By Marcia Herrera

Joe Burgos from Piel Canela Dancers based in the East Coast has always had advantages with women--he is a male dancer and proud of it.  He feels completely comfortable wearing male dance costumes that compliment his partner; he wants his partners to look their best.

Joe acknowledges the stigma associated with male dancers and male dance costumes, so he advises other male dancers to "pay no mind to those who think dancing is not manly, dedicating yourself to something you love as a profession and knowing how to share the dance floor with a woman--now that's manly".  Women need leads to dance with (leads are usually men), a man who compliments what she is wearing on the dance floor.  After all, women devote a lot of time to getting dressed up to go dancing so hopefully men will appreciate these efforts. He is concious of how his lead and his dance costume affects the woman he dances with.  

While some men find it difficult to relate to women, Joe's successful dance career has allowed him to dance closely with beautiful women.  Joe learned how to relate to women at an early age and these skills gave him advantages on the dancefloor and socially over other men.  Growing up he noticed the kids were separated by gender, but he preferred to hang out with the girls instead of boys.  "It was a lot more fun to be with the girls and what easier way to do so than to dance with them," says Joe.  

Here, he offers his own personal tips for male dance costumes:
 
1. Matching costumes can help you become one with your partner, this should transcend into your costumes.
2. Experiment with costumes.  You may look good!  Listen to the audience's opinion.
3. Physical flaws will dissapear if your dance is flawless.
4. The best costumes are the ones that accentuate the dance lines in a choreography.
 
Learn more about Piel Canela Dancers on their website at:
http://www.pielcaneladancers.com/