The Top 5 Mistakes Guys Make When Dancing Salsa

Inspired by the amazing quality of male salsa dancers last night, this is my top 5 mistakes guys makes when dancing salsa list. In hopes that a guy will stumble across this and take heed! I'm not saying I'm the best salsa dancer out there, nor am I the best follower, and I understand that the guys have it a lot harder when dancing salsa coz they have to think about so much stuff. But really, these are just the basic, BASIC things you do to make the girl WANT do dance with you.

So here goes!


1. Holding the girl too close
Like, hello?! You are invading my personal space bubble! Proxemics, anyone?! (I've just studied this today in my interpersonal communication class) No dancer can dance properly when all they feel like doing is taking a step back. No, make that several steps back. I really hate the feeling, it makes me feel really caged as if I have no space to breathe or think. I can barely follow his steps as I try not to think about how in my face he is. Plus, doesn't he feel that I am pushing back damn bloody hard against his hand to try and put more distance between us? And how do you tell this to the guys without hurting his pride/ego/dancing confidence?


2. Having bad breath
Because we are already in such close proximity, if the guy has bad breath, it really just makes dancing 10 times worse. Because I'm either trying to hold my breath, which makes dancing really hard in case you didn't notice; or the wafts of bad breath just make it really distracting and I can't follow properly because again, I'm trying to step back and put as much distance between us as possible. Please, please, PLEASE invest in mints or chewing gum or something man.


3. Have clothes that smell like they haven't been dried properly
And this isn't only in the case of guys who dance salsa, in general people who smell like this make me nauseated. I mean, can't you smell that horrible smell emitting from your clothes? In my sister's words: "What, are you immune to smelliness?" I don't know about you, but the thing I like the most about doing my laundry is how all my clothes smell like detergent and softener after that - clean, fresh and crisp. And I'd like to keep it that way which is why I make sure my clothes dry off properly before wearing them again. For the life of me, I don't understand why these people can't do the same. It's really not that hard leaving your clothes on the clothes rack for another hour of sun bathing.


4. Elbowing my head at any point during the dance
I am already very short. At a measly 162 cm, I am already shorter-than-the-average person, especially here is Australia. So really, you have NO excuse to be elbowing me in the head when you spin me or do turn patterns. I wonder how these people manage when they have to dance with taller girls. Pffftt!


5. Robot salsa
This is salsa, dude, it's supposed to be smooth. This is not popping in hip hop. So, sudden jerky movements or steps or really not appreciated. Not only does it annoy me, it makes us look really bad on the dance floor. I understand that the guys have a lot more to think about when dancing salsa (keeping time, thinking of what steps to do next, leading the girl properly) but if at any time you're in doubt, just do the basic step larh! I don't mind doing 5 sets of basics before a turn pattern hits you but really, don't make ambiguous jerky leads where I don't know where you want me to go or what you want me to do. Meh.