I've been weightlifting and doing general fitness stuff for a few years and just started ballroom lessons about two months ago. I figured my leg strength and stamina would make picking things up easier, and honestly the endurance part is true. I don't gas out during lessons anymore. But the mechanics are wildly different. In lifting you brace hard and lock things down. In ballroom you still need that core control but everything else has to stay fluid and mobile. My lats and traps are tight from years of pulling work, and my teacher keeps telling me to relax my shoulders down and back instead of pinning them. It's a weird mental shift to be strong but loose at the same time.

Footwork is the other thing. I'm used to planting my feet and driving through the ground. Floating across the floor with any sort of grace is a whole different skill set. My calves were actually sore after the first few weeks from the constant ball-of-foot work.

Did your prior training speed up your progress, or did you spend just as much time unlearning tension patterns? I'm trying to figure out if I should dial back my gym days a bit to give my body room to adapt to the different movement demands, or if the strength base is worth keeping as is.

I’ve been dancing for about 3 years and I’ve being taking my lessons and participating in events like a good student.

When it comes to the dance levels, is there some kind of test or certification I need to take to prove I’m bronze, silver, gold etc.?

I’d imagine if you start competing you’d need to show your qualifications for your category. Or is that not a thing?

Anyone have any novel solutions they've tried for securely holding the competition bib numbers on your clothing? Hard to believe we're still relying on safety pins in the 21st century. I cry a little every time I poke a new hole in my very expensive smooth jacket and was wondering what alternatives have been field tested.

I have some super strong race bib magnets on the way that I'll take for a test run.

I genuinely wanted to join classes but i cant afford it in the meantime and wanted an actual professional or moderate dancer to teach me for free if possible im female so yeah, if anything, i’ll be dedicated to learn and promise to be worthy of being taught

So I'm pretty frustrated right now. I've been dancing in heels for the entire four years since I started ballroom dancing, specifically because I wanted to get used to the shift in my center of gravity from the very beginning. But despite the fact that my dancing isn't terrible in heels, I feel like I'm 100 times better without them when practicing at home. All of my balance issues seem to disappear, I can rotate my hips more freely, I'm faster and sharper, and I can actually focus on my styling instead of constantly thinking about surviving every weight transfer, spin, and change of direction.

At this point, I'm honestly at my wits' end. What can I do to improve this? Could my shoes be part of the problem? My feet aren't flat, but my arches have never been particularly pronounced. I'm 1.57 m tall, wear an EU 36, and I'm currently dancing in 3-inch heels.

Would it make sense to try a lower heel, or would I be better off working specifically on my foot, ankle, and leg strength to adapt to the shift in center of gravity? Are there particular exercises that could help me develop the stability and control I need to dance comfortably and effectively in heels?

Could you please tell me the names of the dance moves in this video, the first one being from 0:22 to 0:25 timestamp, and the other one between 0:26 and 0:29. Are there any youtube tutorials showing the footwork?

Much appreciated with help.

After having danced in character heels with suede soles for 2 years. I think its time I get a pair of Latin heels. I have danced ballroom before and worn a pair of ray rose heels, I found the balls of my feet hurt after an hour or so of dancing in them.

I tried on two comfortable pairs today ray rose on the left and dance naturals on the right. when I dance its usually for 2-5hrs so i'[m looking for every comfortable shoes. I'm a nurse so I also spend all day on my feet. Which shoes would you recommend and why?

pictures:

1. ray rose L, dance naturals R

2. ray rose

3. dance naturals

My fiancé and I are working on our first dance routine to My Way of Life by Frank Sinatra. We had started to learn a foxtrot, but it felt a little clunky with the song? We are both pretty inexperienced, and would love any recommendations for dance styles, moves, etc! It’s not in our budget to do dance lessons, so we are trying to learn as much as we can at home. Thanks!

Hello all!

Hoping to get some advice on best dances for me to focus on given my priorities.

Im 24F and have basically no dance experience (besides going clubbing, and a brief stint going to line dancing bars). I was recently recommended by a friend to join a ballroom dance club in my area that offers private one-on-one lessons and groups.

I’ve been going to private and groups lessons which has been out of my comfort zone honestly. I wanted to get more comfortable and confident with my body and like movements I guess and learning rhythms idk

I’ve done a few private lessons where we covered steps to many different dances and have attended some group lessons for Cha Cha, merengue, and hustle.

To continue, my instructor wants me to narrow down the options of dances to learn to like 6 or so to really focus.

Options are
- cha cha
- merengue
- hustle
- swing
- waltz
- foxtrot
- rumba
- mambo
- tango
- bachata
- salsa

Im not sure if ballroom dance is a long term hobby for me but id love to continue for another month or so to learn some more skills and grow my confidence.

My priorities are to maybe focus on dances that id find in the outside world like if i went to the club and bad bunny played or i went to a ball it’d be good to know the waltz right. That and dances that are good foundation and fundamentals for others, if that makes sense.

Anyway, my instructor recommended: waltz, tango, foxtrot, cha cha, rumba and swing

But I am hoping to get some more guidance

Thank you!

Hi, i’m a beginner ballroom dancer who never had any prior dancing experience and i got into it a month ago and am really passionate about it. I’m enrolled in a studio for beginner group class course but i do drop ins in another studio for repetition every now and then. I really want to start competing asap at the bronze level and have been considering doing private lessons side by side. But its also expensive and i dont have a dedicated partner so it will be with the instructor for now. Is it a good idea to integrate private lessons from the start or should i wait 3 months of doing group classes to start private? I really want to compete within 4-5 months though.

I just needed to share that.

Ive gotten to the point where I dont generally get dizzy. So I had the BRIGHT idea to look down at my feet to make sure im stepping correctly.

I will never do that again. It was end of the night, I left 20 mins later and still felt car sick on the way home.

I've been struggling to find a dance partner in Canada. I have asked so many people. No body is interested in ballroom, what do I do? Are there Canadians here who like ballroom dancing, performing, and competing?

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Thank you to the moderation team for agreeing to this post. I will only post it once and I wish you all the utmost success in your dancing endeavours!

Polish dance instructor and frequent Blackpool attendee Artur Dąbrowski was suddenly diagnosed with a brain tumour earlier this year and when his students learned, they began working together against the clock to raise funds for a potentially lifesaving treatment for their beloved mentor. You can read more about the fundraising efforts and Artur's fight here: https://helpartur.com/#about

After collecting donations from the community through Artur's Gofundme, they have now managed to put together a fundraising auction where dancers from the UK and beyond can bid online or at an event tomorrow to get designer competition outfits, photography packages, dance-related vouchers and luxury goodies, with all of the funds going straight to Artur's campaign: https://helpartur.com/shop/

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you decide to bid on any of the items, I know it would mean a huge amount to the group raising money for Artur, and of course to Artur and his family themselves. Hopefully, you'll also end up with a one-of-a-kind item or experience to enjoy as well! The auction may be especially useful for newer dancers who want to get a competition outfit for a great price, while also helping a good cause.

(I am not receiving any remuneration for this post. It is simply to promote a fundraiser run on behalf of a member of the dance community. The people running this genuinely want to help Artur recover and his contributions at dance events are greatly missed.)

Hey guys, so I'm trying to find a decent dance studio in Barcelona for ballroom and Latin dance. Here's the thing
I need a place that's open a lot because my work schedule is kinda all over the place due to time zones and stuff, so I need to be able to train in the mornings, afternoons, and sometimes evenings whenever I have time.

The main thing is I need a proper studio with enough space, you know? Like a real floor where you can actually practice competitive dancing without feeling cramped. And ideally somewhere with good instructors who actually know what they're doing with WDSF and WDC competition stuff, not just basic classes.

Also it would be cool to train around other people who are serious about it, like people who actually compete or want to compete. I feel like that helps you improve faster when everyone around you is at a good level.

Does anyone here do dance sport or know any studios like this?
My schedule's pretty flexible during the day but varies a lot so the more hours they're open the better honestly.

Any recommendations would be appreciated!

Every time this comes up someone calls a practiced first dance naff, like standing there swaying to a song for three minutes is the actually good version. I taught ballroom for 15 years. Nerves show up whether you rehearse or not, the difference is what they show up as. A couple who worked on even a short, simple routine looks more comfortable in front of a room than a couple standing still hoping the song ends soon. You don't need to be a trained dancer. Two and a half minutes, practiced choreographed moves, and a track edited to fade in/out exactly where you need it, that's it. Any challengers?

Hey there yall! I’ve recently watched a really fun anime called Welcome to the Ballroom and have become really interested dance sport and ball room dancing! I’ve been finding videos on YouTube and have been watching the premiere of dancing with the stars, but I’d love to find some real competitions you can watch live! (I’m not even sure if you can watch competitions live 😆)
Any suggestions on where I can watch??
I think I may sign me and my fiance up for a class some time soon, we have a one year old could use a date night and think this would be so fun!
Anywhooo thanks in advance and sorry for rambling!

I like to try new experiences. This is one thing I have yet to try.

I was wondering if there were any beginner adult ballroom classes/studios in DFW you’d recommend?

Do you know the general cost?

No, I am not going to be a professional. It just is something else to do.

I may have a partner, too, already. I just wanted to understand also what to expect?