I used to love dancing before the dysphoria turned me into a lurking recluse. I'm looking forward to going out again when I settle into a body that is more me.

Thrillller!

I dance where it is safe, at home.

I dance pretty much constantly. Bellydance. I teach, I preform with our troupe, I do solos... I do it all. Because I'm a fool for it. I choose whether I want to portray a more feminine or masculine vibe depending on my choice of music. Depending on the venue. Depending on if it's a solo or group number. Male posture is just a bit different. The movement vocabulary feels more powerful. Hand positions even, just the slightest difference between palms up and palms down can make one move look distinctly one way or the other.

Uhm... Here's Tito.



I, however, have no idea how to dance like a normal person anymore. Uuuhm If for some reason you really want to see me in super girly garb, doin the bellydance thing, pm me and I'll let you in on the FB.

Quote from: ccc on May 27, 2010, 05:56:59 PM
I guess I need to go stalk some guys then, to watch &learn... but im not rly good at that.

Like someone else said; youtube's always an option.
From what I've observed except for the chicks move more part; guys tend to move their arms more whereas chicks instead rock their hips. Chicks rock to the left and right with their hips, guys more back and forth. Chicks tend to use their heels to tap the beat whereas guys use their full foot. The hip rocking chicks do, guys do more with their shoulders. Chicks stand up straight, lean back at some point and guys tend to lean forward a bit.

So, if you want to look more masculine while dancing I'd say; move those shoulders with bigger arm/hand movements then add the rest. It will make you look anything but feminine.

As an MTF, this is probably one of the things I do best in a masculine sense.  These tips are all my opinion to keep dancing mannnnnnnly:

1) Keep it reserved. Don't move in all directions, out and about, unless you definitely know how to dance like a guy does. 
2) Use a "shoulder pop" to symbolize a beat every once in a while.
3) Try to let the moves be jagged in the manner that your movement does not sway (unless turning around). One's dancing movements should 'abruptly' change direction
4) Whenever there is a girl around, appear or act like you are in control. That is the way to do it.
5) Hand motions every once in a while.  (Like pointing to someone in the group with a grin, taping down with your hand, etc.)
6) Don't use your hips, instead rely on your feet for movement.
7) Let your body rotate via the shoulders.  In other words, let your shoulders be the axis in which one changes direction, rather than the hips.

I hope this helps! More or less this is how I dance in guy mode, and it seems to work!

It was funny...a few weeks ago at a show, I guess some people blindfolded this poor girl whose 21st birthday it was and didn't tell her where she was. They had us bring her onstage and dance up on her. My gf was there. I sorta grinded on/humped her twice (the bday girl) and just ran and hid behind the other entertainers. It was funny. But I felt too...not male in that moment. I think cause I'm self conscious abuot my ass.

I can't dance therefore I dont but I really like ballet. The way they move with such delicacy.

Sadly 220 pounds doesn't come of the ground to easy or delicate. My attempt at ballet was more like a elephant trying to jump it just doesn't work.

Well, I don't really have access to youtube...

But thanks for all the tips guys &gals, ill try to take it all &incorporate it into my style.

Hopefully I can get it to work, or at least look like a gay man.

When I was living as a woman I had a lot of trouble dancing, in a large part because if the guy didn't have perfect rhythm and a very strong lead, I couldn't bring myself to follow. It would end up feeling like a spin around the floor with a push-me-pull-you.    Didn't work very well. (And it's amazing how few American men have any sense of rhythm. It's like the blind leading the sighted, letting them lead the dance!)  I'm thinking that, now that I get to be the lead, I might give it a go again. 

In the words of Master Shake....

"Dancing is forbidden!"

I don't dance. Not in public. In private, I do do the desk tapping, shoulder moving bopping along thing - but not when anyone is around .

ever though about taking classes? I've found that it's easy to feel like you're dancing like a girl when you wine... but dancing salsa or bachata, these dances require you to lead and give you a clearer set of differences between male and female movements.

I dance a lot. And apparently I've always danced exactly like a guy. I think I'm pretty good too, judging from people's comments. Goodness knows what I do that's so right.

If by dancing more like a girl you mean hip movements and such, try out some salsa dancing or any other latin-style dances. The men move a lot like the girls do hip wise. Keep your shoulders strong though. Men still don't worm their shoulders the way the gals do.

Quote from: Evan on May 29, 2010, 10:59:34 PM
ever though about taking classes? I've found that it's easy to feel like you're dancing like a girl when you wine... but dancing salsa or bachata, these dances require you to lead and give you a clearer set of differences between male and female movements.

Well in a lead/follow dance, I usually lead.
And when im dancing with someone, usually a girl, I let them do all the moving.
Maybe its just me, thinking I dance like a girl.
I should ask ppl, haha.

Quote from: Kohitsu on May 31, 2010, 09:48:00 AM
The only kind of dancing I've ever done is DDR at home and occasionally at the arcade. XD Not much for social or large crowd/club dancing.

You could try learning jumpstyle then, lol.

Quote from: Lachlann on May 31, 2010, 09:53:13 AM
You could try learning jumpstyle then, lol.

I love DDR!
I've been trying to learn jump style, its fairly easy.

Quote from: ccc on May 31, 2010, 12:40:29 PM
I love DDR!
I've been trying to learn jump style, its fairly easy.

I have this friend who plays StepMania and DDR, he had never done Jump Style at all, and all these kids were doing it at this convention. So he starts busting moves and this kid goes,

"How'd you get so good at Jump Style?"

"DDR."