Don’t let you be fooled by programs like "Dancing with the Stars." A dance you do not learn quickly just in 5 x 60 minutes. To enjoy dancing, above all the base must be adapted correctly. Then you are soon going for two years. Unless you exercise daily for an hour...

It is wise to take notes of the moves you have learned during the break or after class.

There are a number of methods for this. Much more information they contain, much more they are difficult. And thus in fact they are also useless. Your own way of scoring is the best for you. It helps any way to remember the steps and moves. And afterwards it's a good reminder.

We use 10 % of our brains.
Imagine what we could if we
used also the remaining 60 %...
(Ellen De Generes)



There are various methods to describe dances and movements.

labanotationThe Labanotation (or Kinethography) is named after Rudolf von Laban, founder of European modern dance, which began in 1920 to describe it. It's somewhat too complicated to me. Before you have unraveled a written down movement two other dances have been played...

It may be a very complete method, which can describe every possible position for each part of your body. On the Internet you can find more about it. Not really my thing...

Looking more as sheet music is the Beneshnotation (1955).

Even more music scripting seems the Roma format.

There are other forms, but none of them fits for us as dance lovers.

I prefer to keep it simple: each measure are 4 lines below each other: one for the pace, one for the man, one for the lady, and one for explanations. With a few abbreviations as RF (right foot) f (ront), b (ack)... you come a long way. A better indication for the direction you get by referring at the numbers on the dial of a clock. And tempo can already be represented by S (low), Q (uick), and e (see rhythm). It is a kind of own interpretation of the Rasche -notation, which was designed especially for Argentine tango. (See< Learning Quickstep> for example)

Today, there is an easier tool: make a clip with your mobile (smart) phone or camera. That may not (yet) be allowed in any dance school, so ask it first. Other dance schools even ask you to put it on YouTube for everyone, but with a reference to the dance school. Optionally, you can also work with another couple after class at home just trying to record the moves while they are fresh in mind.

To dance you only have to do a few simple steps and keep repeating them. (Mario Garcia)



As you learn new moves at a dance you would do well to do those latest moves again in the beginning of your dance. So you can practice them. Otherwise it is possible that you will not come to it (the dance is too short, you forget them again, or you have too many other moves that you are going to do first.)

Regarding adjusting and adapting courses, dance schools and associations unfortunately run behind at course colleagues from other sectors. There you will invariably at the end of a course (even one of 2 hours) get an evaluation sheet. This gives organizers and teachers the opportunity to meet better the needs of their customers, both in terms of organization and methodology, infrastructure, content etc. In the dance world, I haven’t been allowed to go through unfortunately nowhere. However it is also very professional there. It can always be better...

The mediocre teacher tells.

The good teacher explains.

The better teacher demonstrates.

The true teacher inspires.

(William Arthur Ward)