Dance Better Now

How to learn ballroom dancing with fewest dance lessons possible

Are you currently learning ballroom dancing or Latin dancing and wanting to improve faster? Are you perhaps thinking about dance lessons and want to know how to choose the best dance studio or dance school so you get the best value for money?

If you want to learn to dance as fast as possible, then read on. I have been there and done that, and I know how to get the most from your dance lessons.

If you want to master ballroom dance or Latin dance, then there are 4 things you should do:

1. Decide if you want to do private of group dance classes
2. Choosing a dance studio
3. Evaluate your teacher during your dance lessons
4. Use focused practice to improve your ballroom dancing outside of the dance school

Group versus private

Many people have preferences and will tell you different things about which dance lesson is best when it comes to group and private. Often what you hear from others tells you more about their personal on dance classes than it does about what’s good for you. The best thing to do is understand what each offers so you can find the best match for you.

Social interaction

Group dance classes offer a chance to meet and dance with many people, and are ideal for social people who like to interact with many people. Private dance lessons on the other hand are one on one, and are ideal for people who like to deal with one person at a time and know who they will be working with.

Learning style

When you are in a private dance class, you are basically being told what you need to do. This can be better for people who like to be told exactly what they need to do. When you learn ballroom dancing in a group dance lesson, you will need to work out some stuff yourself. This is good for people who like a chance to try themselves first and ask questions when they need to.

Focus

Group lessons are usually more interested in social dance along with lead and following. Privates are usually more focused on technique and gradings. You need to think about why you want to learn ballroom dancing and what you want from the dance school you choose.

Cost

Dance studios that focus on private ballroom lessons will usually charge 3-5 times more per hour than what dance schools using group lessons will charge. Most dance studios and dance schools do both; they just normally have a preference. As a general rule, you will learn 3-5 times faster in a private lesson so you will probably have to pay the same to get to a certain level no matter which avenue you take. It’s more about your preferences.

Once you have a feel for what kinds of classes you want, it is time to choose a dance studio.

Choosing a dance school

It is most likely that after reading the previous section you have a preference for one type of dance lesson, but will still on occasion want to take the other type. Therefore, you want to find a dance studio that does both. Fortunately, most do. However, dance studios do usually have a preference so restrict your search to dance schools that lean toward your preferences.

That being said, there are some other attributes that you can look for:

1. Do they offer a chance to apply what they teach? You’re learning for a reason so look for a school that will help you get into the competitions you want or that runs some kind of social event you can dance at or runs exhibitions that you can perform in. Once again you need to know what you’re interested in: social dance, dance sport, putting on shows, some mix of the 3.
2. Where do they get their certification? Some dance studios self-certify, that might be OK with you, some are members of independent dance organisation that certify. You need to work out which works for you. I know some who effectively self-certify, but staff spend time travelling to the cultural heartland of the dances they teach to stay abreast of the latest methods and styles. Once you know what you’re interested in, you know what to ask of a potential dance school.
3. What’s the demographic of the dance studio? If you are going to be dancing with others, then you want to know that they are people you are comfortable dancing with. This might depend upon age, religious beliefs, degree of social progression, formality and so on. I know some people who loved their dance classes, but not some of the people they danced with. They then left dance and never returned. Make sure you choose a dance studio that works for you.

Once you have a dance school, you need to evaluate your teacher.

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How to pick the best dance school

Are you sure that you are at the best dance school?

If I think back I can recall a number of times when people talked about how their school was the best or how they moved from one to the other for a higher standard.

In the past I have said that my focus has been mostly on the student and the teacher. I don’t really think that there is such thing as a bad teacher or student. Instead, I think that there are good and bad teacher-student combinations. Or perhaps more accurately, there are good and bad student-teacher relationships.

I still think that this is the majority of what makes for a good learning experience. However, you can’t ignore the influence of the school.

This was driven home to me a few days back when I was at a dance event held by another dance studio. I noticed that the routines of students going for their medals were more complicated than those that were done at my school. However, I also noticed that there seemed to be less connection between the two people dancing.

Upon reflection, this made sense.

My school does have competitions, it adheres to the standards of the respective national body and I know that they have a collection of publication from the Imperial Society of the Teachers of Dance. However, they do encourage socialisation amongst the students and there is a sense of dance as a social activity. The other school was run by a highly regarded dance sport dancer and had a number students who were also in dance sport.

So which school is best?

One of my friends who started at the same school as me migrated to the other one I have mentioned here. I am still happy with mine. He does dance sport and I prefer social dancing.

That is likely your answer there.

The best dance school is the one that suits you and what you want out of dance.

This is actually similar to the issue with choosing “the best” university. In most parts of the world, universities have a ranking system to let you know which is best. However, at least I have been told, the Germans do it a bit differently. Instead of trying to make a list of universities in order of standard, they provide a profile that covers things such as teacher student ratio, faculty profile, research outputs and so on. A student then chooses one that aligns with the qualification they want and what they want from that qualification.

You can do the same when it comes to choosing a dance school/studio. You likely have one now, but if you ever need to choose another one or if you think you are in the wrong place, then think about what you want from dance at that time and how each school would align with that.

I know students who have left dancing simply because they had chosen the wrong school and didn’t look for another that might be more suited to them. Enjoy dance as much as you can - choose a school that is best for you. think about the type of dance you're interested in and the type of enviornment you might like, then choose the dance school.

New Year’s resolution to learn dance

If you’re one of the many people who read my blog, then you probably made the decision to take up dancing (ballroom, social, partner) some time ago.  However, it is around this time of year that many people make the resolution to learn. Obviously, I think it’s an excellent resolution to make. However, if you’re not clear about what you want or do not really know what your options are, then you might not find it as satisfying as you’d hoped. In this post, I am going to give you some advice on how to best start learning to dance.

Step 1 - Know why you’re learning

There are numerous reasons to learn to dance: because it looks good, for fitness, to meet people of the opposite sex, because it will make you seem more impressive, because you’re bored, because you like learning new things and so on. They are all excellent reasons and I really can’t say that one is any better than another. However, there are many options when it comes to learning dance – methods and styles. It’s good that you know why you want to learn dance so that you can choose the best options for yourself. So make sure you know now what you’re learning for.

Step 2 – Choose a style

I can’t go over all the styles here (there are too many), but I can go over some of the common options to give you an idea of what you might like. This is influenced by my experience so you might want to also read up on other styles too. Especially if you find that the options are constrained by where you live.

Ballroom

This is the granddaddy of them all. One could argue that it only consists of 10 dances (the traditional dances that we think of seeing in a Jane Austin movie and the Latin dances), but if you go to a dance school that teaches ballroom, then you will probably also get a bit of the other dances too. Certainly this option will expose you to most dances and is good if you like to learn a lot. Just so you know – ‘Ball’ in ‘ballroom’ comes from the Latin for dance. So when you say ‘I had a ball last night’….

Swing

Swing is like the other major tribe of dance. If you have ever seen a movie set in World War II and loved the way they danced, then swing is the way to go for you. You might assume that it would be filled with inherently more fun and relaxed people than the ballroom community. In my experience, there is a little more discipline in the ballroom crowd so swing might suit you if you’re a bit more laid back. Or if you like vintage fashion.

Latin

We are talking Tango, Rumba, Cha Cha Cha and so on. It also can include Jive, which shakes things up a bit. Looking for the hot sultry style with a range of experiences from the romantic Rumba to the fun and energetic Jive? Then Latin is for you.

Salsa

Salsa is a fairly popular dance at the moment. So much so that it is a single dance that you can learn at a few different places. Salsa actually took over from Cha Cha Cha back in the 80s or so. If you would like to focus on a single dance that has a lot of life to it, seems a touch exotic and has some sensuality to it, then Salsa is probably the option for you.

Tango

Tango has the reputation that has allowed it to remain a stand-alone dance to learn for years. Like Salsa it offers a chance to focus on a single dance and it also is exotic. However, it is more attitude than life and it certainly much more sensual. Nothing will make you feel like you’ve entered another world than walking into a Tango dance studio and learning this traditional dance that has almost an entire culture to go along with it.

Blues

Too cool for school? If you are, then blues be the dance for you. Blues has a definite culture with it too. But think that cool fringe American culture of maybe the 50s or 60s. The best thing about blues (apart from the cool people) is the music that you get to dance too. Almost all other styles require music that is different from what you would normally listen to. Blues can usually be danced to most popular music. And of course, it can be danced to the coolest music of all, the blues.

Step 3 – Decide how and where you will learn

There are three basic options for learning dance: One on one lesson, group lessons and video lessons. I actually suggest a combination of the three, but I will go over each separately so that you can decide how you will start and what will be your main approach.

Privates

These are easily the fastest way to learn. You have a teacher that you can ask questions of and who will be able to spot what you need to work on. If you want to meet people, then your dance teacher will likely become a good friend. But that’s probably all if you’re looking to meet people of the opposite sex. However, if you’re keen, then take a look here – seducing your dance teacher.

Group classes

These are the best way to meet people. A good group class will rotate partners and give you a name tag. By the end of an hour you would have met about 20 people of the opposite sex. If you want to take it further then you will need to hang around for the social dancing that should (and usually does) come afterwards and put the effort in to talking and dancing with others. You will need to put some extra effort into talking to others of the same sex before and after class, but the fact that you have just ben in class gives you something to talk about.

Video lessons

This is easily the cheapest and most convenient option. In fact, they can be close to free if you want to use an internet search alone. However, if you buy some videos, then you can be more certain that you get all the details and guidance that you should be getting from video lessons. Below are some that I have used and found to be good value for money.

 

If you’re wondering which is the best value for money, then I think you basically get what you pay for. Privates are often 4 times more expensive than groups, but you learn about 4 times faster. Videos are much cheaper, but you can only learn so much. In reality it is a question of what else you want out of dance apart from learning to dance. If you let that guide your decision, then you will get real value for money.

However, like I alluded to earlier, a mix is best. I would suggest that you choose group or private based on what you want most. Then get use the other to augment your learning as needed. Then, as you dance more, and work out what you need a god reference for, you can buy suitable videos to help with what when your practice at home.

Step 4 – do it

Once you have an idea of how you want to learn dance, you need to start looking for places to learn. I was rather lucky; I went to a school that was down the road from where I lived. It just so happened that they taught in a manner that suited what I needed. Later I found other places, often via the internet, that taught the extra things I needed or offered the social outlet I desired. The point is that you can likely find what you need by simply conducting an internet search for studios or dance groups in your local area. You basic search engines are pretty good, but you can also look at the online Yellow Pages. Even better, meetup is pretty good too, especially for the group classes with a social element.

When will you see results – set goals!

If you have been thinking about dance, then you probably also have some idea of how well you want to dance. Depending upon how much you want to learn, you should have no trouble being able to honestly say ‘I can dance’ within a year. If you have any stumbling block along the way (timing, being able to move smoothly, remembering steps, etc.) then focusing on the specific issues will help you improve faster. Sign up for a free e-book on dance here; it will help you take on each issue and solve it as you work on improving your dance.

Regardless of whether you take up dance or not, I hope you enjoy the New Year.

Culture and social dance – does your culture affect your dancing?

The night before writing this I went to a social dance event that a friend had told me about. This was one of a string of regular events that focused more on dancing than on learning to dance, and provided a good avenue for practice because you could dance with a number of different people that you had not danced with before. This particular event was a Chinese event. There is quite a large Chinese community in Australia and Chinese as a general rule quite like dance (China is the only place where I saw dance-sport featured in the sports section of the nightly news. So it’s quite easy to find a dance event where the music is mostly Chinese (and if not, then East Asian) and the night’s proceeding are conducted in Chinese.

It was a bit of a bonus for me because after living in China for a year I still don’t speak Mandarin that well, and this gave me some chance to practice. However, what was even more beneficial was that I got to see social dance from a new perspective. This often tells you a lot about what you assume of dance and also what the essence of dance is. The things that are different often reveal assumption you make about dance and those things that are similar typically reveal the essence of dance.

I noticed the following things:

• PSY’s Oppa Gangnam Style really is a big hit in the Asian cultures around the world
• What was called Tango there was what I would call Tangoette
• They danced Jive to a music I would never call Jive, but was still sort of suitable for the dance
• What I called waltz and Viennese Waltz was call 3 step and fast 3 step respectively
• Another dance, which I never caught the name of, was basically Tango Argentino, but danced to Chinese popular music with a Vals like style and much more open embrace

Basically, I saw a lot that was different, but nothing was that confusing; after paying attention to what was going on, I was able to adapt and dance with people there.  

However, I was still curious about why they were different though. I am still not sure about why the Tango was like a Tangoette. And the names for Waltz and Viennese waltz made sense. But, the difference in music was something that I had an idea about.

I was talking to another dancer there who felt that when they danced at Australian dance schools, which typically work from the international syllabi and standards, the music is often more powerful, and easier to follow for dances like Jive. When I was in China I noticed that a lot of Chinese people quite liked Country and Western. The reason for this was that the Chinese government for decades restricted the type of music that was allowed into China. Any that was Rock and Roll was not fine (no matter what Top Petty might have said to the contrary). Having made a definite influence to Rock and Roll and having a similar vibe, Jive music would have likely experienced a similar restriction in China. This restriction was the result of the Chinese government trying to protect the people from unsavoury influences of overt sexuality and the like. If Rock and Roll was considered too overt, then you can imagine what was thought of Tango Argentino. This would explain the use of Chinese music, which is less passionate than much Tango and the more open embrace.

So what does this tell us about dance? I get two things from it:

1. Different people can see the same thing in different ways, and change it so that they like it
2. As long as you learn the fundamentals of a dance, you can dance it anywhere and adapt

So when you’re learning dance it is worth keeping in mind that what you’re learning will at times be arbitrary and based on the values of the people in the community that you are in at the time. Nevertheless, if you pay attention to the basics such as musicality, and lead and follow, you will be able to adapt to the social dance practices almost anywhere.

What do you want from dance?

There are many reasons why you might have chosen to take up partner dance. If you want to get the most out of it, then it's important that you take the right kinds of classes and prepare for those classes in the right way. I have seen some people take up couples dance without really thinking about what they want from it or assuming that they will get what they want regardless of where they learn or how they approach it. The end result is that they are not satisfied and leave social dancing because they did not get what they wanted even though they could have.

In this post I am going to go over some reasons for taking a dance class and what you can do to get what you want.

Meet people

It is called 'social dancing' so it makes sense for socialising to be a major motivator. If you do want to meet people through dance, then look for schools that do mostly group classes with a social event afterwards. Sometimes these schools are not actual places, but instead they are businesses that deliver classes on various premises such as bars and halls. This might mean that they are less likely to be in established major directories or come up first on an internet search, and you might need to hunt around for them.

Don't forget, that it's easier to meet people if you're a pleasure to dance with so a few private lessons are handy. Most schools that focus on group classes will still offer private lessons too so consider taking a few at the start to speed up progress.

Also, no matter how many people you dance with, you will still need the social skills to really connect with other people. Dance is not a cure-all if you're socially awkward, but it can help a lot.

Stimulate the brain through learning

Dance is actually one of the best things you can do to keep your mind healthy. To keep your brain in good shape throughout your life you need to exercise your social ability, your memory and your physical coordination. Social dancing does all of these and that's why it is one of the best thing for your brain. If you are taking up dance for the pleasure of learning and to keep your brain active, then look for a school that:

• Teaches a number of dances to really work your mind and your body in different ways
• Has gradings so that you have something to focus on, and stimulate your brain into action
• Has group classes and social events so that you interact with a diversity of people

A challenge

At one extreme, some schools focus on simply providing a social events and a place for people to meet. At the other extreme, some schools focus preparing people for dance sport, and focus on conditioning and the proper execution of all steps. I do not advocate either extreme - I like to take things down the middle - however, it's clear that one extreme is much better for someone looking for a challenge. Think about the type of challenge you want and then choose a school that fits with this. Dance at any level will have a challenge, but you still want it to be the challenge that you want.

The experience of performing your own dance

Personally, I am not really a fan of performing.

However, I know people who love to dance for others: both men and women. I do however like creating a routine for a song I like. The chance to do such things is higher in a school that runs competitions and grand finals within (so that it need not meet the strict rules of dance sport) and does showcases.

In showcases and grand finals a uniquely choreographed dance with costumes is performed to a chosen song in front of other students (and friends and family) and a judge. If you like the idea of this, then make sure you're at a school that has such dances.

A love of dance

On occasion, I have come across a ballet dancer, or a belly dancer or a modern dancer who has taken up partner dancing to get a sense of what it's like to dance with another person. You can imagine that for someone who has always danced in a primarily individual manner social dancing would be quite different. Typically, if you were in such a situation, then you would have some interest in theory. You would probably want to go to a school that offers mostly private lessons.

Something fun to do with your partner

This is quite a common reason, and I know a few couples who have taken up couples dancing together for something to do together. Usually, this works out well. However, it sometimes causes tension when one is clearly more committed than the other. The only thing that is different here is that you need to be aware of what each person wants (or might want). Try to find a solution that will keep both people happy.

This holds for a wedding dance too, which is probably the most common reason for couples to take up partner dancing for a period. I remember talking to a dance teacher who said she needed the skills of a pre-marital counsellor as well as those of a dance teacher. The problem was still that there was a mismatch in expectation between the couple.

Changing dance schools

Chances are you are reading this blog because you have already started dancing. Not many people do much research first; they just go to the first dance school they see. That's what I did. However, things change. Therefore, the type of school that you started at might not be the one that is ideal for you now. Also, what works for you now might not be what you want in the future. It's worth considering the suitability of a school if you ever feel that dance isn't giving you what it once did.

Finally, don't think you need to stick with one school. I have my main dance school, but I will go to others if I want to learn something specifics, explore new styles or just to do something different. Sometimes just seeing what else is out there is enough to reinvigorate the interest.

Choosing a dance school

Are you keen to start learning partner dance, and looking for a dance school? Or maybe you have chosen a place to learn partner dance and you're wondering if it is the right choice. In either case, it helps to know how to choose a school that's right for you and what you want. It's also worth remembering that sometimes you outgrow a school. What suited you at one stage, might not suit you now. It's always worth reviewing the suitability of your school.

The following will give you some ideas on how can evaluate and choose a dance school.

What to consider

There are 4 basic characteristics that are worth considering before choosing a dance school: The style of dancing you're interested in, the goals you have, socialising opportunity and how fast you want to learn.

Style of interest

Not all schools teach the same type of partner dance. I actually walked into a school randomly, and simply learnt what was taught. This worked out well for me, because I like to have a broader knowledge of things as opposed to deep knowledge in a specific area – this school taught the basic tens dances and street Latin. However, some of the other people who chose this dance school moved on because they were not learning what suited them. I recall one guy who went to a tango school.

A good idea is to at least learn about the different styles to see what suits you. Learning waltz is certainly different from learning salsa, which is very different from swing (east-coast or west-coast). If you're not learning a dance that interests you, then you will most likely find it much harder. You can watch programs such as dancing with the stars, read a few texts on partner dancing or simply look at different online videos. As you get a better sense of the different types of dance out there, you will be in a much better position to choose what dances you want to learn.

Once you know what kind of style you would like to learn, make sure that any school you're considering teaches the style(s) you're interested in. They might teach others, which can be good to keep you open to options, but make sure that they at least teach what you’re interested in.

Goals

Are you looking for a pastime; do you want to take on a challenge by learning a lot or do you want to dance competitively? It could even be a mix of these that you want.

Some schools will simply teach you to dance socially in a very casual way and let you progress at your own rate. Others will have gradings to manage and certify your progression. Some will explicitly encourage you to enter dance sport (they will probably be run by people who are into dance sport themselves).

Which style of teaching suits your goals? As my dancing progressed I found that I actually moved from one type of school to another to maintain the novelty of the lessons and the dance experience.

Socialising

Dancing is a great way to meet people. I have quite a few friends through dance. If you want to meet people as well as learn to dance, then you want to find schools that have an emphasis on group classes. Some schools are all group classes and give you a name tag so that everyone can get to know each other. Some schools have a few group events with mostly private lessons. Other schools are actually one person teaching nothing but one-on-one classes.

The majority of dance schools are social – couples dancing is also called 'social dancing' for a reason – but it's worth finding out how social one is before you commit to it.

Speed of learning

How fast do you want to learn dancing? In truth - you probably want to learn faster than you are actually going to. We are all like this.

Basic rule - The more intense the learning, the faster you learn.

If you really want to learn fast, then have as many private lessons as possible. You can always practice on your own to make the most of your lessons, but there is no substitute for having a person give you their full attention while your practice. However, sometimes going to a group class can offer a new perspective to help you understand what you need to work on. If you want to learn fast, then make sure private lessons are a feature of your school.

Another way to learn fast is to set goals. Very little motivates you to learn faster than knowing that you will need to dance in front of others. A school that has competitions and gradings will also help speed up your learning. In fact, set goals are probably the best way to speed up your learning.