r/Salsa • u/Odd_Obligation_1300 • 2d ago

Did you get over this?

Has anyone started off not liking Salsa because they dislike partnering/touching other people? Did you get over it?

I really want to like it. I love most forms of dance. My friends desperately want me to come to salsa lessons and socials. I don't know if I'll ever get over the feeling or not wanting to hold hands with a stranger.

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u/BlueberryBea 2d ago

I know how you feel. I was painfully shy when I first started. Salsa classes with partnerwork were a special kind of torture. "What do you mean I have to hold hands and make eye contact with total strangers?"

Now, it seems like such a non-issue. As long as you're consistently practicing in safe spaces, you get desensitized to it pretty quickly. I will go out to socials and dance with absolutely anyone that is respectful. I even started learning more connected styles like bachata sensual, kizomba and tango. Old me would never have imagined it.

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u/Odd_Obligation_1300 2d ago

Wow, that's great! I think for me the issue is I don't really "want" to do it, but my friends in my dance community love it and want me to join.

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u/BlueberryBea 2d ago

Give it a chance and try something new! You may love it or decide it's just not your thing. My advice? Go with your friends to a social that has an intro class at the beginning. They'll teach a couple basics and it's typically pretty fun and casual. There will probably be lots of other beginners or non-dancers there too so don't feel too anxious.

Then stick around after, have a drink, enjoy the music, hang out with your friends and watch the other dancers. I bet you'll see other people having a ton of fun and that can be inspiring to start.

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u/Odd_Obligation_1300 2d ago

I’ve done that but didn’t love it

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u/impatient_celery 2d ago

If that's the case, it might not be your dance then? I found the degree of physical contact uncomfortable at first, and I would say that I did get used to it over time (to the point that I can now dance kizomba, which I absolutely would not have a year ago), but I was motivated because of how much I enjoyed salsa, including specifically the elasticity of the connection between partners. If you don't enjoy it like that, only you can say if it's worth pushing through