The challenge of performing with a partner is finding harmony and balance that connects cohesively into a single movement. You need to practice to build a sense of trust with your partner which in turns gives yourself freedom to dance together without fear. It is not enough to rely on the other person for support; to be a good partner you have to work as a team. If one partner is a lot more technically solid than the other, it likely won’t lead to a good partnership. We’ve put together some helpful tips to take your performance to the next level.

1. Strong Technique

The most important aspect of any partnership is that both dancers have equally strong technique. If you are both strong technical dancers separately, you will be better prepared to dance together. You should maintain your regular ballet and pointe technique by practicing solely as well as together. If one dancer has much stronger technique, he or she won’t be able to trust their partner to perform the dance moves the way they should. Dancers who drop their regular class in the lead up to a performance to focus solely on rehearsals usually find it detrimental to the final result. You should continue to take class to perfect your solo technique so that your partner is getting you at your best.

2. Appearance

Some dancers – especially male – may not take care of their appearance during rehearsals or dance practice, but a well-groomed dancer inspires confidence not only in your partner but any audience or onlookers you might have. Male dancers can usually get away with doing a lot less, but you should at least make it look like you put in a little bit of effort into your appearance, and that you care about how you look.

3. Mood

Dancing is a form of communication to the audience. You can say it’s like having a conversation with someone and as with communication most of it comes through in your body language. If you’re having a stressed or bad day, it will show in your dance and your partner, especially will be able to tell. The next time you’re dancing, make sure that you’re in a positive mood. This can be hard sometimes if you’ve had a rough day at school or are dealing with some other stress in your life but remember it’s all about mindset.

4. Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is always important when it comes to dancing. It’s not fun to dance with someone who can’t keep up. In addition to your dancing schedule, you should also exercise at least a couple times a week. You can either join a gym or go for a jog. It can be hard to fit a workout with everything else that is going on, but you don’t want to be out of breath with your dance partner running circles around you.

5. Confidence

Self confidence is one of the things that may not be easy to build, but it will make you a better dancer. It’s definitely more fun to dance with someone who is more confident and knows what he or she is doing – or at least thinks they do – than someone who is tame in their movement.
If you don’t know how to do something, then you probably aren’t going to be very confident about it. On the other side, competence build confidence so the best way to build confidence is to practice, practice, practice.

Conclusion

Dance is an art form of that – unless you’re doing a sole – requires coordination and commitment between two human beings. Improving your dance skills, your fitness, your confidence will all make you a more enjoyable dance partner.