So
you want to ballroom dance? You're about to enter a world of class,
tradition, and loads of fun. The good news is it's easier than you
can imagine. The bad news is you'll still need to work. Ballroom
dance is a somewhat artificial category including many styles of
traditional partner dances from several parts of the world and
different eras. The thing in common is the expectation that the
dance is polite and the dancers' dance-floor relationship somewhat
formal (Ballroom dancing is never "Dirty Dancing"--even the more
sensual styles such as the Tango are stylized. The sexuality of the
dance exists in innuendo, not in hot and sweaty contact between the
dancers).
Steps
Unlike most types of partner dancing, ballroom involves multiple
styles. While you don't need to learn all of them you will need to
learn a few core styles at first. Complicated dances such as the
Bolero and paso doble can be picked up later, but if you want to go
out dancing and not be stuck in a chair the whole night you'll need
to know east coast swing, Cha-Cha, Tango, Waltz, and fox trot.- Decide what you want to dance for. Do you want to do social
dancing or do you want to compete? If it's the latter you'll need
to supplement classes with private lessons. Do you want to go out
each weekend or do you just need to look good at a wedding? A
specific type of event might require that you learn only a few
styles but you'll want to learn them in depth. You'll be better
prepared for a night of casual social dancing if you learn basic
steps for a number of dance styles(you will pick up more moves as
you go out dancing, practice and the basics become familiar).
- Find a teacher and a school you might try the phone directory
or a quick Google search for "ballroom dance [name of your city]".
Contact one or more of the schools and tell them what your goals
for ballroom dancing. You want to find a good fit: Some schools,
for example, specialize in competitive dancing, while others focus
on helping first-time dancers gain the experience (and courage!) to
brave the ballroom dance floor at their next wedding invitation. If
you live near a college campus, take a look at their student clubs
and activities. Many have ballroom dance teams that compete at a
collegiate (rather than pro/am or professional) level, and many are
open to non-student members.
- Watch the prices as they will vary. You will want to be sure
the school and your teacher are worth what you're paying. Group
classes will generally be less expensive than private lessons,
while the best specialized and personalized coaching for
competitive ballroom dance can be a hundred times more expensive.
The best ways to see if your dance lessons are worth it are
to:
- Be sure you know what you want, and that your needs match your
instructors' expertise and methods,
- Talk to the other students and see how long they've been at the
studio (as a rule, experienced dancers won't stay long at
overpriced dance classes) and
- Visit one or more dance classes. Many dance studios will offer
potential students a free or low-cost initial lesson that will
allow you to more easily find a good match between the studio and
your goals.
- Go to class. This may seem obvious but I'm constantly amazed at
how often people skip class. It doesn't matter how good a teacher
or dance studio, every time you miss a class, you won't benefit. If
you find that a particular class time tends to run into scheduling
conflicts, find another time in which you will be able to
consistently attend.
- Listen to b
