Alistair Spalding, chief executive of Sadler’s Wells, says:
We have lots of international dancers from all over the world coming to Sadler’s Wells and the ones who are best on and off stage are the Latin Americans. It’s basically about what they do with their hips and how they’re centred.
How you move your main torso is crucial and you shouldn’t be flailing your arms around. The best way to move well is by being in control and having a centre of gravity.
I cringe when I see people go completely out of control on the dance floor. It should really be quite minimal. Whenever I try to venture out in public, I keep it simple and I would advise others to do the same. Don’t go out of your comfort zone or try moves you haven’t had any tuition in. Dancing, after all, is something you need to learn – even social dancing is a skill. Go for a few lessons, it makes all the difference. No one would think of driving a car without instruction and the same applies here.
Some men are naturally better dancers than others, of course, but everyone has the ability. Learn what you can and can’t do, stick to that and don’t drink too much: having too much confidence when you have no physical ability is a recipe for disaster.
