The Touch Blog

Okay, so I felt like I had to share this experience….

I was at a Florida social not too long ago, having fun with the crew, and the people that I haven’t seen in a few months. Well, I met an older gentleman that asked me to dance. I happily accepted the offer, and proceeded to follow him onto the crowded dance floor. We started to dance, what I thought was a great, relaxing Salsa until….

…he dipped me into my unsuspecting friend behind me. Instead of pulling me up, he lost his footing and fell on top of me…and stayed there for 5 seconds. Yes, although 5 seconds may not seem like a long time, it was the LONGEST 5 SECONDS OF MY LIFE! I was layed out FLAT on the floor with a stranger on top of me. Talk about embarassment. Instead of running away with shame, I finished the song with him, and can I say…he didn’t even apologize!!!

Dipping a stranger — not recommended

Not apologizing after you’ve dropped her — not acceptable!!!

So here’s my view on doing dips/tricks with strangers….RUN! Just kidding. But, I don’t recommend it. Mainly because you’ve never practiced such maneuvers before with this dancer, and ANYTHING could happen. Safety first!

HOWEVER, ladies if you find yourself dancing with someone that may dip you, here are a few pointers to possibly help you keep your bum off the floor.

Footing: make sure that at least one of your feet is completely underneath you – forget making it look elegant at that point, it’s “save your butt” time – this is to be used for regular dips (a full bend backwards, or dip to the side); especially if you have never danced with this person before.

Arm Placement: if your leader decides to give you a neck drop (and rarely is this not foreseen), depending on your comfort level you may want to opt for: A) ducking under his arm to completely avoid the dip altogether, or B) hold on to his tricep with one of your hands while he lowers you. And again remember your footing, make sure to have both of your feet placed directly underneath you, instead of extended away from your body.

*To avoid any additional embarrassment, please be sure that you’re wearing the proper attire before following a trick (ie. skirts are not recomended for neck drops)

Remember, it’s always okay to say “No”. It’s up to you and your comfort level that will gauge what your partner will be allowed to do with you. Yes, he is “in charge” for the length of the song, however, he does not have the right to take your complete well-being into his hands…unless you’ve signed a Release of Liability form

For the Gents:

Please be sure not to try new tricks on strange or non-acustomed partners. Save those for the dancers you practice with. It’s not right to possibly place someone in danger or run the possibility of putting them through an embarassing situation. If you want to try a dip or trick, either A) ask for permission or B) have a track records of never having trick casulaties….I opt for “A”. =)

Dancing is fun, and yes, it’s considered a sport, but be sure to be considerate of your partners and other dancers around you.

Thanks for reading =)