Dancing ... how to really get it "going"?

[muscleman]

So my wing and I decided we want to start hitting up the clubs too, not just bar hopping ... or at the very least bars with dance areas. Now I can't really dance. I can wobble, and my confidence is high enough that I feel comfortable moving around, but it's nothing to write home about. I know the first thing to do is learn how to hit a beat and practice a lot. BTW I'm referring to hip-hop style dancing. Does anyone here frequent clubs? I want to learn some basics so I can work on my style after that.

I was thinking of taking some classes, but not sure where to start. Anyone got any tips? I think we might be hittin up a club tonight actually.

 

[vitor]

Just have a few drinks till you do not really care, then do what your doing. Just smile act like your having fun, and when a girl smiles back go in for the kill and little grinding on her. Do not just go up behind some stranger and start humping her. just my .02 cents..

 

[Jitterbug]

Take a few hip hop classes.

If you can't dance, definitely don't "drink until you don't care". A drunken white guy who can't dance is a stereotypical club joke. That's pretty much killing any sexy image you may have to the girls.

 

[Rounder]

Take some classes...seriously. Not only will you enjoy it but it's a great way to meet women and it's easy to get girls to go with you. Many places offer group classes for around $10. Great place to take a girl and most women will jump at the chance to go.

I started taking classes in August - I've learned rumba, east and west coast swing as well as a little salsa and cha cha. Very fun, great exercise, great for conversation and a very fun hobby.

The place I go has group lessons on Mon, Wed and Fridays. They also have a dance "party" on Fridays from 8:45 to 11.

Call around and see what you can find.

 

[muscleman]

Cool, thanks, that's kind of what I was thinking. I'll definitely take some hip hop classes. I do have a "mirror wall" in my bedroom and plenty of space to dance, so I can definitely practice as well in my spare time ... I also have access to the fitness rooms in my gym when there aren't any classes - those are all mirrored too.

 

[Fuglydude]

I watched quite a few music videos when I first started dancing... watch em and try and emulate the moves. This helped me to incorporate moves into my shows.

Also make sure you like the music at the clubs you're going to! There's nothing worse than dancing to a song you hate.

As you said hitting beats is critically important. I like using hard house in my shows as many tracks in this genre have powerful easy to identify beats that you can easily hit. Here's a couple of tracks I've used in my stage shows (obviously I edit them to take out the slower parts).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPDSiL1nH0k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoAp-a5uq98 (good intro into a fast intense part starting from ~1:00)

Hip hop/break dance lessons are a great way to learn basic moves. Up/top rock break dance steps are quite simple to learn and you can modify them w/ a "street" flavor to make em more hip hop... Basic up rock steps will give you some fundamental bread and butter moves you can incorporate at any club. You can dance better than 95% of the "normal" population w/ a good repetoire of uprock steps, provided that you can execute well and hit beats.

Youtube is a great resource. To learn any kind of move/transition/routine you have to break it down into its simple composite parts... typically for choreography we use your standard "8 count" sets. Learn the small/simple composite parts and then put em together.

Anyways, here's some vids to get you started:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0CzB6VhPls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzUZecePmmk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NwYhYhcfSo

c-walk vid... kinda crappy... not sure if you're cool w/ this kinda stuff. Its pretty street, and has to be execute well to look good (this is pretty much the case w/ anything).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWGugGG4EBY

Good c-walking looks wicked:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGgFLSquKoU&feature=related

Dancing is all about practice dude... its a motor skill. Before I started dancing I had to take a few dance lessons just to understand the basics of beats/beat count, etc. From there on, take lessons, practice a lot to songs you like. You'll eventually develop your own style. Meet/hang w/ guys that are good at moving... you'll learn lotsa moves and they'll help you out.

 

[muscleman]

Awesome post man, I will definitely check out all of that!

 

[synergy1]

There is dancing, and than there is dancing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0746Edaolz8). Learn these moves, and there is no way another women will even think about the white guy stereotype again!

All kidding aside, the only thing I know that makes dancing w/ chicks work is being on rhythm. Some guys got it, most don't. There is nothing funnier than a clown with no beat trying to impress everyone. If you can learn how to keep a beat and move with whatever your listening too, most of the battle is done. Get her to move with you, and proceed from there.

 

[Warrior74]

All you need to be able to do is stay on beat, do a little two step (like in hitch) and know how to grind on her booty. Anything else is just try hard. And you don't want to be the weird guy doing all sorts of crazy moves on the dancefloor. That shyt is lame as hell. Just two step, and grind and your golden. Hell most guys in the club are afraid to dance, so just being willing gets you points, staying on beat gets you points, and not embarassing her with some lame super dooper hiphop, or gay looking rave moves gets you some points. Look at what everyone else is doing and just do that. The key is to look like your having fun and your relaxed, that's way more important than any fancy move.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bH0OXsmsbQ


Just did a youtube search on club dancing.. LOL! People would get laughed outta the club around here with that stuff. As for breakdancers. I hate em, taking up all the space, showing off (and this is from someone who won a talent show for breaking). That sh1t is for demonstrations and battles in the street, or at a rave, but not at your standard meat market night club. When the rave dancers and breakers show up, they usually get kicked out of the meat market spots around here.

 

[Warrior74]

You must goto some sh1tty clubs warrior. Who the fvck wants to goto a nightclub where there are no good dancers? That's retarded. You can guarntee you are walking into the worst club in town if it looks just like a bar.


Boooring.

If you're at a nightclub, either dance or don't... the two step grind is for the average joe...picking up the average jane... want to turn heads and get the 10's looking your way? You need to stand out from the crowd. Women will fight their way over to dance near you. and I HIGHLY doubt rave dancers and breakers would get kicked out of a night club, a bar maybe but not a nightclub. You know a club is good if there are plenty of dancers hanging around... and where there are good dancers there are super hot women.



Everyone loves breakdancing... especially women.



That is the worst advice I've ever heard. If everyone else looks like sh1t then you should to? Are you on crack? Way to show the girls that you're nothing special... why don't you goto a nightclub to play some pool and stand around drinking a beer while you're at it. Some of you 'PUA's are so fvcking boring, I swear to god. Warrior you sound like the typical jealous club guy who has no balls.

this guy wanted advice for tonight. Right now. Not a few months practicing breakdancing. enough to meet a girl and get out on the dancefloor and not feel like a chump. How am I a typical jealous club guy? LOL I love your projection. I used to break, rave dance and pop lock and crump. If it's your average girl...she wants you to dance with her if you are dancing. two step and a grind are how you dance WITH a girl these days. Breaking and the rest are show off dances. if you can't translate that into the basic to dance WITH a girl, your not gonna have much luck in my area. Your milage may very you fvcking jealous club guy. BTW I'm not a PUA or a DJ. I'm me. Try doing that sometime, be who you are and adapt for your area.

I know the first thing to do is learn how to hit a beat and practice a lot. BTW I'm referring to hip-hop style dancing. Does anyone here frequent clubs? I want to learn some basics so I can work on my style after that.

I was thinking of taking some classes, but not sure where to start. Anyone got any tips? I think we might be hittin up a club tonight actually.

To get out in the club next weekend and be able to not make an ass of himself my advice is spot on. Tell me it's not. He's not gonna learn to pop lock, rave dance, or do a bunch of crazy moves in a week. This is real life, not a montage. At step one you just want to fit in on the dance floor. Show your not scared and confident enough in what your doing to step out there. Step two and beyond you can get fancy if you fancy....i've never had the need to do more than the basics to be honest. Anything after that is try hard or suspect gay around my way. That's how the girls think, not what I think. Take it for what it's worth...maybe in your area they go for more. Good luck with that.

 

[Scaramouche]

Dear All,
If you are serious about Dancing,the best way to improve is to take a few private lessons,they are sooo beneficial.

 

[muscleman]

Thanks guys, I'm not looking to do anything crazy ... I just want to hold my own in a club, as was said better than 95% of the guys there, but don't care about being in the top 1% as far as dancing goes. I got other things working for me to get there I'll take some basic lessons when I get back in town.

 

[J Roc]

Most of the videos posted here will get you laughed out of a dance club.

Check out Player Supreme's Club Dancing 101 video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87kZJu9FJOw