Let's say you are a rational adult who's become a fan of Dancing with the Stars and you have gotten inspired. You want to start dancing. Specifically, you want to start competing. So ... where do you, you know, start?
If you were a little kid, you would go straight into private lessons for competition. That's because there really is no "social dance" world for kids - not even for teenagers, really, alas. But most adults actually get started with partner dancing by finding a social, group class.
The advantages of starting out in group classes are that you get to meet other dancers at your level, you get to learn how different teachers approach the material, and you get a friendly environment for practice. The disadvantage is that you'll progress pretty slowly unless you add private lessons to the mix. However, it's a perfectly acceptable way to get started.
Once you have made up your mind that you want to compete, you will need private lessons. Most group classes do not cover the syllabus for every style; most are based on American style smooth and rhythm, but they present the material in a casual way. A social class is typically not designed to cover the elements you'll need to master for competition.
Competition dancing requires mastering the syllabus, and proceeding through the levels. You start in bronze, progress to silver and then to gold, and then are ready to enter the "open" categories where you can dance any figures as long as you stay within the character of the dance. There are thirty or more figures in a full syllabus for any of the ballroom dances.
The best resource that I have found for learning the full syllabus (and no, they're not paying me - I wish!!) is DanceVision. The syllabus on these DVDs is called DVIDA and is accepted by USA Dance and by NDCA. It is quickly becoming a standard. Part of why it works so well is the consistent approach to demonstrating the elements - foot positions, timing, lead, alignment, and more - of each figure. There are also written manuals, but most people will have considerable difficulty translating the written material to the dance floor: you really need to see a demonstration so you know what the figure looks like. Then the written material starts to make sense.
If you are just starting out learning ballroom, the best advice I could give you is to find a teacher (like me!) who is familiar with the DVIDA syllabus and study at least one of the dances in private lessons. Then, once you learn the language, you can save a lot of time and money by collecting the DVDs and studying on your own. The cost of each DVD is less than the average private lesson, and covers at least five times as much material as you would get in a given lesson - so it's a good value.
Studying at home, of course, will never replace private lessons in one very important area: correction. You really do need a coach if you want to compete, because you need someone to confirm what you are doing correctly, and correct what you've mistaken. But for the newcomer with limited time and money, I would recommend starting private lessons with one dance, then studying the others on your own, then going back for private lessons to correct and refine your dancing.
Studying on your own becomes much more productive if you have a partner. Making friends with someone from your social group class is a great way to start. Even if they don't think they want to compete, many dancers are willing to do extra practice so that they get better faster. It's helpful to have someone to bounce ideas off of, and to work through problem areas. That said, it can cause friction if the partners disagree on what should be done. I recommend the book "Ballroom Dancing is not for Sissies" (available on Amazon) once you get to the partner stage.
Another essential part of jumping into competition is learning the rules. The USA Dance (www.usadance.org) rulebook is available for download at the national website. The NDCA (www.ndca.org) rulebook is sent out to members regularly. You'll want to belong to both organizations to maximize your opportunities to compete. USA Dance competitor membership is $60/year; NDCA membership is $35. Generally speaking, the two organizations have very similar rules, and as an amateur you'll be guided most specifically by USA Dance.
The finer elements of competition dancing require a lot of dedicated practice and study. It is possible for a pro-am competitor to get away with not really understanding what they're doing, because the amateur is always supported by a professional; but for those who want to compete as amateurs with USA Dance, both partners have to be competent in the material.
There is much more on ballroom dancing in the Strictly Ballroom archive. Read on!
dancing is a part of exercise, it also activates our body.
Posted by: online doctor | March 02, 2010 at 07:43 AM