former newt

ok i've never been into the whole school dance scene, but i've been considering going to prom this year, since it is my senior year.

now here's the part that is probably normal, but nonetheless embarrassing: not only do i not feel comfortable dancing, i don't even think i really know how to...

i don't know how to say what i mean better than this: i don't know if i can dance, and i think i'm gonna feel really dumb trying.

so if anyone has any suggestions, comments, or anything as ridiculous as a tutorial, please post em.

water_boy1999

Ok, this gets the chics all the time:

You put your right leg in, then you put your right leg out.
You put it back in there, and you shake it all about.

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-Homer Simpson

guthmund

Two words, friend. Funky Chicken

No, seriously, if you're self conscious about dancing chances are you're going to screw it up. All the advice I can offer boils down to three things.

- Don't just listen. Feel the music.
- Let your hips lead the way
- Forget everybody else. Unless you create some sort of spectacle, chances are they're too busy trying not to look a fool to bother with you.

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MooseMan3000

Um... practice. You may feel like a dick dancing alone in your room in front of a mirror, but you're going to feel like much more of a dick if you get to prom and you've never done it before.

Or get someone to show you. Do you know who you're going with yet? I'm sure she'd be willing to help out. Or ask a friend. Or a sister. Seriously, there's nothing wrong with it. The worst thing you can do right now is NOT to do anything about not knowing how to dance. If you get there and just wing it, there's a good chance you'll get embarassed and it will ruin your night.


As for actually dancing, don't worry about yourself. Concentrate on the person you're dancing with, and how nice she looks... if you're not thinking about how stupid you look, chances are you won't look stupid. The biggest pitfall is being self-conscious. Once you're past that, you're golden.

Gilda

You realize that the purpose of a dance isn't the dancing, that's just one of the activities that occur at a dance. The purpose of a dance, especially a formal, is to give the girls an opportunity to show off their new dresses to the other girls.

As for the dancing itself, don't sweat it. I can't dance worth a damn myself, yet I never miss a chance to chaperone one, and I end up dancing with half the boys there throughout the night.

Here's the thing: Nobody cares if you can't dance. It's unlikely anybody's going to notice you. The guys are going to be checking out the girls and trying to cop a feel on the dance floor, and the girls are going to be checking out the other girls' dresses and fending off their date's roaming hands (or encouraging them). Anybody who does notice isn't worth worrying about. Dance mostly the slow dances, which require no skill whatsoever, and try out one or two of the fast dances as you feel up for it.

And don't forget to spend some time scoping out all the pretty girls in their new dresses--that's what I always did at the high school dances.

Cynthetiq

one could watch any movie with dancers and try to emulate their moves from just doing the Uma Pulp Fiction two finger slide across the face to the surf music shaking, to the simple nodding to the beat like the guys in Night at the Roxbury.

but practice a bit at home if you can....

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Glory's Sun

just don't fling your arms like some deranged comic. Listen to the music. Get lost in the music. Feel the music. Watch some movies, watch people, or just don't worry about it and do whatever. Most people don't pay attention to who's dancing at prom's anyway.

kitsune

you dont have to dance at a dance if you dont want to. in my experience, its not odd to stand around watching everyone else dance. adn even if you do have to, i dont think anyone pays much attention to anyone else while theyre dancing.