As our community expands in numbers, skill levels, and diversity of personalities, the truth is not everyone will click. Dancers, instructors, and organizers have different backgrounds, values, and even clashing personalities. Yet, we all find ourselves drawn to the same music, the same events, and the same shared joy of social dance.
So how do we keep the vibe healthy and build the community together anyway? My suggestion is embracing respectful co-existence.
It’s natural to assume that the person you share a good dance with might become your friend. And sometimes they do. But more often than not, dance is just dance. In Afro-Latin spaces, you may dance with dozens of people in one night and not all of them will align with your personal energy and that’s okay.
Everyone has the right to choose who they dance with or engage with socially. Declining a dance or not mingling with someone outside of socials is not arrogance. Boundaries allow us to protect our energy while still maintaining peace in the community.
You don’t need to agree with someone’s lifestyle, teaching style, or playlist to coexist with them in the same dance space.
There may be instructors you don’t train with, DJs you don’t vibe with, or organizers you’ve had a falling out with. But if the event, workshop, or initiative is growing the Afro-Latin community, then it’s part of the bigger picture.
Mature communities know how to separate the person from the contribution. Let dancers decide where they feel most comfortable, and allow variety to flourish. A thriving scene is a diverse one. If someone is genuinely advancing Afro-Latin dance, their work serves the bigger picture regardless of personal compatibility, because we all have our strengths and weaknesses. Being an ecosystem, a win for one is a win for us all.
Every dancer is a silent ambassador. How we treat each other, especially those we disagree with, sends a message to newcomers about what this community is about. When we demonstrate that respect transcends other issues, we’re telling them that this space has room for everyone who shares our passion.
We can build a strong, respectful, and inclusive dance culture without pretending to be one big happy family. The goal is not artificial harmony but authentic co-existence.
Social dance is a shared space, and kindness, respect, and maturity go a long way. You can admire someone’s footwork without liking their personality. You can clap for a performer you wouldn’t hang out with.
And you can co-create a vibrant scene with people who aren’t “your people.”
Because at the end of the day, Afro-Latin dance is bigger than any one person, personality, or party. Let’s make room for each other, not because we’re friends, but because we love this thing called social dance.
