Social Dance Resources

Disclaimer: Social dance can be extremely addicting. Trying any of these may result in finding the bar scene extremely boring. Finally, if you do want to learn any of the below styles, my strong and in no way biased recommendation for private lessons is my own instructor, Forrest Outman, who not only does every single one of these styles, but can also tell you more than you'd ever want to know about the history of the dances and every technique therein.

Ballroom

Just to clarify the terminology right away, there are two general styles of ballroom dance: American and International. In American style, the dances are divided into two categories, "Smooth" and "Rhythm." The smooth dances include waltz, tango, foxtrot, and Viennese waltz. The rhythm dances include rumba, cha cha, east coast swing, bolero, and mambo. In International style, these categories are called "Standard" and "Latin." The standard dances include waltz, tango, foxtrot, Viennese waltz, and quickstep. The latin dances include rumba, cha cha, samba, paso doble, and jive. There is considerable overlap between what is called American and what is called International, and the difference between the two won't matter to newcomer and a non-competitor (which I'm assuming you are, since why else would you be reading this?) So, simply put, the smooth (or standard) dances are the ones that move a lot across the floor and where the lady wears a ball gown. The rhythm (or latin) dances are more stationary, have more body rhythm, and are the ones where the lady wears much shorter dresses, often with a lot of fringe and/or feathers. (For examples, I recommend searching YouTube for a specific dance name).

Socially, the ballroom dance parties are usually held by individual studios. So if you'd like to learn any of the aforementioned dances, find a studio near you, and sign up for group lessons. If you are in Clearwater, try Dancers Co-Op.

Argentine Tango

My personal favorite, Argentine tango is very much about the legs (click here for a video). An argentine tango social dance is called a milonga (not to be confused with the "milonga" that refers to a particular type of tango), and a list of all monthly milongas for the Tampa Bay area is available at the Tampa Bay Tango Club's website, which also has some information on lessons. For those who live close to USF's Tampa campus, I strongly recommend trying out the USF Argentine Tango Club, which offers lessons open to everyone.

West Coast Swing

West coast swing is very different from what you likely think when you hear the word "swing". It's much more along the lines of this video. There is a very large west coast scene in Tampa Bay and the Tampa Bay West Coast Swing Association has a lot of information about local instructors and local events (complete with a thorough calendar). Moreover, if you are under 30, you qualify for free lessons with Tommy and Renee's West Coast Swing Gang, which meets most Fridays (for more information, check the weekly newsletter).

"Traditional" Swing

This is the type of dancing you probably think of when you hear the term "swing." This is also the type of dancing you'll enjoy if you really like upbeat and jazz-based music. For a list of all local weekly events, click here. And if you are interested in learning some swing, come to the weekly Sunday dance at Zendah Grotto. The cover includes two lessons (6pm-7pm, 7pm-8pm) and the dance itself goes from 8pm til midnight.

Blues

Last but not least, if you enjoy blues music, there is a partner dance to go along with that, too (e.g., this). The Gathering is an open group for the Tampa Bay blues dancers, hosting a bi-weekly dance (lesson included) in Clearwater, and bringing you the latest news about local blues music and blues dance meet-ups.

An often-asked question is, "Do I need special shoes for dancing?" And the answer is, "Not for your first time." Wear something that your feet will be comfortable in, just make sure your shoes don't have rubber soles - those stick to the floor and make turning difficult. If all of your shoes have rubber soles, fear not, there is a solution: just put some paper tape on the sole in the ball-of-the-foot area and you're set. As for what to wear to a social dance: for ballroom and tango, dress as you would going to a nice restaurant; for west coast, jeans and casual wear are the norm. For swing or blues, wear whatever you want, there is no "standard" way of dressing at all. Whatever you decide to wear, the most important thing is that it's comfortable and easy to move in.