Dancing brings us together. Not just in the body, but in the mind and spirit. In previous weeks, we discussed the value of learning new skills with your partner and the joy of dancing together. For Week 48 of 52 Love, sweep your partner off his feet with a combination of both. Sign up for ballroom dance instruction.
To fully appreciate the benefits of ballroom dance, I defer to Sir Thomas Sharpe to illustrate my point. Under his masterful instruction, his partner morphs from unenthusiastic to enthralled within the short span of a song. The candle wasn’t the only flame burning after that scene. Fun fact: according to the trivia, that was no CGI trick.
Assuming you and your partner are less skilled than Thomas and Edith, you both can benefit from ballroom lessons. Dancing releases endorphins. Elevated moods boost the immune system by relieving stress and thwarting depression. As with many forms of exercise, dancing enhances cardiovascular health, increases circulation, burns calories, and improves stamina.
Organized ballroom instruction heightens cognitive performance and challenges your brain. By incorporating movements on several planes of motion and from many directions, the structured choreography improves strength, balance, and flexibility. Unlike when simply exercising at the same time or engaging in competitive sport, you and your partner are truly working out together. Instead of rivaling one another, you are a team of two—joined, face to face, whirling and twirling toward the same goal.
If your knowledge of ballroom dancing is limited to period films, you may have unrealistic expectations. This skill requires practice even for the most graceful novice. You will work hard, you will make mistakes, and you will overcome them together. Have plenty of water on hand and towels to dab each other between dances.
Choosing what to wear is an essential step toward success. Select unrestricted clothing that allows you to move. Comfort is best. This is equally important for your shoes. Even if you or your partner are experienced with five-inch stilettos, begin with a low heel to prevent injury. Eventually, you can add fancy clothes or even cosplay to the mix to create an entire experience.
Partner dancers must learn to think and move in sync by communicating with non-verbal cues. Start with basic routines so that you can rehearse patterns as a couple. Give each other time to master new concepts without rushing. For beginning dancers who find it intimidating to prance their two left feet in front of others, try an online option. Many studios provide lessons through live or recorded instructional videos. Whether you opt for online or in-person classes, line up a series of date nights to practice together.
Once familiar with the basic concepts, you and your partner can synchronize with less effort. Eventually the two of you will move as a single unit. Embracing the sensuality of the dance, your bodies will take over, leaving your minds to focus on each other. Concentrate on your partner’s proximity, his body heat, and his touch.
Wrapped in each other’s arms, shake off the outside world, lock eyes, and let the music pulse through you as your bodies speak to one another, angling, shifting, connecting through a shared rhythm. Find that special zone where all else disappears, leaving you and your dance partner as the only two in the room—a concept shown brilliantly by Miss Bennet and Mr. Darcy.
Couple’s dance lessons can lead to a more satisfying physical relationship. Enjoying the joint exhilaration of nailing a quick-quick-slow combination can lead to tandem celebrations off the dance floor. At its core, ballroom dance fosters an appreciation for synchronized, heart-racing, hip-thrusting action. When mastered, it provokes two bodies in close proximity into meeting each other’s rhythm in aim of a shared climax. What a wonderful way to keep the flame burning.
If you try this intimacy tip or have a better recommendation, let me know in the comments. For weekly suggestions on how to show your partner love, sign up for my blog, 52 Love, in the sidebar. (Please choose at-home options until it’s safe to implement this elsewhere.)
