>>10541842Some basics:
>FORMAL DANCINGAt weddings and formal parties, this is the norm. Most people have no fucking clue how to do this, which is fine. As a general rule, as the lead, your left hand grabs her right hand, and your right hand goes on her back right around the shoulder blade. The actual rule is to keep the frame firm and upright, doing this at most parties is overdoing it. The same rule applies to how the bodies touch - the usual rule is to touch at the midsection or thereabouts, but doing this in most circumstances is overkill and going to make most girls feel awkward. If you're touching, lead with your body weight; if you're not touching, lead (GENTLY) with your arms. The Waltz and (American) Foxtrot are simple box steps you can learn online. Tango is something you'd need a class in, but its unlikely you'll ever run across it.
>LATIN DANCINGThis varies wildly, so I'll keep my comments to what you're most likely to encounter.
Most girls who know Latin dancing know either salsa or bachata, which are bullshit Latin dances (IMHO). Look up the basic steps on YouTube and you'll be good to go 99.9% of the time. The grip is soft and informal. Hip motion is ideal, but don't fake it. These dances - and the situations in which you will be dancing them - are engineered to make the girls feel good and to keep you in the background, so minimalism is preferable to overdoing it. Most girls will lead their damn selves because they insist on turning around like it's hard, so just let your arms kinda follow her impetus and you'll eventually figure out what her repertoire is.
If you want to look good: keep your head up and arm motions deliberate but soft. Some dances involve shoulder motion, but fuck that nonsense. Lead with your back (and keep your back broad) and your body weight, never your biceps. Soft knees are okay. Avoid spins (turns of the body greater than 180 without motion of your body weight) unless you know what you're doing.
