Words to beginners (and, to some extent, all Lindy Hoppers)
Being a beginner swing dancer can be daunting and intimidating. But we were all beginners once, and in many contexts, we all still are. Here is some encouragement and a few suggestions to make your dancing experience more pleasant and fun... and make your partners happier, too!
For every hour you spend in a class, spend three on the social floor. This is one of those rare activities where the practicing part is actually fun! Advanced dancers screw up, too. All the time! Two basic things will get you pretty far in dancing life and real life: a ready smile, and proper hygiene. Basically... look friendly, smell good, and don't drop sweat on your partner, and even if you're not the most exciting person on the dance floor or around the party, you'll find people generally comfortable around you. On a practical matter, bring the following with you to any dance, especially when you come straight from dinner: nice smelling breath and an extra shirt. Some chewing gum or breath mints do a lot to fix bad breath-syndrome. You and your partners will be much happier dancing together. Worried about asking 'better' dancers to dance a song with you? 1) They may want a break from the challenges of dancing with their peers who are trying out all sorts of fancy moves or styling on 'em. 2) It's just 3-4 minutes out of their life... you're not really imposing! [ThatAdamGuy] Even if you think you're awful, you're not! It just takes time and don't give up! | 
