Social dance is, well, dancing in a social setting, How obvious. But when I hear the phrase “social dance” I think immediately of ballroom dancing with others who share the same interest. In this setting we enjoy the company of others, we enjoy the music and we dance. Some couples dance only with each other while others enjoy dancing with more than one partner. However, in this setting, there is nothing competitive.

Most social dancers like to appear as if they know what they are doing but there will often be a wide range of skills displayed on the same dance floor. There will be those with good technique and there will be others with not so good technique. Some dancers will know many steps and sequences while others will know few. It doesn’t matter.

Only One Partner

I have a regular social dance partner, my lovely wife. We enjoy dancing together but we are willing to dance with other partners. There is both pros and cons with this situation. We learned to dance together and have become accustomed to each other. We know the same steps and we have danced them together often. Being creatures of habit we likely dance the same sequences as well. However, we also develop bad habits. Lead and follow can be compromised perhaps because I become sloppy or because she anticipates. Since it is not critical which figure is danced in a turn around the floor partners can accept this compromise and still look reasonably good. It is also possible to look quite good, particularly to the majority of untrained dancers, without employing great technique. In fact, most social dancers have two primary goals; to enjoy dancing with your partner and to avoid looking silly on the dance floor and for some, the first goal is sufficient. Developing good technique and partnering skills dancing exclusively with one partner is very difficult.

Multiple Partners

Adding a second (or more) social dance partner(s) can call both partner’s skills into question. Suddenly a poor lead or a follower’s anticipation results in a misstep that violates both of the goals mentioned. One possible reaction to this situation is to avoid anyone who is not your regular partner. But by so doing you also miss an opportunity to improve your skills. Another reaction can be for the man to develop a strong-arm leading tactic rather than focusing on technique improvement that leads to better leading on the man’s part. Ladies may begin to back-lead when faced with an uncertain partner. This can appear to work but it is no real solution. Of course without the ability to lead and follow effectively no couple can dance many figures together and what can be danced becomes difficult, boring and unenjoyable.