Ballroom Dancing

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Start competing as an amateur as soon as possible. If you can’t find an amateur partner – compete pro/am. This will teach you a lot more than all of us on Y!A put together. After a year of lessons, you should be able to comete and do well in beginner competitive levels. If that’s not the case – maybe reconsider your training routine and habits, possibly look for stronger teachers.

There are 4 major dance styles in the US. International Standard, International Latin, American Smooth and American Rhythm. Chances are, you’ve been learning smooth and rhythm so far (because you said Arthur Murray studio). Each of them includes 5 dances except smooth.
The dances are
Standard: Waltz, Tango, Vienneze Waltz, Slowfox and Quickstep
Latin: Cha-Cha-Cha, Samba, Paso Doble, Rumba and Jive
Smooth: Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot and Vienneze Waltz
Rhythm: Cha-Cha-Cha, Mambo, Rumba, Bolero and East Coast Swing

In the US, there are no requirement to become a ballroom professional. If you claim to be a pro – you’re a pro. But naturally, you don’t want to look ridiculous next to other competitors out there if you chose to compete, so you should be of comparable level to other professionals.

Roughly speaking, there are two kinds of profesionals. One kind is social dance teachers. They usually don’t compete or never competed. In this case, ISTD syllabus exams and sertifications would be a big plus (they are not hard) in terms of possible employment. The other kind of professionals competes or at least used to compete at professional level. If they are actively competing, they didn’t touch the ISTD exams cause neither they have the time for it nor the need. Their competitive record is good enough of a credential. These people usually practice their professional dancing in the morning and teach in the evening.
Blackpool Dance Festival (UK) is probably the most famous competitoin in the world.
You can find major US competitions on http://www.accessdance.com
USA Dance National Championships
Ohio Star Ball
and many more.
Also check http://www.usabda.org for amateur competitions near you.
You don’t need major competitions if you’re just starting out. Find a local competition, it’s a lot cheaper to attend, and a lot easier to dance. I traveled to competition and competed locally – there is no comparison just how much harder it is to do well after you traveled across the country, spent a night in a hotel, spent your morning trying to locatea the competitoin venue and your dear partner who will always dissaper on you in this case, and in general getting your act together.
Good luck with all that.

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Yes, you would be quite the novelty. At the same time, you’d come nowhere near balancing the huge number of married women who are taking lessons without their husbands. Go ahead, wierdo! And don’t worry about what people think. While it’s common for people in your situation (thinking about but not yet taking lessons) to confuse the lessons with a dating service, that disappears immediately when you begin actually taking lessons. There will be no misinterpretation except by your occasional kook.

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No…I won’t watch the show.

He seems like a good guy but
I think he should focus on football not tiptoeing around on a dancefloor…just my opinion. What if he gets hurt?

Do you think Bill Parcells will be watching?

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As the first “investment” in your dancing I highly recommend proper dance shoes, not street shoes. They need to be suede-soled. Also, it is better to have the shoes specifically designed for ballroom. If you are OK with high heels in every-day life you can wear ballroom shoes with high heels right away. If you are more comfortable on a lower heel, get “practice shoes” – you can do all dances in them (meaning both Standard and Latin). You should buy you first pair at a store, where you can get help with fitting.
For your very first couple of lesson it is OK to wear non-marking street shoes. Something like older dress shoes will do. Why older? Well, your beginner partner is highly likely to step on your foot a couplse of times… Also, older shoes are comfortable. Not sneakers, sneakers are designed to grip the floor while you need some ligther tracton, i.e. They are too sticky.

As for clothes – wear somethign comfortable. Just find something that won’t restrict your movement and won’t keep slipping off your shoulders or falling off in other ways. As you get more into it, it will be easier for you to decide what you like. Some people get leotards, some prefer regular tops. Some people prefer skirts, some prefer stretchy dance pants. If you are going to wear a skirt – make sure you can step in it as wide as you can without it.
Good websites are:
http://www.danceshopper.com
http://www.dancesport.uk.com
http://www.featherdanceshoes.com
http://www.discountdance.com
You can find a lot of similar-looking clothes at the departnet stores, and it will actually work just fine. Shoes – no, you need special suede-soled shoes.

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I would suggest that you go to a specialist dance shop and ask them what they think you should use.

When I got my shoes for ballroom and Latin I got the Latin style of shoe, like the kind on this website:

http://www.freedoflondon.com/cat/index.php

These kind of shoes were recommended to me by my dance teacher.

Ask your dance teacher what kind of shoes they think would be best.

Beware though, as these dance shoes are often very expensive.

Hope you enjoy ballroom as well as Latin, I love it!

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I don’t actually own dance sneakers. I do Latin, ballroom, street and freestyle dance. I tend to wear my Latin shoes for ballroom as well as Latin and I wear jazz shoes for freestyle and street.

When I needed some of the more athletic shoes I asked my dance teacher what I should go for and she told me that I should go for jazz shoes. Also, I know that alot of advanced dancers from my dance school wear jazz shoes.

But, I do also know some of the advanced dancers that wear dance sneakers. As I do not wear them myself I can not give that much advice but I would say that you want to make sure you pick the sneakers or the jazz shoes.

I would ask your teacher which type of shoe they recommend. I would say pick black though as they tend to go with every costume/outfit you have to wear.

Good Luck!!!

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Those shoes are more latin ones but im sure you can wear them for both styles

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Arthur Murray Dance Studio
3089 29TH St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512-1780
(616) 940-9894

Try here…have a great time! I love dancing!!

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Http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Eleganceinmotion/

http://www.havetodance.com/dancemi.html

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Yes

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Yes actually there is. Ballroom Dress Rental located at http://www.ballroomdressrental.com is a great website that has all styles and sizes of dresses for competition of showcases. Very affordable rates and wonderful quality. They also have a lot of pre-owned gowns and dresses for sale.

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Don’t buy anything like that on e-bay unless you’re e-bay expert. Chances are, you’ll get total junk.
If it’s just a practice skirt, try to visit your local dance store. If you don’t have one in your area, here is a few links:
http://www.discountdance.com (they have only two Latin skirts, on the last page of the “adult skirts” section)
http://allaboutdance.com
With the above websites, be sure to buy Latin/salsa skirt, not a ballet skirt. Ballet skirt won’t work. Anything that says “chifonne” or looks light is not good for you.
Http://dancesport.uk.com
http://aidadancewear.com (click “short skirt” link on the left)
http://ericaridgeway.com (couture practice clothes, she can customize it for you)

Have you considered practicing in pants? There is a kind of stretchy dance pants that’s fitted all the way down to your calf, so that the teacher can see your hips and knees. Dancesport.uk.com has them. I bought one of those, they are really awesome.

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To joobay have a look, there may be what you want.(Free Shipping Now ! ! !)
http://www.joobay.com/1000332521,auction_id,auction_details

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You can try looking it up on yahoo but I would suggest calling each studio you consider and maybe taking a few group classes before committing to a studio. Regardless of what other may say about a studio, everyone learns in different ways so you should make sure it is the right place for you. Make sure the people are nice and that it is a place that allows you to have fun- you don’t want to wind up somewhere overly competitive or in a frustrating situation. I live in new jersey but around here one private lesson is around 60 so you may have trouble with your budget but group classes are 15 so you may want to start with those. I’d suggest doing your research well before signing up for lessons. Ballroom dancing is a lot of fun. I hope you enjoy it and good luck!

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I work at a studio and i would suggest wearing a dress. You don’t have to go out and buy a brand new ballroom gown or a latin dress (both of which could cost upwards of $3000). Just simply wear a dress, but not a business skirt. Something that flows, but isn’t too short so that when you spin and turn, people don’t see your bloomers. Think something you would wear to a formal dinner between knee and ankle length.

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When a man holds a woman properly, the woman can look absolutely elegant on the floor.
The right partner can guide the woman smoothly and effortlessly through the notation of the music, not only hearing the beats, but actually feeling the music, dancing as though she were part of the music, a part of the arrangement itself, as though it’s not complete without her.

I consider myself a pretty good dancer, but I’ve been dancing a long time.

I’ve had women, much younger than I, ask “me” to dance. Even when I’m with someone.

You can dance very well, especially if you can feel the music. You can follow anyone by dancing on the ball of your feet, not flat footed. I’ve taught strangers to dance in one or two sets.
I can do about anything. Some Latin, but not as well as I’d like. I like rock and CW too.
Dance with your feet, not just swaying your body. Follow the beats.
It’s a shame to see couples and the man doesn’t dance at all.

Good luck. You go girl.