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Expand Your Dance Skills Beyond Your Local Scene

Hear me out… I’m not saying you should never dance with your friends, but there are many benefits to dancing outside your local dance community, dance studio, or social circle.

I started taking salsa classes and bachata classes at studios in late 2023 and thought I was pretty decent—until I started dancing while traveling. In 2024, I danced across L.A., Lisbon, NYC, Barcelona, Miami, Madrid, Orlando, Medellín, Cartagena, and Tampa, and quickly realized that I wasn’t as good as I thought.

It’s not that I’m a bad dancer (at least I don’t think so…). Rather, it has more to do with the fact that bachata and salsa dancing vary across regions, cultures, and countries—which, in my opinion, makes Latin dancing even more interesting, fun, and challenging.

For example, I discovered that bachata sensual, with its signature booty rolls and body waves, is more common in Europe, whereas Dominican bachata, featuring fast footwork, is more dominant in the U.S.. This makes sense since bachata sensual originated in Spain, while the Dominican Republic (the birthplace of bachata) is geographically closer to the U.S. I also learned that salsa dancing in New York, where On2 salsa is common, is completely different from salsa in Los Angeles, where most people tend to dance On1 salsa.

Dancing with Strangers Will Improve Your Dance Skills

Dancing with new people forces you to adapt quickly. When you always dance with the same partners, you start anticipating their patterns and dance moves, which can be a disadvantage when dancing with someone new. As a bachata follow, I realized that I was predicting my familiar dance lead’s next move rather than waiting for their prep. This was not only frustrating for my dance partner but also limited my ability to react to different salsa and bachata lead styles.

By stepping outside the dance studio and exploring social dancing at restaurants, bars, and clubs, you get exposed to different dance styles. Many studio-trained dancers, especially beginners, can appear more technical or robotic, whereas dancers who learn at family gatherings or parties often feel the music and adjust their dance style based on the tempo of the song.

Balancing Studio and Social Dancing for Maximum Growth

I truly believe that the best dancers thrive in both studio training and social dance settings. Dance studios teach you fundamental dance techniques, but dancing socially allows you to experiment with styling, musicality, and improvisation.

For example, dance floors in studios are often smooth, providing ideal conditions for spins and footwork. However, I learned that dancing at clubs often requires smaller steps and tighter movements, especially when the dance floor is crowded. Many restaurants and bars don’t have ideal dance floors, which means you may need different dance shoes to accommodate various surfaces. The ability to adjust your dance style depending on the setting will make you a more versatile dancer.

Expand Your Musicality and Confidence by Dancing in Different Cities

By dancing in new places, you expose yourself to different DJs, live music, and diverse dance communities. This enhances your musicality, allowing you to interpret different salsa and bachata rhythms in creative ways. Personally, I find that dancing to live bachata and salsa bands challenges me to be more expressive on the dance floor!

Traveling to dance also helps you avoid getting bored or stagnant in your dance growth. Instead of repeating the same bachata shines or salsa patterns, you gain new inspiration from skilled dancers across different cities. You also get access to workshops, dance congresses, and international instructors who can help refine your technique.

Dancing Beyond Your Hometown Brings Unexpected Benefits

Aside from improving your dance skills, dancing outside your local scene can help you:

• Meet people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Overcome social anxiety and gain confidence
• Improve your language skills when traveling internationally
• Receive feedback from different dance instructors and experienced dancers
• Learn unique dance techniques from new workshops and congresses

South Florida: A Dance Hub Without the Need to Travel Far

If you live in South Florida, you don’t have to book a flight to experience diverse dance styles. Within a two-to-four-hour drive, you can dance in cities like Tampa, Orlando, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale, where Latin dance communities thrive. These cities attract skilled dancers from all over the world to dance studios, social events, and salsa and bachata congresses.

Dancing outside your usual social circle pushes you to grow, discover new dance styles, and express your creativity. Whether you’re improving your salsa footwork, perfecting your bachata body movement, or just dancing for fun, stepping outside your comfort zone will make you a more confident and versatile dancer!