tEA DANCES AT MISS EMMA’S DANCING

Of course! You will be very welcome – it will be lovely to see you!

Not at all, you can sit and sip tea until your heart’s content if you prefer!

There isn’t a set dress code. All we ask is that clothes and shoes are clean and dry, and that muddy/wet wellies are left in the entrance lobby. Thank you!

We create a unique playlist for each Tea Dance, featuring a diverse mix of music to provide a memorable and enjoyable experience for all attendees.

Our music selection for Tea Dances reflects the various dance genres we teach. For Ballroom dancing, we include Big Band and classical music. Latin selections feature Cuban, Brazilian, and Spanish melodies. Kizomba and Bachata music, which has African and Dominican roots, also incorporates some European and American influences. Additionally, we offer a delightful assortment of music from the 1920s to the 1960s for our vintage enthusiasts.

Our music is pre-recorded unless otherwise stated.

The mini-class is a fun and easy dance class held during the Tea Dance event. It lasts a maximum of 20 minutes and serves as an icebreaker, helping people feel more comfortable and relaxed when engaging in conversation with others. Participation is entirely optional; you are welcome to sit and watch the mini-class while enjoying a cup of tea if you prefer!

Don’t panic! We’ve all experienced that moment at a Tea Dance when suddenly, “eeeek!”—you forget every single step you know! Keep in mind that a well-practised basic or two (or even just swaying on the spot!) when danced with consideration and care for your dance partner, will always feel far lovelier than a million higgledy-piggledy steps!

A simple dance for a variety of music styles:

SOCIAL RHYTHM FOXTROT is such a handy dance to know, as it can be danced to many different types of music. It can be easily danced to Foxtrot, Jive and Tango music… and anything else with two or four beats to a bar! So in reality, that includes every other dance style we teach apart from Waltz & Viennese Waltz! When dancing Social Foxtrot steps to a different music style, you just have to adjust your movement rhythm to match each different music style. First things first, try to identify the ‘big’ beats in the music to identify the slow counts, then see if you can move in time to them (swaying on the spot is fine!). Next, try to identify the ‘smaller’ beats in the music to identify the quick counts, then see if you can move in time with them. A mix of these big and small beats will give you the rhythm for your Social Rhythm Foxtrot: Slow, Slow, Quick, Quick. Give it a go, have fun and see what happens! You can do it!

Here are a few extra tips for you:

WALTZ & VIENNESE WALTZ: A faster version of your Slow Waltz can be danced to Viennese Waltz music, or you can practice your Viennese turns to Slow Waltz music – give it a try!

JIVE: A gentle Jive can be danced to Foxtrot music, and it can also suit some Quickstep or Charleston music! Dance your Jive in the centre of the dance floor, while those dancing the Foxtrot and Quickstep travel around the room.

SAMBA & KIZOMBA: A slow Samba can be danced to Kizomba music, and a fast Kizomba danced to Samba music! Both dances have Angolan roots, which is why they can sound similar.

CHA CHA CHA & RUMBA: If you take out the ‘cha-cha’, you can dance your Cha Cha Cha moves to Rumba music! And vice-versa!

Reminders of short and simple combinations:

Please read my blog post My Mind’s Gone Blank - Help! which details a few short and simple combinations for each dance to serve as a reminder of the basics in each of the dance styles we teach. Practising these short combinations will encourage your body to recall them even when your mind goes blank. However, it’s important to remember that skilled social dancing involves much more than just following a ‘routine’. It requires various skills that take time to learn and improve, including good dance etiquette and floorcraft, listening to the music and exploring musicality, developing body awareness, and expressing different movement qualities. Additionally, it requires the development of partnering skills essential for leading, following, and improvising with clarity and consideration.