if your dancing remains so-so, at least you'll still
look great!
* Scope out the dance floor to see what sort of dancing people are
doing before you join them. If it's fast dancing and you only want
to slow dance, or the other way around, wait it out until the pace
changes.
* For those of drinking age, have a drink to help you loosen up a
bit but avoid getting drunk or there will be something to be
embarrassed about the next day. If you can't or won't drink, try
breathing exercises and affirmations of your dance-worthiness to
help calm you and improve your mindset. Tell yourself: "I can
dance as well as these people. I enjoy dancing. I am a good
dancer."
* Go with a friend. It's always easier to pluck up the courage to do
something you're worried about when you've got support. He or she
can help encourage you and even guide you onto the dance floor to
"give it a go".
_ Get on the floor. If the crowd is thin, try
to stand near somebody who is drawing a lot of attention to their
dancing, whether it's good or bad. This will mean that attention is
focused elsewhere and you don't have to feel people are staring at
you. It also helps to realize that many other people on the dance
floor will be as self-conscious as you but most of the time,
nobody's watching other people constantly or judging them, so just
go with the flow.
* Avoid the center of dancing circles at all costs. Make sure you're
safely on the outer side of the dance floor so that you're not
drawing undue attention to yourself.
Try to look like you're having fun. This is a big part of making
your style of dancing work; if you're enjoying yourself, any unusual
steps you make might even be copied so that others can have "some of
what you're having" - fun! Smile a lot, laugh now and then, and give
yourself to the music.
* Make eye contact with the people around you. Don't stare at the
floor.
* Act as if you know what you're doing and your confidence will
grow.
* Keep your hands at or below shoulder level at all times. This will
ensure that you don't accidentally knock another dancer out.
Moreover, flailing arms are the surest way to draw attention to
yourself!
Go with what people around you are doing. Be careful not to emulate
anyone because that's a little creepy; just let the crowd, as well
as the music, guide you.
* When you're with a partner or friend, follow their movements if
you're not sure what to do. If it's someone you're with, they
won't be bothered that you're using them as a guide.
* Don't tread on people's toes. Keep your dance radius within your
own space.
Only for the completely uninhibited!Refrain from the crazy dance
moves. If a sudden whim takes you to try and break dance, krump,
or perform moves made famous by Usher or Justin Timberlake, take
a break! This will draw attention to you immediately and is
bound to cause you embarrassment unless you're fully capable of
doing such moves.
* Other things not to do include: Acting like John Travolta in
Saturday Night Fever_, jumping up and down, biting your lip,
trying out the can-can, headbanging, or screaming woo or ooh-ooh.
* Avoid starting a conga line. If you want to join one, do so, but
don't be the person who starts it!
* Avoid grind dancing. Unless you really, really know the person
you're with, grind dancing can lead to embarrassment and desertion
by your partner.
* Know when to call it quits. Once you've had a few dances and
enjoyed yourself, make a decision to get off the dance floor
before you do something foolish. The idea behind getting used to
dancing in public is to take it easy and to do it in small steps.
Over time, you'll feel less self-conscious. Avoid doing too much
the first times you venture forth on the dance floor, so that you
maintain a good feel about dancing and have a chance to enjoy
sitting and chatting or trying the cocktails. Reward yourself for
a job well done; you got out there, tried, and succeeded.
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
* When trying to overcome your embarrassment of dancing, think about
its benefits. Studies have shown that dancing has therapeutic
effects, such as combatting anxiety, depression, hostility, and
even a dull sex life.[4]
* Ballroom dancing is good if you're a woman: just let the man lead
and avoid stepping on his toes. Stand on his toes and he'll know
you have no clue in what you're doing. Just move your feet
one-by-one in a box motion.
!! Warnings !!
* If you do try head banging, don't head bang into somebody and
headbutt them.
* Avoid the chicken dance, the granddad dance, and the head bang.
!! Things You\'ll Need !!
* Music
* A place to dance
* A mirror
* A partner (optional)
* Alcohol (optional)
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Dance
* How to Dance Like Madonna
* How to Do a Dance Turn
* How to Slow Dance
* How to Dance the Tango
!! Sources And Citations !!
* Original source of article, Howcast, How to Dance Without
Embarrassing Yourself,
http://www.howcast.com/videos/1097-How-To-Dance-Without-Embarrassing-Yourself.
Shared with permission.
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