How Much Ballroom Dancing Experience Do You Need to Compete Well?

November 14, 2010 by Ballroom Dance Lover  
Filed under Learning Ballroom Dance

How long on average should you take ballroom dancing lessons before you are confident enough/good enough to compete at an amateur level? I know it can take years and years to get really good, but what about very basic competitions?

I Need Ur Opinion! Plz Idk What Should I Do?

May 2, 2010 by Ballroom Dance Lover  
Filed under Ballroom Dance Steps

well.. there’s this Field trip for ballroom dancing in gym, and were challenging periods like 1st .vs. 5th all that type of deal. only few ppl from my class are going + only one girl including my self that would make it two and i have no clue how to dance the steps i only ask you guys what should i do? and how do you do the following dances:
-Foxtrot
-waltz
-cha cha
-swing routine

I Need Ballroom Dance [Smooth/Latin] Music?

February 27, 2010 by Ballroom Dance Lover  
Filed under Ballroom Dance Steps

Hey I’m teaching my boyfriend to dance but I cant start until I have enough music. If you could give me the names of some songs and they’re artist i would love it.
I need music for the following dances [ if you can only give one thats ok 1is better then none.]:
Rumba
waltz
mambo
foxtrot
swing
cha cha
triple time
bolara
double time
progressive waltz
west coast
night club 2 step
blues

I have 15 tango and 13 samba so their not needed but if you have some good ones then I’ll take’em.
Thank you.

– Evie

Does Our New First Lady (Michelle Obama) Need Ballroom Dancing Lessons?

February 22, 2010 by Ballroom Dance Lover  
Filed under Ballroom Dance Steps

I don’t know if you caught the new Pres. Obama and wife Michelle dancing on camera at yesteday’s gala inauguration extravanganza, but I must say that I’m not sure Lady Obama has had any formal training in the art of ballroom dance.

With millions of viewers across the world looking on, do you think — if you were Michelle Obama — it might have been wise to have studied a few steps with your husband before stepping out solo to ballroom dance as the showcase couple of honor?

If you’ve ever anticipated your own wedding, sometimes dancing before a group is contemplated. Well-prepared couples actually take lessons in ballroom before the spotlight hits them. That’s a wedding.

This was an INAUGURATION….to perhaps the highest position in the United States…to who many feel is the leader country of the free world. Did Lady Obama show that she could even perform on the dance floor with minimal proficiency?

I would especially like to hear from those trained in ballroom dancing as to your review of Michelle Obama’s “performance” on the dance floor at the Inauguration.

And was Michelle leading…or was Barack?

Interesting observation as to who will REALLY be in charge of future decisions from the White House….

How Many Ballroom Dancing Lessons Do I Need? (To Be Able to Dance)

December 4, 2009 by Ballroom Dance Lover  
Filed under Ballroom Dance Steps


One of the questions that I hear most frequently from people inquiring about dance lessons is “How many Ballroom dancing lessons do I need to take to be able to dance”? The short answer is a long time! I must admit that this is the only question that I, a professional dance teacher still have difficulty answering because of how “naive” the question itself is. You see, learning how to dance is a process not a destination. I get a little queasy when I hear a new student anxious to put a number on something that is so individual and not very quantifiable. Some people are born with a natural way of movement while others need time to start feeling the movement. Some may be tone deaf while others can distinguish musical beats in an instant. One person may practice everyday at home and have a slower progress than someone who does not practice at all (Although most times it is the other way around). There are so many variables that it is impossible for any teacher to tell you off the bat how many lessons you will need to be able to dance. People have different bodies, talents and work ethics. In addition, even when you have taken many lessons and learned quite a few dance moves, it does not mean that when you go out dancing (be it a nightclub, party, wedding), you will automatically be able to lead or follow different people flawlessly. It takes time! It takes time to understand how to adapt your dancing to whomever you are dancing with. It also takes time to not feel nervous when dancing in public! Dancing is an art as much as it is a science. Your Ballroom dancing lessons will change according to what your needs are at a particular moment. For example, you may have gotten to the point where you are able to dance 10 moves individually with clear leading and timing. Does that mean you now know how to dance and can stop? There is much more to dancing than knowing different moves. Maybe now you can start working on how to get in and out of any move at any time and become better at improvising. Next month, your frame starts drooping and your teacher may do a few review lessons on how to hold your frame. It is a work in progress for both the student and the teacher – Wash, rinse, repeat! So what I am trying to say here is that “how many lessons do I need?” is the wrong question to ask. The best thing you can do when you are deciding to start dancing is to commit yourself to consistently take lessons. I recommend 1-2 private lessons a week for at least 3 months to start. During those first 3 months have an open mind and just learn, absorb, practice, feel and experiment the dancing world. Hopefully after that time period you will see that learning how to dance is not a linear path and cannot be measured.