Ever wondered what your favourite dance would be like if it were a flesh-and-blood person? I did – and this is what I came up with. You can find Part 1 here.
Please note: these are based off of the stereotypes for each dance! They do not represent the *people* who social dance – but the structure of the dance itself!
Tango Teresa
In a Nutshell: Traditional, Scholarly, Elegant, Intelligent
Who She Is: Teresa loves the ‘old world’ aspects of refined, scholarly life. She enjoys well-established brands and writing by pencil rather than computer. She has 2 PhD’s, and loves going to development conferences. She holds everyone to a high standard, and has no patience for the people she thinks do not work hard enough. She has a strong work ethic, and believes strongly that the traditional way is often the ‘right’ way to do things.
As a First Date: A traditional first-date experience will fly well with her. She wants you to open the door, walk closest to the road, and bring flowers. She expects that you will pay for the dinner, and that it will be in a reasonable first-date restaurant. She would love dinnertime topics to include Chaucer, the meaning of life, and the complexities of the human spirit. She expects to be dropped off at her home at the end of the night, and escorted to her door. She will bestow the traditional end-of-night first kiss on her chosen suitor. Old-school etiquette and intellectual conversation is the key to Teresa’s heart.
What’s Great About Her: She embodies intelligence and grace. She is a motivated and hard worker, and loves to continually improve. She will impress all of those around her with both her looks and accomplishments.
What Can Suck: She is change-adverse, and can be very judgemental. If someone does not work ‘hard’ enough at the things that are important to her, Teresa will give them the cold shoulder. Also, don’t you dare forget your traditional etiquette – that’s a huge no-no.
Lindy Hop Lou
In a Nutshell: Fun, Energetic, Nerdy, Overenthusiastic
Who He Is: Lou is a bundle of energy who never stops and is always down for a fun time. He enjoys cult classics and old-school pop culture and fashion. Bowties? Check. Tweed? Yes, please! If you can keep up with their niche interests, you’ll gain infinite ‘cool’ points. Bonus if you’ll stay up all night drinking – and playing Cards Against Humanity.
As a First Date: Board game cafe’s and cool mom-and-pop shops are Lou’s favourite go-to’s. Or, if you’re down, perhaps a night at home watching a very obscure television show that only the ‘truly nerdy’ know of.
What’s Great About Him: He is fun, easy-going, and down for anything. Adventure can be found even on the most mundane day in the smallest of towns. He’s not judgemental, and will encourage you to follow whatever path you want to take in life – bonus points if it’s a creative or nerdy path.
What Can Suck: It can be hard to try to get Lou to engage on serious topics. It can also be difficult to introduce him to friends, since he can be a little over-enthusiastic about his (very niche) interests and hobbies. This can give Lou a ‘joker’ or ‘awkward’ reputation with quite a few people.
Bachata Belinda
In a Nutshell: Sexy, Romantic, Outgoing, Fickle
Who She Is: Belinda oozes sex appeal with every step she takes. It doesn’t matter if she is in jogging pants and a stained t-shirt or dressed to the nines, she simply has ‘that thing’ that makes you only want to look at her. She loves romantic, grand gestures and rom-coms. She isn’t afraid to strike up a conversation, but prefers that you engage with her first. Her affections are strong, but change as frequently as the wind.
As a First Date: She will shower you with compliments and the steamiest of looks. She is not afraid to make physical contact through a light brush of the arm or a kiss on the cheek. She loves being showered with all sorts of romance, and isn’t afraid to give it in return. She does not believe in holding back romantic urges for the sake of ‘traditional’ values; she would rather follow her heart.
What’s Great About Her: She will captivate the senses of her suitors, and will make any of her dates feel like the luckiest person in the world. The perfect mix of sensuality and poise, her attention feels like basking in the sun on a warm beach. It is the ultimate romantic high.
What Can Suck: You may fall for her, and she will probably (temporarily) fall for you – until the next person captures her imagination. She thrives on the novel and new when it comes to romantic connection. She means every word she says – but her inclinations can change extremely frequently. Once the heat wears off, it can be hard to keep her captivated by you.
Blues Bob
In a Nutshell: Chill, Quiet, Cuddly, Understated
Who He Is: Bob is totally happy with Netflix and (literal) chill – preferably with cuddles. He tends to stay out of the spotlight and be totally cool chilling quietly with a few friends. He’s not into dressing up or glamour. He believes it is better to make small but targeted gestures than large, overblown productions. Seriously chill.
As a First Date: A dimly-lit Indie bar with Open Mic night is a good bet. He’s more into comfort food than fine French cuisine, and feels no need to spend lots of money on a ‘fancy’ experience. He’s likely to wear jeans and a t-shirt – or perhaps a casual button-down if he’s feeling particularly upscale. He’s more interested in finding someone who he can be comfortable with than snagging an impressive partner. Literally almost anything is cool with him – unless it requires dressing up in fancy, uncomfortable clothing or being ‘fake’ with people.
What’s Great About Him: He’s the ultimate non-judgey type, and will never stress you out. He’s cool with your flaws from the get-go, and can mellow even the most high-strung partner. He will give you all the downtime you could possibly need. When things go wrong, he’ll make the most of them – and probably won’t be that bothered anyways. Spending time just *being* with the people he cares about is more important than everything going ‘right’.
What Can Suck: Don’t expect a willing date to that black-tie function, or someone who will plan an impressive trip for you. He’s cool with you planning fun, adventure-like things that don’t require special clothes, but he probably won’t plan them. The easy-goingness can sometimes turn to sheer laziness – which can frustrate some people.
Stay tuned for Part 3: WCS, Hustle, Kizomba!