Have you ever thought of the exact qualities that set apart the average dancer from a good one? Especially, if the dancer leaves a long-lasting impression and you end up thinking about dance all the time without getting bored. Here are my top seven intangible qualities that distinguish a person who is a dancer in every sense of the thought and definition. Though many of these qualities overlap, and it is often difficult to separate one from the other, these qualities are the keys to a deeply satisfying social dance experience.

Connection: Dancing with a partner is like having a conversation with them. A conversation requires the input and teamwork of two people. You can’t have a conversation if only one person speaks while the other listens. Instead, a conversation requires a constant give and take. Connection is all about being responsive to the other person and creating a dance that compliments the two of you. It also means being open to their interpretation of music, their style of movement and their personality on the dance floor. This acceptance and trust is required of all dancers, from beginners to professionals.

Musicality: Dancing with your partner is only one part of that conversation. The music that you play during the dance is another aspect of that conversation. It provides the tempo, sets the mood, and inspires the moves and the styling. It allows two people to come together and explore the elements together, each sharing their own bodily interpretation of the music. Each dance is or should be a spontaneous creation in response to the richness and complexity of the music. This comes not just from knowledge of the music, but from a deeper love for the music that comes from constant listening and exploring.

Lead and follow: Leading and following are unique skill sets that require much knowledge and practice. Leading well requires attention to the technical details of the dance, including the precise placement of the body and its parts. Along with correct timing of the leads, there is a sense of constant creativity to connect the movements together to create a cohesive dance. On the other hand, it requires an effective response from your partner, acceptance, technical precision in the angles of the turns and spins, and a unique interpretation and styling within the moves that are led. When the leader and the follower are committed to their roles in the partnership, there is an electric energy that flows between them. But this
can’t happen without the basic framework of the dance: the basic structure of the steps and the music as well as the techniques required of both leader and follower.

Body Movement: It is true that no two bodies move in the same way. The body movement of each person — from the ankles and feet to the knees and hips to the ribcage and shoulders — are like the uniqueness of a fingerprint. Blindfold an experienced social dancer and have them dance with five different people that he or she has danced with on a regular basis, and he or she will be able to identify each one immediately based on their body movement. Though technique can teach a dancer to move their body smoothly, they will still develop their own unique style of movement based on their level and type of training, previous movement experience, personality, and tastes. Though an experienced dancer may change his or her body movement to a certain extent based on their mood and the feel of the music, he or she still maintains a unique style of body movement that may be remembered by their partner long after the dance is over.

Building: You wouldn’t reveal intimate details of your life to a person at the very beginning of a conversation, and the best dancers don’t do so at the beginning of a song. Music too follows this principle; songs don’t begin with the most exciting parts at the beginning. Music builds and gathers momentum as we progress slowly and steadily. A dancer does not immediately dance as soon as the music starts playing. Instead, they get to know their partner and the music, and build a certain kind of intensity as the connection and the music go on unfolding.

Expression: The way we dance — from our body movement to our musicality to our connection with others — expresses our personality and our values. In turn, our movement and musical choices also influence us and become part of who we are. It is this merging of body and mind, dance and identity, that makes dance so exciting and satisfying. The creativity and self-expression that allows us to know ourselves as well as others, is a unique aspect of any spontaneous creative or physical endeavour. Dancers who are trying to impress an audience or who are too self-conscious of their appearance fail to connect with their partner. Instead, the honest dancers are a joy to their partners and their audience.

Enjoyment: There are many qualities that go into making a good dancer. But what stands out is the way any dancer enjoys dance. The in-the-moment quality that makes time stand still and fly by at the same time is what defines a dancer. The ultimate purpose of pursuing the study of social dance is studying the techniques of leading, following and understanding of the music.